CH 088 The Fight To Capture That Shou Part 12

The elegant establishment’s servant cleaned and prepared the fish as well as delivered over other raw meat, vegetables, and wine. Everything was prepared. Nie Bufan and Fan Luo only needed to barbecue the food by themselves.

A small fire ignited and the barbecued meat sizzled. Sprinkled with various condiments, the aroma immediately wafted out.

Fan Luo turned over the fish in his hand, but stared at the gluttonous looking Nie Bufan.

“En.” Nie Bufan put the cooked fish under the tip of his nose and smelled it, saying with satisfaction, “It smells good, it can be eaten now.”

Blowing at it a few times, he eagerly took a bite, eating it despite the hot temperature burning his tongue. He ate in a very satisfied manner, such coarse and simple food seemed to be peerless delicacy with the way he ate it.

Fan Luo couldn’t help smiling, his appetite was also aroused and he began to start eating.

At this moment, an untimely voice came from outside the courtyard: “Lord Teacher of the State, I didn’t know that you had also arrived at the elegant establishment. I have been amiss in welcoming you, and I hope you forgive me.”

Fan Luo retracted his smile, his eyes growing cold.

While eating, Nie Bufan looked towards the source of the voice, only to see a few finely dressed men walking towards this side without waiting for an invite.

The person at the head of the group was about 34-35 years old. He was dressed in a white embroidered robe and had his hair tied back with a gold hairpin. In his hand held a jade fan, and hanging from his waist was a round jade knot. He also wore boots embroidered with clouds on his feet. He had a burly figure, and though he could be considered handsome in appearance, his eyes were a bit small. At first glance, one would think it was a peculiar existence with only eyebrows.

The people behind him were also very particular about their attire. Although they were not as eye -catching as the eyeless gongzi, they still were not lacking in the “arrogance” peculiar to sons of affluent and aristocratic families.

“Huh? Isn’t this Wei Book Attendant?” Eyeless gongzi smiled cordially. “In the paddock that day, Book Attendant’s triumphant deeds of subduing the envoys of Xitu Kingdom with just a few remarks have already spread throughout the imperial court. Having the chance to see you today, you are indeed handsome and refined, with an extraordinary bearing.”

Nie Bufan didn’t understand. How did he see that he was “handsome and refined, with an extraordinary bearing” when he was covered in the scent of barbecued meat?

“Lu gongzi, today this official and Wei Book Attendant have a small gathering, and don’t want to be disturbed. Please do enjoy yourself somehwere else.” Fan Luo dismissed the guests in a cold and indifferent manner.

“Why be so stuffy when you come out to play? Isn’t it more lively with a crowd?” Eyeless gongzi completely ignored Fan Luo’s aloofness and sat down on his own. The rest hesitated for a while, and had no choice but to sit down at the gesture given by Eyeless gongzi.

Fan Luo put down the food in his hand and was about to get up and leave his seat. Nie Bufan put his arm on his arm and stopped his movement, whispering, “Those who should be leaving should be them. How is it our turn to give way?”

Spitting out a fish bone, Nie Bufan looked straight at them. He pondered to himself, he was clearly unable to see the eyes of Eyeless gongzi, but he still felt that the other’s gaze had been stuck to Fan Luo’s body since his arrival, revealing a bit of evil and unkind intentions. No wonder Fan Luo didn’t like him, his motives were just too obvious!

Seeing the attitude of the two of them, Eyeless gongzi didn’t care at all, and ordered the servants to add food, the dishes quickly filling the small table.

“Everyone, no need to be so courteous, just eat whatever you want.” Eyeless gongzi greeted generously, as if he completely regarded himself as the host of this venue.

The rest of the people joined in, and the atmosphere suddenly became lively.

The Eyeless gongzi picked up the wine jug to help Nie Bufan and Fan Luo fill up their wine cups, then raised his wine cup and said, “It’s rare to eat at the same table. This humble one shall make a toast first.”

Fan Luo snorted coldly, and Nie Bufan continued to eat fish.

Eyeless gongzi put down the wine cup, and while he chatted randomly he began to pick up the dried meat.

