Chapter 32: Zuixian Restaurant

Night,

A full moon hangs high, solitary and bright.

Zui Xian Pavilion.

The tavern buzzes with activity—on stage, a woman dances with long sleeves, graceful and fluid; beneath, a group of scantily clad beauties moves through the hall, laughter echoing like wind through leaves.

Suddenly,

"Bang!!"

A wooden table shatters with a violent crack, silencing the lively tavern in a way that feels unnaturally still.

Then, a voice rises—

"Absurd! Absurd! That Xu Changge, who slew merely a serpent demon in the ancient abyss, is now welcomed into the capital by the Imperial Court with state honors!"

A scholar in a scholar’s robe, standing by the railing on the second floor, slams his palm onto the table and stands upright, his face slightly blurred with drink, his voice low and trembling.

As the words fell from his lips, the great hall fell once more into silence, every eye turning toward him.

His companion’s eyelid flickered slightly, hastily tugging at the sleeve of his friend and shouting:

“Ah, Li brother, you’re drunk—only speaking nonsense!”

With that, the companion bowed awkwardly to the crowd below:

“Pardon me, pardon me. Drunk talk, drunk talk. Disrupting everyone’s enjoyment. Please, continue drinking, continue drinking.”

The guests in the hall, seeing this, all laughed and joined in, raising their cups, some sipping, others listening to the music.

Yet at that moment,

the scholar, seeing no one was looking at him anymore, raised his arm with a sudden surge of liquor-fueled passion, flinging his sleeve aside and pulling free from his companion’s grip. His face, lit with sorrow and conviction, rang out:

“I am not drunk! The Emperor, residing in the palace, has been without word for a long time. Now that the Prince has left the city, it must be the faction of the Chancellor—using the Prince’s eldest son as a pawn to stir up rebellion!”

With those words, the once-bustling, lively tavern fell utterly silent—so still that a single pin dropping would have been heard.

Seeing no one questioning, the feeling of being the center of attention made the scholar slightly heady. He took a deep breath and then shouted aloud:

"Our great state of Great Flame has lasted over one thousand three hundred years. That Xu Yinhe, who once held the position of prime minister, was traditionally regarded as a model for us scholars—yet now his ambitions are openly revealed! Let alone his collusion and self-serving schemes, there are rumors he now controls private armies. Yet the senior officials in court are all self-serving, only concerned with their own safety!

"...Xu Yinhe's third son, Xu Changtian, is even worse than a beast—robbing civilians of their daughters, tormenting the common people without restraint..."

The scholar shouted out accusations against the current prime minister, completely unaware that the faces of his companions at the table were gradually darkening. Several of them had already quietly moved away from the man passionately delivering his words.

Accusing the prime minister and the high-ranking officials—was that wrong?

Of course not.

Didn't scholars do this?

Who else could they accuse?

Every time they gathered in private, they had to vent their anger.

Without such accusations, there would be no joy.

But,

you damn fool, you can't even spit at us during our private gatherings?!

Who said no one dared to speak up about the Chancellor's affairs?

No one spoke up—

who put those heads piled up in the market square of the capital back then?

Who were the warriors sent to the north and south borders to defend against strange demons and barbarian tribes back then?

"...

After spitting for a while, the young scholar exhaled deeply, as if he’d developed a habit—ready to launch into the next round. Suddenly, from a corner of the hall, a voice emerged:

"A scholar without official rank, defaming a high minister of the court—do you think Jingjiang City has no secret intelligence bureau?"

At the sound of opposition, the young scholar immediately responded with righteous indignation:

"What can the Secret Investigation Bureau do?! Everything I've said is the truth no one else dares to speak!!"

"What can they do? Hah, why not invite them down to see this fearless man—someone who dares to speak truths others would never dare to utter?"

"........"

The young scholar stared, stunned, opened his mouth to argue, but then cautiously glanced around. Everywhere he saw were mocking, derisive glances. Half-drunk, his face twitched, turning from purple to red, then finally, without regard for decorum, he sank back into his seat.

Seeing this scene,

Everyone burst into laughter at once. The ZhuiXian Pavilion erupted once more in lively chaos, filled with joy and merriment throughout its halls and corridors...

