Chapter 6 The Extravagance of the Rich
Seeing that a fight was about to break out, the innkeeper quickly came out to smooth things over, "May I ask what your orders are, fairy?"
Titian's maid snorted coldly, "We've booked this inn. Get rid of all these irrelevant people; my master's lodging must be kept quiet."
As he spoke, he tossed a gold ingot into the shopkeeper's arms.
Actually, even if the innkeeper didn't kick them out, the other guests wouldn't dare argue with them. They all left, except for Wu Chen's table, which remained unmoved.
Yu Jitang even sat down at the table in a nonchalant manner, deliberately facing them with a provocative look, as if afraid they wouldn't see through him.
Just then, someone walked in. The newcomer was a young gentleman, with his hair tied up in a golden crown, wearing a flowing and luxurious robe. All the buttons were made of pearls the size of a thumb, and every accessory at his waist was a rare treasure. Even someone as unsophisticated as Lu Qing could tell that it was extremely valuable.
Lu Qing's mouth and nose were covered by Wu Chen's blanket, but her eyes darted around, never idle for a moment. After examining his clothes, she looked at his face. Her eyes immediately lit up, and she pushed Wu Chen's hand away, exclaiming, "This guy is quite handsome!"
The maid's face changed drastically. "How dare you!"
Yu Jitang and Wu Chen were also stunned.
Yu Jitang turned around and saw Wu Chen's unusually flustered expression, and immediately burst into laughter, "Haha, hahaha..."
Wu Chen has finally met his match! After all these years, it's finally his turn to laugh at Wu Chen. As expected, fortunes change, and one thing can subdue another.
Wu Chen didn't say anything, but simply used a handkerchief soaked in tea to wipe Lu Qing's eyes.
Lu Qing groaned, Yu Jitang laughed heartily, and Wu Chen remained silent. The three of them made a lively scene at their table, while the large group of people standing nearby became like murals.
The maid was enraged. "How dare you!"
Yu Jitang turned around abruptly and said, "Get out."
The maid was so intimidated by his imposing manner that she took a step back, somewhat exasperated. "You...do you know who we are? How dare you be so rude?"
Her master finally walked up behind her and said calmly, "Step back."
The maid gave him a wronged look and retreated resentfully behind the man.
The man clasped his hands slightly as a greeting, saying, "Jinhua greets the two divine attendants."
Yu Jitang chuckled, "So it's someone rich who's making such a grand entrance!"
Wu Chen, however, slipped the handkerchief into Lu Qing's hand and then nodded slightly to the newcomer, "Young Master Jin."
Upon hearing the words "divine attendant," Titian's maidservant immediately lost all her arrogance and resentment. She lowered her head deeply and retreated back into the ranks of the maidservants.
Other maids came forward and removed the tables and chairs from the hall. Soon, everything around them was changed.
Soft and luxurious lichen, tables and small tables inlaid with jewels and mother-of-pearl, extravagant palace lanterns, crystal clear glassware, ebony chopsticks wrapped in gold, and an incense burner carved from a single piece of jade...
"Achoo~" Lu Qing sneezed without holding back.
The man from Jinhua glanced at the Titian maid and said, "Once is never enough. Since you are so blind, you don't need to serve me anymore."
The maid stared at Jinhua in horror. Someone immediately pulled her away and extinguished the incense.
Lu Qing covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief and watched helplessly as the Titian maid was dragged away.
That young master Jin! Judging from the attitude of that Titian maid at the beginning, she must have been someone he was proud of. But she turned on him so easily. She's really ruthless.
So when Jin Hua invited them to move to another seat, Lu Qing unconsciously moved closer to Wu Chen. Wu Chen returned her a reassuring smile.
Jin Hua was also curious about the person who dared to stick so close to Wu Chen and even receive a response from him. "Who is this?"
Yu Jitang glanced at Wu Chen and spoke first, "Her name is Lu Qing, she is Young Master Wu's...person." The slight pause in the middle was quite suggestive.
