Chapter Ninety-Seven: Plot

“There’s actually not much to say about it. Just a few days ago, someone came to the inn for a meal. Because the dishes were slow to arrive, he got into an argument with Little Guo, and Little Guo couldn’t hold back and ended up hitting him.

Because of this, our innkeeper paid quite a bit in compensation and even let him stay in the best room for free. But after all, we did beat someone up, so we decided to bring him some things as a gesture of goodwill.

Who could have expected that when we arrived, the man was just about to hang himself. Young Master Zhu, tell me, could we just stand by and do nothing in the face of such a thing? Of course not. We hurriedly saved him.

After saving him, we questioned him in detail and learned that he was a wealthy merchant. He’d made a lot of money, but his wife had run off with someone else. Overwhelmed with despair, he tried to kill himself.

We tried persuading him for a long time, but nothing worked. The man was even thinking of tricking us so he could go somewhere else and end his life. How could we let that happen?

So we kept a close eye on him, never giving him a chance to attempt suicide again. In the end, the man was so desperate he offered us five hundred taels of silver to leave him alone.

But who are we? Are we the kind of people who are blinded by money? Even when the man tore up a five-hundred-tael banknote right before our eyes, we weren’t moved in the slightest. In the end, we tied him up, hoping he’d calm down.

In the middle of the night, he suddenly came to his senses, somehow untied the ropes, and left behind a letter saying he had thought things through and would never seek death again.

Ah, looking back now, those five hundred taels—no, I mean, thinking about it now, there really are too few good people like us in this world.

The day after he left, it started raining. I wonder how he’s doing now.”

Watching Bai Zhantang’s proud face as he sighed, Zhu Yu could hardly bring himself to burst his bubble.

But from Bai Zhantang’s account, Zhu Yu could already tell—this wasn’t breaking away from the story, they were still right in the middle of it.

It was exactly like that so-called cash-grabbing “My Own Swordsman” movie. Although its reputation wasn’t good, as a devoted fan of the series, Zhu Yu had watched it. Though many years had passed and the details had faded from memory, he still remembered the general plot.

The story continued with the wealthy merchant buying up half of Qixia Town, planning to develop real estate and leaving no room for the original shopkeepers to survive.

Moreover, the merchant acquired much of the property through shady means.

For various reasons, the group from Tongfu Inn ended up at odds with the merchant.

Zhu Yu couldn’t recall exactly how their battles unfolded, but the ending was a happy one, a perfect resolution.

After Bai Zhantang finished his tale, he paused for quite a while. Seeing that Zhu Yu remained unmoved, his hand still pressing firmly on the banknote, Bai Zhantang tentatively asked,

“Young Master Zhu, how was my story? About that banknote?”

Bai Zhantang’s words snapped Zhu Yu out of his thoughts.

“Alright, it’s yours. I’m going upstairs to rest.”

After sitting for so long, Zhu Yu’s back and waist were aching. He casually handed the banknote to Bai Zhantang, stood up, and prepared to go to his room to lie down for a bit.

“Great, thank you for your generosity, Young Master Zhu!” Bai Zhantang exclaimed excitedly, clutching the banknote.

Hearing this, Zhu Yu just shook his head and smiled, ignoring him as he headed upstairs. But after just a couple of steps, Zhu Yu turned around and looked at Bai Zhantang, who was following right behind him.

“Why are you following me?”

“Huh? No reason. I’ve been talking for ages too, and I’m tired. I was just heading back to my room for a rest,” Bai Zhantang replied, a little startled by the question.

Zhu Yu was momentarily taken aback by his answer, then pointed toward the main hall, where the others stood frozen in odd postures after having their pressure points sealed, backs to the stairs.

Following Zhu Yu’s gaze, Bai Zhantang’s already pale face turned even whiter, beads of sweat visibly breaking out on his forehead.

After a few breaths, Bai Zhantang suddenly howled, startling Zhu Yu.

“Young Master Zhu, how could you do this? I worked so hard telling you my story, and now you say you won’t give me the banknote? What kind of logic is that?

What? You think my story was bad? You’re going to call the authorities and accuse me of robbery? Fine, I accept my bad luck! Here, take the banknote back.”

While muttering to himself, Bai Zhantang tried to stuff the banknote back into Zhu Yu’s hand. At the same time, he whispered,

“Young Master Zhu, please, do me a favor. Just keep the banknote for now. When you go back to your room, toss it under the bed. And when you check out, just let me know in advance, okay?”

Seeing all of Bai Zhantang’s antics, Zhu Yu instantly understood what he was up to and couldn’t help but be thoroughly amused.

Indeed, life at Tongfu Inn was never dull.

Zhu Yu accepted the banknote and, not caring whether Bai Zhantang understood, flashed him an “OK” gesture before heading upstairs.

As Zhu Yu returned to his room, he could faintly hear a sharp exclamation: “Sunflower Unlocking Hand!”

In the next instant, chaos erupted in the hall below. Shouts and cries came one after another, but unfortunately, Zhu Yu, upstairs, couldn’t make out what they were arguing about.

Nevertheless, Zhu Yu smiled to himself. This kind of commotion felt so familiar.

As the sun set and the moon rose, two days passed in a flash. The weather improved dramatically. The long-missing sun quietly peeked out, and the wind that had blown for four or five days vanished. The only pity was that the rain had not stopped.

Though it was still raining, it was now only a light drizzle, barely affecting movement outdoors.

The weather had improved, but some people’s moods certainly hadn’t.

“Well, tell me—what’s the situation now?” Zhu Yu sat on the bed, coldly eyeing Yu Huatian, who was kneeling before him.

“Since I heard the news from the inn’s runner two days ago, I’ve already sent men on fast horses to remedy the situation.

Unfortunately, among the three subordinates I disguised as grave robbers, one is now missing and cannot be found,” Yu Huatian reported in a low voice, his head bowed.

“Hmph. Yu Huatian, Yu Huatian—what did you promise me when you took on this task? And now you’re telling me this? Are you expecting me to clean up your mess?”

This was Zhu Yu’s first time orchestrating such a major event. If the plan had failed, Zhu Yu would have accepted it. But the plan hadn’t even begun, and things were already going wrong—how could Zhu Yu not be angry?

Not only was he angry, but so much so that he forgot himself and began referring to himself as “the Emperor.”

Hearing this, Yu Huatian changed his form of address as well.

“Your Majesty, forgive your servant’s incompetence. I am willing to accept any punishment. But please rest assured, Your Majesty—the missing person is one of the best of the West Depot’s elite. Even if captured, he would never betray us, not a single word.

Moreover, it is most likely that, upon capture, he would have bitten the poison hidden on his person to end his life.”