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"Alright, let's go..."

At this moment, a brilliant smile finally appeared on Xu Ling's face.

He had been continuously suppressed by Qin Fang since their encounter and was at an absolute disadvantage; this time, however, he had finally found an opportunity to come out on top and was naturally spirited and elated.

His birthday gift was meticulously chosen. The affair with Tang Feifei had put him in a rather passive position. If he didn't step up his game now, once Qin Fang and Tang Feifei's marriage was official, he would be completely out of the picture.

In reality, for children of political families like the Tangs and the Xus, marriage had never been about freedom; it was always about the union of interests, whether these interests combined and grew larger, or formed alliances to face a crisis together...

In any case, an autonomous marital choice like Tang Feifei's was exceedingly rare within such families... but as long as Old Master Tang truly gave his blessing in just one sentence, this could still be altered.

Xu Ling believed that he was superior to Qin Fang in every aspect, and with his identity, background, and capabilities which far surpassed his peers, it was no surprise that he remained at the top of the list of Tang Feifei's suitors.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Qin Fang was utterly unworthy of the flawless Tang Feifei; only he was the best choice for her.

Although he was momentarily unable to do anything about Tang Feifei, he felt that Qin Fang, that "pretty boy," had already charmed her. Relying solely on his own efforts would still be quite difficult to change her mind.

The most fundamental and convenient change would start with Old Master Tang. As long as the old man said a word, any of Qin Fang's sweet nothings would become useless; in the end, it would be Xu Ling who triumphed, winning the beauty's heart...

To change Old Master Tang's mind, one had to cater to his interests. As long as the old man was pleased, things might become much easier to handle.

Usually, even if he wanted to give gifts, there was no proper occasion to do so, but this time it was Old Master Tang's milestone birthday—a truly excellent opportunity. Thus, Xu Ling came fully prepared...

"Elder Tang, I wish you longevity, blessing, and health!"

Xu Ling was the leader of their group. Each person carried their own birthday gift and headed towards Old Master Tang. Although they were from the younger generation, they were, in fact, representatives of their Family elders.

This practice was very normal. After all, not all of the country's dignitaries could leave their posts at will. If they were preoccupied with official duties, it was common for their children and nephews to attend in their stead.

"Elder Tang, I know you have a profound love for calligraphy. Fortunately, I have in my collection a piece of calligraphy from the Song Dynasty master Mi Fu, the 'Cold Light Manuscript'... Please accept it with joy!"

Xu Ling's gift was truly extraordinary; his birthday gift was not just any calligraphy scroll, but an authentic work by the famous Song Dynasty calligrapher Mi Fu, a piece of immense value.

Elder Tang was of literary origins and although he put down his pen to take up arms, he retained a fervent passion for calligraphy, especially in his later years, using it to temper his spirit...

That is also why when Tang Cheng and Ning Weiqiang prepared their gifts, they prioritized various calligraphic works and scrolls; as for other antiques, porcelain, and jade, Elder Tang wasn't too concerned about them.

Song Jie, who came before, had brought an exquisite jade Buddha worth a fortune. However, neither Qin Fang nor Xu Ling took him seriously.

Perhaps Song Jie did have intentions to pursue Tang Feifei, but the mere fact that his gifts were wide of the mark showed he was on a completely different level; Elder Tang didn't have much interest in gold, silver, and jade items, which always gave off a rather mercenary impression...

"Good, good, good..."

Indeed, upon seeing such an authentic Mi Fu calligraphy scroll, Elder Tang's face broke into a splendid smile. The gift clearly struck a chord with him, very much to his taste.

Those who appreciate calligraphy are like that; although they know the item is of great value, they can't help but admire it once it's in their hands.

Elder Tang truly cherished the calligraphy and wouldn't put it down once he held it... Xu Ling's face also beamed, as he immediately threw a triumphant look towards Qin Fang.

"Qin Fang, it's our turn now..."

Qin Fang and his party were at the neighboring table to Xu Ling's, and as they were also members of the Tang Family, their turn to present their gifts had almost come. They, too, needed to start moving towards Elder Tang...

Tang Cheng signaled, and the people from their table immediately carried their carefully selected gifts towards Elder Tang...

Of course, Qin Fang was among them. His own birthday gift had already been delivered, but he also had a gift from his mother for Old Master Tang.

"Grandfather, this is my gift to you..."

"Grandfather, this is my gift to you..."

"Grandpa, this is my gift to you..."

Being Tang Family members, Tang Cheng and the others had all meticulously chosen their gifts, including a couple of calligraphy scrolls as well as some notable paintings... They had all tried to align closely with the old man's preferences, eschewing the more superfluous gifts like gold, silver, and jade items.

"Young Master Qin, you're the only one left. Let's see what birthday gift you have for Elder Tang..."

Miao San, Xu Ling, and their group had not left. Instead, they awaited eagerly to see Qin Fang's drama unfold, for they had noticed the somewhat rustic wooden box—grudgingly termed a Brocade Box—in Qin Fang's hands.

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