They were delayed for almost another hour discussing the matter of opening a hot pot restaurant. It wasn't until half past one in the morning that Su Muqing and the others set off.
Shopkeeper Tu and Qi Xingjie had originally planned to see them off out of the city, but were refused by the group when they reached the city gates. The two of them remained in a daze for a long time after watching them soar over the high city walls.
The group leaped over silently, yet the soldiers on the city tower were not alerted at all. The two stared at the dark night sky for a long time before exchanging glances.
At that moment, a thought simultaneously occurred to them: could this group of people be celestial beings descended to the mortal realm? Here to save the common people from their suffering due to their hardships?
After watching for a while, the two returned home together, as they had other things to do at dawn.
The next morning, Qi Xingjie uncharacteristically did not sleep in. Since he had shown no unusual behavior the previous day, Gong Ye and A Li both believed that he was still unaware of the misdeeds they had committed.
Upon hearing that the outsiders had already left last night, their sense of tension eased slightly. At noon, the "Little Tyrant" as usual took them for a stroll around town, telling them to gather all their subordinates, as he would treat his brothers to a good meal today.
Hearing about such a good opportunity, the two showered the Little Tyrant with flattery. Seeing the smug expression on Qi Xingjie's face, Gong Ye and Brother Li became completely convinced that the crisis had been averted, believing him to be a mere fool of a second-generation rich kid easily swayed by a few words.
Heh heh! This time, he wanted to treat all his brothers to a meal, and with a hundred or so people altogether, the more the merrier. They would set up over a dozen tables, and whatever was left could be taken home. After all, the Little Tyrant was not short of money, constantly dishing out hundreds of taels at a time.
Furthermore, whenever they went out to eat, the Little Tyrant always sent A Li to pay. However, which restaurant dared to accept their money? Thus, the meal expenses always ended up in their own pockets, making their lives exceptionally blissful!
The two exchanged a knowing, sly smile, thinking that this time not only would they gain face in front of their subordinates, but they would also make a substantial profit. They completely failed to notice the dark, hidden glint in Qi Xingjie's eyes beneath his folded fan.
To display his considerable influence in Yong'an Town, Gong Ye gathered all his hundred or so hooligans. Brother Li also invited his friends and some of the more well-connected servants from the manor, preparing to feast on Qi Xingjie.
Looking at the two smug faces, Qi Xingjie muttered to himself, "Two fools, today I'll set a banquet of deceit for you!"
The feast was held at Shopkeeper Tu's restaurant. Seeing their large group enter, the shopkeeper's expression turned quite grim, though he bowed and served them obsequiously.
With the Little Tyrant present, their behavior was somewhat restrained. Shopkeeper Tu brought up several jars of wine, which Su Muqing had concocted with alcohol the previous night.
This wine had a very strong kick, incomparable to the rice wine they brewed. Even smelling it for a bit too long made one feel somewhat overwhelmed.
"What a rich wine aroma! Old Tu, I never knew your restaurant had such a treasure!" The man surnamed Gong was very fond of wine, needing a few cups a day to satisfy his craving.
The moment he smelled the rich aroma from afar, he guessed that this wine was definitely not ordinary rice wine. Such a potent aroma was something he had never encountered in his over twenty years of drinking.
Shopkeeper Tu, with a smile on his face, said obsequiously, "Great Master Gong truly has a discerning eye. I dug this up yesterday by chance from under the crooked-neck tree in the backyard. I heard it was good wine buried by previous owners of the restaurant, who then left in too much of a hurry and forgot about it. With young Master Qi gracing us with his presence today, I thought it fitting to offer it to you."
"Smell this rich wine aroma; you can smell it from across the street," Shopkeeper Tu said as he unveiled the mud-covered red cloth on the wine jars. He then cupped his hands and fanned the opening of the jar, immediately releasing the scent of the wine.
"Fragrant! It's truly so fragrant! Old Tu, you are the most adept among these restaurant proprietors, which is why our Young Master Qi favors you and brings so many of our brothers to dine here."
"Thank you for your favor, thank you, thank you! As long as all you lords can eat and drink well, it is the honor of my humble establishment." Shopkeeper Tu's smile carried a hint of bitterness, though today's bitterness was somewhat feigned.
In the past, seeing so many ruffians in his shop would have been a source of immense suffering for him. But today was different; he intended to use this opportunity to round up this group.
Shopkeeper Tu thought to himself, how could he not be grateful? Not only grateful to them, but even more so to their ancestors! It must be that these people's ancestors had buried their graves exceptionally well to have produced such wicked descendants.
Today, not only will I thank you, but I will also entertain you handsomely, for your rampant behavior will only last until today! Gong Ye and A Li, however, were quite pleased with his bitter expression.
They figured that this Old Tu understood the rules, and that proprietors of larger restaurants were more accommodating, unlike those penniless street vendors and common folk who would chase after them to collect payment for just two pears, truly unappreciative!
Gong Ye embraced the wine jar and, smelling the aroma, his mouth began to water. However, given the Little Tyrant's status, he obsequiously tried to pour wine for Qi Xingjie first.
Unexpectedly, the latter quickly blocked his rough porcelain bowl with his fan and said casually, "This young master never drinks. Drinking too much of this will affect the taste buds, and then one won't be able to savor good things! You all drink amongst yourselves, no need to pour for me!"
What a joke! Su Muqing had said that drinking too much of this could lead to alcohol poisoning. Although he didn't understand what "alcohol" was, he knew what poisoning meant.
Even though Su Muqing had said that poisoning was only possible with excessive consumption, it was best to avoid it just in case.
"Look at my memory, I forgot you don't drink!" Gong Ye apologized profusely and hugged the wine jar back, feeling overjoyed.
They knew that Qi Xingjie didn't drink; he always drank tea during meals before. They had initially thought that he might be tempted to try such a fragrant wine, but it turned out he still abstained from all alcohol.
Gong Ye smugly thought, it's even better if you don't drink, as I can drink a few more glasses myself!
Soon, except for a cup of tea placed before Qi Xingjie, the rough porcelain bowls in front of everyone else were filled with wine. Instantly, the entire restaurant was filled with the aroma of wine.
Some individuals with low alcohol tolerance felt their heads spin just from smelling the scent in the room.