Chapter 999 Thirty Years of War (1/2)

"The banquet of the Chen family? Is it the Chen family that had a conflict with your third brother some time ago? I heard that the third brother and the three brothers of the Chen family had a very tense dispute. After he came back, his father even punished him. "

Qi Yan didn't expect that Qi Wan even knew about this matter. He was slightly stunned, then nodded and said: "It is indeed such a thing, but we have some business dealings with the Chen family. The Chen family Although the three brothers are a little impulsive, they are kind people. Although the third brother offended them, they did not care about anything with us and continued to communicate with us. Many of the raw materials our textile factory needs come from their home. They Knowing that the third brother was punished, he specially gave us 20% of the profits."

In Qi Yan's opinion, the three brothers of the Chen family are all people worth getting along with. Judging from his appearance, he should have a good relationship with the three brothers of the Chen family.

Qi Wang pondered for a moment, and when he was about to say something, Qi Yan had already spoken first: "Brother, there is no need to be so tense between us and the Chen family. The last time was just a conflict between our juniors. You also know my temperament, and I’m just a free-spirited person. Who else can I get along with other than his few friends? It would be inappropriate to break off these relationships because of him.”

Qi Yan earnestly persuaded Qi Wang, hoping that he could attend the Chen family's banquet. In his opinion, it was Qi Heng who caused trouble for nothing. If it weren't for the fact that he was behind the Marshal's Mansion, how could the Chen family tolerate this with their temperament? Tone?

After saying these words, he looked at Qi Wang, waiting for his answer.

At this moment, a group of dark clouds floated out from nowhere, covering the moon that had just struggled out of the clouds. The light in the yard dimmed, and the wind that originally stopped became louder. Qi Yan The clothes he was wearing were a little thin, and he felt a little cold when the cold wind blew like this. He couldn't help but raise his hands and rub his arms.

"Brother, if you have nothing to do, why not go to the banquet? You haven't been around this circle for a long time. Everyone has almost forgotten your existence. Why not take this opportunity to show your face and let everyone know about the Qi family? The eldest young master is back."

Qi Yan seemed to have good intentions. He persuaded Qi Juan with earnest words and analyzed all the pros and cons clearly. He tried so hard to get Qi Juan to attend this banquet. If he said he had no plans, Qi Yan Delusion means disbelief.

"You really want me to go to the party?"

Qi Yan's eyes flashed, and his tone became more sincere than before: "It's not that I want my eldest brother to attend this banquet, I just feel that my eldest brother has been back for so long, but he never knows what he is busy with. , I know that the eldest brother is impatient to attend these banquets, but you are the eldest young master of the Qi family, and you should be the one to take the lead in attending these banquets. Before, the eldest brother was absent, so I could only take over, but now that the eldest brother is back, naturally it is the eldest brother who should go. of."

His tone should be as sincere as possible, as if he was sincerely planning for Qi Huan. Seeing him like this, Qi Huan smiled and said, "There's no need to go to the banquet. I have something to do tomorrow. No time has passed."

He had already talked to this point. If the original owner had changed, he would have agreed long ago. However, Qi Yan originally thought that it was a sure thing, but he didn't know that Qi Wang did not follow common sense and rejected him directly. , he couldn't help but froze, and the expression on his face could hardly be maintained.

"Brother, is your matter important? Maybe you can push it back..."

Qi Huan shook his head and said: "It is a very important matter that cannot be postponed to the future. Since you have participated in so many banquets on my behalf in the past, it doesn't matter if you replace me a few more times. Anyway, I know your temperament, and you are not The kind of person who forgets his identity, I believe you.”

After saying these words, Qi Huan stood up from the stone bench. Looking at Qi Yan, whose face was turning blue due to the night wind, he said with concern: "Second brother, your health is not good. Stop blowing outside, this roast goose tastes good, I’ll take it back to try it.”

With that said, without waiting for Qi Yan to refuse, he directly wrapped the roast goose on the table in oil paper again.

"Our yards are not in the same direction, so I will go back first. If you have nothing to do, you can also go back first. Don't hurt yourself if you show off your clothes late at night."

After saying these words, Qi Yan took the oil paper bag containing the roast goose and left, leaving Qi Yan alone in the empty garden.

