Night fell.
A bronze carriage rolled out from Biyun Tower, merging into the bustling streets of the Imperial Capital.
The Imperial Capital is divided into the Royal City, Inner City, and Outer City—roughly like the first, second, and third rings of a city, though that description is a bit off since the Royal City is where nobles and princes reside, and outsiders aren’t allowed in unless there’s a special occasion.
The Inner City is even more prosperous and spacious than the Outer City. The buildings aren’t of a single style; they’re exquisitely beautiful yet distinctly different from one another. Even the lanterns lining the streets have been replaced with sea crystal lights, twinkling like stars and mirroring the Jiangshan Yizhi Map in the distance.
The bronze carriage, while understated and luxurious—akin to a high-end car of later ages—now felt rather average as soon as it entered the Inner City.
Ke Mo lifted the carriage curtain, looking quite impressed.
“Wind Moon Small Residence is even more extravagant; the scenery can’t be compared to anywhere else!”
Xie Xuan sat at the front, sporting his usual straw hat, embodying the image of a carefree wanderer.
Inside the carriage, with one upright gentleman and one refined young master, he suddenly felt like a mere coachman.
“Over there is…”
Ke Mo spotted a building ahead with an archway that read ‘Yebi Pavilion.’
Before Xie Xuan could respond, Ying Bing, the cool and handsome Ice Chunk, half-hidden behind his folding fan, said softly:
“That’s the property of the Tianshan Sword Manor. You can place orders there for the blacksmiths to forge weapons.”
“Ah, so it’s the Cold Fairy… Han brother truly knows a lot.”
Xie Xuan nodded, chewing on a root he must have found somewhere:
“Every weapon forging conference typically reveals a number of talented artisans. Some will eventually join the swordsmiths, or at least use their names.”
“Speaking of which, this year’s forging conference is just around the corner, but the artisans’ skills just keep declining. Sigh…”
“Is it because of the Huanmo Sect?”
Ke Mo suddenly recalled the rumors he’d heard on Shenbing Peak: “Weren’t the divine energy concoctions banned?”
Xie Xuan paused, surprised that Ke Mo knew about this:
“Some people will always find ways to research the obscure. The ways divine energy concoctions manifest are becoming weirder and weirder, and the authorities can hardly keep up.”
“But knowing this doesn’t change much,” Xie Xuan continued, sounding reluctant to divulge more to outsiders. “If you can really help me meet her today, the weapons from the Qianlong Conference are on me.”
The weapons from the Qianlong Conference must be provided by the forging conference, narrowing the competition gap in a sense.
“Wait, can you really talk to the swordsmiths?”
When Xie Xuan heard this, he clenched his fists:
“I’m a judge of the forging conference!”
“Brother Xie, you truly are knowledgeable and well-traveled, no wonder you’re the second of Qianlong!”
“?”
Xie Xuan felt this sudden compliment was quite absurd.
Just then, the commotion ahead grew louder.
Ke Mo looked ahead and saw a scene so unimaginable even he, a time traveler, couldn’t process it. The street ahead widened out to hundreds of meters.
At the end of the sight were three buildings made of porcelain.
Indeed, the materials forming the structures seemed like porcelain, radiating a glossy glaze in the night. The three buildings—two small and one large—resembled three vases set on a window sill.
One was tricolor, another a light blue, and the last a glaze.
The passersby were all dressed in elaborate attire; little servants and maidens wore clothes that ordinary citizens couldn’t even fathom, made of materials akin to gold paper, their faces adorned with ink.
Drunk on wealth, the scene was captivating.
“Wind Moon Small Residence doesn’t seem small at all,” Xie Xuan said with a hint of amusement, satisfied with Ke Mo’s shock.
After all, both Ke Mo and Ying Bing came from a small place and had likely never seen such extravagance.
“Two young masters, please come in.”
A servant greeted them with a smile, though it seemed a bit uncanny—like a puppet without much spirit.
Once Ke Mo and the disguised Ice Chunk were ushered in, the servant turned to Xie Xuan with a blank expression:
“Take the carriage to the back. Keep your eyes peeled; if you bump into a noble, your master can’t protect you.”
“? I’m a guest too.”
Xie Xuan slammed the whip down on the ground.
“Ha ha.” The servant sneered: “I can smell the same scent on you as me; I noticed right away.”
“…..”
In the end, it was Li Mo who clarified a few things, allowing Xie Xuan to enter.
“So you’re Li Yizi; you sure are a rare guest,” a heavily made-up courtesan welcomed them eagerly.
In Wind Moon’s domain, the gossip flows freely. Although not recognizing the straw-hat-wearing Xie Xuan and dressing Ice Chunk as a boy, Li Mo, as someone of Qianlong Fourth, still held a certain level of recognition.
“We’re looking for the lady,” Xie Xuan’s low voice came from beneath the straw hat.
The courtesan shot him a glance, ignoring him and instead focusing on Li Mo.
Li Mo cleared his throat: “Yes, we’re looking for the lady.”
The courtesan showed a conflicted expression: “Since it’s your first time here, we certainly wouldn’t dare neglect you. But Lady Nuo Ying is different from the others; she only sells her talents, not her body.”
“Her tea reception slots are extremely precious; today is already fully booked.”
“Ah? Then should we come back tomorrow?” Li Mo said with some regret.
Understanding the underlying hints, Xie Xuan whispered: “What she means is, you need to pay extra.”
“Could have said that earlier…” Li Mo thought the Imperial Capital’s tricks were deeper than Ziyang Mansion’s.
“Can we book the whole house?”
…
Inside, a beautiful girl with starry eyes and soft features was illuminated in a copper mirror.
Just based on her captivating beauty, she rightfully belonged to the top five of the Hundred Beauties list.
Right now, she was fourth.
“Miss, Miss! Someone wants to book the whole place!” a maid rushed in, calling out with urgency.
“Such a fuss over nothing.”
Nuo Ying applied her lipstick, speaking lightly: “No matter which noble guest it is, they’ll fade away eventually.”
Countless people chase after her, enamored, including powerful officials and strong cultivators.
“Really? But the booking is for Li Yizi.”
“Which Li Yizi?”
Nuo Ying paused with her lipstick in hand.
“That one you mentioned recently—the God Hammer Little Overlord, the one who brings good fortune to his wife. They say he and the Cold Fairy are a pair, but who knew he would…”
As the maid spoke, her voice suddenly fell silent, and she quickly knelt down.
“I deserve to d*e…”
Ever since the top three of the Hundred Beauties list were taken away, the mention of the Cold Fairy became taboo in this place.
“Ha ha… Get up,” Nuo Ying said, seemingly in a good mood.
“Go yourself and say that today’s full payment has been made; it’s inconvenient to book the whole place again. Invite him to the courtyard later.”
“Aren’t you interested in him? Mother seems to want you to agree to the booking.”
After all, the amount Little Li had offered was indeed too generous.
“What do you know?”
Nuo Ying picked up a jade hairpin, narrowed her eyes, and smiled enchantingly:
“People are like this—what’s at home is never as good as what’s outside; the outside is never as good as what you can’t have; and what you can’t have is even better if you can’t steal it.”
As she cradled her beautiful face, a seductive rosy hue appeared in her eyes.
Was she not like that too?
She preferred to ruin someone else’s good fortune.
Just thinking about it being the Cold Fairy’s beloved, and a young hero of Qianlong Fourth, she couldn’t help but squeeze her legs together.
