Li Guyi’s birthday banquet was held at noon, not in the main building’s banquet hall, but on an open grass area in front of the main villa.
This was Li Guyi’s decision.
The Li family had been doctors for generations, living in Medicine God Valley. The valley was filled with various medicinal herbs, fostering a connection with nature.
Li Guyi felt that holding a birthday banquet in a lavish banquet hall went against the Li family’s traditions.
Medicine serves the world.
Medical skills should not be tainted with the smell of money!
At nine in the morning, tables and chairs, all standard eight-immortal tables, were set up on the lawn in front of the main villa.
Guests arrived one after another at the main villa to offer birthday wishes to Li Guyi and present their gifts.
Zhu Mo, a four-star War God, was acting as the butler, arranging for subordinates to announce the guests’ identities and record the gifts.
Except for a few distinguished guests like Ye Zheng and Gu Lu, other guests took the opportunity of offering birthday wishes and gifts to say a few words to Li Guyi.
As there were quite a number of guests, the process of offering wishes and gifts lasted until eleven o’clock.
After the birthday wishes and gift-giving ceremony concluded, distinguished guests such as Ye Zheng, Gu Lu, Long Yongjie, Cang Mu, and Kong Ming remained in the villa’s main hall, chatting with Li Guyi and other core members of the Li family, including Li Qingyuan.
Among them, Li Lianyi also made an appearance today.
She was dressed in a white robe and cloth shoes, with her dark hair casually draped over her shoulders. Her ethereal and elegant demeanor made her appear like a fairy descended to earth.
From the start of the birthday wishes, she had stood behind Li Guyi, her expression consistently calm. Even when greeting guests as prominent as Ye Zheng, Gu Lu, and Long Yongjie, her expression remained serene.
This behavior was secretly praised by Ye Zheng, Gu Lu, and others, while Gu Tianlong became even more excited.
Li Lianyi had always been his ideal wife, and he was always struck by her beauty whenever he saw her.
This time was no exception!
It wasn’t just him; even Ye Feng’s eyes showed a flicker of something unusual after seeing Li Lianyi, but he immediately dismissed the thought after his trip to Nangang.
Furthermore, as he and Gu Tianlong left the villa’s main hall, Ye Feng couldn’t help but glance at Gu Tianlong with a look of pity!
…
“Master, someone at the manor entrance wishes to offer birthday greetings to the Family Head. They claim to be Zhu Jian from the Martial Department!”
At eleven o’clock, at the entrance of Li Zhuang, Zhu Mo’s disciple reported via walkie-talkie.
“You will personally escort Director Zhu to the main villa!”
Zhu Mo gave the instruction immediately.
As a four-star War God, he knew of Zhu Jian and recognized him as one of the most important guests today, second only to Ye Zheng and Gu Lu, and more important than Long Yongjie, Cang Mu, and Kong Ming.
This was because Zhu Jian was not representing himself, but Qi Wufu and the Martial Department!
Indeed, this was the case.
Zhu Jian, clad in a black robe, carried a plaque inscribed with the four characters "Yi Zhe Ren Xin" (The Benevolent Heart of a Physician), authored by Qi Wufu and bearing the seal of the Dragon Country Martial Department!
“Director Zhu, please accompany me to the main villa!”
After concluding his report, Zhu Mo’s disciple immediately invited Zhu Jian into a vehicle and escorted him to the main building.
Zhu Jian, Director of the Martial Department’s Enforcement Division, had arrived!
At the same time, this news quickly spread among the guests.
Whether they were representatives of martial arts factions or prominent families, everyone was somewhat expectant upon hearing the news!
For those from martial arts circles, they were well aware that Zhu Jian was not only the powerful head of the Martial Department’s Enforcement Division but also a direct disciple of Qi Wufu, possessing the strength of a three-star War God, making him a significant figure in the Dragon Country martial arts community!
