Chapter 78: Regular Gathering

In the capital city, within the Inner City, there was a restaurant named “Taihe Tavern.”

He Xijin, Zhang Shuju, and Wu Zichou, three prominent individuals, accompanied by their wives, had reserved a private room.

Accompanying them was also the Chief of the Celestial Court, known as Di Yiqiu.

Compared to the others, Di Yiqiu appeared much younger and less experienced. However, his mischievous demeanor today had won the favor of the three prominent figures, and they invited him to join them.

The Chief gladly accepted their invitation, as he knew the reputation of these three individuals.

The group of seven people politely took their seats. He Xijin’s wife, Qu Manying; Zhang Shuju’s wife, Feng Zheng’er; and Wu ZiChou’s wife, Dai Wushuang, sat together. Having witnessed the earlier exchange of respect between their husbands, the three women had already formed a positive impression of each other.

Now seated together, they immediately began chatting about their clothing, jewelry, and cosmetics. Once women started talking, their conversations flowed endlessly.

In no time, they considered each other sisters.

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Both women quickly complimented her, and the pleasant atmosphere continued.

“Ah Rang’s appearance is truly one in a million,” Feng Zheng’er exclaimed with admiration.

Dai Wushuang patted Ah Rang’s hand and sighed, “If only Ah Yin hadn’t been taken by Huang…,” She wanted to reminisce about the past but then thought of Huang Rang’s presence and continued, “Well, things are good now. This child is so lovely; you can’t help but like her at first sight!”

Huang Rang took a seat and said, “Aunt Dai, how did my mother ever fall for my father? Her taste was really terrible!”

“This child!” Qu Manying immediately playfully scolded, “Don’t speak ill of your parents. No more nonsense.”

Huang Rang replied, “Of course, I was just kidding.”

She glanced at the dishes on the table and said, “Aunties, I’d like to order another dish.” She was relaxed, and no one objected; they just smiled and nodded.

Huang Rang then called the waiter, “Please bring another dish of cherry pork.”

Di Yiqiu clearly didn’t want to sit with her, but due to He Xijin and his wife’s influence, he couldn’t decline. Fortunately, he maintained a composed demeanor and said with a smile, “Why have the three esteemed elders come to the capital? Could it be related to Mr. Third Dream’s matter?”

When he mentioned Mr.Third Dream, Huang Rang’s face displayed a strange expression. She glanced at Di Yiqiu, but he paid no attention to her since she often observed him. He had no intention of responding.

He Xijin opened his mouth, and Zhang Shuju promptly interjected, “Although we haven’t met him in person, we’ve heard some stories about him.”

Upon hearing this, Di Yiqiu immediately became interested, as he had a deep fascination with Mr. Third Dream’s achievements.

Therefore, the Chief hurriedly asked, “I wonder what the three esteemed elders know about him?”

He Xijin put down his chopsticks and said, “Well, speaking of Mr.Third D-D-Dream…”

Zhang Shuju quickly added, “Speaking of which, Mr. Third Dream arrived in the capital about ten years ago. He is by no means a mediocre person. The first batch of crops he cultivated has become very stable; not only are they resistant to pests and diseases, with a short maturation period, but they also yield exceptionally high harvests.”

Huang Rang kept her head down and quietly ate her food.

Wu Zichou chimed in, “Exactly. Initially, he wasn’t well-known, but as time passed, his influence grew. The black market even put out bounties on his head, but we didn’t investigate further. Occasionally, when we saw any traces, we helped cover them up.”

He Xijin nodded in agreement, and just then, the cherry pork arrived.

Huang Rang took a pair of chopsticks and picked up a piece, saying, “Their cherry pork is delicious; you should try some.”

The Chief had a composed demeanor, and it took him a while to say, “Miss Ah Rang, you’re too polite.” Although he said this, he didn’t make any moves to eat.

He Xijin and Qu Manying exchanged glances, and they both understood each other’s thoughts from their expressions.

Feng Zheng’er and Dai Wushuang were also sharp-witted and understood the situation.

He Xijin decided to ask directly, “Ah-Ah-Ah-Rang, you’ve been in the capital for over a decade now… “

He struggled with his words, but Qu Manying just smiled. After a while, she continued for her husband, “Your uncle means to say that you’ve been in the capital for quite some time. We heard that you’ve also cultivated some fine crops. Have you ever met this gentleman?”

With this question, Di Yiqiu’s attention was immediately drawn.

“Well…” Huang Rang thought for a moment. The chief’s tone was cold as he asked, “What’s this, Miss Ah Rang? Have you actually cultivated some fine crops, and I wasn’t aware?” He had a mocking expression as he questioned, “Why was I kept in the dark?”

This was absurd!

Huang Rang sighed. “Chief, you have a bias against this “little girl,”, so naturally, you wouldn’t know.”

Despite the significant age difference, she referred to herself as a “little girl.” While the immortal sect didn’t pay much attention to age, the chief did. He retorted, “At your age, Miss Ah Rang, you shouldn’t be calling yourself a ‘little girl.'”

This dog was so sharp and acerbic!!!

Huang Rang took a deep breath, and Qu Manying, seated beside her, had long noticed her niece’s thoughts. Of course, she also understood the chief’s thoughts.

These two individuals…

Qu Manying shook her head and said, “Ah Rang, let’s focus on eating for now.”

Huang Rang was too frustrated to eat. She said, “Weren’t you asking if I’ve ever heard of Mr.Third Dream? I’ve not only heard of him but also met him.”

