Chapter 643: Jade Beauty
Seeing the two children getting along well made Tang Xiu feel very satisfied. After leaving Tang Xiaohan to Mu Qingping's care, he stored a large number of jades and stones into his interspatial ring in front of Mu Qingping and Gu Yin without trying to conceal anything, and then went alone to the study room on the second floor.
Imperial Garden! This entity seemed to be a very mysterious yet extremely low-key existence. In today's society, the bigger the industries, the harder and more difficult it was to keep their secrets concealed. If the Imperial Garden did have many talented people, it was truly an amazing and powerful feat in and of itself.
To obtain more understanding about the situation with the Imperial Garden, Tang Xiu dialed Gu Xiaoxue's number. And what surprised him was that, although she knew some facts in regards to the Imperial Garden, yet what she knew was not that much either. However, she informed him about something that made him pay great attention to, that was: The Imperial Garden was a power represented the Taiyi or The Ultimate Unity—one among the Three Arts in China.
After surfing the internet searching information about it, Tang Xiu learned about these Three Arts in detail: Taiyi (Ultimate Unity), Qimen (Strange Doors), and Liu Ren (Divination Lineage). These three formed the 'The Three Arts'—which were the three great schools of prediction—divination arts of the ancient Chinese people. The Ultimate Unity emphasized on the Heavenly Elements to conjecture the affairs of the state and its politics; The Strange Doors emphasized on the Earthly Elements to measure collective affairs of the society; whereas the Divination Lineage emphasized on the Humanly Elements to divine the human affairs.
The Occult Sect, who represented The Strange Doors to measure collective affairs in society, had fame that was spread far and wide, but the fearful Imperial Garden, who represented The Ultimate Unity to conjecture the affairs of the nation and its politics, did not have such a visible resounding fame at all.
After a long period of time, Tang Xiu shut down the laptop. There was a pensive and ruminating look on his face, yet there was wariness inside him toward the Imperial Garden. It was because The Strange Doors had many powers that represented it, whereas The Ultimate Unity only had this one. In other words, the Imperial Garden was likely able to arm wrestle all the powers representing the Strange Doors. With hundreds of years of history, and even longer, the foundation and heritage of this entity was probably very deep, reaching the point that it was very terrifying at present.
Unless they offend me, then I won't attack them. But they must be ready to accept my counter strike if they do. The Imperial Garden may be formidable, but I don't fear them. If the Imperial Garden people choose to coexist in peace with me, then I won't deny them either. But if they dare to provoke me, no matter how powerful they are, I'll make them bleed and fracture their bones, for they are coming for a lesson written in blood.
Tang Xiu lit up a cigarette and took a few deep puffs. He then looked at the time and found that it was already noon. After finishing the cigarette, he headed to the dining room on the first floor. Since his parents had yet to come back, he had a lunch first and instructed Mu Qingping to take care of Xiaohan before leaving the villa.
Gambling on stones! It was an activity he was no stranger to. He once used his skills and earned quite a lot from gambling previously, and now that he ran into such an opportunity to make a fortune, it was a chance he did not want to miss. At 1 PM, he returned to the Star City Convention and Exhibition Center. The number of people in the venue now was only half than in the morning because it was lunchtime.
Tang Xiu circled around the sheds inside once. He was quite satisfied since he finally found hundreds of good quality stones after touching it personally and using his spiritual sense to examine them. Among them were more than a dozen jade materials and jadeites that were of top quality.
"Your business seems to be not too lively here, Boss?"
After entering the shed in great strides, Tang Xiu observed the inside of this several hundred square meters shed. Other than two stone-cutter machines, there were two white-haired old men inside, and he immediately spoke to them with a smile.
One of the old man wearing reading glasses was holding a cup of hot tea and casually waved at him. He replied with a lazy tone, "We just had lunch, so it's naturally not lively here. Anyhow, are you here to have the stones cut, Little Brother?"
"Having stones cut is a sure thing, but the number of stones I'm going to purchase will be quite a lot, though," said Tang Xiu with a smile. "So, I have the intention to rent this shed this afternoon for that purpose. Two Seniors, please quote your price."
Another old man in a Chinese tunic suit and with a walking stick next to him waved his hand and smilingly said, "You're mistaken, young man. I'm not a cutting-stone expert. I'm just his old friend coming to visit Star City, so I came here to have lunch with him. Old Huang, this Little Brother wants to rent your shed, what do you say about it?"
