novelraw Chapter 27 Chang'an is vast, Chang'an is small
Chapter 27 Chang'an is vast, Chang'an is small
After Yue Buqun passed the imperial examination.
He's either attending a poetry gathering or on his way to one.
It's rare to see him even once a day.
Although his attitude towards Gu Changfeng and the others remained the same—gentle and polite—it still gave people a sense of gradual estrangement.
It was as if he had completely integrated into the world of scholars and was no longer a person of the martial arts world.
because--
He made it ashore. (￣￣||)
In the past few days, Gu Changfeng accompanied Su Qingxue to meet many people and learn a lot about the Huashan Sect's spending habits, such as medicinal herbs, clothing, and swords.
Su Qingxue's trip was to meet with suppliers in Chang'an.
Gu Changfeng adhered to the principle of "more listening, more observing, more thinking, and less speaking," and followed Su Qingxue for several days, leaving him utterly exhausted.
In Su Qingxue's words: You will be the sect leader in the future. Although you don't need to do everything yourself, you should keep these things in mind.
Fortunately, tonight's meeting with the last pharmaceutical dealer will be the end of it.
Having nothing to do during the day, Gu Changfeng planned to take a stroll around Chang'an City.
Having been in Chang'an for so many days, he hadn't had a chance to properly explore the city, experience its local customs, or bring Ning Zhongze some gifts.
Su Qingxue added, "Don't go too far. Remember to come with me to 'Zhexianlou' tonight to meet someone important. If you dare not come again, I'll break your legs."
"I know, I know, I'm so tired of hearing you nag me."
Gu Changfeng waved his hand and left gracefully with Mei and Lan.
Chang'an is very large.
The city's streets and alleys are laid out like a chessboard, crisscrossing each other in perfect order. The city is divided into 110 wards, all bustling with commerce and displaying its prosperity.
Gu Changfeng, enjoying a rare moment of leisure, bought an exquisite origami fan and strolled along, fanning himself with a carefree and relaxed gait, doing whatever made him feel comfortable.
"This hairpin is nice; my junior sister will definitely like it."
"This bracelet is nice too..."
"Mei Jian, Lan Jian, buy whatever you like! Don't try to save me money... Oh, and you should also get some for those two little girls, Zhu Ju."
The "expenses" given to me by Master Zixiao for this trip down the mountain were quite substantial.
—There's nothing we can do about it; the Qi Sect is just that rich and powerful!
All industries in Chang'an City were thriving, but one particular "industry" was especially bustling.
Passing through a bustling street, one finds red pavilions and painted towers nestled among the trees.
A group of beautiful young women stood on the balcony, their clothes fragrant and their hair swaying, adorned with flowers, softly beckoning to passersby:
"Young master, would you like to listen to a little tune?"
"Young hero, come in and have some fun!"
A handsome young man like Gu Changfeng was clearly a novice and would be unable to resist the temptation to make a lot of money. So a madam promptly approached him.
"Young hero, please come in and have a seat!"
"My daughter Ruyan is the most beautiful woman in the surrounding area."
"You're proficient in all the arts—music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—I adore a handsome young man like you!"
Gu Changfeng's eyes lit up. He stroked his chin and asked with great interest, "How much per night?"
—Don't get me wrong, he just wanted to find out about the local situation.
The madam was taken aback, never having encountered someone so direct before. She covered her mouth and chuckled, "My Miss Ruyan is a virgin, after all~"
"Get out, get out, I hate this kind of hype!"
Gu Changfeng had two words left to say when Mei and Lan, blushing, pulled him away.
in fact.
Playing around is fine, but if he actually dares to go in, he'll face more than just a beating when he gets back.
We strolled around until noon.
Gu Changfeng remained energetic and walked with a light step.
But Mei Lan and her sister were already overwhelmed and exhausted, as they were carrying many bags and packages.
"You two, go back and practice your skills properly. Losing to me even while shopping is a disgrace to you women, you know that?"
He took the opportunity to teach the boy a lesson, and then chose a teahouse to rest.
