Chapter 019: Reunion

Du Fan had said enough. Although Oscar still wanted to refuse, he didn’t know how to speak up. He could only force a smile and say, “Young Master Du Fan, then I, Oscar, shall obey out of respect.”
Du Fan smiled slightly, didn’t say much, simply waved his hand to gesture for him to come in, and said calmly, “Then please.”
The two boarded Du Fan’s elegant carriage. Du Fan sat in first.
Oscar sighed softly beside the carriage before getting in as well.
Seeing his expression, Du Fan didn’t say much. Instead, he said to Old Mark, “Grandpa Mark, please send someone back to let them know I won’t be returning at noon. For now, find a place in the southern part of the city where I can host a feast for Lord Oscar.”
Old Mark nodded, waved to call over a guard, and whispered something in his ear. After the guard rushed off, Old Mark gave a signal and then headed south under the guard’s protection.
The capital was always bustling.
The carriage, escorted by over a hundred people, moved along the crowded streets of the capital. Though it seemed a bit arrogant, it didn’t cause any disturbance.
Du Fan looked out through the beaded curtains. Occasionally, he saw some believers praying devoutly at the carriage. He returned a kind smile, adding a touch of sanctity to his expression.
After sitting for a while, Du Fan noticed Oscar appearing somewhat uneasy. Smiling slightly, he said, “Lord Oscar, you’re not telling me this is the first time you’ve ever ridden in a carriage, are you?”
Oscar smiled awkwardly and said, “Young Master Du Fan truly has sharp eyes! Although we bards travel far and wide, we always use our own legs wherever we go. To be honest, we rarely come into contact with carriages.”
Du Fan nodded and said, “I see. Then I, Du Fan, was being rude…”
Oscar nodded but didn’t say much, probably determined to speak less to make fewer mistakes.
Du Fan sized him up, his gaze flickering slightly, before saying, “Lord Oscar, of course, we met in the north, and you were such a distinguished figure. But why today…”
Oscar forced a smile and said, “Young Master Du Fan, are you teasing me again? I’m just an unremarkable bard—how could I possibly be considered a distinguished figure?”

Du Fan didn’t say much upon hearing this. There seemed to be some subtle difference between the Oscar at this moment and the one from that day, but Du Fan couldn’t figure out what it was for the time being, so he could only frown slightly. After a while, it seemed as if Du Fan suddenly remembered something and said indifferently, “By the way, Lord Oscar… I wonder what happened to that pair of twins I gave you back then? Were they tasty?” Oscar’s expression instantly became extremely strange. After hesitating for a long time, he stammered, “Um… this…” Seeing his expression, Du Fan didn’t press him and simply smiled lightly, saying, “If Lord Oscar doesn’t want to talk about it, it’s fine… I didn’t mean anything by asking; it was just a casual question.” Oscar was stunned and said, “It’s not that… Young Master Du Fan…” But before he could finish speaking, Du Fan waved his hand to interrupt him, “Alright, Lord Oscar… let’s not talk about these things anymore… I think we should be almost there by now… The capital is bustling, all its prosperity is in this southern part of the city. Lord Oscar, this is my first time here too. Today, we’re going to enjoy ourselves thoroughly—no leaving until we’re drunk!” As soon as he finished speaking, the carriage slowly came to a stop. Old Mark’s voice came from ahead, “Third young master, we’ve arrived.” Du Fan nodded, casually lifted the bead curtain, and glanced at the place ahead, asking, “Grandpa Mark, where is this?” Old Mark replied in a low voice, “Third young master, this is one of the most luxurious hotels in the southern part of the city. Since our Green family is hosting a banquet, we certainly can’t go to some low-class place.” Du Fan nodded slightly without saying much more. He lightly jumped down from the carriage and gave a gesture to Oscar inside, saying, “Lord Oscar… please go ahead…” Then he glanced at Old Mark again. Old Mark cleared his throat and said, “Third young master, the security here is always very tight, so we won’t follow inside… Just send someone to let us know when you’re ready.” Du Fan nodded slightly. He naturally understood that in such high-end establishments in the capital, they were mostly run by people with powerful backgrounds. And since these places were meant for the nobility to entertain themselves, safety was of utmost importance. Although Oscar was somewhat anxious, he still quickly got off the carriage at Du Fan’s signal. The two stood side by side in front of this seemingly magnificent hotel, exchanging similar smiles.

