Chapter 120: Another Beauty

Su He and Yi Qingchen descended the stairs, and the innkeeper greeted them with great enthusiasm. "Please, just let me know whatever you need, and this humble shop will do its best to satisfy you."

Yi Qingchen smiled faintly and said, "We would like ten jars of good wine—the best you have. Price is no object."

The innkeeper replied, "To be honest, the wine in my humble shop is quite ordinary. If you want the best, you should look elsewhere."

"Where?" Seeing the innkeeper’s candor, Su He immediately found the man to be sincere and likable. It was rare to see someone turn away business that had walked right to their door.

"Turn left when you go out. Walk a few streets and ask anyone you meet; you will find out soon enough."

"Oh?"

"There are two places. One is called the Nine Luminary Pavilion, a den of extravagance where the wine is the finest in the entire city. The other is Autumn Heart Pavilion, a shop dedicated to selling wine. Once you arrive, just ask around. Moreover, the wine at Autumn Heart Pavilion is excellent and the prices are fair."

"Very well, thank you, Innkeeper."

"You are too kind. If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask. I cannot claim much, but I do know a thing or two about the Royal City."

Su He bowed in thanks. "I wouldn't dare presume. I accept your kindness, and if there is anything I do not understand, I will come to disturb you again. Farewell!"

Yi Qingchen also bowed and said, "Goodbye!"

The innkeeper saw them out the door and, turning back, muttered to himself. Suddenly spotting the waiter dozing off under the stairs, he stepped up and slapped him on the head. "You rascal! Why aren't you out there attending to guests instead of sleeping here?"

He made a motion to kick the waiter. "Aren't you going yet?"

The waiter rubbed his backside, grinning, and slipped away. "Hehehe, I'm going, I'm going."

The innkeeper shook his head and returned to the counter to continue tallying his accounts.

Leaving Cloud-Gazing Inn, Yi Qingchen and Su He turned left. After walking a few streets and asking a passerby, they quickly found the Autumn Heart Pavilion.

The Autumn Heart Pavilion was located directly opposite the Nine Luminary Pavilion. In contrast to the opulent splendor of the Nine Luminary Pavilion, the Autumn Heart Pavilion appeared lonely and desolate. While it wasn't completely deserted, there was hardly a soul in sight.

Su He stood in front of the pavilion for a moment and remarked, "Autumn heart implies sorrow; the name of the wine shop is quite fitting."

As soon as they entered, a waiter came to greet them. "What kind of wine can I get for you, honored guests?"

Su He said, "Give us ten jars of your best."

The waiter glanced at them and efficiently moved ten jars of fine wine from the cellar. Wiping his hands with a sweat towel, he said, " 'When the lord harbors sorrow, do not ask the path home.' Each jar of this 'Royal Scion Wine' is ten taels of silver. Ten jars will be one hundred taels. Pay up."

With that, he brazenly held out a hand.

Yi Qingchen was stunned, clearly not expecting the waiter to be so direct.

The waiter grew impatient. "What? Is it too expensive? If it's too expensive, go across the street. The entry fee alone is fifty gold, and the wine is extra."

Yi Qingchen looked at Su He, thinking to herself that it was indeed quite cheap.

Su He took out one hundred taels of silver and handed them to the waiter. "Not at all. May I ask, young man, where the name of this Royal Scion Wine comes from?"

The waiter took the money, looked him up and down, and asked, "Are you new here?"

"Er... yes." Su He thought for a moment; they hadn't just ascended, but since it was their first time in the Royal City, they counted as newcomers. He nodded slightly.

The waiter wore an "I knew it" expression. "Our boss saw a passage somewhere, gained inspiration from it, and thus brewed this Royal Scion Wine, which is famous throughout the city."

"Oh? What were the words?" Hearing this, both Su He and Yi Qingchen became intrigued.

"Nothing much. I don't know which idle immortal wrote it. It’s neither quite a poem nor a song, but our boss liked it when he saw it."

"What was it?"

