novelburst-info
Chapter 186: Still Can’t Win You Over? (1 / 2)
Chapter 186: Still Can’t Win You Over? (1 / 2)
After the Spring Banquet, a trend of meditation swept through the capital.
Many people started asking their fathers, relatives, friends, or acquaintances who were officials, “Is it true? Do you officials really spend your time off meditating?”
The officials who were questioned: “…”
What else could they do but clean up after their Spring Banquet colleagues?
“…Of course.”
“…Indeed.”
“…This is true.”
With these affirmations, the trend became even more popular.
Though we may not be able to become officials, we can still do what officials do, right? That was what many people thought.
And as for the root cause of all this, the true “culprit,” they painstakingly found an excuse and finally managed to deliver a white crane to the home of an official who adored them.He sighed from the depths of his heart: [I really am just a salted fish. When the meditation trend was all the rage among officials, I didn’t hear a single thing about it.]
Behind him came the muffled sobs of the crane-loving official.
Perhaps he was simply too overwhelmed with joy. After all, this crane had been carefully chosen, and its appearance was absolutely flawless!
Having delivered the crane, Xu Yanmiao felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and his thoughts began to wander.
[Speaking of which, my life now is just gossip, gossip, and more gossip. Should I find something else to occupy myself with?]
[Like raising a cat or dog—ah! What’s this?!]
Looking down, he noticed a bundle lying right in the middle of the road, which he had stepped on while daydreaming.
Bending down to pick it up, he caught a whiff of a rich, intoxicating fragrance emanating from the bundle.
Though Xu Yanmiao couldn’t identify the scent, he refrained from opening someone else’s belongings and promptly handed it over to the authorities.
A few days later, the owner of the bundle sought him out to express their gratitude. They even insisted on treating him to a meal, saying it was the only way to properly convey their thanks.
At the restaurant.
“Xu Lang, you might not know, but the item in that bundle was a rare dragon brain incense cake, the finest plum blossom variant. My master specifically sent someone to Fo Tan? Country to acquire it. If it had been lost…”
The middle-aged man, who introduced himself as Liu, seemed unable to continue, his expression betraying a hint of fear.
Xu, a simple-hearted university student, was deeply sympathetic to his plight. One thing led to another, and before he realized it, he had muddle-headedly agreed to visit the man’s master.
Still, he exercised caution. Using some of his own funds, he discreetly tasked three different individuals with delivering a note to Lian Hang, the master of a particular household in a specified neighborhood, within half an hour.
—Of course, if Lian Hang wasn’t home or the note somehow failed to reach him, Xu Yanmiao would have to come up with a backup plan.
On the road.
Liu Changshi mentally calculated all the things that could be accomplished with a thousand taels of gold. He glanced sideways at Xu Yanmiao and sighed inwardly.
The best approach would have been to elicit gratitude from the other party. But alas, Zhao Li was utterly useless—spineless and incapable of taking decisive action. Worse still, bad luck had intervened twice, with someone interrupting the developments at just the wrong moments.
Now he had no choice but to reverse roles, forcibly playing the benefactor to close the gap.
Let’s hope nothing else goes wrong from here on…
“Xu Lang, that garden ahead is our destination.”
—Purchased hastily using Prince Fu’s authority.
“My master is currently staying in the capital…”
—A complete fabrication with actors hired to play the role.
“He heard of Xu Lang’s upright nature and integrity in returning what wasn’t yours and expressed a desire to befriend you. We truly appreciate your graciousness in accepting the invitation to this banquet.”
Upon arriving at the residence, Xu Yanmiao was greeted by a lavish scene: rows of beautiful concubines and servants, each with a refined appearance at the very least. The two enchanting beauties who escorted him to his seat were especially stunning, clad in robes woven with golden threads. Their images reflected in the surrounding crystal glass furnishings, shimmering like sunlight on snow.
Among the guests were several officials whose faces Xu Yanmiao found familiar.
Liu Changshi leaned in to softly introduce them, subtly implying that these were all connections of his master.
—In reality, Liu Changshi had written a letter to Prince Fu, who, in turn, sent a request to the Crown Prince. With the tone of a dutiful younger brother, Prince Fu asked the Crown Prince to arrange for people to lend the banquet an air of importance. He mentioned how Xu Yanmiao had returned his prized dragon brain incense cake without hesitation, showcasing great character. For Prince Fu to make no gesture of gratitude would seem miserly and utterly disgraceful.
—Of course, Prince Fu had close officials in the capital, but exposing them for a mere banquet would not be worth the risk.
After finishing his introductions, Liu Changshi’s face carried a faint smile.
The display of wealth and connections was complete. Surely, a sheltered attendant whose residence in the capital was pitifully small would, if not outright bow in awe, at least feel inclined to foster some connection, right?
Then he observed Xu Yanmiao, who remained calm and unflustered, his gaze steady, as if he hadn’t noticed the dazzling crystal glass furnishings around him.
Hurriedly, Liu Changshi signaled to one of his own people at the table.
An official seated beside Xu Yanmiao turned slightly toward him and said, “Xu Lang, I didn’t expect to see you here. I am Huang Long, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice. I have long admired your reputation.”
A Vice Minister was the deputy head of the Ministry of Justice—who would have thought he was one of Prince Fu’s men?
Since Xu Yanmiao hadn’t particularly delved into Huang Long’s background, he didn’t know this. Engaging in a polite conversation, he soon heard Huang Long say with a smile, “The master of this estate is truly extravagant. To use so much glass in furnishing a mere secondary residence—it’s breathtaking. When I first arrived, I thought I had accidentally stepped into a world of jewels.”
[It is indeed beautifully decorated.]