The poetry competition on the first floor soon came to an end, and the man in a green robe who won was invited to the second floor.
Those who remained looked at him with envy.
Ling Rui found it curious, so he turned to Lian Qing and asked, “Uncle Lian Qing, why did he go to the second floor?”
Lian Qing wasn’t familiar with the situation either, so he called over a waiter and asked him to take them to the second floor.
The waiter bent over with a smile. “Gentlemen, there are conditions to go to the second floor. First, you must spend at least one hundred taels of silver in our establishment, or second, you must win the poetry contest. As long as you meet either condition, you can enter the second floor.”
Ling Rui was left speechless.
Hearing the waiter’s explanation, Ling Rui couldn’t help but think that this business strategy was quite clever.
This method was surely profitable.
Spending one hundred taels of silver to go upstairs? Ling Rui glanced at his money pouch and hesitated.
“You have a third floor as well, right? What are the conditions to go up there?”
“To access the third floor, we’ll need to verify your status, sir.”
Ling Rui didn’t want to spend money, so after thinking for a moment, he took out a token Ah Wu had given him and handed it to the waiter.
“Here, with this, which floor can I go to?”
Ling Rui tossed the token into the waiter’s hands. The waiter quickly caught it.
When he saw the token clearly, the expression on his face changed dramatically, and he looked at Ling Rui in shock, as if he was about to kneel in front of him.
“So, which floor can I go to now?” Ling Rui asked as he sat in his chair.
The waiter, holding the token, stammered, “Y-You can go to the third floor, sir. I’ll take you there immediately.”
The waiter respectfully led the way, praising Ling Rui and Lian Qing as he went. “If we had known you were coming, our manager would have greeted you personally.”
Ling Rui didn’t pay much attention to the flattery.
When they reached the third floor, a pleasant fragrance filled the air.
The third floor’s décor was completely different from the first floor—it exuded elegance and luxury at every corner.
“Sir, this is the best room we have,” the waiter said as he showed them into the finest room.
“Please make yourselves comfortable. I’ll bring the dishes. Our signature dishes are quite famous, and everyone who tries them sings their praises.”
Though the waiter still seemed a bit nervous, his voice no longer trembled as much.
After he left, Ling Rui glanced at the door and frowned slightly. “He still hasn’t returned my token.”
“No rush, you can ask him for it later.”
They settled into the finest room, while outside, the waiter hurriedly took the token to the manager.
When the innkeeper saw the waiter, he immediately recognized the token: “This is the crown prince’s token.”
Though the innkeeper had never met the crown prince in person, he assumed that only the crown prince himself could possess such a token.
“Is the crown prince here?” The innkeeper asked, uncertain. “There are rumors that the crown prince is ruthless but extremely handsome. Are you sure the one holding the token is truly the crown prince?”
Hearing this, the waiter slapped his thigh, feeling even more confident. “Boss, if you see him yourself, you’ll know! I’ve never seen anyone so good-looking in my entire life!”
Recalling the nobleman he had just encountered, the waiter struggled to find words to describe him.
The innkeeper hesitated for a few seconds but eventually decided to go and take a discreet look outside the room.
He had served many distinguished guests in his establishment, and he prided himself on recognizing the air of nobility better than anyone.
After observing for a moment, he was certain—the young man inside was undoubtedly the crown prince.
“Hurry, tell the kitchen to prepare our finest dishes.”
“And send Ruo Liu to serve them!”
“Also, bring the best entertainers we have. Everything must be top-tier.”
The innkeeper’s orders came one after another, his voice filled with excitement, and his eyes gleaming.
Everyone knew the emperor’s health was failing, but the crown prince’s position remained secure. The moment the emperor passed, the crown prince would ascend the throne.
If the innkeeper could win the crown prince’s favor or even just entertain him well, the future of this inn, Zuixiang Pavilion, would be beyond imagination.
“But sir, Young Master Min has also booked Ruo Liu…”
“Send Ruo Ye to serve Young Master Min. Ruo Liu will attend to the crown prince. No, I must personally instruct Ruo Liu.”
Ruo Liu was the star performer of Zuixiang Pavilion, renowned for both her beauty and talent. Many high-ranking officials had tried to buy her freedom, but the innkeeper had never agreed.
As the innkeeper busied himself with arrangements, Ling Rui and Lian Qing were soon served with hot signature dishes, accompanied by delightful music and an elegant dance performance.
The dancer, a young woman, moved gracefully, her every expression enchanting.
Ling Rui learned her name was Ruo Liu.
“Uncle Lian Qing, this place isn’t bad at all,” Ling Rui remarked.
The token he had handed to the waiter earlier had already been returned. Now, he was full from the meal, entertained by music and dance, and feeling completely at ease.
Lian Qing leaned back in his chair, agreeing that the atmosphere was indeed quite enjoyable.
Ruo Liu, with her keen perception, had quickly figured out how to serve the important guests after a few polite exchanges.
She maintained an appropriate distance, performing her dance, changing into new attire, and then returning to play the zither for them.
Afterward, Ling Rui rested his chin on his hand and struck up a conversation with her.
Their conversation was casual, and no matter the topic Ling Rui brought up, Ruo Liu smoothly followed along.