"Let me think... oh, I remember. 'Lone lamp at night, the person is not yet asleep. A cup of murky wine, how many are drunk? Do not ask if the royal scion returns or not, for fear of bringing two lines of tears to the departed.' Yes, that's it. Gradually, the Royal Scion Wine became known by the saying, 'When the lord harbors sorrow, do not ask the path home.' "

After hearing this, Su He tucked the ten jars of Royal Scion Wine into his sleeves and bowed to the waiter in farewell. "Thank you for clearing that up."

"Don't mention it."

In truth, the waiter quite liked those words. Regardless of whether it was poetry or prose, he loved the mood. They were all just the most ordinary of beings here. Yet, before this, who among them hadn't been a lord or a powerful figure in their own right? People really shouldn't look back sometimes. If you look back, do not ask for the path home. Furthermore, do not ask about the future...

The waiter sighed, took a jar down from the shelf, scooped a ladle of wine, and filled a cup for himself. He took a sip and let out a heavy sigh. "Sigh..."

Su He and Yi Qingchen left the Autumn Heart Pavilion. After walking only a few steps, they were separated by a sudden, chaotic crowd. Yi Qingchen hurriedly looked back, trying to push through the crowd to find him, but there were too many people, and she could not force her way through.

"Su He, Su He..."

Hearing Yi Qingchen’s cry, Su He worried she might be hurt and tried to push out of the crowd. Suddenly, a woman stumbled into his arms. He quickly reached out to steady her. "Miss, are you alright?"

The woman was pushed again, colliding with his chest. She lifted her head, looking lovely. "Thank you, sir. I am fine."

In that sudden, accidental glance, Su He felt a roaring in his ears. He didn't know what others were saying, nor did he hear what the woman said. Only one thought filled his mind: Xi Wan.

He remembered her parting words: "Baili Su He, you will regret this..."

Regret? Su He did not know. But he was certain that seeing this face again, he could not remain calm.

"Sir? Sir?"

Su He returned to his senses, answering in a fluster. "Yes? Is there something you need, Miss?"

"No... nothing. My name is Wangyou. Thank you again, sir."

"Your name is Wangyou? Do you not recognize me?" Knowing full well that Xi Wan had died by his blade, he still couldn't help but ask.

Wangyou shook her head shyly. "This is the first time I have met you, sir. We are strangers."

Su He looked at the agitated crowd and, for reasons unknown, said, "Where do you live, Miss? Let me see you home first."

Just as Wangyou was about to speak, several young noblemen squeezed through, shouting eagerly, "Miss Wangyou, Miss Wangyou, I like you! I picked this red plum from the cliff top just for you. Do you like it?"

"And me, me! I picked this white lotus from the Ice Lake for you. I think your temperament is pure, and this flower complements it perfectly."

"And me..."

The list went on and on. Suddenly, a sharp, spirited female voice rang out. A woman gestured with her finger and said, "You, you, and you—give me the flowers and all of you leave. How is my young lady supposed to go shopping like this? You'll scare her to death! If you like her, just come to the pavilion. Even if you don't have money, you can just look quietly. Pushing and shoving like this, what if you hurt her?"

Most of those people were of high status or had decent cultivation; it was a mix of all kinds of people.

Wangyou was not annoyed. She only instructed the woman, "Xing'er, do not be rude."

She bowed to the crowd. "I am deeply grateful for everyone's kindness. Could everyone please disperse now?"

"Alright!"

The crowd’s cheers rose in waves, but they truly did begin to retreat. Soon, the street returned to normal.

This revealed Yi Qingchen, who had been hidden behind the crowd, standing in the middle of the road and nearly falling as several people bumped into her.

Su He’s heart ached painfully at the sight, but the thought of the future occurred to him—perhaps this was a good opportunity. He suppressed the urge to help her and turned to Wangyou instead. "Miss, who exactly are you?"

Wangyou also noticed Yi Qingchen. As a woman, seeing such beauty, she couldn't help but feel a bit of jealousy. This person was too favored by the heavens.

