Chapter 96

Under the guidance of the staff, Qi Xiang bypassed the main gate of the palace and entered through a small side door.

Just a door away, it was a completely different world.

Outside, camellias were in full bloom, swaying in the wind, colorful and full of natural charm. Inside the palace, it was opulent and magnificent, with golden and white lights intertwining, exuding a luxurious atmosphere.

The bright red, soft carpet covered every corner of the palace. The golden wall lamps on the walls illuminated the long corridor brilliantly, dazzling and mesmerizing.

Qi Xiang stepped deeper into the palace, as if entering a castle made of gold and jewels. His eyes were almost blinded, and he could barely open them, so he walked with his head down, like a devout believer worshiping in this golden kingdom.

Strangely, he didn't encounter anyone along the way. The vast palace seemed empty, with no one else present except for him and the staff member guiding him.

Qi Xiang knew this was definitely an illusion. He speculated internally but remained calm and composed, following the staff member through the long corridor into a comfortable room.

"Sir, please take a seat..."

Upon reaching the destination, the staff member withdrew. As they passed each other, another uniformed, graceful, and charming young woman entered.

The graceful young woman walked lightly, holding a bamboo tray in her delicate hands. On the tray were neatly arranged and orderly exquisite tea sets.

"Sir, hello. I will be serving you from now on." The young woman spoke in a soft, enchanting voice, both soothing and captivating.

Qi Xiang nodded slightly, remaining silent and observant.

The graceful young woman seemed unconcerned about Qi Xiang's attitude. She simply held the tray, walked to the table, and gently knelt down. She was very focused, carefully moving the tea sets from the tray to the table one by one with her fair hands.

On the table was a kettle for boiling water and clear, pure mountain spring water.

An ancient red clay stove and olive-shaped smokeless charcoal were also present.

The young woman's hands moved gracefully and slowly as she prepared the tea, as if conducting a beautiful melody, a form of art and a manifestation of the Way.

Qi Xiang watched carefully and finally took the tea offered by the young woman, sipping it lightly. The slightly warm tea turned into a fragrant liquid in his throat, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

Leaning back on the soft sofa, Qi Xiang couldn't help but close his eyes, savoring the taste of the tea. After a while, he opened his eyes and noticed that the young woman who had prepared the tea had already left the room.

At that moment, the spacious room seemed to contain only him.

Qi Xiang remained calm and composed, saying, "After watching for so long, shouldn't you come out now?"

The room was silent, but the next second, a row of bookshelves on the side suddenly split open, forming a door. A beautiful woman, dressed in colorful clothing with her black hair casually tied up, exuding a lazy charm, walked out leisurely.

"Mr. Lei, it's been a long time. How have you been?" The woman smiled charmingly, walked lightly, and sat opposite Qi Xiang, her body slightly tilted in an elegant posture.

She had changed her attire, no longer the fresh and elegant white lotus, but a bright and beautiful butterfly.

"Your temperament is truly versatile..."

Qi Xiang smiled, not finding it strange, and nodded in response, "Miss Bai, I'm fine, thank you for your concern."

"I must be concerned about my benefactor."

The woman smiled brightly and said softly, "So when I discovered that you weren't invited to this tea party, I took the initiative to send you an invitation. You don't mind, do you?"

Qi Xiang raised an eyebrow and asked, "I don't mind, but I find it a bit strange..."

"Strange about what?" The woman's eyes sparkled like water, bright and lively.

Qi Xiang smiled without speaking, finding silence better than words.

"… You are so boring. No… You are full of thoughts, unwilling to lose." After a moment, the woman said with a light scold, "You keep trying to get information from me. Are you really a man of integrity?"

"Mutual, mutual." Qi Xiang didn't dare to be careless, lest he be sold and still help count the money.

"What about the basic trust between people?" The woman frowned, as if lamenting the decline of morals and the loss of human nature.

Qi Xiang smiled and said, "Miss Bai, I'm just wondering, you didn't invite me here just for tea, did you?"

"Just for tea." The woman smiled and said, "And to enjoy the flowers, it's quite nice!"

"Just the two of us?" Qi Xiang asked, his expression somewhat playful.

The woman wrinkled her nose, looking a bit playful and cute, "If you want, it can be."

"Uh…" Qi Xiang's expression was somewhat embarrassed, and he immediately said seriously, "Miss Bai, let's stop joking. Let's talk about the real matter. You invited me here, planning to repay me and repay the favor, right?"