The old man with the reading glasses smilingly said, "What's your name, Little Brother?"
"Tang Xiu," answered Tang Xiu.
"Old Huang, you should've heard that well-known young miracle-working doctor, right?" Asked the old man in Chinese tunic suit. "It's exactly one of my purposes in coming here. To have a chat with you about this young divine doctor of the Star City Chinese Medical Hospital, to see if you're willing to find an opportunity to invite that young doctor to treat that leg of yours!"
The old man with reading glasses looked surprised. He stood up to observe Tang Xiu a few times and curiously asked, "I have heard about the name of that young divine doctor, too. But I would never have thought that this Little Brother is actually him."
Tang Xiu slightly squinted his eyes. He examined the old man's legs and found that his left leg obviously had hidden injuries. His left leg was much lower, and he would definitely be slightly lame when he walked. After a moment's contemplation, Tang Xiu said, "May I ask your name, Senior?"
The old man wearing reading glasses smiled and said, "You can call me Master Huang."
"Can you show me your left leg?" Tang Xiu nodded and asked.
Master Huang's eyes lit up and immediately nodded. After a few minutes of examination, Tang Xiu found that Master Huang's left leg had its curved joint injured internally due to multiple bones' dislocations and even bone fractures. After retracting his hands, Tang Xiu spoke to him, "I can treat the internal injuries of your leg joint."
A happy expression could be seen on Master Huang's face as he immediately said, "It will trouble you, Divine Doctor Tang, so I'm willing to pay no matter how much it is."
"Is your leg that important to you? If you feel so, how about renting this shed to me and help me cut the stones?" Asked Tang Xiu.
Master Huang instantly understood Tang Xiu's intention and replied without hesitation, "Money is nothing but worldly possessions that are not really connected to us. Divine Doctor Tang, if you really can heal my leg, you can rent this shed and the labor free of charge."
"Deal!" Tang Xiu smiled in response. "Anyways, you can chat here, two Seniors. I'm going to purchase the stones I take fancy in and will deliver them here later."
"Alright!" Said Master Huang quickly.
At this time, a slim figure walked into the shed from the outside. She wore a white coat and a beige silk scarf. Her shining long black hair was flowing, and the most notable thing about her was her face, as it was covered with a white veil down to her nostrils, hindering people from seeing her true appearance.
Tang Xiu raised his brows and instantly released his spiritual sense. After which, he could easily see the woman's appearance. Then he got secretly startled, because he found that the woman was very beautiful. Her age was about 25 or 26 years and her beauty was not inferior to that of Kang Xia and Mu Wanying at all.
Umm? The moment Tang Xiu released his spiritual sense, the woman's came to a halt all of sudden and there was a confused expression in her black gem-like eyes. Her gaze then fell on Tang Xiu very quickly. As she saw that he seemed to have the intention to leave, she immediately called out, "Please wait, Sir."
Tang Xiu halted his pace and found that the woman was walking toward him, and then immediately asked, "Is there something you need from me?"
The woman let out a faint smile. A smile that immediately gave Tang Xiu a feeling like he was bathing amid a spring breeze. Then, her beautiful voice sounded, "My name is Xue Yu, Sir, and you can call me Miss Xue, or A' Yu. May I know your name, Sir?"
"I'm Tang Xiu," replied Tang Xiu with a tranquil expression.
Xue Yu nodded gently in response. An unusual glint appeared in her eyes as she inquired, "May I know whether Mr. Tang comprehends the divinatory art of Heavenly Divination? Do you, by chance, understand the Feng Shui profound art?"
Her inquiry secretly made Tang Xiu vigilant inwardly, yet he maintained unfazed on the surface and said, "I don't know about that, nor do I comprehend it."
"You have a particular aura, Mr. Tang—a very unusual and special one. I can't see through your fate nor am I able to see clearly what your soul is," replied Xue Yu with a doubtful expression.
"What? (What?)" Two startled voices resounded. They belonged to Master Huang and the old man in Chinese tunic suit, who exclaimed at the same time.
Master Huang observed Tang Xiu a few times with an unusual expression, then shifted his vision to Xue Yu, as he frowned and asked, "Was what you said true, that you can't divine his destiny nor his soul at all?"
"That's true!" Xue Yu seemed to know the Master Huang duo and gently replied with a nod.
"That's impossible!" Master Huang muttered. "Unless… else you shouldn't be unable to see him clearly? Could it be…"
"That's the possibility indeed," said Xue Yu, nodding with a serious expression.
