Chapter 137 The Apocalypse Money Flows Like Water: The Morning Rush Hour at Changqing Tower

The snow stopped in Tianqi City the following morning.

However, the heat in front of Changqinglou Tianqi Main Store (formerly Taiji Hall) was even more intense than the scorching sun during the hottest days of summer.

The sky was just beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn, and Suzaku Avenue, usually deserted at this hour, was now completely packed with people.

The long queue stretched from the new gate of the Taiji Hall, which Su Changqing had casually replaced with a heavy sandalwood door, all the way to the street corner, and even turned several corners, with no end in sight.

Those in the queue were not ordinary people.

If you throw a brick at random, you'll hit either the steward of a high-ranking official, a core member of a century-old family, or even a few marquises who missed out on the auction yesterday but are now braving the cold wind to queue up.

They were all shivering, their necks hunched and hands tucked in, but their eyes were unusually firm as they stared intently at the tightly closed doors of Changqing Tower.

"Marquis Pingnan, with your health condition, why did you come to queue up in person? Couldn't you have just sent a servant?" A vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue, wrapped in a thick mink coat, couldn't help but tease the old marquis who was in front of him in line.

"What do you know?" Marquis Pingnan rolled his eyes at him, pulling his cloak tighter. "Didn't you see the change in Xiao Lingchen last night? He was completely transformed! Is sending a servant to offer such a rare opportunity truly sincere? What if Mr. Su gets angry and refuses to sell?"

"Yes, yes, yes, what the Marquis says makes sense." The Vice Minister of Revenue quickly echoed, while subconsciously touching the thick stack of silver notes in his pocket.

He emptied his pockets today, even secretly embezzling some "public funds," just to buy a bowl of the legendary "Nine-Turn Resurrection Soup," or even if he had to settle for second best, a plate of "Enlightenment Sword Bamboo Shoots" that could bring enlightenment!

Time passed by, second by second.

As the sun rose higher, a sense of restlessness began to spread among the crowd.

"What time is it? Why isn't the door open yet?"

"Yeah, is Mr. Su off today?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! Are you out of your mind? Daring to make such a racket here, you might get struck by lightning!"

Just as everyone was waiting anxiously and discussing the matter...

"Squeak—"

The heavy sandalwood door of Changqing Tower finally opened slowly from the inside.

"It's open! The door's open!"

A suppressed cheer erupted from the crowd, and everyone instinctively pushed forward, afraid of being left behind.

However, when they saw who was standing at the door, they were all stunned.

Neither Su Changqing nor Xiao Se emerged.

Instead, he was a gun-wielding immortal dressed in coarse cloth shorts, with a white towel draped over his shoulder and a large broom in his hand?

Sikong Changfeng walked out with dark circles under his eyes that were even darker than yesterday, looking utterly dejected.

He glanced at the dense crowd outside, and instead of feeling happy, he felt a desire to die.

"Stop pushing! Stop pushing!"

Sikong Changfeng waved his broom impatiently, shooing away the dignitaries who tried to rush inside. "Changqing Tower's rules: First, no cutting in line; second, no loud noise; third, have your money ready!"

"Lord Sikong... oh no, Steward Sikong, everything is ready! Please let us in!"

"Yes, yes, I brought silver notes worth a million taels of gold! I want to buy soup!"

"I'll buy bamboo shoots! I'd buy them even if it cost 50,000 taels a plate!"

Watching these usually high-ranking figures now waving silver notes like a group of starving refugees, Sikong Changfeng suddenly felt a strange sense of balance.

"Alright, alright, shut up!"

Sikong Changfeng drew a line on the ground with a broom. "From now on, only five people are allowed in at a time! Buy your things and get out of there! Don't get in the way! Understand?"

"Understood, understood!" Everyone nodded vigorously.

"Then... the first batch, in!"

As Sikong Changfeng finished speaking, the five people at the front of the line, including the Marquis of Pingnan and the Vice Minister of Revenue, rushed into Changqing Tower without waiting.

As soon as they entered the gate, they were stunned by the sight before them.

The once solemn and majestic Taiji Hall has now been completely transformed into a high-end restaurant that exudes a bustling atmosphere yet also a strange and luxurious feel.

In the center of the main hall, the white jade platform used for the auction yesterday is still there, but the red silk on it has been removed.

Behind the high platform, where the emperor's throne should have been, there is now a huge cabinet made of golden nanmu wood.

