Chapter 30: Yet Trouble Still Came

Wu Yue was wonderful, but trouble still found her.

The winery courtyard went on as usual; the incident happened at Drunken Immortal Tavern.

Jiang Chen learned from Wu Yue that in just two days, the Drunken Immortal Tavern transformed from a bustling hub into a place as cold and silent as an ice pit. People who once delighted in gathering there, raising their cups, and indulging in merriment now deliberately avoided its entrance, even when passing by. The cause of such a dramatic change was the death of a man inside the tavern.

“That man, dressed in red, hung himself under the tavern’s signboard in the middle of the night. Early passersby were terrified out of their wits, and soon rumors spread throughout the town, declaring the Drunken Immortal Tavern an ominous place.”

A beggar, clad in a crimson robe, dangling before the tavern in the dark hours, his corpse swaying in the wind—his face twisted in a ghastly expression, deathly terrifying. This event struck a chord with everyone in the town; each time they passed the tavern, they felt uneasy, as if chills and eerie winds circled the area, sending shivers down their spines.

Thus, the Drunken Immortal Tavern became a forbidden ground overnight.

After hearing Wu Yue’s account, Jiang Chen fell into deep thought.

“Brother Chen, even so, it’s not all bad. Once some time passes, everyone should get over it,” Wu Yue tried to comfort Jiang Chen, knowing that the tavern’s business was closely tied to his own fortunes. The news was sure to dampen his spirits.

Yet Jiang Chen quickly regained his usual composure. From his pocket, he produced a delicate little gift for Wu Yue.

“Yue’er, I picked this out for you in Gucheng County. I think it suits you best.”

Wu Yue received a pair of exquisitely crafted butterfly earrings from his hand, handling them as tenderly as she would silk spun by a silkworm, fearing she might damage them.

“Brother Chen, these must be expensive, right?”

Jiang Chen laughed, “I bought them for my own wife. Why would I care about the price? In fact, I wish they were even more expensive!”

“Thank you, Brother Chen. I really love them!”

Wu Yue blushed, carefully placing the earrings onto a silk handkerchief. She couldn’t bring herself to wear them just yet.

Jiang Chen had heard from Wu Yue that this handkerchief was left to her by her late mother. Now, she kept the earrings together with the handkerchief, a clear sign of her true feelings for him.

After helping Wu Yue with some household chores, Jiang Chen set off for the Drunken Immortal Tavern. As he departed, Wu Yue reminded him to return that evening for some chicken soup.

Inside the tavern, Lin Qingxuan, staring at the deserted street outside, was restless with anxiety. The tavern’s business had just flourished, and now disaster had struck. At this moment, only Jiang Chen could turn the tide.

“Damn Jiang Chen, why isn’t he back yet!”

Lin Qingxuan felt he was on the verge of madness; he couldn’t bear to watch the tavern’s income dwindle to nothing day after day.

“Don’t worry. Being anxious won’t help,” Jiang Chen said as he entered, his demeanor as calm as always. He knew who was behind the incident; the culprit wanted them to lose their composure and act rashly.

“It was Zhao He. I ran into him on my way back.”

A glimmer of hope appeared on Lin Qingxuan’s bitter face. “So you’ve got a solution?”

“If this keeps up, do you know how much money I lose every day?”

Jiang Chen replied, “It’s not as bad as you think. The tavern can’t open its doors, but Jiang Yuebai is still here and can be sold. Send people door-to-door to recommend it. No one ever thinks they have too much good wine.”

“That’s right! Why didn’t I think of that?” Lin Qingxuan’s eyes lit up; this would recover much of their losses.

“But what about the tavern? We can’t just let it fail, can we?”

Jiang Chen reassured him, “Don’t worry, it won’t fail. I just need some time. Whatever losses Zhao He inflicted on us, I’ll make him pay back double.”

After calming Lin Qingxuan, Jiang Chen began tackling the problem. In a rural place like this, people’s minds were tightly closed. Dressing the dead beggar in a glaring red robe was a deliberate move to steer people toward supernatural fears, causing psychological panic.

Since nothing like this had happened before, the incident left a deep shadow in people’s hearts—one not easily dispelled.

That evening, returning home, Jiang Chen was greeted by Wu Yue, who brought him a carefully prepared dish of chicken and steaming broth.

“Brother Chen, is the matter still unresolved? Don’t worry for now. Eat well and take care of yourself; that’s what matters most!”

Wu Yue watched Jiang Chen toil tirelessly outside every day, his cheeks noticeably thinner than before, and she couldn’t help but feel concern for him.

In truth, Jiang Chen’s body was growing increasingly robust. In his previous life, he was a destitute scholar who spent his days reading and writing, never moving around as much as now. The difference was stark.

Now, under Jiang Chen’s control, this body was reaching its peak condition—a solid foundation for his future ambitions.

No matter the task, how could he proceed without a healthy body?

“Yue’er, how do you make an old fox reveal his weakness, so you can seize it?”

Jiang Chen was pondering how to strike back at Zhao He, the wily, treacherous scoundrel who was his most pressing obstacle. Once he removed this barrier, he would have nothing to fear in the entire Shanguan Town.

He had merely asked the question offhand, but Wu Yue, after serious thought, gave him a genuine answer.

“I think you should tempt him with whatever he cares about most. In the past, my backyard was often visited by weasels that killed our hens. Later, we set traps with eggs as bait, and in one night, caught two weasels!”

Wu Yue animatedly recounted the tale, finding it quite amusing.

Now, Jiang Chen thought the story was interesting, too. Though it sounded commonplace, at this moment it sparked a timely inspiration.

“Yue’er, you’re brilliant!”

“As long as you lure him with what he values, he’ll show his weakness!”

Jiang Chen, moved, grasped Wu Yue’s soft, fair hand. This time, he truly owed thanks to his clever little wife.

“Brother Chen, did I help you?”

Wu Yue’s bright eyes sparkled; she had worried her words were nonsense, irrelevant to Jiang Chen. But learning she had helped him greatly, she laughed with joy.