The commotion from the approaching group was quite loud, and with Wei Yu dressed so obviously like someone of high status, the old woman became a little timid upon seeing them.

She stood nervously behind her stall, fumbling as she explained, “Th-this is a snack made from tofu, young master. Would you like to buy some?”

As she spoke, the old woman lifted the lid off the bucket.

A strong, pungent smell wafted out.

Wei Yu’s eyes lit up.

Mmm—yes, yes, this is exactly it…

“Ugh—!”

A sudden retching noise came from nearby.

Wei Yu paused and turned his head to look.

Well, well—Xiao Anzi was pinching his nose, looking like he was about to faint.

Wei Yu shook his head.

So lacking in composure. Couldn’t he learn from the guards nearby, who were keeping a straight face?

“Young Master, this smells awful! It might be poisonous! Let’s just go, please!”

Wei Yu gave him a disapproving glance.

Truly doesn’t know how to appreciate things—high-end cuisine is often humble and unassuming, okay?

Hearing Xiao Anzi’s words, the old woman quickly waved her hands in fright, “N-no, don’t worry, young master! There’s no poison in it. It’s perfectly safe to eat. I wouldn’t dare to harm anyone!”

Wei Yu quickly reassured her, “I understand. Don’t worry. My servant is just overly concerned for me. He means no harm.”

Not wanting to cause further misunderstanding, Wei Yu didn’t ask anything more and simply ordered ten pieces of tofu.

The tofu was soaking in murky black brine and didn’t look very appealing. The old woman simply scooped out ten pieces with a ladle and handed them over to Wei Yu.

Xiao Anzi paid with his eyes shut tight.

Although the tofu didn’t quite look like what Wei Yu remembered, the taste… was actually pretty good.

“Mmm, not bad at all. This flavor’s excellent!”

Wei Yu thought it was great and tried to recommend it to the guards as well.

The group of guards all silently shook their heads in unison, so uniformly it looked rehearsed.

“You guys just don’t know how to appreciate good food!”

Wei Yu shook his head, picked up a piece of stinky tofu, and popped it into his mouth.

Then—

“Ninth Brother! What are you eating?!”

A shocked voice called out from behind. Wei Yu, startled and mid-bite, turned around and saw his Eighth Brother looking at him in disbelief.

Wei Yu held up what was in his hand. “Stinky tofu. It’s delicious. Want to try some, Eighth Brother?”

The Eighth Prince had come down from his carriage because of the foul stench.

When the carriage first stopped, he didn’t think much of it and continued reading. But the smell outside grew stronger—so bad it could rival a cesspit!

He couldn’t bear it, so he got out and followed the stench, only to see his beloved Ninth Brother eating some pitch-black thing.

Pitch black!

It didn’t look like real food at all, especially with Xiao Anzi gagging beside him.

Could his Ninth Brother possibly be eating poop?!

“What do you mean, stinky tofu? This smell is insane. Aren’t you afraid of getting sick from it?”

The Eighth Prince leaned closer for a look, then turned away in disgust. “Forget it, I’m not risking it. Enjoy your ‘delicacy’ yourself.”

Fine, more for him.

Wei Yu genuinely thought the stinky tofu was well-made, so he had the whole bucket bought along with the tofu.

Carrying a bowl of stinky tofu, Wei Yu figured since they were already off the carriage, they might as well walk around and explore.

Wei Yu said, “Facai, go find an inn and settle the group. Eighth Prince and I will take a stroll through the city.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Most of the group left with Ding Facai, leaving only a dozen guards behind.

On the street, a group of over ten people walked ahead, and wherever they went, passersby covered their noses and stepped aside.

At the front of the group, Wei Yu walked expressionlessly, carrying his stinky tofu.

Behind him, the embarrassed Eighth Prince had pulled out his fan to cover his face, marveling at the thickness of his Ninth Brother’s skin.

How could his Ninth Brother eat “poop” so publicly?

Could he really not see the strange looks people were giving him?

Wei Yu, with nerves of steel, thought: This tofu is really good, and walking with stinky tofu in hand definitely clears the way.

As they walked, a commotion suddenly erupted in the crowd ahead.

“Thief!”

A sudden shout rang out, startling everyone. Then, a small, thin figure in gray burst out from the front.

That figure ran straight toward Wei Yu.

“Young Master, look out!”

Things changed in an instant—Fang Sheng immediately pulled Wei Yu aside.

“Ah—ah—my soup!”

Wei Yu wasn’t worried about his safety; he only lamented the stinky tofu broth he had in hand.

Unfortunately, though Fang Sheng saved him, the wooden bowl slipped from his grip and flew straight out.

Wei Yu watched helplessly as the bowl landed squarely on the little thief.

“Damn it—ugh! Who—ugh—who’s the bastard who dumped sewage on me?!”

Wei Yu: …

Thanks to the accident, the little thief, now covered—not in sewage, no, in brine—was quickly caught by the guards.

Even after being captured, the thief remained aggressive, cursing as he gagged under a head full of brine.

“Who was it?! Who the hell dumped that crap on me?! Come out if you’ve got the guts! Ugh—don’t just hide like a coward, you bastard!”

The Eighth Prince quietly came over. “He’s talking about you, our righteous ‘sewage-throwing hero.’”

The “hero” said nothing.

While the thief was still cursing, the person who had shouted “thief” earlier finally arrived.

It was a chubby young lord, flanked by two equally plump servants, all three panting heavily as they reached the scene.

The young lord placed his hands on his hips, caught his breath, then glanced at the thief and surveyed the scene before clasping his fists in gratitude toward Wei Yu and the Eighth Prince.

“Th-thank you both for your righteous help. I am Deng Guang. Thank you for catching this thief for me.”

Help? More like accidentally dumped a bowl of… ahem, brine… on him.

Wei Yu smiled. “You’re too kind, Brother Deng. It was just a coincidence.”

He then had the guards hand the thief over.

Deng Guang’s attendants seized the thief. Once Deng Guang had caught his breath, he wanted to express his thanks and invited them to visit his home.

Wei Yu and the Eighth Prince exchanged a glance and said nothing.

Deng Guang said, “You two don’t look like locals. As it happens, my home is nearby. Why not stop by and let me show my gratitude?”

Wei Yu didn’t mind. As long as he didn’t have to work, he could go anywhere.

The Eighth Prince considered it and thought it was a good idea.

After all, Deng Guang looked like a wealthy local, and since they knew nothing about Pingnan City, this could be a good opportunity to learn more.