This was the first time Yu Yi went out without bringing Yun Ganxue along.
Rather than letting Yun Ganxue step into an environment thick with Rot Qi, it was better to leave her in Among the Colorful Clouds.
Besides, with the Sword Emperor helping to keep watch over Among the Colorful Clouds now, it ensured the safety of Yun Ganxue and the other disciples.
‘If Ganxue were here, she’d probably handle this with ease, wouldn’t she?’ Yu Yi thought.
Yun Ganxue was not just a young lady from a distinguished family; she was also a well-bred gentlewoman. With her etiquette and poise, she would surely handle this kind of flirtatious approach in a very proper manner.
Yu Yi had no experience in this area.
If she were going anywhere else, people who saw a peerless beauty like Yu Yi would think she was too ethereal to be touched by worldly affairs, something to admire from afar in awe, and difficult to strike up a conversation with.
However, this was the Capital City, a place teeming with prominent families.
Without even needing to look, Yu Yi knew that the young master trying to chat her up must be from some prestigious family in the capital. He had enough capital to dare approach her on his own.
Still… wasn’t this guy’s timing incredibly stupid?
The Hundred Beasts Garden was just ahead. Did he really think she needed a ride?
Yu Yi chose to ignore the rich young master before her, skirted around his sedan chair, and walked off to the side.
Lan Ling’er gave a perfunctory reply: “Thank you for your kindness, but the place we’re going to is just ahead.”
The implication was clear: don’t trouble yourself any further; go wherever you need to go.
“Just ahead?”
The young master frowned slightly upon hearing that, as if he realized what place lay ahead. Then a smirk curled at the corner of his mouth.
“Are you ladies heading to the Hundred Beasts Garden? That’s perfect! I happen to have an uncle working there as an official. If you’re interested, I can get you in for free, miss?”
Naturally, Yu Yi didn’t bother responding to such a low-level pickup line from a “connection.”
The three of them simply left him hanging and walked forward on their own.
Stunned by being ignored like this, the young master grew flustered.
He dashed straight to the entrance of the Hundred Beasts Garden, trying to see his uncle—who served there as a deputy officer—only to be blocked by the guards at the gate.
“How dare you stop me? Let me see my uncle immediately!”
“My apologies, Young Master Jiang, but we cannot let you in.”
The guards showed no respect for Young Master Jiang, speaking with stern faces.
“Do you have any idea what you’re doing?! Believe me, I’ll have my uncle fire you all!”
Young Master Jiang said furiously. He was in a hurry to use his uncle’s position to offer Yu Yi and her friends more perks, hoping to win their favor, but these “blind” guards were stopping him?
He charged at the entrance several more times, but with his frail, unarmed appearance, no matter how many times he tried, the two guards each held him back with one arm.
“Fine… fine… you really are something. Forget it, I’ll just buy a ticket. Buying a ticket will let me in, won’t it?”
Young Master Jiang finally gave up resistance, panting as he took out his wallet.
But before he could even open it, the two iron-faced guards said:
“Young Master Jiang, we have received orders today that no unauthorized persons are allowed inside. Even if you buy a ticket, you’ll have to come back some other time.”
“What?!”
Young Master Jiang let out a shrill, duck-like voice, stepped forward twice, and pointed at his own face.
“Look at my face and say that again: I’m an unauthorized person?!”
Being labeled as an unauthorized person nearly made him pass out from anger.
He was a grand young master of the capital and a personal connection of this very garden! And yet—
Just as he was about to throw a fit, a deep, resonant voice came from inside the garden.
“Who is making noise out here?”
A middle-aged man with a tall, straight figure, bronze skin, and a distinctively shaped beard appeared before everyone.
“Garden Manager! Where’s my uncle?”
Young Master Jiang immediately addressed the middle-aged man when he saw him.
Garden Manager?
Yu Yi also turned her gaze to the middle-aged man.
He should be the administrator of the Hundred Beasts Garden that Yu Yi was looking for.
“The one shouting just now was you, wasn’t it?”
The Garden Manager didn’t answer Young Master Jiang’s question; instead, he asked with a stern face.
“Who told these blind guards to block me and not let me in?”
Young Master Jiang retorted with a temper.
“They had every reason to stop you,” the Garden Manager said. “His Imperial Majesty has decreed that for the time being, no unauthorized persons are allowed into the Hundred Beasts Garden. Didn’t you know that?”
“Ah… ah?”
Young Master Jiang was taken aback at first, then swallowed his saliva and muttered softly:
“So it’s… it’s His Majesty’s decree, huh.”
He had initially wanted to argue back, “Does that make me an unauthorized person?” but since the Yan Emperor himself classified him as such, how could he dare disobey?
“You three ladies over there, that’s the situation. Please head back now and come another day.”
The Garden Manager then looked at Yu Yi and the other two, still with a stern expression.
“Ah, no big deal! Ladies, even though the Hundred Beasts Garden isn’t open to the public, there are plenty of fun places in the capital. Let me—”
Young Master Jiang turned back, grinning and fawning over Yu Yi again.
But before he could finish, Yu Yi interrupted him.
“We didn’t come here for a tour.”
Yu Yi’s expression remained calm as she gracefully took out the token that Ji Ruohan had given her.
“I hear His Majesty is troubled by something. We’ve come to help him solve his worries.”
When the Garden Manager saw the token Yu Yi revealed, he was startled at first, then squinted to look more carefully. Immediately, his expression turned respectful.
“What kind of token is that?”
Young Master Jiang also leaned in to look, but found he had never seen anything like it.
It was a token made of pure gold. Though small and exquisitely crafted, it was heavy and substantial. The pattern carved on it was the most lifelike.
The token bore an engraving of a sharp sword slaying a giant dragon.
The carving skill was nothing short of masterful. Just by looking at it, one could almost feel the edge of that sword, hear the pained roar of the dragon being cut down, and sense its furious, unwilling breath.
“This humble one, Guan Yue, pays respects to Gexia Ji.”
Guan Yue, the Garden Manager of the Hundred Beasts Garden, suddenly stepped forward and saluted respectfully toward the token in Yu Yi’s hands, cupping his fists.
Seeing Young Master Jiang standing there dumbfounded, not moving an inch, Guan Yue couldn’t help but scold him.
“This is a sword pavilion token. Seeing the token is like seeing the person themselves. You must perform the corresponding salute!”
“Sword… sword pavilion?!”
Young Master Jiang was instantly stunned, trembling as he quickly performed a salute.
Even though he had grown up in the capital and heard many tales about the Sword Pavilion, he had never once seen a member of the Sword Pavilion, let alone this token that represented the pavilion—it was his first time.
Although the Sword Pavilion was no longer as powerful as in its golden days and its influence in the outside world had waned, it still stood tall and noble in the hearts of the capital’s people.
Almost every native-born citizen of the capital had heard the legend of the first-generation Sword Pavilion Master wielding a sharp sword to battle an evil dragon for ten days and ten nights, ultimately slaying that scourge for the Great Yan Empire.
To them, the Sword Pavilion were the greatest heroes.
So even just seeing the token of the Sword Pavilion, they showed their respect.
Yu Yi felt a bit conflicted at this sight.
This Garden Manager named Guan Yue had only recognized Ji Ruohan’s token, and yet his cold face immediately transformed into such reverence.
If Yu Yi had been holding the token of Sword Emperor Ji Hongye…
What kind of reaction would these people have?
Just a moment ago, Yu Yi had secretly looked down on Young Master Jiang as a “connection.” Now, she herself was experiencing the comfort of being one.
‘Hehe, that’s double standards for you~’