The Return of the King: A Generation of Prodigies

Chapter 447 Wanchun Tower

Baiyunchi, far away in the southern Chu, suddenly sneezed a series of times for no apparent reason.

He rubbed his nose, looked up at the bright sun outside. Unlike the distinct four seasons of Yunli, the climate of Nanchu was always warm.

Except when it rains, when the weather is slightly cooler, it is very hot most of the time.

In this situation, the chances of him catching a cold are slim, so there's only one possibility: someone is eyeing him.

"I wonder who misses me so much. I've been away from home for so long, and I'm actually starting to miss it."

"It should be late autumn in Yunli now, but it's still summer here. Sigh! If only I could go home and have a bowl of hot sweet fermented rice balls."

Everything else was fine when they arrived in Nan Chu, except that the food here was different from that in Yun Li, which made Bai Yun Chi, a pampered young master who had been spoiled since childhood, feel a little uncomfortable.

All he can think about now is completing his mission as soon as possible, leaving Nan Chu, and returning to Yun Li.

Besides getting a good night's sleep, I need to have a big meal and eat all the foods I like.

This was Bai Yunchi's first time leaving Yunli, and also the first time he tasted the bitterness of homesickness.

"Here, this is for you."

Shen Yiyang handed the pancake in his hand to Bai Yunchi, who was in a daze.

Bai Yunchi didn't even turn his head before taking it and eating it.

His eyes lit up when he took his first bite; this was a sesame seed cake that only Yunli had.

It is a very common and ordinary food in ordinary households.

Bai Yunchi had never eaten this kind of sesame cake before when he was at home.

He only got to eat this sesame seed cake when he went to the hot spring resort. He didn't think it tasted very good when he ate it then, but now he thinks it's a delicacy.

It seems that people only learn to cherish things after they've lost them.

"Young master, where did you get these sesame cakes?"

Bai Yunchi's eyes sparkled as he looked back at Shen Yiyang.

Shen Yiyang smiled at Bai Yunchi and said, "Sun Jun baked these himself; his family sells sesame cakes."

"I noticed you haven't been eating much these past few days, so I had him make some sesame cakes for you."

"We have limited resources right now, so we can only make some sesame cakes to ease your homesickness."

"When we finish our mission and go back, I'm afraid Dongyang will cook you a lot of delicious food."

Although Shen Yiyang also came from a noble family, he was different from Bai Yunchi; he was not pampered as a child.

He followed the Marquis of Zhenbei to the northern frontier when he was a teenager, and grew from a lowly soldier into a great general who can now command a region. Only he knows how much hardship he endured along the way.

In the past, when leading troops into battle, we would eat grass roots and tree bark, let alone a piece of cake.

So even though Shen Yiyang wasn't used to the food in Southern Chu, he wasn't picky and could still eat his fill.

But Bai Yunchi is different. He won't force himself to eat things he's not used to. Most of the time, he'll only eat a little and then refuse to eat any more.

If they don't have enough to eat, they won't have the strength. They are now in an enemy country, and danger could strike at any moment. Without enough physical strength, they could really lose their lives.

They don't know how long they'll be staying in Southern Chu. If things continue like this, Baiyunchi definitely won't be able to hold on.

That's why Shen Yiyang had his guards prepare special meals for Bai Yunchi, making some of Yunli's food for him.

"Well, it's delicious."

I haven't eaten food from my hometown for many days, and even things I used to dislike now taste delicious.

"Young master, we've found it."

The sudden appearance of the person interrupted the peaceful mealtime.

Shen Yiyang put down the sesame seed cake in his hand; he knew the real battle was about to begin.

"Yuyao, you come with me. The rest of you stay here and wait for orders."

Bai Yunchi, who was eating a sesame cake, immediately put it down and stood up when he heard Shen Yiyang's words, saying, "Young Master, I'll go too."

Shen Yiyang looked up at Bai Yunchi, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Okay, let's go."

Soon, Shen Yiyang and the other two changed their clothes and were ready to set off.

"Let's go, let's go and meet this Mr. Wan of Wanchunlou, and see what useful information we can get from him."

When Shen Yiyang arrived in Nan Chu, he sent people to inquire about the mysterious Boss Wan at Wan Chun Lou.

