Luoyang Fanlou

Chen Busha nodded. After a few more words of polite greeting, he swung onto his horse and ordered the inspection convoy to enter the city.

Throughout the entire process, Gu Chengyin did not even show his face.

He simply sat inside the carriage of the Celestial Master's Mansion, looking out the window with cold eyes.

It was not out of arrogance, but rather a lack of mood.

His mind was completely filled with Lin Qingyan right now.

The Lin Qingyan who had done something while he was unconscious but refused to say a word about it.

The Lin Qingyan who was supposed to be aloof and detached, yet had revealed such a satiated expression.

Gu Chengyin rubbed the space between his eyebrows, feeling a massive headache coming on.

The inspection convoy drove smoothly into the capital of Luodu.

Unlike Dawn City, which was a heavily fortified town guarding the Divine Capital, Luodu served as the economic center of the Great Luo Dynasty.

The buildings inside the city were arranged in dense, orderly rows. The streets were broad and flat, lined with countless shops, and the crowds wove together like fabric.

Although night had already fallen, the streets remained extraordinarily bustling.

Peddlers carrying poles hawked their wares along the streets, the aroma of food and drink drifted from taverns and teahouses, colorful fabrics hung at the doors of silk shops, and the windows of jewelry stores displayed a dazzling array of pearl hairpins and jade ornaments.

Painted pleasure boats drifted slowly along the Luo River that flowed through the city. The sound of string and bamboo instruments drifted from the boats, mingling with the clear, melodious singing of songgirls, adding a touch of romantic charm to this prosperous city.

But today, this liveliness was interrupted.

The entire main street from the city gates to the posthouse district had been cleared out in advance.

The shops on both sides remained open for business, but yamen runners and soldiers stood at their doors, keeping the curious commoners confined inside.

The center of the street was completely empty. Only the carriages and horses of the inspection team slowly passed by, the hooves clicking crisply against the stone-paved road.

Countless people stood divided along the sides of the road, standing on their tiptoes and craning their necks to watch this astonishingly grand procession pass.

Their eyes were filled with curiosity, awe, and excitement.

"Which important figure has arrived? This procession is even grander than when His Highness the Crown Prince toured Luodu!"

"I heard it's an imperial envoy from the Divine Capital named Gu Chengyin. He's already the Crown Prince's Junior Preceptor at such a young age!"

"Tsk tsk, look at these guards, these carriages, this pageantry... Truly worthy of a high official from the Divine Capital."

The murmurs spread through the crowd like the buzzing of mosquitoes, but were quickly shouted down by the yamen runners maintaining order.

Gu Chengyin sat in the carriage, watching those curious gazes outside through the gap in the curtains.

This grand display was something he had specifically ordered. It seemed that even though Xiao Yuliang held a grudge against him, the man had still gotten the job done.

The logic was actually quite simple: the grander the spectacle, the safer he would be.

He had to let everyone know that he was the Right Vice Minister of Rites on a sect inspection tour, the Junior Preceptor to the Crown Prince, and a VIP personally protected by Jingzhe of the Celestial Master's Mansion.

Only in this way would those eyes hidden in the dark and those hands wishing to do him harm feel apprehensive and refrain from acting rashly.

But even so, Gu Chengyin could not completely set his mind at ease.

After some thought, he pulled out a piece of plain stationery, casually jotted down a few strokes, and lifted the curtain to signal Chen Busha.

Seeing this, Chen Busha approached. Before he could even speak, he received a folded piece of plain stationery.

Then he heard Gu Chengyin instruct, "Do not open it now. Wait until the Hour of Hai to open it."

Although Chen Busha did not know why, he knew Gu Chengyin definitely had his reasons.

He immediately tucked the stationery away safely against his body and cupped his hands, saying, "Rest assured, Junior Preceptor Gu."

Seeing this, Gu Chengyin finally let the curtain fall.

The convoy proceeded along the main street and, at the third intersection, suddenly split into two streams.

Most of the carriages turned west, heading into the posthouse district.

Only the largest and most luxurious carriage of the Celestial Master's Mansion continued straight ahead, driving toward the most bustling city center of Luodu.

Its destination was clear: Fan Tower.

