At the city gate, people came and went constantly. Guards were stationed outside to enforce city regulations, forbidding merchants from setting up stalls that blocked the road.
Shu Rui surveyed the scene. He didn’t see any carriages parked by the roadside, though many drivers waiting for fares lingered nearby. Lu Ling found a spot and parked their cart.
The late autumn, early winter rain made everything gray and damp. Drivers huddled in thick coats, hands tucked into their collars. Spotting people coming into the city, they would call out, “Heading to Huaiqiao Village? Come on!”
They rarely picked up single passengers immediately. Usually, they would ask them to wait until they had four or six people before setting off. Experienced drivers, familiar with the route, didn’t even need to call out; regular passengers recognized their faces and came directly.
Today, with the cold and rain, travelers were more willing to take a carriage than on sunny days. Though the carts were cold, they saved a long, wet walk home. So the drivers’ business was still decent.
After surveying the gate, Shu Rui noticed Lu Ling had disappeared after parking the cart. He looked around, saw nothing, and decided not to worry. He took out their inn’s banner and placed it by the cart, along with a wooden sign displaying room rates.
Once that was done, his hands were freezing. He rubbed his palms and backs of his hands when a warm little water pouch was suddenly pressed into his hands.
“Where did this come from?”
Shu Rui squeezed the plump pouch and looked up at Lu Ling.
“Bought it at a general store just inside the city gate. They heated it with hot water from the restaurant next door—no extra charge.”
Lu Ling had noticed the shop earlier from the cart. Holding Shu Rui’s hand along the way didn’t warm him much. Shu Rui’s hands had always been cold in summer, and now, in this chill, they were practically ice. His body seemed constitutionally cold, so Lu Ling was careful to take extra care.
He pulled Shu Rui’s sleeve down over his hands. “If the water cools, you can refill it—still no extra charge.”
Shu Rui felt warmth spread in his chest. Holding the pouch, he warmed his hands and then clasped Lu Ling’s in return.
“I’m not cold. The weather’s fine—martial artists are more resistant to the cold.”
Lu Ling said this, but still cupped Shu Rui’s hands, lowering his voice: “I have warmth. In winter, it’s perfect for warming your bed.”
Shu Rui blushed, withdrawing his hands and giving him a light slap. Glancing around, they were behind the cart with no one watching. “Saying such nonsense in broad daylight would only make people laugh.”
Lu Ling smirked, trying again to take Shu Rui’s hand, but Shu Rui dodged. “Stop teasing—aren’t we supposed to attract customers?”
“I’ll tease you at home later,” Shu Rui said, picking up the wooden sign to go look for guests.
From the city wall, Officer Lu was inspecting repairs, calculating whether the work could finish by year-end. The wind made his face stiff as he prepared to retreat indoors. He glanced outside the gate and saw two familiar figures.
Squinting, he realized it was Lu Ling and Shao’er. Seeing the children lingering in the cold, tugging at each other and touching, he was embarrassed to watch.
“Sir, what are you looking at?” a junior clerk asked, stepping forward. Lu Fang quickly turned away, dismissing him: “Nothing. It’s cold—come inside and warm up with some soup.”
Shu Rui and Lu Ling were unaware Lu Fang was inspecting the gate. Shu Rui, not following Lu Ling closely, observed how he skillfully engaged travelers.
Lu Ling approached a young man with minimal clothing carrying a bundle. “Brother, what brings you here?”
Tapping the wooden sign in his hand, Lu Ling asked, “Need lodging?”
The youth glanced at the sign. “Your upper rooms—four hundred coins?”
“Lower rooms are half the price, almost as good. My husband keeps them very clean himself,” Lu Ling said.
The youth had come out when the weather was tolerable, but with afternoon rain and no umbrella, he was chilled. He needed a place to stay.
“Lower rooms—hot water?”
“Yes, free, plus breakfast included,” Lu Ling replied.
“You’re without an umbrella, wearing only a straw hat—if you wander around, you’ll catch a chill. Come stay with us; I’ll drive you to the inn.”
“Just twenty coins less, and I’ll stay. My clothes are damp; I need to change,” the youth said.
Lu Ling looked at Shu Rui, who nodded. He then told the youth, “Agreed. My husband consents.”
Seeing Shu Rui, the youth hesitated. “That’s your husband?”
“Any problem?” Lu Ling smiled. “None.”
The youth, reassured by Shu Rui’s honest demeanor, climbed into the cart. Lu Ling handed Shu Rui an umbrella. “I’ll be quick. If you get cold, wait at the water refill station.”
“Understood. Send the guest to their room, and have Qing prepare a medicinal broth to prevent chills,” Shu Rui said.
