For the wealthy and influential in Luoyang, being able to drink at Drunken Immortal Pavilion was a luxurious affair.
Even Cao Cao hadn't been there many times, and each visit left him yearning for more.
He found the exquisite food and wine irresistible, and the beautiful women inside were a feast for his eyes.
After delegating his official duties to his subordinates, he boarded Yuan Shu's carriage, heading together to Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
"Gentlemen, please come inside!" The waiter at Drunken Immortal Pavilion brightened upon seeing Yuan Shu's lavish carriage.
Such a luxurious carriage surely belonged to an esteemed guest—a big spender!
Given Yuan Shu's vanity, his carriage was undoubtedly among the finest in Han China.
It was akin to how some wealthy, ostentatious heirs of the modern era loved to flaunt luxury sports cars.
The two were warmly welcomed into the pavilion by the enthusiastic waiter, with Yuan Shu's steward, Yuan An, following closely behind to attend to them.
As they ascended the stairs, the waiter shouted from behind:
"Private room upstairs for the gentlemen!
They are distinguished guests! Serve them well!"
Drunken Immortal Pavilion's décor was the epitome of extravagance, even surprising Yuan Shu, who had seen grand settings in his previous life.
The first floor featured floors of green bricks and walls inlaid with white jade.
The second floor opened up to reveal pavilions, towers, small bridges, and flowing water, with outdoor-style structures ingeniously moved indoors.
Such engineering feats in the late Han Dynasty's Three Kingdoms era were nothing short of extraordinary.
In front of the pavilions and towers was a spacious stage, where performances of song and dance regularly entertained diners.
A waiter promptly escorted Yuan Shu and Cao Cao to a private room upstairs.
The room was perfectly situated, offering an unobstructed view of the stage below for any performances.
Settling into the room and admiring the fine furnishings and elegant design, Yuan Shu was very pleased and remarked:
"Not bad, Yuan An?"
Yuan An, standing nearby, quickly bowed and replied, "At your service."
"Reward," Yuan Shu uttered a single word.
Yuan An asked, "How much, my lord?"
"One thousand coins!"
Following Yuan Shu's order, Yuan An handed over one thousand coins to the waiter who had served them.
The waiter was overjoyed and bowed deeply to Yuan Shu:
"Thank you, my lord, for your generosity!"
At that time, a thousand coins held a purchasing power equivalent to about one thousand RMB in later eras.
While Drunken Immortal Pavilion's waitstaff earned decent wages, a tip of one thousand coins would typically require several days of hard work.
Watching Yuan Shu's behavior, Cao Cao thought to himself: if you're looking for an example of a prodigal son, look no further than this man.
While it was customary for aristocratic young masters to tip their servants, this one's tipping was excessive.
Yuan Shu then turned to Cao Cao and smiled:
"Mengde, when you're out with me, don't hold back. Order whatever you want—money is no object!"
As Yuan Shu spoke, he exuded the unmistakable aura of a rich, ostentatious tycoon.
Cao Cao nodded and told the waiter:
"Bring your signature whole lamb feast, a dish of Jade Green Yellow River Carp, and the Galloping Horse and Flying Swallow dish.
Also, serve the Rare Delicacy Jade Plate.
Finally, fetch a bottle of your famed Immortal Drunk wine. That will be all."
This time, Cao Cao made a bold move, ordering the most expensive items on the menu.
Especially the Immortal Drunk wine—it was the pavilion's most famous liquor, with a single bottle costing ten thousand coins.
A meal like this couldn't possibly cost less than thirty to fifty thousand coins.
The waiter jotted down their orders and was about to leave when Yuan Shu suddenly spoke:
"Wait a moment."
Cao Cao smirked internally: Feeling the pinch already?
Where's all that bravado from earlier?
With dishes costing tens of thousands of coins, it's only natural to feel distressed—anyone would.
However, if you cancel the dishes today, your reputation will be utterly ruined.
Tomorrow, I, Cao, will make sure that every nobleman in Luoyang knows the dignified heir of the Yuan family can't even afford a meal.
Just as Cao Cao was waiting to see Yuan Shu embarrassed, Yuan Shu spoke up:
"Just a few dishes? That's not enough. Hand me the menu!"
The server, seeing Yuan Shu's extravagant demeanor and realizing he was the real decision-maker, handed him the menu.
The server thought the dark-faced gentleman had already ordered the most expensive items, and the two wouldn't be able to finish all that food.
Could this fair-faced gentleman actually intend to order more?
Yuan Shu carefully examined the menu, picking out the cheapest dishes and ordering five or six in one go.
Cao Cao found this strange. Was Yuan Shu trying to save face by adding a few more dishes but was too stingy to order the expensive ones, so he opted for the cheapest items instead?
Not only Cao Cao, but even the server and Yuan An thought the same.
Yuan An believed this behavior perfectly fit his master's character: both stingy and vain.
Yuan Shu asked the server, "Did you write down the dishes I just mentioned?"
The server nodded and said, "Yes, I've noted them down. Should I add these dishes now?"
Yuan Shu shook his head and said, "No, remove the ones I just mentioned. As for the rest, serve us one of everything."
The server was stunned.
He had worked at Zui Xian Lou for a long time but had never seen anyone order like this.
The dishes at Zui Xian Lou were already expensive, and the way Yuan Shu ordered would rack up a bill of tens of thousands!
Besides, there were only two of them—how could they eat so much food?
The server cautiously confirmed, "Are you sure, sir?"
Cao Cao was equally dumbfounded. He had never heard of anyone ordering like this.
To him, Yuan Shu was either insane or had taken squandering to a whole new level.
"Absolutely! Why hesitate? Yuan An, go with him and pay first!" Yuan Shu urged.
The server didn't argue further. Even though Yuan Shu's actions seemed reckless, he was still a paying customer.
Yuan An followed the server out of the private room, while Yuan Shu turned to Cao Cao with a smile and said:
"Brother Mengde, is this meal to your satisfaction?"
What could Cao Cao say? Satisfactory? It was beyond satisfactory!
Cao Mengde came from a prestigious family and wasn't short of money, but he had never ordered dishes like this.
He believed not only himself but even Yuan Shu's father, Yuan Feng, wouldn't have been this extravagant.
Today was truly eye-opening—he had indulged in luxury alongside this spendthrift.
Feeling indebted to Yuan Shu for the treat, Cao Cao praised, "Brother Gonglu, you are truly magnanimous. You live up to your status as the Yuan family heir. I, Cao, am not worthy!"
His words were genuine. Regardless of wealth, Cao Cao could never squander like this.
In that regard, he truly couldn't compare to Yuan Shu.
"Ding! Host has squandered 150,000 coins!
Task completed. You've earned one attribute point and one random draw opportunity!
Would you like to proceed with the draw?"
"Proceed," Yuan Shu murmured softly.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for obtaining one Special Talent Recruitment Card!"
Shortly after Yuan An left with the server, Yuan Shu heard the system's melodious voice.
He knew Yuan An had paid the bill, and the system had recognized the completion of his squandering task, granting him the reward.