Chapter 33 — Down the Mountain
劍問蒼天 · Page 4 of 7
Zeng: "What's with that look? What's so strange about it? Once I started learning sword-flight, naturally I had to practice often; and flying along, when I got this far, I'd come down and stroll about the streets. What's so remarkable about that!"
Zhang Qingyue was left speechless.
Hearing the two of them murmuring behind him, Qi Hao smiled faintly and said to Lu Xueqi beside him: "Junior Sister Lu, it's growing late. Tonight we'll stay here, and set out again tomorrow."
Lu Xueqi's face was cold as ice and frost, utterly without expression; she gave only a faint nod.
Once inside the city, to avoid trouble they had early on changed out of the Canglan Sect disciple's garb, and so roused no particular suspicion; but Lu Xueqi's beauty was such that it caused no small stir, drawing many passersby to stop and stare. Zhang Qingyue stole a glance at her from the side and saw that though her face was blank, a flicker of anger had crossed her bright eyes; he could not help but worry for these bystanders—if the Celestial Pivot left its sheath, this ancient city of long history would likely lose half of itself.
But Lu Xueqi's self-restraint proved far greater than Zhang Qingyue had supposed. It was not until they had taken rooms at an inn called the "Mountain and Sea Garden" that she showed any sign at all. Qi Hao, the most traveled of them, was tacitly the leader of the four; it was he who went forward to arrange such matters as lodging, and afterward the innkeeper settled them in the finest rooms of the rear garden.
The Mountain and Sea Garden was a sizable establishment; its rear garden held four separate courts, and the four of them took the western court, one room apiece. After resting a while, Qi Hao gathered them and went to the restaurant in front to eat.
The Mountain and Sea Garden kept its own restaurant, situated on Heyin City's busiest street; but in the private hall on the third floor all was quiet. The spacious hall held fewer than ten tables, of which some five now had guests at dinner. Qi Hao called the waiter over and ordered several dishes; from his manner he knew the place well, and was likely a regular.
Zhang Qingyue thought as much to himself. Born of a farming family, he had never been to so luxurious a place as the Mountain and Sea Garden. Passing the second floor earlier he had seen the main hall richly adorned; but on the third floor he found carved dragons and painted phoenixes, beams of red wood, an air of antiquity quite unlike the second floor. He did not know that when people of the world attain wealth and station, they turn instead to chasing refinement; and though some delight in gaudy splendor, yet to have others say they possess some cultivation, many will affect elegance as well.
The four sat at a small table by the window. Zeng Shuyan glanced around the hall and said to Qi Hao: "Senior Brother Qi, the prices here can't be cheap, surely?"
Qi Hao smiled faintly. "This is the finest restaurant in Heyin City; naturally it's not cheap. But our Canglan Sect has long enjoyed a name here; the owner would be only too glad to have us, and won't charge us much."
Zeng Shuyan said "Ah" and nodded. After a while the waiter brought out several plates of delicacies and fresh stir-fries, and last of all a dish of freshly stewed fish. The fish was elongated, nearly round at the front, narrow and flattened toward the rear, dark brown in body, with two pairs of long, thick barbels. Most important of all, its flesh was white and lustrous and its fragrance spilled everywhere, setting the mouth to watering at once.
Zhang Qingyue had always taken an interest in cooking, and had never seen such a fish; he could not refrain from asking the waiter: "Waiter, what is this fish called, and how is it cooked?"