Chapter 108: The Inn

That was enough to show him due respect. Seeing that the deal had been made, the waiter was naturally all the more pleased, and even his movements became several degrees more attentive than before. Of course, this was merely an ordinary inn. Once inside, they found nothing particularly unusual, save that its furnishings were somewhat more refined than those of the inns in the northern desert. The poems, paintings, and murals adorning the walls were also a little more elegant. Han Tanyi, however, had no fondness for such things. For one, he did not understand them; for another, he always felt that men of letters were somewhat affected. This was an opinion shared by nearly everyone in the martial world.

Not liking something did not necessarily mean disliking it. The two simply followed the waiter inside. Guests who did not have to pay naturally had fixed arrangements made for them; they could not choose their rooms according to personal preference like ordinary travelers. Whether it was because he had noticed the long swords in their hands or because of the waiter's manner, a middle-aged man who looked like the proprietor soon came over from behind the counter. His gaze swept carefully over the two of them. Only when he drew near did he put away the faintly suspicious look in his eyes and replace it with a smile.

“Judging by your attire, you two do not seem to be from the Central Plains. You look more like travelers from beyond the frontier. May I ask how I should address you?”

“The proprietor certainly has a keen eye. My sister and I have only just come from the northern desert to the Central Plains. We are strangers here and know no one, so we hope you will look after us.”

Since the man had recognized them at a glance, Han Tanyi naturally had no intention of denying it. In fact, this was precisely the effect he had hoped for. Of the two things he feared most on this journey, one was being recognized and thus provoking unnecessary trouble. Now, it seemed, he could set that worry aside halfway.

But if one was going to pretend, one had to do so thoroughly, without leaving the slightest flaw. His tone promptly changed, and he asked with feigned concern, “Proprietor, you will not charge us simply because we are not from the Central Plains, will you?”

“My guest, what are you saying? Perhaps such things happen elsewhere, but here in Qingzhou City, an announcement personally issued by the Prince of Qi cannot simply be altered at will. His Highness has always shown the greatest respect for people of the martial world. We are merely following his wishes. So long as you do not disdain our humble inn and are willing to stay here, we could not be more pleased.”

At Han Tanyi’s question, a trace of awkwardness appeared on the middle-aged man’s face, and he hurried to explain himself. Clearly, he was speaking the truth. Seeing his reaction, Han Tanyi felt somewhat amused, yet he could not quite bring himself to laugh. Deep in his thoughts, he muttered in confusion, “No matter how fond Xiao Jinghao is of the martial world, he would never do something like this for no reason. What could be behind it? Could it have something to do with his attendance at that martial assembly three years ago?”

Naturally, these doubts could only remain in his heart. Yet as he pondered them, he fell somewhat silent. Han Tanyi himself saw nothing wrong with that, but in the proprietor’s eyes, his silence seemed to mean something else entirely. Apparently afraid that his words had offended them, the man hurriedly added, “If you find our service lacking, or if there is anything you are dissatisfied with, please do not hesitate to say so. Whatever our little establishment can manage, we will certainly do according to your wishes!”

Pressed in this way, Han Tanyi returned from his thoughts. Seeing the man’s anxious reaction, he felt rather guilty, as though his own conduct had dragged another person into difficulty. It truly confirmed what Shui Linglong had once said: he was a good man—and, more than that, a compulsively good-natured one. Not that there was anything wrong with that.

The smile on Han Tanyi’s face returned in full.

“Nothing of the sort. My sister and I are quite satisfied with your establishment. It is only that we have just arrived in the Central Plains and did not expect the people here to be so warm. We were caught off guard and could not respond properly, making a spectacle of ourselves before you. Please do not take offense. Since we have been traveling all day, we are rather tired. Could you prepare two vacant rooms for us, along with some wine and dishes, so that we might… have a little—”

The words “rest for a while” had already reached the tip of Han Tanyi’s tongue, but he deliberately left them unfinished, replacing them with a suggestive “a little—” instead. His frivolous manner instantly rose to another level. At that moment, his gaze even drifted over Shui Linglong’s face, making his implication suddenly difficult to interpret.

Of course, an innkeeper was no ordinary man. A place like this saw all kinds of people passing through, and he had witnessed more than enough in his time. Seeing the young man’s expression, he suddenly seemed to understand everything. His own look became teasing in response.

