mtl008 Chapter 221
Chapter 221
Fifth Young Master didn't mind that his body was immobilized. "My An'an is simply amazing."Li An clenched his fists. If it weren't for the other man's status, he really would have poisoned him to death.
"Cut the nonsense, what did you find out?"
Thinking of Yingmeng, Li An suppressed the anger at the bottom of his heart.
"Kiss me and I'll tell you," Fifth Young Master laid out his condition.
Li An took a deep breath and revealed a smile. "I've developed a new drug. If it touches the skin, it makes a person feel like millions of ants are crawling over them."
Li An pulled out a small paper packet. "No one has actually tested this new drug yet."
Li An's threat was obvious.
"My people found out that the Zhu family has a stronghold in the barren mountains outside the city, but they can't pinpoint the exact location." Fifth Young Master had experienced Li An's new drugs before and had no desire to try them again.
"Why can't they find it?" Li An had seen Fifth Young Master's subordinates in action; it was safe to say they were full of capable talents.
"After entering, my people unwittingly lost their sense of direction." Fifth Young Master also found it strange.
"They were poisoned."
"No." Fifth Young Master had them checked; there was no poisoning.
"I'll go take a look." Li An was very interested in the barren mountains Fifth Young Master mentioned.
"It's dangerous there, An'an, don't go."
If he were afraid of danger, Li An wouldn't have gone out traveling in the first place.
"An'an, listen to my advice just this once." Fifth Young Master broke free from his immobilization and blocked Li An.
"Move aside." Li An raised the paper packet in his hand again.
"Throw it then." Fifth Young Master would rather be a test subject than let Li An take risks.
Li An gripped the paper packet tightly and walked around Fifth Young Master.
"An'an,"
"I'm going to the square."
"There are still two hours before the selection ends, there's no rush."
Li An ignored Fifth Young Master and strode outward, wanting to shake off the man behind him.
Unfortunately, Li An's wish could not be fulfilled.
Upon arriving at the town's central square, the crowd was growing larger.
Looking at the flower lots in the bamboo cylinders, many people already had an idea of who the Flower King would be.
Li An listened to the discussions around him; the highest praise went to the two-colored camellia.
"The one An'an supports will become the Flower King," Fifth Young Master whispered in Li An's ear.
The hot breath from his words made the skin on the back of Li An's neck turn red.
Fifth Young Master watched, his eyes darkening. He really, really wanted to take a bite.
Sensing the improper gaze of the person behind him, Li An stepped forward to evade it.
"What's the rush? The front isn't moving," the person in front of Li An turned around and yelled impatiently.
"I'm sorry," Li An apologized.
"People are pushing from behind, we don't want to either. Urge the people in front to walk faster," Fifth Young Master said as he moved forward, pressing his chest against Li An's back.
"Don't go too far," Li An warned with an unfriendly tone.
"It's too crowded behind us, I have no choice."
"Walk faster up front," Fifth Young Master urged the people ahead.
With people pushing, those in front sped up slightly. Reaching a corner where there was a bit of space, Li An tried to dodge Fifth Young Master.
Fifth Young Master grabbed Li An, pulled him to the side, and stepped directly behind an enclosure.
Li An tried to struggle.
Slap. The sound of a hand striking a face reached their ears.
"Trash, a bunch of trash." A familiar woman's voice could be heard.
Li An recognized it as Zhao Hong's voice.
Li An stopped struggling and leaned in to listen.
Fifth Young Master took the opportunity to pull Li An into his arms, resting his chin in the crook of Li An's neck, staring at his side profile with a look of sheer enjoyment.
An'an's face was so small, his skin so white, his eyelashes so long...
Li An heard Zhao Hong say that a group of people would be sent to the valley tonight, ordering them to make arrangements and allowing no mistakes.
It was exactly what he needed; Li An planned to follow them.
Li An had a feeling that this trip would allow him to solve the mystery in his heart.
Turning his head to speak to Fifth Young Master, he realized the man was pressed very close to him.
So close that his lips brushed against Fifth Young Master's lips.
Li An wanted to escape.
How could Fifth Young Master give up the delicacy that had just delivered itself to his mouth?
He wrapped one arm around Li An's waist and used his other hand to press the back of Li An's head closer to himself.
Unable to move his hands or feet, Li An opened his mouth to bite.
Which only gave the other man an opportunity.
Li An's eyes widened. How dare he?
Anger flared in Li An's heart, his eyes spitting fire. He struggled fiercely.
Li An had learned some martial arts from Chen Xiang and could easily handle three to five ordinary burly men. But against a top-tier expert like Fifth Young Master, his skills were nowhere near enough.
Tasting the metallic tang of blood in his mouth, Fifth Young Master pulled back.
"An'an," Fifth Young Master wanted to check the injury on Li An's lips.
Li An took a step back to avoid him, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and turned to leave.
Fifth Young Master knew Li An was angry, but he did not regret it. He did not want to wait any longer.
Li An pulled up his collar to cover his mouth, walking aimlessly through the square.
He felt deeply irritated by what had just happened.
He worried in his heart—would Ye Yunniang be angry if she found out?
"Young Master."
An enthusiastic call interrupted Li An's thoughts.
"Young Master."
Looking toward the voice, it was the owner of the two-colored camellia.
Li An walked up to the table. "Congratulations, Miss."
"Until the very last moment, one can't say for sure they will win." The girl spoke modestly, but her face showed irrepressible excitement and a hint of pride.
"My name is Hua Ling. May I ask your surname?"
"My surname is Li, I am a doctor."
"You're a doctor?"
"Do I not look like one?"
"No." Hua Ling hurriedly shook her head. She was just a bit surprised; Li An looked like a refined young nobleman.
"For a young master like you to practice medicine at such a young age, your medical skills must be very high."
"For a young lady like you to cultivate the Flower King at such a young age, that is what truly commands my admiration."
"Hua Ling thanks you for your wonderful expectations." Hua Ling's cheeks flushed crimson as she spoke, and a hint of affection appeared in her eyes as she looked at Li An.
Fifth Young Master, having tidied himself up, walked over and saw this exact scene.
The fire of jealousy in his heart soared, and he strode forward.
"What are you talking about? Count me in." Fifth Young Master walked right up to Li An.
Li An calmly shifted his body to the side, glancing at Fifth Young Master to warn him to stop while he was ahead.
But he wouldn't be Fifth Young Master if he listened. He assertively slung an arm over Li An's shoulder.
"The two-colored camellia you cultivated, Miss, is the best I have ever seen."
With an outsider present, Li An couldn't easily struggle, but he forcefully stomped on Fifth Young Master's foot.
Hua Ling felt that the atmosphere between the two men in front of her was a bit off, and facing Fifth Young Master gave her a creepy feeling.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
Three beats of the gong signaled the end of the Flower King selection.
Everyone retreated from the central area of the square, leaving behind the flowers, their owners, and the yamen runners.
Under the witness of the crowd, the yamen runners counted the flower lots in the bamboo cylinders.
The result for Hua Ling's two-colored camellia was 591 votes.
The first place had 593 votes.
Hua Ling missed the Flower King throne by a mere two votes. Li An felt it was a bit of a pity.
"This is just the public voting result; there is still the professional selection," Fifth Young Master said.
The town mayor, Zhu Fuying, walked into the square leading the six previous Flower Kings.
Each of them had 10 votes to cast for their favorite flower.
They could give all 10 votes to a single flower, or distribute them among several.
70 votes were cast.
The previous first place now had 621 votes.
The two-colored camellia had 622 votes.
"The winner of this Flower King title is—the two-colored camellia."