The imperial censors of the Chief Surveillance Bureau, including Wang Gangfeng, sat in the carriages behind. They watched the Celestial Master's Mansion carriage drive away with expressionless faces.

They were already used to it.

Ever since Dawn City, Gu Chengyin had always acted in this manner.

Violating regulations to stay in the finest Fan Tower, doing exactly as he pleased, completely disregarding any rules of the officialdom.

The memorials of impeachment that needed to be written had long been drafted, and the petitions that needed to be submitted had long been handed in.

But what use was it?

His Majesty had no reaction, the Grand Secretariat had no reaction, and His Highness the Crown Prince certainly wouldn't have any reaction either.

The impeachment memorials were like stones sinking into the ocean, failing to make even a single splash.

Therefore, they had also learned to be smart.

Gu Chengyin would stay where he wanted, and they would impeach him as they pleased.

It was as if both sides had reached a tacit understanding: mutually undisturbed, mutually non-interfering.

The Fan Tower in Luodu was situated at the most bustling intersection. Covering nearly a hundred acres, the ten-story building featured flying eaves, bracket sets, carved beams, and painted rafters, looking exceptionally magnificent.

Rather than a restaurant, this building was more akin to a small-scale city.

Inside the tower were restaurants, teahouses, theatrical stages, gambling dens, and even elegant courtyards and exquisite abodes for guests to rest.

Every day, it was packed with guests, with carriages and horses lining up like dragons. It was a money-squandering den most frequently visited by the high officials, noble lords, and wealthy merchants of Luodu.

But today, the atmosphere at the entrance of Fan Tower was somewhat eerie.

The main entrance, which should have been extremely lively, had a clearing forcefully carved out in front of it.

Dozens of Fan Tower guards, dressed in uniform cyan martial outfits and holding long staffs, stood in two rows around the perimeter of the clearing.

Like two walls of human flesh, they firmly blocked out countless curious commoners as well as those guests who wanted to enter the tower to spend money.

Among those guests were wealthy merchants wearing silks and satins, officials wearing black gauze hats, and even a few cultivators who were clearly disciples of immortal cultivation sects.

At this moment, they were all gathered outside the guard line, whispering to one another, pointing fingers, their eyes filled with confusion and dissatisfaction.

"On what grounds are we not allowed in? I've spent tens of thousands of taels of silver at Fan Tower, and you clear the place just like that?"

"Exactly! I made an appointment to discuss matters with Magistrate Li here today. Fan Tower has quite the nerve, daring to block even government officials!"

"Just what kind of big shot has arrived inside? To have such a massive display?"

Discussions, questions, and complaints merged into a noisy wave that crashed against the defensive line of the Fan Tower guards.

But those guards remained expressionless. Holding their long staffs, they didn't budge an inch, like stone statues.

Because standing behind them was the proprietress of Fan Tower.

She was a beauty of about thirty years of age. Today, she wore a goose-yellow cross-collared ruqun dress, covered by a sheer gauze jacket embroidered with golden interlocking lotus patterns. Her black hair was coiled into the currently popular falling-horse bun.

A pure gold kingfisher-feather hair ornament was inserted at a slant, bright moon earrings dangled from her ears, and a mutton-fat jade bracelet adorned her wrist. Her entire aura and nobility were not the least bit inferior to those high-born noble ladies.

But at this moment, this Fan Tower proprietress, who was usually smooth and socially adept, stood at the door with her hands tightly gripping her cuffs.

Her gaze was dead set on the carriage slowly approaching from the end of the street.

Ordinary people might not know the specifications of that carriage, but she knew them all too well.

It was a specially crafted carriage of the Celestial Master's Mansion, embedded with defensive formations.

In the entire Great Luo Dynasty, there were no more than five people who could use a carriage of such specifications.

Not to mention, the person sitting inside was the legendary Lord Jingzhe.

A Golden Core cultivator, one of the power-holders of the Celestial Master's Mansion, the maternal aunt of Crown Prince Luo Zhao, and the most supreme existence in the Great Luo Dynasty.

With such a figure gracing Fan Tower, let alone clearing the venue.

Even if she were asked to tear down the entire building and rebuild it, she would have to nod with a smile.