The night seemed much darker than before, and Qi Yan felt very cold. The coldness was not caused by the night wind, but permeated from the depths of his heart. His face turned blue, and his eyes were watching Qi Wang leave. direction, even though his figure had already disappeared, Qi Yan never looked back.

It felt as if something had changed. It felt like the thing originally held in his hand had quietly escaped from his control and spread in an unknown direction.

A faint feeling of panic arose in Qi Yan's heart, and Qi Yan's face turned even darker when he discovered that he had developed such a shameful emotion as cowardice.

He took a few deep breaths and forced himself to calm down. He did not get up and leave, but recalled the conversation he had just had with Qi Wan.

Qi Yan thought that his performance was impeccable. He was like that in front of Qi Wang in the past, and Qi Wang always trusted him and never doubted him. Even if he crossed the line a little, Qi Wang would just laugh it off and not bother him.

Even if his own arrangements conflicted with Qi Wang's, Qi Wang would either postpone his arrangements or explain to him in detail why he couldn't go with him. In short, he would not let himself have any grudges.

But this time was different. He had already said so much that he was just short of asking Qi Wang to go to the banquet with him. Qi Yan was very sure that Qi Wang understood what he meant, but in the end he still refused, just saying that he had something to do, but didn't explain anything to him.

Qi Yan thought about the conversation they had just had carefully. He thought that his statement was impeccable and Qi Wang would not find out anything, but Qi Wang's answer was a little wrong.

The feeling of uneasiness became stronger and stronger. Qi Yan frowned more tightly. He tapped his fingers gently on the stone table, but he didn't figure out the matter until his knuckles turned red and he couldn't help but withdraw his hands in pain.

The sky outside was even darker, and fine raindrops fell from the sky. The small pavilion was not big, and there was no shelter on all sides. The rain fell in, soaking Qi Yan's clothes, and some fell on his face. The cold touch made Qi Yan shiver, and then he sneezed non-stop as if he couldn't control it.

After several sneezes in a row, Qi Yan felt a little drowsy. He shook his head and knew that he couldn't stay here any longer.

After analyzing for a long time, he still couldn't figure out what Qi Wang was thinking. So he didn't waste time anymore and went back to the yard first.

When Qi Yan returned to the courtyard, he heard his subordinates come to report that Qi Wang had replaced all the servants in his courtyard.

"Second Master, all the servants in the eldest master's courtyard have been replaced. They said to the outside world that they were not used to their service. All the people inside were replaced by the eldest master's personal guards. Those people were very vigilant. We just passed by the courtyard and hadn't done anything yet, but they stared at us with a pair of eyes. It was clear that they thought we were thieves."

After hearing what the servants said, Qi Yan frowned tightly, and the expression on his face became more serious and cautious.

Qi Wang replaced all the people in his courtyard? And they were all replaced by his personal guards. According to the people below, those people were all armed with guns and were very vigilant.

The previous feeling of uneasiness became true, and the situation began to get out of control. Now it is completely out of his control. Qi Wang's attitude towards him before was like this. Did he notice something?

No, Qi Yan knew Qi Yuanhao's taboo very well. Two different teams were not allowed to appear in the Marshal's Mansion at the same time. Qi Wang had always been very honest in the past. As long as he lived in the Marshal's Mansion, he would never bring his personal guards here. Why did he suddenly do it this time? And Qi Yuanhao didn't object?

The latter meant something more terrible than the former. Qi Yan couldn't sit still. He immediately got up and went to Xu Zhaorong's yard. After a while, Qi Yan came back, and then Xu Zhaorong dressed up and went to Qi Yuanhao's yard with a food box.

However, Xu Zhaorong was stopped by people outside before she even entered the yard.

You know, in the past, when she came here, as long as there were no other women inside, the people under her would let her in. This time, they stopped her and didn't allow her to step in, and they didn't tell her that there were other women inside, which made Xu Zhaorong feel uneasy.

Thinking of her son's instructions, Xu Zhaorong calmed down and asked softly, "You two, can you be flexible? I brought the master's favorite Poria cocos and wolfberry Feilong soup. If it gets cold, it will not taste good. Can you let me in? I promise to come out after serving the soup and never stay any longer."

The people guarding outside the yard were Qi Yuanhao's trusted subordinates. They had been with Qi Yuanhao for longer than Xu Zhaorong. Although she was Qi Yuanhao's concubine, she did not dare to be presumptuous in front of these people. She was still polite and even had a bit of flattery in her words.

