At the Xiaoyao Tavern!
“Hmph, what a show-off!” Lin Tian said sourly.
Why was it that the one riding on horseback, admired by thousands, wasn’t him?
“Heh, this person is indeed extraordinary. I didn’t expect that upon seeing him again, he would have already achieved such unparalleled feats.” Li Xunhuan, dressed in black, said while holding a wine cup.
“What’s the big deal? If I were in his place, I could do it too,” Lin Tian said stubbornly.
“You? Lin, not to discourage you, but you really can’t. You haven’t even broken through to the Prenatal Realm yet, wasting all those pills your father bought for you,” Li Xunhuan retorted bluntly.
“Hey, Li, whose side are you on? Why are you speaking up for Oliver Sheng?” Lin Tian said unhappily.
“My family’s business gets wine from him and makes a fortune. So, yeah, I’m on his side,” Li Xunhuan replied.
He originally came from a wealthy merchant family. Lacking the talent for scholarly pursuits, he couldn’t pass the imperial exams, so he took over the family business.
With his support, the Li family business decisively secured the sales rights for Western Wind Blaze and Green Ant in one province, earning them considerable wealth.
This elevated his status within the family, and all of this was thanks to Oliver Sheng.
Now, this Xiaoyao Tavern was his, as his family was in business, not in the cultivation of flying daggers.
Of course, they also practiced martial arts; every aristocratic family had their martial traditions.
“Ugh, just talking about this makes me angry. This guy, playing around with distribution rights, made it impossible for me to get a piece of the wine business and earn some spending money,” Lin Tian said angrily.
“Who can you blame? I told you back then to do your best to secure the rights for Western Wind Blaze and Green Ant, but you were shortsighted,” Li Xunhuan said.
“You know my father is a deputy minister in the Ministry of Revenue, but he doesn’t have much money either. How could I dare to spend hundreds of thousands of taels of silver to secure a distribution right?” Lin Tian complained.
Other people’s parents held high positions and had plenty of money, but his father, despite being a high-ranking official, lived a frugal life. It was really tough.
Li Xunhuan rolled his eyes at Lin Tian. “Is your family an aristocratic one? Do you have any backing? You dare to be corrupt? Do you want your whole family to die?”
Rumor had it that General Sheng was now a Great Grandmaster, truly a prodigious talent beyond ordinary measure.
If he could also break through to the Great Grandmaster level, he could shed the identity of a merchant family and lead his family to start anew. Li Xunhuan looked at the elegantly dressed Oliver Sheng with a hint of envy.
In another tavern, Sawyer Shangguan and others saw Sawyer Shangguan following behind Oliver Sheng, their expressions changed drastically.
How could this illegitimate branch member be following Oliver Sheng? Could it be…
“Hey, isn’t that cousin Sawyer Shangguan? How is he following behind General Sheng, and he even broke through to the Prenatal Realm?” Shangguan Haitang said in surprise.
Sawyer Shangguan and the others didn’t dare to speak. This cousin from an illegitimate branch was the one they had bullied until he ran away.
Unexpectedly, he had joined the border army, made meritorious contributions, and even broke through to the Prenatal Realm, surpassing them.
Thinking of this, they felt uneasy.
Seeing the unpleasant expressions on the faces of her cousins, Shangguan Haitang asked in confusion, “What’s wrong with you all?”
“Nothing!” Sawyer Shangguan quickly said.
The others remained silent, making Shangguan Haitang feel that they were hiding something from her.
“Cousin, look, isn’t that Xiao Chuyi?” Shangguan Yancheng pointed at Xiao Chuyi to change the topic.
“Let me see. Hey, why is she dressed like a boy? I remember she used to have a big chest,” Shangguan Haitang said without any reservations.
Sawyer Shangguan and the others were embarrassed. This cousin really dared to say anything.
Wang Zhan watched the scene, his heart stirred. Is this what it feels like to be in the spotlight?
Even though he wasn’t the main character.
“General Sheng, how does it feel to visit the Capital City for the first time?” Riley Chen asked. Not many people received such a grand welcome.
And Oliver Sheng, on his first visit, enjoyed such treatment.
“Well, how should I put it? I feel a bit overwhelmed. Is my reputation in the Capital City really that big?” Oliver Sheng said.
“Haha, it seems General Sheng has underestimated his influence,” Riley Chen laughed.