Jin Hua's gaze fell on Lu Qing.
Lu Qing glared back without hesitation. "What are you looking at? Did you pay me? I can't let this go unpunished. I'm going to get my revenge."
Jin Hua was so startled by her glare that he looked away. "Miss Lu Qing, you really are..." He paused for a moment before continuing, "...innocent and lively."
Yu Jitang wanted to slam his fist on the table and burst out laughing. But the moment that thought crossed his mind, Lu Qing glared at him and snapped it back down. She gave Jin Gongzi a forced smile and said, "Your taste isn't great, but you're very honest when it comes to praising people."
For a moment, everyone was speechless.
Wu Chen smiled and glanced at her. "Stop being naughty. What would you like to eat?"
Lu Qing quickly replied, "No wild mushrooms, anything else that tastes good is fine."
Jin Hua smiled faintly, "It's a rare opportunity to meet with the two divine servants. How about I host a meal to express my gratitude?"
Yu Jitang didn't mind, "Sure, you're a rich man anyway. I feel perfectly justified in taking advantage of you."
Lu Qing's gaze darted back and forth between the three men. Whether they were close or not, the atmosphere at the table was strangely awkward; yet, they were conversing calmly, showing no intention of fighting. The men were playing coy, and Lu Qing didn't want to play along. "Young Master Jin, are you also going to Tan Family Village?"
Upon hearing this, Jin Hua looked at her, but her gaze quickly fell on Wu Chen's face. "Yes. Young Master Wu is also going to Tan Family Village."
Wu Chen nodded calmly, "Exactly. But perhaps our purposes are different."
Jin Hua hesitated for a moment, then said, "Excuse my boldness, but may I ask what brings Young Master Wu to Tan Family Village, and if there is anything I can do to help?"
"Tch, you're such a snide person. Everyone rushing to Tan Family Village these days is after the Spirit Fruit," Yu Jitang scoffed.
"The Fruit of Spiritual Communication?" Lu Qing repeated in surprise.
Wu Chen also showed surprise, "What's going on?"
Now it was Yu Jitang's turn to be surprised. "You didn't know?"
Wu Chen shook his head. "For the past year or so, I've been staying with Lu Qing and haven't had any contact with the outside world. I know nothing about what's happening outside."
Yu Jitang remembered that Lu Qing had said outside the small temple that she had woken up but had forgotten many things. After a moment's thought, he looked at Lu Qing and said, "So you've been sick for so long."
Lu Qing didn't know where he got this conclusion from, but she didn't correct him. "Tell me quickly, what happened?"
Jin Hua felt a pang of regret. Had he known Wu Chen was unaware of the Spirit Fruit, he would never have brought it up. Only one Spirit Fruit is obtained every thousand years, and countless people desire it. However, with a formidable opponent like Wu Chen, each additional obstacle creates immense trouble, making the already slim chance even more remote.
However, even if he didn't say it, since Wu Chen was heading to Tan Family Village, he would find out about it sooner or later.
"It is said that the head of Tan Family Manor knows the whereabouts of the Spirit Fruit." He had no choice but to say this.
Wu Chen showed no displeasure and replied, "I see." He looked at Lu Qing and said, "It seems that Tan Family Village is bound to be in a lot of turmoil for a while. In that case, let's not go and cause trouble. Let's get a good rest tonight and leave tomorrow."
Lu Qing asked curiously, "The Fruit of Spiritual Communication, isn't it said to be able to bring the dead back to life or grant unparalleled divine power or anything like that? Why don't you go and take a look?"
Wu Chen looked at her, a hint of unspoken meaning hidden in his smile, "Rumors are not to be believed."
“Okay.” Lu Qing shrugged. “Then let’s go somewhere else tomorrow.”
Yu Jitang didn't believe Wu Chen's words. "Then what were you originally going to Tan Family Village for?"
Wu Chen stopped Lu Qing from answering and replied to Yu Jitang, "It's a trivial matter unrelated to the Fruit of Spirit Communication."
