Dual Transmigration: American Prison, Surviving to a Fantasy Development Stage

"This way, young master."

Led by the maid, Lin Feng and Xue Yao passed through the front hall and arrived at the back of the inn.

This place is indeed a hidden paradise, with several independent courtyards scattered among bamboo groves and strange rocks, creating a tranquil environment that seems like a completely different world from the hustle and bustle of the main street.

Upon entering the Tianzi Courtyard, one sees three main rooms, elegantly furnished, with side rooms and a small hall. Several stalks of green bamboo sway gently in the wind at the corner of the courtyard, rustling softly. It is indeed a good place to rest.

After days of bumpy travel, Xueyao was already at her limit, but she was just barely holding on.

Lin Feng instructed Xiao Cui and Xiao Lian, who were standing at attention, "Prepare a large bathtub and plenty of hot water. We need to wash up first."

"Yes, young master, I will prepare it right away. Please wait a moment."

The two maids worked quickly and immediately arranged for someone to prepare a bath.

Ten minutes later, Xiao Cui and Xiao Lian worked together to carry the huge bathtub into the room. Steam rose from the tub, and flower petals with a delicate fragrance floated on the surface.

Seeing this, Lin Feng was somewhat surprised; the wooden bucket, filled with water, was extremely heavy.

Unexpectedly, Xiao Cui and Xiao Lian were actually skilled in martial arts.

Xiao Cui and Xiao Lian rolled up their sleeves, preparing to help Lin Feng change and take a bath, but Xue Yao beat them to it, her cheeks slightly flushed, and gently pushed them out, closing the door behind her.

"I'll take care of things here, young master. You all wait outside."

A misty vapor spread out, making the room warm and cozy.

After several days of bumpy carriage rides and getting covered in dust, Lin Feng now lay comfortably in the perfectly warm water.

Xueyao blushed as she carefully washed him, the water rippling gently with her movements.

After washing up, the water in the bathtub was already messy, splashing a lot onto the floor tiles and leaving many water stains.

Lin Feng was also a little tired. He put his arm around Xue Yao, who was also soft and sleepy after her bath, and they lay down on the bed.

The two embraced and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Hearing that there was no more movement inside, Xiao Cui and Xiao Lian, who were guarding outside the door, exchanged glances and carefully pushed the door open a crack, then stepped inside.

They moved nimbly and skillfully, cleaning the interior with practiced ease.

The combined force of the heavy bathtub was used to lift it out.

She carefully collected the clothes that Lin Feng and Xue Yao had changed out of and took them to be washed.

Once everything was tidied up and the door was closed again, only tranquility remained inside and out.

When I woke up, it was already the next morning.

Lin Feng opened his eyes and felt refreshed, all the fatigue of the past few days gone.

Hearing the commotion, Xiao Cui and Xiao Lian, who were waiting outside, immediately brought in warm water, a cloth, and freshly ironed clothes, and obediently helped Lin Feng get up to change.

Xiao Cui asked softly, "Young master, breakfast has been prepared as instructed, consisting of several light and delicious porridge and side dishes. Would you like to eat now, or wait a moment?"

"Okay, bring it in. Also, bring Xueyao's portion in, so she can sleep a little longer."

Lin Feng stretched his limbs and gave the instructions.

"Yes, young master."

The two men acknowledged and withdrew, and soon brought a sumptuous breakfast into the room on a tray.

Lin Feng nodded in satisfaction. He had to admit that Xiao Cui and Xiao Lian were incredibly attentive to his needs.

The maids trained at this restaurant are really useful.

After finishing his meal, Lin Feng strolled alone to the front hall of the inn.

The lobby of Mingyue Inn is extremely spacious, divided into two floors. The ground floor is a large lobby with casual seating, while the second floor has many private rooms. It is a large hotel that integrates dining and accommodation.

Although it was only noon, the hall was already quite full of people, mostly wandering swordsmen carrying knives and swords, looking travel-worn and creating a lively atmosphere.

Lin Feng went straight up to the second floor and chose a seat near the railing with a wide view, overlooking the lobby.

He ordered a pot of fine tea and a plate of the inn's signature amber peach kernels.

Sipping tea slowly and peeling dried fruit, while subtly listening to the surrounding conversations.

As expected, most people's discussions revolved around the upcoming prefectural military examination.

"If you ask me, there's probably no doubt that Huayang Prefecture will take first place this year."

A burly man with a thick beard at the next table took a swig of wine and said in a gruff voice.

"That's right," the tall, thin guy at the table chimed in, "The prefect's eldest son, Wu Changning, is the undisputed number one among the younger generation in our Huayang Prefecture."

