165: Chapter 166: Where are we supposed to stay?

By the time the several delegations emerged from the City Lord's Mansion, the sun had already passed its zenith.

The leaders stood outside the gate, glancing at each other, but no one spoke first.

It wasn't that they didn't want to.

It was just that, even now, their minds were still a bit dazed.

It had gone too smoothly.

So smoothly that it made them feel uneasy.

They had originally thought that just getting through the gates of Flower City, meeting the City Lord of Flower City, and managing to exchange a few words would mean the trip hadn't been in vain.

As for whether they could reach an agreement, or how much they could negotiate, that would depend on how much face Flower City was willing to give them.

And the result?

Not only did they get through the gate and meet the person they needed to, but they also received clear, unmistakable goodwill from Flower City.

Even more outrageous was that after Minister Wang Fugui and Wan'er arrived, following several rounds of discussion, Flower City was not only willing to trade with their cities, but the prices were so fair that they didn't dare to agree immediately.

It wasn't that fake fairness of "intentionally letting you take advantage."

It was truly calculated clearly and divided precisely, as if they already knew exactly what each of their cities was lacking or in urgent need of.

The leader of the Qinghe City delegation walked a few steps, but couldn't help turning back to look at the overly simple City Lord's Mansion, whispering, "... That's it? It's done?"

"It's done." A guard from the Nanchang City side instinctively replied, though his voice drifted, as if he didn't quite believe it himself.

"But this is just too..."

He stopped halfway, closing his mouth again.

Too what?

Too smooth, too fast, too fair, too unlike the city-to-city interactions they were accustomed to?

But if he were to actually say these words, it would only make him appear ignorant.

City Lord Qin Fang walked at the very front without turning back, merely resting his hand on his waist and slowly rubbing it.

His hand was still steady.

But the indescribable turbulence in his heart had yet to subside.

Along this journey, from entering the city to meeting Zhou Yun, and then discussing business with Minister Wang Fugui and Wan'er, his inner feelings could no longer be summarized by the four words "Flower City is strong."

This place was not simply strong.

"Everyone." Lei Lie's voice came from the front. "It is getting late today, and since you have all traveled from afar, you should rest first. Your accommodations have already been arranged."

The leaders suppressed their thoughts and cupped their hands in reply.

"Thank you for your trouble, Minister Lei."

Lei Lie nodded and turned to lead the way.

...

A quarter of an hour later, the delegations stood before the treehouses, once again falling silent.

They had originally been guessing where Flower City would settle them.

A guest house? A side courtyard? At worst, some temporarily tidied-up yard.

But the row of treehouses before them made them all stop in their tracks simultaneously.

Those houses were not ordinary wooden cabins; they looked as if the trees had grown into the shape of houses themselves.

The trunks coiled into walls, the branches and leaves naturally formed eaves, and even the window frames and door edges possessed an indescribable, natural harmony.

The strangest part was that, although they were clearly made of wood, they lacked any trace of damp or stale air; instead, they were clean and warm, as if the entire house were alive.

"This is... for us to live in?"

The envoy from Liefeng, who had been stubborn the whole way, finally couldn't help but ask.

"Of course." Lei Lie's tone was flat. "You are guests; we cannot let you stay in poor conditions."

These words were not heavy, but to the ears of the envoys, they inexplicably made their hearts tighten.

This is called "not too poor"? Then what must it be like where the people of Flower City usually live?

The leader of the Qinghe City delegation was the first to recover, cupping his hands to Lei Lie and trying to appear as natural as possible: "Then we shall impose upon your hospitality."

Lei Lie didn't say much, merely raising his hand to gesture.

The two Flower City citizens who had brought them helped put away their gift boxes and such, then quietly withdrew.

There was no flattery, nor any sycophancy. It was as if they had simply completed a task within their duty.

The courtyard quickly grew quiet. The group looked at each other, and eventually, they each pushed open their doors and went inside.

As the doors opened, the sight inside made them all freeze in astonishment.

Warmth.

It was not the dry heat baked out by charcoal fires, but a perfect, gentle warmth, as if the breeze of a spring afternoon had come to a stop inside the room, ironing out every bit of fatigue from their bodies.

There was a faint scent of wood in the room—not strong, just a light wisp, but it smelled wonderful. When inhaled into the lungs, even their chests felt a little more relaxed.

The envoy from Liefeng instinctively took two steps forward, and his feet felt soft. He discovered that the floor was very comfortable to step on—not like rough wooden planks, but more like stepping on a single piece of finely polished, warm wood-jade.

Looking further inside, the bed, chairs, tables, and cabinets were all neatly arranged.

By the table stood a copper faucet. Curious, he twisted it, and to his surprise, clear water flowed out with a splash!

"Water!" the envoy blurted out, startling himself.

The guards who followed him in immediately crowded over, staring at the water flow for a few seconds. Their Adam's apples bobbed, and they couldn't help but reach out to catch some. It was icy cold, clean, and had no strange odor at all.

"This wasn't brought over by someone carrying a bucket?"

"It seems... to flow out by itself."

"How is that possible?"

Several people circled the copper faucet for a long time, becoming more bewildered the longer they looked.

On the other side, the leader from Nanchang had already been drawn to a strange object in the corner.

The object was connected to pipes at the bottom; its shape was strange, yet one could tell at a glance that its purpose was extraordinary.

He didn't dare to touch it, so he just stood to the side and whispered: "What is this?"

No one answered, because no one knew.

Looking toward the kitchen, the stove was also not the type they were familiar with.

The ignition point was extremely neat, and beside it were pots, pans, and a row of clean bowls and dishes; everything exuded a feeling of "convenience" that was outrageous.

"This place..." The leader of the Qinghe City delegation stood by the door, and after a long while, managed to squeeze out, "...is just too comfortable to live in."

No one replied, because everyone was thinking the same thing.

It wasn't just comfortable. It was excessively comfortable.

The fatigue from the long journey was quietly drawn out by this perfectly balanced warmth and woody fragrance.

Someone had just put down their outer robe when they felt their shoulders relax, as if their whole body had sunk down by half an inch.

Someone sat on the edge of the bed to test it, and the bed was soft to the perfect degree—neither collapsing nor hard. Once seated, one couldn't help but want to lean back a bit more.

"This bed..." A guard hadn't even finished his sentence before he had already leaned his back against it, immediately closing his eyes.

He really wanted to take a nap. This thought had just emerged.

"Knock, knock, knock." Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

The people in the room were startled and exchanged glances, but eventually, a follower from City Lord Qin Fang's side went to open the door.

When the door opened, a young girl was standing outside, holding a tray with steam curling upwards.

"My lords, it is time for a meal."

The girl's tone was very natural, as if she were speaking of the most ordinary matter.

The follower who opened the door was stunned: "... For us?"

"Yes," the girl blinked. "You have all traveled a long way, so you must eat first. If it is not enough, just call me, and I will bring more for you."