Yu Jitang was even more skeptical. However, his conflict with Wu Chen was an internal matter of the Divine Palace, and there was no reason for him to put on a show for Jin Hua, an outsider. So he smiled and said, "Young Master Jin, how much longer are we going to wait? If you hadn't come, we would have already finished eating."
Jin Hua smiled faintly and clapped his hands.
The maids immediately presented golden basins of fragrant dew to wash everyone's hands before serving fine wine and delicacies.
Lu Qing took a couple of bites and her eyes lit up immediately. "Mmm, delicious."
Jin Hua responded politely, "Miss Lu Qing, please eat more if you like."
Seeing her eating with great enthusiasm, Wu Chen didn't stop her and even put two more pieces on her plate.
As a result, Lu Qing ate until she was stuffed.
After the banquet, I returned to my room, which had been completely transformed. It was so luxurious and sensual that it was unrecognizable from its original state. Needless to say, it was Jinhua's doing again. Especially the bed, which was now covered with a bright red silk quilt and a pair of large mandarin duck pillows.
Wu Chen frowned slightly, then looked down and asked Lu Qing, "Do you want to sleep?"
Lu Qing touched her stomach. "I'm a little full! I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep."
"Shall we go for a walk?"
"Great! Great!"
On the same floor, someone was carrying hot water into Yu Jitang's room. He was probably preparing to take a bath.
Lu Qing skipped and hopped after Wu Chen as they left the inn.
Although it was night, lanterns were still lit on the streets of Qinglingdu, and some stalls selling late-night snacks or accessories had not yet closed. Many pedestrians were passing by. Some were vendors going to and from the ferry, while others were couples or young lovers out on dates under the cover of night.
Lu Qing looked around for a while, then suddenly stopped in front of Wu Chen and said, "Give me your hand."
Wu Chen raised an eyebrow, but still obediently stretched out both hands and laid them flat in front of Lu Qing.
Wu Chen's hands were long and strong, with clear palm lines and distinct knuckles, quite different from Lu Qing's soft, jade-like hands.
Lu Qing chuckled and placed her left hand into Wu Chen's palm.
Wu Chen subconsciously wanted to pull his hand away, but seeing Lu Qing's genuine smile, he smiled too, and then slowly took Lu Qing's hand in his. "What's wrong? Why are you so happy?"
Lu Qing's hands were delicate and warm, soft as if boneless. As Wu Chen held them, he gradually grew to like the feel of them.
The two continued walking side by side, Wu Chen's wide sleeves hanging down naturally, covering their clasped hands. It didn't attract much attention.
Lu Qing turned her head to look at him. "It's nothing. They were all holding hands. But you don't seem to have held my hand." Although Wu Chen had been very close to her and had carried her almost the entire way, that closeness seemed a little different from this intimate gesture of holding hands.
Wu Chen lowered his eyes and smiled, "Some things are best done after marriage."
"Why?" Lu Qing asked curiously.
Wu Chen squeezed the soft, delicate hand in his palm. "This is a sign of respect."
"Respect? So this is disrespect?" Lu Qing looked down at their clasped hands.
“No, it’s not that.” Wu Chen felt awkward for the first time. He looked down at their clasped hands and suddenly laughed. “It’s nothing really, but since you’ve held my hand, you can’t hold anyone else’s hand.”
Lu Qing blinked. "And what about you? You held my hand, will you hold other people's hands?"
Wu Chen looked into her eyes with a gentle smile, "No, not anymore."
Lu Qing didn't understand the deeper meaning behind it, nor did she realize why holding one person's hand meant she couldn't hold someone else's. However, it seemed quite fair. So she put the matter aside.
Wu Chen led her along the main road and they unknowingly arrived at a tall gatehouse. When Lu Qing looked up, she saw three words engraved on the gatehouse: Tan Family Village.
"This is Tan Family Village!" Lu Qing looked ahead. "Huh, why is there nothing here?"
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