However, the information gathered by their people in Southern Chu was that the owner of Wan Chun Lou had gone on a long trip half a month ago.

Unable to find anyone, Shen Yiyang had no choice but to lead his men to camp in a dilapidated house outside the imperial city of Guchang in Southern Chu in order to avoid attracting attention, and wait idly.

After spending so many days in Nan Chu, we finally received news of Boss Wan's return. How could we not be excited?

Shen Yiyang wished he could fly to Wanchunlou right now and meet the legendary Wan Chunlou owner, who was said to know everything in the world.

After resolving matters here, Shen Yiyang will immediately return to Yunli, as he knows his sister's plans regarding the war between the six kingdoms of Kyushu.

Although the plan has not yet been implemented, the preliminary preparations need to begin now.

He had to rush back to help his sister.

The three men mounted their horses and went directly to Guchang City, the imperial capital of Southern Chu.

Upon arriving in Guchang City, Shen Yiyang and his two companions transformed into merchants who had come from Yunli to conduct business.

"Young master, this is Wanchun Pavilion."

The three of them stopped in front of a large building.

Shen Yiyang looked up at the Wanchun Pavilion in front of him and couldn't help but sigh in his heart, "This Wanchun Pavilion is indeed extraordinary."

The capital of Southern Chu was much more desolate and quiet than the capital of Yunli. Under such circumstances, it was astonishing that such a grand and exquisitely crafted Wanchun Tower would appear.

It seems that the owner of Wanchunlou must be no ordinary person.

"Let's go, let's take a good look around Wanchun Tower and see what kind of place it is."

Shen Yiyang handed the reins to Yu Yao beside him, then strode into Wanchun Tower.

Seeing Shen Yiyang go inside, Bai Yunchi quickly handed the reins to Yu Yao and followed closely behind Shen Yiyang inside.

Although Bai Yunchi was known as one of the three most notorious playboys in the capital, he used to just enjoy playing with cats and dogs and walking his birds.

He had indeed never been to a place like Wanchunlou before.

As soon as Shen Yiyang stepped into Wanchun Tower, someone came to greet him.

"Young master, are you here for a stay or a meal?"

Looking at the person in front of him with an exaggerated smile, Shen Yiyang didn't even look up and said, "Check in."

"Young master, we need to inform you in advance that the accommodations at Wanchun Tower are all private courtyards, and the price ranges from five hundred to one thousand taels per day."

"Young master, would you prefer the 500 taels per day or the 1000 taels per day?"

The man spoke without changing his expression, as if he were talking about a few taels of silver, not five hundred or a thousand taels.

The minimum charge is five hundred taels a day, and the maximum is one thousand taels. Let alone what Shen Yiyang would think if he heard this, even Bai Yunchi, that spendthrift, would gasp in shock.

As one of the three most notorious playboys in the capital, Bai Yunchi was a man of the world.

A day's stay at Wuyou Tower, the most prosperous place in Yunli, would only cost fifty taels of silver, but Wanchun Tower was asking for an exorbitant price. This wasn't just robbery; it was outright theft.

"Wow, what a boastful tone! I've traveled all over the country, and my footsteps have traversed the nine provinces and six kingdoms. I've never seen a place where a single night's lodging costs five hundred or a thousand taels of silver."

"How come your Wan Chun Lou even has floors made of gold or silver?"

"A night's stay costs at least five hundred taels. Do you take us for some ignorant commoners who have never seen the world?"

"Don't even mention that staying at your Wanchun Tower costs at least five hundred taels of silver a day. You might as well just rob people on the street."

"That way it's easier to make money, and you won't have to sit here serving people and having to put up with their attitudes, right?"

Bai Yunchi brought out the same arrogant demeanor he had when he was a playboy; he had never met his match in an argument.

"Young master, please don't be angry. Listen to me, although the floor of our Wanchun Pavilion is not paved with gold or silver."

"However, the living environment, service attitude, and various kinds of food at Wanchunlou are not to be said to be the best in the world, but they are among the best in the six kingdoms of the nine provinces."

"Otherwise, we wouldn't dare ask for five hundred taels of silver for lodging."