As soon as she said this, everyone at the table was stunned.

He Xijin exclaimed, “This must be a joke!”

Huang Rang leaned in front of Di Yiqiu and said, “I not only met him but can arrange for you to meet him too. How about that?”

Di Yiqiu’s pupils contracted, and it took him a while to say, “You’re lying!”

Huang Rang shrugged. “Believe it or not!”

On the side, Qu Manying adjusted her expression and said, “Ah Rang, children should not speak recklessly.” After that, she turned to Di Yiqiu and said, “Mr. Third Dream is elusive; how could a young girl like her know his whereabouts? Chief, don’t pay attention to her jokes.”

Di Yiqiu naturally had the same thought in his mind. He grunted and didn’t pursue the matter further.

Huang Rang understood that He Xijin and his wife didn’t want her to bring up the topic again, so she stopped talking about it. She said, “Aunties, please try this dish; it’s delicious.”

She stood up and served the dish to Qu, Feng, and Dai, and the three of them responded with cheerful smiles.

Zhang Shuju then continued, “I heard that Chief has written an open letter and posted it all over the city, trying to find Mr.Third Dream.”

Di Yiqiu replied, “That’s correct. The Celestial Court has detected a looming drought, and they want to cultivate a batch of fine crops. I believe that if Mr.Third Dream, who cares for the world, learns about this, he will surely agree to help.”

Zhang Shuju said, “I’ve also heard about this. However, Chief, you know Mr. Third Dream’s situation in recent years better than anyone. It might be better not to seek him out.”

Di Yiqiu’s expression was solemn as he said, “Such a noble scholar should not be buried in obscurity, hidden from the world. I respect the gentleman’s wishes. If he wishes to remain hidden in seclusion, I won’t persist. But if he’s willing to come out and help, I will be there to assist him in every way, sparing no effort. Even if it means sacrificing everything.”

He spoke earnestly, and Huang Rang listened attentively.

This dog truly doesn’t care about worldly pleasures.

Then why had he been deeply affectionate towards her in their dreams for over a hundred years?

Huang Rang couldn’t fathom it.

“Chief is still young after all,” Zhang Shuju sighed. “Those despicable tricks in the dark alleys—can Chief really guard against them all by himself? If you don’t provide proper protection, you might end up causing harm to him.”

Di Yiqiu spoke in a deep voice, “I won’t.”

He, Zhang, and Wu Zichou didn’t fully grasp the weight of that statement. But Huang Rang did.

In more than a hundred years of dreams, with two visits to the dream world, he had never made empty promises.

He gave his all to fulfill them.

During the daytime, it was unclear whether Huang Rang’s words were true or not. But if what she said was true, could he really meet Mr.Third Dream?

The chief’s hand, holding the book, tightened slightly. He lowered his head and found himself surprisingly nervous.

Just at that moment, someone outside suddenly said, “Chief, Miss Ah Rang is here.”

“Let her in!” Di Yiqiu suddenly stood up, his gaze fixed on the door.

The door opened, and Huang Rang indeed entered with a cup of sweet soup.

“Have you made an appointment with Mr.Third Dream?” Di Yiqiu asked directly.

“Why the hurry?” Huang Rang placed the soup bowl on the table and said, “First, have some soup.”

“I’m asking you a question.” The chief’s voice was urgent. Carefully, Huang Rang poured some soup from the bowl into a smaller one and said, “After you drink this bowl of soup, I’ll tell you.”

Di Yiqiu had no choice but to sit back down. The soup was sweet and fragrant, but he didn’t have time to savor it; he quickly finished it.

Only then did Huang Rang take out an object from her sleeve and hand it to him.

Di Yiqiu took the object and examined it closely. It seemed like even his gaze had weight.

This was the seal of Mr.Third Dream.

While other things might be faked, a breeder’s seal was one of the most confidential and challenging things to replicate. Moreover, the handwriting on it must be the breeder’s own. Later printed versions often had anti-counterfeiting measures.

Now, what Huang Rang brought was the Third Dreamer’s seal, but what was written on it was not the names of fine crops or notes on suitable soil for planting.

The handwriting was elegant and intricate.

Mr. Third Dream, inviting him to meet at a small grove outside Kanyue City tomorrow.

Kanyue City…

Di Yiqiu didn’t know why he chose such a location.

But he would definitely go.

Regardless of where Mr.Third Dream arranged to meet, he would keep the appointment.

Huang Rang saw his expression and knew that he had no more doubts. She said, “Remember our agreement; after meeting him, you must accompany me for a day of fun!”

Without waiting for Di Yiqiu’s response, she turned and left.

Meanwhile, the chief pondered for a while and suddenly said, “Where is Li Lu?”

The guard outside quickly responded, “Chief, Deputy Chief Li has already left the celestial court building. Should I go and fetch him?”

“Hmm,” the chief replied.

After a while, deputy chief Li hurriedly arrived, asking, “Chief, what’s going on?”

The chief had a serious expression and said, “I suddenly feel that I should have a set of regular clothing.”

Deputy Chief Li thought he might not have fully woken up yet, wondering why he could understand every word of the Chief’s words individually, but when put together, he couldn’t make sense of them.

After a long pause, he asked, “Regular… clothing?”

“Yes!” The Chief draped his arm around Li Lu’s shoulder and said, “Come with me to pick out a set.”

Deputy Chief Li’s eyes widened—this hour, and you want to go pick out clothes?