The second floor was not as boisterous as the first. The patrons here seemed more refined, speaking in hushed tones, without the raucous drinking games or loud toasts. They were all dressed in opulent attire, appearing to be discussing business.
While it wasn't exactly a private room, it was sectioned off with carved screens, allowing patrons to see each other from their seats.
A waiter led them to a table by the window and then departed to attend to other guests.
With the tip already secured, why linger?
As the premier establishment in Jingxian City, Jingxian Wine House was exceptionally prompt with its service. Soon, the table was laden with a variety of delicacies and ten jars of fine wine were placed at their feet.
"Old man, you said you often drank here with Li Meixian? Judging by your demeanor, this is your first time. You don't even know the price of the wine. Are you tricking us into drinking with you again?"
Wan Lei felt he had been fooled by the old man once more.
"Not at all, not at all. It's true, this is my first time here, but that's because I'm poor. Li Meixian is one of the four great powerhouses of this era, so naturally, he's wealthier than I am.
When I drank with him, we could only go to smaller, less renowned places. But when he drinks alone, he'd surely come to famous, high-class establishments like this.
If we hadn't struck it rich this time, I wouldn't have been willing to come here and try it out."
As he spoke, the old man and Wan Lei clinked their wine cups. The moment the wine went down, a chilling sensation spread through their bodies, followed by a wave of numbness. A stream of cold energy coursed through them, invigorating their cultivation.
It was truly excellent.
The money was well spent.
"Let me tell you, this Jingxian Frost is like the cold dew on a winter morning..."
"Never mind that. Let's talk about the possibility – could he frequent those small, less distinguished places you mentioned?"
"There's a possibility. In this entire Great Jin dynasty, I know of any wine that's good, whether it's famous or not, a big establishment or a small one. We can just search them one by one."
The old man was unconcerned; drinking was drinking, no matter the venue.
Fang Xiaoyu finished his wine, a frown creasing his brow.
"The key is that he's a living person, not an inanimate object. He can move on his own. It's unlikely he'll wait in one place for us to find him. Perhaps the moment we leave here, he'll have already moved on."
"There's nothing we can do about that."
The old man sighed, but there was no trace of worry on his face.
"Don't you have any communication jade slips, the kind that allows you to speak across thousands of miles?"
"What? There are such things? I don't know about that. We don't have anything like that here, never heard of it."
"Then how do you communicate?"
"For short distances, we mostly rely on shouting."
"And for long distances?"
"Mortals rely on horses, with postal stations for sending messages. Those with higher cultivation can use fire spirits to deliver messages by flying."
"Then where is your fire spirit?"
"He and I don't use the same kind of fire. How can fire spirits communicate? It's useless. We can only resort to the clumsy method of inquiring and searching bit by bit."
"What about bounties?"
"How much money do you have to offer a bounty for Li Meixian?"
The old man's rhetorical question silenced Wan Lei.
After all, he was one of the four great powerhouses of this era. His worth was far beyond what Wan Lei could afford as a bounty. Spiritual stones couldn't be used as currency here.
It was all the fault of that damned immortal. Among the four great powerhouses, three had established factions. One could easily find them by searching their core territories. But their task was to find a rogue cultivator.
What was a rogue cultivator? A free spirit, going wherever they pleased, unbound and at liberty.
With a heavy heart, Wan Lei could only lower his head and drink, even to the point of boredom where he started listening to the conversation at the next table.
"Alas, Brother Qian, did you see the cavalry when you arrived?"
At the next table, two individuals, clearly merchants, were drinking and chatting.
"Heh, I've been within the city the whole time, so how could I have seen the cavalry? Unlike you, Brother Li, who travels far and wide, accumulating knowledge and experiencing local customs. I truly envy you."
"Ah, Brother Qian, your words are amiss. I merely buy and sell goods, earning a meager living through hard work. I brave the wind, sun, rain, and snow. Unlike you, Brother Qian, who earns his money sitting at home."
"Alright, let's dispense with the pleasantries. With the arrival of the cavalry, it seems like war is imminent again."
The "Brother Qian" sighed and drained his wine bowl, his face etched with worry.
"Isn't that the truth? When war breaks out, trade between regions is severely impacted. Our merchant caravans will certainly be unable to travel between the two regions, or we'll be arrested as spies.
How am I supposed to continue my business? These damned corrupt officials, why are they starting a war out of nowhere?"
"Who can say? Once war erupts, this place will become a strategic stronghold. If they lock down the city, then my family and I will be left to face starvation."
"A city lockdown is a minor issue. Your family's provisions are likely sufficient for your needs. But the key issue is the immediate surge in taxes and prices.
Take this wine, for instance. Yesterday, it was one fire crystal per jar, but today it's risen to two."
"Fine, if you want to talk about that, then I have plenty to say.
At the city gates, they used to charge by headcount, twenty coins per person. Now it's fifty.
Rice used to be two coins per jin, but now it's four.
Everything is increasing in price. Our businesses have already paid taxes three years in advance. It used to be one in ten, now it's two in ten."
"Is this any way for ordinary people to live?"
"Come on, you talk about ordinary people, but what about the truly ordinary people?
Brother Qian, you are in a high position and cannot see the suffering of the common folk. I, on the other hand, travel extensively and have seen far too much.
When war breaks out, there's a need to donate grain and money. Tell me, it's early spring, and the autumn harvest is still far off. Who has surplus grain? Furthermore, when war starts, whether it's the land ruined on the battlefield or the displaced refugees, or property abandoned by its owners, all of it affects the harvest.
Regardless of who wins or loses, the common people's lives will be difficult this year.
And then there's the corvée labor. War doesn't rely solely on soldiers. Farmers and artisans will have to serve as laborers, transporting supplies, and crafting equipment.
With no one to cultivate the fields, and who knows how many people will die."
"Alas, when they prosper, the people suffer; when they perish, the people suffer."
Brother Qian took a drink, pouring the last drop from the bottom of his bowl into his mouth.
In the past, he wouldn't have cared about such things. Now, he didn't want to waste a drop.
"Brother Qian, right now, whether it's us or the common people, we are like seagulls flying over the sea before a storm. We can't find a place to land, nor do we know where to go. We can only drift with the waves, eventually perishing in the surge.
Bravery… hehe… what good is it?"