Faced with Bai Yunchi's dissatisfaction, the person who received them simply smiled and was not angry.

"Alright, it's only five hundred taels of silver. It's not like we can't afford to stay here. Why waste our breath arguing with people and make ourselves a laughingstock?"

Shen Yiyang stopped Bai Yunchi, who was about to argue with someone. He glanced at the man in front of him and said, "There are only three of us, but we need five hundred taels of silver for lodging."

"Alright, gentlemen, please follow me."

The man looked at Shen Yiyang, his eyes practically disappearing from his smile.

Shen Yiyang wasn't wealthy and didn't care about the five hundred taels of silver for lodging that day.

Instead, he knew in his heart that finding Boss Wan and figuring out his background was more important than paying 500 taels for lodging each day.

Moreover, Shen Yiyang is indeed not short of money right now. When he set off for Nan Chu, his sister Shen Tianjiao secretly gave him a full 30,000 taels of silver notes.

It is said that when traveling, it is better to carry extra money just in case.

With the support of his younger sister, Shen Yiyang didn't care about the 500 taels of silver a day for lodging, or even 1,000 taels.

The person who received them led the way, with Shen Yiyang and Bai Yunchi following behind. After passing through the front hall, they soon arrived at the backyard.

This backyard is a hidden gem, filled with impressive little buildings, each with its own private courtyard.

The man quickly led them to a courtyard. "Young master, this is your lodging."

"Everything you need is provided here. If you need anything else, just ring the bell in the room and give the order, and someone will bring it to you immediately."

"The food and refreshments will be delivered shortly."

"There are hot springs in the rooms of this courtyard. You two gentlemen have traveled a long way and must be quite tired. Please soak in the hot springs first to relieve your fatigue before having a meal."

"Okay, we have another companion outside. We'll bring him over later."

After giving his instructions, Shen Yiyang went into the courtyard.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, Shen Yiyang was stunned by the scene before him.

Although the courtyard is not very large, it is very exquisite, with all kinds of potted plants, exotic flowers and plants everywhere, and nothing is missing.

What's even more special is the hot spring in this courtyard.

Compared to the hot spring villa of the Marquis of Zhenbei's mansion, the hot spring here is obviously larger and more exquisitely decorated. Even in broad daylight, it is shrouded in mist, like a fairyland on earth.

Looking at the layout and hot springs outside, Shen Yiyang felt that the 500 taels of silver per day for accommodation didn't seem too bad.

"Good heavens, no wonder he asked for 500 taels of silver a day for lodging right off the bat."

Bai Yunchi was so shocked by the scene before him that his mouth dropped open.

It wasn't that he lacked experience; it was just that everything before him was far too luxurious and exquisite.

Not to mention compared to General Bai's mansion, it's not inferior even to the imperial palace.

"Young master, isn't this a bit too extravagant? These people from Southern Chu really know how to have fun."

"From this moment on, we shall address each other as brothers."

Shen Yiyang looked around, lowered his voice, and interrupted Bai Yunchi before he could finish speaking.

Bai Yunchi immediately became alert. He glanced around and asked in a low voice, "Are we being watched?"

During this time, Bai Yunchi has learned a lot of useful things by following Shen Yiyang and has also made great progress.

"Yes, be careful not to let anyone notice."

From the moment he stepped into Wanchunlou, Shen Yiyang felt that a pair of eyes were watching them.

As a general who has fought in many battles, he still has this much vigilance.

This Wanchun Tower is far more profound and powerful than they have ever seen or understood.

On the outside, it looks like an ordinary inn, but inside, there is something strange and eerie about it.

They must be extremely vigilant, or they might be in trouble.

"Got it, big brother."

Bai Yunchi was quick-witted; after Shen Yiyang's words, how could he not understand?

After observing his surroundings and finding no danger, Bai Yunchi quickly took out a medicine bottle and poured out two pills.

He handed one to Shen Yiyang and kept one for himself.

"what is this?"

Shen Yiyang looked at the pills in his hand and asked, puzzled.

"Brother, this is an antidote pill developed by Chaoyun. She specially made it for me. I've kept it with me ever since. The quality of her products is always guaranteed."