All Day Together, Solving the Case and Stirring Up Romance, Shaoqian Comes Calling, Exposing an Affair?

On the table are: Five-Colored Crisp Pastry, Dragon-Phoenix Soup, Drunken Flower Jade-Brew Wine, Liuli Translucent Paste, Eight Immortals Porridge... Eight exquisite and delicious dishes, all made by the master chef, using rare ingredients. In addition to their delicious taste, they can nourish Qi and Blood, strengthen the body, heal old injuries, and regulate the five elements.

Although the valiant Wang Sanjue of Longxiong Circuit loved fine food, he loved beautiful women even more. Sitting opposite Tao Xiangrong for her beauty surpassed his love for the food. As a result, there was a great surplus of delicacies.

More than half remains.

It was noon. Li Xian, who had been hiding for half a day, nestled behind the curtain, holding his breath and concentrating, felt utterly exhausted. The aroma of the delicious food wafting from the table made him think, "Such delicacies are rarely something I can enjoy on a normal day. Heh heh, solving cases is rewarding, but it's also arduous and tiring, and easily leads to trouble. After Wang Sanjue leaves, I should reward him properly." He then ate his fill of lunch.

Tao Xiangrong covered her mouth and chuckled, rolled up her sleeves, picked up a Five-Colored Crisp Pastry, and placed it on Li Xian's plate, saying with a hint of reproach and a smile, "Look at the way you eat..." Li Xian sat at the table, eating casually but without haste, slowly savoring a Five-Colored Crisp Pastry, finding it very sweet and delicious. Legend has it that each vibrant color in the Five-Colored Crisp Pastry is made from hundreds of flower petals. It is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with layers of fresh fragrance blooming.

Pick up another "Crisp-Fragrant Bean". This bean is pale green, about the size of a fingernail, but it is known as "green gold". It is very valuable for such a small bean. The taste is very unique. The outer skin is crispy and the inside is tender. It is cooked by steaming with thirty-nine kinds of broth. When you first put it in your Fontanel, it hits you like "wasabi", and then slowly melts away, bursting out the essence and deliciousness of the thirty-nine kinds of broth.

Li Xian tasted Appraisal Insight one by one, savoring the meaning and flavor of each delicacy.

Tao Xiangrong shook her head and chuckled, discussing the case with Li Xian. Wang Sanjue was initially a minor suspect, and after some questioning and probing, he had been completely cleared of suspicion. The conversation then expanded, turning to Wang Sanjue's family background and various rumors circulating in the martial arts world.

This aimless conversation, where people talked about whatever came to mind, was very relaxed and enjoyable, and time flew by. Wang Sanjue was known for his love of food, beauty, and wine. He was short in stature and had an eccentric personality. He roamed the martial arts world, sometimes righteous and sometimes evil. He once risked his life for a pot of soup. He once went on a killing spree for a jug of good wine.

Li Xian suddenly exclaimed excitedly, "Although this Senior Wang enjoys wine, his skill in drinking is not as good as mine." Tao Xiangrong laughed and scolded, "Good brother, don't you know how to brag? If Senior Wang heard this, he'd skin you alive!"

Li Xian said, "That's why I only said it to your face, sister. Besides... how do you know I'm just bragging? What if I'm not?" Tao Xiangrong said, "Still not admitting it? Senior Wang is a top-ranked expert on the Earth List, much older than you. Legend has it that he started drinking while still in his mother's womb. He's been drinking for over a hundred years now, and he probably knows all the ins and outs of drinking very well. As for you... I don't mean to look down on you, but you're still young."

Li Xian laughed, "However, things in this world are not judged by the length of one's life. Some people linger on, living for a hundred years, but their days are nothing more than monotonous repetitions. Others have short lifespans, but their lives are brilliant. The former may live longer, but how can their life experience compare to the latter? I dare not compare myself to Senior Wang's martial arts and experiences. But when it comes to eating, tasting, and the art of drinking, I am naturally gifted, and I am quite confident in that." "Even ordinary people, eating chaff and wild vegetables, will not understand the art of eating even after a hundred years. Of course... it's because their circumstances don't allow it, not because they are stupid. Although Senior Wang enjoys food and sex, he only scratches the surface. He has never deeply explored the deeper meaning of food and sex."

