"Oh, aren't those the two sisters from the Tang Family? I never expected they would show up."

Lu Suhua's eyes lit up as she was the first to notice the two sisters from the Tang Family. Given the Tang Family's status among the top families in the Capital City, sending the two sisters from their direct lineage for the birthday celebration was a significant gesture.

"Mom, it looks like they are walking toward us."

Long Heng said from the side.

"Yes."

Lu Suhua's eyes sparkled as she nodded.

"Heng'Er, remember to seize the opportunity later."

Lu Suhua whispered into Long Heng's ear. If he could marry one of those sisters, it would truly be a meteoric rise for their family.

Upon hearing this, Long Heng nodded heavily, with a hint of longing in his eyes. The beauty of the Tang sisters was famous throughout the Capital City.

"Miss Yingying, Miss Huanhuan, I am..."

Seeing Tang Yingying and Tang Huanhuan indeed walking in their direction, Long Heng displayed a gentle and refined smile and stepped forward. However, before he could finish his sentence, he realized the sisters seemed not to notice him and walked straight toward Qin Yang.

Long Heng's remaining words were stuck in his throat, leaving him standing awkwardly on the spot.

"Did you bring the item?"

Qin Yang asked.

"Yes, it's over there."

Tang Huanhuan nodded and then pointed with her small hand to two men in black in the distance. At this moment, on a stone table beside those two men in black, there was a large yellow cedar wood box. The two men were solemnly placing their hands on the box.

"After offering the birthday gift to the old master, we'll go take a look."

Qin Yang thought for a moment and said, as Long Laoye would be coming out soon, it wouldn't be appropriate to look now.

"Alright, okay."

Tang Huanhuan nodded.

At this moment, Lu Suhua's face turned somewhat unsightly. How could this kid know the two sisters from the Tang Family?

After a while of chatting, a loud voice rang out among the guests.

"Here comes the birthday star!"

Upon hearing this, everyone stopped their conversations and turned their gaze toward the villa's entrance.

The door to the villa opened, and an elderly man in a red traditional Tang suit, full of energy, came out, accompanied by Long Qifan and Long Yuanfan.

Beside Long Yuanfan, his close friend, Elder Zhou, was standing, watching his old friend.

"Oh? Isn't that Zhou Yizhen?"

Qin Yang was a bit surprised, realizing that the Zhou Family, a famed family allied with the Long Family, was precisely the family Zhou Yizhen belonged to.

Zhou Yizhen was renowned as the 'Sage of Traditional Chinese Medicine,' known for his acupuncture skills that cured many elders in the Capital City. Those were all favors owing to him, which made the Zhou Family quite prominent in the Capital City.

Beside him, Zhou Wenyu's eyes brightened slightly upon seeing Zhou Yizhen.

"Thank you all for coming. This old man sincerely thanks everybody here."

Long Laoye had a lean face, white hair, and a kindly smile, cupping his hands in gratitude to everyone.

The old master, long accustomed to business and official circles, had an amiable smile. Though he appeared just like an ordinary kind elderly man now, his charisma was not something common folks could compare with.

"Wishing the birthday star prosperity as vast as the East Sea and longevity as enduring as the southern mountains."

"The birthday star is indeed in good health."

"Greetings to the birthday star, wishing you endless blessings and perpetual joy."

"..."

Many guests returned the greeting with words of blessings.

"Good, good, everyone is good."

Long Laoye, with a good spirit, cheerfully said.

"Please have a seat, everyone."

Long Laoye cupped his hands to the crowd and said.

Beside him, Long Qifan and Long Yuanfan also invited the guests to take their seats.

"Bring on the birthday cake."

The master of ceremonies, dressed in a tailcoat, announced loudly.

Clap clap clap!

Amidst the guests' applause, a maid pushed out a large cake cart.

"Please make a wish, old master," the master of ceremonies announced loudly.

"This old man has lived a fulfilling life. No need for wishes,"

Long Laoye chuckled, waved his hand with a carefree attitude, and symbolically made two cuts on the massive cake under everyone's gaze. Beside him, Long Qifan and Long Yuanfan also took the cake knife handed by a maid to cut the birthday cake into many pieces.

"Distribute it to everyone."

Long Laoye said with a smile.

With the help of several maids, Long Qifan and Long Yuanfan distributed the cake to the guests' tables. Having the eldest and second sons of the Long Family distribute the cake was a gesture of gratitude toward the attending guests.

Of course, these cakes were merely placed symbolically on the tables, as everyone present were people of prestige in politics and business and wouldn't be in a rush to eat cake.

"Now, let's invite the children of the Long Family to wish the old master a happy birthday and present the birthday gifts."

The master of ceremonies announced loudly.

Long Qifan led Lu Suhua, Long Yuanfan, led by Zhao Xiaolan, along with other members of the second generation of the Long Family, to come forward to offer blessings and present carefully prepared gifts.

"Good, good. No matter the time, I hope the children of the Long Family remain united."

Hearing the blessings from many children, Long Laoye sat on a redwood chair, smiling with gratification as he spoke.

After the direct and collateral lines of the second generation of the Long Family presented their gifts, it was the third generation's turn.

"Let's invite the grandchildren of the Long Family to wish the old master a happy birthday and present birthday gifts," the master of ceremonies announced loudly.

"Grandfather, Heng'Er wishes you constancy like the moon, rise like the sun, and longevity like the southern mountains, unwavering and eternal."

As the eldest grandson, Long Heng was the first to address Long Laoye, incorporating his name into the blessing words on purpose.

"Good."

Long Laoye chuckled and nodded.

"Grandfather, this is a piece of calligraphy I acquired for you from the antique market. Please enjoy."

Long Heng respectfully presented a calligraphy gift box.

Upon hearing this, Long Laoye's eyes lit up. He had two major hobbies: jade and calligraphy. The two maids standing by quickly opened the calligraphy gift box, revealing a letter within.

"Grandfather, I discovered this in the interlayer of a Qing Dynasty landscape painting. After examination, it should be the long-lost Quick Snow and Clearing Sky by Wang Xizhi."

Long Heng's voice grew louder as he spoke.

"Quick Snow and Clearing Sky?"

Most people present weren't too familiar with calligraphy works and didn't understand the significance of these words. However, some officials and businessmen fond of calligraphy revealed a few traces of astonishment in their voices.

Currently, in the Taipei Palace Museum, there is a Quick Snow and Clearing Sky; however, that is a Tang Dynasty imitation based on the original, which has long been lost.

Moreover, all existing works by Wang Xizhi in circulation are later period imitations, with no originals left in existence.

If this letter were to be an original, it could stand alongside legendary works like the Mona Lisa in Europe, to be considered a priceless treasure.

"Quickly, let me see it."

Long Laoye's voice held a trace of excitement. With trembling and extremely cautious hands, he took out that letter, slightly yellowed with time.

The letter wasn't complete, and its corners were even damaged. A letter then was like a piece of correspondence, and the Quick Snow and Clearing Sky's size was about the same as a piece of letter paper.

On the letter, there were several rows of round and elegant characters: 'Xi Zhi respectfully bows, Quick Snow and Clearing Sky, good, hoping you are well, Without success yet wishing to end, powerless, Wang Xizhi respectfully bows, Shan Yin Zhang Hou.'

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