Tang Xiu looked at the two people as he shook his head and said, "You two, please don't make such riddling remarks. Just speak it out freely if you have something to say."
"Nevermind, it's nothing." Xue Yu shook her head. "We're presumptuous for bothering you already, Mr. Tang. Please forgive us."
"Aren't you going to purchase some stone materials, Divine Doctor Tang?" Master Huang quickly echoed. "It's best to go early and return earlier."
Tang Xiu nodded in response and then turned around. He could feel the eyes of the three people still staring at him after he left the shed. He realized that he just had inadvertently encountered three special people judging from Xue Yu's words, and the shock displayed by Master Huang and that old man in a Chinese tunic suit. Those who could see through others' destiny and fate and being able to observe the existence of others' souls were definitely people belonging to The Three Arts. But he did not know which one they belonged to.
Inside the shed.
Master Huang and the old man in Chinese tunic suit immediately bowed and cupped their fists toward Xue Yu the moment Tang Xiu's back disappeared outside. Their expression was that of respect as they said, "Your Excellency Jade Beauty, we apologize for not going out to meet you. Please forgive us."
"Please don't be over-courteous, two Elders," said Xue Yu softly. "I came here to seek fine quality jades. But I seem to have bumped into a very interesting person here."
Master Huang and the old man in Chinese tunic exchanged looks and forced smiles, as the former then said, "Jade Beauty, the Garden's Young Master is also visiting the Exhibition Center, shall we inform him on your behalf about your arrival?"
Xue Yu's black eyebrows frowned, and then asked, "What's he doing here?"
"The same as you, looking for fine jades," answered Master Huang.
"It seems that he also perceived the direction of life on the jades. It's been two years since the last time I saw him, and it seems his skills have improved a lot. Anyways, I need you to help me cut the stones, Old Huang. So don't rent your shed to the other guests today."
Master Huang was taken aback and then immediately said with a wry, helpless expression, "Maybe I can't fulfill your wish, Jade Beauty. I just agreed to rent it to Divine Doctor Tang, the one who just left."
"He wants to cut the stones here, too?" Asked Xue Yu.
"Yes." Master Huang nodded.
Xue Yu pondered for a moment and then asked, "Why do you address him as Divine Doctor Tang? What exactly is the reason? Is he a very skillful Chinese Medical practitioner?"
The old man in Chinese tunic interjected, "Jade Beauty, Tang Xiu is the famous Young Divine Doctor of Star City Chinese Medical Hospital. His medical expertise is superb, and many skillful senior practitioners of the Chinese Medical field hold him in high esteem; even the direct disciple of Divine Doctor Gui Jianshou once spoke about it personally that his medical expertise is far inferior to Divine Doctor Tang's."
Jade Beauty seemed a bit taken aback. After giving it a thought, she said, "Since he has rented your shed, then I won't trouble you. But he's very unusual, and… strange. If there's no formidable figure obstructing the heaven and concealing his fate, then the issue may lie on he himself. Alright, go tend to your things! I'm going to follow and observe him."
Chapter 644: Gender Equality
Previously, Tang Xiu had already circled around the sheds inside out and had already memorized the stones he wanted to buy. After further observation, however, he learned that the price of those stones was not subject for bargaining. He could only buy them or go elsewhere if he did not agree with the price. But he could bargain for the jade materials taken out from the raw stones.
"Hi Boss, I want these two stones."
After Tang Xiu came to the nearby shed, he pointed to the two stones he had inspected before, and the total price of these two raw stones was 28,000 yuan. After paying it by swiping his bank card, he then looked for a cart driver and put the two stones onto the cart.
"Mr. Tang." Xue Yu walked in lotus-like steps and leisurely came to Tang Xiu's front. Her eyes swept through the cart as she lightly smiled and said, "Do you like gambling on stones, Mr. Tang?"
Tang Xiu did not want to have more contact with this woman, because the dozens of jades and stones he had his eyes on contained fine quality jades and jadeites. Furthermore, he had decided to let Master Huang cut the stones, and once those jades and jadeites were revealed, his identity would be the subject of suspicion by this particularly strange woman.
"I just play at random," replied Tang Xiu in a perfunctory manner.
"I also want to gamble on the stones, so my visit here to play will be worth it," said Xue Yu with a smile. "Anyways, would you mind if I accompany you in choosing the stones, Mr. Tang?"
