Chapter 213 – Presenting Buddha with borrowed flowers, landing in the tiger's den

The unusually lively Liu Manor was now decorated with lanterns and colored banners. An endless stream of people came through the gate.

More than ten servants stood outside to help the guests carry the congratulatory gifts and lead them into the manor.

Zhao Qing looked at the two large wooden boxes behind him, he smiled like a crafty old fox. Following which, he waved his hand and their group grandiously entered Liu Manor.

Not long after Zhao Qing entered, the Retired Emperor wore luxuriously embroidered clothing, following behind him was Fire Spirit and Earth Spirit's group, in a swaggering manner they walked to the gates of Liu Manor.

The housekeeper outside saw that this group of people were all unfamiliar and stopped them. "Asking the n.o.ble guests to show the written invitation."

The Retired Emperor lowered his head and looked, his face full of disdain as he said. "This elder and you guys' Honorable Liu are very familiar. Are you new, so you have never seen this elder?"

"This n.o.ble guest is correct, this servant indeed has just entered Liu Manor not long ago. But no matter who comes, all must show an invitation card before entering. This is the rule and can't be broken." Liu Manor's housekeeper said this with a strong tone.

The Retired Emperor didn't bother to argue with him, he waved his hand toward the people behind him. Fire Spirit immediately handed up a fiery red invitation card. Liu Manor's housekeeper accepted the invitation and immediately bent down to let them pa.s.s.

After entering Liu Manor, Fire Spirit laughingly said. "Old man, didn't you say before that you stayed here for a period of time? How come no one recognizes you ah?!"

The Retired Emperor shot him a glance. "The servants in Liu Manor had changed again. It's normal not to recognize me. I say, have you stayed with Yan girl for too long? Is that how you also learned to poke fun at this master?'

Fire Spirit immediately shook his head silently. Earth Spirit slanted him a glance. See, you kicked an iron plate oh!

But Fire Spirit's words also reminded him. This Liu Manor changes servants too frequently. Does something fishy exist in this?

Right now, Liu Ying was in midst of receiving guests. A servant stepped forward and said several sentences into his ear. Both of his eyes gave off light and he immediately cast aside the guest at his side and with quick steps walked toward an isolated courtyard.

With that impatient frame of mind and anxious pace, looking from far away he was like a plump meatball. No, it was more like a wrapped in very festive red clothing plump sausage.

Once he entered the isolated courtyard, he saw Zhao Qing with his back to him. Liu Ying rubbed his hands and immediately went up to meet him.

Hearing sounds from behind him, Zhao Qing turned his head around and eagerly smiled saying. "Honorable Liu, wish you happiness as immense as the East Sea and long may you live!"

"Indebted to Boss Zhao's lucky words." Liu Ying cupped his hands in reply, then impatiently asked. "That's right, where are the congratulatory gifts?"

Zhao Qing pretended it was difficult. "Honorable Liu, you see the time is almost here, shouldn't you first go preside over the birthday feast. Wait a bit, then come and see the gift I prepared for you?"

At this moment, how could Liu Ying have time to attend to those matters? Now his soul was almost gone from being attracted to that cold, elegant handsome man's look under the light of the lantern from that night. These days he thought about him during tea and food was no longer appetizing. His whole person had become a lot thinner.

No, he was told the person he was thinking about was in his manor, how could he be restrained?

When Zhao Qing saw his expression of anxiousness to the point of being unable to wait, he was secretly disdainful in his heart. But an eagerly attentive expression still hung on his face. He felt that the timing was just right, as a result he said something with hidden meaning. "Honorable Liu you also know, in order to prepare this gift I, Mr. Zhao, had spent a lot thought. You see, this time's two patrols for salt by imperial censor being handed down, could you say a few good words for me?"

Liu Ying, hearing this smiled in understanding. "Boss Zhao, for this matter you can feel completely a.s.sured, one of the newly appointed two patrols for salt by the imperial censor is my nephew. At that time, how much salt you want in advance, this official will take care of it. Guarantee you will earn a lot like last time where it would overflow a basin."

"Then I, Mr. Zhao, will first thank Honorable Liu's help here!" Zhao Qing in reverence bowed down to show his grat.i.tude.

"What is boss Zhao saying, for so many years, if it were not for our cooperation, how could this official have lived such an unrestrained life?" Although Liu Ying was anxious to go see that congratulatory gift, but now his head was still clear-headed. He needed to maintain the relationship between them.

"Honorable Liu is too polite, then we should not tarry more. First, go see if the congratulatory gift is to your heart's taste." Zhao Qing said.

Liu Ying's eyes flickered with green light, "Good, good, good, let us go."

Watching Liu Ying's back, Zhao Qing revealed a fox like smiling expression of having succeeded. He immediately lifted his foot to follow.

Those two large boxes was placed in the atrium of the courtyard, all around it was guarded by servants from Zhao family. When they saw Liu Ying and Zhao Qing arrive, they immediately retreated to the side.

"Where are the people?" Liu Ying circled around the courtyard once, and didn't see that person his heart was always thinking of. His tone was somewhat irascible.

Zhao Qing immediately stepped forward to appease him by saying. "Honorable Liu, don't be impatient, the people are in here."

Liu Ying followed his finger and looked in that direction, and saw those two large wooden boxes tied with red silk that was parked not far away. Liu Ying suddenly was somewhat annoyed. "Boss Zhao, are you teasing this official? This official can only see two boxes, and it's not that person you were talking about!"

Zhao Qing didn't mind a bit about his att.i.tude toward himself. Rather, he made a hand signal toward his servants.

Those servants immediately stepped forward to untie the red silk, then opened the largest box in the front.

"Honorable Liu please look." Zhao Qing lifted his hand and indicated.

Liu Ying couldn't help but take a step forward to look, he only saw a person sleeping in that box. An extremely handsome and charming male.

Liu Ying's eyes immediately opened wide. "This, this, this——"

Zhao Qing took a step forward and smilingly said. "Honorable Liu, this is the gift I, Mr. Zhao, gifted you. Are you satisfied?"

Liu Ying looked again at that person inside the box. His brows were lofty, he had an outstanding elegant temperament, white as jade skin that was more exquisite and glossy than a woman's. All of a sudden, he felt all these years, the many young males and females that he had seen compared to the person in front of his eyes were simply not worth carrying his shoes. It could be said one was the superior star in the sky, while the other was the mud on the ground.

He rubbed his hand as his gaze continued to look down. The black clothing made his body look even taller and leaner. His fingers were slender, much better looking than a woman's. Now his hands was casually placed at the waist. Liu Ying couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva. Don't know when he untied the belt and pried open the clothing, what kind of scene would be inside.

Zhao Qing saw the expression he was revealing becoming more and more vulgar, making people feel more and more revulsion. But he had walked in the business word for many years, he had already perfected the skill of not batting an eye. He saw that Liu Ying couldn't help but reach out a hand to touch the person inside the wooden box, but there were still outsiders everywhere and it could only be said that he was too unrestrained. As a result, Zhao Qing immediately said. "Honorable Liu, I didn't just prepare one gift for you, the other box is also for you. You aren't planning on opening it to have a look?"

Hearing this, Liu Ying reluctantly took back his hand. But he didn't forget to say to Zhao Qing. "Boss Zhao, this gift really is close to this official's thoughts. From now on, this official definitely won't treat you unfairly!"

Zhao Qing immediately bent at the waist to modestly say. "Being able to share worries and divide the labor of Honorable Liu, it really is my fortune."

Liu Ying was very pleased with his att.i.tude. And just at this moment, the servants had already opened the other box.