[Fantasy] The Song of the Six Dynasties (Complete) - Chapter 31

Chapter Five.

Old Zhu, holding his earthenware bowl, slurped down his tofu soup, mumbling, "Little Cheng, it tastes good, doesn't it? Let me tell you, you can't buy this tofu soup outside for a single coin!"

Cheng Zongyang looked like he'd stepped in shit. Old Zhu said he was taking him out for breakfast, but actually he was going to the nearby Jingci Bao'en Temple to freeload off the daily meals offered by the monks. The old man kept saying he was lucky today, even getting tofu soup, so he didn't spend a penny, and each of them got a large bowl—and could ask for more if they weren't satisfied.

Seeing Old Zhu's smug, self-satisfied look, Cheng Zongyang was furious. Old Zhu's tattered clothes were one thing, but his own clothes, while not luxurious, were at least presentable. To be among a group of poor, ragged people freeloading off the temple's meals, he'd received plenty of disdain along the way.

"Old man, you weren't a member of the Beggars' Guild, were you? You know all the tricks of the trade."

"So what if I begged? It's not shameful!"

"Fine, you just don't know what shame is."

Cheng Zongyang, ignoring the disapproving looks around him, took a sip from his bowl. The tofu soup tasted surprisingly good; one sip and his hangover stomach felt much better.

Old Zhu was enjoying his soup when suddenly, "Pfft!" he spat out a mouthful of tofu soup.

Cheng Zongyang quickly dodged. "You old geezer, how can you waste food like this?"

Old Zhu pointed at him, trembling, "Wh...what happened?"

Cheng Zongyang looked down and realized the wound on his finger. Last night, he'd been bitten by that little rascal, Xuexue, but thankfully it wasn't too bad. He grumbled, "Never seen anyone unlucky? Even drinking cold water gets stuck in your teeth, and you get bitten by a dog while hugging your own woman."

Seeing Old Zhu's strange expression, Cheng Zongyang frowned and asked, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with that little bastard?"

Old Zhu chuckled, "Nothing, nothing. Come, come, have some soup..."

Cheng Zongyang didn't mind, and while drinking the tofu soup, he said, "Old man, you tricked me out so early in the morning, what kind of bezoar and dog treasure are you carrying? Hurry up and take them out."

"Little Cheng, you've finished your business in Lin'an, now about my business, you see..."

Cheng Zongyang raised his eyes and asked innocently, "What business is it?"

"The grand ceremony, we agreed on that."

"Wait! Old man, we didn't talk about this, did we!"

Old Zhu immediately became anxious, "How could we not have talked about it? How could we not have talked about it? We agreed that you would come with me then."

"Stop! I absolutely never said that!"

He was joking. A battle between two old monsters from the Black Demon Sea—one from the Witch Clan, one from the Poison Clan—was something he'd be avoiding at all costs. Only a madman would wade into such muddy waters.

Old Zhu blinked. "So what did we say?"

"We said you'd provide the capital, I'd handle the operations, and we'd go into business together."

"Where will we do business?"

"First in Jiankang, then—oh, you old fool, just say it. I don't have time for business in Luoyang. Once I'm done here, the shop there will open immediately, okay?"

Old Zhu silently sipped his soup, wiping his mouth after a long while. "There are still four months until the 20th anniversary celebration. I have no one else under my command, so I'll have to take Zi'er to hold the fort." Cheng Zongyang

flatly refused, "Don't even think about it."

"Ah Wu died in the Southern Wilderness, and the legacy of my Poison Sect rests solely on Zi Yatou,"

Old Man Zhu sighed, then suddenly asked, "Do you know why our sect's Grand Ceremony is held only once every twenty years?"

Cheng Zongyang shrugged. "Perhaps both your sects are afraid of trouble."

Old Man Zhu ignored his mockery. "Each time the Grand Ceremony is held, our two sects select a disciple to represent our sect in a contest against the Bright Temple Sect. If this disciple wins, he will become the future leader of our sect."

Cheng Zongyang asked, "Who won last time? Probably your senior brother."

Old Man Zhu replied, "There was no winner last time. But I won the Grand Ceremony forty years ago."

Cheng Zongyang exclaimed in surprise, "Shouldn't you be the leader then?"

"If it weren't for Yue Fei, I would naturally be the one in charge of our sect now."

“It’s Yue Birdman again—”

Cheng Zongyang asked curiously, “Wasn’t he the one who ruined your grand ceremony twenty years ago?”

Old Zhu said with a sullen face, “Our sect’s feud with Yue Birdman began with this.”

Cheng Zongyang smiled bitterly. Speaking of which, the Black Demon Sea had been badly tricked by Yue Birdman. First, he ruined the Black Demon Sea’s twenty-year grand ceremony, preventing a final winner from being determined, which ultimately led to the split between the Witch and Poison sects. Then, the Witch sect was swept away by Yue Birdman and has not yet recovered.

“If Zi’er can win this grand ceremony, she will be able to obtain all the secrets of the two sects.”

Cheng Zongyang said expressionlessly, “I think that girl is already powerful enough. Let’s avoid this kind of superfluous addition.” He

was joking. Old Shang hadn’t even considered the girl a disciple at first. Now that his own lineage had died out, he thought of asking the girl to save the day—but the blood feud between Yue Birdman and the Witch sect was there. If the girl went, wouldn’t she be walking into a trap? If he were the leader of the Witch Clan, who would care about sectarian ethics? He would definitely use every means to kill Xiao Zi.

Old Zhu picked up his bowl and slurped down his drink. "If it weren't for Zi'er wanting to go, do you think I would have agreed?"

Cheng Zongyang suddenly stood up. "Nonsense!"

Old Zhu became unusually serious. "Yue'er has the Star Moon Lake Camp as her dowry, but Zi'er doesn't acknowledge her own father. She can only prepare her own dowry—understand?"

"Understand my ass!"

Cheng Zongyang said, "I'll prepare my own dowry and marry her! No way! I have to go and explain it to her!"

Old Zhu coldly shouted, "Fool!"

Cheng Zongyang stopped. Old Zhu had specifically pulled him out to talk about this, simply to prevent Xiao Zi from hearing it. Although Xiao Zi's personality was ever-changing, he had already witnessed her stubborn side. Bringing things up wouldn't affect her decision in the slightest; it would only touch the deepest wounds in her heart.

After a long while, Cheng Zongyang sat down. "Four more months, right? I'll go too!"

Old Zhu squinted, saying confidently, "I knew it."

"Enough nonsense!"

Cheng Zongyang said, "Before that, you'll come with me to the Taiquan Ancient Array."

Old Zhu stammered twice, wanting to bargain further, but seeing Cheng Zongyang's gaze, he finally wisely shut his mouth.

After finishing a bowl of tofu soup, although he had lost face, his stomach was satisfied, his hangover from the previous night had vanished, and he felt much better. Seeing that Old Zhu was holding the bowl and wanted to ask for another bowl of soup, Cheng Zongyang quickly pulled him away from Bao'en Temple to avoid further embarrassment.

