Chapter 125: No More Pretense

Spring truly brought delightful scenery.

Among the four seasons of the year—spring, summer, autumn, and winter—each had its own unique charm and benefits. However, if one were to choose the best season for traveling, it would undoubtedly be spring. Even the golden autumn paled in comparison.

Spring was full of vitality and renewal. Walking through such a world lifted one’s spirits considerably.

The Daoist walked at a leisurely pace toward Changjing, appreciating the scenery along the way. His demeanor was so serene that it was as if he had simply slept in the mountains last night and this morning.

The same road offered different views when traveling back and forth, with the scenery changing each time.

He walked from morning to mid-afternoon, and finally arrived back in Changjing. Once in the city, he made his way slowly toward home.

Then, he suddenly passed by a restaurant. The restaurant was magnificently built, with an ancient charm and an eye-catching sign. If it weren’t for the government regulations, the entrance might have taken up half the street. The sign displayed the words “Yunchun Restaurant

.

”

The Daoist couldn’t help but stop and look up. It was only mid-afternoon, and many of the city’s prominent residents had already adapted to the three meals a day routine, yet the restaurant still had a table of customers dining. As soon as the Daoist paused at the entrance, a waiter promptly came over to greet him.

“Would you like a meal or to make a reservation?”

“Good afternoon.” The Daoist bowed in courtesy. “I’ve heard that your restaurant has a great reputation. I happened to pass by today and wanted to ask how much it would cost for a table.”

“Oh, I’m unworthy of your bow, sir! But you’ve come to the right place. Our Yunchun Restaurant is renowned far and wide. The stir-fried dishes that are now popular throughout the entire Great Yan were originally created by us, and now everyone from the north to south imitates us. Many restaurants are essentially our apprentices,” the waiter said proudly.

He continued, “Even the palace nobles sometimes order from us, and high-ranking officials, princesses, and princes are regular guests here.”

Despite his boasting, the Daoist simply asked, “How much?”

“For reservations, we usually offer three tiers,” the smiling waiter explained.

He added, “The first is the Bullion Set. This includes a feast of big fish and meat, with cold and hot dishes totaling sixteen courses. Whether you’re entertaining friends or having a small family gathering, this meal will satisfy and delight. For a table like this, we only charge three taels and three qian of silver. It's not expensive—consider it a friendly gesture. If you enjoy the meal, come back again!”

“Hmm...” Song You pondered.

This amount was what he usually spent on a month’s worth of lodging and fine dining in Yidu, and leaving Yidu might require two to three months’ worth of funds. Still, it was surprisingly cheap for Yunchun Restaurant, one of Changjing’s most prestigious restaurants.

No wonder business here was thriving.

The waiter said, “The second tier is the Jewel Set. Our head chef will personally prepare your meal for you. We’ll serve you the latest dishes and the best chefs in Changjing and the entire Great Yan. Our dishes were even favored by the Prime Minister and the State Preceptor. This meal features sixteen courses of hot and cold dishes.

“There are also some dishes where each person has their own bowl, totaling eight bowls, but they’re counted as one dish. And it includes our signature Drunken Yunchun wine, which even the prime minister praised after drinking. It costs twelve taels and eight qian of silver per table.”

Song You asked, “And the third tier?”

“The third is the Delicacy Set. As the name suggests, it includes exotic dishes and exquisite delicacies. Whether it's locally produced, imported, from the sea, from the lakes, or even from the sky, we can prepare the most exquisite and luxurious dishes for you—ones that even the nobles in the palace order from our humble shop. We can even serve you the finest wine from the western regions right at your table.

“This table costs twenty-eight taels and eight qian of silver. However, the Delicacy Set requires a reservation seven days in advance. The Bullion Set and the Jewel Set are best reserved in advance as well; otherwise, you might have to wait a bit longer.”

The waiter paused here and glanced at the Daoist.

Although the Daoist was only wearing an old robe, the current dynasty revered Daoism. Plus, the State Preceptor was a Daoist, so he dared not underestimate him. When it came to this robe, sometimes the older it was, the more remarkable it became.

“Of course, if you wish to enjoy an even finer meal, we can discuss it in detail. While our shop can't serve dragon liver or phoenix marrow, we can still offer bear paws, tiger hearts, and the princess's favorite fish lips. Though these delicacies are troublesome and costly, we can arrange them. However, such treasures are either hard to come by or require significant effort, and the price...”

“If the opportunity arises, I’ll come by.”

“Please take care, Daoist master.”

Song You cupped his hand toward him and left.

It seemed that the Bullion Set was for ordinary wealthy guests, while the Jewel Set was for officials of Changjing. Though, ordinary minor officials probably wouldn’t dare to host such a grand banquet, at least not publicly. Currently, an official in Great Yan’s county would earn around forty taels of silver a year.

It was rather laughable to say, but ever since Song You came down from the mountain, he couldn’t afford two Delicacy Sets even at his wealthiest. Even the demons and ghosts that wreaked havoc around Changjing for years without being eliminated wouldn't be worth enough—two of them together could barely trade for a single set like this.

“Interesting...” Song You adjusted the strap of his bag and walked away slowly. He spotted a vendor selling clay jars on the way and picked one out.

Yunchun Restaurant was a renowned restaurant in Changjing and the pioneer of stir-fried dishes. Since he was there, he naturally wanted to try it. However, for him, ordinary dishes were the staples of daily life.

By dusk, he returned to Willow Street.

At that time, the door to the neighboring house was still closed. Song You and the calico cat went upstairs to their home. After they sat in the rocking chair for a while, the neighboring heroine finally returned and started knocking on the door downstairs.