The hotel didn’t seem very large, appearing to have only two or three floors. Yet, numerous exquisite carriages were parked in front of it, their carriage roofs adorned with family emblems that indicated their owners’ status. Du Fan glanced briefly but recognized most of the emblems—representing the wealthy nobles of the capital. It was quite rare to see so many of them gathered together. A scarlet carpet stretched from the hotel’s entrance, flanked by beautiful flower pots filled with vibrant flowers. Walking on the carpet gave one the feeling of being amidst a garden. As soon as Du Fan and Oscar stepped onto the scarlet carpet, they saw eight servants standing at the hotel entrance, half of whom rushed over quickly. Most of these servants wore neat tuxedos, spotless, with short hair neatly combed and clean faces showing respectful and eager smiles. One of the servants, seemingly the leader, glanced at Oscar with a hint of confusion in his eyes, but when his gaze fell on Du Fan, his eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, “It’s Master Du Fan! It’s truly an honor for our humble establishment.” Du Fan smiled faintly and asked, “You know me?” The servant replied respectfully, “How could I not know such a famous figure as Master Du Fan?” Du Fan nodded indifferently, his expression unreadable, but he knew that the hotel owner must have already researched the information on the capital’s nobles. This servant had likely seen his portrait, otherwise he wouldn’t have recognized him so quickly. Seeing Du Fan’s expression, the servant grew nervous, becoming even more cautious. He bent slightly forward and said in an even more respectful tone, “I wonder what plans Master Du Fan has for today?” Du Fan first signaled to Oscar before walking forward and asking, “What do you recommend for lunch at your hotel?” The servant hurriedly replied, “Master Du Fan, our hotel recently received a shipment of high-quality beef from the capital of Lanni. If you’re interested, you might want to give it a try…” Du Fan hummed in agreement and smiled at Oscar, asking, “What do you think, Lord Oscar?”

Upon arriving at this place, Oscar clearly became a bit nervous again, but after all, he wasn’t an ordinary person either, and it took him no time to regain his composure. Hearing Du Fan’s question, he thought for a moment before showing a perfectly appropriate smile: “If Young Master Du Fan has no objections, then as for me, Oscar, I certainly have no particular preferences.”

Du Fan laughed heartily before saying, “Did you hear that? Just serve us something casual for lunch today. As for what to serve, leave it to you guys… Oh, and make sure to arrange a private seat for me. I and this honorable Oscar need to catch up properly.”

Hearing Du Fan’s instructions, the waiter quickly nodded and gave a glance to the other waiters. The remaining waiters promptly stepped back. Du Fan could tell that each of them seemed quite skilled… It seemed this place was indeed extraordinary!

Guided by the waiter, the two of them soon entered the hotel. Inside, the furnishings were exquisitely elegant. Though luxurious, they didn’t appear ostentatious, lacking any trace of nouveau riche flair. Throughout the circular lobby, tables and chairs were arranged thoughtfully—not only without disrupting the overall layout but also allowing views of the outside scenery through the floor-to-ceiling windows from any angle.

Most of the tables and chairs in the lobby were occupied by guests, each savoring exquisite food with great elegance. Among those present, the lowest rank was that of a viscount. Anyone without any noble title really needed to think carefully before coming here.

The waiter gestured for them to follow and led the two to a secluded corner before bowing and saying, “Please wait a moment. We’ll bring the food right away.” With that, the waiter quickly left, showing no signs of hesitation.

Du Fan glanced around. Compared to other corners, this place was extremely quiet. Although the view outside was poor, it suited the situation at hand. It seemed the waiter had realized that Du Fan and Oscar were there not to enjoy the scenery but to catch up.