Xiao Se, the current new emperor of Beili (although he stubbornly refuses to admit it and even forces the White King to work), is currently dressed in a clean and neat blue robe, sitting behind the counter, holding the iconic little golden abacus in his hand, and is intently fiddling with it.

Beside him was a thick stack of account books.

"Your Majesty... Xiao..." Marquis Pingnan subconsciously began to kneel and pay his respects.

"stop."

Xiao Se didn't even look up, his abacus clicking away. "There's no His Majesty here, only Xiao Se, the accountant of Changqing Tower. Ladies and gentlemen, what would you like to order? Look at the menu on the wall. Once you've chosen, just pay. No credit allowed."

Marquis Pingnan and the others swallowed hard and looked up at the wall on the right side of the main hall.

There was a huge blackboard hanging there, with today's menu and prices written on it in gold powder.

[Today's Special]

1. Nine-Turn Resurrection Soup: One million taels of gold per bowl (one serving per day, first come, first served, no reservations accepted).

2. Enlightenment Sword Bamboo Shoots: 50,000 taels of gold/plate (limited to 10 plates per day).

3. Heartbreaking Rice: 10,000 taels of gold per bowl (limited to 50 bowls per day).

4. Stir-fried seasonal vegetables (irrigated with the spiritual spring water of Changqingjie): 1,000 taels of gold per plate.

5. Plain boiled water (special edition for heart and stomach protection): 500 taels of gold per cup.

……

Upon seeing that series of dazzling astronomical figures, the breathing of Marquis Pingnan and the others instantly became rapid.

Yesterday, that bowl of soup had a starting bid of 500,000 taels, but today it's a one million tael fixed price?!

This price increase is faster than robbery!

And even a glass of plain water costs five hundred taels of gold?! Is this water made of gold or silver?

"This...this price is...?" The Vice Minister of Revenue wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and asked weakly.

"Too expensive?"

A lazy voice came from the back of the main hall.

Su Changqing, wearing his signature little yellow duck apron and carrying a basket of freshly steamed shrimp dumplings, slowly walked out.

"If you think it's too expensive, you don't have to buy it. Just turn right after you go out, there's a place selling steamed buns there, two coins each, all you can eat."

Su Changqing placed the shrimp dumplings on an empty table, then pulled out a chair and sat down, calling out to the kitchen, "Wife, is Nuonuo awake yet? Breakfast is ready, come and eat quickly."

"Here it comes!"

Li Hanyi's clear voice came from the backyard, and then she came out carrying Xiao Nuomi, who was still asleep and rubbing her eyes.

Little Nuomi was still holding the polar snow bear cub named "Dabai" in her arms.

"Daddy, are we having shrimp dumplings today? Nuonuo wants to eat big meat buns!" Little Nuonuo said in a sweet, childish voice.

"Okay, Daddy will make you big meat buns tomorrow. We'll make do with shrimp dumplings for today." Su Changqing pinched his daughter's cheek affectionately.

The family of three (plus a bear) were happily eating breakfast, completely ignoring the wealthy and powerful people in the main hall who were eager to spend their money.

Marquis Pingnan and the others looked at each other, unsure whether to leave or stay, and stood there awkwardly.

"What are you still standing there for?"

Xiao Se stopped using the abacus, looked up at them, and said, "Are you going to buy or not? If not, don't hold up the people behind you."

"Buy it! I'll buy it!"

Marquis Pingnan suddenly came to his senses, fearing that the only bowl of "Nine-Turn Resurrection Soup" would be snatched away by someone else, so he quickly took out a thick stack of silver notes from his pocket and handed them to Xiao Se with both hands.

"Mr. Xiao... Mr. Xiao, here's a silver note worth one million taels of gold. I want to buy that bowl of soup!"

Xiao Se took the silver note, skillfully checked its authenticity, and then nodded.

"Money and goods settled. Lei Wujie, serve the soup."

"Coming right up!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a red afterimage flashed across the hall.

Lei Wujie held a delicate jade bowl and stopped steadily in front of Marquis Pingnan.

The bowl contained half a bowl of soup that shone with a dazzling golden light and smelled wonderfully fragrant.

"Old Marquis, please enjoy your soup," Lei Wujie said with a grin.

Marquis Pingnan took the jade bowl with trembling hands, and his eyes reddened as he looked at the golden liquid inside.

One million taels of gold! That was most of his life savings!

But without the slightest hesitation, he tilted his head back and drank the half bowl of soup in one gulp!

"boom!"