Tao Xiangrong paused slightly. Listening to Li Xian discuss lifespan, she thought of herself and felt quite pleased. She teased, "Oh, oh, oh, look how eloquently you speak! Why don't I believe you, sister? You're just a little brother, and to put it bluntly, you haven't even grown any hair yet. Discussing life's insights with your sister is rather..." Li Xian retorted angrily, "Sister doesn't believe me? How about we make a bet?"

Tao Xiangrong him over with her beautiful eyes, finding it quite amusing, and asked, "What are you betting on?" Li Xian said, "Let's bet..." He deliberately remained Tao Xiangrong scold, "You little rascal, you know how to whet your sister's appetite. You dare say you're not good at talking? I bet you're a womanizer."

Li Xian laughed and said, "Then I'll bet on your hairpin, sister." He had just been acting on his nature and originally wanted to say, "Then I'll bet on your rouge on your lips" or "the blush on your cheeks," but he restrained himself at the last minute and changed it to "hairpin," which sounded much more ordinary.

Tao Xiangrong removed her hairpin, flicked her sleeve, rolled up Li Xian's arm, and handed the hairpin to him, laughing, "Little brother, if you want it, I'll give it to you. Why gamble? I have plenty of hairpins, what's this?"

Li Xian inwardly realized he was in trouble. Although he called Tao Xiangrong" sister," he still had no intention of getting too involved. However, Tao Xiangrong more shrewd and gave him the gambling items. Li Xian said, "Let's not gamble anymore. Let's just talk about the ins and outs of eating and drinking."

Tao Xiangrong said, "That won't do. You've stirred up my gambling spirit, and we can't let it end so easily. Good brother, suggest another thing to gamble on. Besides, since it's a gamble, there are bound to be winners and losers. If you lose, I'll punish you."

She said with a half-smile, "As punishment, I'll have you deliver a message to Xu Shaoqian for me."

Li Xian thought to himself, "This woman has me cornered. Since that's the case, I won't stand on ceremony with her." Unabashedly, he said, "Fine, fine. If I win, I'll have you give me the most expensive cosmetics in the world."

Tao Xiangrong taken aback and asked curiously, "You are a fine young man; if you want rouge, you must be giving it to a woman. But which woman do you intend to give it to?" Li Xian replied, "No, no. Who says a fine young man can't have rouge? Besides, I want the finest rouge; how could I bear to give it away?" Tao Xiangrong said, "The finest rouge in the world... that's a difficult question for you, sister. If you're talking about expensive rouge, you have plenty. But if you're talking about the best... that's hard to say."

Li Xian laughed and said, "Sister, why worry? You have the most of these things." Tao Xiangrong asked, "Oh?"

Li Xian said, "Rouge, rouge, and other cosmetics are inanimate objects; their value depends entirely on who uses them. The reason why some are worth thousands or even tens of thousands of gold pieces is entirely due to women. The most precious rouge in the world is naturally... the rouge on your lips, sister."

Tao Xiangrong taken aback, then felt a surge of pleasure, thinking to herself, "Good lad, you're quite the smooth talker. Any ordinary girl would be blushing and running away with those words. But who is your sister? She's not afraid of you." She laughed, "Little brother, your sweet words must have won over many women's hearts, haven't they? Truly, you can know a person's face but not their heart."

Li Xian said, "If you don't agree, then let's just give up."

She said coquettishly, "Who said I wouldn't? My gambling luck isn't bad either, I'm not afraid of you, my good little brother. Oh, no, you're not good at all, you're quite wicked. I should call you wicked little brother. Well then... wicked little brother, please begin. If you can't explain the ins and outs of food and drink, I'll give you a hard time." Li Xian saw that the arrow was on the bowstring and wanted to be quiet, but it was harder to be quiet. So he simply didn't think about anything else and focused on answering, saying, "Good sister, please look, there are eight delicacies on this table. Five-Colored Crisp Pastry, Dragon-Phoenix Soup, Drunken Flower Jade-Brew Wine, Exquisite Translucent Paste, and Eight Immortals Porridge." "Crisp-Fragrant Bean, Mountain God Ginseng, and Clear-Turbid Wonder-Fragrance Cake," Tao Xiangrong said. "Just reciting the names of the dishes doesn't show you how to appreciate fine food." Li Xian laughed, "Sister, you're too impatient. Let me explain slowly. These eight delicacies contain the mysteries of the Five Elements, the Eight Trigrams, the Dragon and Phoenix, and the concepts of purity and turbidity. The taste varies depending on the order in which each dish is eaten. Although Senior Wang Sanjue is skilled in food, he only took a small bite of each dish as it was served, and then didn't try any more. That's why I say his understanding of food and drink is rather shallow."

