Chapter 60: A Grand Feast

Nan Chang Street, Fenglin Restaurant.
On the first floor, it was not yet noon, yet most of the thirty-plus dining tables were already occupied. Some discussed poetry, some talked about paintings and calligraphy, while others joked about love and romance. By the south wall, scholars stopped to comment in front of wooden plaques. In the center, two scholars surrounded a guqin, listening to the melodious sounds produced by the fingers of a young man in his early twenties wearing a blue brocade robe.
Outside, Lin Dong waved his hand and stepped into Fenglin Restaurant first. Behind him, Tian Hao, Jiang Kui, and Wen Wangzhong followed closely.
One was so dark-skinned that his features could not be seen; only his height suggested he was a youth. The other had a rugged appearance and an astonishing height. As soon as Tian Hao and Jiang Kui entered, they immediately attracted a lot of attention.
A waiter came forward with a smile, “Gentlemen, would you like to be on the first floor or the second?”
“First floor!” Lin Dong replied casually.
“Please come in.”
Although most of the people on the first floor were scholars, not all of them were. The waiter didn’t say much and led them to an empty table in the middle of the hall.
After wiping the table clean, the waiter asked, “What would you like to order?”
“Bring a Fire Spirit Bird, two pounds of Green Pine Beast, a pot of good wine, and a few other dishes as you see fit,” Lin Dong said with a wave of his hand.
The waiter was stunned. Spirit birds and beasts were extremely valuable, and those who could afford them usually went straight to the second floor.
Fortunately, there was no rule preventing the wealthy from eating on the first floor. The waiter quickly regained his composure and smiled, “Just a moment, sir. The food will be here soon.”
“As expected of Fenglin Restaurant. I thought Lin’s Inn was already incredibly busy, but I never imagined Fenglin Restaurant would be just as popular,” Wen Wangzhong said, looking around in amazement.
“The number of customers is similar, but the profits are worlds apart!” Lin Dong smiled and pointed upward. “A day’s business up there is equivalent to several months’ worth at the inn.”
Wen Wangzhong laughed, “No wonder you brought Jiang Kui. Manager Lin must have wanted to check out Fenglin Restaurant’s cooking skills!”
“It’s not just about checking out the cooking. To be honest, I’ve been dying to try those spirit beasts,” Lin Dong said with a calm smile. These weren’t even the main purposes of his trip.
Wen Wangzhong seemed to remember something and glanced around the hall again before lowering his voice, “But what about your daughter and me…”
“Don’t worry! It’s not that coincidental. You two haven’t left the inn in half a month either. It’s time to get some fresh air,” Lin Dong shook his head.

“Mm!” Wen Wangzhong nodded again, unsure what else to say. After all, the other party had good intentions, so he could only be more careful about the entrance and the wooden ladder leading to the second floor, keeping an eye out for Zhou Jinchi at any time.
Lin Dong tapped the table slowly, looking leisurely and content. Nearby, Lin Shuang had already returned to the academy, leaving no one to chat with. Tian Hao couldn’t stand the loneliness, turning his head around in hopes of spotting something interesting.
Jiang Kui’s gaze flickered as he stared at the table, as if studying something. But from time to time, his eyes would sneak upward to glance at Wen Ying before pulling back as if shocked.
Across from him, Wen Ying was unaware of Jiang Kui’s gaze, her full attention focused on the table where someone was playing the zither. Listening attentively and watching the graceful fingers of the young man in the brocade robe, she felt an indescribable envy.
As soon as the music stopped, praises poured in.
“The melody is like a gentle stream over a small bridge—so soft and soothing. Truly worthy of Brother Zhao. Excellent music, and his skills are truly masterful.”
“Brother Zhao has grasped the essence of zither playing—what a joyous achievement!”
“Too kind! Too kind!” Zhao Fengjie blushed with pleasure and began to exchange polite remarks with everyone. “Brother Zhou’s calligraphy is elegant and unique, and Brother Wang writes poems effortlessly. My humble zither skills are nothing in comparison!”
“Brother Zhao, you’re too modest. You deserve to be punished!”
“That’s right! We were so focused on listening to Brother Zhao play that we forgot to order food. It’s all your fault, Brother Zhao—you deserve to pay for a big drink!”
Zhao Fengjie laughed, “What’s the point of punishing just me? Today, I’ll treat everyone—let’s have a great time!”
“How can it be Brother Zhao who pays? I’ll treat everyone today!”
“No, no—Brother Zhou treated us a few days ago, so it must be my turn this time.” Zhao Fengjie waved his hands repeatedly. Seeing that the others still wanted to argue, he took out a silver ingot from his sleeve, called over a waiter, and handed the silver to him. “Go ahead, bring out the best wine and food.”
Before the food and drinks could be served, the three of them began to chat heartily, reciting poems, discussing philosophy—just as lively as any other table in the hall.
At Lin Dong’s table, whenever the conversation turned to poetry, Wen Ying’s eyes would sparkle as she secretly memorized poems she hadn’t seen in books.
Before long, the food and drinks were served. The first dish emitted a fragrant aroma.
The waiter smiled and said, “Gentlemen, this is the Green Pine Beast, prepared personally by our head chef. Would you like to try it?”
“Sure!”
Lin Dong eagerly picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. It was delicious and flavorful, leaving a pleasant aftertaste.
“Come on, everyone, eat!”
Tian Hao and Jiang Kui both reached for their chopsticks, while Wen Wangzhong and his daughter simply smiled and picked up some braised pork.

“Boss Wen, you guys are really polite.” Seeing this, Lin Dong couldn’t help but smile and say, “I took advantage of the situation to extort seven spirit stones from you. If I hadn’t seized the chance, you would have suffered a huge loss.”
The father and daughter exchanged a smile. Recalling what they had learned about Lin Dong over the past half month, they stopped being polite as well.
Lin Dong rubbed Tianhao’s head and asked, “Is it delicious?”
“Mmhm…” Tianhao nodded eagerly, “It’s way better than what the masters roasted.”
“The cooking skills are indeed good.”
Jiang Kui also couldn’t help but praise him. His loud voice immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Jiang Kui felt annoyed—how could he forget to keep his voice down?
“Speaking so loudly—aren’t you afraid of disturbing others? How rude!”
A scornful muttering came from the table next door.
Lin Dong and the others turned a deaf ear, continuing to devour the food on their plates. Wen Ying’s face turned slightly red, and she felt a bit relieved only after hearing no more mocking remarks from the three of them.
Outside, an old beggar in tattered clothes, hunched over, scraped at the door panel. He glanced into the hall a few times and, after confirming that the staff were busy serving customers, stepped inside.
“Huh? Why does it smell so bad?”
“Yes! Where does this stench come from?”
“Damn it! How did we let a beggar in?”
“Guys, can we even drink our wine now?”
Complaints filled the air wherever he passed, but the old beggar ignored them, going from table to table with his broken bowl, shaking it slightly.
“Please, I haven’t eaten in three days. I even have a three- or four-year-old grandson in a dilapidated cowshed at the market…”
Not to mention giving him a few copper coins, as soon as the old beggar got close, everyone quickly covered their noses and shooed him away. The smell was unbearable even from several meters away, let alone allowing him to get any closer.
The old beggar clearly wasn’t giving up either. Trembling, he continued to beg from table to table.
Wen Ying untied the money bag from her waist and poured its contents into her palm—a small piece of silver and six or seven copper coins spilled out.
Seeing Wen Ying’s actions, Tianhao and Jiang Kui also realized what to do and untied their own money bags.