On the way, when Ciyin was mentioned, Old Zhu frowned. "Something amiss?"

"That's right. Abbess Ciyin swindled money from the deceased old monk and is now being chased. If you're worried, you might as well go and see her."

Old Zhu's eyes flickered as he thought for a while, then he said, "I have some things to attend to, so don't wait for me for lunch."

Old Zhu walked towards the lakeside with his hands behind his back, while Cheng Zongyang was a bit troubled. The shareholders' meeting was in two or three days, and there were countless things to deal with. Meanwhile, the matter at Yuntao Temple seemed to be no less important than the shareholders' meeting.

After hesitating for a long time, Cheng Zongyang still went to Yuntao Temple. Qin Hui was enough to handle the business, and besides, he hadn't even seen that damned girl yet.

This time, no one from Yuntao Temple stopped him. The eunuchs dressed in Taoist robes retreated silently upon seeing him; without their master's orders, not one of them dared to approach and offer obsequious greetings. Cheng Zongyang was happy to be relaxed and went straight to the labyrinthine building behind the temple, seemingly oblivious to everyone else.

The fallen leaves on the steps had been swept clean, and Guo Huai was sitting outside, basking in the sun. He looked slightly unwell, but his expression lacked its usual gloom, instead displaying a sense of tranquility and peace. Chen Lin remained standing in the same spot, her back still maintaining its original curve, completely still.

Cheng Zongyang shook his head. These eunuchs held extremely low status in the palace. Even if Qin Han returned, let alone a mere Chen Lin serving in the inner palace, he would still have to stand at attention. If all the officials of the Song Dynasty were as dedicated as these eunuchs, the Song Dynasty might not claim to be the best among the Six Dynasties, but it certainly wouldn't be at the bottom.

"Where is Miss Zi?"

Chen Lin asked. "Inside the building."

Cheng Zongyang stopped. "Whenever Chen Diaodang has had enough of the palace and wants to leave for a while, he might as well tell me."

Eunuchs have no offspring. If they encounter a cruel and ungrateful master, they might be banished from the palace in their old age, with no one to care for them, and their fate is often extremely tragic. Hearing Cheng Zongyang's words, Chen Lin naturally understood his intentions, and his heart warmed. He bowed and said, "This servant thanks you, young master."

Cheng Zongyang patted his shoulder and led him upstairs.

Little Zi wasn't in the main hall in the middle, but went to the Jingge Pavilion. The Jingge Pavilion was located on the far east side of the rear building. Next to it, a rock protruded from the mountainside, forming a platform several meters in size. The designer ingeniously brought in soil and built a suspended nursery on it.

Opening the door of the exquisite pavilion, one could see a small garden with a pavilion in the center. However, the cave was devoid of sunlight and had been neglected for many years; besides some shade-loving weeds, the garden was covered with large patches of moss.

Xiao Zi sat cross-legged on the couch in the pavilion, one hand supporting her rosy cheek, the other fiddling with something.

Madam Liang knelt palely at the foot of the couch, a red silk ribbon barely covering her body. She held a silver needle in one hand, and with one hand, she inserted the needle into her fingertip, squeezing out blood, drop by drop, onto a blood-stained jade bottle in front of the couch.

The blood silently seeped into the bottle, Madam Liang's fingers trembled slightly, and her face grew increasingly pale. With each drop of blood absorbed by the jade bottle, she felt herself grow weaker. Fortunately, after a moment, the jade bottle stopped absorbing blood, and the blood slid down the bottle, leaving a crimson stain.

Cheng Zongyang asked, "What are you up to now?"

"I'm not as kind as Chief Cheng,"

Xiao Zi said to Madam Liang with a hint of sarcasm. "She's done too many bad things and is most afraid of being betrayed by a servant. I have to take her soul to put my mind at ease. Yan'er."

Yan'er lifted Madam Liang's finger and placed it on the doll in her arms. Madam Liang's body trembled, and her pale face quickly regained color, becoming radiant.

Yan'er put away the doll and said softly to Madam Liang, "You have had one of your souls taken by your master. Now, the doll's spirit will make up for it, so there won't be any loss. However, you will be temporarily filled with lust, and you need to calm down your lust. Go and choose one."

Two servants stood side by side, straight and upright. They were still wearing black leather clothes and masks, but a white dildo was attached to their abdomens, standing proudly erect. The ivory rods were intricately carved and lifelike.

As a woman, Madam Liang instinctively resisted this charade, but dared not show the slightest reluctance in front of her master. She obediently chose one and rose to go to the side room. However, the servant pushed her to the ground and tore off her red silk robe.

Madam Liang blushed slightly but dared not resist. In front of everyone, her clothes were removed, and she was forced to spread her legs on the floor of the boudoir, where the servant penetrated her.

Cheng Zongyang had witnessed how Xiao Zi had gradually broken down Zhuo Meiren's hard shell, trampling that skilled female instructor into soft, yielding flesh.

Compared to that, Madam Liang's dignity was utterly insignificant. When she was openly violated, her last shred of self-respect was trampled beyond repair. Like a tightly wound string finally snapping, Madam Liang offered no further resistance, obediently lying on the ground, letting her master's servant do as he pleased.

Cheng Zongyang looked at the Dulu Nandan Demon Bell. "It seems you've collected all of the ancient eunuch's secret manuals, and now you've even surpassed him."

Xiao Zi smiled and said, "The ancient eunuch was so stupid, he just stared at the sect's secret manuals without knowing how to use them. Now that he's given them to me, it's a blessing for their Netherworld Sect."

Cheng Zongyang glanced at the servants beside him. Although they were wearing masks, he could still recognize the two women as Jing Li and Poppy Girl. However, compared to when they were in Jiangzhou, the two women seemed different, their whole demeanor cold and mechanical. Cheng Zongyang didn't know what methods Xiao Zi had used to control them, and he didn't want to know. But as Xiao Zi said, only absolute control could guarantee they would never betray him, after all, none of these women who came from assassin backgrounds were good people.

The grass in the garden stirred, and a tall woman stood up. The Snake Lady swayed as she slowly emerged from the bushes, one hand holding a chain. Her full breasts and buttocks, encased in leather, trembled slightly, and the artificial phallus beneath her abdomen stood erect, dripping with lewd fluids.

The woman being led by the Snake Lady was none other than Liu E. This former Empress Dowager of the Song Dynasty had lost her usual nobility and elegance. Having been naked all night, her white body was now covered in mud, moss, and scattered blades of grass, appearing disheveled, her two orifices a mess. Yet, her expression held satisfaction and joy.

Yan'er said, "Someone from the palace has come to pay their respects to her; let her go first."

Xiao Zi nodded indifferently.

Yan'er said to the Snake Lady, "Take her out."

The intercourse on the ground continued. Lady Liang had been penetrated from the front by the servants over a hundred times, and now she was lying prone with her buttocks raised, being fucked from behind by the servants.

