Lu Yanqing did not linger in the shop; after leaving, he headed to the tea house.
Today is New Year's Eve. Most people have returned home to pay respects to their ancestors and prepare for the reunion dinner, so the tea house seemed rather forlorn.
Upon seeing a guest arrive, the storyteller became more enthusiastic, speaking with great fervor.
Lu Yanqing sat down, ordered a pot of tea and a dish of peanuts, but he didn't seriously listen to the stories being told—his attention was drawn to the conversation at the neighboring table.
"Hey, have you heard? The Young Marquis, who caused immense trouble years ago, is coming back."
"Indeed! The man has a Princess mother, a Prince Consort father, and even the current emperor is his maternal uncle. No matter the offense, a bit of maneuvering can settle the matter. What do eighty lives mean? Even if it's eight hundred lives, as long as people want to protect him, it's nothing."
