At Fortune and Longevity Tower.
The thirteen-course feast lay before them.
Bai Hehuai and Xiao Chaoyan’s eyes gleamed as they waited for the guest of honor, Xin Baicao, to take the first bite before they descended upon the dishes like a whirlwind.
Xin Baicao’s mouth twitched slightly. “Ah, who would have thought my fearsome junior master-aunt would end up in such a state?”
Su Changhe waved his hand. “Waiter!”
“Yes, honored guest!” The waiter hurried over with his clothes.
“Another feast, to be served in half an hour,” Su Changhe said resignedly.
“Right away!” The waiter happily acknowledged and withdrew.
Su Muyu took a bite of the osmanthus fish, his eyes brightening. He waved, and the waiter returned. “What else can I do for you, sir?”
“This osmanthus fish is excellent. May I ask how it’s prepared?” Su Muyu asked politely.
The waiter hesitated, then smiled. “Sir, I’m just a waiter, I don’t cook. How about when you leave, I can introduce you to our cook, and you can ask him?”
Bai Hehuai waved dismissively between bites. “Go away, ignore him.” Then she pointed at the fish with her chopsticks. “If culinary skills have levels, you think you’re at level two, but you’re actually at level one, while this fish is at level five. Please stick to making level one dishes.”
“What’s a level one dish?” Su Muyu asked earnestly.
Bai Hehuai tapped her chopsticks on a nearby plate. “This—stir-fried eggs with green peppers.”
Su Muyu stroked his chin, giving the dish a meaningful look. “This dish seems too simple.”
“Su Muyu, there once was a swordsman who only practiced nineteen moves with a rusty sword, yet became an immortal swordsman,” Su Changhe advised. “Start with the simplest dishes, and someday you might cook for the imperial court!”
Bai Hehuai coughed lightly. “That’s going too far.”
“At least become the young master chef of a restaurant!” Su Changhe quickly amended, realizing he’d exaggerated with the imperial court comment. “Then we’ll call our restaurant ‘Dark River Palace!'”
“That name sounds rather dubious,” Su Zhe said, taking a bite of the osmanthus fish. The flesh melted in the air, and he closed his eyes to savor it. “Magnificent! I’m never leaving South Peace City—I’ll grow old here!”
Sitting among them, Xin Baicao grew increasingly bemused as he ate. Around him sat Su Zhe, the puppet master of the previous Dark River generation; Su Muyu, the greatest warrior of the current generation; and Su Changhe, the current patriarch. The souls claimed by these three men’s blades could probably form a line from Fortune and Longevity Tower to Heyu Medicine Manor. Yet here they were—one completely absorbed in the feast, another earnestly studying cooking, and the third delighting in the extravagance of ordering more dishes. He sighed softly, “Life is unpredictable.”
“Indeed it is.” Su Changhe glanced at the window before standing up.
Su Muyu’s brow furrowed slightly as he started to rise, but Su Changhe pushed him back down with one hand. “Keep eating, I’ll wait for the second feast. The pastries here are mediocre. I’ll take a walk and buy some osmanthus cakes from Apricot Glory Tower.”
Bai Hehuai praised him. “Su Changhe, why have you suddenly become so kind and benevolent today?”
“Well-chosen idiom.” Su Changhe waved and left.
Su Zhe and Su Muyu exchanged glances, and Su Zhe shook his head slightly.
Xin Baicao took a sip of wine, thinking to himself: Obviously, things aren’t so simple.
Su Changhe left Fortune and Longevity Tower and walked alone down the long street. With his hands tucked into his sleeves, he said impatiently, “Stop with the theatrics. Come out.”
Two black-clad figures appeared at opposite ends of the street—Su Changfeng and Su Zhetian, the same men who had represented the Su family in Tianqi City. They stood at both ends of the street, swords in hand, emanating killing intent.
Su Changhe’s hand turned slightly, producing a dagger. He smiled coldly. “What’s this? Has Dark River changed hands in just a few days? Have you come to kill me?”
Su Zhetian said angrily, “We haven’t come to kill you, but we almost got killed ourselves!”
“What do you mean?” Su Changhe raised an eyebrow.
Su Changfeng sighed softly. “Su Luandan has incited internal chaos in Dark River. Many have been wounded and imprisoned. We brothers barely managed to escape to South Peace City.”
Su Zhetian snorted. “A Su family head and Dark River’s leader, instead of managing faction affairs, indulge in food and pleasure in this city while sending us to our deaths!”
“Su Luandan—so he finally made his move.” Su Changhe walked forward to Su Zhetian’s side and patted his shoulder. “You know, some people harbor discontent but can’t express it because of my strength. I know they might stab me in the back at any time, but since they haven’t done it, I can’t eliminate them. What should one do in such situations?”
Su Changfeng approached from the other end of the street and said quietly, “Patriarch, you mean…”
“Give him a chance to show his claws, then you can legitimately eliminate him!” Su Changhe said with a smile.
Su Zhetian froze. “This was all within the Patriarch’s plans.”
“All in my hands!” Su Changhe held up his palm proudly.
Su Zhetian urged, “Then please return with us to Dark River immediately and kill that Su Luandan!”
“Hey, hey, why rush?” Su Changhe led them forward until they reached Apricot Glory Tower. “This place’s osmanthus cakes are delicious. Let me buy you each a pound.”
Su Changfeng was stunned. “Patriarch, we didn’t come to South Peace City for osmanthus cakes.”
“To achieve great things, one must first learn patience,” Su Changhe advised. “The feast at Fortune and Longevity Tower is even better, but if you two went there, it would spoil everyone’s appetite. Take a pound each, find an inn, and wait for me. After tonight, I’ll return with you.”
Su Zhetian frowned. “You still have the mood for feasts?”
Su Changfeng quietly rebuked him. “Don’t be disrespectful to the Patriarch.”
Su Changhe sighed. “Ah, you people, staying in Dark River so long, you only think about killing and fighting, forgetting about life’s pleasures. Eating osmanthus cakes, touring South Peace City—what would be so wrong with abandoning Dark River?”
“Patriarch…” Su Changfeng could hardly believe these words came from Su Changhe.
“Don’t worry, only Su Muyu thinks that way.” Su Changhe stretched lazily. “I can never live a peaceful life. After a good night’s sleep, we’ll crush this rebellion!”