Lu Jianwei was so engrossed in her meditation technique that she didn’t snap out of it until the morning light leaped over the windowsill, reflecting off the bronze mirror on the table and casting a blinding glare.
Suddenly, the system came online.
"Congratulations, host, for mastering the meditation technique. Your personal information has been updated. Would you like to view it?"
"View."
Name: Lu Jianwei
...
Level: 0 (65/100) (Probably only capable of catching an old hen)
...
Personal Assets: 600 copper coins (You’re refreshingly poor)
Personal Inventory: One set of beginner’s clothing, one set of seasonal clothing for each season
"System, put the clothes in the wardrobe," Lu Jianwei commanded without a hint of guilt.
The system, knowing it was at fault, complied without complaint.
"Clothes have been placed properly. It’s now 7 a.m. Would you like to start business operations?"
Lu Jianwei glanced at her plaid pajamas and shook her head. "Not yet."
She opened the wardrobe, and a faint scent of sandalwood wafted out.
Sandalwood made for a pretty decent wardrobe.
Inside, five sets of clothes were neatly arranged. Two sets of skirts were folded together, while the other three were presumably for other seasons.
The beginner’s gift package surely included clothes for the current season.
She reached out to take off her pajamas but suddenly thought of something. "You’re not going to watch me, are you?"
"The system respects the host’s privacy."
Only then did Lu Jianwei change her clothes.
The outfit was rather plain—a top and skirt with a right-over-left collar, narrow sleeves, and a sash at the waist, all made of light blue silk.
Her skin was fair and smooth, her neck slender, and her face strikingly beautiful. She had been the school beauty from elementary to university, the kind of person who would be approached by talent scouts on the street. Her figure was also perfectly proportioned.
The clothes weren’t particularly remarkable, but they looked exceptionally elegant on her.
Unfortunately, the small, blurry bronze mirror couldn’t capture the full effect.
If only she had a full-length mirror.
Thinking of the special items in the system store, she asked, "How do I unlock them?"
The system dutifully replied, "By earning the sincere friendship of at least one Level 5 martial artist."
Lu Jianwei: "..."
Yeah, no thanks.
It was now 7:30, and Lu Jianwei’s stomach growled.
Time to eat.
She tied her hair into a ponytail with a ribbon provided by the system, put on a pair of plain cloth shoes, and opened her door.
From the third floor, she had a clear view of the distant landscape.
The area around the inn was desolate, with only a few stubborn trees scattered across the barren land.
The wilderness stretched endlessly under a low-hanging sky.
At least the air was fresh.
As she descended the wooden stairs, she asked, "System, why is this place so barren?"
The system replied, "The land isn’t suitable for farming."
Lu Jianwei understood.
Farming in ancient times was no easy task. If the land wasn’t fertile, crops wouldn’t grow, and it would naturally be left uncultivated.
"Is this inn provided by the system?"
"Yes."
"Won’t people be suspicious if an inn suddenly appears out of nowhere?"
"This area sees very little traffic. Your identity and the inn’s information have already been registered with the local authorities. Even if someone is suspicious, it won’t matter."
Lu Jianwei stopped in her tracks, her eyes widening slightly. "Very little traffic?"
"Correct."
"Then how am I supposed to make money running an inn?!"
The system replied, "This is the optimal solution."
In this remote location, the sudden appearance of an inn wouldn’t draw attention, but it also wouldn’t be completely devoid of guests.
Lu Jianwei felt her vision darken.
The system comforted her, "Fewer people mean more safety."
Lu Jianwei paused. That was true. With her current low level, more people would mean more conflicts, and she might not be able to protect the inn.
Better to lay low for now.
She made her way to the kitchen on the first floor.
The kitchen was much larger than the one in her modern apartment. It had two large stoves, neatly stacked firewood, a spacious countertop, and in the corner were a rice vat and a water vat, along with a jar of flour.
Vegetables and meat were placed on a display rack, and all the necessary utensils and seasonings were available.
Lu Jianwei lifted the lid of the rice vat. It was full, enough to last her three months, but the water vat was empty.
She asked, "How am I supposed to cook without water?"
The system replied, "There’s a well behind the house. You’ll have to draw water yourself."
Lu Jianwei scoffed, "No way. You forced this binding on me, and now you expect me to draw my own water? I’m not doing it."
"You are now the innkeeper and the staff. The inn can pay you a salary, which will be deposited into your personal account as part of your assets."
Lu Jianwei: ???
So I’m hiring myself?
She smirked coldly, "The inn’s ledger is still at zero. Look at this big, round pie you’re dangling in front of me."
The system: "...Guests will bring money."
Lu Jianwei: "How’s the salary calculated?"
"Based on the Qi Dynasty’s wage standards, the average monthly salary for an innkeeper is 600 copper coins, and for a staff member, it’s 300 copper coins."
Lu Jianwei disagreed, "The ledger has no money right now, so there’s no way to pay salaries. Let’s go with a commission system for now. I’ll take 60% of each guest’s payment. How about that?"
The system: "..."
After a pause, it said, "The inn’s defense and attack tools can only be purchased and upgraded using the inn’s funds. If the inn has no money, it will hinder stable operations."
That made sense, but Lu Jianwei didn’t back down.
