Chapter 12: Not Returning to the Qin Estate?

Qin Shujun took the skewers from Shen Xuan’s hand and, ignoring the heat, bit into them fiercely, as if she were biting not into food, but into Shen Xuan himself.

As the food entered her mouth, a burst of incredibly savory flavor exploded, tasting absolutely divine. Qin Shujun’s eyes brightened, and she began to chew much faster. In no time at all, she had polished off all five skewers.

"Ha!"

After exhaling a satisfied breath, Qin Shujun came to her senses and realized that Shen Xuan was looking at her with a peculiar expression. Her face stiffened, her earlobes flushed slightly red, and she retorted stubbornly, "It’s not even that good. I don’t know why they speak so highly of your skewers; to me, they’re just average."

Shen Xuan withdrew his gaze, ignoring her disingenuous words, and continued to busy himself with the grilling.

"Hey! How much longer are you going to run this shabby stall? When are you coming back to the estate?" Whether out of boredom or some other reason, Qin Shujun took the initiative to strike up a conversation.

"I am never going back to the Qin estate again," Shen Xuan replied, his voice flat.

"Not going back to the Qin estate? Then where are you going!" For some reason, hearing this made Qin Shujun feel a surge of irritation, and her tone turned cold and hard.

"I appreciate the Princess’s concern, but I will be staying at an inn for these next few days." Shen Xuan did not intend to hide his plans; even if he didn't say it, the Qin family had the resources to find out soon enough.

Qin Shujun’s brows furrowed. Thoroughly angered by his words, she pointed at his nose and scolded, "Shen Xuan, are you sick? You have a perfectly good estate to live in, yet you choose to stay in some crummy inn—I think you’ve lost your mind!"

Shen Xuan lowered his head, offering no reply.

"Fine! Don’t come back then! If you’re so capable, Shen Xuan, then never come back!" Qin Shujun’s chest heaved with anger. After delivering this line, she turned and left with a sour expression.

Shen Xuan paid her no mind. Once he had sold out of all his ingredients, he packed up his stall and returned to the inn.

The next day, after finishing his day of grilling, Shen Xuan did not return to the inn immediately. Instead, he turned his steps toward the Hua Man Lou Pavilion. Stepping inside, he was startled by the bustling scene. The pavilion was packed, and the high-ranking officials and refined scholars who usually carried themselves with dignity appeared quite different here—to put it nicely, they were uninhibited; to put it bluntly, they were casting aside all pretense of decorum.

"Are you Master Shen?" At this moment, a slender man who seemed to recognize him spoke with great familiarity.

"May I ask who this brother is?" Shen Xuan looked at the man, finding his face vaguely familiar. He assumed the man was a customer who had bought skewers; there were simply too many people, and it was impossible for him to know them all. Besides, there was nothing particularly striking about this man, so it was normal not to recognize him.

"My name is Liu Ruifeng, the son of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. I had the honor of tasting your craft yesterday, Master Shen," Liu Ruifeng said with a smile.

"So it is Brother Ruifeng. A pleasure," Shen Xuan replied formally.

"Don't be so stiff! Everyone comes to the Hua Man Lou to relax. You’re alone, Master Shen—come, come! Since we’ve run into each other, it’s fate. I’m alone as well; why don’t we have a drink together?" Liu Ruifeng said, carelessly draping his arm over Shen Xuan’s shoulder to extend the invitation.

"Then I shall trouble you, Brother Liu." Shen Xuan thought for a moment and decided that a drink wouldn't hurt. Drinking alone in a place like this was indeed attention-grabbing. He surmised that besides Liu Ruifeng's outgoing personality, there might have been a practical reason for this invitation as well.

The two found a relatively secluded spot to sit. Liu Ruifeng winked at Shen Xuan and asked, "Brother Shen, have you come to the Hua Man Lou for Meng Qianwu as well?"

"Meng Qianwu?" A look of confusion flickered across Shen Xuan’s face at the mention of the name.

"Brother Shen, there's no need to pretend with me. Who among those here today hasn't come for the new courtesan?" Liu Ruifeng rolled his eyes, sounding slightly annoyed.

So the courtesan's name was Meng Qianwu. Shen Xuan didn't bother to argue and instead asked, "Could it be that you, Brother Liu, have also come for the courtesan?"

"Naturally. All the famous scholars in the capital are here. Take him, for example." Liu Ruifeng gestured casually to introduce someone to Shen Xuan. "That is the son of the current Minister of Rites, Kong Xuan. He’s been a 'model student' since childhood and is highly regarded by many officials in the court."

Shen Xuan looked over and saw a young man in Confucian robes with a gentle demeanor, surrounded by people like stars orbiting the moon, looking quite prestigious.

"And that one is even more remarkable. That is the young heir to the Prince of Ping’an, Li Qunian. He has been known for his talent since he was a child and is someone who could contend for the top three spots in the upcoming autumn examinations," Liu Ruifeng said, pointing in another direction.

Shen Xuan saw a young man who looked even younger than himself, but his attire was extraordinary, and the arrogance in his eyes revealed his status.

"I didn't expect a courtesan to draw even the heir of a Princely Estate," Shen Xuan remarked in surprise.

"Indeed. These two are the most formidable figures present, but there are plenty of other scholars and young masters here as well. The competition is incredibly fierce," Liu Ruifeng sighed.

Just as Shen Xuan was about to speak, a melodious sound of a zither suddenly rang out. The entire Hua Man Lou fell silent, leaving only the beautiful music. The sound was like a babbling brook, melodious and winding, making one feel as if they were immersed in a mountain stream.

When the song ended, Shen Xuan opened his eyes and couldn't help but exclaim, "This tune belongs only in the heavens; how often can one hear it in the human world?"

"Brother Shen, what a wonderful literary talent you have," Liu Ruifeng, still savoring the music, praised with a smile upon hearing the impromptu verse.

"It was just a spontaneous feeling," Shen Xuan said modestly.

Liu Ruifeng shook his head, about to speak again, but was interrupted by a woman's voice.

"Welcome, honored guests, to our Hua Man Lou. I greet you all." A beautiful, glamorous woman walked onto the stage and bowed to the crowd.

"This time, our Hua Man Lou will present three couplets. Whoever can complete all three will not only receive a reward of a thousand taels of silver but will also have the honor of spending the night with our Miss Qianwu." As she spoke, the woman pointed to a balcony on the second floor surrounded by gauze curtains.

As everyone looked up, a graceful figure appeared behind the veil, and the scene immediately erupted into a clamor. Seeing that the crowd was fired up, the woman smiled and said, "Everyone, please look at the challenge!"