Chapter 326 - Chapter 326: Chapter 294 Manqing Courtyard

Chapter 326: Chapter 294 Manqing Courtyard

“Goryeo bloodline… wow,”

Tao Yu pinched the bridge of his nose. The national flag was just starting to hit the market, and here you are practically delivering it right to their doorstep—impressive.

Luoyang’s defenses are pretty tight these days, at least on the surface.

Although they aren’t banning martial artists from entering, there are indeed masters and heavy troops guarding the city gates.

Given that Wang Shichong and Li Mi are at odds with each other, to the point of being under siege, it’s surprising that the city remains open to visitors for this grand event. Wang Shichong must be feeling his own kind of pressure.

And yet here was Tao Yu, casually bringing in some of Wagang’s key figures over his horse like goods, which should have been quite conspicuous. Even Li Yong and the others were a bit nervous, afraid of being questioned.

…

But to their amazement, the guards seemed to look right through them as if they were nothing at all, just staring blankly as they passed by, as if they didn’t exist.

Xu Shiji, who had been on tenterhooks, was also filled with doubt, and looked back at Tao Yu, only to find his gaze somewhat glaring. But with a blink, the brightness seemed to fade, as if it were an illusion.

“Luoyang is the heart of the Central Plains, a strategic must-contend-for territory. With Wang Shichong facing threats like the Dugu faction within the palace and Li Mi from outside and now with representatives of both the Orthodox and Demon Sects gathered, the pressure must be immense.”

Tao Yu used the God-Containing Technique in combination with Soul Transfer to deal with the guards’ inquiries and then showed a trace of emotion on his face.

Looking at the bustling streets of Luoyang, it’s hard to imagine that this is an ancient city with extremely backward production capacity, especially during a Chaotic Era.

It seemed as if the interior of Luoyang was completely unaffected by the chaos outside, still enjoying false prosperity.

Flowers blooming brightly, a scene of seething energies…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ƝοѵǤ0.ƈο

…

“Full?”

Tao Yu, accompanied by Xu Shiji, had already come to the third inn, but each one turned out to be overcrowded.

Li Yong and the others didn’t care much, casually settling for any stable in an inn, but although Tao Yu wasn’t particularly picky about his surroundings, having bivouacked in worse conditions in the Rainforest, if there were better accommodations available, he preferred to find a nicer place.

Otherwise, what’s the point of becoming stronger?

“Honored guest, Luoyang is quite crowded these days, and the other inns likely don’t have much space left. You might try seeking temporary accommodation with a local household, or finding a spot with a prominent family. Otherwise, I’m afraid only the Manqing Courtyard might still have a vacancy,” said the innkeeper, bowing and scraping to Tao Yu, trying to steer him in some direction to avoid incurring his wrath.

“What place is Manqing Courtyard?” Tao Yu asked.

“It’s the most famous brothel in Luoyang, known for its steep expenses, so it’s certainly not full. I heard that the Amorous Gentleman stayed there for free for a while.”

Being in Luoyang, which is considered the most outstanding region in the world today, even an innkeeper had some knowledge.

Tao Yu nodded upon hearing this. He didn’t mind such an environment—it was just lodging, after all.

As for money…

Tao Yu, after all, was the Sect Hierarch of the Ming Cult. Besides having amassed some gold and silver in the cult, he had also found a heavy purse on Xu Shiji after capturing him, which contained not only silver but also a good number of gold leaves. He had more than enough to cover the lodging fees.

To Tao Yu, the money of this world was incomparable to Yuan Force; there was no custom of frugality for him.

He immediately had Xu Shiji lead the horse and follow behind him, like a groom.

Manqing Courtyard was a well-known place in Luoyang, and Tao Yu easily found the colorfully-lit red building as the sky completely darkened.

For Manqing Courtyard, this was the liveliest time.

Contrary to Tao Yu’s expectation that a madam would come up to greet them with warm enthusiasm, the establishment took on an air of arrogance, with several strong men at the door keeping watch.

When they saw Tao Yu and Xu Shiji approaching, they blocked their path.

“Tonight, Manqing Courtyard is booked for Prince Changbai; we cannot welcome those without an invitation.”

Tao Yu was somewhat speechless at the news—the innkeeper had been unreliable.

But an innkeeper not being up-to-date with such immediate news was, after all, normal.

The night had fallen, and with nowhere to stay, Tao Yu was growing increasingly irritated.

“The Great Sui Dynasty is finished, and yet here’s this bullshit ‘prince’ putting on airs. Pretentious much, locking up the public carriages.”

