Chapter 118: Black Peony

Only then did the two learn that the horse yard below the mountain was also a business belonging to Star-Plucking City’s City Master. Guests staying at the Inviting Moon Inn paid no boarding fee for their horses, which at least saved them one gold coin. The inn took down the numbered tags for their two mounts and would notify the horse yard to feed them the finest fodder.

So the one-gold-coin boarding fee down below did not even include the best feed. Calculated that way, staying here seemed to save more than a single gold coin.

An attendant then led them to their room. Niu Youdao once again looked around the vast domed hall, oil lamps burning everywhere, and felt something reminiscent of a five-star hotel from his previous life. Of course, the ancient atmosphere of this castle-like place was far beyond anything a so-called star-rated hotel could reproduce. Its weathered sense of age carried a charm worth lingering over.

There was no helping it. This place was called the Inviting Moon Inn. Hotels were star-rated; this place was moon-rated. The thought amused him.

Once they entered the inner grounds, the scenery brightened again. It was practically a botanical garden. Outside the city walls, not a blade of grass grew; here, lush greenery filled the courtyards. Braziers burned among the plants, their flickering firelight casting shifting shadows with a charm that surpassed the decorative lighting of his old world. Guests sat here and there drinking tea or playing chess.

Niu Youdao clicked his tongue inwardly once more. From the layout of the gardens alone, he could tell the City Master was a person of taste. In surroundings like these, the money no longer felt entirely wasted.

Their room upstairs was simple but refined.

The attendant lit the lamps inside, explained where the tea leaves and charcoal brazier were kept, and told them they could boil tea whenever they wished. As for water, there was no need to fetch any. A copper pipe carried melting snowwater down from the mountain directly into the room, running continuously. Even washing could be done without stepping outside.

Niu Youdao was delighted. This really was unlike an ordinary inn. It already had the beginnings of a proper hotel.

“If our honored guests require anything, call for us at any time.” The attendant left the polite words behind, shut the door, and departed.

Niu Youdao pushed open the window. Below lay the scattered lights of the city; above, stars filled the night sky in brilliant profusion. The view was enough to lift his spirits. With his back still turned, he gave an order. “Boil tea.”

Yuan Fang set up the charcoal brazier, lit the coals, filled a kettle with water, and placed it over the heat. Then he came to the window and clicked his tongue. “Master Dao, ten gold coins a day! That’s worse than robbery. Do you know how many days I had to work at Nanshan Temple to get ten gold coins?” He counted on his fingers for Niu Youdao. “One gold coin exchanges for one hundred silver coins. One silver coin exchanges for one hundred copper coins. One day here costs a hundred thousand copper coins! An ordinary household could live on that for years. We stay one day, and it hardly costs them anything...”

“That isn’t how accounts work,” Niu Youdao said with a smile. “It can’t have been easy to build an inn like this in a place like this. Besides, they’re selling the atmosphere as much as the room. More importantly, they guarantee your safety. Safety isn’t something you can easily put a price on.” He turned and teased him. “It isn’t as though you can’t afford it. You could stay here for a year without leaving and still be fine, couldn’t you?”

“Heh-heh.” Yuan Fang grinned foolishly and patted the gold drafts tucked inside his clothes. Before they left, Niu Youdao had asked Hai Ruyue for ten thousand gold coins to cover expenses. Carrying that much actual coin would have been troublesome, so her side had given them a mixture of large- and small-denomination gold drafts totaling ten thousand gold coins. The drafts were valid throughout all seven states and could be exchanged for coin at money houses anywhere.

Having money was one thing. Yuan Fang had spent too many years living austerely not to feel pain at wasting it. He reminded Niu Youdao, “Master Dao, I saw signs for other inns in the city earlier. They should be much cheaper.”

“Don’t calculate petty accounts like that.” Niu Youdao laughed, then looked directly at him. “Old Bear, remember this. Follow me and you won’t lack money to spend. Whenever circumstances allow, eat the best, use the best, and stay in the best places. Safety matters more than anything. Money can always be earned again. As long as I’m around, don’t worry about money. Eventually you’ll realize that money is only a number. One person can’t actually spend that much.”

“Heh-heh!” Yuan Fang beamed. The words sounded grand and reassuring. Still, inwardly he muttered that if they saved all this money to rebuild his temple, wouldn’t that be much better? Spending it like this was such a waste.

Outside the inn, the moment the lamp in their room came on, quite a few eyes fixed upon it.

A woman with slightly dark skin gritted her teeth, waved several people over, and led them to a secluded corner. Hidden in the darkness, she whispered, “I’m going inside to find him.”

Someone said, “Boss, they don’t let you in unless you’re staying there, unless one of the guests sends word for you. We don’t know him. If we try to force our way in, our heads aren’t hard enough for that!”

The woman said, “Then I’ll pay for a room and stay one night.”

Someone objected, “It costs at least ten gold coins a day. Why waste that kind of money? Besides, he might not agree anyway. Boss, he can’t stay inside forever. We can take turns watching the entrance. The moment he comes out, we stop him.”

The woman shook her head. “No. Didn’t you see? We aren’t the only group watching him. If we wait until he comes out, we may not even get a chance.”

Another person said, “Will he really agree? The people staying there may all be rich, but very few will take us up on it. We’re only here trying our luck.”

The woman said, “I have a feeling this man can help us. I have confidence in him!”

A feeling? Could a feeling be relied upon? The others were speechless, but since she had made up her mind, no one argued further.