From the exquisite pavilion, one could see Liu E's fair and alluring body appearing and disappearing amidst the carved railings and corridors of the labyrinthine building. The delicate and magnificent pavilion contrasted provocatively with the naked body of the noblewoman.

Chen Lin bowed and held up the Empress Dowager's magnificent robes, following behind his mistress expressionlessly. Liu E ignored him, only offering a forced smile and obediently following the servants in front.

Cheng Zongyang shook his head and said, "Is this how you're going to treat her?"

Xiao Zi sneered, "Are you going to elevate her to the heavens?"

"She may like it this way, but you can't go too far."

"You big fool."

The Snake Lady stopped only at the small door of the passageway. She said something, and then saw Liu E kneel down, licking the dildo clean before straightening up.

Liu E didn't have time to wipe her body; with Chen Lin's help, she simply put the magnificent palace robes on her filthy body. As she dressed, Madam Snake caressed her, kneading her breasts and buttocks, even reaching between her legs. After Liu E finished dressing, she was aroused again by Madam Snake's teasing. (Advertisement: Still using your hands? How can that be satisfying? Forum reputation guaranteed! Healthy anti-premature ejaculation masturbation exerciser, real oral sex pleasure experience, hot recommendation! Maintain ejaculation sensation for 30 minutes, so pleasurable you'll faint! Fully automated masturbation with 12 different sex positions and vibration frequencies. Click to enter.)

Finally, Liu E put on her long hair, adorned herself with her phoenix hairpin, and once again became magnificent. No one would have guessed that her body beneath her elegant clothes was stained and disheveled.

Xiao Zi changed her arm position, and Cheng Zongyang noticed that she was holding a Rolex.

"A broken watch, what's so fun about it?"

Xiao Zi raised her wrist. "It's different from an alarm clock."

Of course it was different; this fake watch didn't even have a spring, it was entirely battery-powered, and once the power was gone, it became completely useless.

"You took it apart and looked at it?"

Xiao Zi nodded, frowning as she said, "This watch shouldn't even be working, so why did E'nu say she used it for years?"

Finally, there's something you don't understand, Cheng Zongyang said smugly, "It's a battery, you idiot!"

"Is it this?"

Xiao Zi opened her palm, revealing a small button battery.

"You actually found it?"

"What's a battery?"

"It's a device that stores electrical energy..."

Trying to explain a battery clearly, Cheng Zongyang realized he lacked the ability, so he simply said, "It's like dragon's eye jade, only the stored substances are different."

"Electric energy? Where does it come from?"

Cheng Zongyang painfully scratched his head, trying to explain as much as he knew about electricity to Xiao Zi. Poor guy, a liberal arts student, his knowledge of electricity was limited beyond common sense.

Finally managing to stop, looking at Xiao Zi's sparkling eyes, Cheng Zongyang didn't know if she could understand, but he was completely out of ideas.

Xiao Zi smiled sweetly, "That's interesting."

"Hey, where did you go last night?" "

I originally wanted to go to the palace to see if there was any way to remove the restriction on Meng Niang."

Cheng Zongyang said with a doubtful look, "Really?"

"But I thought, removing Meng Niang's restriction would benefit you. So I went to the escort agency."

Cheng Zongyang raised his voice, "The escort agency?"

Xiao Zi glanced at his finger, secretly stuck out her tongue, and then said, "Go see for yourself, I'm going to sleep."

Saying that, she used a ribbon to lift her watch, picked up Xue Xue, and left the Jingge. ...

In the dim light behind the screen, two snow-white bodies could be seen intertwined. The woman on top was over thirty years old, her eyebrows and eyes still captivating, her voluptuous body full of mature charm. Beneath her was a young woman a few years younger, her eyebrows and eyes gentle and charming.

The two women looked eight parts alike, clearly sisters of the same blood, but at this moment, the woman on top was gritting her teeth, her expression resentful.

"Why did you hurt me? Why?"

Ruan Xianglin demanded sharply, but Ruan Xiangning remained silent, her red lips pressed together.

"You're my only sister. I've trusted you since we were little, considered you my closest person, and told you everything,"

Ruan Xianglin stared at her sister, "but you betrayed me!"

"Sometimes I wondered why I suddenly became such a different person, so obsessed with fame and fortune, always so eager to climb into the ranks of the wealthy—"

Ruan Xianglin's voice trembled slightly, "It was all you! You told me to curry favor with those powerful and wealthy young men, to suck up to them."

"I don't remember anything you said to me when I opened my eyes. But now I finally remember. Aning, do you remember what you said to me that day at your house? You told me to curry favor with Gao Yanei, to find a way to seduce him, to use my body to pay off my debts..."

"I'm a woman, Aning! You've ruined my chastity!"

Ruan Xianglin said in a trembling voice, "Do you know, that day, a dozen thugs were on top of me like wild dogs. I felt scared and disgusted, but when I saw the gleaming gold and thought about their status, I wanted to do it with them, wanted to curry favor with them..."

Ruan Xianglin gave a bleak smile. "Aning, aren't you happy?"

Ruan Xiangning looked at her sister with a hint of mockery.

Ruan Xianglin's smile gradually faded, finally turning cold. She grabbed her sister's ankles, forcefully spreading them apart, then thrust her hips forward.

Ruan Xianglin's bare waist and hips were clad in a leather thong, with a hard ivory phallus attached to it. Ruan Xiangning lay back on the couch, her snow-white legs spread wide, her delicate genitals stretched open by the hard ivory, her body trembling slightly, her brows furrowing slightly in pain.

Ruan Xianglin's voluptuous, smooth body stood beside the couch. She raised the dildo and thrust it forcefully inside her sister, mercilessly ravaging her vagina.

Ruan Xiangning silently endured her sister's defilement, a slight smirk playing on her lips, her eyes filled with mockery and derision.

Ruan Xiangning's legs were hoisted onto her sister's shoulders, her round, snowy buttocks raised upwards. The ivory shaft moved in and out of the young woman's delicate vagina, the snow-white flesh making crisp, rapid sounds with each thrust from her own sister.

The ivory dildo moved inside the young woman, allowing her to feel the soft, elastic texture of her sister's vagina.

The two women, born of the same mother, though six years apart, shared the same allure. Gazing at her sister's still tender and beautiful body, Ruan Xianglin felt a surge of bitterness and resentment. Her thrusts grew faster and faster, her movements becoming as brutal as a venting of anger.

Suddenly, a beautiful, white hand reached out and lightly brushed against Ruan Xianglin's body. Ruan Xianglin, as if drained of all strength, froze

. Zhuo Yunjun chuckled, "It's time for the younger sister." Ruan Xiangning trembled, regaining her strength. She brushed her hair behind her ear, sat up alluringly, and then pushed her powerless sister onto the bed.

Ruan Xiangning untied the leather thong from her sister's waist, slipped it over her legs, and then, holding the shaft, gently inserted it between her sister's legs. She freed her hand, parted her sister's legs, and then reached between them, gently caressing her vulva before forcefully pulling it open.

