Xu Zhiqiong dressed neatly and followed Wu Xu and Qu Jinshan to the house of Zhou Kairong, a doctor in the official department.
Zhou Kairong issued an invitation and invited Wu Xu to his house for a banquet in order to resolve the previous conflicts.
This is very common in Daxuan official circles. Officials usually fight openly and secretly among themselves. Some people can fight for a lifetime and never interact with each other until death. However, some people will choose to reconcile with the mediation of middlemen.
Whether the reconciliation can be successful depends on the willingness of both parties, as well as the identity and status of the intermediary.
Today, this intermediary has an unusual status. He is the Crown Prince of Prince Huai, Liang Yuming.
Xu Zhiqiong met the crown prince on the day of selection at Canglong Hall.
But Xu Zhiqiong is not in the mood to think about the prince at the moment. What he is thinking about is how to deal with Zhou Kairong.
He killed Zhou Kairong's nephew. If today was the Hongmen Banquet, he would be the first to suffer.
On the way, Wu Xu only told Xu Zhiqiong: "Stay by my side and never leave, I will keep you safe."
In order to ensure that he never left, Xu Zhiqiong went to the toilet three times on the road.
When they arrived at Zhou Kairong's house, the guests and hosts saluted and took their seats at the table. The handsome prince first offered a toast to Wu Xu: "Thousands of families have admired Yingwu for a long time, and Yu Ming has been admiring him for a long time. Now that we are together, let's see Yu Ming's thin noodles and drink this cup to the full!"
This is a cliché, it means thanking Wu Xu for the favor.
"Wu was flattered by the crown prince's love." Wu Xu raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.
Liang Yuming looked at Zhou Kairong, it was his turn to express his stance.
Zhou Kairong raised his wine glass and said with a dark face: "Thank you Qianhu for the honor."
Wu Xu didn't respond and just drank the wine.
Liang Yuming was about the same age as Xu Zhiqiong, but he was very experienced at the wine table. The awkward atmosphere was quickly relieved by changing glasses. The accompanying officials and the lamp guard Qu Jinshan toasted each other, leaving only Zhou Kairong.
He kept his face and sat silently.
It's strange, he took the initiative to propose reconciliation, why is he still looking so disgusting?
Xu Zhiqiong just lowered his head to eat and drink. He didn't want to look at his face at first. Unexpectedly, Zhou Kairong took the initiative to pick up the wine glass and approached Xu Zhiqiong.
"This lantern holder is the young hero who killed my nephew, right?"
This was said in a strange tone, and the words were full of hatred.
Xu Zhiqiong raised his head and said with a dull expression: "It's me."
Zhou Kairong raised the corners of his mouth and smiled slightly: "I'll toast you!"
"good."
Xu Zhiqiong had just picked up the wine glass when he heard Zhou Kairong say: "I respect you, do you dare to drink?"
Xu Zhiqiong sniffed: "Why don't you dare?"
"Would you like to drink it?"
As he spoke, Zhou Kairong raised his eyebrows, and Xu Zhiqiong felt that his joints were stiff and the hand holding the wine glass could no longer move.
Zhou Kairong said with a ferocious expression: "I offer you a drink, and you drink it without looking at your status. You really don't understand the rules."
The nine skills of Confucianism follow the rituals.
According to Zhou Kairong's definition, Xu Zhiqiong was not qualified to drink the wine he was toasting. This was a Yue etiquette and must be controlled by skills.
No matter how hard Xu Zhiqiong exerted his strength, his arms seemed to have turned to stone and he could not move at all. When he was embarrassed, he suddenly heard Wu Xu laugh.
"You have said the rules, but you have to raise a glass to toast, and you dare to kidnap people on the street when you see the bright light. Do you think this is a bad character?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Qi came and dispelled Zhou Kairong's skills.
White Tiger's sixth-level killing skill, Tiger Ju, uses murderous intent to shake the air and kill the enemy invisible.
Jiang Feili also used this move to dispel Zhou Kairong's aura of awe, but her strength was not comparable to that of Wu Xu.
According to the descriptions of the lantern-bearers, Jiang Feili's cultivation level is at the lower level of the fifth level, and Wu Xu's cultivation level is at the upper level of the fifth level, only one step away from the fourth level. In the entire Daxuan Kingdom, except for the dean Lin Tianzheng, Wu Xu is in the killing path.
