“Don’t worry!” Ling Han laughed and asked, “When do you intend to treat Miss Jiang’s family members?”
“When is the earliest possible time you can get a reservation, Brother Ling?” Jin Wuji asked in return. He naturally wanted it to be done as soon as possible.
Ling Han spread his hands, and answered, “Whichever day is fine for me. If you’re in a rush, I can get one even tonight.”
Even tonight?
Jin Wuji’s heartbeat sped up a bit more. What kind of concept was that?
Members of the Eight Great Clans as well as the Imperial Family of course had the ability to reserve a side courtyard at the Cherishing Flower Pavilion, but, even they would not be able to go there at the drop of a hat. Even these extremely important people had to make reservations well in advance. Only a very rare few had the special privilege to make use of a side courtyard of the Cherishing Flower Pavilion without making any reservations in advance. The Cherishing Flower Pavilion had the practice of setting apart a few side courtyards that were specifically for such emergencies and could be used without any reservations at all.
For example, the Third Imperial Prince was one who had this special privilege.
But, who was the Third Imperial Prince? He was a genius of martial arts on his own, with a cultivation level of the seventh layer of Gushing Spring Tier, also one of the heirs to the throne! In the future, he would definitely become a very powerful person!
But what about Ling Han, then? Could it be that he also had this kind of special privilege?
Jin Wuji was really astonished. He knew that Ling Han was a monster who had charged out like a dark horse to take the first place in the Da Yuan Tournament, and had even managed to obtain the full support of three Black Grade low level alchemists.
But, that was only in Da Yuan City. This was the Imperial City! Ling Han had just been here for a few days, and he was already so high up on the social ladder?
To compare yourself with others would indeed drive one crazy.
Jin Wuji could not help but sigh internally. He had been in the Imperial City for more than three years, but aside from the significant increase of his cultivation level, there was not even one bit of increase to his personal status. If he compared himself with Ling Han, he would really die of embarrassment.
He had no suspicions that Ling Han was just bluffing. Ling Han could be a joker at times, but he would never make unrealistic boasts on matters like this.
“Tonight, then!” Jin Wuji said, barely able to hide the excitement on his face.
For a minor clan like the Jiang Clan, they wouldn’t even be able to step through the main doors of the Cherishing Flower Pavilion, what more to have a meal at one of the side courtyards within. After this night, what need would there be for him to still fear that the Jiang Clan would continue to look down on him and object to his and Jiang Fei Yan’s marriage?
“All right!” Ling Han nodded.
“Thank you, Brother Ling! Thank you, Brother Ling!” Jin Wuji bowed repeatedly, obviously very excited. He secretly decided that no matter what favors Ling Han needed from him in the future, he would do everything in his might to help him.
He turned and left—it was naturally to inform the Jiang Clan about the dinner tonight. This was something he should be very proud of to announce.
Meanwhile, Ling Han remained in his courtyard, immersing himself in comprehending the art of the sword. He had reached a bottleneck and had been stuck on mere six flashes of Sword Qi for a very long time. Yet, somehow he had still not managed to break through and form the seventh flash of Sword Qi.
In truth, even if it was an extremely capable swordsman, it was already very impressive to be able to form a single flash of Sword Qi in ten years’ time. Moreover, the more flashes of Sword Qi one managed to form, the more they would slow down in their advance. By the time a swordsman got to be about a hundred years old, if he had managed to form ten flashes of Sword Qi, he would be praised as a genius of martial arts.
However, Ling Han was not satisfied. His starting point was well ahead of all others, so naturally he could not compare himself with the normal rate of advance.
Previously, he had spent a lot of time on discussions of the art of the sword with Mo Gao. Mo Gao was a mad genius who had actually managed to touch a sliver of the the mysteries of Sword Heart and had given Ling Han a lot of inspiration. On the spot, Ling Han had managed to form his sixth flash of Sword Qi. However, this had also expended all the accumulated understanding he had built up, so it would be indeed difficult for him to advance another step forward in a short period of time.
Ling Han sat in a cross-legged position, holding his right index finger out as if it was a sword he was wielding. He continued to wave his finger around in various sword movements, examining the art of the sword that he had managed to comprehend so far in his mind.
Before he knew it, it was already noon. He stopped and got up to prepare food for Hu Niu—the food for himself and the Liu sisters was just cooked in passing; it would be an accomplishment enough if they even managed to finish off a hundredth of the food that he had prepared.
He spent the afternoon on his studies of the art of the sword. For Ling Han, there was nothing much that the Academy could teach him. Before he came, he had already decided that the primary purpose he was here was just to make Ling Dong Xing happy. However, the path he was meant to walk in the future had already been well planned in advance by him.
