Lin Wanrong was momentarily puzzled by the mention of the birthday celebration. Soon, he recollected that both Luo Yuan and his sister had informed him of this event. Despite committing to attend, the recent days were filled with travels to Hangzhou and confrontations with Tao Dongcheng, causing him to momentarily forget.
With a smile, Lin Wanrong replied, "Miss Luo, rest assured, I will definitely extend my congratulations to the venerable elder on his birthday. Since I didn't see Luo Yuan today, is he busy with preparations?"
Luo Nian nodded, "Grandmother's 70th birthday involves numerous preparations. My younger brother has been assigned various tasks by our father and is occupied. If not for my friend delivering a letter today, I'd likely still be busy at home."
Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Thanks to my presence, you got a chance to openly take it easy. Miss Luo, is it time to thank me?"
Luo Nian smiled and said softly, "Brother Lin, you have an interesting way of speaking."
Observing her delicate features and charming countenance, Lin Wanrong's heart skipped a beat. He thought, "This young lady knows I'm not interested in her, yet she insists on smiling at me every time we meet. Is she deliberately teasing me? My self-control is truly diminishing; every beauty I encounter makes me want to fall for them. What a weakness."
After parting ways with Luo Nian, Lin Wanrong pondered and decided to prepare a generous gift for the Luo family. Considering the good relationship with Luo Nian and Luo's generosity, he planned to include some small diamonds acquired through the exchange with Tavoni. These could be presented to the old lady, fulfilling Luo Nian's subtle desire for diamonds.
Early the next morning, Lin Wanrong was still asleep when a messenger from the Miss came looking for him.
Upon arriving in the hall, the young master and Miss were already dressed and waiting for him. Seeing Lin Wanrong still in his servant attire, the Miss frowned and asked, "Today is Lord Luo's birthday celebration. Why haven't you changed into new clothes?"
Lin Wanrong, realizing that both the young master and Miss had also received invitations, slapped his forehead and chuckled, "I'm just a humble servant of the Xiao family; changing clothes or not doesn't matter. With Miss Luo as my representative, showcasing the beauty of the Xiao family is sufficient. If I dress too handsomely, stealing your limelight, I might feel embarrassed."
"Annoying," the Miss said, blushing and giving him a light scolding.
The young master, having been saved by Lin San the day before, couldn't help but pat Lin Wanrong on the shoulder and said, "Lin San, well done. My elder brother did not misjudge you."
The Miss smiled at Lin San and thought, "This guy has the talent for acting dumb and playing tricks. It's only fitting to deceive my cousin."
The young master and Lin San rode horses, while the Miss was in a sedan chair. The three of them proceeded towards the Governor's Mansion.
Lin Wanrong, despite his good relations with the Luo siblings and some familiarity with Luo Min, was visiting the Governor's Mansion for the first time. After a short distance, they saw a grand gate painted in vermilion, flanked by two majestic stone lions. Above the main entrance, a gilded plaque hung, bearing the words "Golden Capital Luo Mansion."
Even from a distance, the Miss got off the sedan chair and urged the two men, "Hurry, dismount your horses."
Lin Wanrong, puzzled, asked, "Miss, we are still quite far from the Governor's Mansion. Why dismount so early?"
The Miss cast a disdainful glance at him and said, "Can't you read? The plaque above Lord Luo's residence was inscribed by the Emperor's golden pen, a great honor. Anyone passing through this place, scholars alight from sedan chairs, and warriors dismount from horses. It's a rule; don't you know?"
Lin Wanrong, with a long "Oh," suddenly realized. Those two characters inscribed by the Emperor were even more effective than traffic lights. He turned around and saw others passing through, scholars alighting from sedan chairs and warriors dismounting from horses.
In the distance, the Provincial Governor, Luo Min, personally received the Miss, presenting his card and saying, "Xiao family from Jinling, congratulatory peaches, longevity noodles, ten bottles of perfume, and a hundred pieces of scented soap, wishing the elder a long and prosperous life."
Hearing the celebratory announcements, Lin Wanrong was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected that the package contained such valuable items—almost two thousand taels of silver. These were market treasures and could easily be sold for a profit of three thousand taels. Luo Min had truly made a fortune. If he were to sell them, it would be a breeze to make a considerable profit.
The Miss, noticing Lin Wanrong's distracted state, lightly pulled his sleeve to bring him back to reality. Lin Wanrong, in the midst of his surprise, thought, "Well, Luo's got a good business sense. This silver will allow them to make a considerable profit."
The Miss softly asked, "Lin San, what's wrong?" Lin Wanrong raised his thumbs and said, "Miss is wise and generous, truly living up to the reputation of a shrewd merchant."
"Annoying!" The Miss blushed and lightly scolded, leading the way into the mansion.
At the central table in the hall, a man with a dark complexion and thick eyebrows, exuding an imposing aura, sat in the upper seat. Cheng RuiNian, whom Lin Wanrong had met a few times, stood beside him. This person had the unmistakable air of the Governor.
Lin Wanrong's heart jolted, realizing that within Jiangsu, the person worthy of sitting at the top table during the Governor's birthday celebration was none other than Cheng De.
Standing beside Cheng De, Cheng RuiNian had engaged in a hidden power struggle with Luo Min. Despite their outward harmony, both men were well aware of their underlying conflicts.
Lin Wanrong, waiting for the ceremony to begin, couldn't help but feel a bit bored. Suddenly, a lively tune resounded as the herald loudly announced, "The auspicious time has arrived. Please welcome the venerable elder into the hall."
Amidst the lively music, Luo Nian, adorned in a red dress and blushing, escorted a rosy-faced elderly lady into the hall. Luo Min and Luo Yuan followed closely behind. Three generations of the Luo family were now in full view.
"Wishing the venerable elder good fortune like the East Sea, longevity surpassing South Mountain," the people in the hall
stood up and sang in unison.