Chapter 222: The 8 Immortals Society

When Manager Liu saw the Treasure Basin, he was no longer embarrassed. He felt like he must have come to the wrong place. Was this the birthday banquet of some noble family, or a wedding?

The grand opening gifts were all so extravagant. He’d been a Shopkeeper in Ping’an City for twenty years and had never seen anything like it.

Sister Dan jabbed Young Master Zhou beside her with her elbow. "This Miss Gu is really something else. Didn’t you say her family just arrived here as refugees? How did she get to know all these rich and powerful people?"

Young Master Zhou didn’t understand either. The first time he met Gu Fei, she had been dressed just like a country girl. How had she suddenly made it big?

Old Huang stood off to the side, watching from a distance. He was neatly dressed today in clean clothes, his usually messy, salt-and-pepper hair combed straight. He glanced at the Treasure Basin, then looked over at Stone, a faint smile playing on his lips.

At that moment, two beggars dressed in patchwork robes approached.

One held a broken bowl, while the other carried a pot of gorgeous begonias.

The two of them stood at the entrance, and the one with the broken bowl yelled, "The Eight Immortals Association congratulates Youjian Inn on its grand opening!"

Gu Fei froze. ’I... I have connections with beggars?’

’How did I not know about this?’

Seeing her stunned, Sister Dan quickly pulled her aside and whispered, "The Eight Immortals Association is the beggars’ guild here in Ping’an City. They attend every wedding and funeral in town."

"They brought you a gift, so you’re expected to give something in return. If you don’t, they’ll come and cause trouble in your inn every single day."

Gu Fei glanced at the pot of begonias the beggar was holding and took a breath. "So, what’s an appropriate amount to give back?"

Sister Dan held up one finger. "One tael of silver."

"And after this, someone will come by to collect money every month. All the merchants on this street give two hundred coins a month. Once you pay, the beggars won’t set foot in your inn."

Gu Fei nodded. ’I get it,’ she thought. ’It’s a protection racket.’

’It’s not even a proper protection racket. They don’t protect you; they just guarantee they won’t cause trouble themselves.’

’As long as I want to stay in business, I have to pay. There’s no choice.’

’Otherwise, if beggars start coming into the inn, it’ll be impossible to do business.’

She pulled a small piece of broken silver from her robes, walked over to the beggar with the broken bowl, and dropped the silver inside. She gave a slight bow and smiled. "Many thanks to my brothers from the Eight Immortals Association for coming to support us."

Seeing the silver in his bowl, the beggar grinned and waved his hand. The other beggar set down the pot of begonias, and the two of them left with a final clasped-fist salute.

Just then, Gu Zhang called out, "Little Fei, it’s the auspicious hour!"

Sanlang quickly lit a string of firecrackers. Gu Fei took a deep breath, walked over to the space beneath the sign, and pulled the red cord. The red silk cloth covering it fluttered to the ground.

Revealing the sign’s four glittering, golden characters: "Youjian Inn."

A chorus of congratulations rose from the crowd. The inn was officially open.

Young Master Zhou stared at the sign for a long moment before clapping his hands and laughing. "What a great name."

"It seems a bit common at first glance, but there’s an elegance in its simplicity. And the best part is, it’s so easy to remember!"

An easy-to-remember name meant it would spread quickly by word of mouth.

Gu Fei’s smile widened. ’The name is basically stolen,’ she thought. ’It’s from a classic by a certain ’King of Comedy.’ I guess using it can be considered a tribute to the master.’

Beside her, Sister Dan smiled, pursing her lips. ’Just from the name alone,’ she thought, ’this Little Fei must be an interesting character.’

Gu Zhang beckoned the guests inside. As everyone entered, they saw the inn was filled with all kinds of green plants. Some stood taller than a man, while others were small and exquisite. All of them were planted in white porcelain pots. The combination of white and green was refreshing and vibrant.