Li Xian picked up a Crisp-Fragrant Bean and fed it to Tao Xiangrong. Tao Xiangrong aback. She was a master of romance, but she had never been so intimate before. She thought to herself, "If I back down, this naughty younger brother will look down on me." She slightly lifted a corner of her veil, touched her red lips lightly, and took a bite of the Crisp-Fragrant Bean.

Tao Xiangrong just been chatting with Wang Sanjue, and they seemed to be having a good time, but she hadn't touched a single bite of food. She had only been pouring tea and water for Wang Sanjue. Now that the main person in charge had left, she was instead enjoying the leftovers.

Li Xian picked up another piece of "Mountain God Ginseng" and offered it to her, saying, "Sister, please taste it quickly." Tao Xiangrong had no choice but to open her mouth and eat the Mountain God Ginseng. She immediately noticed a change in taste. The Crisp-Fragrant Bean were like wood, while the Mountain God Ginseng was like earth. The two dishes had a different flavor, like earth enhancing the strength of wood. The Crisp-Fragrant Bean had a more lingering flavor.

Tao Xiangrong's eyes flickered slightly as she noticed Li Xian's smug expression, and she changed the subject, saying, "How did you know about these internal changes?"

Li Xian said mysteriously, "It all started with our parents."

Tao Xiangrong laughed and scolded, "You little rascal, are you going to spout nonsense again to keep me in suspense?" Li Xian said, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare, lest my sister go to the Central Lang General and accuse me of a serious crime. This matter really does have something to do with my parents, and it has a very important connection."

Tao Xiangrong, "If you dare to play tricks on your sister, I'll have to file a complaint. Hmph, hurry up and tell the truth." Li Xian teased, "Hahaha, then let me ask you, sister, why were you born so beautiful? Is there some secret hidden in that?"

Tao Xiangrong said, "Beauty is something one is born with, what's so mysterious about it... Ah! You naughty little brother, you're beating around the bush, always trying to be clever." She understood that Li Xian meant: it's something one is born with. It's because one is born of one's parents, so it's most closely related to them. Seeing that Li Xian had gone around in circles but praised her natural beauty, she was overjoyed.

This casual conversation was filled with laughter and joy, completely forgetting their business. Li Xian continued to serve food to Tao Xiangrong. After a while, Tao Xiangrong got used to it. Every time her red lips touched the tip of the chopsticks, both of them felt a slight strangeness, which was hard to explain. But the act of feeding each other became more and more natural.

The eight dishes can create a powerful contrast between water and fire, or between metal and wood, or between purity and impurity. By slightly changing the order in which each dish is eaten, the aroma and flavor will be completely different. These eight dishes contain dozens of unique flavors.

Li Xian said, "These eight dishes come from Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower. You should already know this way of eating, Sister. If Senior Wang Sanjue hadn't been captivated by your beauty and had focused on the food, he would surely have discovered the secret. Based on this alone, I dare not say that my way of eating and drinking surpasses Senior Wang's." Tao Xiangrong slightly, her eyes flashing, and said, "You know this, so you do have some knowledge of eating and drinking. But it's not very sophisticated, so let's call it a draw."

Li Xian laughed and said, "A draw? Impossible. Next, I'll show you my unique skill. Good sister, take this!" He picked up the Liuli Translucent Paste and fed it to Tao Xiangrong slowly and carefully, and to drink a sip of Dragon-Phoenix Soup on the seventeenth bite.

