Chapter 841: Victory Celebration? Breakup Banquet? (Part 1) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
"Xu Wen's annotations?"
Although it was a question, Chu Yao did not seem surprised.
Upon seeing this, Qin Li's mind raced, and he felt a complex mix of emotions.
Judging from Chu Yao's nonchalant expression, Xu Wenzhu's relationship with Longwu County was far closer than Chu Yao had previously assumed—this wasn't just Xu Wenzhu hedging his bets; it was clear his scales had completely tipped towards Shen Jun, though he hadn't openly broken ties with Lord Wu. If Qin Li were still loyal to Wu Xian at this moment, he would definitely be pointing his finger at Xu Wenzhu and giving him a good dressing down!
But now that his stance has changed, and Xu Jie has done him a great favor, he can only sigh about this mess, close his eyes, and remain silent.
Qin Li nodded: "Prefect Xu has a chivalrous heart."
An hour ago, he probably wouldn't have agreed to lead his men away from Wu Xian's forces at the victory banquet, because he still had concerns and ties. Even with just one hostage still in Tianhai, he would have hesitated. Unexpectedly, Xu Quan, Xu Wenzhu's cousin, covered in blood, found him, handing him a blood-soaked letter. Qin Li glanced at it, slightly hesitant…
Xu Quan handed the things back to himself, panting and grinning to reveal a set of white teeth: "Mr. Qin, there's no need to be so cautious. Even if my cousin came, he wouldn't recognize me. It's too chaotic outside; who has time to pay attention to the two of us?"
Originally, he wanted Zhao Wei to deliver the letter, but she was lying stiffly in the wounded soldiers' camp, and any movement would cause her blood to spurt out. Xu Quan went to check on her and, confirming that Zhao Wei wasn't dead, came to deliver the letter himself. Having said that, Qin Li accepted the letter.
The letter was very brief, containing only a few words.
But in Qin Li's eyes, every word was worth its weight in gold.
Xu Jie sent a message with good news: Qin Li's family members had all been moved to a safe place and were no longer worried.
In other words—
Qin Li can now confront Wu Xian.
Even if Wu Xian or others disagreed and tried to use their family members as leverage to deliberately make things difficult, Qin Li wasn't afraid of a complete falling out. After reading and destroying the secret letter, a smile appeared on his pale and weary face for the first time: "Thank you!"
Xu Quan waved his hand: "This is what a cousin should do."
He's not just a simpleton with a strong physique.
No matter how refined and cultured my cousin may be, he is ultimately the head of the Xu family, a family that rose to prominence through commerce. Calculation and wielding power have long been as natural as breathing for him. Merchants do business to make money, and what they hate most is losing money.
Helping Qin Li at such a risk is certainly not charity work.
Money borrowed from others must be recovered with interest.
Similarly, the same applies to favors given out.
My cousin's help to Mr. Qin is essentially an investment. He's optimistic about Mr. Qin's future under our lord, and favors are the hardest debts to repay. With Mr. Qin's literary talent and my own martial prowess, the Xu family's future development will reach new heights.
Sometimes, when the two brothers exchanged letters, Xu Quan felt sorry for his older cousin, saying, "Our family really earns enough money. Brother, you're still working so hard, it looks like you're going to starve."
Xu Jie coldly replied: "Having money alone won't make you starve."
What does that brat Xu Quan know? He's worked so diligently for so many years, spending lavishly on Master Wu—what has that been for?
Isn't it all to escape the predicament of "having only money"?
Some circles simply can't be entered just because you have money.
Fortunately, Xu Quan was talented and made military achievements. With the recommendation of Shen Jun, he was able to get rid of his commoner status and become the governor of He County. Over the years, he has done a good job in his administration, and the people in the area live in peace and prosperity. The common people love him as their governor, which has raised the reputation of the Xu family higher and higher.
In addition, the Xu family had been charitable and generous over the years, adopting and nurturing talented children. This had earned them a good reputation and a certain degree of self-protection and social standing. Xu Jie was extremely gratified that his children no longer faced subtle disdain and cold treatment when sent to study with renowned teachers.
Xu Quan, that rascal, doesn't know the meaning of hardship.
If they didn't go to the trouble of planning these things, would Xu's purse still be their purse? In this world, if there's only money, you'll starve!
Xu Quan looked at the letter from home, feeling somewhat worried.
"That wouldn't warrant scheming against Mr. Qin, would it?"
Why can't we be sincere with each other?
Xu Jie knew his cousin was all bark and no bite: "Whom am I going through all this trouble for? It's all for you, my good-for-nothing brother! With Qin Gongsu's help, your future will be much more secure. Who told you to be so young? Climbing the ranks in the military is easy. Besides, just making money doesn't carry much weight with those in power; the Xu family doesn't want to just be someone else's money-maker."
Wu Xian is a typical example.
Has Xu Jie spent a lot of real money over the years?