“General Sheng’s poetry is very popular in the Capital City. For centuries, many have advocated reclaiming River West County, but no one had the opportunity to do so.”
“But General Sheng, you did it,” Qian Cheng said, looking at Oliver Sheng.
Such a talented man would make an excellent son-in-law. His daughter, Qian Xiaoxiao, still needed an outstanding husband.
Seeing so many beautiful women in the Capital City welcoming him, Oliver Sheng indeed felt a bit overwhelmed.
While Oliver Sheng was enjoying the attention, he had no idea that Camper beside him was plotting something.
After entering the city, they headed straight to Honglu Temple.
Halfway there, Jade Han bid farewell to Oliver Sheng.
“General Sheng, we’ll accompany you only this far. We need to return to the palace to report to His Majesty,” Jade Han said.
“Alright, you may go,” Oliver Sheng nodded.
Since Oliver Sheng had no residence in the Capital City, he naturally had to stay at Honglu Temple, which was used to accommodate ministers, distinguished guests, or foreign envoys.
“General Sheng, please stay at Honglu Temple for a few days. Once His Majesty grants you a residence, you can move there,” Qian Cheng, the Minister of Rites, said to Oliver Sheng.
“No problem, as long as there’s a place to stay,” Oliver Sheng said.
It didn’t matter where he stayed. On the grasslands, they often lived in tents, and it was the same.
“Then I’ll take my leave. Let Deputy Minister Chen take you to your accommodations,” Qian Cheng said.
Welcoming Oliver Sheng and his party into the city was enough. Any rewards or titles wouldn’t be given immediately.
Soon, Riley Chen led Oliver Sheng and his party to Honglu Temple.
“Who are those people?” Jiao Qihuan, the envoy from Northern Yan, asked his attendant.
“Sir, they are General Oliver Sheng and his party from the Northwest Army of Great Wei, the ones who defeated the Barbarian tribes and nearly wiped them out.
Recently, this has been the talk of the town. For the Minister of Rites and the Deputy Minister of Honglu Temple to welcome them, it must be this general,” the attendant replied softly.
“It seems Great Wei has a new rising star. If there’s an opportunity, we should make his acquaintance,” Jiao Qihuan said.
To nearly annihilate one of the three dominant tribes on the grasslands, this Great Wei general must be formidable.
“Gather information on this general, but be discreet,” Jiao Qihuan instructed.
“Yes, sir!”
…
“General, General, you’re finally here,” Zane Wang ran over, looking as excited as if he hadn’t seen a family member in ten years.
“You, what’s going on? I told you to deliver a message, and you ended up in the Capital City?” Oliver Sheng looked at Zane Wang, speechless.
“General!” Zane Wang’s expression was a bit unnatural.
He just wanted to personally deliver the glorious battle report of the River West Army to the Capital City. Unexpectedly, once he arrived, he couldn’t leave.
“Forget it, rejoin the team,” Oliver Sheng said, not bothering to question further.
“Yes, General!”
After settling down at Honglu Temple, Riley Chen said to Oliver Sheng and his party, “General Sheng, if you want to eat anything, just instruct the staff. If you want to explore the Capital City and are unfamiliar with it, you can have someone guide you.”
“Alright, thank you, Deputy Minister Chen,” Oliver Sheng nodded.
After Riley Chen left, Xiao Chuyi said to Oliver Sheng, “General, I want to go home to visit my mother.”
“Go ahead!” Oliver Sheng waved his hand, not stopping her.
“Thank you, General.”
Once Xiao Chuyi left, Oliver Sheng called Zane Wang over.
“General, what do you need?” Zane Wang asked.
“I have a task for you. Follow Xiao Batian and gather information about him,” Oliver Sheng said.
“Yes, General.” Zane Wang nodded and quietly followed.
Sending Zane Wang to track Xiao Chuyi, Oliver Sheng wanted to see what this mysterious person was up to.
The Divine Mother of the Yin Moon looked at Oliver Sheng with a strange expression. Wasn’t that person Oliver Sheng’s subordinate? Why was he sending someone to follow her?
“Isn’t that person your subordinate? Why are you sending someone to follow her?” The Divine Mother of the Yin Moon asked curiously and confusedly.
She didn’t understand that this was the complexity of human nature.
“So what if I follow her? It’s not like I’ll lose a piece of flesh,” Oliver Sheng said casually.
He just wanted to know the other person’s background and origins to see if they could be used or had any value.
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