Chapter 408: A Turn of Events
Liu Lu’s words left Yu Haojie with his mouth slightly open, his face full of disbelief.
“That’s outrageous! Charging ten taels of gold just for spectators? Feng City must be making an absolute fortune!”
“Exactly! Just think about it—our Luo City only charged ten taels of silver for tournament registration, and now it feels like Miss and the City Lord weren’t ruthless enough! Feng City is raking in hundreds of thousands of taels just from spectators alone, not to mention all the other earnings.”
Liu Lu looked both regretful and frustrated. Thinking back to the overwhelming crowd at Luo City’s last martial arts tournament, he couldn’t help but wish they could redo it—this time charging much higher fees and making millions more in silver.
“We should be grateful that so many people even came to participate in our tournament. Luo City still lacks fame, and our status in the martial world is nowhere near Feng City’s. That’s the reality, so don’t be too upset. Were you able to carry out the task I assigned? Did Feng City give you any trouble?”
Yu Luo’s words soothed Liu Lu’s frustration somewhat. Hearing her shift the topic to serious matters, his expression became solemn again.
“Miss, don’t worry. We were careful. Since Feng City wants to set a trap for us, we made sure they wouldn’t find anything suspicious about us.”
Yu Luo nodded in satisfaction. “Good. If they want to take us by surprise, we’ll return the favor. You’ve worked hard today—get some rest. The city gates will be open late tonight, so there’s still plenty to do.”
“Understood, Miss! We’ll take our leave now!”
Liu Lu and his group departed, leaving Yu Haojie staring at his daughter, who seemed completely confident. He was utterly perplexed.
“Xiao Luo, what exactly did you have them do? We’re not strong enough to go against Feng City just yet. We need to wait at least another month before making a move.”
“Don’t worry, Father. I’m not foolish enough to crash headfirst into a brick wall. You’ll see tonight. Let’s head back to the manor.”
Yu Luo’s words carried a bright smile, and she turned to leave first. Meanwhile, Yu Haojie remained skeptical.
Thinking about all the effort they had put into the Food Festival, he couldn’t help feeling dejected. Instead of following Yu Luo home, he wandered toward the festival street.
When he arrived, he saw the decorated streets adorned with colorful lanterns and suspended oil-paper umbrellas. The chefs he had trained personally stood idly by, braving the cold with nothing to do. Their faces reflected the same melancholy he felt.
“City Lord, what brings you here?”
Chen Yu, who was in charge of security for the festival, quickly approached him.
“Just taking a walk. Everyone has worked hard, but it’s frustrating. We put so much effort into this, only for Feng City to steal the spotlight and leave our people standing in the cold all day for nothing.”
“City Lord, don’t be too hard on yourself. We’re actually fine—we all have hand warmers that Miss provided, and we can replace them every two hours. As for Feng City overshadowing us with their tournament, it’s frustrating, but there’s always next time. The skills our brothers have learned won’t go to waste.”
Yu Haojie nodded grimly. “That’s true, but it still stings. Go back to your duties—I’ll continue walking around. The snow doesn’t need to be cleared so often. If people were going to come, they would have arrived already. There’s no point in wasting the effort.”
With a sigh, Yu Haojie strolled further down the street, leaving Chen Yu just as downcast.
Because of the overwhelming turnout at their last martial arts tournament, they had over-prepared for the Food Festival. Every part of the street had been stocked and staffed, making the lack of visitors feel even more painful.
After wandering for a while, Yu Haojie noticed the sky beginning to darken.
In this harsh winter, daylight was short, and the long nights felt as cold and grueling as the season itself.
Seeing no point in keeping the festival running any longer, he decided to walk to the street entrance and have everyone pack up. But before he could get there, a loud gong suddenly rang from the performance stage, followed by the crisp, melodious sound of an opera performance.
Yu Haojie froze, his eyes snapping toward the stage.
And then, he saw it—snow-covered streets that had been empty all day were now bustling with people. Travelers in thick winter cloaks, swords strapped to their backs, strolled leisurely through the food stalls, chatting and laughing.
The sight of so many unfamiliar faces filling the festival street stunned Yu Haojie into silence.
“City Lord, you should step back for now. I don’t know what’s going on, but as soon as dusk fell, people started pouring into the city!”
Chen Yu, who had been maintaining order on the street, spotted Yu Haojie standing frozen in place and quickly ran over to warn him.
“This… What’s going on? How many people have arrived?!”
Snapped out of his shock, Yu Haojie’s face was full of astonishment. Just when he had given up hope, something had suddenly turned everything around!
“I’m not sure, but the festival street is completely packed. City Lord, it’s really best if you leave for now.”
“He’s right, Father. I’ve been looking for you everywhere—I didn’t expect you to still be here!”
Just then, Yu Luo gracefully landed beside him, having leapt down from a rooftop.
Seeing his daughter’s confident expression, Yu Haojie felt a wave of relief wash over him.
When they returned to the manor through a side entrance, Yu Haojie could no longer hold back his curiosity.
“Xiao Luo, what happened? Where did all these people come from?”
Yu Luo smiled mischievously. “Father, all I did was have our people distribute some flyers along the major roads leading to Feng City. The flyers showcased all the delicacies at our festival and also listed our discounted inn prices. While many martial artists have money, some would still be tempted by cheaper lodging and better food.”
Yu Haojie’s eyes widened in admiration. “So they spent the day in Feng City and came to Luo City at night for food and rest?!”
Yu Luo nodded, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “Exactly. Honestly, I should thank Feng City for their tournament. Without their influence, this region wouldn’t have attracted so many visitors. Sometimes, Father, we have to look at the bigger picture. Feeling better now?”
