Peerless Taoist

Lu Yu and Li Si were strolling along the streets.    

They were all dressed in ordinary scholar clothing. Coupled with their youthful appearances, they looked exactly the same as the students who had come to the Imperial Capital to study. There was not much difference between them.    

No one would have thought that the emperor and the Grand Secretary would appear in this place in their White Dragonfish Robes.    

Although Lu Yu and Li Si were famous, very few people saw their true appearances. In addition, the two of them were strong and did not need the protection of their followers. Thus, walking in the crowd would not attract the attention of others.    

It was midnight, but there were stalls on both sides of the street. The candles reflected by the lanterns dispersed the darkness. The sounds of peddlers and laughter mixed in the entire street, making it seem especially lively.    

"Since His Majesty abolished the curfew and allowed the merchants to travel between the shops, the business environment of the entire Imperial Capital has greatly improved, and there are more fireworks at night."    

Li Si looked at the lights at night and could not help but feel mixed emotions.    

If it was in the past, it would have been curfew long ago. How could there be such a lively scene?    

Li Si did not expect Lu Yu to be so meticulous. He actually canceled the curfew and opened up the night market at the same time.    

The lively night market shuttled between the streets, causing the night sky to become a little warmer.    

Lu Yu looked back and forth, looking even more carefully.    

As the two of them spoke, Lu Yu came to a stall and stopped.    

The stall made rice cakes that were steaming hot. The glutinous rice was cut into powder and thrown into a container. It was slowly steamed and then dipped in bean paste. The fragrance assailed the nostrils, making one's index finger move.    

"Old man, how much is the rice cake?" Lu Yu said with a smile.    

The seller of the rice cake was an old man. He looked quite old. His skin was dark and his face was full of vicissitudes of life. However, his hands were very clean. When he heard Lu Yu's question, he habitually wiped his hands with a towel.    

"Twenty spirit stone pieces."    

When the old man saw someone coming, a simple and honest smile immediately appeared on his face.    

Li Si frowned. "I'm afraid this is a little expensive. This rice cake, I remember that it was only five spirit stones per piece a few years ago."    

The old man hurriedly nodded his head and said with a silly smile, "Little brothers, there's something you don't know. Recently, the prices of goods have soared. It's difficult for rice cakes like mine to buy raw materials. Even the steamed buns rose to 30 spirit stone. It's just that recently, the Imperial Court dealt a blow to a few large grain merchants, causing the price of food to fall back. However, the raw materials are still quite expensive. This is already the price after the fall."    

Lu Yu thought about it and nodded. "I'll have to trouble the old man to give me two pieces."    

"Alright. From the looks of it, the two of you are students from the nearby Jade Cauldron Institution?" The old man's hands and feet were nimble as he swiftly took out rice cakes from the container and dipped them into the bean paste.    

Lu Yu asked curiously, "Jade Cauldron Institution?"    

Li Si, who was beside him, said, "There are too many people who want to join Jade Cauldron Institution now. The Institution has been expanded and opened a branch in Imperial Capital. It's nearby."    

Lu Yu nodded. This was within his expectations.    

The emperor was born in the Jade Cauldron Academy. That day, Lu Yu gave a lecture in the academy and made thirty thousand students the electors. It had already made the Jade Cauldron Academy's prosperity a certainty.    

The current Jade Cauldron Academy was already showing signs of surpassing the National Inspection Court.    

Lu Yu did not answer the elder's question. He smiled faintly and said, "We are indeed students of the Jade Cauldron Academy."    

"I knew it. Looking at your young age, you must be young and promising talents."    

The old man smiled as he swiftly placed the rice cake in the lotus leaf with both hands. Then, he handed it to Lu Yu.