Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

He didn't know that Go belonged to the late emperor of Nan Yue. One day, while sitting in the tea room, he picked up a Go piece and discovered that the black and white porcelain Go set had been replaced with cloud-shaped pieces. Nan Fei always managed to acquire rare and precious items; he simply used them without ever questioning them.

Xu Sheng placed the chess box next to him: "Let's play a game."

Luo An pushed the chess box back, sat on the platform, placed the lumbar pillow behind him, pulled the thin fur blanket over his knees, and took a nap.

Xu Sheng asked patiently, "What exactly are you..."

"What exactly do you want?" Xu Sheng swallowed his words. As an adopted son who had been brought in from who-knows-where, he really had no right to question Luo An, his biological son.

None of the brothers went out on the boat today, so Chongming Island was bustling with activity. Nanfei, yawning, strolled leisurely down the corridor, almost startling me. A row of people sat by the teahouse, which was also quite crowded…

Nanfei counted: "One, two, three..."

Tiger said, "No need to count, there are already so many including us."

Tiger made a nine-pointed hand gesture, and Nanfei asked curiously, "What are you guys doing sitting here?"

Tiger chuckled: "The gang leader is here, and Uncle Xu is here too. We've come along to soak up some of the immortal energy."

In the tea room, Qin Jiu and Luo An were playing chess, while Xu Sheng, Liu Lin, and Nian Yao were leisurely drinking.

Nanfei rubbed his eyes, confirming it was Nianyao? Nianyao never entered the tea room? Could it be that last night wasn't just a night of wind and rain? Or a night of passion?

The pure and noble young man was defiled by a bandit and a tyrannical woman. Even the heavens couldn't stand it and sent down thunder and lightning to show their divine wrath? Nan Fei's gaze darted back and forth between Luo An and Nian Yao, trying to find any clues.

Xu Sheng greeted him, "Let's discuss heroes over plum wine, Young Master Nan, come and have a drink?"

Nanfei took the sunflower seed box off the shelf and sat down opposite Xu Sheng: "Huzi, come help me peel sunflower seeds."

Tiger responded and came over. Nianyao was furious: "Do you think our brothers are your maids? Even I have no one to serve me, and you want someone to serve you?"

Nianyao tossed the sunflower seed box to Hu Zi: "Hu Zi, share it with the brothers."

Tiger, clutching the sunflower seed box like a fool, asked, "Boss, I heard this is tribute. Can we eat it?"

Nianyao said, "The emperor is a human being, and so are we. Why can't we eat them? So what if they're tribute? We eat our fill of seafood every day on the island, but when we go ashore, they still treat them as rare and precious tributes."

Tiger grabbed the box of melon seeds, turned and ran, then came back and grabbed a handful each from Xu Laijing and Xuesong by the tea room before disappearing in a flash.

From afar, Tiger's loud voice could be heard in the teahouse: "Brothers, come and have some melon seeds! These are Dr. Luo's melon seeds, made from tribute black nightshade, something only the emperor could afford. Let's indulge in the emperor's fantasy today!"

Nianyao chuckled. Nanfei then realized, "Young Master's melon seeds are limited."

Nianyao said, "He's not going to eat it, so what difference does it make if he eats one more box or one less box?"

Nanfei said, "He wants to peel it."

Nianyao said, "Is his hand itching? He's just peeling sunflower seeds for no reason."

Nanfei said, "Yes, he's just itching to do it. Do you have a problem with that?"

Nianyao put down the cup: "I've given it to you today, so what are you going to do about it?"

They were like two fighting roosters, neither willing to concede to the other.

The itchy-handed healer tossed the white chess piece back into the box. The piece struck the box with a soft clang. Everyone around him, sharp-eared and sharp-eyed, turned to look at him.

Nanfei glanced at the chessboard and exclaimed in surprise, "Young Master, you lost? How did you lose?"

Luo An lost the game? No, Qin Jiu's victory over Luo An can be listed as a major achievement on Chongming Island, and the three people by the tea room also turned to look at him.