She said, "In that case, I’ll take 40%, and the inn gets 60%. See how much I’ve compromised? Now, can you fill the water vat for me?"
The system: "...Fine."
The water vat instantly filled with clear, impurity-free water.
Lu Jianwei had won a small victory and hummed a tune as she began kneading dough.
Since she was ten, she had lived alone and had to teach herself to cook. Her culinary skills weren’t exceptional, but making a meal for herself was no trouble.
Too lazy to prepare something elaborate in the morning, she decided on a simple bowl of vegetable and egg noodles.
"System, won’t the vegetables and meat spoil if left out like this?" she asked as she washed a bunch of greens.
The system replied, "These are personal supplies provided by the system. You can store them in your personal inventory, and they won’t spoil. Future purchases will come from the inn’s ledger and can’t be stored in your inventory."
Lu Jianwei’s eyes lit up, "So if I use these personal supplies to serve guests, shouldn’t I be reimbursed based on market prices?"
Labor costs were already covered by the salary.
With the inn’s ledger empty and no way to purchase supplies, and no villages or suppliers within ten miles, if guests did arrive, she’d have to rely on these supplies for now.
The system store didn’t sell such items, so she’d have to buy them from locals.
The system: "..."
"Also," Lu Jianwei added, "if I grow my own vegetables and grains, can I sell them to the inn?"
The system: "..."
"Silence means yes," Lu Jianwei thought to herself, already plotting a few ideas.
If the system was stingy, she’d be even stingier.
"Host, the land within ten miles isn’t suitable for farming," the system reminded her.
Lu Jianwei smiled, "So, if I need to buy supplies, I’ll have to go to the nearest Moonview City?"
"Correct."
"We’ll see," she said, not keen on transporting goods twenty miles herself.
She stored the supplies in her personal inventory, cooked herself a bowl of noodles, enjoyed her meal, washed the dishes, and then strolled around the courtyard.
A 3D map was no substitute for seeing the place in person.
The main building stood on the central axis of the inn, about a hundred meters from the main gate. A stone path led from the main building to the gate, branching off at the fifty-meter mark to the east and west, leading to the guest rooms and stables.
The rest of the courtyard was bare earth, but it was clean and level.
The main building had six doors, with a one-foot-wide corridor outside, leading down three stone steps to the stone path.
Facing the main gate, on the right side, stood a wooden sign with a line of bold characters:
"No fighting allowed within the inn."
Any guest entering the courtyard would see this rule.
Lu Jianwei thought a mere wooden sign wouldn’t deter anyone determined to fight.
Of course, it was too early to worry about that.
The inn’s defense level was only two, and she hadn’t even reached Level 1. If a Level 2 or higher martial artist showed up, no amount of signs would help.
Her top priority was to improve her own strength.
She needed to practice her internal energy and skills.
But skills had to be bought from the system store—sword techniques, spear techniques, whip techniques, and so on, all of which were far beyond her current budget.
In the end, it all came down to making money.
After her stroll, Lu Jianwei returned to her room to continue practicing her meditation technique.
The system took the opportunity to ask, "Would you like to enable business mode?"
"What’s the difference between business mode and non-business mode?"
"In business mode, if there are guests outside the courtyard, the system will notify you. In non-business mode, even if guests call out, the system will block the noise for you."
Lu Jianwei: "That’s quite convenient."
She did want to open for business, but she was worried about encountering reckless martial artists from the jianghu who might kill indiscriminately. She might not make any money and could even lose her life in the process.
After pondering for a moment, she asked, "Can you detect the level of guests outside the inn? If they're above level two, we won't open for business."
The system replied, "I can, but there's no need. Those above level two can break through the defenses and stay here anyway."
"..."
Lu Jianwei frowned. Didn't that mean that as long as her level and the inn's defenses didn't improve, she would always be at risk of encountering danger?
Indeed, risk and opportunity went hand in hand.
She came up with another idea: "If a guest breaks the inn's rules, I can fine them, right?"
"Yes," the system confirmed.
"Does the fine have to be handed over to me personally, or can the system directly collect it?"
"It can be directly collected."
"Then could I use the fines to upgrade the defenses immediately?"
The system hesitated.
After a long pause, it replied reluctantly, "You can, but only within reasonable limits."
She couldn't just fine someone for every penny they had.
Lu Jianwei smiled. "Good, then let's start business mode."
The map showed no signs of life within a ten-mile radius, so she felt safe enough to relax.
As the system had said, the place was desolate. For three days in a row, not a single person passed by the inn.
Lu Jianwei wasn't in a hurry.
She spent those three days raising her personal level to level one (460/1000), though she still lacked the skills to use her newfound abilities effectively.
After cultivating her internal energy, she noticed a significant change in her body. Her stamina had improved, and while she used to bruise easily from minor bumps, her internal energy now protected her, making her much stronger.
Drawing water from the well was no longer a struggle.
After finishing dinner, as the last rays of sunlight disappeared below the horizon, she washed the dishes and stood under the corridor, admiring the dazzling sunset alone.
The sky grew darker.
Another day without guests.
She absentmindedly opened the map, just to check the surroundings out of habit, not expecting to see anyone. But to her surprise, she spotted two green dots about a hundred meters southeast of the inn.
Finally, someone had arrived!