As for those from prominent families, their understanding of Zhu Jian was not as deep, but they knew one thing – the Martial Department now wielded immense power and influence in the Dragon Country, and its importance was growing!
The Enforcement Division was the Martial Department’s most crucial department, and Zhu Jian was someone worth befriending!
Even Ye Zheng and Gu Lu paid great attention to Zhu Jian’s arrival.
A few minutes later, the sightseeing vehicle carrying Zhu Jian stopped in front of the main villa.
Swish, swish, swish…
Except for a few important guests, other guests, including Gu Tianlong and Ye Feng, were gathered outside the main villa. Their gazes immediately fell upon Zhu Jian, who was carrying the wooden plaque.
“Director Zhu, welcome to Li Zhuang!”
Li Qingyuan and Zhu Mo stood at the villa entrance. Seeing the sightseeing vehicle stop, they stepped forward together to welcome him and said,
“Director Li, Master Zhu, hello!”
Zhu Jian replied calmly and then, carrying the wooden plaque, entered the villa with Li Qingyuan and Zhu Mo.
From beginning to end, he did not look at anyone else, including the four young geniuses of the Dragon Country martial arts world: Gu Tianlong, Ye Feng, Ye Kunlun, and Yuan He!
“Elder Li, on behalf of my master and the Martial Department, I wish you longevity as boundless as the Eastern Sea and as enduring as the Southern Mountains!”
Upon entering the main villa hall, Zhu Jian, like other guests, offered birthday wishes to Li Guyi and presented his gift. “This is a birthday gift from my master and the Martial Department to you!”
“Zhu Jian, thank you. Please also convey my thanks to your master and our old friends from the Martial Department!”
Li Guyi rose to thank Zhu Jian and then invited him to be seated.
Zhu Jian nodded to Ye Zheng, Gu Lu, Long Yongjie, and others, then took his seat and engaged in casual conversation with Li Guyi and the others.
Meanwhile, outside the villa, the guests, just like the previous night, were divided into two factions, seated in different areas, but discussing a common topic.
“It’s already eleven o’clock. Why hasn’t Jiang Wuming arrived yet?”
“Could it be that the Li family sent someone to notify Jiang Wuming yesterday, asking him not to appear today?”
“I, on the other hand, believe he intended to show up uninvited, taking the opportunity to clarify his engagement with Li Lianyi during Elder Li’s birthday celebration. But upon hearing that the Li family intended to break off the engagement, he left voluntarily to avoid humiliation!”
On the lawn in front of the main villa, guests were buzzing with discussion, with a single theme.
Would Jiang Wuming come?
…
At half past eleven.
A Hongqi sedan was driving on the road leading to the manor. Li Shanglai was the driver, and Jiang Wuming was in the back seat.
Although Jiang Wuming had told Li Shanglai last night that he might be disappointed, Li Shanglai still decided to stay at the hotel where Jiang Wuming was staying. He then volunteered to be Jiang Wuming’s driver, personally taking him to Li Zhuang.
Jiang Wuming did not refuse.
Although Li Shanglai was a member of the Li family, his car was stopped at the manor entrance.
This was not only because the security level of Li Zhuang had been raised to the highest during Li Guyi’s birthday celebration, but also because Li Shanglai was not a core member of the Li family!
Whoosh!
At the manor entrance, Zhu Mo’s disciple’s expression changed upon seeing Jiang Wuming in the back seat of the car. He then said to Li Shanglai, “Mr. Li, you may enter, but for him to enter, he must report to Master Zhu and receive permission.”
“You…”
Li Shanglai’s expression shifted, and he was about to unleash his anger.
However—
Before he could finish his sentence, Jiang Wuming interrupted him.
“Director Li, let him report.”
Jiang Wuming waved his hand and then said to Zhu Mo’s disciple, “Please inform him that Jiang Wuming of the Jiang family is here uninvited to offer birthday wishes to Elder Li!”
…