Ruo Liu was well-versed in these types of interactions, effortlessly keeping the conversation light and pleasant.
As time passed, night deepened, and Ruo Liu softly suggested they stay the night at the inn.
“There’s an evening show, and you can enjoy the performance while savoring fine wine. Then, when you’re ready, you can sleep here,” she said gently.
Her words were persuasive, and both Ling Rui and Lian Qing found the idea of staying quite appealing. Sharing a glance, they agreed to stay the night.
“We’ll sleep for a bit and leave tomorrow,” Ling Rui whispered to Lian Qing, tugging on his arm. “Besides, Ah Wu is still busy.”
Ah Wu wouldn’t have time to meet them tonight anyway.
They could watch the evening show, rest when they were tired, and meet Ah Wu in the morning before heading out.
“Yeah, I think resting here is a good idea,” Lian Qing said with a smile, happy to reach a consensus with Ling Rui.
The night wore on, and the two watched the performances on the third floor, unable to take their eyes off the entertainment.
Ruo Liu sat nearby, keeping a respectful distance of about two people’s width. This space felt appropriate to both Ling Rui and Lian Qing.
She poured wine for them, serving the inn’s signature house brew. The wine was sweet and fruity with a mild taste, but it had a strong aftereffect.
Before drinking, Ling Rui tested the wine to ensure it wasn’t poisoned.
He confirmed it was safe but didn’t detect its potency.
After a few cups of the sweet wine, Ling Rui’s face slowly turned red.
“Uncle Lian Qing, are you feeling dizzy?” Ling Rui asked.
“I’m fine, why?”
“I think I’m feeling a bit dizzy,” Ling Rui replied, turning his flushed face toward Lian Qing.
Seeing Ling Rui’s rosy cheeks, Lian Qing couldn’t help but laugh. “Little Seven, how did you get drunk on fruit wine?”
Lian Qing had also assumed the fruity wine was just that—fruit wine.
“Uncle Lian Qing, I… I don’t want to watch the dancing anymore,” Ling Rui said, shaking his head.
Though he enjoyed the lively atmosphere, his head was starting to buzz.
“If you don’t want to watch, then go to bed,” Lian Qing said, ruffling Ling Rui’s hair with a chuckle. “I’ll drink a bit more. You go ahead and sleep.”
“Alright.”
They had reserved two adjacent rooms for the night and had already checked them out before coming to watch the show.
Ling Rui massaged his temples and made his way back to his room.
No sooner had he left than Ruo Liu followed him.
“Young Master, are you still feeling unwell? How about I give you a massage?” she offered softly.
Ruo Liu followed him all the way, speaking in a gentle voice, “I can help you relax.”
By now, Ling Rui was already lying on the bed.
With his face pressed into the pillow, he didn’t even look at Ruo Liu. “No need, just close the door. I want to sleep.”
He was tired and ready for rest.
Ruo Liu heard his words but showed no intention of leaving.
“Young master, you seem uncomfortable. How about I sing you a lullaby to help you sleep?” she suggested, sitting nearby.
Without waiting for his response, she began softly singing a gentle, tender tune. The melody was calming, not at all disruptive.
Ling Rui listened to the song, but his mind felt muddled, as if it had turned to mush. Even though his eyes were closed, he couldn’t fall asleep. He wasn’t sure if it was the lingering effects of the alcohol, the room’s fragrant incense mixing with the wine, or the soothing song that stirred something within him.
His face, pressed against the blanket, became even redder than before he returned to the room.
When the song ended, Ruo Liu gazed at the “Crown Prince” lying on the bed and softly called, “Young master?”
Feeling unwell, Ling Rui ignored her.
Ruo Liu fell silent. She stood up, her eyes darkening with contemplation.
The person on the bed wasn’t just the crown prince but the future emperor. If she could win his favor, her entire life would change…
With this thought, Ruo Liu hesitated no longer and reached out her hand.
Just as her hand extended toward him, Ling Rui, who wasn’t asleep at all, sat up impatiently.
“What exactly are you trying to do?”
Ling Rui had been holding back for quite some time. He was always polite, but no amount of courtesy seemed to work here.
Ruo Liu had overstayed her welcome, even when he was clearly trying to rest.
This was utterly rude!
Unable to tolerate it any longer, Ling Rui, with his head still spinning, frowned and got out of bed. With a scowl on his young face, he promptly shoved Ruo Liu out of the room.
“I want to sleep, and I don’t want anyone disturbing me!”
After pushing her out, Ling Rui slammed the door shut.
Alone in the room, his discomfort grew worse.
The room felt hot—perhaps it was just in his head. He took off his outer coat, leaving only a thin layer of clothing, and laid back down on the bed in frustration.
With the doors and windows tightly shut, time seemed to stretch. The boy, face flushed, appeared to be wrestling with his thoughts.
He struggled in bed for a long time, finally biting his lip, hugging his blanket in disarray.
Meanwhile, not far away, Ah Wu, who had just received a report, hurried toward the room.
His face was grim, and instead of using the main entrance, he opted for the window.
Even before entering, he heard strange, faint noises coming from inside.
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