Chapter 251 We must make His Highness and Lord Shen reconcile.

The invitation was from General Li's residence; Li Xun's coming-of-age ceremony was in two days.

Shen Chu looked at the post and was quite tempted.

Ever since the Marquis of Changning accidentally revealed a few days ago that the real person who stole the Liangzhou defense map was General Li Ming, she and Pei Yuan have been planning to investigate General Li.

However, they struggled to find a suitable opportunity to approach him.

She was an imperial censor, a civil official, while Li Ming was a second-rank general, a military officer.

They never had the opportunity to interact with each other.

This post just happens to give her an opportunity.

Shen Chu closed the post and asked Li Chengxuan curiously.

"I have never had any dealings with the General's Mansion, so why would they invite me to a banquet?"

Li Chengxuan winked and said, "Who in the capital doesn't know that you, Lord Shen, are now a hot commodity, a rising star in the court who is favored by the Emperor?"

"Who wouldn't want to invite you, a rising star in the court, to a banquet?"

Shen Chu rolled her eyes. "Tell the truth."

Li Chengxuan scratched his head and chuckled.

"This is Li Xun's coming-of-age ceremony. Don't you remember Li Xun? We raced dragon boats together before."

Shen Chu thought carefully for a moment, "Oh, I remember now, he's General Li's younger brother."

Li Chengxuan nodded, "That's right, it's him. Originally, he, me, and Ajun were all good friends who grew up together."

Since Ah Jun and I both joined the Inspectorate, we haven't had much time to keep in touch.

This time, it was after General Li heard that he knew you and praised you highly that he specially invited a few of us to go together.

When Li Xun came to my house to deliver the invitation, he asked about your current address, so I brought the invitation to you as well.

Oh, and I also sent an invitation to my elder brother, the newly appointed head of the Ministry of Revenue. Then we brothers can enjoy a drink together again.

Chen Chu stroked the invitation and asked, "Do you know who else the Li family invited?"

Li Chengxuan shrugged. "Most of them are families that the Li family frequents, and most of them are young people like us. Ah Chu, why are you asking this?"

Shen Chu shook her head. "It's nothing, I just asked casually."

I don't think the Li family invited Pei Yuan, right?

Jinbao took the invitation from the Li family into the study.

"Your Highness, are you going to General Li's younger brother's coming-of-age banquet?"

Pei Yuan stared blankly at the memorial in his hand. "I'm not going."

Jinbao was not surprised.

Your Highness rarely attends banquets hosted by court officials. The last time you attended a banquet at the Marquis of Changning's residence was because of Lord Shen.

Thinking of Lord Shen, Jinbao's heart stirred slightly, and he casually remarked something.

"I heard that the Li family has also sent an invitation to Lord Shen, and I heard that Lord Shen is going."

Pei Yuan slowly closed the memorial, looked up, and gazed at him coldly.

"Does his going mean I, the prince, must also go?"

Jinbao's liver trembled, and he shook his head with a grin.

"Of course not, I was just saying it offhand."

Pei Yuan gave him a cold look. "Take the invitation away. Don't let me hear you say anything like that again."

Jinbao secretly groaned and left with the invitation.

Sun Yan approached with an expectant look on his face.

"So? Is Your Highness going or not?"

Jinbao shook his head.

Sun Yan looked disappointed. "Didn't you mention that Lord Shen was also going to the banquet?"

Jinbao glanced at him sideways.

"Why didn't you mention it? It would have been better if you hadn't. As soon as you mentioned Lord Shen, you kicked me out immediately."

Sun Yan's face scrunched up like a bitter gourd.

"What should we do? I don't know what happened between His Highness and Lord Shen, they suddenly started having a cold war."

Jinbao, "Can't you ask Hongxiu next door for help?"

Sun Yan sighed, "You really know how to bring up the most awkward things. Hongxiu is both stupid and lazy."

I told him to learn more ways to keep Lord Shen around, and she was so scared that she ran away that very night.

Ah, if she can't endure the hardship of studying today, she will surely have to endure the hardship of life in the future.

"Sigh, let's not talk about Hongxiu anymore. Let's think of something quickly. His Highness has been frighteningly gloomy these past two days; the Flying Eagle Guard brothers are all green with fear."

Jinbao looked somber. "Is it possible that they ate it from shredded potatoes?"

Sun Yan, with a pained expression, placed one hand on his forehead and the other supporting his chin, and asked with utmost seriousness:

"Jinbao, look at me, don't I look like a potato now?"

Jinbao examined it for a moment, his face serious.

"You know what, it does look quite similar."

Sun Yan's face fell. "You're more like it."

The two of them looked up at the sky at the same time, at a 45-degree angle.

I'm incredibly sad and want to cry.

After a moment, Jinbao said quietly, "We must find a way to make them reconcile. If they don't help their master find happiness, we'll just be eating potato shreds until we die."

Sun Yan became determined, "I swear, I will dig out all the data on Prince Lu of Liangzhou within two days. Maybe it has something to do with Lord Shen."

Jin Bao nodded vigorously. "I'm keeping a close eye on the Li family's banquet. I have a feeling that this banquet won't be peaceful; it might be an opportunity."

Two days later, at General Li's residence.

As soon as Shen Chu stepped off the carriage, she heard a joyful shout behind her.

"Master Xiao Shen."

She turned around and saw a chestnut horse galloping towards her. When it reached the gate of the general's mansion, it suddenly pulled on the reins.

The chestnut horse reared up on its front hooves, neighed, and stopped.

The woman in red who arrived immediately had a face like a silver plate and eyebrows like distant mountains; she was none other than Li Anning, the daughter of Marquis Weiwu.

"Hello, Miss Li."

Li Anning smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, "Young Master Shen, it's been a long time. I heard you went to Changsha Prefecture and had a very dangerous experience. Could you tell me about it another day?"

Shen Chu nodded, "I'll definitely chat with Miss Li when I have time, and I can also ask Miss Li for more information on the Northern Rong language."

Li Anning's spirited little face was full of smiles.

"I thought you had given up on learning, Master Shen. Don't worry, I'm available anytime you have time."

Shen Chu thanked him sincerely and gestured for him to enter.

"Miss Li, let's go inside."

The steward of the general's mansion was already waiting at the door. "Please come in, distinguished guests. My general will greet you at the second gate."

The smile on Li Anning's face faded, and she walked inside with a slight smile.

Once inside the general's mansion, her face fell. "I really don't like attending these kinds of banquets."

Shen Chu raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Li Anning pursed his lips, "Young Master Shen has only been in the capital for a short time and doesn't know that most banquets in the capital are boring. To put it simply..."

That means something bad will happen at every banquet, and when something bad happens, drinks will be spilled. If that doesn't work, drugs will be added, and whoever gets poisoned is the unlucky one.

*Pfft*

Shen Chu was amused and gave a thumbs up, offering a very fair assessment.

"A brilliant summary. Hopefully, none of us will be unlucky today."

Li Anning smiled, waving his whip.

"Dare to scheme against me? I'll make her regret it. But you'd better watch out, Lord Shen."

Everything else is fine, but there's one person in this mansion you should be especially careful of.

This person appears to be an impeccably pure and innocent person, but who knows how dark their heart is?

I'm telling you...

"Sister Anning, you're here." A clear voice called out from behind.

Li Anning's face hardened. "Speak of white lotus, and white lotus floats here."

Shen Chu turned her head and saw a figure in bright red running towards them.

She was a girl of similar age to Li Anning.

After seeing the girl's face clearly, she fell silent.