Chapter 450: Traces (1)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The moon hung high above the branches. Parasol Street was bustling with traffic, and men and women could be seen everywhere.

Ye Jingtang was dressed like an ordinary wanderer with a bamboo hat on his head. He looked like a foreigner who had never seen the market before and looked around at the buildings along the street.

Parasol Street was the most prosperous street in the capital. It was famous for its brothels, but not all of the long street was brothels. There were a large number of luxury shops, restaurants, and teahouses that offered normal services. There were also many young ladies and madams who came here at night, but they wouldn’t stop at the entrance of the two large brothels in the center.

The owner of the Roaring Dragon Pavilion had a huge business in the capital, and he owned more than one business on the street. He had another restaurant named Four Sides. The chef hired here came from a family who had been imperial chefs for generations. He was respectfully called Chief Chef by busybodies, and some people called him Cooking Immortal. A vinegar-cooked fish commonly seen in Jiang Province had been forcefully made into one of the eight major dishes of Yun Province. Being a guest at the restaurant was similar to being a guest at the Golden Screen Building. There were reserved tables and rooms for people of status. There was usually a queue, and whether one could eat here depended on their luck.

Ye Jingtang strolled leisurely on the street and soon arrived in front of Four Sides Restaurant. He could see that there was a lot of commotion in the building, but there were two waiters standing at the door.

Every time a customer came to the door, they would say with a smile, “Dear guest, we’re sorry. The Four Sides Restaurant has been reserved by the young master of the Duke of Liang today. Please come back tomorrow…”

Hearing this, Ye Jingtang didn’t approach the door. Instead, he walked around twice to make sure that there were no suspicious birds and beasts on the eaves before silently disappearing into the dark alley at the side. Then he flew up and hung upside down under the eaves of the three-story tall building. He found an empty private room and entered through the window, went to the door, and looked at the hall.

“Young Master Li, your literary talents are so good…”

“Come, let’s toast Young Master Li…”

In the center of the three-story building was a hall. There was a screen wall at the door that blocked the scene inside. There were eight large tables inside, full of delicacies. The people sitting around were all young people. Eighty percent of them were young masters from wealthy families, and twenty percent of them were young ladies from prestigious families.

Because there were females present, the atmosphere in the hall was rather serious. Young Master Liu, whose sword Ye Jingtang had taken, had held a beauty in each arm in the Roaring Dragon Pavilion yesterday. But today, he had changed into a scholarly robe. His bearing was steady, gentle, and elegant, looking like a shy scholar who had never even touched a girl’s hand since he was a child.

Ye Jingtang looked at the table in the middle of the hall. There were six men and one woman sitting there. Dumdum’s eldest cousin, Wang Chihu, was also among them.

Although Wang Chihu was only a banner commander of the Black Office, his background was amazing. One of his cousins was the emperor, and the other was a prince. His father was even the commander-in-chief of the Ya Province army. In the entire capital, there were not many people with a greater background than him. From the seats, the person sitting on the right must be the heir of a vassal prince.

Ye Jingtang looked carefully and saw that the person on the right was a young master in his thirties. He was tall, handsome, and easy-going, giving off a cynical and idle feeling. He had brought the female guest. When it was time to toast, he stood up. From the way the people at the table addressed him, he was undoubtedly Dongfang Shuoyue.

Ye Jingtang carefully observed Dongfang Shuoyue’s words and actions. Although he wasn’t as unbearable as the rumors said, there was nothing special about him. He didn’t put on the airs of a superior as he toasted and drank. He looked like a normal young master. Moreover, Fang Shijie wasn’t at the banquet.

After Ye Jingtang secretly watched for half an hour, three rounds of wine had passed, but he still didn’t find anything abnormal. Instead, his attention was attracted by a conversation outside the Four Sides Restaurant.

“Ladies, I’m sorry. The Four Sides Restaurant has been reserved by the Duke of Liang Estate today…”

“All? What a pity. Forget it. Let’s go somewhere else…”

“Sister Xiuhe, is the Duke of Liang Estate very powerful?”

“Of course. The Duke of Liang is a great contributor to the founding of the country…”

When Ye Jingtang heard the voices of the three girls, there was surprise in his eyes. He quietly jumped out of the window and went to the eaves to check the street.

The bustling street outside the Four Sides Restaurant was full of carriages and horses. A few servants were slowly leading a small carriage. In front of them were three beautifully dressed girls.

Zhe Yunli was wearing a ruqun and holding a circular fan. She looked like a scholarly young lady from a wealthy family nearby who had come out to shop. She looked refined and cultured without any Jianghu aura. Ping’er, dressed as a maidservant, followed behind her. Since it was her first time coming to Parasol Street, she was really shocked by the prosperity here and asked questions along the way.

Xiuhe led the way and explained all kinds of things along the way. Before leaving the Four Sides Restaurant, she even glanced at the carriages parked at the side. Then she brought the two girls into Fairy’s Beauty next door.

When Ye Jingtang saw this scene, he knew that Little Xiuhe was smart and capable. She followed his instructions and was inquiring about the movements of the Prince of Yan’s heir. If she wandered around alone and asked questions, it would definitely arouse suspicion. Thus, she dragged Yunli and Ping’er along to stroll around and shop.

Ye Jingtang watched for a long time but didn’t see anything unusual. After thinking for a while, he landed lightly in the passageway between the two tall buildings and looked around..