Chapter 243: Returning Sea Manor

"Shilan, did you take the wrong food box?" Fat Dizi asked uncertainly, seeing the expression on Shilan's face, which did not seem like she was lying.

"This..." Shilan was also extremely puzzled. There was only one food box prepared for the refreshments, so it was impossible for her to have taken the wrong one. Besides, she had just checked it. How could the refreshments inside the food box have suddenly vanished into thin air?

Xiao Xie looked behind Shilan at Xiao Xiao, who was floating in the air wiping the corner of her mouth, and shook his head with a helpless smile. This little creature still didn't care at all about being discovered when she was stealing food. As long as there was something delicious, she would steal it without hesitation, anyway, other people couldn't see her.

"Fat Dizi, the refreshments in this food box were taken by me. Don't worry about it, just prepare another portion!" Seeing Shilan's somewhat nervous appearance, Xiao Xie quickly spoke out. Since Xiao Xiao had stolen the food, he couldn't let Shilan take the blame.

"Brother Xiao, did you go and steal something delicious to eat? Why didn't you take me with you? That's really unfair," Tianming complained hastily upon hearing Xiao Xie's words.

"Hehe, Xiao Xie has been with us the whole time. When would he have time to sneak away and eat?" Xue Nu said with a light smile upon hearing Tianming. Because Shilan was present, she directly addressed Xiao Xie by his name rather than as the Grand Master.

"Brother Xiao must be trying to help this young servant, right?" Shaoyu said with an expression of having seen through the truth.

Shilan also looked at Xiao Xie curiously. She also believed that Xiao Xie was making excuses for her, fearing that Fat Dizi would blame her, and cast a grateful look toward Xiao Xie.

"Alright, Fat Dizi! It's just a box of refreshments. Just go prepare another portion. It happens to be that we haven't tasted your cooking for a long time, so you must show off your skills properly," Dao Zhi also chimed in quickly.

"That's right! I happen to be a bit hungry as well!" Great Iron Hammer also chimed in to help from the side.

Seeing everyone talking over one another and firmly believing that he was just covering for Shilan, Xiao Xie could only smile bitterly. Why did nobody believe him when he spoke the truth? He cast an eye-roll at Xiao Xiao, who was gloating behind Shilan.

Seeing everyone speaking this way, Fat Dizi stood up and smiled, "Fine! I'll go prepare another portion right now, and I'll also make some extra dishes for you all, so that Young Master Xiao can truly taste my culinary skills."

"Wait a moment!" Ganie suddenly spoke up, stopping Fat Dizi as he was about to pick up the food box and leave.

"What is it?" Fat Dizi asked with a blank expression.

"Everyone, please look at the shape of this food box," Ganie said, pointing to the opened food box.

"The shape of this food box is very similar to the first pattern on the bamboo slips!" Old Man Ban looked at it carefully and said in some surprise.

"Fat Dizi, where was this food box originally supposed to be delivered?" Dao Zhi quickly asked Fat Dizi.

"Originally, the refreshments inside this food box were meant to be sent to the Little Sage Village." Fat Dizi replied upon hearing this.

"It seems that, just as Young Master Xiao anticipated, Master Zhang Liang's intention is for Tianming and Shaoyu to follow Manager Ding to the Little Sage Village," Ganie said, casting a respectful look at Xiao Xie.

Hearing Ganie's words, the others also came to their senses, and the looks they directed at Xiao Xie became even more respectful. Earlier, Xiao Xie had already said that regardless of what the bamboo slips meant, Zhang Liang's intention could only be one possibility: to have Tianming and the others go to the Little Sage Village. Now it seemed it was just as he had predicted.

"Alright, since that's the case, once Manager Ding has prepared the refreshments, Tianming, Shaoyu, the two of you can go to the Little Sage Village with Manager Ding!" Xiao Xie said.

"Understood!" Tianming and Shaoyu nodded quickly upon hearing this. They obeyed Xiao Xie's every word without question.

...

After Xiao Xie and the women finished their meal at the Youjian Inn, Xiao Xie led the group to a seaside estate, while Tianming and Shaoyu went with Fat Dizi to the Little Sage Village.

"Return-to-Sea Estate! What a magnificent estate!" Dao Zhi couldn't help exclaiming as he looked at the luxurious estate before him.