Ruan Xianglin's mature genitals suddenly bloomed like a flower, her labia stretched wide, revealing the red, moist opening inside.

Ruan Xianglin looked at her defiantly, then lifted the dildo, still wet with her own bodily fluids, and slowly inserted it into her sister's body.

"Sister is still the same as before,"

Ruan Xiangning said softly. "You've always been domineering and hateful since you were little, relying on your status as my sister. I'm only a few years younger than you, and the clothes I wear and the things I use are all things you've used before I gave them to you, but you always think it's your right..."

"You say I ruined you—but wasn't it just that I was greedy for wealth? If you were truly a chaste woman, you would have committed suicide long ago, why would you make one mistake after another? Sister, you are actually a born lewd woman, only you don't know it."

Ruan Xiangning laughed. "Sister has even given birth to children, and her cunt is still so tight, no wonder those young masters like her so much. Hmm, sister's pupils contracted slightly, did I hit sister's flower core this time?"

"You—"

Ruan Xianglin's body was restrained, and her hands and feet were powerless. Although her younger sister was a weak woman who did not know martial arts, she was powerless to struggle at this moment, only showing anger in her eyes.

"Sister, are you trying to say that you didn't treat me like this just now?"

Ruan Xiangning shook her head and said in a sympathetic tone, "Sister is always like this. To put it nicely, you're straightforward; to put it bluntly, you just don't put in the effort. When I ask you to seduce men, you treat this cunt between your legs like a free object, letting anyone do whatever they want with it. When our master asked us sisters to talk together, you just kept going at it hard, and now it still hurts down there."

Ruan Xiangning laughed, "I'm not as strong as you, but to make you wet, I don't need to use too much force."

Ruan Xianglin's chest tightened as her younger sister pinched her two tender nipples. Then, a slightly painful, tingling sensation shot through her lower body as Ruan Xiangning lifted her lower body and thrust the hard dildo into her vagina, grinding it back and forth against her clitoris. Ruan Xiangning looked at her older sister, her dark eyes seeming to deepen.

In just a moment, Ruan Xianglin's body began to convulse uncontrollably, her vaginal fluids gushing out like a burst dam, the flesh inside her trembling slightly, seemingly yearning for the thrusting of the penis.

Ning Yuji, from the Black Demon Sea, clearly knew more about sex than her sister. As Ruan Xianglin's body began to heat up, she slowly began to thrust, first nine shallow thrusts followed by one deep one, then gradually increasing the frequency.

As a mature woman, Ruan Xianglin's body was far more sensitive than her sister's. Although Ruan Xianglin had lost the ability to use the Meditation Technique, the remaining energy was enough to influence her mind. Ruan Xianglin felt the hard penis inside her gradually become more elastic, each thrust bringing an intoxicating sensation, her body seemingly rising and falling in waves, the sweet pleasure of intercourse engulfing her like a tide.

Ruan Xianglin couldn't help but gasp, though still filled with hatred for her sister, a thought lingered in her mind: she would wait until her sister was finished before hating her.

With a "pop," the wet penis was pulled out of her vagina and then thrust forward. A clear liquid flowed down the ivory rod, dripping warmly onto her face.

Realizing it was her own bodily fluid, Ruan Xianglin's face flushed instantly.

Ruan Xiangning softly said, "Sister, don't forget your master's orders."

Ruan Xianglin's shoulders trembled slightly, then she opened her red lips and took the soaked rod into her mouth.

Chapter Six:

Both Ruan Xianglin and Ruan Xiangning were outstanding beauties; otherwise, they wouldn't have caught Gao Yanei's eye at first glance. At this moment, the two sisters were in full bloom, making Cheng Zongyang's blood boil, but hearing these words startled him. The Ruan sisters were already like oil and water; Ruan Xianglin had been betrayed by her younger sister, and now that the truth had been revealed, she probably wanted to kill her. But the injured older sister was so obedient to her younger sister on the bed—could there be another reason?

Cheng Zongyang turned and asked, "What did that brat instruct?"

Yan'er replied, "The two of them... the elder sister hates the younger sister to death, so Miss Zi instructed that although both sisters are servants, when they are together, the elder sister must obey the younger sister's orders."

Cheng Zongyang thought for a moment and understood. To make Ruan Xianglin submit to her enemy—that brat really knew how to play games. In terms of cultivation and ability, Ruan Xiangning was far inferior to her elder sister. To avoid being retaliated against, she could only serve as a good servant to Xiao Zi and rely on her master's power to subdue her elder sister. Ruan Xianglin,

as the elder sister, had to obey her younger sister, and her hatred for her sister would only deepen—the deeper the rift between the sisters, the better they could restrain each other.

"Ruan Xianglin listens to Ningnu, but who does Ningnu listen to?"

"She listens to Enu."

"The Empress Dowager's status is indeed different; she has two more servants below her."

"Not entirely."

Yan'er smiled, "Miss Zi said that without rules, there can be no order. Even among servants, there are ranks. According to the rules set by the household, all servants must obey the orders of those in higher positions and be absolutely obedient to their commands. Those maidservants are the first rank of servants. The Ruan sisters, Lady Liu, and Madam Liang were all the lowest rank of servants when they first entered the household. But among the four of them, Miss Zi designated Linnu as Ningnu's servant, Ningnu as Enu's servant, Enu as Yingnu's servant, and Yingnu as Linnu's servant."

Cheng Zongyang then understood that the four women had formed a circle, mutually restraining each other. Ruan Xianglin came from the Black Demon Sea, so Lady Liu naturally wouldn't treat her well. And Lady Liu was the Empress Dowager of Song, so Madam Liang, this Hu woman, probably hated her deeply as well. As for Madam Liang and Ruan Xianglin, they had long been at odds because of Liang Shijie. Now that Ruan Xianglin was Madam Liang's mistress, it was obvious how she would treat this servant.

Cheng Zongyang was utterly impressed. Although he knew the girl often surprised him, he hadn't expected her to be so cunning. With just a little arrangement, she had these four women of different backgrounds, personalities, and abilities completely under her thumb.

In the hall, Madam Liang's intercourse with the servant continued. If she were serving a man, she would simply open her body and let him have his way, serving him until he ejaculated. But the servant was using a dildo, and Madam Liang could only futilely soothe that hard ivory with her tender vulva.

Being women, Madam Liang's slightest slackening would not escape his notice, so she dared not be lazy in the slightest, working even harder than when serving a man. By now, she was exhausted, yet she still vigorously thrust her lower body, welcoming the hard insertion of the dildo.

Madam Liang, already alluring, now swayed her hips and breasts like a snake in the hall, displaying her lewdness. On the other side, the sisters Ruan Xianglin and Ruan Xiangning, one mature and alluring, the other slightly older, with fragrant skin and fair complexion, were even more seductive on the naked couch.

