Chest Out, Stomach In, Ponytail Swaying

The Head of the House did not want to read the invitation.

Because he feared Chu Qing would ask for the flesh of his heart.

But he could not avoid reading it.

Heaven knew when Chu Qing might suddenly fly into a rage and come wreak havoc at his house.

He was not afraid of Chu Qing.

But if Chu Qing truly came knocking, set a fire, and even if they killed Chu Qing in the end, he, the Head of the House, would still be nailed to the pillar of shame—mocked by later generations and ridiculed by everyone else.

The chief steward said softly, "Lord... that Zhao Hongxiu is carrying a whole box of invitations."

"She must be delivering them to the other noble houses as well."

"Chu Qing sent out so many visiting cards at once. He is probably asking us to find people, locate things, or gather intelligence."

"Otherwise, he would not make such a grand display!"

The Head of the House nodded.

After a while, he opened the invitation, then... wore a baffled expression.

"Lord..."

The Head of the House handed the invitation to the steward.

The steward read it carefully and was equally bewildered.

The contents were simple. Chu Qing wanted a piece of Golden Silk White Jade, or a golden toad carved from Golden Silk White Jade.

In short, so long as it was made of Golden Silk White Jade, they were to send it to him.

However:

This Head of the House had never even heard of Golden Silk White Jade.

After a long while, the Head of the House said gloomily to the chief steward, "I am truly useless as the Head of the House!"

"I do not even know about things that mud-legged commoners know."

The first steward comforted him. "There