The waiter at the entrance had sharp eyes. From a distance, he spotted the elegantly dressed young woman with a lively, charming air about her.
Instantly, his face broke into a fawning smile as he hurried forward to greet her. "Miss, our Fragrant Delights Pavilion is having its grand opening today! Our chefs are renowned masters brought in at great expense from Jiangnan and Shu. Won't you come in and try something fresh?"
Song Luo was, above all, most interested in food. The tantalizing aroma of numbing spice and savory flavors had already stirred her cravings.
She clasped her hands behind her back and asked with feigned nonchalance, "Oh? Does your new establishment have any rare dishes that other places don't offer? If it's all ordinary fare, I won't be pleased."
Seeing her engage, the waiter's smile grew even wider. Bowing as he ushered her inside, he rattled off an enthusiastic introduction: "Miss, you've asked the right person! Our restaurant has every delicacy imaginable—mountain treasures and ocean delights, all in abundance."
"Might I ask what flavors you usually prefer?"
"Do you favor the light and sweet freshness of Jiangnan, or the numbing spice of Shu? Here, whether it's steamed, boiled, pan-fried, or deep-fried—if you can name it, our kitchen can make it."
"Spicy."
Song Luo answered almost without hesitation.
She was never happy without spice, especially favoring the numbing, tingling heat of Sichuan-style dishes.
Beyond that, she was also extremely fond of soft, glutinous pastries and sweets.
This extreme preference in taste often made Song Nian frown and scold her for "not knowing how to nourish oneself."
She lifted her skirt and followed the waiter's steps, walking in with a light, brisk gait.
The interior of Fragrant Delights Pavilion was decorated with great elegance. The main hall on the first floor was spacious and bright. Even though it was only opening day, it was already nearly full, buzzing with the clamor of voices.
The waiter led Song Luo to a quiet seat by the window, deftly poured her a cup of hot tea, and then presented a beautifully bound menu with both hands.
"Miss, please take a look. What would you like to order?"
Song Luo took the menu, her slender, fair fingers tracing down the lines one by one as she examined it carefully.
"This boiled sliced pork in chili oil—extra chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns."
"And this spicy diced chicken with chilies—make it the spiciest you have."
"I'll also have the mapo tofu."
Finally, her gaze stopped on the last page of the menu. A satisfied smile curled at the corners of her lips. "And one more thing—a serving of your signature steamed curd cheese with sugar. Remember, extra osmanthus honey."
"Coming right up! Boiled sliced pork in chili oil, spicy diced chicken with chilies, mapo tofu, plus one steamed curd cheese with sugar. Please have a seat, miss—it'll be out shortly!" The waiter sang out the order and scurried off toward the kitchen.
While waiting for her food, Song Luo propped her cheek on one hand, idly watching the bustling crowd outside the window.
Fragments of conversation from the diners in the hall drifted intermittently into her ears.
At the table to her left sat a few men who looked like traveling merchants, their voices lowered, expressions grave as they talked.
"Hey, have you heard? Those bandits on Wu Qishan are getting bolder and bolder. They're fierce."
"How could I not have heard?"
"A few days ago, I heard they came straight down the mountain and raided an entire village at the foot. Not only did they steal grain and silver, but they also burned down quite a few houses. A real tragedy."
Song Luo had only been half-listening at first, but at this, she couldn't help but perk up her ears slightly.
Another merchant, dressed in silk, sighed and complained in a hushed voice: "In broad daylight like this, is there no law anymore? Why don't the officials do something about it?"
"Do something? How could they not." The burly, bearded man let out a cold laugh, picked up a bite of food with his chopsticks, and said through mouthfuls, "The yamen already received the reports and sent officers to suppress the bandits."
"But guess what? The men they sent out vanished like clay oxen sinking into the sea—not a single one came back."
"Hiss—" The few around him drew in sharp breaths.
"That vicious?"
"You bet!"
"So I'm telling you, for the time being, we absolutely must not go do business anywhere near Wu Qishan. If we get robbed of silver, that's a small matter. But if we end up losing our lives too—then it's all over."
Listening to these discussions, Song Luo rested her other hand on the table as well, folding both together and propping her delicate chin on top. She slumped over the table like a boneless cat that had all its energy drained, listless and limp.
She let out a soft sigh.
Wu Qishan… bandits…
For some reason, a wildly absurd and audacious thought suddenly popped into her head.
What if she could find a man as ferocious, unreasonable, and radiating menace as those Wu Qishan bandits, bring him back to the General's Manor, and tell Song Nian that this was the husband she had chosen for herself…
At the image that formed in her mind, a glint of sly mischief flickered in Song Luo's eyes.
Her brother would probably be so furious his head would start smoking.