Tang Xiu furrowed his brows slightly and pondered for a moment before replying, "I'm sorry. I've already chosen some good stones previously, so I won't stay in each shed for a long time. If Miss Xue wants to pick stones, please feel free to do so as you will."
Having said that, he simply did not give Xue Yu a chance to speak and headed straight to the next shed. Annoying troubles could be avoided if he avoided it, more so that he could not let anyone learn about the special method he employed. And naturally, the fewer people who knew it, the better.
Xue Yu was dumbfounded. She had never encountered a person who spoke to her in such a perfunctory manner, and even so bluntly and flatly refused her request like this. He… he did not even give her a chance to speak at all?
From her childhood to now, Xue Yu had met many people and experienced many things, but never once had anyone ever rejected her, more so with that repelling attitude.
He definitely has something strange on him.
Xue Yu steeled her heart. That intense aura haunted her, so she chased Tang Xiu's back. Regardless of whether he did not want her to follow him, she wanted to see and comprehend the methods Tang Xiu used to gamble on the stones.
Tang Xiu, who had entered another shed, was keenly aware that Xue Yu was following him. Though he felt annoyed that this woman was insensible, he could not straightly drive her out since the woman did come to talk to him again. After spending 1.6 million yuan in this shed to buy several stones, Tang Xiu led the cart pusher away.
As for Xue Yue, she kept maintaining a distance of seven-plus meters away from Tang Xiu. She did not intervene in Tang Xiu's purchases nor did she talk much. There was a curiosity in her eyes as her vision paced back and forth between Tang Xiu and the stones.
For nearly an hour, Tang Xiu hired a total of six cart drivers and spent more than 42 million yuan to purchase dozens of stones. The biggest of these stones, however, was priced at 28 million yuan and fully occupied a small cart that could hold a few chunks of stones weighing 200-300 kilograms.
"Aren't you tired of following me for nearly an hour already, Miss Xue?" Tang Xiu finally stopped and looked at Xue Yu with an annoyed expression.
As though being unable to see that Tang Xiu was annoyed, Xue Yu smirked and said, "I'm just very curious about you, Mr. Tang. That's why I want to get to know you more. Besides, the way you chose the stones looks very casual, and I admire that."
With an indifferent expression, Tang Xiu replied, "Do you think I must feel honored because of what you told me?"
"Well, needless to say, just let me see whether the stones you picked contain jades or jadeites," said Xue Yu, shaking her head.
Tang Xiu thought for a while and asked, "Will you leave if ask I to leave now?"
"I will leave and go to chat with Master Huang," said Xue Yu with a nod.
"Let's get to the point here, shall we? What do you really want?" Asked Tang Xiu.
"I really just want to know more about you. I don't have any other intention," said Xue Yu. "I heard from Master Huang previously that you're the Young Divine Doctor from Star City Chinese Medical Hospital. For someone so young such as you to achieve such admirable accomplishments in the Chinese Medical field shows that you are an extraordinary person. Perhaps, you're highly likely the same type of person as I am."
Tang Xiu's brow stretched out. He faintly smiled and said, "Then I'd like to ask you what type of people you are, and from where you came from?"
For a moment, a hesitating look appeared on Xue Yu's face. She gently raised her hands and made a series of gestures. Then, she said, "If you can understand these gestures I just showed you, you'll know who I am and where I come from."
Tang Xiu stared blankly since he did not know all the hand signals showed by Xue Yu at all. After thinking about it, he eased down his vigilance and said, "Maybe we are not the same type of people you suspect we are since I can't understand those gestures you showed me. Neither can I guess where you are from. You want to follow me and I can't drive you away, either. Follow me if you want! But…"
There was somewhat disappointed expression in Xue Yu's eyes, but she still asked after hearing that Tang Xiu permitted her to follow him, "But what?"
"You know, in the society where men and women are equals, don't you feel ashamed to see these cart drivers working so hard? Take a look at this cart driver, he's pushing a loaded cart weighing 200-300 kilograms. Isn't it quite exhausting?"
Xue Yu was utterly dumbfounded and stared at Tang Xiu in disbelief. She opened her mouth but could not even speak out anything since she did not know what to say at all. He… did he want her to help the cart driver to push the cart?
Tang Xiu's face looked cold. He intentionally showed an impatient expression, waved his hand and said, "Push the cart if you want to follow me, but please do leave otherwise. I still can cut the stones without going to Master Huang, but I don't want any idlers to follow me around."
Just as his voice faded away, he turned his head and directly left.