Beside them were three scantily clad servants, each more fiery than the last, their full hips and long legs, their curvaceous bodies beneath leather clothing, like three bewitching snakes. As for Yan'er and Zhuo Meiren'er, their beauty surpassed all the other women, truly stunning.

Cheng Zongyang suddenly realized that he was the only man in the entire labyrinth, surrounded by a group of beauties of varying appearances, and that the damned girl wasn't there; he had absolute control over them.

This kind of imperial, sinful life was something he had never even dreamed of. Perhaps only those few days in the Jin Palace could compare, but those days were mostly absurd. For a moment, he couldn't help but indulge in fantasies. When would he retire and live in seclusion in Lin'an with Xiao Zi? He could bring all these beautiful maids with him; he wouldn't trade that life for anything.

Come to think of it, that brat was deliberately avoiding him, perhaps so he could enjoy himself here. Cheng Zongyang's heart warmed. He put one arm around Yan'er and the other around Zhuo Yunjun's waist, laughing, "You're all dressed up. I'll count to three, and you'll all take your clothes off at once."

Yan'er said awkwardly in a low voice, "Young Master... I can't..."

"Don't worry, after your period, I'll pamper you properly. I'm just checking if you've developed..."

"Young Master... it's you who can't..."

Cheng Zongyang asked curiously, "What do you mean?"

His smile slowly froze on his face.

The surroundings were filled with vibrant colors, and his desire was burning fiercely. He had beautiful women in his arms, and his erection was ready—but he couldn't get an erection at all!

Liu Xiahui! The name flashed through Cheng Zongyang's mind, and then his face darkened. I don't want to be forced to become a saint!

"It's Xuexue..."

Yan'er wanted to laugh but dared not, lowering her eyes and speaking softly, "Miss Zi told me to tell the young master to be careful not to get bitten by Xuexue. Its teeth are poisonous, and if a man is bitten, he will be unable to have sex..."

Cheng Zongyang almost spat out a mouthful of blood. No wonder that brat had been making excuses to disappear since last night. The vicious dog had even affected his sexual function; this little bitch was truly despicable.

Zhuo Yunjun said, "Let me try."

As she spoke, she unbuttoned her mistress's clothes and lowered her head.

After a full cup of tea's time, the beautiful Zhuo Yunjun raised her head, panting, with a helpless look in her eyes. Cheng Zongyang was on the verge of tears. He grabbed Yan'er and asked, "What kind of poison is this? Can it be cured? How long is the cure? Will there be any aftereffects?"

"This servant doesn't know either. We'll have to ask Miss Zi."

"Where's that brat? Call her here! Her dog hurt someone and tried to run away!"

"Miss Zi has gone out and won't be back for two days."

Cheng Zongyang roared, "Damn it!"

The sun rose higher and higher, the light and shadow filtering through the cracks in the rocks constantly changing, illuminating the dark pavilions one by one.

Cheng Zongyang lay on the couch, holding up his finger and looking at the almost disappeared teeth marks on it, and ordered, "Yan'er, tell the kitchen to boil water. I want to make soup with that little wretched dog."

"Miss Zi has gone out with Xuexue."

"No rush. Simmer it slowly. When it comes back, I'll twist its neck!"

Cheng Zongyang made a fierce gesture, gritting his teeth as he said, "First, bleed it, peel off its skin, then chop it into pieces the size of dried tofu. Then fry it in hot oil until the oil is rendered, then slowly stew it in a clay pot..."

Cheng Zongyang himself was getting hungry as he spoke. At this moment, Madam Snake hurried in, "Wu Er is here, he's outside the temple right now, should we let him in?"

"Wu Er?"

Cheng Zongyang looked up, "That fellow has arrived in Lin'an too?"...

Outside the gate of Yuntao Temple, a large cart loaded with watermelons was parked, and a burly man, as fierce as a tiger, was squatting beside the cart, eating a watermelon with great relish.

Seeing Cheng Zongyang come out, he threw down the melon rind, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said gruffly, "How much?"

The old melon farmer said fearfully, "Sir, you ate six watermelons, which is sixty coins in total. You can give me fifty."

Wu Erlang glared at him, "Do you think I can't afford to pay? You're looking down on people!"

The old farmer was almost scared to death, waving his hands frantically, "I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!"

"Take it!"

Wu Erlang threw out a handful of copper coins and said generously, "Keep the change!"

"Thank you, sir! Thank you, sir!"

The old farmer quickly pushed his melon cart and left in a flash.

Cheng Zongyang crossed his arms and said, "Second Master, it's been a few months, and your roguish skills have improved quite a bit. You still have the nerve to say 'keep the change,' that money doesn't even look like thirty copper coins."

Wu Erlang retorted fiercely, "Nonsense! If it was less, why didn't he ask me for it?"

"Eating six watermelons in one go—who would dare ask you for money?"

Wu Erlang looked around to make sure no one was watching, then pulled a watermelon from under his buttocks, cracked it open with a "bang," and handed half to Cheng Zongyang.

"Damn it! You even stole a watermelon!"

"Stole what?"

Wu Erlang said righteously, "Everyone with eyes saw it, Second Master picked it up!"

He took a big bite and mumbled, "Damn it! Second Master was dying of thirst on the way here!"

"Where have you been?"

Cheng Zongyang raised an eyebrow, "Have you been fighting with someone?"

"Second Master took the Zhaonan route,"

he laughed. "He had a fight with the bald monk from the Ten Directions Forest! It was exhilarating!"

Cheng Zongyang was taken aback. "Lu Zhishen and Instructor Lin?"

Wu Erlang nodded. He finished most of the watermelon in a few bites, casually tossing aside the rind, and then said, "Senior Brother Lu and Instructor Lin were being chased and were both injured. They discussed it and decided to stay in Muyu City for now, and go to Jiangzhou after things calm down."

Cheng Zongyang had been worried about the whereabouts of Lin and Lu. Hearing that Wu Erlang had met with them, he felt relieved, but then he became puzzled again. "When did Second Master change his ways? He's actually willing to do things for free?"

Wu Erlang glared at him and said, "How dare you talk like that? What do you take Second Master for! This is called loyalty! You don't know anything!"

"Wait, I didn't ask Second Master to handle this, did I? Who sent you?"

Wu Erlang said sullenly, "Who else could it be? Zi'er, of course."

Cheng Zongyang drawled, "Oh..."

Wu Erlang snorted, "Second Master is happy to! Hey, kid, Zi'er asked Second Master to come to this temple to find her, and Second Master hasn't eaten or drunk anything on the way here! Hurry up and tell them to serve a feast so Second Master can eat his fill!"

"What kind of food does the temple have?"

Cheng Zongyang said, "Let's go, Second Master, let's go to Cuiwei Garden and roast two fat lambs to welcome Second Master."

"Okay!"