"Second concubine, the Marshal has ordered that no one is allowed to go in. Please go back."

The two guards spoke with a stern face, not giving Xu Zhaorong any face.

Seeing this, Xu Zhaorong cursed the two guards in her heart, but she didn't dare to show it on her face. She tried to persuade them to let her in, but they refused to listen to her. Xu Zhaorong was furious, but she suppressed her anger in the end.

"Well, since the commander is busy, I won't bother you. But I made this Poria cocos and wolfberry dragon soup carefully. Please take it to the commander. It's my heartfelt gift. Please don't let me down."

This time, the two guards didn't refuse. One of them took the lunch box from Xu Zhaorong and turned to enter the yard. Xu Zhaorong looked at his back and couldn't help biting her lip. But in the end, she didn't have the courage to go in, so she could only turn around and leave.

On the way back, Xu Zhaorong couldn't help complaining to Taohong, the maid next to her: "Taohong, tell me whether my concubine should be aggrieved or not. I am obviously the master, but when those two people faced me, their nostrils I wish I could raise my head to the sky and not even look at me. I feel so depressed just thinking about it.”

"Second Madam, you'd better keep your voice down. If they hear it, it won't be good if it reaches the commander's ears."

Taohong has a steady temperament, and those soldiers have sharp ears and eyes. They haven't gone far out, and if they hear her, it will be another trouble for the commander to reach him.

Xu Zhaorong choked and felt even more aggrieved: "When will this kind of life end? Although I am the second wife, I am no different from the eldest wife, but what is the eldest wife in this handsome man's mansion? Status? What is my status? She just has a better background than me. How else can she compare to me? "

Xu Zhaorong was born in a small family. She was spotted by Qi Yuanhao when she was selling flowers on the street, and then she was taken into the family as the second concubine. However, Xu Zhaorong's family conditions were not very good, but her father Xu Zhaorong is also a scholar. Xu Zhaorong thinks that she is well-educated and is actually much better than Qin Minyan in terms of appearance and talent.

The only thing she was bad about was her background. If her background had been better, she would have been able to take the position of the eldest wife of the Qi family.

Seeing the indignant look on Xu Zhaorong's face, Taohong couldn't help but persuade her a few more words: "Second Madam, don't be angry. It's not worth it for such a trivial matter. We all know that Second Madam, you are better than the eldest Madam." He is much stronger. The Second Young Master will naturally benefit from you in the future. You’d better be patient for now.”

Taohong was a talkative. After soothing her, Xu Zhaorong's mood finally recovered. She took a few deep breaths, adjusted her mood, and walked quickly towards the yard where Qi Yan was.

"The situation is like this. I couldn't even enter your father's yard before I was stopped by two soldiers outside. However, there should be no one else in the yard. I can still be sure of this."

After hearing Xu Zhaorong's words, Qi Yan frowned and began to think. Seeing him like this, Xu Zhaorong couldn't help but ask: "Ayan, could something have happened? Why are you like this?"

Qi Yan shook his head and had no intention of telling Xu Zhaorong his guess: "It's nothing, it's just a small matter. I can handle it myself."

Seeing this, Xu Zhaorong felt relieved. She was also discerning. Seeing that Qi Yan seemed to have something to do, she didn't stay here longer and quickly left with Taohong.

***

After Qi Wang came back with the half-eaten roast goose, he locked himself in the study. The soldiers who followed him were all well-trained. They didn't ask any questions and left the small courtyard. Guard it tightly to ensure that not a single fly can get in.

In the study, Qi Wang lowered his head and looked at the roast goose on the table, with a gloomy look on his eyebrows.

The taste of this roast goose is indeed delicious, but the secret recipe of this deliciousness makes people feel sick - this roast goose is marinated with a large amount of powder made from the shells of large smokers. As long as the taste is not too bad, add it After the tobacco shells are ground into powder, it will become a delicious food that people can't stop eating.

Qi Yan's actions just now were all seen by Qi Huan. The roast goose leg that had only been eaten in one bite was still there. If he said that he didn't know how to make the roast goose, Qi Huan wouldn't believe it.

Qi Yan must have known how this thing was made, so he tried his best to let Qi Wang eat it, but he only touched his mouth and did not eat it.