"Yes, young master." Chen Quan accepted the order and left.
Li Xi pondered Huang Erye's words, feeling that something was amiss, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
Fang Siqi, meanwhile, looked deep in thought, seemingly lost in thought. Each of the three was preoccupied with their own concerns, and the night passed in silence.
The next morning, Li Xi couldn't wait to arrive at the Huang residence.
Master Huang had been waiting in the living room for a long time. Upon seeing Li Xi, he ordered his servants to serve her fragrant tea.
"Brother Li, what have you thought about regarding that shipment?" Master Huang asked with concern.
Li Xi sipped her tea, her brow furrowing slightly. "Second Brother Huang, I still feel uneasy. Is it really safe that the goods won't endanger anyone's lives?"
Upon hearing this, Master Huang laughed loudly: "Brother Li, you are too cautious. I assure you, those goods are just some pleasant trinkets and will not harm anyone's life."
After hearing this, Li Xi felt somewhat relieved, but still had doubts: "Brother Huang, since it's just a small trinket, why be so secretive about it?"
She pretended to be confused.
Seeing this, Master Huang sighed: "Brother Li, the reasons behind this are far-reaching and cannot be easily revealed by me. You just need to know that this is a real gold nugget."
Li Xi nodded slightly, seemingly weighing Huang Erye's words.
His expression gradually relaxed, as if his inner doubts were slowly dissipating.
“Since Brother Huang says so, I naturally trust you. However, I have one more condition.” She wanted Lan’er to see the composition of the opium.
Master Huang smiled slightly, as if he had expected this question: "Brother Li, please speak."
Li Xi took a deep breath and slowly said, "I want to try and see if it's really that good. You know, those young masters in the capital aren't easy to fool."
A hint of surprise flashed in Master Huang's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "What you said makes sense. How about this, I'll take you to a good place."
He led Li Xi through a narrow alley and arrived at a quaint teahouse.
The teahouse door was half-open, letting out a faint aroma of tea.
The teahouse was quiet and elegant. Li Xi followed Master Huang into a secluded secret room, where smoke filled the air and the aroma was enticing.
Master Huang handed him a pipe. Li Xi hesitated for a moment, then took it and took a deep drag. He immediately felt relaxed, as if he were floating on clouds.
She put down her pipe, her eyes gleaming. "Brother Huang, this tobacco truly lives up to its reputation. But I'd like to know, how is it made?"
Master Huang smiled slightly and said mysteriously, "The production process of this cigarette is a secret, but I can tell you that its raw materials are hard to come by. Only the finest tobacco leaves, carefully selected and processed with unique techniques, can produce cigarettes of this quality."
Upon hearing this, Li Xi felt a surge of excitement, and a look of joy appeared on her face.
She stood up and solemnly said to Master Huang, "Brother Huang, my trust and admiration for you are as boundless as a surging river. Since you are so sincere, I will no longer hesitate. From today onwards, I will follow you! No matter what lies ahead, whether it be a mountain of knives or a sea of fire, or a path strewn with thorns, I am willing to fight alongside you and create a glorious future together!"
A hint of appreciation flashed in Master Huang's eyes. He patted Li Xi on the shoulder and said, "Good, good. We can start once you've found a place."
To express his sincerity and determination, Li Xi immediately suggested, "Brother Huang, I'll treat you to a good drink today, how about it?"
Master Huang laughed heartily and readily agreed.
The two walked out of the room side by side, heading forward along the bustling street. Night deepened, and the lights shone brightly.
Master Huang was a little excited, and the wine glass in his hand almost slipped from his grasp. Li Xi quickly caught him and refilled his glass.
"Brother Li, you...you just wait...and make a fortune," Master Huang stammered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Li Xi smiled and replied, "Brother Huang is right. I will do my best to achieve something and make everyone look at me with new eyes."
The two men's glasses clinked gently together, producing a crisp and pleasant sound.
Master Huang patted Li Xi on the shoulder and burst into laughter, as if he could see a glorious future ahead.
He raised his glass again and said loudly, "Brother Li, cheers! Tonight we won't leave until we're drunk!"
The two drank heavily, eventually becoming completely drunk.
Master Huang stood up unsteadily, pointed at Li Xi and laughed, "Brother Li, you...you really are a straightforward man! From today onwards, you are my brother, Master Huang!"
Li Xi also stood up, his face flushed, and said with a smile, "Brother Huang, it is truly my great honor to be sworn brothers with you! From now on, I, Li Xi, will do anything for you, even risk my life!"
Their laughter echoed in the night sky, like a vow between brothers, firm and powerful.
Li Xi returned to the inn in a daze, where Chen Quan and Fang Siqi were waiting for news of her.
"How did it go?" Fang Siqi asked.
She was exhausted from pretending all day. She really couldn't smoke opium casually, and she also had to pretend to be drunk and act out a brotherly bond with someone. Li Xi staggered back to the inn, and as soon as she entered, she saw Chen Quan and Fang Siqi waiting anxiously there, obviously wanting to know the result.
"How did things go?" Fang Siqi asked anxiously.
Li Xi sighed, a look of exhaustion on her face.
Today was exhausting. You can't just smoke opium like that; I had to pretend to be drunk and act like a brother.
Chen Quan and Fang Siqi exchanged a glance, both seeing worry in each other's eyes. They knew Li Xi had sacrificed a lot to complete the mission, but now was not the time to relax.
"What was the result?" Chen Quan pressed.
Li Xi took a deep breath, trying to stay clear-headed: "Things are going as we expected, except that Master Huang is very vigilant. I only managed to secretly keep a little bit of tobacco paste with great difficulty."
She pulled a crumpled handkerchief from her waist. "Chen Quan, you personally take this to Doctor Meng and let her see what this thing is."
After receiving the handkerchief, Chen Quan did not delay for a moment and immediately embarked on his journey to Kyoto.
"Brother Fang, did you find anything on your trip?" Ever since she learned that Uncle Zhao was the person she had been searching for, she was no longer embarrassed to call this man in his thirties "Uncle Zhao".
Fang Siqi shook his head slightly, his brows furrowed, and said, "They are very well guarded. I went to that antique shop myself today, and I even went to that alley, but I didn't find anything unusual."
In the antique shop, he tried to probe the shopkeeper, but the man acted completely naturally, revealing no flaws whatsoever. This made him feel uneasy, as if the person behind it all was extremely well-hidden.
"Like a cunning rabbit with three burrows, they have set up airtight traps in Yuncheng and Huangshi Town, and this whole area is their sphere of influence." Li Xi suspected that they had some connection with the Red Lotus Sect.
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