For the first time, Luo An, who was under the gaze of everyone, felt like he was being pricked by needles.

Nianyao said, "Why can't he lose? Can't he handle losing?"

We really can't afford to lose; it's only been less than a year and a half, and we've already lost too quickly.

Nan Fei said, "If it weren't for you, would the young master have lost?"

Nianyao said, "I'm drinking here, and he's playing chess over there. You're right in the middle of us, and you're not bothering him. Do you think I am?"

Nanfei said, "You know what you did to the young master. The lights were still on late last night, and the whole courtyard could hear the thumping and clanging, right? I think the young master doesn't seem to be in good spirits today; he must not have slept well last night."

Nianyao was furious: "What did I do? What could I do to him? I gave him my bed yesterday, what are you still dissatisfied with? I would never dare to wrong your rich, noble and pampered young master."

Nianyao was still indignant. It was clearly her bed, so why were the guests' names reversed? "You blame me for him not sleeping well? Am I his father and I'm responsible for putting him to sleep?"

Nanfei stared at her, speechless. Nianyao raised her chin slightly, perfectly displaying the smugness of a victor.

In the silence of the room, Xu Sheng slowly asked, "Where did you sleep yesterday?"

Luo An, itching to play, started putting away the chess pieces.

Nianyao's voice faltered slightly, but she immediately realized what she meant: "I can sleep wherever I want! What's it to you?"

He criticizes everyone he encounters? He gets angry and embarrassed?

Xu Sheng smiled and reminded him, "We were engaged, and you received eighteen longevity locks from my family."

Nianyao scoffed, "From ancient times to the present, I've seen people give gold necklaces, gold bracelets, gold hairpins, and gold hair ornaments as engagement gifts, but you're probably the only one who gives a longevity lock. Can't you use your brain a little when you're making up lies?"

Xu Sheng said, "My mother is an empress, so naturally she cannot conform to common customs."

Nianyao said, "If you're so detached from worldly affairs, why don't we send you to a temple to cultivate? What's the point of getting engaged?"

Xu Sheng frowned: "Did you eat gunpowder?"

Nianyao snorted, "The ground is damp. I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm angry..."

Qin Jiu seemed to hear Luo An exhale very faintly. Luo An finished collecting the last chess piece, met Qin Jiu's gaze, and remained open and honest.

It seems they were overthinking things? Qin Jiu was somewhat disappointed.

Tiger came running at full speed: "Boss, Boss, Boss..."

Nianyao stood up and walked outside the tea room: "Are you trying to call back the soul?"

Tiger chuckled, rubbing his hands together, and said, "That box of black nightshade isn't even enough for everyone to have one pill each..."

Nianyao said, "There's another box on the shelf, go get it yourself."

Tiger said, "I dare not."

Nianyao kicked him and cursed, "What a waste of your name! Do you think they'd eat you?"

Tiger jumped to the side: "Boss, you go get it."

Nianyao walked into the tea room without looking to the side, and came out carrying a box without looking to the side, tossing it to Hu Zi: "Look how greedy you guys are. Tell the brothers at the dock to buy some, buy a lot."

Tiger said, "These are tribute items that can't be bought. Chief, why don't you ask Doctor Luo to bring back more next time and just charge him for it?"

Nianyao turned to look at Luo An and nodded, "Okay, I understand."

Tiger grabbed the box and ran off. Nianyao, having won against two opponents today, was in high spirits. She clapped her hands and went to Anshun Hall to handle gang affairs.

The people in the tea room watched her departing figure, then turned their gaze to Luo An. Luo An got up, picked a book from the bookshelf, and sat on the platform, reading intently.

Have you been looking at this page for too long? Just as Nanfei was about to remind him, Qin Jiu said, "Young Master, you're holding the book upside down."

Without a second thought, Luo An turned the book over and realized he'd been tricked. He slammed the book on the floor, left the tea room, grabbed an umbrella from a pillar, and exited the Xianzhou Courtyard.