Nie Bufan stretched out his chopsticks and accurately picked up the dried meat on the plate, and then threw it towards the distance. A dark shadow immediately flashed by not far away, and the dried meat that flew out instantly disappeared without a trace.

The rest of the people did not pay attention to this scene, only Fan Luo inadvertently caught a glimpse.

“Wei Book Attendant, what do you mean by this?” Eyeless gongzi’s face changed slightly. He didn’t care about Fan Luo’s coldness, but the person next to him was just a little book attendant of no official rank. Even if he had the favor of the emperor, he was just an insignificant character of no decent standing. What right did he have to so blatantly offend him?

Nie Bufan apologized very sincerely: “Excuse me, my hand twitched.”

Hand twitched? Could the hand twitch in such an accurate way?

The corner of Eyeless gongzi’s mouth quivered a few times. He glanced at Fan Luo, held back his anger, and reached for another plate of dried meat.

But who knew, Nie Bufan tried the same trick again. Before he could pick it up, he threw the meat out.

Eyeless gongzi slapped the table and said angrily: “Wei Xiaobao, don’t think that just because I’m being polite to you, you really take yourself as something!”

When Fan Luo heard these words, his eyes shot sharply at him like icicles.

Eyeless gongzi trembled, his confidence weakening a bit, but he quickly said with arrogance: “Lord Teacher of the State, is this your way of hospitality?”

“Brother Teacher of the State, have we invited guests?” Nie Bufan asked.

“No.” Fan Luo replied affirmatively.

So Nie Bufan turned to Eyeless gongzi again and looked at him with very clear eyes.

Eyeless gongzi’s face shifted from red to black.

Nie Bufan thought to himself: It turned out that the thickness of this person’s face hadn’t reached the point of expert master level. Compared to him, he was far more lacking.

Eyeless gongzi said viciously: “Today I insist you accompany me in drinking! I just don’t believe, who would dare to trouble me afterwards!”

He raised his hand and motioned to the others to come and cheer on.

Nie Bufan and Fan Luo were surrounded by several people.

Eyeless gongzi picked up the wine jug and the wine cup, glanced back and forth between the two of them, and smiled evilly: “Next, whoever I tell to drink shall drink!”

Nie Bufan leaned softly on Fan Luo and said to Eyeless gongzi, “Are you intending to use force based on your greater numbers?”

Eyeless gongzi said in self-satisfaction: “If you want to understand it this way. If you apologize to me now and then drink a few drinks with me obediently, then I won’t quibble about your previous rudeness.”

“What if we don’t agree?” Nie Bufan asked lazily.

“Then don’t blame me for using some extraordinary methods.” Eyeless gongzi took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket, an extremely vulgar expression on his face.

The people around also laughed in understanding.

Nie Bufan looked at them with compassion and sighed: “Ai, it seems that it can’t be avoided today. Is calling for help in the struggle later allowed?”

“Haha, in this elegant establishment, who dares to intervene in our business? Just go ahead and call for help all you want.”

“Okay, I understand.” Nie Bufan tapped his chopsticks and shouted at the direction behind them, “Guys, you can go ahead!”

Eyeless gongzi and the others turned their heads subconsciously and immediately saw a large swarm of chickens appearing behind them, some standing, some lying, some hanging from a tree, some hiding in the soil, and every one of them silent in their movements. A sharp light flashed from the beady chicken eyes, aura violent and murderous.

“Cluck!” The lead chicken, Lady Flower, gave an order, and all the chickens flew up and rushed towards Eyeless gongzi and the others, like some kind of feathery and overwhelming tidal wave.

“Ah…..ah…..” Screams came one after another.

Eyeless gongzi and the others fled in all directions, but they were attacked no matter which direction they went. Scratching, biting, pecking, pushing, stepping and various other moves were all practiced out on them.

Several refined looking gongzi were quickly ravaged into unrecognizable forms.

In a room full of flying chicken feathers, Nie Bufan said idly: “Don’t call me unkind, I allow you to call for help.”

“Help…..Help!” The few people finally couldn’t stand it and shouted.

“Hehe.” Nie Bufan added, “Just call all you like, in this elegant establishment, who dares to intervene in our affairs?”

