Chapter 157: Elegant Lodging

The middle-aged man drove the carriage all the way toward Haizhou City, only to be stopped by a few soldiers at the city gates. What followed had already been anticipated by Wanwan; she handed over the travel pass along with a pouch brimming with silver, containing at least a hundred taels. The soldier weighed it in his hand and casually waved them through, completely oblivious to whether the carriage was carrying people or cargo. It seemed Haizhou City was in quite a state of disorder. With such gate guards, the local security could hardly be expected to be any better!

The scenery inside the city presented a stark contrast to the outside. Fallen withered leaves along the roadside fluttered intermittently with the wind across the flagstone paths. A gentle evening breeze blew, and the energy lamps along the street cast a faint, ethereal glow. Carriages occasionally rumbled past, and the atmosphere seemed saturated with the scent of night. Moving closer to the night market, the scene grew even livelier. Everywhere was ablaze with lights and bustling with a continuous stream of horses and carriages, while a wave of commotion drifted through the air. Row upon row of multi-story wooden buildings rose from the ground, uniform and neat. A bustling crowd hurried past with hurried expressions. The night in Haizhou City was colorful, possessing both a bustling, clamorous side and a brisk, tranquil one.

Wanwan’s men drove the carriage through winding turns, passing through the busy market until they arrived in front of a massive complex of stone buildings. From the outside, the lights within the entire building complex flickered like mischievous fireflies, growing increasingly hazy until the whole place seemed shrouded in a dreamlike mist. As the group reached the main entrance, they saw a black rosewood plaque inscribed with three flying, dragon-like characters hanging atop the vermilion-lacquered gate: "Wind and Elegance Residence." Looking inside from the entrance, one could see winding covered corridors, with gravel paths leading from the steps straight through to the grand hall. In the center of the foyer stood a large flower bed filled with blooming flowers and tender green grass—a sight that was intoxicating at first glance.

"Miss, I have booked a courtyard here in your name. Please follow me inside," Wanwan’s subordinate reported respectfully, cautiously leading the way from the side.

"Is this where we're going to stay from now on? You guys really have some nerve, setting up a place this big right here in Tang territory. Aren't you afraid of exposing yourselves?" Tang Wei asked curiously in a low voice. No matter how she looked at it, this place resembled the private estate of a wealthy family. How could Wanwan’s people be so bold as to make such a grand display here out in the open?

Perhaps guessing Tang Wei’s thoughts, the man respectfully explained, "Miss, you misunderstand. This is an inn, and it is the finest lodging in all of Haizhou City."

"No way. Who builds an inn that looks just like a luxury villa?" Tang Wei exclaimed with exaggerated surprise.

"What is a luxury villa?" Wanwan asked with a puzzled look. Tang Wei frequently came out with strange words, to which Wanwan had grown accustomed, though she still seized opportunities to inquire about their meanings.

"Hehe! It's nothing, just what you call a private home here, only a bit more upscale than an ordinary house," Tang Wei briefly explained before continuing, "Let's hurry inside! I haven't had a good night's sleep in days, and I need to get some serious rest tonight."

"Alright then. Let's go in!" Wanwan replied, then whispered to the guide, "Since you booked the rooms in my name, we can go in ourselves; there will be people inside to show us the way. You should head back now. You needn't show your face for a while to avoid being recognized and exposing our forces. I'll find time tonight and send someone to wait for you."

The man nodded respectfully and reported in a low voice, "Understood, Miss. Then I shall take my leave!" Wanwan nodded, and the man cautiously retreated.

Once the man had walked away, Wanwan led Tang Wei and Sang Ye into the main hall of the Wind and Elegance Residence. A major city was indeed different; despite the late hour, the doorman was still standing by, full of vigor, to welcome guests. Upon seeing the three approaching, he immediately walked up with a beaming smile and asked, "Three young misses, please come in!"

Wanwan stood on no ceremony and immediately gave her name, stating that a courtyard had been booked for today and asking him to guide the three of them to their rest.

The doorman went to report to the manager in charge, took a ledger from his hands, and checked it. Flipping through it for less than two seconds, he immediately located the courtyard they had reserved. Bowing slightly, he approached and respectfully replied, "Welcome, Miss. You have booked the Qingya Courtyard under the 'Heaven' character grade. Please follow me!" The doorman's attitude became even more deferential than before, as he now realized the lodging they had reserved. He understood that the 'Heaven' grade courtyards were places ordinary people wouldn't even dare to gaze upon, and this was the Qingya Courtyard, one of the ten finest among the 'Heaven' grade estates. Such distinguished guests usually had peculiar temperaments and required careful handling; otherwise, one might lose one's life without even knowing how. Of course, provided one served them well, the tips would be most generous.