He has the highest level of cultivation. If Wu Xuzhen were to be ruthless, Zhou Kairong could be killed in one blow.
After the ritual technique was released, Xu Zhiqiong quickly retracted his arm. Zhou Kairong wiped the sweat from his forehead and sneered: "Young hero, you don't want to drink this wine?"
Liang Yuming frowned slightly at the side: "Mr. Zhou, since you sincerely want to reconcile, don't hurt your harmony with your words."
Zhou Kairong smiled and said: "I really like this young man and want to test his courage. Come and drink this cup. I wish the young hero a long journey!"
Daxuan does not clink glasses when drinking. After toasting, he raises his glasses at shoulder level to show respect for each other.
Xu Zhiqiong also understood these etiquettes. As soon as he raised his wine glass, he saw the wine flying out of Zhou Kairong's wine glass and flying towards Xu Zhiqiong's face.
Zhou Kairong didn't want to splash Xu Zhiqiong's face with wine. These drinks were filled with awe-inspiring aura, and if they were really hit on the face, they would leave a bloody hole.
Just as Xu Zhiqiong was about to dodge, Wu Xu waved his sleeves and the drink changed direction and splashed on Zhou Kairong's face.
Zhou Kairong looked at each other angrily, while Wu Xu looked back at Zhou Kairong with a smile on his face.
Their eyes met, and there was silence on the wine table.
Liang Yuming put down his wine glass and sighed softly.
A strong pressure came over, and everyone at the table, including Wu Xu, lowered their heads.
The ninth level skill of Canglong Dominance, the power of Dragon Fury, uses the king's domineering aura to make people around him feel intimidated, so that they dare not raise their heads and look directly.
Although it is only a ninth-level skill, it is one of the most terrifying skills of Cang Long Ba Dao. No matter how high his cultivation level is, as long as the opponent is still a mortal, he will be forced to bow his head under intimidation.
Xu Zhiqiong also lowered his head, but he was not forced.
He felt the shock and knew that this was Liang Yuming's skill. In the academy, he also knew the characteristics of the power of Dragon's Fury. Anyone who fell under this skill would have to bow his head.
But Xu Zhiqiong had no desire to bow his head. He only bowed his head when he saw others bowing his head. Thanks to his quick actions, Liang Yuming didn't notice the flaw.
What's happening here?
Am I immune to the power of dragon rage?
Is this a trait of a judge?
The power of the Dragon's Fury lasted very short, and everyone quickly raised their heads. Liang Yuming raised his glass again and said: "Yu Ming thought he was a bit thin-faced and could help the two of you settle a dispute. But now it seems that this move has actually
You were reckless. Brother Hai Jian has passed away. Right and wrong have disappeared. Yu Ming looks at each other and asks you to put aside the past feud and get back on good terms."
Zhou Kairong wiped away the drink on his face and suddenly showed a smile.
This smile is not forced, at least it seems to be full of sincerity: "Although Zhou is a scholar, he has an upright temperament. His nephew Haijian has been arrogant and arrogant since he was a child. Since he has committed a serious crime, the lampman enforces the law impartially, and Zhou also
Nothing to say,
However, the love of flesh and blood is hard to let go, and there will inevitably be conflicts between words. I hope Wu Qianhu Haihan will not argue with Zhou."
These words were considered sincere, and Zhou Kairong even stood up to salute Wu Xu.
Wu Xu also stood up and returned the salute, smiling and saying: "Mr. Zhou is so broad-minded, Wu admires him!"
The two had a few drinks together and seemed to have finally settled their differences.
Canglong is domineering, a member of the royal family, and Liang Yuming's reputation is really quite high.
The atmosphere of the banquet was getting better and better. Old Qingdeng Qu Jinshan drank a few more drinks and got up to go to the toilet. Zhou Kairong asked his servant Fan Baocai to lead the way.
Zhou Kairong was a little worried after not returning for a long time, and was about to order someone to check, when he suddenly saw the servant Fan Baocai who was leading the way running back, with a face full of fear and saying: "Master, Qu Denglang is fighting with our nursing home! "
Zhou Kairong stood up in a hurry: "You are talking nonsense!"
Fan Baocai said: "I don't dare to talk nonsense. Sir, please go and have a look!"
Everyone left the table one after another, and Wu Xu reminded Xu Zhiqiong to bring a lantern.