However, Xu Jie was not as valued as an ordinary strategist in Wu Xian's eyes, and he was still looked down upon from time to time. It was only after he secured the position of Prefect of He Yin that things improved considerably. This position of Prefect was actually arranged for him by Shen Jun; Wu Xian had not even considered Xu Jie before!
It wasn't that he was stingy, but rather that there were so many people in line—any person's portion could be placed in front of Xu Jie's wallet!
Now that Xu Jie has made up his mind to change his family's status, he can't afford to fall into the same trap twice. He needs to have at least two of the three things: money, power, and influence to be safe. Military merits are earned with one's life, and Xu Jie is also afraid that his cousin might die on the battlefield one day, so he naturally needs to think of more options.
Investing in Qin Li and befriending him is the most worthwhile investment!
Because Qin Li is a bundled package, investing in him is equivalent to investing in the generals who follow him, including the already powerful Zhao Feng. Minimal investment yields maximum return.
Xu Jie even dared to say with a straight face that he had made two of the most risk-free investments in his life: one was with Shen Jun back then, and the other was with Qin Li now.
In a letter home, Xu Jie expressed his disdain for his younger cousin, bluntly stating: "You just need to mind your own business. Train your troops, fight, and survive. Leave the rest to your elder brother."
Xu Quan was used to his cousin's appearance.
Qin Li's kind words and positive evaluation of Xu Jie made him blush and stammer for a long time, unable to utter a single meaningful word. Finally, he scratched his head, used "I still have things to do at the military camp" as an excuse, and fled as fast as his backside could carry him…
Qin Li looked at Xu Quan with some surprise, then shook his head with amusement: "Xu Wenshi hasn't learned a single bit of Xu Wenzhu's mercenary and calculating ways. These two brothers are quite interesting."
The unspoken understanding between old foxes is often unspoken. He naturally knew the immense debt he owed Xu Jie, a debt he would inevitably have to repay slowly in the future. As long as it didn't violate morality or commit heinous crimes, and wasn't about getting him to help Xu Jie commit adultery a second time…
Yes, everything is negotiable.
Qin Li accepted Xu Jie's favor, but that didn't mean he approved of the latter's double-dealing. One should not do it twice.
After all, Shen Jun is not Wu Zhaode, nor are the scholars and officials led by Chu Yaoqishan, nor are they the bunch of fools in Tianhai who are all talk and no action... As long as Xu Jie doesn't overstep his bounds, everything will be fine.
Upon hearing Qin Li's evaluation of Xu Jie, Chu Yao paused for a moment before saying, "Wen Zhu indeed possesses the spirit of a chivalrous knight-errant, unconventional and unrestrained by worldly affairs."
The two went to the celebration banquet together.
Given the devastation after the war, one cannot expect too much from a victory celebration.
It was simply a matter of clearing a space in the ruins, lighting a campfire, setting out a table, serving a few dishes of food that were considered rare delicacies during wartime, and getting the purest wine from the lord, with two jars on each table—no one could find fault with that.
The victory banquet was simple yet far from extravagant. Chu Yao instructed the logistics department not to be stingy, to provide extra meals for every soldier, and to replace the wounded soldiers' rations with the best food. Rewards would be distributed after the battlefield inventory was completed. However, to prevent any enemy remnants from launching a counterattack, patrols and vigilance were strengthened. When the two arrived, the victory banquet was almost ready, and everyone except those who couldn't move had arrived.
The military officers all had incredibly loud voices.
The celebration banquet hadn't even started yet, but the noise level was already at its peak.
"Gong Su has arrived?"
Zhao Feng's left arm was in a sling around his neck, one of his legs was broken and wrapped in heavy bandages, and his front and back were covered in wounds, the longest of which almost ripped out his internal organs. His injuries were severe, but the only saving grace was that he had all four limbs and could still boast.
He was originally a fellow patient with Zhao Wei, the eldest daughter of a wounded soldier, when he heard that there would be a celebration banquet and fine wine to accelerate the recovery of martial arts. He performed a ghost act on the spot, hopping on one leg to be helped over.
His hands and feet were injured, but his mouth was not.
When you meet someone you get along with, you can brag without batting an eye.
Qin Li sighed, "You barely escaped with your life, can't you stay with Dawei in the wounded soldiers' camp? Why did you run away?"
Both jars of wine on the table were empty.
"It's just an injury, not a disability, so why can't I run?"
Of course, the biggest reason Zhao Feng didn't want to stay in the wounded soldiers' camp was to escape his daughter—never before had he realized as much as he did now that his family's warm cotton-padded coat had evolved into a heartless ice block—Zhao Feng was so scolded by her that he couldn't lift his head.
Zhao Feng pointed to the seat next to him.
He smiled and said, "Come, come, I've saved a seat for you."
To be alive and well enough to sit down and eat and drink after the war is wonderful!
Upon hearing this, Qin Li sat down but did not go to his own seat.
Zhao Feng leaned over and helped him open the lid of the soup bowl. The fragrant aroma of corn and steam wafted out. "I told them you don't like eating corn by chewing on it, and they were really kind of them. They used a knife to cut all the kernels off for you."