Just hearing the knocking, Song You knew it was her. He quickly got up and went downstairs.

Sure enough, it was the heroine.

The temperature in Changjing had warmed up significantly since he first arrived, making it uncomfortable for the heroine to wear her thick gray-black coat. However, she was still dressed more warmly than the pedestrians on the street. Naturally, she couldn't hide a short sword in such attire, so she had switched to a dagger.

Song You sniffed the air, faintly detecting the scent of blood.

Heroine Wu appeared as usual, leaning against the doorframe and grinning at him, asking, “How was the scenery on the mountain?”

“It was beautiful.”

“Sounds relaxing...”

Heroine Wu reached into her clothing and took out a silver piece and a half, placing them on his table. “This is the reward for the mountain monster. Yesterday at noon, I handed the monster’s head over to the authorities in the

yamen

. They sent people to identify it, and this morning, they settled the reward. This is your share—half of it.”

“Thank you.” Song You took a piece and a half of silver. The piece was a ten-tael whole with the half being a cut from the middle, approximately half of a ten-tael silver.

“Have you eaten, Heroine Wu?”

“Not yet. Are you going to treat me to a meal?”

“That was my intention.”

“Where to? Do you have a place in mind?”

“How about Yunchun Restaurant?”

“Yunchun Restaurant?”

“Yes.”

“That place is very expensive!”

“I just got paid.”

“Even if you just got paid, you can’t spend it like that!”

“Before coming to Changjing, I passed through Donghe County and heard about Yunchun Restaurant’s reputation. I also learned that Yunchun Restaurant was the pioneer of stir-fried dishes. I’ve always wanted to see it for myself.”

“Do you know how much it costs to have a meal there?” Heroine Wu smiled.

“I happened to pass by Yunchun Restaurant in the afternoon and inquired about the prices,” Song You answered honestly.

“You...” Heroine Wu was about to say something when her eyes suddenly widened. “You took the job and made money just to have a meal there?”

“Pretty much,” Song You replied earnestly, “If it were just me, I could probably eat only a tenth of a table of dishes. But since I see that you have a great appetite, perhaps you can eat more to avoid waste.”

“Even then, I can’t eat the entire table of dishes!”

“We can take it to go.”

“Are we the only ones going?”

“And Lady Calico.” Heroine Wu turned to look, and a calico cat was sitting on a bench, staring intently at her.

Suddenly, it spoke up, “And me!” Its voice was soft and delicate.

Heroine Wu was momentarily stunned.

Even back during Anqing, she knew this cat was extraordinary. After the reunion in Changjing, she was already aware that the cat could speak. The thin wall really didn’t block out much sound, so she often heard the Daoist and the cat talking. However, the cat usually kept some pretense in her presence and meowed when speaking to the Daoist. Because of this, she had always pretended not to know.

She hadn’t expected that pretense to be dropped so abruptly this time. If it was going to drop its pretense, it should at least give her a heads-up. The cat speaking so suddenly left her unsure of how to respond.

Should she act as if she already knew? Or should she pretend to be surprised?

Heroine Wu scratched her head, then turned to Song You. “When are we going?”

“With the recent curfew and this place being so far away, we can’t go tonight. When are you free tomorrow?”

“Noon time.”

“Alright.” The two of them agreed on a time to have a meal together.

Heroine Wu was a straightforward person. Not knowing what else to say at the moment, she cupped her hands and turned to leave. But then she remembered something and turned back. “Since you’re using this money for the meal, what are you planning to do with the money you earned from Peach Blossom Peaks?”

At this point, she understood that the Daoist probably wouldn’t even go to the city gate to take down the job notice if it weren't for these expenses, despite being capable of going out of the city to catch demons and subdue monsters.

“I’ve heard that

chengyao

porcelain[1] is quite nice.”

“That’s also very expensive—ridiculously so. A single cup can cost several dozens of taels,” Heroine Wu said, shaking her head in disbelief. “Though, unless you specifically want to buy the kind used in the palace or by high-ranking officials, a set of dishes or tea utensils should cost around a dozen taels of silver at most.”

“I just want to broaden my horizons.”

“Then what about after that? Will you continue to accept more jobs?”

Song You didn’t read any concern in her eyes. Still, he said, “I’ve heard that Changjing has ten wonders. I want to see if these ten wonders are truly extraordinary and if there are more wonders to discover in Changjing.”

“Then, you will have plenty of things to spend money on! Changjing has more than just ten wonders. Even just to experience or witness it for yourself, it would still cost a considerable amount of money!”

“Then I’ll rely on you for guidance.”

“Got it!” Heroine Wu waved her hand and headed next door.

She had long heard of Yunchun Restaurant’s fame. As a food lover, she had always wanted to try it. However, the prices were so high, and she had many other expenses, which was why she had not gone there yet. It was indeed thanks to the Daoist that she would finally get to try it.

The next morning, Heroine Wu had purposely stayed home that day and skipped breakfast. She got up early, took a shower, and dried her hair.

She intended to carefully style it, but lacking the skill, she could only arrange it as best as she could with her hands. Without a mirror at home, she had no idea how it looked—messy or neat. She changed into clean clothes, habitually tucked a dagger into her belt, and prepared to enjoy the meal.

When she went next door, the door was still open. Upon closer inspection, she saw a Daoist and a little girl in three-colored clothes inside. The Daoist was currently brushing the girl’s hair. Seeing this, Heroine Wu fell silent.

1.

Chengyao

refers to a type of porcelain produced during the

Chenghua

period of the Ming Dynasty. ☜