freenovelworld Chapter 503: I'm hosting a banquet at my residence tonight.
Chapter 503: I'm hosting a banquet at my residence tonight.
The newcomers were none other than Prince Rong and Princess Li Wan'er. Li Wan'er dismounted and smiled at Fang Xiaoxiao, saying, "Xiaoxiao, I have brought my father. What should we do next?"
Fang Xiaoxiao first bowed to Prince Rong, then said, "I trouble you, Your Highness, to take the Five Stone Powder and everyone else away." Prince Rong waved his hand and ordered his men to do the work. A large group of people carried all the Five Stone Powder off the ship and loaded it onto the carriage that had been prepared in advance.
However, what they didn't know was that not far away, Pei Zuo's men were monitoring their every move.
Pei Yan noticed something amiss and looked towards the woods behind him. Ouyang Tuoba, quick to sense his unease, asked in a low voice what was wrong. Pei Yan gestured for him to follow his gaze into the depths of the woods. Ouyang Tuoba immediately understood, smiled slightly, and then quickly disappeared from everyone's sight with Pei Yan.
Fang Xiaoxiao chatted with Prince Rong for a few minutes, instructing them not to alert the enemy and to continue sailing the ship to Jiangnan Province. As for Li Fu's men, they were all secretly taken away and placed under house arrest.
Prince Rong nodded in agreement and led the group away.
Fang Xiaoxiao watched their departing figures, secretly planning her next move.
Meanwhile, Pei Yan and Ouyang Tuoba had already quietly sneaked into the woods and were approaching the person who was watching them.
The person monitoring them was completely unaware and continued to focus intently on the movements of Fang Xiaoxiao and the others.
Pei Yan and Ouyang Tuoba suddenly made a move and subdued the person monitoring them.
"Speak, who sent you?" Pei Yan demanded in a low voice.
The person monitoring them gritted their teeth and refused to utter a single word.
Ouyang Tuoba sneered: "Hmph, you won't talk? I have plenty of ways to make you talk!"
Just as they were interrogating him, Fang Xiaoxiao also noticed that Pei Yan and Ouyang Tuoba were missing, and guessed what had happened.
Not long after, Pei Yan and Ouyang Tuoba returned with the information they had obtained from the person monitoring them.
“Fang Xiaoxiao, we’ve found out that Pei Zuo sent these people,” Pei Yan said.
Fang Xiaoxiao frowned: "It seems that Pei Zuo and Li Fu have a close relationship. We need to speed up our actions."
Everyone left, erasing all traces and leaving no clues whatsoever.
Fang Xiaoxiao returned to the courtyard, leisurely drinking tea and eating pastries, while Hongxiu sat beside her.
Just then, Zhou Wenjian suddenly pushed open the door and walked in, his face filled with anxiety.
Fang Xiaoxiao stood up and looked at the other person. Since the Lingxi Pavilion in the outer city was rebuilt, Zhou Wenjian had been busy in the outer city.
Fang Xiaoxiao asked what was going on, and Zhou Wenjian told his wife the purpose of his visit. He said that a man who claimed to be Li Fu had come to the shop and wanted to thank his wife for her help, and also said that he wanted to give his wife some benefits.
Fang Xiao's eyes darted around, and she thought to herself, "Good thing they came."
Hongxiu and Zhou Wenjian accompanied Fang Xiaoxiao into the carriage, heading towards the outer city.
Upon arriving at Lingxi Pavilion, Fang Xiaoxiao had just entered when she saw a well-to-do middle-aged man sitting in the hall.
Upon seeing Fang Xiaoxiao, the man stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "This must be Madam Fang. I've long admired your name."
Fang Xiaoxiao smiled and returned the greeting: "Mr. Li, you're too kind."
Li Fu smiled and said, "This time, we are very grateful for Madam Fang's help. This small gift is nothing but a token of our appreciation." As he spoke, he had someone present a box of gold and silver jewelry.