She stepped out of the darkness, raised her chin, squared her shoulders, and climbed the steps into the Inviting Moon Inn.

The moment she entered, however, an attendant blocked her. “Black Peony, what are you trying to do? Out, out!” He waved her away.

The fact that he called her by name made it obvious the inn knew her circumstances well.

The woman known as Black Peony bit her lip. “Can’t I pay for a room?”

At that, the attendant hesitated and reluctantly let her through, though he stayed at her side all the way to the front desk.

Black Peony took out ten gold coins and slapped them on the counter. “Innkeeper, one night!”

The innkeeper looked up. Seeing it was her, he gave a smiling cold sneer and pushed the money straight back.

Black Peony stared. “What is that supposed to mean?”

The innkeeper said indifferently, “Black Peony, this isn’t a place for you. Know your place.”

Being rejected even when she was willing to pay was humiliating. Anger reddened Black Peony’s face. “Is the money too little, or did you raise the price?”

Seeing that she intended to press the issue, the innkeeper made himself perfectly clear. “You are not welcome here.”

At his attitude, the attendant immediately waved her away again. “Go on, go on. Hurry up and leave.”

Black Peony flared. “I’m not leaving! It isn’t as though I refuse to pay. I haven’t shorted you a single coin, and I haven’t done anything. On what grounds are you throwing me out? If you dare throw me out today, then the next time I see the City Master appear in Star-Plucking City, I’ll demand an explanation and ask whether Star-Plucking City truly has such a rule!”

At that, the innkeeper’s expression shifted several times. At last he rapped the counter with his knuckles and warned, “You can stay here, but I’m warning you: the people lodging at the Inviting Moon Inn are honored guests. You had better not harass them. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being impolite!”

Black Peony stiffened her neck. “I know. I don’t need you to remind me.”

The innkeeper swept the coins toward himself, tossed out a room token, and waved for the attendant to take her away.

When they reached the garden courtyards behind the main hall, Black Peony began looking around, trying to determine which room had lit up earlier. Once she confirmed the location, she silently committed it to memory.

After entering her own room and waiting for a while, she opened the door again and headed toward the room she had marked.

Before she could get close, one of the inn’s attendants immediately appeared behind her.

Black Peony stopped and turned. “Why are you following me?”

The attendant said, “I’m not following you. I work here. I can walk anywhere inside this inn.”

Black Peony knew perfectly well that he was guarding against her. The humiliation was difficult to describe, but there was nothing she could do. She estimated there was no chance of approaching her target normally. The inn knew her background and would probably keep watching her the entire time.

Several thoughts flashed through her mind. Finally, she simply turned and strode directly toward her target’s room.

The instant she reached the door, the attendant hurried forward and blocked it with his body. In a low voice, he warned, “Black Peony, I advise you not to cause trouble. If you upset one of our guests, you won’t be able to bear the consequences.”

Black Peony said, “I know the guest inside. He asked me to come.”

The attendant snorted with laughter. “Enough. We see each other often enough that we can call ourselves acquaintances. Do I really need to spell out who you are and what you’re trying to do?”

Black Peony insisted, “The guest inside really did call me over. He has business with me. If you don’t believe me, ask him.”

The attendant’s voice hardened. “Don’t try that trick. Keep making a scene and I’ll call people over to deal with you!”

At that moment, the door opened. Yuan Fang appeared in the doorway. Niu Youdao had heard muttering outside and sent him to see what was going on.

“What are you trying to do?” Yuan Fang asked warily.

The attendant hurriedly said, “Nothing, nothing.”

From Yuan Fang’s reaction, he became even more certain that the guest did not know Black Peony.

Black Peony seized the opportunity and shouted into the room, “Brother, it’s me! We’ve met before!”

The attendant flew into a rage. Quite a few guests here might be cultivating at this hour. How could anyone be allowed to shout and disturb them? He turned and beckoned. Two people flashed over at once, seized Black Peony by both arms, and started dragging her away.

Yuan Fang looked baffled. What was going on?

Niu Youdao appeared as well, drawn by the shouting. “What happened?” His gaze shifted to Black Peony, who was struggling as she was dragged away.

Yuan Fang shook his head, equally confused. He had no idea.

The attendant hurriedly bowed and scraped. “Nothing, nothing. We disturbed our honored guest’s rest. Our apologies.”

Black Peony twisted her head toward Niu Youdao and shouted, “Brother, it’s me! We met before!”

One of the men restraining her suddenly struck a point on her body, silencing her.

Niu Youdao paused. She did look somewhat familiar. Then he remembered. She had been one of the people outside staring at them like hungry wolves. Because she was a woman, possessed a certain amount of beauty, and had distinctively dark skin, she was easier to remember than the others.

He pointed toward her. “Something is obviously happening. How can you say nothing is wrong? Is she here looking for me?”

The attendant said quickly, “The city is full of all kinds of people. Some inevitably harbor crooked intentions. Honored guest, there’s no need to concern yourself with her.”

Niu Youdao happened to want information about this place. Given his background, he had no fear of dealing with dubious sorts of people. Often, only dubious people knew dubious things. A proper gentleman, for example, would hardly know what truly went on inside a brothel.

So he pointed again. “If it’s convenient, let her come over.”

“Uh...” The attendant froze, but in the end he gestured toward the men holding her.

They released Black Peony. Still unable to speak, she pointed at herself, signaling for them to remove the restriction.

Once it was released, Black Peony straightened the clothing that had been disordered in the struggle. Only then did she lift her chin, square her shoulders, and walk back toward them.

[End of Chapter 118]