Sun Fuling shook her head and smiled lightly. “It’s part of my duties.”

The orange firelight reflected across her face, gilding her with a layer of warmth and making her look truly like a fresh, lovely girl from next door.

In fact, she was seated sideways toward He Lingchuan, only letting him see the unmarked half of her face.

Of course, the fool did not notice that little trick at all.

She took out a pork sausage and set it over the fire to roast.

This was the signature dish of the tavern down the mountain. The tavern’s name was, quite literally, “Down the Mountain.” The sausage was made from fragrant pork in a three-to-seven ratio of fat to lean meat, mixed with a little starch and pear wine. Not only did it smell irresistible when roasted, but it also tasted springy, rich, and mellow, with a refreshing hint of fruit.

“What...