Fang Xiaoxiao feigned reluctance: "What are you doing, Master Li? I'm just doing my bit."
Li Fu said, "Madam Fang, please don't refuse. We should cooperate more in the future."
Fang Xiaoxin sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm: "Since Master Li is so hospitable, then I shall accept it."
Li Fu then said, "I've heard that Madam Fang is exceptionally intelligent. I wonder if she would be willing to work for me?"
Fang Xiaoxiao pretended to be embarrassed: "This..."
Li Fu quickly replied, "As long as Madam Fang agrees, there will naturally be plenty of benefits."
Fang Xiaoxiao pretended to be tempted: "Then this humble woman will humbly accept your offer."
Li Fu was overjoyed: "Good, good! Then I will host a banquet at my residence tonight to welcome Madam Fang back."
Fang Xiaoxiao nodded in agreement, but in her heart she was already planning how to obtain more evidence at the banquet.
After seeing Li Fu off, Hongxiu asked Fang Xiaoxiao worriedly if there would be any problems with the banquet, fearing that something might happen to her.
Zhou Wenjian didn't understand what the two meant, so he asked Fang Xiaoxiao who Li Fu was.
Fang Xiaoxiao reached out and patted the other person on the shoulder, pretending to be dissatisfied that he didn't even know who Li Fu was, and that he must have gone mad from staying in the shop.
Zhou Wenjian scratched his head, still confused. Hongxiu had no choice but to explain that Li Fu was the richest merchant in the capital, with wealth comparable to that of a country, and mainly dealt in medicinal herbs.
Zhou Wenjian then realized what had happened and told Fang Xiaoxiao that he was too stupid.
Fang Xiaoxiao waved her hand and said, "Next time, pay attention. Now that you've come to Kyoto, you should learn to socialize more and meet more high-society people. Don't be stuck in your ways and close yourself off from the world."
Zhou Wenjian nodded to indicate that he understood, but then began to worry about his wife's attendance at the banquet that evening.
He suggested that Fang Xiaoxiao bring Brother Pei along, just to be on the safe side. He also lamented that Brother Long wasn't there, otherwise it would have been better if Long Jinyan were present.
Fang Xiaoxiao interrupted the other party, saying that she only planned to bring Hongxiu and Princess Li Wan'er with her. This way, she could obtain some protection by relying on Li Wan'er's status, and also ease Li Fu's resentment towards them.
Zhou Wenjian frowned and said, "But my wife, this is still too dangerous."
Fang Xiaoxiao smiled confidently: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Zhou Wenjian had no choice but to say, "Then you must be careful, my wife."
Fang Xiaoxiao nodded and then began to arrange the details of the banquet that evening.
As night fell, Fang Xiaoxiao, along with Hongxiu and Li Wan'er, boarded a carriage and headed towards Li Fu's residence.
Li Fu's mansion was brightly lit and bustling with activity.
As soon as Fang Xiaoxiao and the others got out of the car, servants came to greet them.
"Madam Fang, Princess, please come inside."
Fang Xiaoxiao and the others followed the servants into the mansion. Along the way, they saw guests everywhere, all dressed in gorgeous clothes.
Fang Xiaoxiao was secretly on guard, wondering what Li Fu was up to.
Upon entering the banquet hall, Li Fu greeted him with a smile.
"Madam Fang, Princess, you've finally arrived."
Fang Xiaoxiao and Li Wan'er responded with smiles.
The banquet began, and everyone toasted each other.
However, just as everyone was enjoying their drinks, a discordant voice came from behind. The newcomer said that she had heard her husband had invited a woman of unparalleled beauty, and as the mistress of the Li family, she naturally wanted to see just how charming she was that even the richest man in the capital had to personally invite her.
A woman dressed in lavish clothes, with exquisite makeup but a mean expression, entered, surrounded by a group of maids. Her gaze swept across the banquet hall, finally settling on Fang Xiaoxiao, her eyes filled with disdain and jealousy.