Chapter 816: Meng Jingzhou's Fame

"Who asked you about rent?!" The young man was furious. "Why would I ask about the rent for this dilapidated building? What's the point of renting such a run-down place?" The waiter was likely intimidated by the young man's demeanor, speaking haltingly.

"S-s-sir, you didn't ask clearly. I... I didn't know you couldn't afford it."

"You!"

The young man's flamboyant behavior quickly drew the attention of the diners.

"Isn't that Li Zhuo, the Prime Minister's grandson?"

"That's Li Zhuo, one of the 'Four Young Lords of Imperial City.' I heard the Prime Minister especially dotes on this grandson."

"Goodness, then whoever is competing with Li Zhuo financially is in for big trouble, aren't they?"

"Exactly! Who in Imperial City would dare to challenge Li Zhuo?"

"And that waiter, he's probably in for it too."

Lu Yang, unfamiliar with Imperial City's prices, asked curiously from the side, "Is the rent at Heavenly Fragrance Tower very expensive? Why does he look like he can't afford it?"

Meng Jingzhou yawned lazily beside him. "He's just a pauper, I understand. He probably just wants to show off in front of his companion, 'swelling his face to look fat,' as they say. He'll tighten his belt, order a pot of wine and a few small dishes, and that's about all he can manage. The rent, on the other hand, he couldn't pay even if it broke his back. Waiter, I'll pay a year's rent for your Heavenly Fragrance Tower!"

Upon hearing this, the waiter was overjoyed and immediately went to Meng Jingzhou's table, massaging his shoulders and legs. "Thank you, sir!"

Li Zhuo's face flushed then paled. He was extremely proud and ostentatious in his actions, never having suffered such an embarrassment here before.

He even felt that the people who recognized his identity, who had previously held him in awe, were now looking at him differently.

He quickly calculated how many spirit stones he could produce. "It's just a year's rent. I'll pay for two years for Heavenly Fragrance Tower!"

The waiter was ecstatic and ran to Li Zhuo's side, massaging his shoulders and legs with practiced movements. "Three years," Meng Jingzhou said languidly, without even lifting an eyelid. To him, this was a small sum. The waiter immediately defected to Meng Jingzhou's side. "Three and a half! No, four years!" Li Zhuo really didn't dare to produce that many spirit stones, but he knew adding only half a year would make him lose face, so he added another half.

"Five years, plus everyone's bill today will be on me," Meng Jingzhou said casually. He was in a good mood from his meal and wanted to spend as he pleased.

The waiter scurried back and forth, wishing he could create a clone to massage both benefactors simultaneously.

Li Zhuo was so angry he wanted to curse. "Where did this nouveau riche come from?" he thought. "Once I find out who he is, he won't be able to do any business in Imperial City!"

"Six years!"

He squinted, staring at Meng Jingzhou's seemingly annoying face. "Wait, I can produce that many spirit stones, but can you?"

"Since you bid five years, you need to prove you have that many spirit stones!"

Meng Jingzhou chuckled. "Forget five years' rent, I can even afford six years' rent. I just couldn't be bothered to argue with you."

"You said it!" Li Zhuo scoffed, not believing for a moment that the other person could produce so many spirit stones. Producing that amount all at once would be a huge strain even for him.

"Go and invite the Meng family over to collect the rent!" Li Zhuo ordered his guards, knowing that Heavenly Fragrance Tower was a Meng family property. He also had the guards fetch some spirit stones from his home, as he didn't have that many on hand. Before long, the head steward, Xu You, arrived; he was usually the one who collected rent from Heavenly Fragrance Tower. Li Zhuo, with a pained expression, pulled out a storage ring and handed it to Xu You. This was the six years' rent he had painstakingly gathered. If his father and grandfather knew of his actions today, they would likely be furious.

But it didn't matter. All that mattered was venting his frustration now.

Xu You used his divine sense to check the storage ring and confirmed it contained six years' rent.

"Now it's your turn!" Li Zhuo glared at Meng Jingzhou. "I'd like to see how you produce six years' rent!"

Meng Jingzhou turned and extended a hand to Xu You. "Uncle Xu, give me some spirit stones." Xu You handed the recently acquired storage ring to Meng Jingzhou. Although Meng Jingzhou was disguised, he had been in this form when he arrived in Imperial City, so Xu You recognized him.

"See? Six years' rent."

"You're a Meng family member?!" Li Zhuo finally realized, no longer able to suppress his rage. He felt like a clown, completely played by the other party. "I was indeed playing with you! You have the audacity to drive away customers and still think you're in the right!" Meng Jingzhou no longer pretended and simply removed his mask.

When Li Zhuo saw this, it was as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over him. His ready-to-erupt anger vanished, and he stood frozen on the spot. Then he pointed at Meng Jingzhou and stammered, "You... you're Meng Jingzhou?!"

"How did this guy come back?!"

"Why didn't anyone inform me?"

"Or am I the first to know of Meng Jingzhou's return?!"

"Oh, so, Li Zhuo, you've grown some guts, daring to call this young master by name?" Meng Jingzhou sneered, cracking his neck and wrists, and slowly approached Li Zhuo. Frightened, Li Zhuo didn't even care about the beautiful female companion in his arms and repeatedly retreated.

The diners, who had been enjoying the spectacle, never expected that the one daring to challenge Li Zhuo's wealth would be Meng Jingzhou.

"The Meng family's Eldest Young Master is back!" someone exclaimed. Those who knew what this meant felt a tremor in their hearts, realizing that Imperial City would likely not be peaceful in the coming days.

"Who is the Meng family's Eldest Young Master?" asked someone unfamiliar with Imperial City.

"Meng Jingzhou, the Meng family's Eldest Young Master! Haven't you heard of him? The one who joined the Dao-Seeking Sect."

"So, who's more formidable, him or the Four Young Lords of Imperial City?"

"The Four Young Lords of Imperial City are nothing! Back then, when Meng Jingzhou hadn't left Imperial City, those four wouldn't have dared to show their faces. This master is a formidable character who even dared to hit the young prince!"

"I heard Li Zhuo was once taught a lesson. Was it by this Meng Jingzhou?"

"Yes, it was him!"

"Then who's the person sitting next to Eldest Young Master Meng?"

"I don't recognize him."

Li Zhuo's face was ashen, thoroughly frightened by Meng Jingzhou. He forced a smile. "Young Master Meng, what are you saying? It's just that I haven't seen you in so long, I got excited and momentarily forgot my manners."

"Old Lu, how about that? Do you know my status in Imperial City now?" Meng Jingzhou boasted triumphantly. This was a rule he had established back then: Li Zhuo and the others had to address him as "Young Master" when they saw him.

Lu Yang rolled his eyes, not wanting to humor him. "What's so special about that? I'm even a sect leader in the Dao-Seeking Sect." "Old Lu, he's Lu Yang!" Someone who knew Meng Jingzhou's identity and had read "Legends of the Dao-Seeking Sect" easily guessed Lu Yang's identity and cried out in surprise.

In terms of renown alone, Lu Yang's fame surpassed even that of the Prime Minister.

People might not know the Prime Minister's name or what he had done, but they certainly knew of Lu Yang's deeds.

"That disciple of the Silent Daoist, Lu Yang, the next Sect Leader of the Dao-Seeking Sect?!"

"It's him! Who else would dare to call himself Lu Yang now?"

"How did both of them end up in Imperial City?!"