The sun sets, and golden light shines on the streets of the city.
In a private room of a restaurant in the city, the table was full of officials.
Li Sisi originally planned to go home after finishing her shift, but before leaving, she was informed by her colleagues that the prefect was hosting a welcome banquet for Xiao Yunchen at a restaurant in the city tonight, and all officials in the government office had to attend.
The table was full of male officials, and she was the only female official.
Before all the dishes were served, jars of wine were already prepared on the side.
Li Sisi looked at Xiao Yunchen with some gloating.
It was obvious that this group of people today wanted to get him drunk, and the alcohol content in the northwest was high. With his alcohol tolerance, it would be strange if he didn't get drunk to death!
Everyone exchanged pleasantries, and when the dishes were served, the officials who had been arranged to serve wine began to pour wine for everyone.
Xiao Yunchen held the rim of his glass and explained gently, "To be honest, I'm injured and can't drink. I appreciate your kindness today. I'll remember this welcoming banquet, but I really can't drink this wine. I hope you can forgive me."
Upon hearing this, the prefect laughed heartily and waved his hand, saying, "Master Xiao, you are mistaken. You have just arrived, and according to the customs of our Northwest, how can you not drink the wine at this welcoming banquet?"
Another official at the table echoed, "Yes, today's wine not only washes away the dust of your journey, but also serves as a testament to the friendship between us colleagues."
"In this officialdom, wine is indispensable. If you refuse today, we will become estranged in the future."
Xiao Yunchen handed the wine glass to Ruliu, his expression still gentle and calm. "It's not that I'm refusing, it's true that I encountered some accidents and injuries on the way. When my injuries are healed, I will definitely accompany you all to have fun."
While he was making excuses, Ru Liu took the wine glass and collected all the dishes and chopsticks in front of Xiao Yunchen.
Amidst everyone's puzzled and surprised gazes, he took out the silver cutlery he had brought with him and changed it.
Xiao Yunchen explained in a gentle voice: "These are just some of my personal quirks, please forgive me."
Li Sisi rolled her eyes speechlessly and muttered softly, "You're just pretending. I think you're just being hypocritical. You came here to show off your wealth, as if you're afraid that others don't know that your Xiao Mansion is rich."
Although she spoke in a low voice, the officials nearby still heard her.
Upon seeing this, the official quickly signaled the official who was pouring wine to hand him the wine jug.
He handed the wine jug to Li Sisi and said in a neither loud nor soft voice, "Master Xiao has traveled all the way here. How about having Li Zhubu personally fill his first glass of wine for him today?"
Li Sisi saw him holding the wine jug in both hands, looking very sincere.
Turning to look at Xiao Yunchen, he raised his eyebrows and smiled brightly: "Okay, today I will personally pour the wine for Master Xiao and receive the distinguished guests."
As she spoke, she generously took the wine jug from the official beside her.
The inner devil sneered: This liquor is over 50 degrees, today I will make you drink until you make a fool of yourself!
Li Sisi stood up with a smile, holding the wine jug and walked towards Xiao Yunchen who was sitting in the upper seat.
Ru Liu hadn't expected the Second Madam to collude with these officials to deal with her own son. She quickly said, "My son is injured and really can't drink!"
Li Sisi snorted and laughed: "You are just afraid of making a fool of yourself when you are drunk. What excuse do you want to make?"
She leaned closer, and since Xiao Yunchen didn't have a wine glass among the dishes he brought with him, she casually took the wine glass that Ru Liu had just put aside and filled it for him.
The smell of alcohol in the room made Xiao Yunchen feel dizzy and restless. Looking at Li Sisi who was determined to get him drunk, a self-deprecating smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
He took the wine glass from her hand and drank it all in one gulp as if in revenge.
After finishing the drink, Xiao Yunchen turned the cup upside down, with his cheeks flushed, his eyes looking at Li Sisi innocently and obediently, and said softly: "I'm done, my lady~"
As soon as he finished speaking, he fell asleep on the table with a "bang". The sound of his head hitting the table was so loud that it hurt to hear it.
Li Sisi reached out and pushed Xiao Yunchen's arm a few times: "Hey, stop pretending, you just had a glass of wine."
Ru Liu quickly stopped her: "Don't touch my master!"
Li Sisi was so frightened by his shouting that she retracted her hand and said angrily, "Why are you shouting? Even if he's drunk, can't you just carry him back home?"
Ru Liu was furious that she had actually helped outsiders bully her master. She glared at her and said, "How can you be so heartless? My master was robbed on the road and is still seriously injured, yet you forced him to drink! Do you find it particularly enjoyable to see him in pain?"
A husband and wife are bound by love for a hundred days. Why is Ru Liuqi so cruel to his young master? It is in vain that his young master thinks about her day and night and cherishes her.
Thinking of the many dangers his master had encountered when he came to the northwest, and his serious injuries that had not yet healed.
Originally, the young master didn't have to attend the banquet today, but when he heard that all the officials from the government office were coming, he changed his mind.
Unexpectedly, the person the young master wanted to see the most actually teamed up with others to bully and make things difficult for him!
Li Sisi looked at Ruliu's angry expression, as if Xiao Yunchen was really injured?
Her eyes moved to the drunk man lying on the table, and she saw the arm she had just pushed, and the moon-white robe was stained with blood.
She was startled and asked hurriedly, "Is Xiao Yunchen really injured?"
Ru Liu also saw the blood on Xiao Yunchen's arm, and her chest heaved with anger. She hurriedly bent down to help Xiao Yunchen up, and replied coldly, "Didn't Lord Li see everything?"
He looked at the other officials and frowned, saying, "My son is drunk. I will take him back right away. My lords, please enjoy your drink."
After saying that, Ru Liu didn't care about anything else and left with the unconscious Xiao Yunchen on her back.
Seeing this, the other officials just chuckled a few times and continued to talk and drink, chatting about Xiao Yunchen's faults and his really poor alcohol tolerance.
Li Sisi was eating absentmindedly, thinking about her behavior just now. Was it really too much?
Putting aside the relationship between Xiao Yunchen and her, whether it is the Xiao Yunchen in the original book or the Xiao Yunchen she really knows, he is a good official.
Li Sisi had no appetite for the whole meal.
Thinking about how he had beaten Xiao Yunchen today, he felt a little regretful that he was too impulsive.
Regardless of whether Xiao Yunchen came to the northwest to capture her, it is undeniable that he was right to come and investigate the prefect.
If the things done by the Dong'an City prefect are not investigated and dealt with, it will be difficult to appease the public anger.
Withholding military pay, abusing criminal law, trafficking in human beings, and setting up private coffers are all serious crimes!
Moreover, the prefect seems to have a relationship with Lin Hongsang, the number one spy suspect, but there is no concrete evidence for this matter yet.
The mice raised by Lin Hongsang are the dormice, the favorite food of the Tay Nguyen Kingdom. The dormice are kept in pottery jars and fed with nuts and honey. They are large in size and have plump meat.
It is very popular among the nobles of Xiyuan Kingdom.
However, the people of Anyang State only feel disgust when talking about rats, and no one can accept the idea of "eating rats".
Lin Hongsang, a native of Anyang State, specializes in raising "dormouse", which makes it hard not to be suspicious.
But every time they got the news and tried to catch him, they were always one step too late!
Pei Yanli had captured him before, but the prefect personally came forward and ordered him to let him go.
If Lin Hongsang is confirmed to be a spy, then the prefect will also be suspected of collaborating with the enemy!
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