"Oh dear..."
Lin Zhao covered his face. "The literary talent is truly exceptional..."
Liu Liying linked her arm with Lin Zhao's, and also covered her face. "Young Master, oh Young Master, please stop reading, one will turn foolish from reading too much of this kind of poetry..."
Lin Zhao felt that what Liu Liying said was very true. If he read too much of Old Qi's poetry, he probably wouldn't be able to write poetry for the rest of his life.
...
After Lin Zhao and Liu Liying sat down, the proprietress brought over a pot of tea. After pouring the tea, she chuckled, "That Old Qi... he doesn't have much learning in his belly, but he always loves to show off his doggerel. He's clearly an old cook, but he tries to be like a scholar, making you, Young Master and Miss, laugh..."
"Not at all, not at all," Lin Zhao shook his head with a smile.
The waiter standing at the door watching the rain chuckled, "Proprietress, Old Qi is just competing with Scholar Zhou. You can't tell!"
"You talk too much."
Mao Niang smiled and gave him a sideways glance, then turned to look at Lin Zhao and apologized, "A few years ago, indeed, a remarkable scholar stayed at our inn. He even helped us rename this place, Qinglu Inn. I heard that scholar was a Grand Academician from the Hanlin Academy in the capital, named Zhou Jinyan. In the room upstairs, there is still a poem inscribed by that Grand Academician Zhou, it's truly remarkable, a hundred Old Qi's combined can't compare."
Lin Zhao nodded with a smile. It was evident that Mao Niang greatly admired that Grand Academician Zhou, to the point of being infatuated. And Old Qi, openly and secretly, was fond of this proprietress. Thus, he learned from the Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy and wrote poem after poem of doggerel, diligently practicing his writing.
There weren't many guests in the afternoon, and it was raining heavily, so Mao Niang sat with Lin Zhao and Liu Liying, chatting for a long time about local customs and the current situation in Jiangzhou, and so on.
"This young lady..."
Mao Niang glanced at Liu Liying, her eyes holding a hidden meaning, and smiled, "Is she yours?" Da Feng Novel Network
"Oh, she is..."
Before Lin Zhao could finish, Liu Liying said with a hint of grievance, "Mao Niang, actually, I've always wanted to be the Young Master's bedmate, but the Young Master doesn't fancy me..."
"Ah?"
Mao Niang was greatly startled and looked at Lin Zhao as if he were an idiot. This beautiful and understanding young lady, and you don't fancy her?
Lin Zhao shot Liu Liying a glance. Liu Liying immediately put on an expression of having done something wrong, pursed her lips, and dared not speak, looking at him with pleading eyes, begging him not to be angry.
Mao Niang chuckled. It seemed these were a couple who had just started traveling the martial world together, and their relationship hadn't been fully confirmed. It's alright, as they stay at the inn, things will naturally fall into place.
Mao Niang said no more and returned to the counter to settle accounts.
...
Soon after, the old cook brought over a bowl of fragrant mixed fish soup and placed it in front of Lin Zhao and Liu Liying, smiling, "Young Master Lin Zhao and Miss Liu, would you like anything else?"
"Get some freshly baked flatbread, and two wine bowls. I brought my own wine."
"Alright!"
The old cook returned shortly with a plate of fragrant flatbread and two wine bowls. When he saw Lin Zhao take out two pots of Qingzhu wine, he sniffed and said, "Your wine, young fellow, looks extraordinary!"
"Oh?"
Lin Zhao smiled. "Old Qi, would you like a sip?"
"This..."
Old Qi looked extremely hesitant and glanced back at the proprietress settling accounts. Mao Niang glared at him, then turned to Lin Zhao and said with a smile, "Young Master doesn't need to indulge this old drunkard, but... if you truly feel he deserves a cup of wine, it's fine, consider it on Qinglu Inn's tab."
Although Mao Niang didn't fancy Old Qi, she was genuinely good to him.
Lin Zhao smiled and shook his head. "It's nothing, just a cup of wine shared on the road."
Saying that, he poured a bowl of wine for Old Qi. Old Qi took a sip and found it exquisite. He then drank it slowly, reluctant to finish it in one gulp. Meanwhile, Lin Zhao and Liu Liying held their flatbreads, eating and drinking, without delay.
"Young Master."
Old Qi looked at the two swords leaning beside Lin Zhao and smiled, "Are you the legendary sword master?"
"Yes, you can tell?"
Lin Zhao chuckled.
"Indeed."
Old Qi stood up with dignity and smiled, "Today I've received a cup of fine wine from you, Young Master. My poetic muse has been stirred. How about... I write a poem right now to present to you?!"
"Oh dear..."
Lin Zhao covered his face. "Are you really going to write a poem?"
"Yes, yes. With wine and a beauty."
Old Qi looked at the wine in his bowl, then at the stunningly beautiful Liu Liying, and said, "How can there be no poem?"
Saying that, he turned and tore a piece of white paper from the counter, dipped a brush in ink, and then looked at Lin Zhao, smiling, "Young Master is a sword master from the mountains, pursuing the ultimate sword techniques and eternal life. This path is not easy, and it's very bitter. So, I, Old Qi, will write a poem of encouragement for you!"
"Anything is fine, anything is fine," Lin Zhao nodded and chuckled.
Old Qi began to write vigorously. Soon, a poem landed in front of Lin Zhao and Liu Liying—
"To Young Master Lin Zhao · A Poem of Encouragement"
Young sword master named Lin Zhao, traveled far from a distant road.
Why practice swords with such effort and toil,
To have less trouble is the reason, if you want to avoid spoil.
...
After reading this poem, Lin Zhao felt completely numb. The Confucian truths that his teacher Qin Suihan had imparted to him were almost collapsing. His Confucian Dao Heart trembled. Alas, reciting this poem and savoring its meaning in his heart, he felt he had let down his teacher Qin Suihan immensely!
