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"We passed you on the road a while ago and our Lord guessed you were coming to the manor," the man continued"He would have liked to turn back, but he has important business to attend toSo he ordered me to come to receive youHe is eager to make your acquaintanceHe said he would definitely return tonight, and insisted that you stay at our humble manor
Wen's anger melted as he heard the sincerity in the newcomer's voice, and they went back into the manorThe man introduced himself as Meng, Zhou's senior pupil, as Song stood to one side looking very uncomfortableGuests and host sat down and fresh tea was servedAn attendant whispered something to Meng who stood up and bowed before Luo Bing
"Our lady invites you to go into the inner hall to rest," he said
A maidservant led Luo Bing through a passageway and a woman in her forties omega seamaster gold strode out and grasped Luo Bing's hand familiarly
"They told me just now that some members of the Red Flower Society had arrived and then left againBut you've come back and saved face for meOur Lord will be so happy! Now, don't rush awayYou can stay for a few daysLook, all of you," she said, turning to her maidservants"Look how beautiful this girl is! She puts our girls to shame
Luo Bing thought the woman was rather indiscreet"What is your name, Madame?" she asked"My husband is surnamed Wen
"See how muddle-headed I am!" the woman said"I'm so happy at seeing such a pretty girl that I've gone silly!"
"This is our lady," one of the maidservants explained
The woman was Lord Zhou's second wifeHis first had borne two sons, but both had died in fightsThis second wife had given birth to a daughter, Zhou Qi, a wild girl of eighteen chanel jewellery always getting into trouble, and it had seemed as if Zhou was destined to have no more sonsBut in his fifty-fourth year, another was unexpectedly bornThe couple were overjoyed to gain a son so late in life
"Call the young master in quickly," Madame Zhou said after seating herself comfortably"Let Madame Wen see him
A lively, good-looking child emerged from the inner rooms and Luo Bing judged from his bearing that he had already received several years of training in the martial artsHe kowtowed
towards Luo Bing, who took hold of his hand and asked him his name and age
"My name is Zhou Yingjie and I'm ten this year," the child replied
Luo Bing unfastened the pearl bracelet from her wrist and gave it to him
"We have come from far away, and I don't have anything nice to give you, but you can put these pearls round the edge of chanel j 12 your cap," she saidMadame Zhou protested, but to no avail
While they were talking, one of the maidservants rushed in crying: "Mistress Wen! Master Wen has fainted!"
Madame Zhou quickly gave orders to fetch a doctor while Luo Bing ran back to her husbandWen's injuries were already serious, and he had used up a great deal of his remaining strength to squeeze the silver ingots togetherWen was unconscious, his face drained of colourLuo Bing ran to him, calling his name over and over againSlowly, he regained consciousness
Meng dispatched an attendant to report to Lord Zhou that the guests were settled inAs he turned back inside after seeing the attendant gallop off, he noticed a figure dart behind a willow treeHe made no sign that he had seen anything unusual, but slowly walked back into the manor and ran up to the watchtowerAfter a tiffany knockoff while, he saw a a short man creep furtively out from behind one willow tree and run behind another
Meng called for Lord Zhou's young son and whispered some instructions to himThen he ran out of the manor gate, laughing and shouting: "Little brother, I'll pretend to be afraid of you, all right?"
The boy followed close behind, shouting: "Where do you think you're running off to? You won't admit defeat, will you? Come here and kowtow before me!"
Meng bowed and mockingly begged for mercyThe boy made a grab for him and Meng ran straight for the willow behind which the intruder was hidingHe charged straight into the man, knocking him flat
It was the Zhen Yuan Agency's Lead Escort TongHe had seen Wen and the others leave the inn and had followed them, determined to prove wrong those who said he was good for nothing but eating and coco chanel designer talking |
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