The moment the soup entered his stomach, Marquis Pingnan felt a huge and warm life force explode within his body!

His originally depleted meridians and weakened blood and qi began to recover at a visible speed under the flush of this vitality!

Miraculously, a few black strands sprouted from his full head of white hair; and his hunched back slowly straightened.

"I...I feel like I've come back to life!"

Marquis Pingnan was so moved that tears streamed down his face. "Thank you so much, Mr. Su! Thank you so much, Boss Xiao!"

He felt the power surging within him again. Although he did not break through to a higher realm like Xiao Lingchen, he could feel that his lifespan had been extended by at least thirty years!

Thirty years!

For an old man who is nearing the end of his life, these thirty years are more precious than anything else!

Seeing the Marquis of Pingnan's remarkable change, the remaining few people's eyes turned red.

"Boss Xiao! I want a plate of Enlightenment Sword Bamboo Shoots! Here's fifty thousand taels!"

"I want the 'Heartbreak Rice'! Here's 100,000 taels, give me ten bowls!"

"I want stir-fried vegetables! I want plain water!"

The frenzy of buying has begun.

It was only a quarter of an hour.

The first five guests brought into Changqinglou not only swept up all the limited dishes for the day, but even the "heart-protecting and stomach-nourishing plain water" worth 500 taels of gold was snatched up!

Looking at the mountain of gold notes on the table.

Xiao Se took a deep breath, feeling his heart racing.

Although he was a prince and had seen countless treasures, the speed at which he made money and the thrill of exploiting the powerful and wealthy were simply too intoxicating.

"What you say is right, sir. What's more interesting than running a shady inn?" Xiao Se thought to himself.

In the backyard.

Su Changqing was feeding Xiao Nuomi shrimp dumplings while listening to the commotion inside the main hall.

"Changqing, isn't this... a bit too much of a rip-off?" Li Hanyi asked uneasily, listening to the astronomical sums of transactions outside.

"Black? Honey, do you have some misunderstanding about prices in this world?"

Su Changqing smiled dismissively.

"I use the finest ingredients, no cheating whatsoever. They're paying for their lives, for their future, so what's wrong with me taking a little extra money for my service?"

"Besides, this money would just sit in their hands and go to waste, or they'd use it for all sorts of dirty schemes and conspiracies. I'm helping them spend it, using it to build schools, roads, and bridges. That's called robbing the rich to help the poor, and doing justice on behalf of Heaven."

Su Changqing said this confidently, and then stuffed another shrimp dumpling into his mouth.

"Hmm, the shrimp dumplings taste pretty good today. Honey, what would you like to eat tomorrow? I'll make them for you."

Looking at this man who seamlessly switched between being a "peerless master" and a "ruthless businessman," yet was always gentle and considerate towards her and her daughter, Li Hanyi shook her head helplessly, but a happy smile appeared on her lips.

"Whatever you say, I'll like anything you make."

....................................

The morning rush hour at Changqinglou ended amidst a frenzy of money being thrown around.

All the limited-edition dishes were sold out in less than half an hour.

Those wealthy and powerful people who failed to buy anything could only stand outside the door, kicking themselves and watching those who walked out, full of food and drink and radiant with health, secretly vowing to come early and queue up the next day.

And Changqinglou's turnover today...

Xiao Se looked at the long string of zeros on the ledger and rubbed his sore eyes.

"gentlemen."

Xiao Se walked to the backyard and handed the account book to Su Changqing. "The income this morning, plus the proceeds from yesterday's auction, totals... 2.35 million taels of gold."

"Hmm, it's alright."

Su Changqing casually flipped through the account book, showing no particular surprise.

"Deduct your debts first. Take the remaining 1.5 million taels to the national treasury and give it to Xiao Chong. Tell him that this is the 'start-up fund for compulsory education' that I promised him. Tell him to build the school for me as soon as possible. If he dares to embezzle even a tael of silver, I will personally go to the palace to have a heart-to-heart talk with him."

"Yes, sir," Xiao Se replied respectfully.

He knew that although Su Changqing appeared greedy on the surface, he was actually changing the world in his own way.

"Oh, right."

Su Changqing seemed to remember something and called out to Xiao Se, who was about to leave.

"Get ready tonight."

"Prepare what?" Xiao Se asked, puzzled.

Su Changqing looked at the sky, a deep light flashing in his eyes.

"Prepare to welcome...the real guests."

"Those 'insects' that have been hiding in the void, sucking the blood of this world for so many years, are probably about to lose their temper."