“Understood, understood. Waiter, there are two fine private rooms still vacant on the second floor. Take these two young heroes upstairs. Then tell the kitchen to bring out our finest wine and dishes. We have distinguished guests to entertain tonight!”

After giving these instructions, the proprietor’s gaze returned to Han Tanyi and Shui Linglong. Then, as though he had suddenly remembered something, he slapped his forehead. There was not the slightest attempt to conceal his embarrassment.

“Look at me. After being busy all day, I have grown muddle-headed. Young heroes, I must trouble you with one more thing. Ours is only a small business, and we still have to make a living. So please leave us your names and schools of affiliation. When the Prince of Qi’s household settles the account later, I will at least have an explanation to give. I am sorry to trouble you.”

As the proprietor spoke, the waiter naturally proved skilled at reading the situation. That was precisely the sort of work he did, after all. Without waiting for further instruction, he had already moved into action. The counter was not far away, and in the blink of an eye he returned with a small register and an ink-stained brush.

What they were expected to do was obvious enough. Yet when the brush was offered to him, Han Tanyi truly looked perplexed. For the moment, he had no idea what he ought to write. He certainly dared not put down the name Han Tanyi, or who knew how much trouble that would cause. Should he write Third Brother Lao instead? No one in the northern desert knew those three words, and there might have been no harm in using them there. But now that he was in the Central Plains, the name suddenly seemed inappropriate.

Shui Linglong, however, moved swiftly. She snatched the brush from his hand and wrote ten characters in the register: Autumn Thirteenth Madam, Wine Madman, and Fragrant Heaven Pavilion.

The names naturally could not be genuine, but the proprietor glanced at them without detecting anything amiss. After all, this was the martial world. Most people who moved within it had peculiar personalities, and their sobriquets were naturally just as distinctive. Anything too ordinary would have seemed less believable.

As he took back the register and brush, the proprietor’s smile became even more radiant.

“Many thanks, many thanks. Waiter, hurry and take the two young heroes upstairs. I will have the wine and dishes delivered to your rooms shortly.”

Seeing that the man was no longer pursuing the matter, Han Tanyi’s initially helpless expression relaxed considerably. Writing Fragrant Heaven Pavilion instead of Fragrant Heaven Tower made it sound like the name of a sect, while the other two names belonged to people who genuinely existed, so it could not exactly be called a fabrication.

Yet as he followed the waiter upstairs, the young man’s thoughts once again returned to the purpose of their journey. His feelings toward Shui Linglong became increasingly complicated. He had the persistent sense that certain matters would never be as simple as he imagined, and that some unknown conspiracy was always concealed behind them.

“What did you say? Say that again!”

At that very moment, a completely different scene was unfolding within the resplendent, imposing, and majestic estate of the Prince of Qi.

Xiao Jinghao was, after all, a prince of the blood royal. With such a status, he was one of the few people in the entire realm who stood at the very pinnacle. Thus, no matter how restrained and low-profile he tried to be, the Prince of Qi’s estate remained the most dazzling place in all of Qingzhou City.

Besides, he was not the sort of man who truly kept himself hidden. Anyone who wished to accomplish great things could not be overly deliberate in concealing himself. As the saying went, one who occupied a position within the court yet did not seek to enjoy its privileges must certainly have some other purpose. A man as intelligent and deep-minded as Xiao Jinghao would naturally never leave others such a handle against him.

The four pavilions and eight halls blazed with lights, bright as day. Anyone who saw them would know that this was a place of unparalleled luxury.

As for what sort of man Xiao Jinghao truly was beneath that radiant façade, that was no longer so important.

A man stared in astonishment at the figure standing in the great hall. The latter was plainly dressed as a spy. One of the man’s hands tapped ceaselessly against the armrest of his chair, while his expression grew deep and contemplative, as though he were weighing some matter in his mind.

“Your subordinate and the others discovered a man and a woman outside the city earlier. We do not know who the woman is, but the man bears an astonishing resemblance to Han Tanyi, the chief disciple of the Qilian Sect, who vanished without a trace three years ago and whose fate remains unknown. Your subordinate cannot be certain, which is why I have come to inform Your Highness. How should this matter be handled? We await Your Highness’s instructions.”

Though the spy was somewhat puzzled by the question, his expression remained deeply respectful, and his voice was calm and even. Someone of his station—especially a member of the Prince of Qi’s household—had naturally undergone extremely strict training and testing. To remain unmoved in heart and unshaken in conduct was a skill they were required to master. At that moment, he displayed it to perfection.