Tao Yu wasn’t a subject of the dynasty and hearing the words ‘prince’ made him think of princes and nobles throwing their weight around.

However, as he was about to have Xu Shiji turn the horse around after complaining, the stunned men objected peevishly,

“The ‘prince’ is ‘Master of Knowing the World’ Wang Bo. Show some respect.”

Tao Yu paused for a moment, barely recalling the man who seemed to be a martial artist who had gained greater recognition after giving up the fight for supremacy—perhaps on a level with Du Fuwei and Li Mi.

Yet, his reputation in the Martial World seemed even greater.

In the center of such a whirlwind, he was actually issuing a widespread invitation to heroes here?

A scheme?

A plot twist?

Tao Yu’s mind raced with rapid thoughts.

At this time, however, Xu Shiji quietly spoke to Tao Yu, explaining,

“Wang Bo’s reception of Martial Artists is mainly for two grand events. First, the widely renowned talented woman, Shang Xiufang, will perform a dance, and second, the experts from beyond the borders, Qu Ao and Fu Qian, will have a duel to resolve their grudges. Plus, with the issue of He’s Jade Disc, such grand events are to be expected.”

Upon hearing Xu Shiji’s words, Tao Yu gave him a deep and profound look,

“You are telling me now?”

These words directly caused Xu Shiji’s expression to stiffen.

“So it seems that the Vast Gorge faction will have experts coming over, eh? Now you tell me to pique my curiosity and keep me here, hoping for someone to rescue the situation?”

Tao Yu saw right through Xu Shiji’s thoughts, leaving him speechless.

Being at someone’s mercy, of course, he also had to think of a way to save himself.

However, Tao Yu suddenly smiled,

“It doesn’t matter. Consider this a merit on your part; let’s call it even. I hope you won’t regret it, though. Is there an invitation card?”

“No, I don’t have it with me.”

Xu Shiji was unclear about what Tao Yu meant by ‘don’t regret it.’

But he knew that Li Mi’s son, Li Tianfan, would be coming, and Vast Gorge’s lineup of experts would be incredibly formidable, strong enough to make him believe that if they noticed him, his problems would be easily resolved.

Just then, several figures dressed as Martial Artists hurried over from outside, taking out invitation cards and preparing to enter.

But the next moment, they were stopped by Tao Yu raising his hand.

“Hold on a moment.”

“Is there an issue, brother?”

A man around thirty, with a scholarly appearance but already some greying at the temples, looked Tao Yu up and down curiously. Noticing Tao Yu’s handsome and imposing appearance, and even the horse-handling servant by his side looking stout and tall, he too stopped and inquired.

“Brother, I too wish to go in and witness the grand event, but alas, I lack an invitation card. Mind if I tag along?”

Tao Yu was quite blunt, which left the gentleman and his companions a bit stunned.

Wow, isn’t he being overly familiar?

At this time, Xu Shiji quickly whispered in Tao Yu’s ear,

“This is the Song Faction’s second son, Song Shidao.”

Xu Shiji’s words made Song Shidao look at him for an extra moment; his own fame wasn’t small, and handling the salt trade, he had had many dealings, but being recognized at a glance was also rare.

Tao Yu was also taken aback. This was a big event indeed—Song Shidao was involved in the scramble for He’s Jade Disc in Luoyang?

The impression Tao Yu had of this man was that he was infatuated, and he hadn’t expected him to be caught up in this vortex too. Bad luck, he had absolutely no recollection of this.

It was definitely a change in the plot.

Indeed, there was bound to be some butterfly effect.

Tao Yu thought quickly and then gave a respectful bow,

“Could you make an exception for me, Song Gongzi? I am friends with the Twin Dragons of Yangzhou, and they have mentioned you to me.”

Originally, Song Shidao had responded politely out of his upbringing, just by virtue of Tao Yu’s dignified air. Directly asking to tag along likely wouldn’t have worked.

But Tao Yu suddenly mentioning the Twin Dragons immediately made Song Shidao think of Fu Junniang, causing him to sigh somewhat absent-mindedly,

“Come with me. We have two chambers, and that’s quite enough.”

The Manqing Courtyard was truly deserving of its reputation as Luoyang’s largest brothel, with a truly unique design.

The place Wang Bo had chosen for entertaining his guests was the “Tingliu Pavilion,” located behind the main hall. It was encompassed by a square of four three-storied buildings from the east, south, west, and north, circling a vast central courtyard of fifty feet wide.

Whether for performances or martial duels, this courtyard was incredibly convenient, and the surrounding pavilions were already aglow with lights…

——

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