Cultivating in Different Professions

Drunken Full House was the best restaurant in the East City District.

Its owner was the Ronghua Association.

The Ronghua Association had brought eighty percent of the East City District’s wealthy merchants and gentry into its fold. These individuals held all their daily banquets at Drunken Full House.

These people were the biggest spenders in the East City District.

With such a clientele, Drunken Full House naturally raked in money hand over fist.

The decor of Drunken Full House was the most luxurious, the ingredients were of the highest quality, and even the chefs were poached specially from the Inner City.

A single meal here cost a dozen or so taels of silver, at the very least.

Never mind ordinary people; even the constables of the East City Bureau didn’t dare set foot in Drunken Full House on a normal day.

Today, in a private room on the top floor of Drunken Full House—a room only opened when members of the Ronghua Association were entertaining distinguished guests—the Ronghua Association’s chairman, Ma Shuangcheng, had arrived early.

"He still hasn’t arrived?"

Ma Shuangcheng’s expression was rather grim.

The dishes on the table had already been replaced twice, but Su Mu had yet to arrive.

When had he, Ma Shuangcheng, ever waited for someone like this?

If not for the thought of carving a piece of flesh off the East City Bureau today, he would have stormed out long ago.

"Chairman, we’ve already sent someone to escort him. He should be here soon,"

the Shopkeeper of Drunken Full House said.

"Replace them again."

The dishes on the table had gone cold, Ma Shuangcheng said casually.

"Truly, ’while the rich feast, the poor freeze to death on the streets’."

Just then, a voice suddenly sounded from the doorway.

An old man with a full head of white hair and a ruddy complexion strode in. His voice was sonorous, resonating so powerfully that it made one’s eardrums hum.

"As expected of the Ronghua Association’s chairman. Tossing out food just because it’s gotten a little cold. An ordinary family couldn’t finish a spread like this in a year."

The old man walked straight to the seat opposite Ma Shuangcheng, plopped himself down, and unceremoniously grabbed a roasted chicken from the table, taking two large bites.

"Shi Ziran?! What are you doing here?"

Ma Shuangcheng’s expression shifted slightly as he spoke in a low voice.

Seeing the other man’s boorish behavior, he couldn’t help but frown. "Stop pretending to be some compassionate saint. As if you, Shi Ziran, haven’t committed your own share of evils?"

"I don’t waste food,"

Shi Ziran said nonchalantly. "As for why I’m here, it’s naturally because someone invited me."

"Who invited you? I am hosting the East City Bureau Captain today!"

Ma Shuangcheng seemed to realize something, and his face instantly turned ugly.

"I invited him."

Before Shi Ziran could answer, another voice sounded from the doorway.

A young figure walked in slowly. It was none other than the newly appointed Captain of the East City Bureau, Su Mu.

Su Mu was dressed in plain clothes, the Autumn Water Saber hanging from his waist. With his handsome features and spirited air, he looked every bit the part of a dashing young nobleman.

Even though Ma Shuangcheng disliked Su Mu, he had to admit that this Little Su was first-class in both strength and appearance—the most outstanding person he had ever met.

"Inviting one is the same as inviting two. Chairman Ma won’t mind, will he?"

Su Mu walked straight to the seat between Ma Shuangcheng and Shi Ziran and sat down, speaking lightly.

"I don’t mind,"

Ma Shuangcheng said, his face expressionless.

At this point, what good would it do to say he minded?

"Shopkeeper, you’re not needed here. You may leave."

Su Mu said casually, "I need to speak with Chairman Ma and Sect Leader Shi."

"The food and wine..."

The Shopkeeper did not leave immediately, instead looking uncertainly at Ma Shuangcheng.

"Leave,"

Ma Shuangcheng said, his face expressionless. "Since someone enjoys eating leftovers, there’s no need to replace them."

Only then did the Shopkeeper withdraw as instructed.

With just a few simple words, the authority of the Ronghua Association’s chairman was on full display.

The words of the East City Bureau Captain were less effective than Chairman Ma’s.

Right from the start, Ma Shuangcheng had nonchalantly taught Su Mu a lesson.

After the door closed, only Su Mu, Shi Ziran, and Ma Shuangcheng remained in the private room.

None of the three spoke. For a moment, the only sound in the room was Shi Ziran heartily tucking into his food.

After a moment, Ma Shuangcheng was the first to break.

"Little Su, you didn’t invite me here just to watch someone eat, did you?"

Ma Shuangcheng said coldly, his tone tinged with mockery.

Shi Ziran was completely unaffected, continuing to devour the food on the plate before him like a whirlwind sweeping away clouds.

Su Mu watched with great interest. ’This is far more exciting than those eating broadcasts from my previous life. I wonder how Shi Ziran, at his advanced age, can still eat so much.’

"Then what does Chairman Ma think I came to see you for?"

Su Mu said lightly.

"I am not the roundworm in Little Su’s stomach. How could I know what you’re thinking?"

Ma Shuangcheng snorted. "But since Little Su is unwilling to speak, this old man has a matter he’d like to discuss with Little Su."

"Discuss?"

Su Mu looked at Ma Shuangcheng with a half-smile. "I am the official, and you are the civilian. What right do you have to discuss things with me?"

Ma Shuangcheng’s expression instantly darkened. ’Pulling rank on me, Ma Shuangcheng?’

’You probably don’t know who really calls the shots in this East City District!’

’It’s true that I, Ma Shuangcheng, am a civilian, but if you anger me, I can make sure you won’t be an official for much longer!’

"Haha, interesting!"

Shi Ziran suddenly burst out laughing. He wiped his greasy hands on his clothes. "Little Su is the official, and we are the civilians. Whatever orders Little Su gives, my Qingcha Sect will naturally follow."

Ma Shuangcheng’s expression flickered with uncertainty as he looked from Shi Ziran to Su Mu.

’Could it be that the Qingcha Sect has already sided with the East City Bureau?’

’How could that old bastard Shi Ziran bow his head to the East City Bureau?’

’Of the three powers in the East City District, the Ronghua Association had been the strongest. But if the East City Bureau and the Qingcha Sect were to join forces, then the once-strongest Ronghua Association would become the weakest.’