In the evening, he brought Hu Niu along with him to the Cherishing Flower Pavilion. He merely flashed the Cherishing Flower Command, and automatically, there were female attendants leading him to an elegant side courtyard and enquiring him about the dishes and wines to be served for the dinner tonight.
The appetizers were served first. When Hu Niu saw them, she could not help but feel her appetite stirred up and failed to hold back from stealing a few bites, causing the eight female attendants serving them to cover their mouths as they smiled secretly.
Ling Han would naturally not reprimand her either. After all, he was not short of money now. If she finished off a plate, then he’d just have another plate served.
After about half an hour, a company of eight walked in, led by a female attendant. Aside from Jin Wuji, the other seven people of this party was naturally the members of the Jiang Clan. They included Jiang Fei Yan and her parents, as well as her two aunts and their two sons.
“So this is a side courtyard of the Cherishing Flower Pavilion. It’s really too beautiful. In the past, we only managed to get into the ordinary rooms of the Cherishing Flower Pavilion.”
“Looks like Fei Yan has really found the right guy this time. He can even manage to make a reservation for a side courtyard of the Cherishing Flower Pavilion!”
“Yes, yes. I heard that only members of the Eight Great Clans and the Imperial Family have the ability to reserve a side courtyard here. Then wouldn’t that mean that we are at the same level as the Eight Great Clans and the Imperial Family now?”
The older members of the Jiang Clan were all looking very excited. As a minor clan, they did not have much to worry about. The only thing they lacked was advancement in their social status and recognition of their status. Merely having dinner here tonight would be enough for them to boast for the rest of their lives.
“Do you have any souvenirs here that I can attach to my clothes?” Eldest Aunt immediately asked one of the female attendants. If there were, then she would definitely attach it to her clothes everyday and would show it to everyone she met.
The female attendant stared blankly. Those who were able to come here to spend money were naturally of extremely high status, so she had never been asked such a question by anyone else before. She could not help but be stunned for a moment, before replying, “We don’t!”
“How could you not have any?” Youngest Aunt also leaned over, “Why not you ask someone to prepare one for us?”
“That’s right! That’s right! Prepare one!” Eldest Aunt said hurriedly.
When they heard the words of these two senior relatives, Jin Wuji and Jiang Fei Yan both blushed to the roots of their hair, feeling unbearably ashamed. Meanwhile, those two cousins of Jiang Fei Yan kept staring pervertedly at the faces and breasts of the female attendants with deep focus.
“Brother Jin!” Ling Han stood and waved at Jin Wuji.
“Brother Ling!” Jin Wuji returned the gesture, filled with gratitude.
“Haha, thank you very much, Brother Jin. Thanks to you, I can also enjoy a meal at this Cherishing Flower Pavilion for once,” Ling Han said, smiling.
Jin Wuji knew that Ling Han was trying to put him in a high position. He could not help feeling very touched by the action, and only nodded repeatedly.
Ling Han smiled. Though there had been a little conflict between himself and Jin Wuji and Jin Wuxiang, Jin Wuji had already apologized long ago, so everything was forgotten. And afterwards, Jin Wuji purposely forfeited his match at the Da Yuan Tournament, and even brought his own people to help rescue Ling Dong Xing. Whether or not Ling Han had needed it, all these were debts that Ling Han owed.
Debts would naturally have to be repaid, so Ling Han was very willing to act as a minor role to cast a better light on Jin Wuji.
“You naturally have to thank our Wuji!” Eldest Aunt wore a very despising expression, looking very disdainful. “I heard that you are a friend of Wuji’s from the Da Yuan City. You are indeed a country bumpkin that doesn’t know the rules of proper society. It was already nice enough to invite you to dinner, and you actually brought a little girl along with you.”
Jin Wuji’s expression changed immediately, and he was about to speak up. Yet when he saw Ling Han shake his head at him, he could only swallow the urge down.
Ling Han did not take the words of Eldest Aunt to heart at all. They went in one ear and out the other. What need was there for him to take such a vulgar person seriously? After all, they would only be meeting this once. In the future, he would not see these people again.
Thankfully, the members of the Jiang Clan were all mesmerized by the new sights they saw since it was their first time entering into a side courtyard of the Cherishing Flower Pavilion. When the dishes were served one after another, as smoothly as the flow of water, they could not bother with displaying disdain for Ling Han any longer and began enjoying the food.
“Aiya!” One of the female attendants suddenly exclaimed in shock, pointed at the Jiang Fei Yan’s eldest cousin, and said, “He, he touched my bottom!”