Yuyan Tower... Imani...
Yuyan Tower... Imani...
Elara suddenly remembered half a year ago, right after her coronation. She had accompanied Mathias back to the Pei residence and then brought him to the imperial palace, walking along a street in the newly rebuilt Plumera City.
At that time, the reconstruction and expansion of the city had just begun, and many parts of the city were still in ruins.
While walking slowly through that street on their return to the palace, they passed a building under construction — a tavern called Yuyan Tower.
Back then, she thought she saw a familiar figure around that building. Now that she recalls, she hadn't been mistaken — Yuyan Tower turned out to be a tavern opened by Imani.
After eliminating the powers of Lord Gregory and others, Elara had spared Imani. Though he had grown up away from home and was used by Lord Gregory even after being found, he never took part in Lord Gregory's shady dealings, even enduring poison without acting against the empire.
Because of this, Elara didn't punish him. Instead, she gave him a portion of Lord Gregory's cleaner assets so he could make a living.
Unexpectedly, he never left the Plumera Kingdom, not even the capital. He used that money to open Yuyan Tower right there and later uncovered a conspiracy among cross-border merchants, which he reported to the Ministry of Justice.
Elara thought of the last time she had seen Imani in the back garden of the Princess Mansion and was silent for a moment before saying to Kristof, "I understand. Kristof, go change your clothes. Try to make time every night these next few days. Come with me to visit Yuyan Tower."
"Yes."
After the reconstruction of Plumera City, though many buildings had grown taller, a five-story tavern was still rare in the city.
Before Imani was brought back to the Gregory family by Lord Gregory, he had lived in flower houses and was very familiar with running entertainment businesses. He knew exactly what customers liked and had many tricks for managing such places.
Because of that, even though Yuyan Tower had only just been completed, it quickly became one of the most famous taverns in the capital. There, guests could drink, laugh, make new friends from all corners, and enjoy elegant bamboo music in private rooms while chatting and burning incense.
Recently, during the second nationwide examination, many students from across the country came to the capital. Yuyan Tower became one of their top choices for both lodging and entertainment.
The food served in Yuyan Tower was also extraordinary. It was said the owner had signed a contract with the most popular Bai Family's Business, hiring chefs from there to create the most sought-after dishes in the market.
Besides food and drink, Yuyan Tower also had clean performers and courtesans for hire.
In short, guests from all regions could enjoy almost anything they wished within Yuyan Tower.
As long as no one broke the rules or forced the performers, the place was like a paradise.
However, anyone who dared break the rules or tried to force the performers would not even need to face the owner. Guards patrolling outside would rush in, arrest them on the spot, and take them back to face justice.
Beyond all the fun and luxury, the most intriguing thing about Yuyan Tower was its rarely seen owner.
Rumor had it that the owner was an extraordinarily beautiful and charming man. Even the top courtesans from neighboring flower houses couldn't match his looks.
Many young nobles from other regions, after seeing him, had tried every method to get close or drink with him, but every attempt ended in rejection.
Since then, the owner became a legend in the capital. Many guests came hoping to catch a glimpse of his face.
This mysterious, stunning owner became one of Yuyan Tower's biggest attractions.
A few days later, at night.
Yuyan Pavilion.
Elara and Kristof, dressed like an ordinary wealthy young lady and gentleman, walked into the pavilion. Welcomed politely by the attendant, they didn't ask for a private room but chose a table in a quiet corner of the main hall.
This was already their third night visiting the Yuyan Pavilion.
Although they hadn't yet found any sign of the cross-border smugglers or seen the rumored charming owner Imani, having dinner and tea here each evening helped them overhear many kinds of information from other guests.
Running a large, mixed-type restaurant like this was indeed the fastest and easiest way to gather news. Especially since Yuyan Pavilion was incredibly popular and well-managed. It had become one of the top places in Plumera City where people of all social ranks came to drink, talk and enjoy themselves.
Every time guests came, they also brought the latest news from various industries.
Elara and Kristof sat quietly in a corner, not easily noticed, and ordered a meal that was neither too expensive nor too cheap. They ate dinner while listening closely to the conversations around them.
Although she had gathered many fresh pieces of information during these dinners, none of it was what Elara truly wanted, any leads on the cross-border smugglers.
Thinking of how many days were left before Prince Yu would ascend the throne, Elara frowned slightly.
If those smugglers still did not appear, she would have to ask Kristof to continue investigating while also ordering Francis and Damon to secretly move military forces to tighten inspection and defense across the country.
Fortunately, since Yuyan Pavilion was one of the smugglers' favorite gathering spots, tonight it finally did not let her down.
Elara and Kristof had been calmly drinking tea until late at night. When the main hall had mostly emptied, the restaurant doors were suddenly pushed open by a group of men wearing luxurious robes.
These people were dressed in heavy, complex robes mainly in black. Their expressions were fierce and cruel. Like wolves in the night, they were followed by a large number of henchmen in black cloaks and raincoats.
Their arrival was loud and intimidating. The moment they walked in, they filled up all the remaining empty seats in the main hall.
Their presence was not just threatening, it also felt like a warning before something bloody was about to happen.
The few remaining guests lowered their voices after seeing them. The ones who had been drinking and relaxing quickly finished their food and drinks.
No one even paid attention to the half-naked male dancer in the center anymore. They stood up and rushed to leave, afraid they'd be caught in trouble if they stayed a second longer.
In less than ten minutes, almost all other guests were gone. The entire hall was now filled with that black-robed group, except for Elara's table.
Some nearby henchmen in black glanced coldly at Elara and Kristof, surprised they were still calmly drinking tea. Their eyes turned sharp and heavy as they began to size them up.
The wealthy middle-aged men seated near the stage, enjoying the dancer's performance, also noticed something unusual. They turned to look at Elara and Kristof with sly grins, sipping their wine.
Just as those men were about to walk over, a pleasant, amused male voice came from the red, grand staircase.
"Mister Hou, Mister Ba, Mister Wei, it's already so late. What brings you to my humble place tonight?"
It was a familiar voice. Elara looked up and, as expected, saw Imani, who she hadn't seen in nearly half a year.
Imani was wearing a bright red robe. His features were still as handsome and striking as ever. He carried a lazy air with a touch of playfulness.
His thin lips curved slightly, and his deep eyes sparkled under the candlelight like a ghostly charm in the night.
After months apart, his beauty and seductive aura had only grown stronger.
The only change was that he had finally learned how to dress properly. No longer did he roam around like in the princess's courtyard, loosely dressed with his shoulders, waist or legs exposed.