How long will it take for Qin Li to eat them one by one?
Qin Li slammed the lid back on, annoyed.
"Shen Jun and Wu Gong have not yet arrived, so please do not be impolite."
His voice wasn't loud, but because of the seating arrangement, many of the civil and military officials from Tianhai could hear him. Those who were slow to react didn't notice, while those with sharp minds frowned—the title "Lord Wu" wasn't wrong, but it didn't sound as intimate as "Lord."
Qin etiquette emphasizes propriety and would not make such a mistake.
and--
Is the order of these names also wrong?
Several seemingly casual glances fell upon Qin Li, but he remained oblivious, helplessly dealing with the harassment from a few gluttonous drunkards.
After finishing his own share, the drunkard also wanted his share.
There were quite a few people attending the celebration banquet, but not many either.
Compared to the previous banquet held when the two sides formed an alliance, the number of attendees was reduced by 30%, with Wu Xian's side suffering the greatest losses. Of the few remaining people, some were sent to the wounded soldiers' camp because their injuries were too severe to come, and the rest might not even be able to be properly buried.
The expressions on everyone's faces varied, some joyful and some dejected, but these emotions were temporarily suppressed when Wu Xian arrived.
Because he had lost a lot of blood from his injuries, Wu Xian looked unwell, but judging from his gait and demeanor, his injuries shouldn't be too serious. His subordinates rose to their feet and bowed, including Qin Li and Zhao Feng, while Shen Tang also politely returned the bow.
"Greetings, my lord/Lord Wu."
Wu Xian's smile was slightly stiff.
His gaze fell on Qin Li with surprise, his expression hesitant, as if he wanted to confirm that he had misheard but didn't want to ask again, while Qin Li was very calm.
After bowing, he sat down upon hearing Wu Xian's response.
Without pausing for even a moment, and without raising his eyes.
Those with keen senses noticed something amiss, their discreet glances shifting between the two until Shen Tang broke the awkward atmosphere: "I've been held up by some matters. I haven't kept Brother Zhaode and the other great contributors waiting long, have I?"
The cheerful banter injected vitality into the atmosphere.
A fiery red figure strode in.
Everyone rose and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Lord Shen."
Shen Tang waved his hand: "Everyone is injured, so let's not bother with these formalities. Brother Zhaode, please sit down!"
Today, she specially changed into a brand-new, bright red women's dress, which made her skin appear even whiter and more like snow, making her the most eye-catching person in any crowd. At first glance, this outfit—
If you didn't know better, you'd think some newcomer had run away.
Gu Chi leaned over and teased Chu Yao.
"My lord, you are truly radiant and captivating in this outfit!"
It perfectly matches the atmosphere today.
My lord is about to welcome a new bride.
Unsurprisingly, this earned him a displeased warning look from Chu Yao. Seeing no response, Gu Chi turned to the other side and whispered to Jiang Sheng, "Sir, use your scholarly ways to see if our lord is feeling particularly lucky today, as if he's in high spirits?"
Jiang Sheng glanced at Kang Shi: "I can't see it."
It was pitch black, and we couldn't see what our lord was wearing.
Having followed my lord for so many years, this is the worst I've ever seen. It won't be completely eradicated in less than ten days to half a month. Kang Jishou has really gone all out!
Gu Chi: "...I forgot."
The others were also amazed by Lord/Shen Jun's outfit.
It's worth noting that although Shen Tang has a striking, voluptuous face, her everyday attire is quite simple, mostly in muted colors, which is a waste of her good looks. Today, paired with this dazzling red dress, the contrast and visual impact are naturally exceptionally strong. Shen Tang is in a really good mood today, completely unbothered by Gu Chi's teasing, and even grinning from ear to ear.
Hehehehe—
His gaze would occasionally fall on Qin Li.
Qin Li was very perceptive and felt extremely uncomfortable being watched.
Zhao Feng, being rather slow to notice, asked with a puzzled look, "Gong Su, are you very hot right now? Why are your cheeks so red?"
Then, without knowing what he was imagining, he felt as if he were facing a formidable enemy.
Normally, scholars with a refined literary spirit are nourished by their literary energy and have no concept of winter or summer; they can wear only one set of clothes all year round without any problems. Qin Li, with his formidable strength, is naturally a prime example, yet he is sweating due to the external temperature… This is not good news for a scholar still in his prime. Zhao Feng is worried that Qin Li's health is compromised.
He opened his mouth anxiously, but then stopped himself from speaking.
"Gong Su...are you alright?"
Now is not the time to force yourself to stay strong.
Qin Li coughed lightly, feigning nonchalance: "It's nothing."
"You're still alright? Your ears are all red, and your collar is soaked with sweat..." Zhao Feng seemed to have discovered a new continent. This appearance was almost impossible for Qin Li, who valued etiquette and was a germaphobe. Although he had tried to lower his voice, everyone present was either a scholar or a warrior; what difference was there between that voice and someone whispering in his ear?
|ω`)
Tangmei is really showing off today.
(End of this chapter)
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