When Huangfu Song and the rest arrived at Li Chengfeng’s quarters, they looked at each other as if to wait for the other person to break the door down.
All three girls looked at him so, in the end, he toughened up to yell for Chengfeng at the gates. After a while, he could not wait any longer so he flicked a finger and the bolt unlocked itself and the gate opened with a creak.
Stepping into the front hall, they all saw boxes of gifts they had sent the night before laid out neatly in the room. All four looked at each other then quickly looked away awkwardly.
Just to build a good relationship with Sir Zhan, as Li Chengfeng expected, they did not waste any time to send him money and magical items as gifts. If Li Chengfeng had not assigned Su Yuehan to greet them, Ji Chunhua might have seduced Sir Zhan herself.
There were many things to do even without taking away one’s virginity. Ji Chunhua was experienced in this and very confident she could have this young man wrapped around her finger in no time.
Huangfu Song pounced forward to open the boxes. They were filled with checks, magical weapons and various other treasures.
He privately sighed in relief. “Perhaps he’s just gone out.”
When Ji Chunhua realised she’d given the least items, she complained bitterly, “Looks like everyone was more than willing to spend their fortunes. Why haven’t I seen this side of you before?”
Feng Wenjuan replied coldly, “Please, do not call the kettle black.”
Gu Yuelian put down the silver check with a horrid expression. “How much money did you guys give him?”
Huangfu Song said, “None.”
Gu Yuelian looked at Feng Wenjuan, who squinted calmly. It was not clear if she was angry. “I gave two hundred thousand.
All three looked sideways. Gu Yuelian’s expression turned sour. “I gave a hundred thousand… but there is only two hundred and seventy thousand here.”
“So that means thirty thousand disappeared?” Huangfu Song turned and gave a warning look. “Are you sure?”
Gu Yuelian passed the notes to him. “Why don’t you count it yourself?”
He did not accept it. He lowered his head to think, then looked up. “Can’t believe it… We were played by a newcomer!”
He was so angry he laughed. “I can’t believe it!”
Ji Chunhua’s face turned green. “And he’s smart too, he only took thirty thousand out of three hundred!”
He chuckled coldly. “Yeah, a smart man indeed. He knew he could not afford to take so much money and also magical items. He took just enough but not too much… Well played, well played indeed!”
Feng Wenjuan blurted, “We can’t let him go just like that!”
Ji Chunhua snickered. “What, are you sure you want everyone in the world to know about this? You want us to become the butt of the joke?”
Gu Yuelian was both relieved and delighted. The feeling of insecurity and anxiety had all turned into relief. “Sigh, if it wasn’t for greed, we would not have been tricked by a newcomer!”
Feng Wenjuan spat coldly, “Gu Yuelian, get off your high horse. Do you really think I don’t know this Golden Deity Boot’s from you? Can’t believe you were willing to give this to him. You weren’t holding back at all.”
Gu Yuelian’s face fell and she forced a smile. “I mean, we just need to learn from this mistake.”
“What now?” Ji Chunhua looked at Huangfu Song.
He radiated murderous intent. “Investigate! We must check where the idiot went! No one can live after playing me like that!”
Feng Wenjuan blurted, “But it was us…” Her eyes darted at Ji Chunhua, then at Gu Yuelian. “Everyone is in this together. No one must know of this or we’ll become after-dinner gossip and the butt of every joke.”
Gu Yuelian quickly agreed. “No one must know of this.”
Everyone looked away as Ji Chunhua furrowed her brows. “What do we do if we can’t find him?”
Huangfu Song laughed coldly. “He’s definitely still in the Spiritual Mountain Sect! He made it into Hidden Brocade Court, he is no ordinary man!”
“That Zhang Jinbao must be an accomplice!” Ji Chunhua gritted her teeth.
“Right! Zhang Jinbao will not get away with this!” said Huangfu Song.
As they spoke, there was a huge commotion outside. They all looked at each other. Huangfu Song’s old servant who had been silent all this time understood and hurried out. He squinted to see Zhang Jinbao blocking a dishevelled man and yelling. Many disciples of Hidden Brocade Court were pointing at the drama, either laughing or scolding them.
“Why are you here? Who let you out?” Zhang Jinbao stood akimbo, pointing at Zhan Qisheng.
Zhan Qisheng glared at Zhang Jinbao, then suddenly grinned. “What is your name?”
Zhang Jinbao chuckled. “My surname is Zhang but don’t call me Senior Brother. You can fool other people but not me! You think you can pretend to be Sir Zhan?”
Zhan Qisheng felt for the golden invitation in his clothing and realised that was missing too. He suddenly turned calm as he said coldly, “I am Zhan Qisheng. Go get your Grand Senior Sister or Senior Brother Sun Boyi to verify this if you do not believe me.”
Zhang Jinbao had his hands on his hips. “Huh? Was that an order? Who do you think you are? Look at yourself, you’re so rude!”
The old servant then ran back inside to report to Huangfu Song. Huangfu Song was furious. Another one? Can’t these posers give it a rest already?
“Beat him up! Beat him to death!” raged Huangfu Song, losing all reason.
Feng Wenjuan furrowed her brows. “Just break his legs, don’t kill him or it’ll be difficult to explain to the Martial Uncles. This is still Hidden Brocade Court.”
The old servant saw how angry Huangfu Song was but he still nodded so the servant went outside.
Zhan Qisheng was having an extremely unfortunate day. Before he could prove his identity, a shadow pounded on him. He did not even have time to see the other person’s face when he was kicked to the ground. Kicks and punches fell like rain.
Even Zhan Qisheng was shocked. What now? Why are you hitting me? He instinctively curled himself into a ball. The seal array drawn on the skin of his chest that only activated when his life was in danger activated. Rays of yellow light streamed out as sand flowed out of his shirt to cover his entire body in ripples, protecting him. Within a second, he was wrapped in a layer of flowing sand.
Zhang Jinbao drew in a sharp breath and fell back instinctively. W-was this the Flowing Sand Armour?
Even the old servant was stunned, not daring to move. He turned back in a panic to see Huangfu Song and the rest standing at the gate with widened eyes and open mouths.
What was going on? Was this beggar-looking guy the true Sir Zhan?!
Huangfu Song was lost for words. All three girls looked at each other, then immediately stepped away from Huangfu Song.
The crowd fell silent in an instant as everyone stared with widened eyes at Zhan Qisheng clad in Flowing Sand Armour. The atmosphere was silent and very awkward.
Zhan Qisheng slowly climbed up to get on his feet. His face was covered by a layer of flowing sand, only revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes. Fine blood vessels in his eyeballs burst into red patches as he studied each face in the crowd, burning them into his mind.
At this moment, Sun Boyi hurried over. He had seen the commotion and approached out of curiosity. Startled, he paused and then gasped, “Sir Zhan! I’ve been looking for you, where have you been? W-what is going on? What happened?”
“A misunderstanding! That was a misunderstanding!” Huangfu Song finally came to his senses and quickly stepped forward to explain, his face pale.
Zhan Qisheng glared at him, his cheek twitching. Grains of flowing sand on his face fell. “Misunderstanding? Heh… misunderstanding?”
Zhan Qisheng laughed softly, initially inaudible but it grew louder and louder, from a chuckle into a guffaw, then into hysterical laughter. Everyone watched as Sir Zhan laughed in extreme fury. Even a deaf person could hear the flames of fury within.
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