...

At the very top, Xu Yuan silently observed all that unfolded below.

Regardless of era or world, those with wealth or power live experiences vastly different from ordinary people.

The interior of the ZhuiXian Pavilion was a hollow, soaring well-shaped structure, with consumption levels gradually increasing from lower to higher floors.

The lowest level was a tier—two hundred people crammed together in a bustling alley, merely to satisfy their eyes.

The second to fourth floors represented another tier, with a more relaxed and relatively quiet atmosphere, where one might invite two or three close friends, inform the madam to summon a few girls, and raise a toast with lively conversation.

The fifth to eighth floors were individual pavilions—here, elegance took root. Activities like listening to music and playing flutes were mostly held in these refined spaces.

The ninth to twelfth floors were private rooms, reserved exclusively for guests staying overnight.

Each room was assigned a numbered rank and a unique nickname, with a designated girl of refined charm.

And on the thirteenth floor, the very top, there stood a single suite—unparalleled in luxury.

Once booked, the entire floor became your personal domain.

You could summon any girl from Zui Xian Pavilion at will, and the attendants on the top floor were carefully selected by the madam—each one a graceful, exquisite beauty, every face and figure a pinnacle of elegance.

As a seasoned, worldly nobleman, Xu Yuan naturally returned to the familiar Zui Xian Pavilion upon his arrival in Jingjiang City, and he booked the very top suite.

Yet he never expected to stumble upon such a splendid performance here.

As for being scolded, he didn't care one bit.

You're scolding Xu Changtian—what does that have to do with me, Xu Yuan?

The only thing worth noting was the speed at which news traveled across the Great Inland Dynasty.

Zhou Chen had just informed him earlier that morning that his elder brother had arrived in the Imperial Capital—by nightfall, the news had already spread among the scholars and young nobles in Jingjiang City.

It made sense, really. One province of the Great Inland Dynasty stretched across ten thousand miles. If news didn't travel swiftly, the empire would have long since fractured.

Lost in these thoughts, without even realizing it, a gentle tap brushed against his shoulder.

A drunken voice echoed from behind him:

"Third Prince, still standing here?"

It was Zhou Chen.

As his own bodyguard and teacher, Zhou Chen quite naturally followed Xu Yuan to the Zuixian Tower to freeload.

When it came to such elegant locales, this fellow was even more adept than the body's original host; the moment they reached the highest floor, he familiarly threw his arms around two handmaidens and walked straight into the room.

Xu Yuan cast a slow, deliberate glance at the stubbly master beside him and chuckled softly.

"So, you are finished already? That fast?"

"..." Zhou Chen.

A tinge of awkwardness flushed across Zhou Chen's slightly tipsy face, and he gave a light cough.

"No, do not guess blindly. I am a man aloof from feminine charms, this is merely required by my cultivation method. Being quick is only to be expected."

Pausing for a moment, he raised the gourd in his hand, took a draught of wine, and glanced at Xu Yuan as if nothing had happened.

"Third Young Master, aren't you going to have some fun while you are here?"

"Heh~"

Xu Yuan met his gaze with calm composure, and chuckled softly:

"Mr. Zhou, don't you see the condition of my body?

After practicing, I realized my body had been severely depleted by past indulgences and excesses. If I continue like this...ah, well, I'll have to put a temporary halt. All right, if there are issues with my cultivation, I'll come to you, Mr. Zhou. You may do as you please."

With that, Xu Yuan glanced briefly at the young women standing nearby, their curves prominent and vivid, and silently recited a few words—'wine and women will harm my body'—before turning and walking away.

Zhou Chen watched the silhouette of the third prince receding into the distance, holding his wine flask against the railing, shook his head, and then selected two of the attendants, taking each in one arm as he walked toward the room, shaking his head and murmuring:

"Hmph, I thought the third prince was a fellow practitioner...ah..."

Before he could finish,

Xu Yuan's amused voice drifted gently from afar:

"Mr. Zhou, I don't want to be a fellow practitioner with you."

Zhou Chen stiffened, then turned sharply and grinned at the back of Xu Yuan's figure:

"Hey, indeed, fellow travelers."