“My lord, please don’t jump to conclusions. Nothing happened.”
“Alright, I understand. I won’t jump to conclusions,” Liu Liu added mentally, then fell silent, gazing outside. There was no one at the bow of the boat. It seemed Cui’er had taken Mu Xing down for snacks.
The large ship had been sailing on the Chu River for half a month. During these past fifteen days, Mu Xing’s initial excitement had turned into utter boredom. He spent his days peering out the window, waiting for the boat to dock. Things he had previously found delightful now held no interest.
The water was no longer beautiful, the birds were no longer fun to watch, and the villages on the shore looked unsightly. In short, it was as uninteresting as Xiaoyao Island.
However, he only dared to complain to Aunt Cui. He wouldn't dare say anything to his mother, or she wouldn't bring him out next time.
Every time Aunt Cui threatened to report him to his mother, he would make promises and beg until he was let off the hook. Fortunately, half a month passed quickly.
Fengyue City had arrived. From a distance, the city gate resembled a colossal tower, tall and imposing. Currently, it was bustling with people, and traffic flowed incessantly.
After the large ship docked, two luxurious carriages were already waiting at the shore. Liu Liu instructed Ah Bao to lead two subordinates to guard the ship. The rest followed her ashore. As soon as they landed, a middle-aged man dressed in dark blue-grey attire jumped down from a carriage and stepped forward, cupping his fist in greeting and speaking respectfully.
“I have been waiting for the楼主 for a long time. The Zhuangzhu cannot come today due to matters, so he sent me to pick you up. Tonight, we will host a welcoming banquet for the楼主 at Wanfeng Teahouse.”
This man was the steward of Wanfeng Teahouse, Lu Qing. He was very familiar with Liu Liu, so she was not surprised by his presence. She nodded and said in a clear, cool voice, “Thank you, Steward Lu.”
With that, she led the way into the front luxurious carriage. Her silver butterfly mask gleamed brilliantly in the sun. The eyes visible from the mask were as clear as a deep, clear pool, carrying the appropriate distance between people.
Cui’er, wiping Mu Xing, followed closely behind Liu Liu towards another carriage. Lu Qing, upon seeing the little Mu Xing, couldn’t help but ask curiously, “楼主, who is this little brother? He’s so cute.”
Mu Xing blinked his eyes and said in a childish voice, “He’s my older brother. I’m younger brother Mu Xing.”
He wore a sweet and adorable smile, but inwardly he grumbled with dissatisfaction. Mu Xing felt so unlucky. From now on, his mother had become his brother. This was too big a loss.
Tonight, he would let his mother sleep with Mu Xing. The little head was already making plans. After speaking, he followed Cui’er into the carriage.
Lu Qing was stunned. He hadn’t expected that the Seven Stars楼主 would have such a young brother. Moreover, this child was so fair-skinned, delicate, beautiful, and cute. He surmised that Seven Stars must also be a dazzling man, which was why he wore a mask to cover his handsome face.
Steward Lu sighed in understanding and turned to jump onto the driver’s seat.
One carriage carried Liu Liu, Dai Mei, Cui’er, and Mu Xing. The second carriage carried Zhi Gu, the Mad Fifth Young Master, and Hong Xiu. Except for Cui’er, who knew no martial arts, Hong Xiu knew a little. The others were all first-class experts, so there was nothing to worry about.
The two carriages sped into Fengyue City. Fengyue City was famous for its handsome men and beautiful women. The local environment nurtured the people, which was why it was called Fengyue City. It was said that even old women here retained their charm and didn't show the frailty of old age found elsewhere. Men were handsome, and women were beautiful.
Mu Xing, having been bored for a month, was now excitedly lifting the carriage curtain and looking outside, exclaiming from time to time. Seeing his happy expression, the others in the carriage were also amused, and they all looked out.
The streets were crowded and lively. The people indeed appeared handsome and refined, like jade adorning the streets. A glance was a pleasure to the eyes. Dai Mei smiled faintly and looked at Liu Liu.
