Chapter 4

One night passed without a word. Early the next morning, Qi Xiang had just woken up when he received a call from Wang Dong.

Without hesitation, Qi Xiang immediately packed his luggage and headed straight to the agreed location. There, a minivan was waiting for him.

Wang Dong wasn't there, only a few of his subordinates. Qi Xiang greeted them and got into the car. The driver didn't waste any words and immediately sped off, racing through the streets at a breakneck pace.

As the car left the outskirts of Jinling City, Qi Xiang finally asked, "Brothers, where are we going?"

"To the airport..." one of them replied.

"Huh?" Qi Xiang was taken aback and asked again, "Taking a flight where?"

"To Taizhou!" The man seemed to have been instructed to answer any questions.

"Taizhou in Zhejiang Province?" Qi Xiang was somewhat surprised.

"Yes..."

"No wonder we're taking a flight." Qi Xiang understood and didn't ask any more questions.

Soon, they arrived at the airport. Buying tickets and boarding the plane went smoothly.

An hour and a half later, the plane landed safely. Guided by a few people, Qi Xiang stepped out of the airport and saw a minivan parked by the roadside, ready to pick them up.

"Professional..." Qi Xiang praised inwardly and got into the car.

The car drove slowly at first, then sped up as it left the airport area, roaring down the road.

After a while, Qi Xiang felt something was odd. The car seemed to be heading not into the city but onto a road that led away from it. On both sides of the road were fields and barren mountains.

"Isn't this going to Taizhou?" Qi Xiang couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, Taizhou, Tiantai in Taizhou," one of them replied with a smile. "Shangping Village at the foot of Chicheng Mountain."

"Chicheng Mountain!" Qi Xiang's heart stirred. "I think I've heard of it somewhere..."

Qi Xiang thought about it carefully and quickly remembered. Chicheng Mountain was quite famous, at least in some classical literature and Taoist legends, where it was described as a paradise for immortals.

However, for some reason, Chicheng Mountain's fame didn't quite match that of famous mountains like Wudang, Longhu, Qingcheng, Emei, and Jiuhua, leaving a less profound impression.

"Is it a problem of promotion?"

Qi Xiang's thoughts wandered, and when he came back to his senses, he found the car had already arrived in a county town.

They drove through the main street and then left the town, heading deeper into the countryside. After about ten minutes, one of the men gestured and said with a smile, "Mr. Qi, look at that mountain over there, that's Chicheng Mountain."

Qi Xiang looked in the direction indicated and saw a mountain peak in the distance. The mountain wasn't very high, but it was lush with vegetation, and there was a tower on top. He could vaguely see some buildings with flying eaves and upturned corners.

At first glance, Qi Xiang was a bit disappointed. "That's Chicheng Mountain? It doesn't seem like much."

As the saying goes, "Hearing about something is not as good as seeing it, and seeing it is not as good as hearing about it." Chicheng Mountain seemed quite ordinary.

In some ancient texts, Chicheng Mountain was described in such a way that it made people yearn for it. But when he saw it, it was somewhat disappointing.

Qi Xiang muttered to himself but didn't pay much attention. After all, times had changed. Perhaps in ancient times, Chicheng Mountain was very beautiful. But with the development of the times, some landscapes had changed, becoming less pleasant, which was understandable.

The sea changes, and the world transforms, leaving one to sigh.

The car didn't go to Chicheng Mountain but turned off the main road and followed a country lane. After a short drive, it stopped in a quiet and peaceful village.

"Is this the place?" Qi Xiang got out of the car and looked around. The village was near Chicheng Mountain, and from there, he could faintly see the ancient tower on the mountain's peak.

At that moment, someone laughed loudly and called out from a distance, "Brother Qi, welcome, welcome..."

It was Wang Dong's voice...

Qi Xiang turned around and, as expected, saw Wang Dong approaching with two people.

"Brother Dong, I'm late, sorry," Qi Xiang greeted him.

"Not late at all," Wang Dong smiled. "I came yesterday to make some arrangements to welcome you."

"Brother Dong, you're too polite," Qi Xiang waved his hand. "I'm not particular, just be casual."

"How can that be? You've come all this way, and it must have been tiring. If I don't treat you well, Boss Jiang will be upset."

Wang Dong put his arm around Qi Xiang's shoulder with a warm smile. "Brother, let's not talk more. I've prepared a feast for you to wash away the dust of your journey."

Qi Xiang didn't refuse and followed Wang Dong into a house in the village.

As they walked, Qi Xiang noticed that the village was quite deserted, with few people around. Only some elderly people with children were cooling off under the trees at the village entrance. There were few adults, probably out working or farming.

Wang Dong wasn't lying; he had indeed prepared a lavish feast.

Chicken, duck, fish, and meat, with about twenty to thirty dishes, filled the entire table. Some dishes were even stacked on the edges of the plates, layer upon layer, making it extremely abundant.