Fan Luo laughed out loud, secretly thinking that this guy was just too evil. Seeing the pathetic and sorry states of these people, all the unhappiness he felt before just disappeared. It seemed that so long as he was by his side, he could keep a happy mood at any time.

“This…..what’s going on?” At this moment, a familiar voice came from outside the yard.

Nie Bufan looked towards the source of the voice and saw Li Yi, Wang Shichan and Wei Di walk in one after another.

Huh? They actually came together. Nie Bufan was secretly curious.

“Li gongzi, Leader Wei, help!” When Eyeless gongzi saw them it was as if he saw a life-saving rope, struggling to run towards them.

The three of them flashed out of the way at the same time, completely ignoring him. They bypassed the chaotic flock of chickens, and walked straight towards Nie Bufan.

Nie Bufan knocked on the bowl with his chopsticks and greeted: “Okay, okay, a small punishment is enough, I will let them go today. Everyone has worked hard, come and have a meal together.” 

The chickens clucked a few times, slowly stopped attacking, and walked over one by one, though not forgetting to add a few claw attacks when passing by the several people.

Soon, the space around Nie Bufan and Fan Luo were all occupied by chickens, and Li Yi and the others could only be squeezed to the outside.

“Lord Wei, you have to uphold justice for us!” Eyeless gongzi covered his black and blue face and said angrily, “Wei Xiaobao took advantage of the emperor’s favor to openly insult scholars. It is really unforgivable!”

Wei Di glanced at him and said mildly: “You should be glad that you didn’t manage to hurt him.”

Eyeless gongzi opened his eyes——this time Nie Bufan finally saw his eyeballs, and the other’s expression was full of disbelief. He then looked at Li Yi and Wang Shichan and said, “Brother Li, brother Wang, as members of the aristocracy, could we only swallow our anger after being bullied by an insignificant nobody?”

Li Yi didn’t even look at him. He just pushed the chickens away with his feet, and squeezed next to Nie Bufan to sit down unceremoniously, causing many chickens to pile on him with dissatisfaction.

Wang Shichan did spare him a look and smiled like a Maitreya Buddha: “Lu gongzi, take a step back and you will see a broader horizon. Too much persistence can easily lead to inner demons.”

He already developed inner demons! Eyeless gongzi cried in his heart, why was the both of them defending that guy?

Working hard to open those tiny slits for eyes, and seeing Nie Bufan greet them intimately, he realized that this seemingly insignificant guy was the one who truly could not be provoked.

He must eat this bitter fruit in vain.

With a wounded heart, Eyeless gongzi led his accomplices out of the yard with limpoing steps, his eyes full of resentment and unwillingness.

“Why are you all here?” Nie Bufan asked while removing the chicken on the table.

“I heard that you are here, so I came over.” Li Yi replied.

“Have you eaten? Want to join us?” Nie Bufan asked again after grabbing a plate of vegetables from a chicken claw.

Looking at the messy tabletop, the several people calmly expressed that they hadn’t eaten yet.

Nie Bufan immediately welcomed them: “Just in time, let’s eat together, I and the Teacher of the State also didn’t eat yet.”

How could they eat like this?

Surrounded by the chickens, the few people tried their best to maintain their demeanor, sitting as steady as a mountain without showing any signs of what they truly thought.

They secretly decided that if Nie Bufan ate, they would also accompany him in eating without a change to their expressions, so as not to lose their face in front of the others.

The eyes of the few people met across the air, fighting vigorously, and they were all prepared to eat with the chickens.

At this time, Nie Bufan stood up suddenly and said to the few people: “Go, let’s order another table and eat inside.”

Nie Bufan walked a few steps into the room, but seeing the few people still sitting motionless, he asked strangely: “Why aren’t you moving? Do you want to eat with them? I don’t mind if you want to cultivate feelings with them, but isn’t eating like this a little too crude?”

The several people had stiff expressions and secretly raged in their hearts. Goddamn it. Just what was the point of their long mental preparation earlier? This was very revealing of one’s IQ alright?

They very quickly settled their emotions and pretended like nothing had happened, each patting away chicken feathers that managed to stick onto their clothes before walking inside.