A true martial arts genius.

I heard that he didn't participate in the previous two martial arts examinations because he wanted to focus on cultivation and break through to the Innate Realm in one fell swoop.

He's exactly twenty-eight years old this year, and his participation as a master of innate cultivation clearly indicates his aim for the top ten in the "First Class" and a direct qualification for the imperial examination in the capital.

"A master of innate level?" Another person clicked his tongue in amazement. "Goodness, a master of innate level at the age of twenty-eight, let alone Huayang Prefecture, he would be considered a top figure in the entire Liangzhou region, right?"

"Being the top scorer in the prefectural examination is a piece of cake for him, isn't it?"

"It's more than just a piece of cake," the bearded man said in a low voice, with a hint of mystery. "I heard that the prefect spared no expense for this martial arts examination. The prize for first place is a 'Marrow Cleansing Pill'."

"Marrow Cleansing Pill?" People at the surrounding tables gasped in surprise.

"Really? That's a precious medicine that can cleanse the marrow, solidify the foundation, and even enhance one's aptitude."

Usually, only military generals who have made great contributions and those core disciples of top sects have the opportunity to receive such rewards from the imperial court.

"How could the prefect be willing to take out such precious elixirs for a mere top scorer in the prefectural examination, who only holds the title of 'Martial Scholar'?" someone questioned.

The tall, thin man scoffed, "You're so stupid, it's obvious that this top spot was prepared for Young Master Wu."

The other participants were merely there to accompany the prince in his studies, going through the motions.

The Marrow Cleansing Pill was made using special resources allocated by the imperial court to local areas for training military personnel.

If the position of prefect is given directly to the son, it will inevitably be accused of "using public resources for private gain" and "abusing government resources".

But if his son were to win the top prize in the military examination and "select" outstanding talents for the court.

"If this elixir is bestowed as a reward, then it is perfectly legitimate, and no one can find fault with it."

"I see," everyone exclaimed in realization, sighing with admiration. "In this way, we not only silenced the critics but also secured the real benefits."

Therefore, Wu Changning is determined to win this martial arts examination.

In our Huayang Prefecture, he is the only young master of the Innate Realm.

"This first place is definitely his."

"Truly enviable... Such a young innate talent, his future is limitless..."

Listening to the confident discussions around him, Lin Feng stroked the warm teacup.

"Wu Changning is a master of the Innate Realm? Interesting."

I originally thought the prefectural examination was just a formality, but I didn't expect to run into such a pre-selected opponent, which made this military examination more interesting.

Besides the martial arts examination, Lin Feng also noticed that only a few tables of people were whispering about the news of the White Jade Token.

However, they didn't know the whereabouts of the White Jade Token and were only guessing.

The content was vague, indicating that the matter had lost its initial fervor, but it was still circulating within a small circle. Lin Feng's heart stirred slightly; if he were to release information about the White Jade Token now, it might still stir up some trouble.

But he wasn't in a hurry and decided to observe first to see how deep Huayang Prefecture was before making a decision.

After noon, Lin Feng saw that Xue Yao had rested enough, so he took her out for a stroll to enjoy the sights and culture of Huayang Prefecture.

Xiao Cui and Xiao Lian, as her personal maids, naturally followed closely behind, and soon their hands were full of newly purchased items.

The streets of Huayang Prefecture were several times more prosperous than those of Yongguan County, with shops lining the streets and a dazzling array of goods.

Xueyao was quite interested in those cosmetic shops, but Lin Feng took a look and felt that these traditionally made cosmetics were just average in terms of color, lasting power, and fineness.

They are far less effective than cosmetics from the urban world.

She only glanced at them briefly and didn't buy anything, but she planned to bring back a few sets of good cosmetics for Xueyao next time she went back.

Lin Feng particularly liked the finely crafted, lustrous mink coats and fur capes, and bought four sets, two for himself and two for Xue Yao.

The price wasn't cheap either; it cost 100 taels.

Xueyao was already exceptionally beautiful with a slender figure. Wearing these luxurious clothes made her skin look even whiter than snow, her eyebrows and eyes even more exquisite, adding to her elegant demeanor.

Lin Feng was very satisfied with what he saw.

Lin Feng stopped as he passed a jade stall.

The stall displayed a lot of uncarved jade materials and simple jade ornaments, priced at a few dozen taels of silver.

Lin Feng picked up a few pieces of white jade and examined them closely. He found that their texture was warm and delicate, and their whiteness was quite good, almost identical to the high-quality mutton fat white jade in his memory.