Chapter 134
"...Young Master, are you sure about this?" Pan Shulin had just reached Cheng Bai's door when he was stopped by the servant following behind him.
Pan Shulin turned around and gave the servant a disapproving look. "Everything is prepared, and you ask me now if I'm sure?"
The servant moved closer to Pan Shulin and whispered, "Young Master, once we do this, there's no turning back. If Young Master Cheng really drinks the medicated wine we prepared and then... does that to you, but doesn't acknowledge it afterward..."
"He won't!" Pan Shulin interrupted the servant sharply, his face full of confidence. "Brother Bai is the most responsible person. If I truly have that kind of relationship with him, he won't refuse to acknowledge it."
"But..."
"No buts!" Pan Shulin cut off the servant dissatisfiedly, took a deep breath, and said, "This must succeed, it cannot fail."
"Yes." The servant didn't dare to obstruct further and replied obediently.
Pan Shulin straightened his clothes and strode inside.
After entering, he found there were very few servants in the courtyard. Pan Shulin walked in with his people, and no one stopped them. After looking around the front courtyard, Pan Shulin had his people arrange the things he brought on the dining table in the main hall.
What he brought were pastries and dishes he had meticulously prepared for Cheng Bai, along with a pot of fine wine. This wine was the main event for tonight.
But even after all the dishes were laid out, the courtyard remained cold and quiet. Not only had Cheng Bai not come out to meet him, but not a single servant was seen either.
He wondered why the door was open if there was truly no one home.
Pan Shulin, with his personal servant, also toured the backyard and found it still empty... even the kitchen cook was gone.
"Young Master... this..." Pan Shulin's servant stepped forward, puzzled. Pan Shulin raised his hand to stop him. "Let's go, check Brother Bai's room."
Only when the two reached the door of Cheng Bai's room did a ger come out to stop them.
"Young Master Pan."
This ger was usually responsible for cleaning in Cheng Bai's room.
Seeing someone, Pan Shulin quickly asked, "Where is your young master? Why are there so few people in the courtyard today?"
The ger replied, "Replying to Young Master Pan, the young master just went out. He took all the people from the courtyard with him."
"...Took them all?" Pan Shulin found it strange. "Where did he go? Why take all the courtyard people?"
Was he moving? But all the household belongings were still in their place.
Seeing Pan Shulin's utter bewilderment, the ger blinked in confusion and asked, "Young Master Pan... you don't know?"
"?" Pan Shulin was puzzled. "Know what?"
"The young master took everyone to Jiuyuan. Isn't there a banquet tonight at Jiuyuan to celebrate the successful fireworks sale? The young master took people there early to prepare..." Then, the ger paused and asked hesitantly, "He... didn't send someone to invite Young Master Pan?"
The young master said he was inviting the great contributor to the fireworks sale to celebrate... Could it possibly not be Young Master Pan...?
"..." Not only was he not invited, he had no idea about this at all.
He rented Jiuyuan, took all the servants there early to decorate... and left the city in such a hurry yesterday... Was he planning to invite Xi Yao to celebrate with him at Jiuyuan tonight?
He worked so hard to help sell the fireworks, only for the two of them to celebrate in the end...
Pan Shulin's face darkened. The servant realized he had spoken out of turn and quickly pressed his lips together, his expression a mixture of frustration and panic.
The young master had told him to guard the home and, if someone came with an invitation, he must refuse and not tell anyone his whereabouts, lest they disturb tonight's banquet...
If the person he invited wasn't Young Master Pan, then his earlier words...
He pressed his lips together, thought for a moment, and then attempted to correct his mistake, saying, "Young Master Pan... the young master probably won't be back tonight. It might be better if you look for him tomorrow."
Not coming back tonight?
Pan Shulin's face turned ashen, his features contorting with rage.
Tonight, does Brother Bai plan to spend the night with Xi Yao?!
"No need, I'll go to Jiuyuan to find him." Having said that, Pan Shulin turned and left in anger, his steps extremely fast.
Seeing this, the ger hurried after him. "Young Master Pan, you can't go! The young master said no one is to disturb him tonight..."
The more the ger tried to stop him, the greater Pan Shulin's anger grew. He walked faster and faster with his servant, completely ignoring the ger behind him.
The ger stamped his foot and quickened his pace to follow.
When Wang Jin arrived at Cheng Bai's house, he found there wasn't a single person there.
Wang Jin stepped inside, feeling puzzled, only to find a table full of dishes in the main hall of the front courtyard, along with pastries and a pot of fine wine.
Didn't Cheng Bai invite me to Jiuyuan? Why is there a full table of dishes here?
Could Cheng Li have prepared this? But he and Cheng Bai don't share a courtyard, and this spread seems too elaborate for the servants' meal.
Has the venue been changed at the last minute? Are the servants all hiding, waiting to jump out and surprise me?
Wang Jin searched around suspiciously, but found he had overthought it; there was simply no one...
This was truly strange...
Wang Jin sat down at the table, leaned over, and smelled the dishes...
The dishes were really fragrant, with many types he hadn't seen before. Wang Jin couldn't resist picking up his chopsticks and trying a bite. After one bite, he couldn't help but eat another, and then another. When he got thirsty, he drank the wine next to him.
The wine was extremely fragrant... comparable to the best wine from the taverns where he lived in his previous life.
No comments:
Post a Comment