The Beacon of Kyushu

Four days later, they were ten miles outside the city of Bianliang.

By the time of Shen, although the sky had become somewhat dim, there was still a constant stream of pedestrians coming and going on the official road outside the city. From time to time, there were hawkers carrying various items and selling them along the street. It was even more lively than the markets in many small towns.

Chen Tuan looked indifferent, ignoring the various people around him, with only a slight smile on his face. Wan Jianfeng held the Dragon Subduing Stick and looked around with interest, "Master, I haven't been to the capital for a few years, but I didn't expect that the capital is more lively than before!"

"Well, it's the year of the big competition again, and the capital is more busy than usual." Chen Tuan spoke slowly, but his pace gradually slowed down.

Seeing Chen Tuan suddenly walk so slowly, Wan Jianfeng asked in confusion: "Master, you have been in good physical condition all the way, why are you not able to today? At your current speed, I am afraid you will not be able to reach Tokyo City tonight!"

Chen Tuan smiled and shook his head, saying: "Jianfeng, who said we have to enter the city before tonight? Aren't you always very smart? I just said that the imperial examination is being held in the capital. Don't you understand what I mean?"

Wan Jianfeng thought about it, and laughed in an instant, "Haha, I understand! The city is holding an imperial examination now, and all the inns are bound to be hard to find. We are not taking the imperial examination, so why bother going to the city to compete with those poor people for a house? If we really go, at the very least we will have to spend more money, and at the worst, we may take the house of a future prime minister or general first, causing him to miss the exam this year. Wouldn't the old emperor lose a left-hand man, and the Song Dynasty will lose a good official. Master, you will definitely say it is against the will of heaven!"

Chen Tuan pointed to an inn not far away and said, "That's right, so we should stay here for one night. It won't be too late to go to Tokyo tomorrow morning."

Wan Jianfeng touched his pocket and said with a wry smile, "Master, I have spent all the money General Liu gave me on this trip. What do you think of the money for tonight's restaurant? Should we ask for it on the street, or should I find a poor guy to extort it?"

Chen Tuan took out a white purse from his sleeve, which couldn't be more ordinary, and handed it to Wan Jianfeng, saying, "Jianfeng, I have some silver here, why don't you keep it for me temporarily. Remember, don't spend the money in the purse carelessly, even if you stay in a hotel or buy food, you have to save as much as possible, do you understand?"

Wan Jianfeng took the purse and said, "Master, don't worry! I don't know how to make money, but I know how to save money. As long as you don't mind, I guarantee that this much money will be enough for us to make thirty or forty round trips from Huashan to Tokyo."

Chen Tuan looked at Wan Jianfeng in disbelief and said, "Jianfeng, are you serious? There are less than ten taels of silver in the purse. If it was when I was young, I'm afraid it would be spent in less than a day. But you can make thirty or forty round trips from Huashan to Tokyo with this little money? If you continue to spend it this way, won't you have to cater to others everywhere and spend a lot of effort on everything? It's better for me to be in charge."

Wan Jianfeng smiled and said, "Haha, Master, there are ways to save money and ways to spend money. You feel sorry for the money and you are afraid of being wronged. If it were someone else, it would be hard to answer correctly. However, I am so wise and brave that I guarantee that I can arrange it to your satisfaction!"

Chen Tuan nodded slightly, "Okay, I want to see how you spend these ten taels of silver."

"Master, just watch!" Wan Jianfeng said as he strode into the inn. Relying on the ten or so taels of silver in his hand, he actually acted like a living god of wealth. Seeing his behavior, Chen Tuan was angry and amused. He knew Wan Jianfeng's character very well, so he was too lazy to restrain him and let him go into the store to make arrangements. At night, the official road gradually became quiet.

Chen Tuan sat cross-legged on the bed, meditating, while Wan Jianfeng lay across from him with his legs crossed, staring at the ceiling in a daze. He recalled many past events, especially when he thought of Murong Yunyao, he felt an indescribable regret in his heart.

"Little witch, if that Japanese young man hadn't been joking with you, maybe you wouldn't have left. I haven't seen you for so many days, I don't know if you are safe and sound. If you were really killed by that bastard Li Huan, I would definitely twist off Li Huan's head to avenge you!"

Chen Tuan listened to him mumbling to himself and slowly opened his eyes, "Jianfeng, do you miss Miss Murong? I read a fortune for her the other day, and the fortune showed good luck with some bad luck. I believe she will encounter some dangers in the near future, but her life is not in danger."

Wan Jianfeng was caught by his master and smiled awkwardly, "Haha, I was just talking casually. I'm sorry to bother you. I'm a little craving for alcohol now. I want to go to the front and have a few drinks and fill up my wine gourd. Do you want to come with me, Master?"

Chen Tuan shook his head and said, "If it was a hundred years ago, Master would have gone without you saying anything. If it was fifty years ago, Master might have considered it. But now, you are too old and have drunk too much. It is really not appropriate for you to drink anymore, and you don't want to drink anymore. You should go alone."

Wan Jianfeng sighed, as if feeling regretful, "Alas, it's a pity that this young hero was born too late. If I were born a hundred years earlier, I would have gone out with Master every day until we were drunk! It's such a pity, such a pity!" As he said that, he pushed the door and walked out of the room, heading straight for the store in the front yard.

At this moment, there were two or three groups of drinkers sitting in the front store, chatting and drinking, and no one bothered to look at Wan Jianfeng. Wan Jianfeng was too lazy to say anything to them, and walked to an empty table near the door and sat down, shouting to the shopkeeper behind the counter: "Hey, I'm talking to you, business man, quickly bring me three jars of the best Du Kang, and a plate of delicious side dishes. If the preparation is not to my liking, I won't pay!"

The shopkeeper was counting the bills at this time. When he heard Wan Jianfeng calling him, he looked up. But he saw Wan Jianfeng's slovenly appearance, and he didn't look like he could pay for the food and drinks. He rolled his eyes at him and thought to himself, "The city is holding an imperial examination recently, and most of the candidates and vendors have gathered in the city. Although my business is not bad during the day, it is much worse than those inns in the city. I was hoping for the God of Wealth to come, but God was blind. Not only did the God of Wealth not come, but a poor man came instead!"

Wan Jianfeng had been in the underworld for so many years, and had never experienced any gentle money or kindness. Instead, he was often heard speaking ill of the shopkeeper. He was accustomed to the shopkeeper's behavior of looking down on others, so he was too lazy to tell him that he had money. Instead, he slammed the purse that Chen Tuan gave him on the table with a loud "bang".

The shopkeeper smiled brightly when he saw the money bag. He trotted to Wan Jianfeng, bowed and kowtowed, looking like a slave. "My dear guest, no, I should call you guest master. You really have a good eye! Our Du Kang is famous far and wide, and is not inferior to Fan Lou in the city. As for the side dishes, they are even more delicious. I'm afraid that the daily banquets of the current officials are not as delicious as the food in our shop!"

Wan Jianfeng nodded, "Really? Then stop talking nonsense and bring the things to me quickly, otherwise I will lose interest in a while and you won't make a penny from this money."

"Okay, I'll go right away!" The shopkeeper was about to get the purse, but Wan Jianfeng quickly held his hand and said with a smile, "Haha, they say impatient, impatient, brother, how come your temper is even more impatient than a monkey? Are you afraid that I won't pay after we finish eating?" (End of this chapter)