“Mm,” Lu Ling agreed, adjusting the cart’s harness. Shu Rui muttered softly: “Who’s your husband, always talking nonsense outside?”
Lu Ling frowned but couldn’t hide a smile, and drove the cart into the city.
Shu Rui watched him go. Male attendants attracting customers seemed easier—words flowed naturally. He couldn’t replicate that ease.
Seeing this, Shu Rui stopped idling and began soliciting guests himself, asking around and gathering three clients: women and boys.
Their inn was competitive. Private rooms were fully equipped and included a meal—better service than many larger inns. Dormitories even included toiletries. Any careful guest would find it suitable.
A man asked about the dormitory rate. Shu Rui quoted it, and the man agreed. However, two guests had already reserved the dormitory, so that option wasn’t available.
“Our lower rooms are affordable, much better than the dorm. For a small extra fee, you can stay in comfort, and tomorrow morning we’ll serve good noodles,” Shu Rui offered.
The man declined. “Just one night. Tomorrow we leave early. No need for luxury.”
Shu Rui accepted. He had noticed a limitation: a dormitory could house seven guests, but men and women couldn’t share. If a man stayed first, only a few women could follow. Upgrading rooms required coordination, which wasn’t always convenient.
He realized the only solution would be to create another dormitory—one for men, one for women—but the inn’s space was limited. He and Lu Ling each had a room; expanding was impossible. A small staff room could be converted for five people, but he couldn’t bear to make Lu Ling endure that. After all, he was half the innkeeper, not a mere clerk.
So some business would inevitably be lost.
Shu Rui thought, Even that small inn on Ten Li Street—a reckless little place—is trying to poach our guests.
He hadn’t noticed four or five people emerging from the city, holding flags marked “Inn Agent” rather than a specific inn.
“Look at that, already snagged four or five clients,” one mole-faced man said coldly, eyeing Shu Rui. “Why just stand there? Chase them away!”
A skinny, monkey-like man stepped forward. “It’s cold and raining—don’t freeze here, come back.”
Shu Rui looked them over. If not for the flags and jackets marked “Inn Agent,” he wouldn’t have known they were there to monopolize business. Spotting the other agents, he understood—they intended to dominate the trade.
Shu Rui thought: officials hadn’t stopped him from soliciting clients. Why obey these agents’ commands?
“What’s your intent? This place isn’t just for you to attract business,” he said.
The man smirked, dismissing him. “That’s how it is.”
Shu Rui was unafraid. “If you produce an official token summoning me, I will leave as required.”
The man sneered coldly, “You talk nicely about leaving, but if you won’t go, then you’ll just have to learn the hard way. Fine!”
With that, he didn’t linger further, turning back without a word, likely reporting something to the lead agent.
Shu Rui’s brow twitched. He had found it strange from the beginning—apart from himself and Lu Ling, he hadn’t noticed any other inn attempting to solicit business. Only some carriage drivers were present, and the posted regulations didn’t explicitly forbid inns from attracting customers.
It now seemed those agents had monopolized the business here.
Shu Rui had never imagined there were such rules at the city gate. He didn’t know where these agents came from. A person was bullying him, but they weren’t official guards, so there was no reason to cower or beg.
Seeing the agents disperse to recruit customers elsewhere, he thought perhaps they were just putting on a show—if a few harsh words didn’t scare him away, they would leave it be.
Shu Rui couldn’t figure it out, but since they didn’t press further, he let it go. He intended to solicit another couple of guests, but the day’s patrons were nearly all set.
Suddenly, two city officers came briskly toward him, summoning him for questioning.
“Who allowed you to solicit here?”
Shu Rui shivered in surprise. “The decree only forbids stalls, not inns. Those agents over there were soliciting too.”
The sword-bearing officer barked, “They paid a management fee. Have you?”
Shu Rui frowned. “Is there a fee required?”
Three guests, already staying at the inn, watched Shu Rui being questioned. Unsure what was happening, they exchanged glances. Most ordinary people feared officials; seeing an inn confronted, they assumed it was illicit and quietly said they wouldn’t stay, hurrying away.
“Hey! Don’t get distracted!” Shu Rui wanted to protest, but the officers seemed intent on making him lose customers.
He realized the agents must have colluded with the local street office—a reason for their earlier aggression.
“So, how much must I pay to solicit here?” he asked, trying to learn the amount. The officer replied, “That’s beside the point. You violated the order—you must first pay a fine.”
Shu Rui felt a surge of irritation; it was almost laughable. The agents who had previously tried to drive him off watched from afar, arms crossed, enjoying the spectacle.
“Fools,” one muttered. “Let him pay for a lesson. He’ll lose a few days’ earnings—that’ll teach him.”