"How is it?"
Old Qi looked at Lin Zhao with smug satisfaction.
"It's alright, you're quite good, Old Qi!"
Lin Zhao took a deep breath. "It feels a bit like Li Bai reborn."
Old Qi's poetic fervor immediately surged. He turned to look at Liu Liying and said, "Miss Liu, you are naturally beautiful and heavenly fair. How about... I, Old Qi, also present you with a poem?"
"Ah?!"
Liu Liying's pretty face was filled with panic. "I get one too?"
"Yes, yes."
The old cook took another piece of paper, and with a flourish, wrote a poem for Liu Liying—
"To Miss Liu Liying"
The sun rises, Mount Lu is cold,
Miss Liying, not ordinary, we're told.
Beauty needs no boast, it's true,
Red-faced beauties bloom everywhere in Lu.
...
"You're good, Old Qi!"
Lin Zhao's eyes sparkled and he said, "This poem is slightly more like a poem..."
Old Qi covered his face. "Doesn't this poem also feel like Li Bai reborn?"
"It's raining and thundering outside," Lin Zhao pointed to the door. "I'm still young, I don't want to die so soon..."
At the counter, Mao Niang also covered her face. Since the inn opened, many guests had stayed there, but none had given Old Qi and her as much face as Lin Zhao. This Young Master Lin Zhao was indeed a good person.
Thus, Mao Niang picked up a plate of five-spice beef and sent it to the table, smiling, "Young Master, Young Lady, this is for you!"
"Thank you, Proprietress."
Lin Zhao's chopsticks moved swiftly, continuing to eat. This meal was quite good, with wine and meat, and even poetry. As for who the people in the inn were, he actually didn't care. A cat demon of the eighth realm, a wolf demon of the sixth realm, plus a deity with a Dharma body. As long as they had no ill intentions, Lin Zhao was too lazy to investigate their origins.
...
After eating, Lin Zhao collected the two poems written by Old Qi, giving one paper to Liu Liying and keeping one for himself. Although the poems weren't great, they should still be kept.
Just then, a man and a woman descended from upstairs. To their surprise, they were acquaintances: Shen Lanzhou and Yu Qingqiu.
"Oh?"
Shen Lanzhou stood on the balcony and was slightly startled. "Young Hero Lin, Fairy Liu?"
Yu Qingqiu was also surprised. She hadn't expected to encounter Lin Zhao and Liu Liying in such a rustic and remote inn. However, her gaze fell upon Liu Liying, and her heart felt a pang of discomfort. Although she was merely a painted goddess, a spirit born from stone, it seemed Heaven had bestowed everything upon her.
"Yo."
Lin Zhao also smiled. "It's Young Master Shen and Miss Yu Qingqiu. What a coincidence, meeting you here. Are you also traveling to Jiangzhou?"
"Indeed."
Shen Lanzhou smiled. "After we parted at Lingze Mountain, it is indeed fate that we meet here again. How about tonight, I, Shen Lanzhou, will host a banquet here? We won't go home until we're drunk!"
Saying that, he looked at the rain outside. "This rain won't stop anytime soon, so it's best to stay a little longer."
"We'll see."
Lin Zhao glanced at Liu Liying. He didn't mind, but Liu Liying was too conspicuous. Bringing the distinguished Fan Fairy to stay at an inn, wasn't that just asking for trouble?
...
Upstairs, in the guest room.
Liu Liying looked out the window and smiled. "Young Master is worried that Liying's identity will cause unnecessary trouble?"
"Yes."
Lin Zhao stood in a fist stance and said, "There will definitely be trouble, but you don't need to worry too much. It's alright. If someone really targets you, no matter how much we try to hide, it will be useless. Trouble will always find us."
"Okay."
Liu Liying smiled. "At dinner, Young Master, please go ahead and keep the appointment. Liying will wait for Young Master in the room and won't cause you trouble."
"We'll see."
Lin Zhao smiled. "It's not certain yet."
...
As a result, as night fell, Shen Lanzhou personally walked upstairs and stood in front of Lin Zhao's room door, respectfully saying, "Young Hero, Miss Liu, the food and wine are ready in the lobby downstairs. Please dine."
They actually came to invite them personally.
Lin Zhao couldn't help but smile. He had no choice but to accept. He glanced at Liu Liying. "Shall we go?"
"Mmm."
Liu Liying smiled and nodded.
Downstairs, Shen Lanzhou and Yu Qingqiu were already seated. In addition, there were a few other guests eating in the inn, mostly martial artists. When Liu Liying followed Lin Zhao downstairs, many people cast their gazes at them, making one extremely uncomfortable.
After being seated, the dishes were quite rich. It must have been that the old cook named Old Qi at the inn had put in a lot of effort. Outside, the wind had stopped and the rain had ceased, and the starry night sky was overhead.
Before they had eaten even two bites of food, the sound of intense and dense horse hooves was heard from outside. Soon after, a group of cavalrymen entered the inn, escorting a young warrior clad in light golden armor. The moment this warrior entered the inn, Lin Zhao gently patted the sheath of his Liquan sword, and Liu Liying, understanding his intention, transformed into a stream of light and hid within the sword sheath.
"Scram."
The young warrior walked to a table and looked indifferently at two cultivators who were eating. The two cultivators gritted their teeth and retreated. This group was clearly cavalry from the Xu family dynasty, officials, someone they couldn't afford to offend.
The young warrior sat down with a plop, swept the leftovers from the table onto the floor, and said with a smile, "Make me a new table of good food. Also, I heard you have a very attractive proprietress named Mao Niang here. Call her over to drink with me, and let her warm my bed tonight."