Chapter 366

Su Qiao, listless, rested his head on Liu Rushi's jade legs, eyes half-closed, meditating beneath a large tree.

Liu Rushi peeled grapes, occasionally stuffing one into Su Qiao's mouth.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard kept their distance; even Qing'er, the maid who had once been closest to Liu Rushi, did not approach to disturb the tranquil, warm atmosphere between the two.

However, such good days are always interrupted.

Zhao Wenhua had only just left a short while ago, and now someone was knocking at the door again.

The visitor was Cui Linyu, who had been hesitating at the guesthouse for quite some time.

Knock, knock, knock!

Cui Linyu glanced at the plaque reading Su Fu.

Confirming it was Su Qiao's residence, he stepped forward and knocked on the door.

With a creak, the gatekeeper opened a slit, poking his head out to size up Cui Linyu.

"Who are you looking for?"

"Is this the home of Mr. Su Qiao?"

"Yes, you are..."

"I am Cui Linyu, Vice Envoy of the Korean Tribute Mission. Hearing that Mr. Su resides here, I have come specifically to pay my respects."

At this moment, Cui Linyu's demeanor was quite scholarly.

The gatekeeper looked him over, nodded, and said, "Then please wait a moment; I shall go announce your arrival."

"Very well!"

Su Qiao's rest had been interrupted; his brows furrowed.

"Who is here?"

"They say it is Cui Linyu, the Vice Envoy of the Korean Tribute Mission."

The gatekeeper had a good memory; Cui Linyu had said it once, and he remembered.

Su Qiao nodded. "Very well, lead him to the side hall; I will be there shortly."

"Yes!"

Su Qiao was at home, with no outsiders present.

He had been dressed quite casually, but now there was a guest.

Whether he liked the visitor or not, Su Qiao needed to change his clothes to show respect.

Cui Linyu and his servants were led into Su Fu together.

He looked around curiously within Su Fu and spotted several Embroidered Uniform Guards wearing flying-fish robes and holding embroidered spring swords.

He could not help but stare in stunned silence.

Even though he was far away in Korea and had rarely visited Great Ming.

He was well aware of the status of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He had even heard terrifying tales of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Prison.

Yet was this not the residence of Mr. Su Qiao?

Why would there be Embroidered Uniform Guards here?

At that moment, Cui Linyu's mind was a complete mess, unable to grasp the situation.

His head was filled with questions.

Su Qiao had just risen.

Liu Rushi stood up as well, wiped her hands, and entered the bedroom to help Su Qiao change into a simple robe.

Only then did Su Qiao stroll leisurely into the side hall.

"Vice Envoy Cui, long time no see!"

Cui Linyu looked at the face before him, a face he had once completely disregarded, and his mood was a mix of many emotions.

"Mr. Su, Young Master Su, previously I was blind; I almost offended Young Master Su. Today, I specifically sought out your residence to apologize to Young Master Su; I beg Young Master Su's forgiveness!"

Had he not known the other party was a Korean envoy.

Su Qiao might have mistaken him for someone from Great Ming.

His Great Ming Mandarin was spoken very fluently.

Su Qiao smiled and said, "Ignorance is no crime; Vice Envoy Cui is far too polite."

He knew the score; whatever apology was due would come in half a month.

If it were a genuine apology, he would have arrived long ago.

Since Cui Linyu was putting on a show for Su Qiao, Su Qiao would simply play along.

Besides, Su Qiao had been expecting Cui Linyu's visit to the residence.

Previously, he had sent Zhao Wenhua with a message, the purpose being to lure Cui Linyu into a trap.

Otherwise, if Cui Linyu simply hid in his guesthouse room, how long would Su Qiao have to wait to catch him red-handed?

Do not be fooled by the fact that he seemed idle these past few days, living comfortably and pleasantly.

In reality, the new-style sea ships have already begun construction at the Tianjin port.

Su Qiao would need to go inspect them personally when the time came.

How could he possibly waste time here!

Cui Linyu wanted to pry something out of Su Qiao, yet for half a day he did not mention the main issue, merely talking nonsense on all sides.

As Cui Linyu talked nonsense, Su Qiao played along, chatting aimlessly about everything under the sun.

Instead, it was Cui Linyu who ended up completely bewildered by the chat.

Cui Linyu sensed that Su Qiao did not look like a young man at all; instead, he was so steady he seemed like an old man.

The speech he had originally prepared suddenly didn't know how to be spoken.

Catching a glimpse from the corner of his eye of the subordinate following behind him, he raised his right hand in a gesture.

The subordinate hurriedly handed over the Gao Li ginseng he had brought and placed it on the table.

"This is..."

Su Qiao looked at the gift box and thought to himself: Finally, they couldn't hold back!

Cui Linyu opened the box lid, revealing the dried Gao Li ginseng inside, and said to Su Qiao:

"Young Master Su, this is my apology to Young Master Su; please see if you are satisfied."

Su Qiao recognized at a glance that this was Gao Li ginseng.

Although it looked quite old, belonging to the century-plus level of old ginseng.

Yet the medicinal effects of Gao Li ginseng and the wild ginseng from Mount Zhangbai are different.

Or rather, the gap is huge!

"This is Gao Li ginseng, isn't it?"

Su Qiao asked Cui Linyu with a look that was neither smiling nor frowning.

Cui Linyu was startled by Su Qiao's words; he had been thinking that since Su Qiao was young, he should not be able to distinguish the difference between Gao Li ginseng and ginseng.

Who would have known he actually recognized it.

This immediately made things a bit awkward.

Fortunately, his face was thick enough, and he still had a three-hundred-year-old wild mountain ginseng that he hadn't brought out.

Now, it was just the right time to bring it out.

220, you have to add money!

Cui Linyu immediately gave another glance to the subordinate.

The subordinate took out another brocade box.

This brocade box was much smaller than the other one; no one knew how the other person had stuffed it into their chest without leaving any trace.

The box was placed on the table; Cui Linyu opened the lid and said to Su Qiao: "This is a wild ginseng over three hundred years old, obtained early on from the Jurchens of Later Jin; it has not been used for many years, and now it is just right to give it to Young Master Su."

Su Qiao examined it and confirmed that this was indeed a real wild mountain ginseng.

Moreover, this time Cui Linyu did not deceive him; it was indeed a fine specimen over three hundred years old, with not a single rootlet broken.

The medicinal effects were preserved very perfectly.

"Excellent, it is indeed a rare fine specimen; Vice Envoy Cui is too polite."