Starting from Tianlong, Wudu Tianxia

Upon encountering the Zoroastrian heretics, Gao Yuan lost interest in shopping. The two of them helped Gengyun pick out some chestnut cake and crispy pastry before heading back home.

As the sun sets in the west, the Bian River, flowing southeast from Kaifeng in Henan through Xuzhou, appears to be draped in a fiery red, flowing robe, like a fiery cloud reflected in the water.

Huixian Pavilion is located on the riverbank, covering a huge area and has five floors. The plaque is decorated with large, gilded characters.

Although it cannot compare to Fenglelou, the top restaurant in Xuzhou, it is still considered a high-end banquet venue in the area.

It was dinnertime, and many carriages and sedan chairs were parked in the open space in front of Huixian Pavilion.

At this moment, several well-dressed young men were sitting in the Spring Blossom Pavilion on the fifth floor, among them was Wang Xin, the son of the prefect.

Compared to engaging in leisurely conversations with others, Wang Xin preferred to lean on the railing and gaze intently at the Bian River in the distance.

The red Bian River merges with the Si River in the distance, creating a scene reminiscent of the sky and water blending into one.

It's a pity there was no scene of the sunset and a lone wild goose flying together.

"Hey! Yuan-ge'er? Shitou? No, no, look upstairs."

The familiar voice stopped Gao Yuan in his tracks, and he looked up.

Wang Xin, dressed in white, leaned on the railing and greeted them.

"What are you two standing there for? Get up here."

On the fifth-floor railing, Wang Xin's actions drew the attention of everyone in the elegant room.

Gao Yuan originally intended to say hello and then go back, but he couldn't resist Wang Xin's enthusiasm.

Hesitating for a moment, he carried the stone upstairs.

As soon as he entered, he noticed the difference between the so-called "official store" and the "foot shop".

High-end inns in the Northern Song Dynasty were luxuriously decorated, with private rooms, dance halls, and even singers and musicians, and also provided accommodation.

Foot shops are even smaller, mostly single shops located on the street.

To put it bluntly, one caters to the wealthy and powerful, while the other primarily serves ordinary people.

The candlelight on the first floor of Huixian Pavilion was dim, and the area was covered with white gauze. Most of the people there were listening to music, and there were hardly any martial arts practitioners carrying weapons.

As the waiter led him up to the fifth floor, Gao Yuan hadn't had a chance to get a good look around when he saw Wang Xin smiling and warmly embracing him.

"Good lads, it's been quite a while since I've seen you two since Mr. Fan went on his long trip."

Just as Gao Yuan was about to explain, Wang Xin pulled the two of them to the table.

"Sit down, sit down. It just so happens that Brother Huang brought some red yeast rice wine from Fuzhou, which he said was brewed with morning dew. You must try it."

"Haha, Brother Shi is right. Fine wine is a rare find. Yuan-ge'er, you must have a good taste. It's a hundred times better than the rainwater collected under the eaves of a dilapidated temple."

"Absolutely right, absolutely right. Brother Wang is willing to share this delicacy with the common people. Brother Yuan, you should have a good drink."

Before he finished speaking, Wang Xin frowned, and a few soft laughs echoed in the private room.

Gao Yuan looked back and saw that, apart from Wang Xin, there were only two people he didn't recognize.

The speaker was Shen Yanqing, and the responder was Li Chenghuan. They, like Wang Xin, were listening to the game of chess at the Fan residence.

Shen Yanqing was the second son of the magistrate of Xuzhou, and he was handsome.

Li Chenghuan came from a wealthy merchant family and grew up in luxury, enjoying a life of refined tastes and entertainment.

He disliked playing chess, but Li's father spent a lot of money to get him into the Fan family mansion, with the aim of making connections with powerful figures in Xuzhou. This banquet was also hosted by him.

Gao Yuan had been in the Fan family for quite some time, and the two of them had already figured out his background, so they made fun of him without any restraint.

The young man surnamed Huang sitting opposite them didn't know the relationship between the group, but he sensed something was off and quickly tried to smooth things over.

"What's this talk of the common people? The decrees of the court are like blood and qi, while the breath of the common people is like pulse. The two complement each other in governing the world, and there is no difference between them. Let's drink!"

"Who are you?"

Gao Yuan glanced around. He recognized Wang Xin and the other two. Besides the young man surnamed Huang, there was also a well-dressed young man he didn't recognize.

A burly man stood in the corner behind him.

"My name is Huang Shang, and his name is Xu Xiang Sheng."

The young man surnamed Huang smiled and introduced himself, briefly mentioning the elegantly dressed gentleman as well.

