Dressing as Ziwei makes the Qing Dynasty more powerful

Simon opened the boxes one by one with great joy. Every time he saw an item, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, as if he had discovered a rare treasure.

Finally, after he finished looking at all the boxes, he gave Ziwei and the others a thumbs-up with a big smile on his face, and praised them profusely, "Ziwei, these things you brought are simply amazing! They're really eye-catching."

After saying that, he thought for a moment, carefully selected a few pieces of exquisite porcelain and some high-quality tea, and then left home contentedly with what he had chosen.

Only Ziwei and the others were left standing there, looking at each other, not knowing how to react for a moment.

At that moment, the mysterious butler suddenly appeared before them, like a ghost. He bowed slightly, a professional smile on his face, and said, "Dear guests, my host has specially prepared a very sumptuous dinner for you. Please follow me to the dining room to enjoy it." With a gesture of invitation, he led everyone towards the dining room.

As soon as we entered the restaurant, we were all struck by its spaciousness. The huge dining table stood in the center like a small island, with a dazzling array of delicious food displayed on it, making everyone's mouth water.

Not only that, there are also several bottles of vintage wine neatly arranged next to it, as if waiting for people to start their mellow journey.

Faced with such a sumptuous feast, Ziwei took the lead. She expertly grasped her knife and fork, gracefully explaining Western dining etiquette to those around her. Simultaneously, she expertly cut pieces of the fragrant roast chicken and gently placed them on her companions' plates. The entire process was smooth and natural, embodying the demeanor of a lady from a noble family.

The ever-smiling butler quietly shuttled between the tables, methodically filling each guest's glass with enticing wine. He showed no sign of unease towards those who were not proficient in using knives and forks, maintaining his warm and amiable attitude and serving everyone wholeheartedly.

"This way of eating is quite novel." Qianlong could not help but sigh, thinking to himself: It is true that reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles! This trip made him deeply feel the huge differences between different cultures.

Fu Heng, who was sitting nearby, picked up the wine glass and took a sip of the wine. After pursing his lips slightly, he said, "This wine is really good. It's less sour and astringent. It tastes much better than those tributes from the Western Regions." After that, he smiled and cast his gaze at the other gentlemen present.

Everyone nodded in agreement as they savored the delicious food and enthusiastically discussed the various novelties and customs they had encountered along the way. For a moment, the table was bustling with activity, and the sound of clinking glasses filled the air.

Meanwhile, Ziwei was happily chatting with the housekeeper. She spoke fluent English and learned a lot about Britain during that era, which further enriched her understanding of Western countries during that era.

Unconsciously, night fell, and a bright moon quietly climbed up the branches, casting a silver glow that illuminated the entire courtyard. Just then, the crisp sound of horse hooves and wheels suddenly came from the door. Then, in addition to the obvious sound of the carriage, there was actually a lot of chaotic footsteps gradually approaching.

Ziwei, who was immersed in her cultivation, suddenly heard a noise outside. Her tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, and a sharp light flashed across the depths of her deep pupils like lightning.

In a flash, Ziwei disappeared from the room like a ghost in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, outside the room, there was a completely different scene.

Simon was now shackled, his hands and feet bound, his mouth gagged with a dirty rag. He looked utterly disheveled and utterly awful, yet his eyes were filled with deep worry. His gaze fixed on the guest room, he silently prayed that Ziwei and the others wouldn't stay there.

At the front of the group, the leader, his face sullen, slowly drew the longsword from his waist. With a flick of his arm, the gleaming sword pointed directly toward the guest rooms. Upon receiving the command, the crowd behind him sprang into action, rapidly surging toward the guest rooms like a tide.

"Ooooooooo..." Simon was terrified, desperately trying to spit out the rag stuffed in his mouth, so he could warn Ziwei. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get it out. At this moment, Simon was filled with regret and self-blame. It was all his fault for being so careless and not anticipating these people's greed!

At this moment, a woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the empty carriage, startling Simon. She—

Ziwei stared at the disheveled man in front of her. He was dressed in rags, his face covered in dirt, and his former spirit had long since vanished. However, at this moment, Ziwei felt no pity in her heart, only endless anger and disappointment.

She laughed coldly, a laugh that seemed to penetrate anyone's soul. "Simon, Simon, I've always considered you a close friend and confided in you, but I never imagined you would treat us like this! You're a complete villain, and you don't deserve my trust at all!"

Hearing these words, Simon shuddered as if struck by lightning. He shook his head frantically, his eyes filled with fear and pleading, tears welling up in his eyes, threatening to fall.

Ziwei glanced at him with disgust, then reached out and pulled out the dirty rag stuffed in Simon's mouth.

As the rag was pulled out, Simon gasped for breath, but he didn't dare slack off. He hurriedly explained, "Ziwei, it's not what you think! When those guys saw the precious porcelain and fine tea, they went crazy. They wanted to imprison you and force you to hand over more valuables. I firmly opposed their heartless behavior, but...they got so angry that they tied me up as well. They wanted to sneak in while you were asleep and take you away by force."