Tao Xiangrong raised an eyebrow and did as instructed. She found herself in a completely new world. The taste hadn't changed, but the flavor was even more indescribable. It was like the difference between "raw jade" and "fine jade"—the essence remained the same, but the overall effect was worlds apart.

Tao Xiangrong asked, "What is the reason for this?" Li Xian, still young at heart, couldn't help but feel smug and said, "I only told you because my sister needed me."

Tao Xiangrong said angrily, "Your sister has never asked anyone for anything before. Fine, don't tell me then, you're such a bad brother."

After a moment, he sighed, "I'm afraid of you, so I'll make an exception for you this time. Xiangrong to ask you for help. Good brother, please answer quickly." Li Xian said, "It's quite simple. In the Liuli Translucent Paste, there is an ingredient called ' Wind-Calming Seed,' which is taken from the head pearl of the ' Black Mountain Centipede.' It is the essence of the Liuli Translucent Paste —transparent, crystal clear, soft, and white as snow. To remove its fishy smell, the chef of Blue-Heavens Long Dream Tower brewed it with strong liquor. Afterward, it was crushed into powder and mixed with various ingredients to make the Liuli Translucent Paste. Although this substance is crushed into powder, its essence remains. When you chew it slowly in your mouth for the seventeenth time, its flavor will emerge."

"The Wind-Calming Seed) is mostly fishy and smelly. After it is released, the Liuli Translucent Paste will turn bitter, and it should not be consumed in this way. It is at this time that one drinks the Dragon and Phoenix Treasure Soup. The Dragon-Phoenix Soup is made by boiling chicken yolk and snake yolk. In the mouth, one feels the power of dragons and phoenixes driving away centipedes."

"These delicacies on the plate, though inanimate, cease to be inanimate once tasted."

Tao Xiangrong was quite surprised to hear this and said, "I've never heard of such a way of eating before." Li Xian smiled and said, "There's more. Sister, please open your mouth again." He picked up several more dishes and fed them to Tao Xiangrong.

Tao Xiangrong slightly lifted her veil, ate the dishes, and slowly savored them.

Eight dishes, not just dozens of ways to eat, but nearly a hundred variations. Tao Xiangrong savors the delicious food and listens to Li Xian explain the reasons for the variations. It's both intriguing and novel, truly Infinite Pleasure.

Inside the "Jade-Stone Pavilion," a side window opened, letting in a gentle breeze. The two were enjoying the leftovers, chatting and laughing. They were having a great time with the "leftovers." When all the dishes were gone, Tao Xiangrong was still savoring the aftertaste.

It was dusk by then. Li Xian sat by the window, and said rather flippantly, "Good sister, who won this bet?"

Tao Xiangrong said helplessly, "Sister lost. Sister always wins at gambling, but this time she stumbled because of you, her naughty little brother." Li Xian said, "Sister always wins at gambling, maybe others let her win. But I won't let them, hahaha."

Tao Xiangrong scolded, "Look at how smug you are." She took off a pale pink handkerchief, pressed it to her lips, and said, "As you said, the most expensive rouge in the world is now in your hands."

Li Xian smelled the fragrance of the handkerchief and the full, alluring lip print, and couldn't help but think, "Such a beauty, I wonder who she's given to?" He carefully put the handkerchief away and said with a teasing smile, "My day's hard work wasn't in vain."

Tao Xiangrong brightly and said, "You naughty little brother, what are you fighting with your sister for? You only know how to use words to gain an advantage."

Suddenly his expression turned serious, and he sighed, "Someone's coming again, my dear brother, you'd better hide well."

Li Xian slipped through the window. Tao Xiangrong instructed the maid to clean up the clutter in the room. After a moment, Wanghe Circuit, "Lin Beijian is coming." This young man was very handsome, about fifty-one years old. He had neat short brown hair, carried a large sword on his back, and had a long sword hanging at his waist.

Lin Beijian is quite talented. Although he has just entered the Wanghe Dao Earth Ranking, in terms of foundation and ability, he is inferior to Wang Sanjue and Zheng Tianxiong. However, he is also quite remarkable in terms of his free and easy temperament and profound insights. However, he is slightly arrogant and has a hint of contempt for his peers.