Wu Erlang took a few steps, looked around to make sure no one was there, and suddenly pulled Cheng Zongyang aside, took out a carefully wrapped package from his pocket, and then took out a piece of paper, "You can read, read it to Second Master." Cheng

Zongyang took it and read, "Su Li's letter to Mr. Wu Erlang..." After

reading one sentence, Cheng Zongyang gasped as if his teeth ached. The paper read: Write as I say—Su Li said to Wu Erlang: I love you very much, so I want to marry you. If you listen to Xiao Zi, I will wait for you at the Taiquan Ancient Formation. That's it. Add one more thing: tell the person reading the letter not to talk nonsense. Anyone who talks nonsense will regret being alive. That's it, have someone deliver it to Wu Erlang.

The handwriting on the letter was delicate and beautiful, clearly Meng Niang's handwriting. As for the person who dictated it, who else could it be but that brat?

Cheng Zongyang suppressed his laughter, widened his eyes, and pretended to be surprised, saying, "Second Master, did Su Li give this to you?"

Wu Erlang tried to remain calm, but his eyes narrowed into slits as he smiled and said happily, "A Li asked Old Man Shang to bring it to me. What does it say?"

"Really? You still don't know what the letter says?"

"I had someone read it to me,"

Wu Erlang said in a low voice, "I was just afraid someone would lie to me."

His fear was justified. Cheng Zongyang cleared his throat. "Listen, Su Li said: I love you so much, so I want to marry you."

Cheng Zongyang looked up and said affectionately, "Second Master, this is a love letter..."

Wu Erlang, like a tiger whose itch had been scratched, squinted and grinned, his whole being bubbling with pleasure.

"Read it again,"

Wu Erlang pleaded, "I didn't hear it clearly just now."

"Listen carefully this time, Su Li said: I love you so much, so I want to marry you..."

"Read it again,"

Wu Erlang said, "I was distracted just now."

"Su Li said: I love you so much, so I want to marry you..."

"Read it again, just now—"

Cheng Zongyang interrupted him, "Damn! You're just here to have some fun!"

"Fine, I won't read it then, what do you take Second Master for?"

Wu Erlang, with a flirtatious look, put away the letter, carefully wrapped it up with lingering relish, and put it close to his body.

Cheng Zongyang asked innocently, "Second Master, are you going to the Taiquan Ancient Formation?"

Wu Erlang replied casually, "Anyway, I have nothing to do. Second Master is going to relax."

"Perfect timing,

we're going the same way," Cheng Zongyang said with a smile, "Let's split the travel expenses."

"What travel expenses? Let me tell you, Second Master has no money, but you can take my life!"

"Second Master, you're just a poor tyrant!"...

Since the Wu Mu Prince's Mansion had just started construction, and the original residence was too small, Cheng Zongyang simply borrowed Cuiwei Garden as his base in Lin'an. The Cheng family of Panjiang claimed that Cuiwei Garden was near West Lake, a place with auspicious feng shui for accumulating wealth, hence the lease. However, rumors circulated that Cuiwei Garden was actually the private property of Grand Commandant Gao, and that the Cheng family of Panjiang had leased it for two years at a price equal to the price of buying the garden, thus gaining access to Grand Commandant Gao's influence.

Rumors spread like wildfire, and several censors even impeached Grand Commandant Gao Qiu, but their reports, once sent to the palace, went nowhere.

In truth, Gao Qiu hadn't charged a single penny for lending out the garden—but no one believed this truth. Gao Qiu had taken so many blame-shifting charges that he didn't care about such a small one, so he brazenly endured the ridicule and scorn of the common people, further tarnishing his already tarnished reputation.

Cheng Zongyang felt somewhat guilty about Qin Hui's secret attempt to clear their relationship, so he reluctantly asked Gao Qiu to send clothes and food to Gao Yanei. Feng Yuan sent word back that Gao Zhishang had cried, cursed, begged, and even acted like a dead dog for two days. Now he was quite well-behaved, but he was losing weight by two pounds a day, and his old clothes were no longer quite fitting.

"Feng Dafa wouldn't be that stingy, would he?"

Cheng Zongyang said worriedly, "He doesn't even feed him properly?"

Lin Qingpu said, "Feng Yuan said that Gao Yanei eats more than a pig in one meal, but since he doesn't have a horse to ride, he has to walk on his own two legs. He even has to chop wood and carry water when he needs a snack, which is why he's so thin."

"Feng Dafa's heart is harder than mine, he's a real stepfather."

"It's Hami Chi's idea."

Lin Qingpu laughed, "He said that Yanei is already quite old, and if he doesn't strengthen his body, he'll be ruined. He's keeping an eye on him

every day." Cheng Zongyang was somewhat dismissive, "He's only sixteen, how can he be old? Just pass on a message to them, don't push him too hard. We're not trying to train Gao Yanei into a special forces soldier like Meng Laoda, the message is enough."

After they finished speaking, Qin Hui said, "The Wu Mu Prince's Mansion has been cleaned up. The date calculated by Kuang Shenxian is the day after tomorrow, an auspicious day for breaking ground. How about starting construction the day after tomorrow?"

"Okay, the day after tomorrow it is. What about Fourth Brother?"

"We've arrived."

"Let's begin then, don't delay."

Cheng Zongyang hurried to the main hall. Qin Hui and Lin Qingpu took their seats, flanked by Qi Yuan, Yu Ziyuan, Yi Biao, Jin Wuzhu, Leopard Head, Han Yu, Kuang Zhongyu... Lu Jing had already set off for Luoyang, Xiao Yaoyi was still indulging in the Jade Dew Pavilion, and Yue Shuang refused to appear. Only Cui Mao represented the Xingyue Lake camp. The presence of Lan Gu and You Chan brought a touch of brightness to this predominantly male meeting. At Cheng Zongyang's request, Li Shishi also attended, though she wore a veil and sat in the back corner with Wang Hui.

"I've been wanting to get everyone together for a while, but unfortunately, the Panjiang Cheng family is getting bigger and bigger, and people are scattered all over the country. Changbo and Wu Dadao are in Jiangzhou, and Lao Ao and Feng Dafa have gone to Han State. We've almost exhausted our manpower in Jiankang, and now we're relying entirely on Sister Liu to keep things going."

Cheng Zongyang said with a wry smile, "If this continues, we won't need anyone else to help us; we'll fall apart on our own."

"I've called everyone here today for nothing else but to take advantage of the time before the shareholders' meeting to finalize the framework of our Panjiang Cheng family."

Cheng Zongyang said, "As you all know, our Panjiang Cheng family is now involved in industries such as weaving workshops, cement, jewelry, currency, casinos, brothels... and there's a trend of continued expansion."

"I've discussed with many people what kind of organizational structure the Panjiang Cheng Clan should adopt. Some suggested classifying by industry, following the model of other businesses: a main branch with branches for weaving, cement, jewelry, and paper money, each managing its own affairs. Others suggested dividing by function, with those in charge of money, goods, and operations separated. Still others suggested following a sect model, with our Panjiang Cheng Clan divided into inner and outer halls, the outer hall managing profits and the inner hall managing expenses..."