"This Return-to-Sea Estate is a property set up by a branch of the Ascending Heaven Tower here in Sanghai City. You will be very safe staying here," Xiao Xie smiled and said.

"Young Master, Huang'er and I have been waiting for you for a long time." As soon as Xiao Xie and the others stepped through the main gate, Murong Feng and Murong Huang hurried forward to greet them.

Xiao Xie rubbed Murong Feng and Murong Huang's fine hair and smiled, "You've both worked hard during this time."

"Being able to relieve Young Master of his worries is Feng'er's honor. The guest rooms are already prepared, Young Master, let me lead you there now!" Murong Feng said with a sweet smile.

"Alright, lead the way!" Xiao Xie nodded, letting the two sisters walk ahead.

Guided by Murong Feng and Murong Huang, the first things that came into view were two circular staircases, clean and smooth. Beside the stairs were lush bushes, singing birds, and fragrant flowers. A long, winding corridor stretched out, and the water in the pond was so clear that the bottom was visible, with fish swimming about joyfully from time to time. Looking out, the entire estate possessed a grand and imposing atmosphere, yet retained a subtle elegance—truly unique, graceful, and exquisite.

"Greetings, Young Master!"

"Welcome, Young Master!"

...

Amidst the respectful greetings of the estate's servants, the group proceeded to the backyard.

"Young Master, we knew guests were coming, so these few best rooms have already been tidied up," Murong Huang smiled as she led everyone into the backyard.

"Goodness me, how much must all this be worth!" Dao Zhi exclaimed in shock as he looked at the gleaming guest rooms before him. He saw that the doors of these guest rooms were fitted with pane after pane of glass windows, looking breathtakingly beautiful under the sunlight.

The glazed ornaments produced by the Ascending Heaven Tower, such as small items like rings and earrings, cost at least a hundred taels of gold at their cheapest. The half-man-high glazed windows installed on these doors must have been worth tens of thousands of taels of gold!

"Grand Master, you couldn't have brought us to the wrong place, could you? This must be your own room!" The Great Iron Hammer scratched the back of his head and said uncertainly.

Xiao Xie smiled and said, "There is no mistake. In this Return-to-Sea Estate, the ten best guest rooms all use glazed windows, and they are specially made glazed windows that are as hard as steel."

"Hahaha, even the palace where Ying Zheng lives wouldn't use glazed windows—isn't that too extravagant? I never expected that I'd be able to live in such a luxurious house today," Dao Zhi laughed mischievously.

What he said was true; everything sold by the Ascending Heaven Tower was small glazed jewelry, and the largest items were only half-man-sized dressing mirrors. Each of those mirrors cost tens of thousands of taels of gold, so even if Ying Zheng wanted to use glazed glass for windows, he wouldn't be able to buy them!

"Old man wants to see what's different about this room." Old Man Ban chose a room first and walked inside. As soon as he entered, he smelled a faint scent of sandalwood, and all the furnishings and items inside the room were masterpieces among masterpieces.

"This is a glazed mirror! It's so clear! Am I really this handsome?" Dao Zhi followed him into the room and was immediately captivated by the mirror placed on the dressing table, admiring himself narcissistically in front of it.

"Go on, go on, stop being so narcissistic here and go to your own room. You have one in your own room too," Old Man Ban said with a disgusted wave of his hand upon seeing Dao Zhi's narcissistic display.

"Stingy! I'll go look in my own room then," Dao Zhi scoffed disdainfully and ran off to another room.

"Mr. Ganie, you and the others should also choose a room you like!" Xiao Xie said with a smile, seeing that the Great Iron Hammer and Ganie also looked eager to try.

Hearing this, the Great Iron Hammer gave an honest chuckle and chose a room to enter himself, while Ganie and the others each picked a room and moved in.

"Lady Xue Nu and Lady Rong, please follow me. Your rooms are these two over here," Murong Huang guided Xue Nu and Duanmu Rong toward the rooms directly opposite Old Man Ban's group.

The biggest difference between the rooms of Xue Nu and Duanmu Rong compared to Old Man Ban's group was that while the dressing mirrors in Old Man Ban's rooms were only the size of a washbasin, the ones inside Xue Nu and Duanmu Rong's rooms were person-high full-length mirrors—a detail that greatly pleased both Xue Nu and Duanmu Rong.