She quietly withdrew her gaze, her eyes filled with gentle, winding emotion. "I am a girl from this Nine Luminary Pavilion. Please forgive this lowly person, sir."

With that, Xing'er stepped forward to support her, and the mistress and servant stepped back a little.

Su He was slightly shocked; she was a girl from the pavilion. But seeing her retreat, he knew she felt inferior because of her status, so he immediately comforted her. "Miss, you have a heart like an orchid and a temperament that transcends the common world. Why care about the opinions of others?"

Hearing this, Wangyou’s watery eyes welled up with tears. She clutched her collar, trembling in disbelief. "You don't mind, sir? I..." am a lowly person.

Before she could finish, Su He took her soft hand and turned to Yi Qingchen. "Miss Yi, I will see Miss Wangyou back to the pavilion first. You might as well return to the Cloud-Gazing Inn; I will return shortly."

Yi Qingchen looked at him, her expression a mix of shock and bitterness, which finally turned into loneliness and heartache.

She smiled faintly. "Very well."

With that, she nodded slightly to Wangyou as a greeting and turned to leave. In that moment, she felt as if she could hear the sound of her heart shattering—piece by piece, scattered across the ground...

Wangyou watched Yi Qingchen’s back and said, "Sir, do you not need to see Miss Yi home first? I feel she seems to..."

Su He interrupted her. "It is fine. Yi Qingchen has always been understanding; I’m sure she won't mind such a small matter. I will see you home first. Miss Xing'er, please lead the way."

Xing'er had already mentally marked Su He as her mistress's property; this was the kind of man worth entrusting one's life to. She bowed to Su He and said, "Please follow me, sir."

Su He nodded, and Wangyou followed his footsteps with tender affection.

Hiding around a corner, Yi Qingchen watched as tears fell. She raised her hand to wipe the tears from her face and returned to the Cloud-Gazing Inn.

Coincidentally, Que Yunzi was in the hallway waiting for his wine; he had already asked the innkeeper about it. The most famous wine in the Royal City was Royal Scion Wine, and he knew that with Su He’s personality, he wouldn't buy anything else. So, after they left, he waited eagerly in his room. After a while, he couldn't sit still, so he simply waited in the hallway. Yun Xingyu and Zou Jiren were chatting in their room and were used to his antics.

As soon as Yi Qingchen appeared, Que Yunzi rushed up to her. "Yi-girl is back! Where is that brat He?"

Yi Qingchen hurriedly wiped the corners of her eyes and smiled at Que Yunzi. "Su He said he wanted to walk a bit more, and I was tired, so I came back first. If you want to drink, senior, I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a little longer."

Que Yunzi was old but sharp-eyed; he could see at a glance that Yi Qingchen had been crying. He asked, "What’s wrong? Did that brat do something to upset you? Just wait, this old man will go teach him a lesson for you."

With that, he rolled up his sleeves and prepared to storm downstairs.

Yi Qingchen hurriedly grabbed him, laughing through her tears. "No, he didn't bully me. It’s just that my eyelashes are growing inward and poking my eyes. It was uncomfortable, so I rubbed them a few times, and that’s why I look like this. If you don't believe me, look."

Afraid he wouldn't believe her, she closed her eyes and wiped them slightly. When she showed him her fingertips, there were indeed two eyelashes of different lengths.

Que Yunzi felt a surge of pity but couldn't bear to expose her lie. He patted the back of her hand. "Good girl, come, let me write you a prescription to treat it."

Hearing this, Yi Qingchen covered her face and laughed through her tears. "Senior, how can you treat something like this?"

Er... that seemed true.

But who was Que Yunzi? If he said something wrong, it wasn't a mistake—it must be the wind's fault for blowing too fast. He cleared his throat and said with a straight face, "Ahem... well, I say it can be treated, so it can. At worst, I’ll just replace the two eyelashes for you."

Yi Qingchen felt a warmth in her heart and replied obediently.

"Alright!"