Before nightfall, everyone finally arrived at the inn outside Shanhuai County.

The standalone inn stood tall and imposing. It didn’t look particularly luxurious, but having such an inn in this wilderness among the mountain forests was the height of extravagance!

Muruo was the first to descend from the carriage. His head had cleared considerably. As soon as he dismounted, he strode quickly into the inn. His foot had barely crossed the threshold when he was already calling out to the waiter.

“Quick, quick, quick! Bring out a few jugs of the finest Daughter’s Red wine.”

The waiter hurried over, wiping the table with his towel: “Right away, sir! Just a moment, coming right up!”

The innkeeper was in the back of the counter working an abacus, his fingers moving back and forth across it.

Very smoothly!

Very nimbly!

Hearing the commotion, he raised his money-hungry eyes toward the door and saw a group of people dressed in fine brocade clothes. Especially that carriage at the front—it looked simple, but the materials used were certainly not ordinary!

Just looking at that curtain cloth alone—it was the finest brocade!

If they weren’t a wealthy household, what were they!

The innkeeper’s eyes immediately reflected a glittering golden gleam. He tossed aside the unfinished abacus, lifted his robe, bent at the waist, and with a beaming smile, rounded the counter in front of him and scurried obsequiously toward the people outside.

He said warmly: “Oh my, sirs, you’re here to stay at the inn, I presume? This establishment has been here for a hundred years—an old and reputable brand! Merchants passing through here, examination candidates, sons of noble families… they’ve all stayed here! We have the finest rooms, the finest dishes, and the finest wine. This is absolutely the best inn within ten li! You sirs have certainly come to the right place. Quick, quick, quick, please come inside.”

Those words—truly slick as oil!

You couldn’t help but be impressed!

Jingrong turned sideways to him, not taking in his words at all. He ordered his subordinates to pull the carriage to the back of the inn to feed the horses, while waiting for Ji Yinshu to descend from the carriage.

The innkeeper just stood dryly to the side, rubbing his hands together, fantasizing about making a killing.

From the rear carriage, Ji Wanxin was the first to descend, with Ji Yinshu and Wei Yi coming down afterward.

That kid Wei Yi was still clinging tightly to Ji Yinshu’s arm at this moment.

Very much the look of “I’m sticking to you.”

Nanny Xie also descended from the last carriage. Probably having never ridden in a carriage for such a long time before, as soon as she got down, she felt unwell.

Ji Wanxin quickly stepped forward with concern: “Nanny Xie, are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“Let’s hurry inside so you can rest properly.”

“Mm.”

Nanny Xie was weak and listless!

Jingrong said nothing, but his eyes secretly glanced at Ji Yinshu and Wei Yi before leading everyone inside.

The innkeeper was still chattering on beside them, introducing his inn!

Speaking with great enthusiasm!

Nanny Xie went upstairs to rest first, while the group sat down on the first floor.

The entire inn was quite deserted—there were basically no other guests to be seen.

Muruo sat alone at one table, wine jug in hand, drinking quite contentedly.

Jingrong, Ji Yinshu, Wei Yi, and Ji Wanxin sat at another table.

Soon, the food and dishes were served.

In the mountain forests, there was a bit of everything—chicken, duck, fish, and meat, everything one could want.

The innkeeper introduced each dish from the side.

Wei Yi pointed at a chicken and asked: “What is this?”

The innkeeper replied: “This is chicken!”

“What kind of chicken?”

“Black-boned chicken!”

“Why is it called black-boned chicken?” Wei Yi poked at it with his chopsticks!

The innkeeper continued: “Because the body of this chicken is black.”

“Then why is it black?”

“Because it’s born that way.”

“Why is it born that way?”

“…”

The innkeeper was speechless. He quickly wiped his sweat with his sleeve, stammering for a long while, unable to come up with an answer.

Was this kid some kind of comedian sent by monkeys to mess with him?

Today, he had finally met someone whose mouth was slicker than his own, actually rendering him speechless.

Wei Yi still stared at him with a face full of eager curiosity, waiting for an answer.

Ji Yinshu couldn’t help but laugh. She came to the innkeeper’s rescue, saying: “Wei Yi, this chicken was tanned to look like this.”

Pfft—

Jingrong across from her couldn’t hold it in for a moment and instantly burst out laughing.

Ji Wanxin also laughed, but only lowered her head with a suppressed smile, raising her slender, delicate fingers to cover it.

Truly the graceful movements of a beauty!

Wei Yi seemed to understand Ji Yinshu’s answer and nodded: “Oh, I understand now. Shu’er is still the smartest.”

Of course, he didn’t forget to disparage the innkeeper: “Look at you, so dumb you didn’t even know that. Now even I know—so this chicken was tanned dark. You should remember this too, and next time don’t talk nonsense, or people will laugh at you.”

How would the innkeeper dare to argue with this foolish young man Wei Yi?

He quickly bowed and nodded: “Yes, yes, yes, the young master is right.”

Wei Yi smiled and began eating heartily.

Jingrong also waved his hand at the innkeeper: “You may go down. Have someone send food upstairs to that lady from earlier.”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

And he quickly went down!

Without Wei Yi’s chattering, the dining table became much quieter.

Jingrong picked up a piece of meat and placed it in Ji Yinshu’s bowl, saying as he did so: “Eat more. After all, meat tanned by the sun has more chew to it.”

Clearly teasing!

Ji Yinshu didn’t respond, just picked up the chicken and took a bite.

Seeing this, Wei Yi also picked up a piece of chicken and placed it in Ji Yinshu’s bowl. With the smile of a big boy, he said: “Shu’er, you should eat more. Mother said that getting lots of sun is good for the body, so this chicken must be very nutritious.”

The corner of Ji Yinshu’s mouth twitched. She really shouldn’t have lied!

She was truly worried Wei Yi was “poisoned” too deeply.

Jingrong then picked up another piece of meat for Ji Yinshu, and Wei Yi immediately followed suit.

Over and over again!

In no time at all, Ji Yinshu’s bowl was stuffed full.

Naturally, Ji Wanxin was left out in the cold as a matter of course!

Sitting at another table, Muruo glanced this way, smiled, poured a mouthful of wine down his throat, picked up a chopstick, and began tapping it against the porcelain bowl in front of him.

With an intoxicated expression, he began reciting poetry.

“Moon upon moon, brightness within brightness, water is water, wind comes as wind, an inch within the forest, traveling a thousand li, looking from afar three people at the table, the beauty beside the cloud knows not…”

He recited quite contentedly!

Others might not understand this poem, but anyone with a bit of understanding could tell that Muruo was alluding to Wei Yi, Jingrong, and Ji Yinshu making three at the table, while the beauty Ji Wanxin had become an outsider.

Soon, this meal came to an end.

The sky gradually darkened, and everyone was somewhat tired.

So each returned to their own room to find a bed and sleep.

Because they were worried Wei Yi would cause trouble staying in a room alone, the person accompanying him to sleep became the unlucky Lang Bo again.

Perhaps Wei Yi had grown accustomed to it—he didn’t resist as much as last time. Instead, he happily accepted, pulling Lang Bo into the room and beginning to tell him about the things he’d experienced during his time at Yuhua Pavilion.

Lang Bo crossed his arms over his chest, a sword tucked under his arm, leaning against the door with a stern face as he watched Wei Yi tell his “stories.”