Chapter 866 - 404: Rare Leisure—Tiger Uniform, Silver Mask, Black Spear, Fine Steed, Center of Attention

Chapter 866: Chapter 404: Rare Leisure—Tiger Uniform, Silver Mask, Black Spear, Fine Steed, Center of Attention

Starting at the Marquis Shop, Li Xian leisurely strolled around the nearby streets and alleys, looking for a long-term rental place. Next to the Marquis Shop were "Yuanbao Square" and "Shaluo Square." Both area blocks were vast, streets and alleys complexly interwoven, with uneven rises and falls.

Li Xian, in absolute leisure, was unhurried. He walked leisurely through the street, each time passing through small alleys and paths, curious about the daily lives of families within, he would delve inside, observing and inspecting.

High-rise buildings lined the streets with residential houses scattered within the alleys. Occasionally, he saw street-side vagabonds, unable to make a living, desperately waiting for charity. Feeling sympathetic, Li Xian, just having settled the rent, happened to have loose copper coins. So he offered them to the vagabonds.

Listening to the bustling noise, the lively sounds of the world. He had his own share of relaxed joy. It was May at the time, during the spring-summer season, the weather was warm, spring was blooming, trees and grass were vibrant.

The ground of Jade City was level, and large trees were planted on both sides. They provided shade for cooling off and an opportunity to rest against. Though high-rise buildings stood densely, they did not appear crowded. Buildings and natural scenery complemented each other. Walking down the street, a cool and refreshing breeze occasionally caressed the face.

Indescribable comfort.

Every vacant house and mansion had a sale sign hung at the entrance. Li Xian only had twenty taels of silver on him, yet he dared to look at residences worth tens of thousands of taels. He only took it as a leisurely exploration.

After nearly half a day of strolling, none of the visited residences suited his tastes, but his stomach was already rumbling with desire. At this time, Li Xian found himself on "Xichun Road" in "Shaluo Square." This road boasted scenic beauty, with teahouses like "Zhuangsheng Hall" and "Wanghu Slope" competing for the attraction of travelers.

Feeling in good spirits, Li Xian reminisced, he had been in Jade City for nearly six months, mostly hovering between life and death, struggling amidst crises. He had never once entered a teahouse for a good meal and drink. With his interest aroused, he decided to go to "Wanghu Slope" for a genuine gourmet experience.

"Wanghu Slope" was a high slope beside a green lake. Pavilions were constructed on the slope, with a unique layout, and the building inclined towards the lake. One could enjoy the lake’s beauty, and with a reach, scoop up the lake water. Because of the unique scenery, it often attracted scholars and poets to drink and compose odes.

"Wanghu Slope" offered significant privileges to scholars and poets, permitting only them to use the best scenic guest rooms. If luck favored them further, the shopkeeper would personally greet them.

Within the pavilion, there was a large stone pillar, with countless poems hanging from it. Among them were works by renowned figures like "Du Zhi," showing the owner’s fondness for elegance and mastery of poetry.

Though Li Xian was not wealthy, he managed to select cheap dishes that were indeed full of color, aroma, and taste. Arriving quite early, he took the treasure seat by the windowsill, where he could feel the lake breeze, enjoy the lake view, and savor the delicious dishes – truly an experience of leisure.

"Wanghu Slope" had a special feature. Every windowside seat came with a complimentary copper stove, with charcoal burning underneath, and boiling water poured inside. As the white smoke rose, there was a fishing rod by the windowsill made of green bamboo, with a straight hook, unable to hang bait.

Guests could dip the fishing rod into the lake, catching lake fish, waiting for a willing fish to bite. If a fish was caught, it could be directly placed into the stove to stew, adding an extra dish of "Willing Fish Soup." This lake fish had bright meat, and once stewed, its guts dissolved away like snow.

There wasn’t a hint of fishy smell, as if the fish willingly offered itself, presenting the freshest flavor on its own, truly unique to the extreme.

Naturally, Li Xian tried it, and with good luck, soon caught one, making other guests momentarily envious. This "Willing Fish Soup" was delicious, but highly dependent on chance, a dish that was hard to come by. The lake fish being free and unrestrained was quite special, only truly flavorful when willingly presented. If forcibly caught, losing the "willing" intent, it would become a common fish soup without distinction, even mocked as a boorish fool by others. Hence, Jade City was not short of veteran diners, repeatedly coming to try their luck, yet often returning empty-handed.

The fish soup simmered, fragrant to the extreme. The broth was golden yellow, the lake fish appearing almost fresh, as if still swimming. But the meat was already cooked, and a chopstick could easily grab the fish meat.

Eating it, the meat was firm and tender, bursting with flavors. Slightly touching it with sauce, it transformed into a rare delicacy. Li Xian savored it slowly, nodding frequently, amazed by the extraordinary cuisine.

This round of exquisite cuisine, its aroma wafting through the hall, stirred jealousy among a few richly dressed dandies. Their clothing was uncommon, indicating wealthy backgrounds, with arrogance readily apparent in the alleys and streets.

They exchanged glances, simultaneously surrounding the table, intending to drive Li Xian away and occupy that window seat treasure. Li Xian squinted his eyes, slowly taking the token from his waist and placing it on the table.

The token was made of copper and jade, engraved with the character "Gold." Recognizing the "Gold Appraisal Guard" badge, the group instantly turned pale, retreating in horror, stammering: "Gold... Gold Appraisal Guard?!"

The group, though dandies of not insignificant family backgrounds and wealth, didn’t belong to great clans and dared not disrespect the Gold Appraisal Guard.

Utterly terrified, they kowtowed pleadingly. The surrounding guests, from the brief words, learned of Li Xian’s identity as a "Gold Appraisal Guard," sparking waves of discussion, with all sorts of eyes cast upon him, in envy, fear, or curiosity...

Several charming ladies raised glasses in tribute to Li Xian. If Li Xian had shown the slightest acceptance, he could have immediately embraced them, carried them upstairs, and engaged in playful indulgence. But Li Xian modestly declined with a smile, remaining courteous without overstepping.

After calming the chaos, he quietly continued savoring the delicious food. His heart was contemplative: "The disparity in status, the difference in treatment, is truly enormous. When I was a debt slave, even ordinary constables were arrogant. As a Gold Appraisal Guard, merely displaying the token had others trembling in fear."

"Jade City...cityThe city for the upper class, the prison city for the lower class."

After finishing the soup, eating the dishes, and paying for the meal, Li Xian resumed searching for a residence. His character being peculiar, harboring contradictions, he both enjoyed the tranquility and relished the bustling world.