Dumbfounded and tongue-tied, Xue Yu watched Tang Xiu walk for more than ten meters before coming back to her senses. She shook her head with an expression of being at a loss whether she had to cry or laugh. After watching the cart driver push the cart strenuously, she quickly caught up to him and helped him push the cart.
At the intersection tens of meters away.
The ordinary-looking Chu Yuan that gave off a vibe of superior nobility was coming out from another aisle along with two people, a young man and a woman. Behind them were two carts loaded with stone materials pushed by its two drivers at a moderate pace.
Umm?
Chu Yuan's pace suddenly came to a halt when he saw the cart convoy on the left side. His eyes finally fell on a woman wearing suede mink fur attire and a beige veil, Xue Yu.
Dumbfounded and baffled!
Never once in his dreams Chu Yuan ever expected that the famous Jade Beauty—Xue Yu would help a cart driver one day, pushing the car under the watchful eyes of many people.
She… since when did she need to do something by herself?
"Boss, she's the Jade Beauty." The young man behind Chu Yuan wore a disbelieving expression and spoke in a toned down voice.
"I see her, too," said Chu Yuan with a nod.
At present, Tang Xiu had already spotted Chu Yuan as well as the young man and woman behind him, and two carts being pushed by its drivers. His eyes swept over the two carts and remembered the words Long Zhengyu told him: Chu Yuan, the heir apparent of Shanghai's Imperial Garden, the owner of Imperial Effulgent, and the founder of Imperial Wherewithal Ventures.
"Perhaps he and Xue Yu are people of the same path."
Tang Xiu turned his head to glance Xue Yu, who was helping push the cart behind him. He immediately wore an unfazed look as he continued walking forward. As he brushed past Chu Yuan, his eyes swept over the scarlet jade ornament hanging on Chu Yuan's waist. It was made of Blood Jade, a very precious fine jade; any piece of ornament made of Blood Jade was a priceless treasure.
Behind, the Jade Beauty also saw Chu Yuan and her brows raised. She released the cart and stopped her pace in front of Chu Yuan and spoke in a toned down voice, "Paying respect to the Imperial Garden's Young Master."
Chu Yuan let out a faint smile. He glanced at the six carts and said, "It's been two years since the last time we met, right, Jade Beauty? I did not expect that I would meet you here in Star City when I left Shanghai previously. Did you come here to gamble on stones?"
"You misunderstood, Chu Yuan," said Xue Yu. "I didn't buy these stones, but Mr. Tang in front of me. I'm only helping him."
Mr. Tang?
There was a strange expression on Chu Yuan's face. He followed the direction of Xue Yu's gaze and narrowed his eyes as he saw Tang Xiu's back. He then knitted his brows and asked, "Who exactly is this Mr. Tang?"
While pointing to the front, Xue Yu started walking forward again and said, "He has very deep knowledge of medicine, and is also a very interesting man."
Very interesting man?
Chu Yuan slightly furrowed his brows, the revelation raising vigilance inside his heart. He liked Xue Yu, and all the people in the Imperial Garden knew his feelings toward her. Although he had never seen Xue Yu's true appearance, the cold and chilly nature of this woman concealed the gentleness and warmness she had beneath, just like the character possessed by jades.
He was a proud man and had beaten hundreds of outstanding peers in the Imperial Garden by virtue of his true abilities, eventually becoming the first in line successor of the Imperial Garden. He had met too many women to count, but only Xue Yu could attract him. Now that he saw her unexpectedly interested in another young man, it made him wary of him.
"Would you mind introducing us?"
Though it was a seemingly casual inquiry, Chu Yuan's eyes were completely fixated on Xue Yu. He believed that "the eyes were the window of the soul" and he wanted to see more information in her eyes.
Xue Yu hesitated for a moment before replying, "Mr. Tang has a… strange disposition. If I were to take you to see him rashly, I'm afraid that he will be annoyed and repel us. As a matter of fact, I must thicken my face to barely be able to follow him because that… he said that he doesn't like any idlers following him around, so I can only help by pushing the cart."
Chu Yuan's eyes squinted, and the revelation piqued his interest toward this Mr. Tang. For an ordinary young man seeing Xue Yu, even if they couldn't see her appearance clearly, yet her body's figure, bearing, and beautiful eyes would make them salivate. And yet, this Mr. Tang… seemed to play hard to get? Did he really not have any interest in Xue Yu at all?
"Then, where are you heading now?" Asked Chu Yuang.
"To Master Huang's place. He has rented his shed," answered Xue Yu.