Chapter 56 - The Banquet III

The two were playing the instruments. The old women skillfully brew the tea in chorus.

Then small children, boys and girls, in their cute traditional clothes, that ranged from the age of 6-10 , walked in the platform wearing gold and silver butterfly masks.

The children began to dance gracefully. Surrounding Xiong Zhi and Linfeng. Their dancing the basic moves, but their coordination suit well in the music.

Watching the scene made all the people want to join them and dance in the platform. They were now have full smiles in their faces. Even Old Xiong, who was cold to children found himself amused and showing a rare pleasant smile.

The entire pavilion became very lively.

However, in Xiong Wuyue and Xiong De's face, black lines appeared more as second passed by.

When the old women were done brewing the tea, the accompanied music stopped as the sound of Guzhen could only be heard.

At the same time the children each went to the table where the tea were placed. They lifted their mask and carried each tea cup and went to the front row where the elders sat.

When the elders saw the faces of the children they all cried out in surprise.

"Yan'er!"

"Deng'er!"

"Little treasure!"

"Quin'er"

"Little Chen!"

That's right. The children were the favored grandchild of the elders.

However, even they were favored they could not bring their grandchildren in this big gathering of Xiong anniversary even they have the identity of share holders and elders of the Xiong Empire.

It was the unwritten rule. Only the children of the Xiong family could come. They (elders) could bring their grandchild one he/she was an a.d.u.l.t ( 18 above). Not a child.

Bringing the children here was like exposing himself to the elites of the society and business world.

And their grandchildren could only get that privileged once they were in the age that could serve the Xiong Empire.

So seeing their grandchildren here was shocking to them at the same time excited them.

When they saw their grandchildren bringing tea to them they were instantly warmed.

The children bowed to them in greeting and waited for their grandfather to accept the tea.

But the elders could not accept the tea, while the Old Xiong haven't received anything yet.

The sound of Guzhen stopped when the children was in front of their grandfather.

Xiong Zhi and Linfeng stand up. They both reached out a tea cup and walked to their target. Linfeng walked and stopped in front of Mr. Zhou. While Xiong Zhi walked to the center and bowed to Old Xiong.

Then she gave her speech.

"Maybe a lot of you were wondering why I brought Mr. Zhou Linfeng in the stage to play with me."

The elders who were about to forget about that matter looked at Xiong Zhi.

They were waiting for her explanation.

"The Xiong Empire would not be what it is right now without the people who worked hard behind it. From the first generation, the Zhou family is the partner of the Xiong family to build what we have today. Until the treaty was born. I invite Mr. Zhou Linfeng to play this song with me to voice out the appreciation and thanks of the Xiong family to the Zhou family. Like the music we played, without the Zhou family, the Xiong Family wound not be as prosperous as it is now. "

Xiong Zhi bowed to Mr. Zhou first and then to Linfeng.

"Thank you for your hard work."

When Mr. Zhou heard the thanks of Xiong Zhi, his eyes watered. For generations, their family worked hard for the Xiong, and it became as a natural thing. Since they were helping from the very beginning, the thanks that come out from the mouth of the Xiong family were gone as time passed. Until some heirs treated their family as servants.

After a very long time, the Xiong finally remembered to give their thanks. It might just be a word, but for them, the Zhou family, it was a great gift , a great accomplishment.

The Old Xiong was stunned for a moment. He too, forgot to give thanks to the Zhou family. Whenever they celebrated the Xiong Empire anniversary, the Zhous were forgotten.

Old Xiong looked at the audience, 1/ 4of them were from the Zhou's. Then he looked at Mr. Zhou.

Old Xiong stand up from his seat, faced the crowd and slightly bowed.

"This old man is getting older in each passing day. Today, my granddaughter just remind me that without the Zhou family's efforts there would be no Xiong family who you want to curry favor from. I deeply thanks the Zhou family for your loyalty and hard work."

The Zhou who were present had unshed tears in their eyes.

They were greatly moved.

They looked at Xiong Zhi with gratefullness. The mighty and cold Old Xiong who never bowed to anyone where bowing to them. This was the scene they'll never forget for their entire life.

Linfeng also looked at Xiong Zhi. Undescribable feeling was in his heart. He felt warm, yet pained. Like those words uttered by her and by her grandfather woken up all his wounds, all his suffering and grudge against them. They were crying out loud. Like he was glad that they took notice of it and at the same time, he felt justice had not yet achieved. So ....uncomfortable... So complicated.

But he was still amazed by her.

He cooperate first in this performance because she said that what they're doing was "going back to its roots".

But he did not expect it to be like this.

' So, she...noticed our (Zhou's) hard works all this time? '

His gaze to Xiong Zhi became more unfathomable.

The elders who saw Old Xiong gave out his thanks gave thanks also to the Zhou family.

Afterwards, Xiong Zhi still continued her speech.

"The song we played is called Harvest of Tea. Some of you might not know it, but if we looked back to the history of the Xiong's business, before we become the great empire today, like any other business, we come from the humble background of serving the customers tea. We are a tea house at first. Known for its bitterness yet calming tea, called Xiong Shu huan tea. With the help of Zhou family, the tea house served the royal family for generations. Until it could not just hold a tea house. Silk, cotton, grains, and jewelries were added to the business, now, we owned restaurants, hotels, malls, it is expanding more as year passed. We became known to the world. We become an empire. With the help of the elders, and future generations, the Xiong Empire will dominate the business world. "

The elders who heard this become excited for no reason. Their blood were boiling, they felt young again like when they were in twenties helping the business to be known in the whole wide world.

They looked at their grandchildren. They now know what their purpose here. Why they were assigned to bring them the tea. It was like a ceremony. The thankfulness of the younger generation were given to them. At the same time,it was a sign as their guidance for the younger generation to lead the Xiong empire to future glories in the future.historical