Because of Wang Jun’s reckless remarks, everyone had fallen somewhat silent for the latter half of the journey.

Fortunately, the silent atmosphere didn’t last long, because the walls of the Prefecture capital were now visible in the distance.

De’an and Huang Chen couldn’t sit still. The two of them were the first to clamber out of the carriage, standing on the shafts to gaze into the distance.

The walls of Xinghuai Prefecture were high and thick. Even from afar, their towering grandeur was apparent, filling one with a sense of awe.

This ancient city was a strategic point coveted by military powers. Throughout history, if there hadn’t been a thousand wars fought here, there had at least been hundreds.

It seemed one could almost smell the stench of blood on the walls even from this distance.

But the simple, massive walls had withstood attack after attack. Weathered by wind and rain, and tempered by the passage of time, they stood to this day—still magnificent, like a fortress of bronze and iron, impregnable.

They drew closer and closer to the city walls, until they were right at their base.

Only upon arriving here did they realize the walls were far more magnificent than they had imagined.

The high walls, the deep trenches, the heavily guarded moat, the stern-faced soldiers standing watch with bayonets on the ramparts, and the approach that was a good hundred paces wide—all of it made the entire city seem utterly impenetrable.

Many carriages and commoners were lined up at the city gate, all waiting to enter.

Zhao Jing and the others dismounted from their carriage and personally handed their documents and travel permits to the city guards for inspection. Only after the guards confirmed that the documents and permits matched the individuals were they allowed to pass.

Although the search upon entry was strict, there were many guards, and they worked quickly and efficiently. As a result, the group wasn’t delayed at the gate for long.

Once they were all inside the city, it was time to part ways.

Ding Shutian, coming from a poor family, had already decided to stay with the Wang Family. Chu Xun, who was not short on money, planned to rent a private courtyard for himself.

As for the other three—Zhao Jing, De’an, and Huang Chen—they planned to rent a small courtyard together.

Wang Jun, not giving up, tried to persuade them again. "You can stay at my home, too. We have plenty of room. Don’t worry about disturbing us; we have friends and relatives coming to stay all the time. Our house is close to the examination hall, and I can even have my father look over your essays..."

The three of them, led by Zhao Jing, bowed with their hands clasped. "Thank you again, Brother Wang. If we ever find ourselves with no other choice, we will certainly impose upon you shamelessly. But for now, we still have the means, so please allow us to enjoy a bit of freedom on our own for a while."

Hearing this, Wang Jun and Wang Xiao couldn’t help but laugh freely. "Fine, fine. Since you’re worried it’ll be inconvenient at our place, we won’t insist. However, my brother and I already sent a letter to our mother asking her to help find a few suitable courtyards. You should get some rest at an inn first, and I’ll send a servant to find you tomorrow."

Zhao Jing’s group thanked them once more, then followed Wang Jun’s directions to an establishment called "Wangyue Inn."

The inn’s location wasn’t considered prime, but when they arrived, it was nearly full.

The Shopkeeper said that all that remained were "one superior room, two mid-tier rooms, three standard rooms, and five beds in the large common room."

Seeing that they were all well-dressed scholars who had arrived in the Prefecture capital at this time of year, he figured they must be the young masters, the student candidates from the various counties below.

Although being a candidate wasn’t an official title, if they could pass the exam to become a Scholar, they would have a recognized rank. They couldn’t be underestimated.

Besides, the way to do business was to greet guests with a smile and see them off with a smile; there was no sense in being rude to customers.

The Shopkeeper wore a friendly, faint smile. He flattered the group a little before finally asking, "Will you be wanting the superior rooms or the standard ones, and how many?"

Chu Xun, not lacking for money, naturally took the only superior room available. Zhao Jing’s trio booked two standard rooms and asked for an extra quilt.

Huang Chen would certainly have a room to himself. Though he was plain-faced, his family was not poor. Their old braised meat shop had been open for a hundred years. The family was unassuming, but they were definitely not short on real silver. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

It was just that while traveling, he didn’t dare to show off his wealth, so he settled for a standard room.

They each went to get settled. By the time they were done, it was getting late, so the group ordered a proper meal.

After several days of eating post-station food and gnawing on dry rations, they all found the food at Wangyue Inn to be genuinely good.

It couldn’t compare to the grand restaurants famous for their cuisine, but to have this level of quality was still a pleasant surprise for the four of them.

After filling their bellies, the four of them returned to their rooms, changed their clothes, and prepared to go out for a stroll.

The Prefecture capital truly lived up to its name. The lanterns were just being lit, and the moment they stepped out of Wangyue Inn’s main gate, they saw the entire street awash in a brilliant, flowing light, as if they had arrived on a street in the heavens.

Occasionally, a husband and wife in simple cloth attire would walk past, laughing with their son and daughter. Or a group of men would stroll by with their arms slung over each other’s shoulders, on their way to drink. Their clothes might not have been expensive, but their faces were full of smiles and contentment.