Chapter 196: What’s Wrong? Can’t Afford It?!
The three of them entered a tavern just in time for the lunch rush. Though Yu Luo had expected Feng City to be desolate, the tavern’s main hall was packed with diners.
In the presence of outsiders, Zhang Hu and Tao Ming carefully adjusted how they addressed Yu Luo.
Inside, the tavern was filled with rowdy men, either solitary wanderers, groups of swordsmen, or gang-like factions.
Being in such a mixed crowd, Yu Luo didn’t dare to speak much.
She was terrified that if she opened her mouth, someone might hear that she was a woman!
Yu Luo realized that the wilderness wasn’t empty—only those strong enough to survive had made it here, seeking a way to live in Feng City.
People like Tao Ming’s group, though poor, at least knew martial arts and could hunt to survive.
By contrast, if the Bai and Liu families hadn’t met them, they wouldn’t have lasted in the wilderness—they wouldn’t have even made it past Nine-Layered Mountains.
“Young Master, what should we order?”
“You guys decide. Order whatever you want—don’t worry about money. I’m curious to see what kind of food Feng City’s taverns serve.”
Tao Ming’s eyes lit up instantly!
Even though he had eaten white rice and vegetables with Yu Luo, he still longed for more flavors.
People don’t just live to survive—they crave delicious food too, especially someone like Tao Ming, who had endured five years of hardship in the wilderness.
“Waiter! Bring out all your signature dishes!”
Seeing the two hesitating, Yu Luo took charge and called the waiter over with a grin.
However, the waiter barely reacted, flipping his shoulder towel before turning away toward the kitchen, shouting:
“Table Five! One serving of each signature dish, plus a pot of Wild Chrysanthemum Wine!”
Tao Ming was stunned, swallowing hard.
“Young Master, you didn’t order wine…”
“It’s fine—maybe Wild Chrysanthemum Wine is one of their specialties.”
Yu Luo smirked—she could see through Tao Ming’s eagerness to drink.
Soon, the waiter returned with the dishes.
The large square table was not filled with delicate dishes, but instead reeked of the sea—several plates of seafood, huge slabs of meat, and a dish of cold-pickled white radish cubes.
Yu Luo stared at the food, her mouth slightly open.
“These… are your signature dishes?”
She hadn’t planned to say anything, but she was so disappointed that she couldn’t help asking the waiter.
“Heh, what’s wrong? Not satisfied? If you don’t like it, don’t eat here!”
The waiter snorted, flipping his shoulder towel again.
“We got everything—land animals, flying beasts, and seafood—and you’re still not satisfied?”
Yu Luo’s lips twitched, but she gave the waiter a big thumbs-up in admiration.
“Tch. Looking all poor and picky—if you can’t pay the bill, don’t blame me for chopping you up and turning you into meat buns!”
The waiter sneered, flipped his towel once more, and strutted off.
Yu Luo: …
Uncle can endure this, but Auntie cannot!
She slammed the table in anger, about to stand up—but before her palm even hit the table, Zhang Hu grabbed her wrist, while Tao Ming pushed her back into her seat.
“Young Master, calm down!”
“This is just how people are in the wilderness—don’t let them kick us out of Feng City before we even get our business done!”
Yu Luo’s chest heaved with rage, taking deep breaths to suppress her anger.
“Fine! Good thing you stopped me. But seriously, how does a mere waiter act this arrogant?”
Hah, threatening to chop me up into meat buns?
Even if he were that ruthless, would he dare to eat them himself?
“Young Master, of course he’s arrogant—these taverns are owned by the city’s most powerful figures.
“This waiter might seem like a nobody, but the people backing him are not to be messed with.”
“Exactly, Young Master. Do you think he’s just bluffing?”
Yu Luo’s eyes narrowed as she looked at the two men beside her.
Their serious expressions made her slowly suppress her anger.
“Are you saying they really chop people up for meat buns?”
Zhang Hu lowered his voice.
“That’s not impossible—many who cause trouble here are never seen again.”
Yu Luo: …
“I’m not eating this. I’ve lost my appetite—who knows what kind of meat this is? If you two want to eat, go ahead.”
Yu Luo felt nauseated.
She had seen TV dramas in her past life featuring cannibalistic black-market taverns—the thought alone made her stomach churn.
Looking at the seafood, the overpowering fishy stench was unbearable.
Either they were using dead seafood, or they had no idea how to cook it properly.
Adding the human meat bun theory on top, she completely lost her appetite.
“Young Master, at least eat something—you can’t starve yourself while in Feng City.”
“Didn’t we bring dried rations? Don’t worry about me—you two eat as much as you want. Just don’t drink too much before we handle our business.”
Seeing their Young Master’s disgusted face, Zhang Hu and Tao Ming understood immediately and stopped persuading her.
They, however, didn’t mind at all.
The two of them devoured everything, from seafood to meat—even the pickled radish cubes.
They also emptied the pot of Wild Chrysanthemum Wine—waste not, want not.
Yu Luo sipped the wine, only to frown immediately—it tasted diluted.
Like cheap white wine mixed with ten parts of water.
“Check, please!”
Tao Ming called out.
The same smug waiter returned with the bill, smirking.
Glancing at the empty dishes, his expression grew even more disdainful.
“That’ll be 108 taels of silver.”
Yu Luo: …
Zhang Hu: …
Tao Ming: …
Seeing their shocked faces, the waiter grinned triumphantly.
“What’s wrong? Can’t afford it?!”
“You ordered our signature dishes—fresh seafood and wild game—so don’t even think about skipping the bill!”
Yu Luo sighed, pulled out a hundred-tael banknote, and slapped it on the table, adding eight taels in loose silver.
