The night passed and Li Xuanyu’s birthday celebration started.
Li Xuanyu wore a red jacket and was in the greatest of moods. He sat straight in the main hall as he received the friends and family’s congratulations.
Li Yan stood by his side. He was also in red and saluted everyone like a sensible and good child.
Li Shili and Li Shizhong stood at the entrance, to meet the guests.
Li Mo was at the side, in a far corner. It wasn’t by choice, but Li Shili’s arrangement.
“Shuncheng District’s Zhang clan, Dashun Logistics’ chairman, Zhang Guangcheng, has gifted 10 boxes of Maotai liquor!”
“Ningcheng County’s Blazing Lights Restaurants’ CEO, Li Baocun, gifts 20 mature fragrant pigs!”
“Shenjing’s Fang Ji Pawnshop’s shopkeeper, Fang Li, gifts a thousand taels of silver!”
When guests presented gifts, someone would shout them out loud, an ancient custom practiced among rich clans to liven the scene.
“Presenting Lin Sicong, Lin Corporation’s eldest young master!”
“Presenting Su Mingyuan, Su clan’s head!”
“Presenting shopkeeper Bai, Bai Baocheng, Shenjing’s Bai Clan Stores!”
“Presenting Haicheng’s Ning clan’s head, Ning Baofeng, along with his wife Su Yan, his son Ning Baiming, his daughter Ning Baihua!”
“Welcome, welcome!”
Li Shili cupped his hands to all of them.
Shenjing’s four clans had all come. But their timely arrival spoke of their respect. If they had come earlier, it showed they cared, but how they only arrived now, this meant they only came for the occasion.
For Li Shili however, it was good as long as they did show up.
Just when Li Shili thought that most had arrived, the herald called again.
“Presenting secretary Wang, official Yang, mayor Lu, section chief Zhao, director Qi! “
Li Shili’s mind shook.
The top administrators of Shenjing Province had come. Now that was face.
“Welcome secretary Wang, official Yang, mayor Lu, section chief Zhao, director Qi!” Li Shili greeted.
“Presenting Feng City’s mayor, Wang Sai!”
“Presenting Feng City’s deputy mayor, Li Xue!”
“Presenting Empress Restaurant’s CEO, Chen Zhengzhong!”
The constant shouting had Li Shili staring blankly.
Feng City? Li clan’s business spread all over Shenjing Province, except Feng City. Why did people from Feng City come?
“Brother, did you invite them?”
“No, I only invited some small-time third-rate celebrities.” Li Shizhong was also out of it.
“Welcome!” Li Shili stepped lively.
Regardless of who showed, they all had to be welcomed with a smile.
“Presenting the famous movie star, Zhang Ming!”
“Presenting the famous singers, Yi Xiaomei, Bai Xiaofang, Zhao Xiaoxiao!”
Li Shizhong moved behind Li Shili, “They’re here, these are my guests.”
“Go and receive them.”
“Alright.”
“Presenting the famous movie star, Lin Jing, Empress Lin!”
“Presenting antique experts, vice-chairpersons Yu Boyan and Zhang Jingshen of the National Culture Department!”
“Lin Jing? Yu Boyan? Zhang Jingshen?”
Li Shili was floored again.
“Presenting Qin Corporation’s chairman, Master Qin Zhen!” Li Shili’s mind was fading into the abyss.
Qin clan never gave a rat’s ass about the Li clan. For Qin clan to come was a show of great respect. And since Qin Zhen also came, wasn’t this a bit too much a face to handle?
Yet Li Shili’s shock was far from over.
“Presenting Chuan Province’s Wang Huan!”
“Presenting Longhu Mountain’s Celestial Master Abode’s master’s legacy disciple, Zhang Yanyu!”
“Presenting the capital’s Bai clan, Bai Wudi!”
“Presenting Shenjing’s Yang clan, Yang Honglei!”
“Presenting capital’s Zheng clan’s steward, Zheng Fudao!”
Li Shili’s mind was blown away.
Chuan Province’s Wang Estate was fine, but Celestial Master Abode, the capital’s Bai clan, the capital’s Zhang clan, horrified Li Shili.
Who in this country didn’t know of Mo, Bai, and Zheng, the capital’s great three clans. These clans were world-famous. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say they held some sway in the nation’s policies.
Another thing was, they never got along, fighting each other over power for decades. But what was up with today? Why were they all here, in one place?
Then there was Celestial Master Abode. What did it mean? What did the current legacy disciple mean? It pointed at the next Celestial Master!
Did such bigshots come from all around the nation just to attend a province clan’s senior’s birthday celebration?
Not only Li Shili was staring dumbly, even Shenjing’s Bai Clan Stores’ shopkeeper Bai Baocheng was in shock. The Bai clan branch in Shenjing was in touch with the Bai clan in the capital, but he didn’t receive the memo his main branch would send someone over.
Bai Baocheng stood to welcome Bai Wudi. Bai Wudi just shook his hand and looked around, soon finding what he wanted.
Bai Wudi flipped open his fan and walked to Li Mo.
“Yu Boyan and Zhang Jingshen gifted contemporary painter Zhang Yan’s Endless Grandkids painting!” (T/N: a gesture to wish one’s clan to thrive)
“Wow~”
At the two appraisers’ gift, a commotion rose among the guests.
Zhang Yan was the most famous national painter. His work had to be worth a hundred million! This was no mere token of celebration, but a generous gift.
Li Xuanyu was also amazed. He met the two appraisers a few times but never were they so close to warrant a hundred million gift.
“The famous movie star, Lin Jing, gifts a longevity amulet personally crafted by Grandmaster Zhou!”
“Wa~”
If Yu Boyan and Zhang Jingshen’s gift hadn’t stirred everyone, Lin Jing’s gift certainly did.
Zhou Mengxian’s Longevity Talisman was no longer something money could quantify. His talismans were sent only to those he respected, he looked highly on, and, of course, of certain status.
Li Shili’s brain was mush.
When he told Li Shizhong to invite that washed-up star Zhang Ming, he had to pay her. They also invited Lin Jing, of course, but refused at the time, no matter how much they offered.
‘What was going on? Forget about not paying her, she even came with a gift?’
“Qin Corporation’s Master Qin gifts a parcel in Yulong Bay.”
Li Shili was stupefied.
A parcel in Yulong Bay. These simple words were worth beyond a mere hundred million. Li clan had always fought over the Yulong Bay project but the Qin clan didn’t let them get even one square meter.
Yet here was Qin Zhen gifting it, for free…
“Celestial Master Abode’s legacy disciple, Zhang Yanyu, gifts a warding amulet personally refined by the current Celestial Master. “
“Capital’s Bai clan, Bai Wudi gifts a necklace of deep-sea pearls. “
“Shenjing’s Yang clan, Yang Honglei gifts five leaves of Dao Comprehending Tea!”
“Capital’s Zhang clan’s steward gifts a first edition booklet!”
Li Xuanyu traced his fingers over the red booklet with trembling hands. Of all the gifts, the smallest would perhaps be this one, while it may as well just be the largest.
The contents of this small and thin booklet were of great significance!
“With the guest’s gifts over, next are the Li clan’s members’ gifts!” The herald shouted.