Tao Xiangrong responded calmly, subtly probing his intentions. As the hostess of the banquet, though her face was veiled, her red lips and eyes were occasionally revealed, subtly arousing desire. Her clear and the Unseen voice captivated hearts.

Although Lin Beijian was a local hero and a young talent, he was quickly defeated. Tao Xiangrong that Lin Beijian's suspicions had been cleared and felt bored. She wanted to find an excuse to send Lin Beijian back. But fearing that she would displease him, she patiently talked to him.

Lin Beijian was completely unaware and displayed his talent. He was sharp-willed like a sword and often made disdainful remarks, enjoying belittling his opponents to elevate himself.

An hour later, Tao Xiangrong saw the beautiful moonlight and invited Lin Beijian to perform a sword dance under the moon. Lin Beijian's greatsword was domineering, and his small sword was exquisite; his martial arts skills were superb. The sword dance was extremely wonderful.

Tao Xiangrong clapped and complimented Lin Beijian before seeing him off. Thus, the first day was over. Tao Xiangrong lifted the curtain and called out to Li Xian. The two strolled through the garden together, heading towards Peach Residence.

They discussed their gains along the way, devised follow-up plans, and admired the scenery in the garden. Tao Xiangrong strolled leisurely, her skirt swaying and her long hair flowing down, looking extremely beautiful. After a day of contact, the two felt a slight unease, wandered around Rosy Cloud Heaven several times, and passed by their home without going in.

They talked about the scenery, events, the sky, and the earth. After returning to Peach Residence, they each went to bathe. Li Xian continued practicing martial arts in the garden, honing his skills. Tao Xiangrong changed her clothes and went to watch Li Xian practice martial arts.

Li Xian thought to himself, "Although my case is important, I cannot neglect my martial arts. I cannot let her watch and thus neglect my martial arts. Although this Sister Tao is troublesome, she doesn't seem to be a wicked person. Letting her watch won't endanger my safety. Perhaps she'll get bored after watching for a while and leave." He devoted himself to practicing martial arts, completely forgetting himself.

Little did she know that Tao Xiangrong waiting quietly to the side, observing for a long time, with no intention of leaving. She also did not realize that after a day of contact with Li Xian, she had become more familiar with others than she had been with others for years. After Li Xian finished practicing martial arts, Tao Xiangrong saw Li Xian exhale clear mist, cleansing his entire body.

Tao Xiangrong, asked, "You naughty little brother, what kind of ability do you have? It seems to have the power to remove impurities and purify the air?" Li Xian replied, "That's right. It can ward off miasma and cleanse impurities."

Tao Xiangrong, "This naughty little brother knows about food and drink, is skilled in unusual arts, speaks wittily and charmingly, and has a dashing and elegant figure. He's truly surprised me. I'll slowly investigate him and make him my own."

And so, in the following days:

The two of them got up at dawn every day.

Tao Xiangrong spent half an hour getting ready in front of the mirror, while Li Xian practiced martial arts for the other half hour. Tao Xiangrong could observe Li Xian's martial arts practice while she was getting ready, and she would occasionally glance at him. Knowing that Li Xian was diligent in his martial arts practice and persevered every day, she couldn't help but admire him secretly.

Chen Hour 3:45 AM, the reception of guests began.

Li Xian hid behind the curtain, while Tao Xiangrong cleverly probed him.

At 3:45 AM, the first banquet ended. Li Xian emerged from behind the curtain and chatted with Tao Xiangrong about the case and other trivial matters to relax. Tao Xiangrong was always very happy at this time, secretly looking forward to it.

She found the many guests around her tiresome after just one banquet. Yet, she grew increasingly eager to feast with Li Xian. This subtle change, however, went unnoticed by her.

At noon, the second banquet began. Li Xian remained hidden, Tao Xiangrong patiently engaged in conversation, though her mind was already anticipating what would happen after the banquet.

At three-quarters past noon, the second banquet ended. Li Xian reappeared. By this time, the two of them were tired from sitting, so they would often take a walk outside the garden, or go boating, enjoying the scenery in their leisure time to recover their energy.