"You…" The woman was both angry and amused, "People often say, 'Do good without expecting repayment,' but you are the opposite. Aren't you afraid of being criticized for seeking repayment for favors?"

"Not afraid, I'm setting a new trend for society."

Qi Xiang spoke calmly, "More than two thousand years ago, the stories of Zizhong redeeming slaves and Zilu saving people and leading oxen have already told us that good deeds should be rewarded to encourage more people to do good."

"Otherwise, if there is always giving without any reward, who can persist and continue?"

Qi Xiang cited classics, looking guilt-free, leaving the woman speechless.

"You win…"

After a long pause, the woman's eyes sparkled with more laughter, "You guessed right. I did invite you here to repay you and repay the favor, to settle this cause and effect."

"Sure, sure." Qi Xiang nodded, "Actually, I'm easy to deal with. If you want to repay me, I won't deliberately obstruct or make things difficult for you… Don't be too polite, just give me a few tens of millions…"

"A few tens of millions?" The woman laughed in anger, her eyes flashing, "Vulgar!"

"Then give me art treasures worth a few tens of millions, that's fine too." Qi Xiang said casually, "Like Kangqian imperial kiln porcelain, Song, Yuan, and Ming paintings, I'll accept anything…"

"… You should have said that earlier… But it's too late now."

The woman stood up and said leisurely, "I've decided to give you a pot of flowers… Whether you like it or not, once you take this pot of flowers, it means our favor is settled, and we owe each other nothing…"

As she spoke, the woman clapped her hands, and the graceful young woman who had prepared the tea re-entered. She held a pot of something, but it was covered with a thin cloth, making it unclear what it was.

"Here, take this pot of flowers."

The woman waved her hand and said decisively, "See you again if we have the chance!"

The woman left, taking the graceful young woman with her, disappearing quickly. For a moment, the room was left with only Qi Xiang and the plant on the table.

"Is this called repaying a favor?" Qi Xiang was both amused and puzzled, his gaze somewhat doubtful. He was curious and couldn't resist lifting the thin cloth covering the plant.

Instantly, a fragrant aroma wafted up, making Qi Xiang pause. He saw a pot of what seemed to be camellias.

However, this pot of camellias was different, likely a rare variety. The small camellia bonsai had lush, green leaves, full of vitality.

On the branches, bowl-sized camellias bloomed brightly, with a tower-like structure, neatly arranged, and very beautiful.

Qi Xiang counted and saw that there were eighteen perfect flowers on the small camellia tree.

Although he wasn't very familiar with camellia varieties, he knew some basic knowledge. Such camellias could be called "Eighteen Scholars."

Before Emperor Taizong Li Shimin ascended the throne, he was the Prince of Qin and opened a hall in the western palace to gather scholars from all over. He divided eighteen people, including Du Ruhui, Fang Xuanling, and Lu Deming, into three groups, with six people on duty each day, discussing literature and history, known as the "Eighteen Scholars."

Thanks to the strategies of the Eighteen Scholars, Li Shimin launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident and ascended the throne. After becoming the emperor, Li Shimin rewarded the Eighteen Scholars with high positions and honors, making them his ministers.

Thus, the "Eighteen Scholars" variety of camellias was a rare and highly valued species.

Rare varieties were naturally valuable. A camellia with such a perfect tree shape and flower quality was worth at least two to three million.

However, what surprised Qi Xiang was that he sensed a strong vitality and even a hint of spirituality in this potted camellia.

"Wrong, this isn't an ordinary camellia!" Qi Xiang quickly realized, feeling a mix of surprise and joy, "This should be… a spirit plant, a plant containing spiritual energy."

Qi Xiang observed the camellia carefully, confirming that this plant, like dan wood, was a rare resource that could aid cultivation.

"Wow… She really is generous…"

Qi Xiang couldn't help but marvel at the generosity of Bai Lianhua. Such a thing was not only worth two to three million but might be hard to obtain even with money.

As Qi Xiang was amazed, someone knocked on the door.

He composed himself, covered the plant with the thin cloth, and said, "… Come in."

"… Sir, the gathering has started." A staff member entered, respectfully saying, "Please get ready."

"Huh?" Qi Xiang was taken aback and then noticed that the staff member was holding a black cloak and a silver-white mask.

Qi Xiang's thoughts raced, and he immediately stood up and nodded, "Alright!"

At the right moment, the staff member handed him the cloak and mask, helping him dress and put on the mask.

The room had a mirror, and Qi Xiang saw through it that the cloak and mask completely concealed his body and face, making him unrecognizable even to acquaintances.