Drinking Together

As soon as the waiter left, the room's atmosphere was suddenly lively again. The nanny turned around to cover her face.

Chang Huan handed Su Jiu a plum-shaped pastry. "Chief, this is delicious, try it!"

Su Jiu took it, bit it and promptly threw it on the table. "What is this, it's so sweet and cloying!"

"It's delicious!" Chang Huan picked up the bitten osmanthus cake and stuffed it into his mouth.

Hu Dapao squatted on the chair and looked around, "Tsk-tsk, Shengjing is great indeed. A restaurant that has calligraphy and antiques? It's better than the palace!"

Ah Shu scoffed, "Have you been to the palace?"

"No," Hu Dapao stuck his neck straight, "but I've heard of it!"

"From who?"

"The storyteller!" Hu Dapao replied seriously.

In his opinion, a storyteller was like a teacher and was sure to be right.

Ah Shu begged to differ. "That old man from Ge Family Village? He's not as knowledgeable as our Second in Command!"

Hu Dapao turned his head, and asked, "Qiao An, have you ever been to the palace?"

Qiao An was in the midst of biting a pear and almost choked. "Don't be ridiculous," he said. "How could ordinary people like us go to the palace?"

Su Jiu leaned against the back of the chair, hands on her knees as she placed her feet on up. She raised her chin in defiance, "Wait till I get rich, I will bring you all to the palace to play!"

Everyone scoffed and turned away, and only Chang Huan nodded with a smile. "I can't wait!"

Su Jiu stroked his inky hair and smiled indulgently. "My Huan'er is the best!"

They chatted for a while until they heard a knock on the door. "Sit properly, and don't frighten people!" the nanny hurriedly reminded them.

Upon hearing this, those slouching and squatting sat up straight.

However, the burly men sitting together with the young lady was a strange sight to behold, even if they sat properly.

Several of the waiters serving the food seemed to have spoken to the waiter from before. After coming in, while respectfully serving the food, they constantly stared at the five people.

However, the gang did not have time to talk to them. The delicacies were enough to attract all of their attention.

Five vats of wine was placed on the table, and the lead waiter smiled. "The wine and dishes are all served. If you need anything else, please tell us!"

Su Jiu waved her hand. "Got it!"

When the door closed, the gang erupted in excitement. Sauce and oil flew, as cups and plates clinked with each other. They were like a swarm of locusts which swept the food in a whirlwind.

Hu Dapao even threw his chopsticks aside as he grabbed a pig's trotter and tore into it. His beard was greasy with oil. "Delicious!" he said. "For the first time, I've found there was something better than meat buns!"

Ah Shu crunched on a crab leg, and muttered unintelligibly, "If I see the Eight Dragons Gang members again, I must let them know I ate roast duck before, let alone roast chicken!"

The nanny watched in horror.

Su Jiu, holding a chicken leg in her hand, said to the nanny, "Why are you standing there? Come eat with us!"

The nanny hurriedly waved her hand. "No, I'm a servant, I'll just stand!"

"What servant?" Su Jiu exclaimed. "No matter what happens in the future, you are now a member of our Dragon Conqueror Gang, and all of us are brothers. There's no such thing as master and servant!"

Su Jiu pulled the nanny over to sit and put a plate of shrimp in front of her."Don't be shy, we eat together!"

"Oh!" The nanny dared not decline as she picked up chopsticks and put the shrimp in her mouth, trembling.

Su Jiu picked up the first vat of wine and poured it for everyone. She raised her glass and promised, "You have suffered with me, and I swear to you, I will let you live a life of luxury, where there is meat every meal!"

"A toast to Chief!" they cheered. "A toast to Chief!"

They rose in succession, raised their glasses, and drank up.

"This is great!" Su Jiu exclaimed. "It's true that we had seen little before. We had never seen anything like this in the mountains. This time, it's all thanks to Master An. Let's come together to honor our Second in Command!"

Everyone poured out the wine as they came together to toast Qiao An.

Qiao An smiled gently as his gaze swept over the four, slowly saying, "I have been in the gang for the shortest time, unlike you all who have been together for more than a decade. But I have sworn from the day when I joined that I will die with all of you. We will go through thick and thin together! We've been through life and death together, we have suffered, and we are closer than blood brothers!

"This time we have entered Shengjing, and yes, it is dangerous. Now that there is food and drink, it seems all well and good, but this is just the beginning. All of you have heard of the Ji Manor's reputation in Daliang Country. No one knows what will happen from now on." 

This was a sobering thought, but Qiao An was not finished. "We will not talk about success or failure today. We will drink and make merry, and get drunk!"

Qiao An held his glass with both hands and gulped the wine down.

Su Jiu stood, her gaze was clear, and she smiled softly. "Since I agreed to enter Shengjing, I am prepared. We are bandits, and we are always prepared to die. What is there to fear?"

"Yes! If we were afraid, we would not have come to Shengjing!" Ah Shu shouted. "I don't know what the hell fear is!"

Su Jiu nodded. "We all come from poor backgrounds. We've all gone for days without food. We all joined Dragon Conqueror Gang to survive! The money we robbed before, we have distributed it to the poor. This time, we rob the Ji family, no matter how much, we'll keep it. We'll go far from Shengjing and find a place to do business. We'll longer be bandits, does everyone agree?"

"Whether it's being a bandit or setting up a business, I will listen to Chief!" Hu Dapao declared.

"Whatever Chief says is right, I have no objections!" Ah Shu also agreed.

Chang Huan followed whatever Su Jiu said, so there was nothing left to say.

"Alright, then! That's it! Drink up!" Su Jiu grinned and drank.

"Drink!"

Everyone gulped their wine with gleeful faces as it trickled down their chins.

The nanny watched, and the disdain in her heart faded away. She now had some admiration for the five of them.

At this time, the Ji Manor's carriage parked outside Jingqin Restaurant. This time, they kept a low profile, especially compared to yesterday. Ji Yuxian was donned in dark red robes embroidered with gold thread. His long black hair was tied back, his face handsome but cold. With every move, he exuded elegance.

Jin Mi followed him out of the carriage, but did not enter the lobby. They walked slowly to a specially designated corridor.

Yuanr Rong, the owner of the restaurant, bowed down behind him and said respectfully, "Eldest Young Master, Shopkeeper Wu has arrived!"

"Mm," the man answered softly. The stairs were wide, and there was a thick blanket under his feet, his steps quiet and silent.

On the third floor, Shopkeeper Yuan hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Young Master, Miss Su is here right now."

Yuan Rong had been in charge of the Ji Family's restaurant for 20 years. He had no other skill, but no one could match his perceptiveness.

Yesterday, when Ji Yuxian came to Jingqin Restaurant when the crowd watched, Su Jiu had caused a great uproar too. He naturally noticed and remembered the people on the carriage clearly.

When the crowd dispersed, he noticed that it was Housekeeper Song who brought them away.

After thinking about it, he realized that this Miss Su had entered Shengjing.

He never thought that this Miss Su would have come to Jingqin Restaurant today.

Miss Su wasn't here to eat, he thought, she's definitely here to find out what the Ji Family's attitude was like.

Of course, if it was the real Miss Su, he was absolutely right to think this way.

But now Miss Su was Su Jiu, so she was really here to eat!

Ji Yuxian paused, a smirk crossing over his face. "Oh? Miss Su?"

Jin Mi scoffed coldly. "This Su Family sure wants to marry their daughter to our Young Master, she just arrived at Shengjing and couldn't wait to show up."

"Since Miss Su is here, I'll go and see her," Ji Yuxian said.

"Yes, this way, please!" Shopkeeper Yuan turned and led the way to his future bride.