Chapter 48: Dragon and Tiger Fight

Seven or eight zhang away, Zuo Zixiong's group blocked the corridor exit. Xu Qing was on the only path. Almost without hesitation, he reached out to stop the attendant carrying fruit and tea, swiped a pot of spring-front Longjing tea, and then decisively turned back to the tea room box.

"Brother Xu said he had something important to handle, why is he back?"

"There is something important." Xu Qing smiled and placed the teapot on the table, saying:

"I specially asked for a pot of good tea, said to be picked by the tongue tips of young girls and dried against the chest. The taste is very wonderful, you must taste it carefully."

There's such a good thing?

Even Zhu Huaian, who had been here five years ago, couldn't resist the temptation of this "young girl spring tea."

He couldn't wait to lift the tea lid, leaned forward to fan the heat with his palm, and took several deep breaths.

Within a few breaths, the little fatty's cheeks turned red.

"Good tea! This milk tea is indeed fresh and fragrant."

Beside him, Wu Wencai saw Zhu Huaian praising it endlessly, so he poured half a cup, smelled it first, then tasted it, only to say it was a world-class delicacy!

Wu Zhiyuan was thin-skinned. He hadn't taken a sip yet, only smelled the tea, and it was as if he saw the water in the cup like a mirror, with seductive scenery swaying inside.

Truly shameful! He was a gentleman, how could he swallow such vulgar tea?

Hmm, truly fragrant!

Xu Qing didn't care about the three excited people. The tea was just ordinary spring-front tea. The so-called "young girl preparation" was just something he made up.

At this time, his attention was already on the "crossing river dragon" and "ground tiger" that had just arrived.

He just didn't know if Zuo Zixiong of the Divine Machine Camp and Bai Luo of the Heavenly Heart Sect would notice each other.

If they did, I'm afraid there would be a dragon and tiger fight.

As for his young zombie self, he should sit at the children's table with Zhu Huaian and the others, drinking fake milk tea quietly.

Other adults' matters should be handled by adults.

Xu Qing hid in the corridor room, only occasionally looking at the situation outside through the screen.

His position was quite high, and he could see the situation in the arena at a glance.

After Zuo Zixiong and the noble he protected chose a room, he stood at the exit like a door god, his falcon-like eyes scanning around.

Xu Qing looked at the stage. The moment Zuo Zixiong appeared, the Heavenly Heart Sect protector Bai Luo hid behind the stage and disappeared completely.

At this time, the Kui Drum Order selection was only halfway through. The talented women who truly had hope of winning the "Flower Queen" title hadn't appeared yet, but guests had already thrown thousands of gold to rank for talented women whose faces and skills they hadn't even seen.

Only two rooms away, the noble served by Zuo Zixiong also sent an incredibly luxurious "combing gift."

"Master Zhao presents Miss Hanmeng with a 'Ming Tiao' zither, worth... priceless!"

As soon as this was said, there was an uproar off stage.

Xu Qing didn't know what was special about this zither, so he didn't feel surprised. On the contrary, Wu Zhiyuan said in shock: "It's the zither that Duke Dongpeng gave to Wei Yao!"

Wu Wencai also showed surprise: "What kind of big shot is this, to be able to give away the Wei Yao family's heirloom 'Ming Tiao' zither as a combing gift..."

Compared to the Wu brothers, who were from humble backgrounds, Zhu Huaian clearly knew more inside information.

He thought for a moment and said something shocking: "I heard people in the mansion talk about this zither. It is said that when the current Crown Prince celebrated his sixtieth birthday, he received it as a gift from the Wei family."

"The gift-announcing lady called him Master Zhao. Speaking of which, the Crown Prince's surname is also Zhao..."

Xu Qing and the others looked at each other in dismay.

Shuohuang Pavilion had an unwritten rule: if young disciples sent combing gifts, the lady announcing the gifts would call them "Young Master." But if they were older, they would be called "Master."

Surnamed Zhao, older, and able to send a priceless treasure like the "Ming Tiao" zither.

Besides the Crown Prince who had been waiting for sixty years, who else could it be?

At first, Xu Qing thought it was a coincidence that Bai Luo came here, but now that he knew the identity of the noble protected by Zuo Zixiong, he overturned that idea.

Not long ago, when he transcended the Heavenly Heart Sect missionary who was distributing flyers, he obtained a piece of information—that Bai Luo, one of the five protectors, had been plotting to assassinate the Crown Prince.

Now that these two groups of people had gathered in one room, it was hard to say it was a coincidence.

In the box, the Wu brothers didn't know the inside story, only thinking that today's trip was not in vain, to be able to meet the current Crown Prince here.

Zhu Huaian was full of joy, thinking: even a person like the Crown Prince comes here to play?

By rounding up, when the Crown Prince inherits the throne in the future, wouldn't it mean he had been to a brothel and visited a prostitute with the Emperor?

Heh! I really brought glory to my Zhu family!

The noble in the room threw away priceless treasures, the girls on the stage tried their best to show their talent, and in the filthy corners, there were also heretics sharpening their knives.

The distance between Xu Qing's room and Zuo Zixiong's group was too close, and he felt uncomfortable everywhere.

He had to find a way to avoid that door god and leave this place.

Fortunately, at this time, seven "Flower Orders" had been selected on stage, leaving only three top-tier girls competing for the final "Flower Queen" and "Flower Drum" seats.

Among the three top-tier girls, one was Miss Hanmeng, who received the zither from the Crown Prince.

As for Miss Wan'er, whom Zhu Huaian had taken a fancy to regardless of the cost, she failed to enter the finals and only got the title of "Flower Order."

With the bottom rankings determined, those "Flower Orders" began to choose guests to "comb" them.

Xu Qing was looking for an opportunity to escape when he saw a pretty maid bringing a set of big red wedding clothes that only a bridegroom could wear into their box.

"Which one is Young Master Zhu who presented the jade bracelet?"

Seeing Zhu Huaian stand up, the maid smiled and said: "My young lady has received many valuable gifts, but she doesn't look at those vulgar things. In comparison, only Young Master Zhu's poetry can move my young lady."

"Lian'er here congratulates the bridegroom."

Hearing this, Zhu Huaian knew he had become Miss Wan'er's guest in the boudoir.

Seeing this, Xu Qing's heart stirred, and he hurriedly stood up to congratulate him.

Outside the box, maids held flower baskets, and servants led red silk, looking like they were truly going to welcome the bride.

However, everyone knew in their hearts that this was just a dew-like relationship, at most a few days of bed-side husband and wife. Once the days passed, the girl would continue to receive guests as usual, and the person who "combed" her would likely not stay long for various reasons.

Zhu Huaian put on the wedding clothes. Xu Qing couldn't wait to leave the box early, so he acted as a groomsman with the Wu brothers, following the "welcoming" team to the pavilion where Miss Wan'er was.

Xu Qing took the flower basket and scattered petals. Just as he sent Zhu Huaian away from the front hall, he heard intense fighting coming from the corridor where he had been before.

The few turned back to look at the panicked lobby, only to see a Daoist priest holding two knives fighting a young man in white.

"Zuo Zixiong, today Cui Yuanlong is not here. With you alone, you can't protect your master. Why don't you convert to my sect and offer the Crown Prince's head? Then you will be a protector of my sect!"

Seeing this, Zhu Huaian wanted to turn back to watch the fun, but Xu Qing's face turned black, and he pulled him over and pushed him into the pavilion.

You are a child who hasn't even grown up, don't go to the adults' side to join in the fun; go find Miss Wan'er to play house!

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 49 =====