The Banquet 02

The next day, a grand banquet was held at the Lu Mansion.

Why would Prefect Lu hold the banquet at the mansion instead of at home?

Why would there be a banquet for no particular holiday?

But all this was not really important.

Because anyone in the city wealthy enough to receive an invitation knew one thing very well.

In recent years, especially in Tian Ruo City, without relying on Lu Gaosheng, it was impossible to maintain wealth and status. Even if some did, they were already in the past—who knows where their families' corpses were buried now?

Overtly and covertly, Lu Gaosheng had long since made it clear to these so-called elites: those who obey me prosper, those who oppose me perish.

Therefore, invitations sent out that morning swept through the city in less than an hour. Streets and alleys were all abuzz about the lively scene in front of the mansion.

The wealthy merchants and prestigious families hurried to prepare gifts and put on their brocade robes before rushing to the mansion.

Of course, the only ones able to go out and daring enough to do so were the Ming Mansion.

Although they also received an invitation, after inquiring Bai Fang’s opinion, they did nothing more.

...

...

Inside Lu Mansion.

The clouds overhead had not cleared since last night.

Despite it being morning, the surroundings were rather dim.

Lu Qingming was sitting at his desk in the room. His desk was set with the four treasures of the study and various pigments. When Li Xing entered, he was secretly surprised.

Because Lu Qingming was actually...painting!

But he was not painting on paper, but on a white robe.

Li Xing thought to himself: The master rarely...no, he had never worn white before, except that one time.

Recalling last night’s conversation, Li Xing felt extremely uneasy in his heart.

"What are you afraid of?"

Lu Qingming was painting on the white robe he would wear later. He did not look up, but seemed to sense Li Xing's unease.

Li Xing said, "Master...it's nothing. I came to tell you everything is arranged. Do you think we should set off now?"

Lu Qingming smiled slightly, staring at the "painting" in front of him, and slowly said, "Don't be nervous, relax a little. Liu Hu is sly by nature, Xu Guo’s death will make him more cautious. If the play isn't real, he'll easily see through it. I still need to finish this up, it'll be done soon."

After speaking, Lu Qingming held up the white robe and went to the window. The morning breeze blew for a few moments, and the ink dried quickly.

Li Xing took a careful look and found that Lu Qingming had painted two white magnolia flowers on the left and right of the robe he would wear later. This was a kind of gracefully beautiful flower that women often liked.

Li Xing said, "It's been quite a few years since I've seen the master paint."

Lu Qingming put on the white robe, and waved his slightly numb, even trembling right hand.

Lu Qingming smiled and said, "It's not that I don't paint anymore, it's just that my right hand was broken by someone on the street in the county town back then. Without timely treatment, although it healed later, this right hand can only write ordinary words now, no longer as dexterous as before."

That slender, beautiful calligraphy.

That wonderful brushwork bringing flowers to life.

Could no longer be written or painted.

Looking at the flowers on both sides of the robe, Lu Qingming recalled:

Back then, at our wedding, without money to buy new clothes, she had said: Can your wonderful brushwork, Lu Qingming, not surpass a few taels of jewelry and a bright red dress?

He had asked her at the time: Then what about the jewelry?

She replied: Carve it yourself!

So he painted on their old clothes, and took a wooden stick to carve with.

What he painted then were two white magnolias.

Lu Qingming walked out the door and asked sideways: "By the way, did anyone from the Ming Mansion come?"

Li Xing said, "The invitation was sent, but...they didn't respond."

Lu Qingming nodded and said, "It should be so, don't blame her. Alright, let's go."

What a pity, unable to see her one last time.

But wearing clothes like back then is enough. On the road to the Yellow Springs, I can have this memory.

Speaking of which, there is still another person I wronged.

Wasn't she also an innocent woman?

Lu Qingming suddenly turned his head and looked at Li Xing, who had changed into ornate clothes to accompany him to the banquet.

Lu Qingming smiled and asked, "Hey, Li Xing, has anyone told you that you are very handsome?"