Gao Yuan's heart stirred.

Wow, Huang Shang... Could it be the same person with the same name?

A key figure connecting the storylines of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, and a grandmaster who created the peerless martial art, Nine Yin Manual.

"Yuan-ge'er, Yuan-ge'er..."

Seeing Gao Yuan lost in thought, Wang Xin gently nudged him, then introduced him to the two men: "Brother Yuan is currently studying at Mr. Fan's residence. Although he is a few years younger than us, he is upright and has a chivalrous spirit."

"Brother Huang, Brother Xu, please forgive me. Brother Huang, you look so much like an old friend of mine that I was momentarily distracted."

Gao Yuan smiled and immediately clasped his hands in apology.

Huang Shang waved his hand gently, a hint of curiosity in his eyes: "Who is this old friend you speak of, Brother Gao?"

Seeing Gao Yuan's rudeness, Xu Xiang-sheng, who was standing to the side, stepped forward, fanning himself with a folding fan.

"Mr. Fan has a wide circle of friends and is accomplished in both chess and martial arts. I heard that Brother Gao studied under him, which shows that he is extraordinary. His friends must be no ordinary people. Tell us about them so that we can broaden our horizons."

Gao Yuan has not formally become Fan Bailing's disciple, but in recent days everyone has known that Mr. Fan values ​​him exceptionally highly.

While others only listened to his chess lessons and sought his guidance, he also studied martial arts, so it was only a matter of time before he became a disciple of the sect.

Gao Yuan wasn't stupid; upon hearing Xu Xiangsheng's cold words, he knew he had offended him.

He ignored Xu Xiang Sheng, thinking that if the person in front of him was really the future Grandmaster Huang Shang, he should still be far from the tragedy of his family being wiped out.

Judging from his current appearance, he hasn't even entered the imperial court.

"My old friend is skilled in studying classical texts and also has considerable insight into martial arts, but..."

Wang Xin laughed heartily: "You rascal, you speak so mysteriously! Brother Huang and Brother Xu are both men of character, not pedantic scholars, they speak their minds directly."

"Never mind, it's nothing. You wouldn't know him anyway. He's just a poor soul with a tragic fate."

After speaking, he turned and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Xu Xiang-sheng:

"Brother Wang flatters me. I am of dull talent and have no real knowledge of the art. I have only learned some rudimentary chess and martial arts from you, and I am not even a tenth or a twentieth as good as you. I am not worthy of your praise. I am not as good as Brother Xu. It is obvious at a glance that you come from a distinguished family and have outstanding knowledge. I am far behind you!"

Gao Yuan spoke with utmost respect and courtesy, showering Xu Xiang Sheng with unrestrained flattery.

Xu Xiang-sheng's expression softened slightly. Since the other party had come with a smile, he couldn't keep harping on it and appear petty.

Moreover, it seems that Wang Xin and he have a good personal relationship, otherwise he wouldn't have been covering for him all this time.

He knew perfectly well why Shen Yanqing disregarded Wang Xin and kept causing trouble for Gao Yuan.

It's nothing more than a reflection of the struggle between the magistrate and the vice-prefect of Xuzhou.

As for Li Chenghuan, he was merely the son of a merchant who curried favor with the powerful and wealthy.

Anyone with eyes can see that Wang Xin and Gao Yuan are good friends. If he had any sense, he wouldn't just flatter Shen Yanqing while mocking Gao Yuan.

In the power struggles among officials, regardless of who wins or loses, even a mere merchant is at their mercy.

"Brother Gao, you're too kind."

"Stop spouting fancy words and drinking, drinking."

Seeing that the atmosphere had eased, Wang Xin turned his head and glanced at Li Chenghuan, then greeted him with a smile.

Li Chenghuan felt uneasy under Wang Xin's gaze and immediately deflated.

"Brother Yanqing, please."

Seeing that Li Chenghuan was speechless, Shen Yanqing wanted to tease Gao Yuan again, but when he saw Wang Xin offering him wine, he swallowed his words.

He is not afraid of Wang Xin and can be ruthless in some minor matters.

However, it was impossible for him to openly confront Wang Xin and break off all ties.

With Wang Xin leading the way, the group began to drink and laugh in a lively atmosphere, as if nothing had happened.

The girls serving the drinks, on the other hand, were all smiles and showed no sign of anything amiss.

Gao Yuan had no concept of hierarchy or rules of etiquette, and without any politeness, he started eating as soon as he was told to.

During the meal, he accepted every toast offered, but it was a hardship for Shi Tou, who felt uncomfortable whether sitting or standing.