Before he finished speaking, laughter erupted in the hall. Cheng Zongyang said seriously, "Don't laugh. Whether it's appropriate or not, at least you've put your mind to it. I've considered it and decided on this division. Qingpu."

Lin Qingpu stood up and said, "Those present are all insiders. As everyone knows, the Panjiang Cheng Clan is primarily a business, but not limited to it. According to the patriarch's plan, our Panjiang Cheng Clan will adopt a joint-stock system, where shareholders receive a share of the profits annually, have voting rights at the shareholders' meeting, but do not participate in management."

"As for the operational organization, it's divided into seven departments,"

Lin Qingpu said, pulling out a sheet of paper. "First: Cheng's Headquarters. Responsible for decision-making and coordination, headed by Qin Huizhi. Second: Finance Headquarters, responsible for the company's accounts and auditing. Qin Huizhi is temporarily acting as its head. Third: Human Resources Headquarters, responsible for recruitment, allocation, and family arrangements. Qi Yuan is the head. Fourth: Marketing Headquarters, responsible for sales and customer service. Qi Yuan is temporarily acting as its head. Fifth: Information Headquarters, responsible for information transmission and confidentiality, headed by Lin Qingpu. Sixth: Technology Headquarters, responsible for technology research and development, headed by Feng Yuan. Seventh: Security Headquarters, responsible for the company's security and surveillance, headed by Wu Zhanwei."

Qin Hui paused, "Regarding the Security Headquarters, we need to discuss that further ." "A few words," Cheng Zongyang said. "The young master's direct battalion belongs to the Xingyue Lake camp. If it is to be deployed, it must be approved by Colonel Meng. In addition, the Chamber of Commerce will set up another guard to ensure the safety of the goods."

Cheng Zongyang continued, "This plan is my own idea. As you all know, the manpower of each department is extremely unbalanced. The headquarters, finance, personnel, and marketing are managed by Huizhi and Qiyuan. It's not that these four departments are not important, but that there are not enough people. The last one, the security headquarters, is full of talent. Apart from Wu Zhanwei, Wu Changbo, Yi Biao, and Jin Wuzhu can all handle it. So the most important thing right now is to recruit suitable people. As long as they are capable, my Panjiang Cheng family will certainly leave a position for them."

The hall was silent as everyone digested the patriarch's words. Cheng Zongyang changed the subject, "As for the establishment of branches, now that we have a headquarters, it will be handled by the headquarters. Huizhi, you will make the arrangements."

"Yes."

Qin Hui stood up and said, "The Panjiang Cheng family's branches will be temporarily divided into four places: Jin, Song, Zhaonan, and Jiangzhou. The Jin state's main business will be located in Jiankang, with Qi Yuan as the chief steward. Under it will be a weaving workshop: steward Madam Wu, Liu Cuiyan. A jewelry store: steward Zheng Heng, a guard who came with the family head from the Southern Wilderness. Linjiang Tower: steward Zhiniang."

"The Song state's main business will be located in Lin'an, with Qin as the chief steward. Under it will be a money exchange: steward Qin. A grain store: steward Zhou Feng. After the reconstruction of the Wu Mu Prince's Mansion, there will be four gardens and five towers: stewards Lan Gu and You Chan. The Pengyi Society will be merged into the Cheng family: steward Yu Ziyuan, in charge of transportation by carriage and boat. A public relations department will be set up in the future: steward Li Shishi. As for the other four money exchange branches and the Junzhou branch, the stewards will be selected from the family head's guards."

"The Jiangzhou Trading Company will temporarily have Wu Changbo as its chief steward. The cement workshop will be handled by the Xingyue Lake Camp, with only one steward in charge of marketing. The Zhaonan Trading Company will be temporarily located in Jingxi, responsible for transactions with Zhaonan, with Xiang Ya as its steward."

After Qin Hui sat down, Cheng Zongyang said, "What I want to talk about is still the manpower issue. Currently, our personnel mainly come from retired veterans of the Xingyue Lake Camp, the Snow Falcon Mercenary Group, and the Pengyi Society. We have basically used all the personnel we can draw upon. Lao Shu, select fifty people from your tribe for me, half to assist Xiang Ya, and half to come to Lin'an."

"Yes, sir!"

"I have roughly estimated that there are about two or three hundred households in Jiankang and Lin'an that are dependent on our Panjiang Cheng Clan."

Cheng Zongyang said, "Therefore, I plan to set up an academy in Jiangzhou, hire master craftsmen from various trades to teach, and enroll the children of each household. The Jingxi and Beast Barbarian tribes can also enroll and study."

Cheng Zongyang's biggest headache was that there were too many illiterate people. At this moment, there were dozens of people sitting in the hall, and the number of literate people could be counted on one hand. Establishing an academy to train the sons of merchants, though not a quick fix, would at least provide a pool of literate people to use in three to five years.

"Does anyone else have any objections?"

To be honest, most people were somewhat confused by Cheng Zongyang's setup, but Cui Mao sensed something amiss. Like Meng Feiqing and the others, Cui Mao had hoped Cheng Zongyang would succeed Yue Fei as commander of the Xingyue Lake camp, and therefore had some doubts about his focus on business. But upon hearing his arrangements, Cui Mao's initial suspicions vanished, and he became calm and composed. Cheng

Zongyang's arrangement sounded somewhat strange, but it was quite profound. In Cui Mao's view, this structure actually corresponded to the Three Departments and Six Ministries of the Tang and Song dynasties. The Cheng family headquarters was equivalent to the Secretariat and the Chancellery, with Qin Hui's role equivalent to the prime minister. The other departments were equivalent to the Six Ministries of the Ministry of Personnel, and the officials were equivalent to the ministers of each department. Finance was handled by the Ministry of Revenue, personnel by the Ministry of Personnel, technology and marketing by the Ministry of Works, and security by a merger of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice, with the addition of an information department. However, the structure of the information headquarters was self-evident, essentially identical to the functions of the Imperial City Guard in the Song Dynasty.

This arrangement was watertight—if the Ministry of Rites were added, it would be enough to declare oneself emperor.

Cui Mao and Qin Hui exchanged a glance and smiled slightly. Cui Mao thought to himself that Qin Hui was indeed quite capable, managing to set up departments so subtly and meticulously.

Qin Hui, however, understood perfectly. These departmental setups had nothing to do with him; they were entirely the patriarch's idea. Initially somewhat surprised, after careful consideration, he could only admire the patriarch. This arrangement alone revealed the patriarch's great talent and ambition.

If Cheng Zongyang knew what they were thinking, he would surely vomit blood on the spot. In reality, his arrangement was simply copying, directly using the departmental setup of a typical company. As for the similarities to the Three Provinces and Six Ministries, it could only be said that the truths of the world are interconnected.

Fortunately, Cheng Zongyang was unaware of their thoughts. Seeing that no one objected, he said, "In that case, let's try it out first. We'll revise it if it doesn't suit us!"

"Yes!"