The doorman led them turning toward the east, passing through a transverse hall connecting the east and west, and past the southern grand hall, entering a vast courtyard. There were five main rooms at the front, flanked by wing rooms and corner pavilions, forming a layout with access in all directions, grand and magnificent. The entire courtyard appeared luxurious, opulent, adorned with lush gardens and exquisite architecture. Upon entering the courtyard, one was immediately struck by an exotic fragrance; rare grasses and fairy vines grew ever greener in the chill, their trailing tendrils hanging down delightfully. In the backyard lay a large pond where lotuses vied for beauty, and a white stone path traversed the water to connect to a central pavilion.

"Do the three misses have any further instructions?" The doorman stood respectfully in the courtyard without entering, asking with utmost deference.

"No, that will be all. You may withdraw! I will call for you if anything is needed," Wanwan said casually, tossing something over as she spoke. Tang Wei saw that it was a silver ingot weighing about ten taels. It seemed the staff here were quite well-off; encountering a wealthy patron like Wanwan meant a month's wages were earned just like that.

Receiving the reward, the doorman was overjoyed and beamed as he replied, "Then I take my leave, Miss. Please enjoy a restful rest!" He bowed and backed away.

Wanwan looked around the main room a few times, then smiled and pulled Tang Wei into one of the main chambers, teasingly saying, "Tang Wei, I've found you a nice place. Look at this! It has both a hot spring bath and a 'beauty's leaning rail.' You should be very comfortable here! Since you love luxury the most, you might as well stay in this room!"

"Your Ladyship can arrange whatever you like, but I must make one thing clear for myself first: what do I mean by 'loving luxury the most'? Let me tell you, I'm not picky at all; staying anywhere is the same to me. Even if you put me in a pigsty, as long as there's a bed, I can sleep just fine." Tang Wei protested, displeased. Since when did she become part of the luxury-loving faction? That simply wouldn't do; her ancestors for generations had been honest, impoverished peasants and upright citizens. She refused to be categorized as a landlord class like this. If she had been sent back to the early days of the liberation of Huaxia, she would have been subjected to public criticism!

"Oh, come off it. If you aren't part of the luxury-loving faction, I truly can't find anyone more extravagant than you!" Wanwan laughed and teased.

"Sigh! It seems I'm stuck with this reputation! I might as well just accept it! Then I won't go out; you can make arrangements for Sang Ye later!" Tang Wei said casually.

"Don't worry, she won't be neglected!" Wanwan rolled her eyes, feeling she truly worried too much. Then, recalling something else, she said earnestly, "Tang Wei, I'll be going out later to see how the investigation is proceeding over there. Make sure to keep your guard up while resting! After all, this is an inn, and while security is relatively guaranteed, it's always good to stay alert."

"Got it! You nag so much, making me sound like a little old lady, when you're the one acting like one! Don't worry, little old lady, hurry up and go do your important work; I'll keep an eye on things here." Tang Wei impatiently pushed Wanwan toward the door, taking the opportunity to mock her thoroughly. Without waiting for a reply, she closed the door right in her face.

Looking at the tightly shut door, Wanwan shook her head with an amused smile, turned on her stride, and led Sang Ye to the main room at the very end. After casually settling Sang Ye in as well, Wanwan entered one of the main rooms adjacent to Tang Wei's. When she emerged again, she had changed into a night-walking suit and vanished into the night with a few swift leaps.

After pushing Wanwan out, Tang Wei finally had time to properly examine the main room before her. On the left wall hung a copy of an oil painting depicting a young girl resting her chin in her hand, her lovely eyes slightly lowered in deep thought. On the inner wall hung four cursive-script scrolls, vivid and concise, looking much more tasteful as a whole than reading the characters individually. Beneath the wall stood a tea table flanked by two chairs with low backs. In the center sat a round table surrounded by four round chairs. The floor was covered with a carpet. Light streamed in through the tall, wide windows, making the entire room quite bright. To the right was a dark-green gauze curtain, adorned with a small pendant at the front. As a gentle breeze blew in, it struck a soft, melodious chord. Pulling back the gauze curtain revealed a large open-air "beauty's leaning rail"; standing beside it, the scenery of the courtyard was laid bare at a glance. In the middle of the "beauty's leaning rail" stood an exquisite zither table, a vase after rain holding a few branches of unopened wintersweet, and two rocking chairs of different styles yet equal comfort placed in a V-shape in front.

Walking further left led to the bedchamber. Glancing around the bedchamber, the table and chairs carved from fine sandalwood bore delicate, intricate patterns, exuding a refined and gentle aura throughout. Near the window, a pearwood table held several sheets of Xuan paper, an inkstone with a few writing brushes laid across it, and a painting on the paper depicting several budding chrysanthemums. Hanging over the window was a purple sheer gauze, swaying gently in the breeze from outside. In the center stood a large pearwood bed, flanked by ancient screens depicting court ladies. Stepping inside revealed what Wanwan had mentioned: the hot spring bath, fed by piped-in thermal spring water specifically for bathing. Tang Wei thought about the hotels in Huaxia; compared to this inn, they were likely much the same. With so many people coming and going to stay here, she really wouldn't dare to use the bath inside!