Half-drunk from the banquet, and then at the club, Zhao Cheng, though only staying there for a short while before going home, believed he had become quite familiar with the Fourth Young Master of Yanchuan.
The next morning, as soon as Du Yucheng got up, he clung to Zhao Cheng, wanting to drink with him.
After drinking for two more meals, both of them urged Chengdu to steer the conversation toward the Oriental Restaurant, successfully persuading Zhao Cheng to take them there to try the restaurant's dishes.
Du Yucheng was relieved and continued to act subservient to Zhao Cheng, waiting for the day the restaurant would open for trial operation.
Zhao Cheng, the humiliation I suffered will be repaid to me tenfold!
Chengdu is filled with anticipation.
...
The sun was shining brightly.
Although the banquet for the trial opening was a dinner, it was held earlier than usual, just when the sun was not too bright and there was a gentle breeze.
The banquet invitations sent out by Li Guanyu were for the powerful and elite people of Yanchuan. There were tables for six, eight, and ten people, totaling nearly twenty tables.
The Oriental Restaurant is lavishly decorated and has a large area; the first-floor hall alone can accommodate over a hundred tables. These twenty tables simply cannot create a lively atmosphere.
However, Li Guanyu did not hold the banquet in the main hall, but instead arranged it on the second-floor terrace.
The terrace has also been decorated and is surrounded by a circular railing. Normally, it is divided into small private rooms by screens. Now, the screens are removed, and it can accommodate just twenty tables without feeling crowded.
The autumn wind is chilly, and dining on the terrace is a truly enjoyable experience.
Du Yucheng followed Zhao Cheng to the table, feeling the gentle breeze and the perfect sunshine, and couldn't help but marvel at how he had chosen such a wonderful day for Zhao Cheng.
Watching Zhao Cheng greet the guests, Du Yucheng thought to himself, "You really are lucky; the day you left was sunny and breezy."
Besides Zhao Cheng himself, the other people at Zhao Cheng's table included Xiao Luomu, Xu An, Du Yucheng, Wang Yucen, Wei You, Lu Zhao, Yu Changsi, Li Dai, and Li Shu.
Li Guanyu had to attend to guests, so he didn't save him a seat.
Seeing that the table was full of ten people, Du Yucheng kept glancing down at the street below the terrace, wondering why Jiuzhi hadn't arrived yet.
Zhao Cheng and Xu An focused their attention on the merchants who were taking their seats one after another.
The supermarket deal is settled; today, these Yanchuan merchants must give their stance.
It was Xiao Luomu who stepped forward again, with Zhao Cheng and Xu An supporting him from the sidelines.
"Distinguished guests, I am unable to attend to you all today, but my father is here, and he is very generous, so he will take care of things for you!" Li Guanyu stood behind Li Shu and cupped his hands in greeting to the crowd.
Li Shu frowned and said, "Are you really going to rip off your father like this?!"
Li Guanyu patted Li Shu on the shoulder and said, "Father, look at Xu An's father, what a high-ranking official he is now! And look at General Wang! And Lord Deng and Lord Chai! They are all officials in Yanchuan, so why can't you make a move? You'd better keep Lord Wei and Lord Lu in check, this is an opportunity!"
Li Shu exclaimed in surprise, "What nonsense are you spouting? If you don't have time for this, then get lost!"
With that, Li Shu said apologetically to everyone, "My son is just like this, please don't take offense!"
Wei You waved his hand and laughed, "I think what Young Master Li said is absolutely right! Since ancient times, it is always the fathers who are disappointed in their sons, and it is rare for a son to blame his father for being useless. Why should he? A person should be like Young Master Li, with his genuine character!"
Wei You picked up his wine glass and said, "Young Master Li, no matter how busy you are, you must drink this glass!"
Li Guanyu hurriedly and nervously picked up Xu An's wine cup, bowed, and said, "Lord Wei, this cup is for you!"
Lu Zhao also smiled and said, "Young Master Li is very sensible. In today's atmosphere, what he said was harmless. Brother Li, speaking of which, we took the imperial examination in the same year, and it's been almost twenty years. I know you love calligraphy and painting, but before you get old, you still need to work harder!"
Li Shu cupped his hands in greeting, raised his wine cup, and said, "Certainly, certainly. In that case, I will first offer a toast to all of you gentlemen!"
Having worked in the brothel industry for a year, Li Guanyu naturally knew how to speak and act appropriately. By pushing his father forward, he was essentially forcing Li Shu to be the head of the table, which would both liven up the atmosphere and leave a deeper impression on Wei You and Lu Zhao.
Wei You was acting on behalf of the emperor and was also a close and favored minister of Yuan Xiu. Countless local officials would fawn over him during his trip to Changsui. Li Guanyu was worried that Li Shu's mild-mannered nature would cause him to miss this golden opportunity.
Zhao Cheng understood Li Guanyu's intention, so he suppressed his lively social skills and left the space to Li Shu.
Xu Shouli's official career was at its zenith, needless to say, and Xiao Luofeng was also personally appointed by the emperor as one of the Four Supreme Generals. Zhao Cheng naturally hoped that Li Shu could also make a comeback and seize real power.
In this way, the four young masters of Yanchuan all have strong backgrounds.
"General An Yuan, do you like the food in Yan Chuan?" Li Shu asked, making his way to Chengdu.
Du Yucheng was distracted, and hastily picked up his wine glass, saying, "I can eat it, it's delicious!"
Li Shu smiled and said, "Speaking of which, your father and I are old acquaintances. How is his health?"
“Very good, he already has seven wives…” Du Yucheng finally came to his senses, realizing that this was not something he could tell just anyone, and quickly filled Li Shu’s cup, saying, “This junior toasts Lord Li!”
After setting down the cup, Li Shu continued to toast the next person. At this moment, Du Yucheng's eyes lit up, and he finally saw the face with a pointed mouth and monkey cheeks downstairs.
"You finally arrived!" Du Yucheng breathed a sigh of relief, left the table and walked to Zhao Cheng's side to whisper, "Brother, I saw a friend I haven't seen in a long time downstairs. I'll go down and say hello."
Zhao Cheng nodded gently: "Go ahead."
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