After asking, Lu Qingming didn't wait for Li Xing to answer before bursting into loud laughter and leaving with a flick of his sleeve.

Leaving behind a blank-faced Li Xing, who after a long time only squeezed out one word:

"Huh?"

...

...

As Lu Qingming got into the carriage, a large number of mansion troops moved with him.

However, what people did not notice was that not far away, a pair of slender fox-like eyes were staring fixedly at the departing carriage.

Behind the fox-eyed man, someone whispered, "Chief, it doesn't seem like he's in disguise. It's the real one!"

The fox-eyed man replied, "That's strange then. A banquet without reason or cause, according to what Minister Song said, this 'Master Lu' is sinister and ruthless, a vicious character. How could he suddenly do something like this?"

"Chief, could it be we've been found out?"

"It's not impossible, but if the other side really has the power to kill Xu Guo, we have to be careful. Moreover, Minister Song's order is to kill Lu Gaosheng only after completely failing to find any clues about the grain and fodder.

Besides, there are not few mansion troops around. Now is not the best time to make a move yet."

What should we do now...

The fox-eyed man thought, even if the other side has the ability to kill Xu Guo, Xu Guo's lightness skill was weak, while his Liu Hu's 'Floating Creek Skill', unless it was a grandmaster, no one in the jianghu or military could stop him.

"Follow them and see the reality of the situation first!" Liu Hu decided.

...

...

The streets were bustling and lively.

But the alley was completely silent.

The secluded residence in the alley was even more so.

Ming Qing had arranged many guardians here, as the former residence of the Grand Sacrificial Official of the National Academy. Naturally they were all exceptional martial artists, each well-trained.

Moreover, Lu Gaosheng had secretly arranged a group of skilled mansion troops outside the residence.

Reasonably speaking, not to mention an impregnable fortress, with so many experts protecting, even a fly shouldn't be able to get in.

But unfortunately, these guardians had now been wiped out.

Without even seeing their opponent's face, they were knocked out one by one, all lying down unable to get up, and each person had their neck acupoint sealed by a silver needle. Without one or two days, they probably wouldn't wake up.

But it was hard to blame these guardians, after all no matter the jianghu, officialdom, or military, which martial artist that had reached the level of a grandmaster would still so shamelessly resort to sneak attacks?

And a stealthy grandmaster who was especially adept at and extremely keen on sneak attacks, there was likely only one such family in the jianghu.

Zhang San was masked, standing in the courtyard of the secluded residence.

Ming Qing lay at his feet, having been knocked unconscious by him with a silver needle in his neck as well, unable to wake up for a while.

Zhang San looked at the fallen man, and recalled his previous reckless and fearless charge.

Zhang San's evaluation was just two words—fool.

Facing someone who had taken down all your guardians in less than half a stick of incense, he had actually rushed over holding a stool. He really was brave enough.

However...

Bending down, Zhang San pried open the left hand that the unconscious Ming Qing was still clutching his pants leg with, and thought: I seem to unexpectedly not dislike foolish people.

Not far ahead, Bai Fang sat upright, with cold eyes that showed not a shred of fear.

Crisis was imminent.

Staring at the masked man's eyes, Bai Fang felt somewhat familiar, but couldn't recall where she had seen him. She asked coldly, "Sent by Song YanShi?"

Given her identity, it was understandable she would think this. Zhang San walked up and said, "I really don't know Song YanShi, but I did come here for you."

Bai Fang glanced at Ming Qing, who was lying on the ground unable to get up, looking at the silver needle on his neck, and immediately understood some things.

Such a powerful master doesn't need to go through so much trouble to kill someone, he just needs to seal the acupoints with a silver needle.

If it was Song YanShi's people, they wouldn't be so merciful.

But Ming Qing was still alive, which put her mind at ease.

She spoke again: "So... you are Zhang San? The one who runs the bookstore?"

Zhang San's eyes were still calm, without revealing any abnormality, but waves of shock rose in his heart.

What's going on here!?

Why do I keep getting recognized by people every now and then?