I sat down by the window on the second floor, called the waiter, and he brought me a pot of fine oolong tea.
He took only one sip before frowning. "I'm definitely not cut out for tea. Milk tea is so much better! I wonder if I could make money opening a milk tea shop here?"
Lost in thought, he suddenly saw a familiar figure on the street—Cai Ling Shuang.
Cai Ling Shuang was still stunningly beautiful today, but there was a hint of weariness between her brows, and even her lips looked a little pale.
Behind her followed a young man, about twenty years old, dressed in white as snow, his clothes fluttering in the wind, his steps composed, his temperament gentle and refined, exuding an air of nobility.
"Chang'an is really small, how come we can run into each other here?"
Gu Changfeng shook his head, stood up, leaned against the window, and greeted, "Hi, Holy Maiden!"
Cai Ling Shuang looked up, and their eyes met.
Gu Changfeng waved his hand, revealing his pearly white teeth, and laughed, "Oh, whose young lady is this, so beautiful? Come, let me treat you to some tea~"
He thought Cai Ling Shuang would give him a cold shoulder and turn away, but to his surprise, she nodded and walked into the teahouse.
We went up to the teahouse.
Cai Ling Shuang plopped down next to him and casually ordered the waiter to serve tea.
The man in white followed closely behind. When the waiter brought over tea, he immediately poured tea and served water to Cai Ling Shuang, being extremely attentive. His eyes occasionally swept towards Gu Chang Feng, with a hint of hostility in them.
"Miss Cai, who is this?"
"My junior brother," Cai Ling Shuang said calmly.
The man in white relaxed, his hostility lessening considerably. He cupped his hands and smiled, "So you're your junior brother from your sect. No wonder you speak with such wit. I am Xue Yongze. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Gu Changfeng!"
Gu Changfeng smiled and responded. He glanced at Xue Yongze; his aura was restrained, and his steps were steady, clearly indicating that he was a martial artist.
However, the way this person looked at Cai Ling Shuang... was too direct; he seemed to want to stick to her immediately.
Gu Changfeng saw through the deception at a glance and couldn't help but give Cai Ling Shuang a thumbs up in his heart.
Wow! She's only been in Chang'an a few days and she's already gained a sycophant.
At that moment, Cai Ling Shuang suddenly gave him a look.
Seeing their attitude, Gu Changfeng immediately understood, then leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "One hundred taels! Otherwise, find someone else."
Cai Ling Shuang gritted her teeth and whispered, "I don't have that many on me."
Gu Changfeng said, "I'll write an IOU later."
Cai Ling Shuang was so angry she gritted her teeth: "Fine."
Seeing the two whispering intimately, Xue Yongze's smile became somewhat forced: "Miss Cai, you two seem to have a very good relationship, like fellow disciples?"
Cai Ling Shuang said calmly, "On the mountain, people call me the Holy Maiden and him the Holy Son. Do you think we have a good relationship?"
Xue Yongze's face turned deathly pale.
Ding Ding Ding Ding!
Just then, a group of people came up the stairs.
The leader was a young man of seventeen or eighteen, with delicate skin and a youthful face, clearly a pampered young master.
The young man's eyes lit up when he saw Cai Ling Shuang: "Miss Cai, so you've been here! I've been looking for you for so long. My mother asked me to invite you to our home tonight."
Upon hearing this, Gu Changfeng's lips twitched, and he thought to himself, "No way, another simp?"
"No need, I have something to do tonight!"
Cai Ling Shuang responded calmly, but secretly winked at Gu Chang Feng.
Gu Changfeng smiled slightly and quietly held up two fingers, meaning: the price should double.
Cai Ling Shuang glared at him fiercely, gritting her teeth as she said, "Deal."
The word "transaction completed!" had barely left his lips!
Suddenly, in front of everyone, Gu Changfeng grabbed Cai Ling Shuang's chin and abruptly turned her face towards him.
Cai Ling Shuang's pupils contracted sharply, and a look of astonishment appeared on her face. She clearly hadn't expected him to make such a frivolous move.
however--
The next instant, Gu Changfeng leaned in...