“It truly is a place that produces handsome men and beautiful women. When the楼主 mentioned it before, I didn’t quite believe it. But now I see it’s true. People born here are truly fortunate. But why are people here more handsome than people elsewhere?”
As soon as Dai Mei finished speaking, a loud voice came from outside.
“Are you saying that the people of our Fengyue City are handsome? In fact, it’s because there’s a largest well in the city called Dragon’s Eye. The water from there connects to all the wells in the city. It’s sweet and fragrant. Everyone drinks such good water, which is why they grow up handsome. They use this water to wash their faces and cook, which is why people are born fair and beautiful. This is all the blessing created by the ancestors of Fengyue City.”
The people in the carriage remained noncommittal. They found such an explanation not very credible, only attributing it to the principle of generations of handsomeness.
Wanfeng Teahouse, located in the eastern part of the city, occupied a vast area and was the symbol of Fengyue City’s wealth. The teahouse’s business extended throughout the Tianfeng Dynasty and even to neighboring countries. As it bore the imperial merchant’s plaque, it had always enjoyed unimpeded passage.
Unexpectedly, this time they had hit a snag, which was why Liu Liu had come to Fengyue City to discuss a countermeasure with the owner of Wanfeng Teahouse.
Feng Jiu, the owner of Wanfeng Teahouse, was not only elegant and handsome but also highly skilled in martial arts.
He had no official wife, but he had eighteen concubines. Liu Liu had met these concubines, and they each possessed unique charm, ranging from plump and graceful to slender and delicate.
Feng Jiu could be considered a truly blessed man in the world. Liu Liu smiled mockingly. She did not comment on Feng Jiu’s unrestrained lifestyle, as everyone had their own ways, and they were merely partners.
After traveling a short distance, the sounds of people gradually became fewer. This was the territory of Wanfeng Teahouse.
The land extended for hundreds of miles, all owned by the teahouse. They grew tea themselves, cultivating many precious varieties, and purchased from tea farmers at the lowest prices. From plucking and picking to sorting and roasting, every step was monitored by numerous people to ensure the superior quality of the tea.
Wanfeng Teahouse’s reputation was not undeserved. Feng Jiu’s capabilities were not to be underestimated. However, he was sometimes too impetuous. Otherwise, he wouldn’t need to cooperate with their Seven Stars Tower and could operate independently.
However, while he could navigate the legitimate world, he couldn’t manage the underworld. This was because bandits specifically targeted such prominent figures. That was why they partnered with the Seven Stars Tower, a major force.
So far, they had cooperated happily for three years. Feng Jiu was a very generous person who overlooked minor details, which led Liu Liu to consider him a friend.
The carriage stopped before a magnificent gate. The tall gate was carved with a pair of fierce tigers, exuding great majesty, and inscribed with four vigorous characters: “Wanfeng Teahouse.” Below this were six characters on a vermilion red main gate. A group of servants dressed in fine clothes knelt before the gate. Upon seeing Liu Liu and her party descend from the carriage, they spoke respectfully.
“Greetings,楼主.”
Liu Liu glanced around. Feng Jiu was indeed capable of putting on such a show. Why did he always create such grand displays? A smile played on her lips, and she said with a light and detached tone, “You may rise.”
“Thank you,楼主.” The group rose, and Lu Qing invited Liu Liu and her party into Wanfeng Teahouse. As soon as they stepped inside, the fragrant aroma of tea, rich and sweet, wafted towards them.
A long bluestone path extended straight towards the main building, flanked by beautifully landscaped rock screens, flowers, trees, and a small flowing stream. The group walked to the end of the bluestone path and saw the tall main buildings, magnificent in scale, with red tiles, white walls, and glazed eaves.
They gleamed brightly in the sunlight. Before the main building stood two rows of beautiful maidservants, standing respectfully with their heads bowed, their sweet voices filling the air.
“We greet you,楼主.”