Watching everyone file out, Cheng Zongyang calmed down. Although the Panjiang Cheng family expanded extremely rapidly, he had always been walking on thin ice. This time, making arrangements before the shareholders' meeting was to reorganize his forces, ensuring he could proceed to the Taiquan Ancient Formation without any worries. ...

April 26th finally arrived, the day of the shareholders' meeting. The weather was fine and sunny, and early in the morning, carriages and horses streamed through Cuiwei Garden. Disciples from prominent families of Jin appeared openly in the garden, while the shareholders of Song unanimously sent representatives.

Although the Song shareholders had to remain behind the scenes due to the ban on officials engaging in commerce, in terms of influence in both countries, these officials wielding real power were even more powerful than the scions of the prominent families of Jin.

Jia Shixian's representative was naturally Liao Qunyu. As the highest-ranking shareholder in the Song Dynasty, Liao Qunyu was naturally greeted personally by Cheng Zongyang, who greeted him with a smile upon meeting him: "Mr. Liao!"

Liao Qunyu cupped his hands and smiled, "Congratulations!"

"Don't get it wrong, you're also a shareholder!"

Cheng Zongyang laughed, "Please come in!"

The most spacious garden in the complex, Biyin Garden, had been completely renovated. On the lush, green lawn was a long table large enough for a horse to run across, laden with various foods, drinks, and fruits, all neatly categorized and dazzlingly abundant. A large tent had been erected on one side of the garden, where chefs hired at great expense from famous restaurants in Lin'an, such as Fenglelou and Zhangjia Garden, were preparing their signature dishes on-site.

Liao Qunyu was surprised. "What is this?"

"A buffet,"

Cheng Zongyang explained. "The dishes are all laid out on the table. Everyone can take what they want, which is much more convenient than a set meal. More importantly—I don't want anyone to fight over seating arrangements."

Liao Qunyu chuckled. He knew that the most troublesome part of hosting a banquet was arranging seating, especially since these shareholders were all influential figures. Arranging seating would be a headache for anyone. Although Cheng Zongyang's "buffet" arrangement was somewhat absurd, it saved countless troubles.

What Liao Qunyu didn't know was that from this shareholders' meeting onwards, the buffet became the only form of annual shareholders' meetings for the Panjiang Cheng family. In the future, during the Six Dynasties, countless merchants and dignitaries considered it an honor to attend the Panjiang Cheng family's buffet.

Every few feet around the long table stood several waiters, all dressed in sky-blue robes with white handkerchiefs draped over their arms, neatly dressed. Upon seeing a guest arrive, a waiter picked up a tray and bowed to the guest with practiced ease.

Although Cheng Zongyang copied the buffet model, he couldn't help but adapt to local customs—expecting Fatty Shi and the others to take their own food and drinks was simply wishful thinking. Therefore, he specially hired a group of waiters to serve the guests dishes.

Liao Qunyu glanced at the waiter, who then took a dish from the stack of bowls and plates on the table and used long silver tongs next to the plate to place the food into the dish.

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Take whatever you want to eat, but you must finish what you take."

Liao Qunyu nodded and said, "That's very good. What is this?"

"Hops wine."

Cheng Zongyang personally took a cup and filled it. "Brother Liao, please try some."

Liao Qunyu took a sip and couldn't help but frown.

Cheng Zongyang laughed loudly, "Brother Liao, drink a few more cups, and you'll know the benefits of this hop wine."

Liao Qunyu looked around, then stopped after a moment, pointing to a pile of cut-up pieces of Nanbangguo on the table, and said somewhat uncertainly, "Is this sugarcane?"

Sugarcane is produced in Zhaonan, and is not commonly seen in Lin'an. Thanks to the trade route along the Fuling River, Qi Yuan and his group brought a batch specifically to Lin'an. At this moment, dozens of sugarcane stalks had been scraped clean, cut into pieces about a foot long, and neatly arranged in a pile, quite eye-catching among the melons and fruits.

Cheng Zongyang gave a slight gesture, and the waiter next to him picked up a sugarcane stalk, placed it in a strange machine consisting of two round rollers, and then turned the handle. The sugarcane was rolled into the rollers with a slight rustling sound, and the juice immediately flowed out, dripping from the silver spout into a snow-white porcelain cup.

Cheng Zongyang laughed, "Sugarcane juice, it clears heat and reduces internal fire. Brother Liao, please!"

Liao Qunyu took a sip and praised, "Good! It's really sweet!"

Suddenly, a commotion arose behind them, and Huan Xin and his entourage arrived in a grand procession with a large number of maids and servants. Cheng Zongyang laughed and scolded, "Huan Laosan! We agreed that each person could only bring one maid, but you brought such a large group. Are you here to hunt?"

Huan Xin said, "Brother Cheng, look carefully, I didn't bring a single maid! Fatty Shi!"

Shi Chao came over panting, cupped his fists and said, "Brother Cheng, I beg for mercy..."

Shi Chao was obese, and usually needed at least three maids to help him walk a few steps. Although he had no shortage of skilled guards, Fatty Shi had grown up surrounded by women and still had the integrity to never let a man touch him. Therefore, while others only brought one maid, he brought seven or eight.

Cheng Zongyang was both amused and annoyed. "Bring a sedan chair for Young Master Shi!"

Two guards carried the sedan chair over, dismissing the maids, and the garden finally quieted down a bit.

Xie Wuyi, arms crossed, watched with great interest as the chef meticulously removed the bones from a whole chicken, one by one from its rear end. The chef removed the skin without damaging the chicken, leaving it intact—a skillful and entertaining feat. Ruan Xuanzi, however, said, "A gentleman stays away from the kitchen." He and Ruan Yaoji, supported by maids, ordered several fine wines, then sat down on the ground in the courtyard, undressing and drinking heartily.

These young masters of noble families were all night owls, indulging in revelry all night long. That's why Cheng Zongyang had scheduled the gathering for the afternoon, with a buffet lunch to avoid drinking and disrupting the proceedings. But the Ruan brothers weren't picky at all; as long as there was wine, they were content.

Yu Bin, Yuan Chengzi, Liu Jiezhi, and others were quite interested in the buffet style. Although these scions of noble families lived lavishly in their daily lives, it was rare for them to have a single meal with a feast spanning several meters without repeating dishes. In particular, the banquet featured many seasonal fruits and delicacies rarely seen in Jiankang, which was truly eye-opening.

In terms of the standard of living of the citizens, the Song Dynasty was undoubtedly the best among the Six Dynasties. After deciding on the buffet, Cheng Zongyang was also surprised by the richness of the Song Dynasty's cuisine. Many dishes were ones he had never even seen before, such as camel hump and chalcedony. Originally, the chef of Fenglelou had recommended leopard fetus, one of the Eight Delicacies, but Cheng Zongyang firmly refused.

To Cheng Zongyang's surprise, the most popular dish at the banquet was actually fruit juice. Various fruits were delivered by Pengyi Society by express courier and squeezed on the spot by the waiters. Shi Chao, who couldn't drink alcohol, tried almost every kind of fruit juice.

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