Before 3:45 PM, they returned to the "Stone-Jade Room" of the "Cloud-Dream Pavilion". Li Xian continued to hide, Tao Xiangrong tidied her clothes and waited for the third guest. At 3:45 PM, after seeing off the third guest, the day's work was over. Both of them felt tired, but after chatting for a while, their energy was restored. Tao Xiangrong subtly inquire about the details of the "Peach Banquet" while meeting the guest.

Then, half an hour was spent organizing the newly acquired details, comparing them with those mentioned by each guest. Afterwards, they toured Rosy Cloud Heaven together, admiring the beautiful scenery within the building. They returned to Tao Mansion at 7 PM, and as usual, spent half an hour apart to bathe.

Around 7:45 PM, Tao Xiangrong would watch Li Xian practice martial arts until 7:45 PM. After Li Xian energy, he would go with Tao Xiangrong to an elegant long table to organize the clues they had gathered, discuss the invitations for the next day, and draft the key points of their conversation.

By 3:45 AM, the night was completely deep. Li Xian returned to the west wing to sleep, while Tao Xiangrong returned to the "Body-Nourishing Tower" to sleep. They woke up at Chen Hour the next day and resumed their previous routines.

Thus, Li Xian and Tao Xiangrong almost all their time together, only separating for two short periods of time, around 3 AM and 5 AM. They investigated the strange case, their interactions natural. Tao Xiangrong didn't find anything amiss. However, the maidservant in the middle was astonished and speechless.

The fourth day arrived in the blink of an eye, at three-quarters of an hour in the west. Tao Xiangrong saw off Li Zheng, a powerful figure in the Yuzhou region, and immediately called out, "Good brother, come out." Li Xian emerged from behind the curtain and laughed, "Sister, although we are investigating a case, my actions have been somewhat inappropriate."

Tao Xiangrong said, "It's too late to regret it now. Since you're helping your sister, you should help her to the end. Good brother, have some tea." She brought over a cup of hot tea, glanced at the curtains, and said, "It's tough on you. These curtains are made of asbestos thread, which can block your view and your breath. But the space for standing is very cramped."

Li Xian took the tea, drank it all in one gulp, and said, "But I haven't seen anything from you, sister?" Tao Xiangrong glared at him playfully, "Look at you, you greedy little thing. If things are handled well, I certainly won't let you suffer."

Li Xian said solemnly, "After several days of preparation, we can invite the Mountain-Moving Elder and True Tiger Daoist the banquet tomorrow."

Tao Xiangrong and said, "You naughty little brother, do you think they'll dare to attend the banquet?" Li Xian said, "Eighty percent will dare to come. As for the remaining twenty percent, if they don't come, then..."

As they were talking, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the Cloud-Dream Pavilion. A maid called out, "Young Master Xu, Master Xu..."

Xu Shaoqian shouted, "Get out of my way! How dare you stop me?" His murderous aura was palpable as he headed straight for the "Stone-Jade Room." In a matter of moments, he was at the door, urgently knocking and calling out, "Xiangrong, Xiangrong, I know you're inside!"

Tao Xiangrong as she lowered her voice and said, "Good brother, your sister didn't tell on you, but you're in trouble now." She then replied tactfully, "Young Master Xu, what brings you here?"

Xu Shaoqian called out, "Xiangrong, you... I haven't seen you in so long. I've prepared some gifts, would you please open the door?"

Tao Xiangrong glanced at Li Xian Li Xian, seeing that he remained calm, and thought, "It's rare to see this younger brother so composed in a crisis. He's the Gold Steward of the Gold-Seeking Guard, and Xu Shaoqian is his superior. If he's caught, it will inevitably harm his career. I'll help him out." She said, "Young Master Xu, please go back. I'm a little Xiangrong." Xu Shaoqian called out, "Xiangrong, just one second, just one second. No matter how tired you are, you can always come up with this in one second. We've known each other for so many years, and I won't feel at ease if I don't give you this generous gift. Please open the door."

Tao Xiangrong said, "Young Master Xu, why are you doing this?" Xu Shaoqian shouted, "Xiangrong, if you don't open the door, I... I won't leave! I won't leave!"

(P. S.: I'm writing this on the first day of the Lunar New Year, so asking for some monthly votes and subscriptions isn't too much to ask, right?)