From the appearance of the dishes, it seemed they were directly ordered from a hotel and then packed and brought here.

"Brother, sit down..." Wang Dong forcibly seated Qi Xiang at the main seat and then turned to wave his hand. "Open the bottles and pour the wine."

As soon as the bottles were opened, a strong aroma of alcohol immediately filled the air. The 50-degree soy sauce-flavored liquor was poured into small glass cups, each drop a concentrate of flavor.

Wang Dong glanced sideways, clearly dissatisfied. "Take away the glasses, bring bowls!"

Qi Xiang's lips twitched, and he smiled wryly. "Brother Dong, are you trying to get me drunk?"

"Brother, you're here, so we should have a good time," Wang Dong chuckled. "There's a saying, right? Yes, 'make the guest feel at home.' You should eat well and drink well, and we shouldn't be rude."

"…I still have work to do later, so let's skip the alcohol," Qi Xiang shook his head. "Drinking too much can lead to mistakes."

"No rush, let's drink first. We can talk about business later."

Wang Dong, acting like a hospitable host, placed a bowl of wine in front of Qi Xiang and then lifted his own bowl, smiling. "Brother, I'll drink first to show my respect..."

Wang Dong gulped down the bowl of wine in one go, then turned the bowl upside down, showing only a tiny drop left.

Qi Xiang pondered for a moment and then smiled. "Brother Dong, you have a great capacity for alcohol. I'll have to match you, then."

Qi Xiang realized that Wang Dong seemed to be trying to avoid the main topic. However, he wasn't afraid, as he held the upper hand in this matter. If Wang Dong wanted to beat around the bush, he would play along and see who would get impatient first.

With this in mind, Qi Xiang started eating and drinking. When Wang Dong called for a drink, he took small sips, and when he called for food, he ate heartily, acting as a guest and following the host's lead.

They ate, drank, and chatted, from noon until late afternoon. The table was filled with empty plates and cups, and everyone was somewhat drunk.

"Brother..." Wang Dong's tongue was tied. "You... you can really drink... we... we're impressed... let's... let's stop here... we'll... we'll continue another day..."

Qi Xiang's face was flushed, and his forehead was steaming, but his mind was relatively clear. "Brother Dong, since we've had our fill, shouldn't we talk about the main business now?"

"No rush... no rush..." Wang Dong stood up, swaying slightly. "We'll talk about it tonight... I'm a bit dizzy... I'll... I'll rest for a while... you... you be comfortable..."

Wang Dong burped and stumbled into his room, falling asleep with a loud snore.

Qi Xiang frowned, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He looked around and saw that Wang Dong's subordinates were all drunk, some with their arms on the table, some hugging the chair, and some under the table, all in a mess.

"A bunch of scoundrels, trying to get me drunk, hmpf!" Qi Xiang's eyes were full of pride, but he was also a bit surprised. He didn't remember having such a high alcohol tolerance before.

Unable to figure it out and feeling a bit stuffy, Qi Xiang went outside. The house had a few trees at the entrance, with lush branches and leaves. A gentle breeze blew, bringing a cool sensation.

Qi Xiang let out a deep breath and let his gaze wander, suddenly stopping on Chicheng Mountain.

It was already dusk, and the sun was setting on the mountain. The sky was red from the sunset, like a fire. For a moment, the top of Chicheng Mountain was enveloped in purple mist, with rays of light and a dazzling, beautiful glow, like a fairyland.

After watching for a while, Qi Xiang seemed to understand why the mountain was called Chicheng. Chicheng Mountain had a red soil color, and the sunset's glow, combined with the mist and the light, created a spectacular and beautiful scene, like a paradise on earth.

Such a landscape was indeed worthy of the praise of countless literati and scholars over the centuries.

However, the sunset, though beautiful, was fleeting.

When the sun set behind the mountain, the sky turned dark, and the beautiful scenery disappeared.

The moonlight was like water, and the night was deep.

Qi Xiang found an empty room in the house and was about to lie down to sleep when he heard a sound outside the door. He immediately sat up and focused his attention.

"Click!"

The light turned on, and Wang Dong walked in, whispering, "Brother, are you asleep?"

"No, Brother Dong, what's up?" Qi Xiang's mind raced, trying to figure out Wang Dong's intentions.

"Good, then let's go." Wang Dong waved his hand, speaking softly. "To see the goods."

"Huh?" Qi Xiang's heart skipped a beat, but he remained calm, getting up and putting on his shoes and socks.

When he stepped outside, he noticed that Wang Dong's subordinates had been woken up by being splashed with water, looking disheveled and listless. However, when they saw Wang Dong, they immediately straightened up, looking energetic.

Wang Dong glanced at them and ordered, "Leave two people to watch the house, the rest come with me."

Where are we going?

Qi Xiang had a question in his mind but remained silent, following Wang Dong and the others out of the village and into the mountains in the dark...

...

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