Fan Baocai led the way and took everyone to the backyard.
Zhou Kairong frowned and said, "I asked you to take Qu Qingdeng to the toilet. Why did you come to the backyard?"
In the mansions of wealthy families, only women live in the backyard. Outsiders are not allowed to go to the backyard easily, let alone go to the toilet for such an outrageous matter.
Fan Baocai said with an aggrieved look on his face: "Qu Denglang thought the toilet in the front yard was dirty and insisted on going to the back yard to have a look. I didn't dare to stop him."
Officials from the Ministry of Personnel were discussing:
"Why do you have to go to the backyard to use the toilet?"
"This man is so shameless at his age!"
"This is how the lantern holder behaves!"
While they were talking, everyone came to the toilet door and saw Qu Jinshan lying on the ground, with blood and brain matter flowing out from the back of his head.
Xu Zhiqiong was shocked, how could Lao Qingdeng die here?
He usually doesn't even want to go to the tea house or Goulan. How could he be so lustful?
How capable is Zhou Kairong's guardian to be able to kill the lamp guard in charge of the Yamen?
What surprised him even more was that there were no horns on Qu Jinshan's head.
Could it be that……
There was a woman lying next to Qu Jinshan, with a purple complexion and a bruise on her neck.
Zhou Kairong said angrily: "What the hell is going on?"
Fan Baocai trembled and said: "When Qu Denglang came to the back garden, he happened to bump into his maid Cui Ling in the toilet. He thought Denglang had eaten too much wine, so he held Cui Ling down and did what he did..."
"Shut up!" Liang Yuming said angrily, "Stop talking nonsense!"
Zhou Kairong said: "Your Majesty, please allow him to finish speaking!"
Fan Baocai looked at Liang Yuming and then at Zhou Kairong. After all, he still had to listen to his master's words: "Cui Ling refused to obey Qu Deng Lang and started fighting with Qu Deng Lang. He never thought that Qu Deng Lang was so heavy-handed that he actually killed Cui Ling." He was strangled to death!"
Liang Yuming looked at the female corpse on the ground and was speechless.
The officials in the Ministry of Civil Affairs repeatedly exclaimed: "How can you actually do such a thing?"
Zhou Kairong shouted sharply: "Go on!"
Fan Baocai continued: "I saw something bad was going on and was about to run away. Our home nurse Fang Laowu happened to come over. Lao Wu and Qu Denglang started fighting. Lao Wu hit Qu Denglang on the back of the head with a pickaxe. Qu Denglang was lying on the ground motionless, so I took the opportunity to deliver a message to the master, but unexpectedly..."
Fan Baocai didn't say any more, and there was no need to say any more. The facts were before his eyes. Fang Laowu, the nurse guard, beat Qu Jinshan to death.
Officials from the Ministry of Civil Affairs sighed repeatedly:
"This nursing home is so loyal!"
"Mr. Zhou has a good conduct and his servants are all loyal and brave people."
Zhou Kairong gritted his teeth and said, "Where is Fang Laowu?"
Fan Baocai shook his head and said: "I really don't know, this villain."
Zhou Kairong said in a trembling voice: "Find him. I will treat such loyal servants as family members in the future."
Wu Xu crossed his hands on his chest and said with a slight smile: "There is no need to look for it. Your guardian must have fled in fear of crime. Attacking the lantern man is a capital crime!"
Zhou Kairong shouted angrily: "Lamp Holder? Is this your Lamp Holder? He's worse than a beast!"
The officials in the Ministry of Civil Affairs agreed one after another:
"Really worse than a beast!"
"They are also worthy of enforcing the law impartially!"
"These beasts gather together in one place and dare to call a yamen. They are ruining my reputation!"
"Young Master Zhou died unjustly! He died in the hands of these beasts. It is really unjust!"
Liang Yuming was advising him: "Mr. Zhou, please calm down and don't listen to this man's one-sided words!"
Zhou Kairong pointed to the corpse on the ground and said: "Can this corpse also lie? Wu Xu! Please explain to me clearly! Why did your subordinate Lantern Man die in my backyard? Died next to my maid?"
Wu Xu nodded and said: "That makes sense. Since there is a corpse, a murder has occurred. If a murder occurs at night, the lantern-carrying yamen cannot ignore it. The lantern-carrying man must hold the lantern!"
Xu Zhiqiong looked at Wu Xu.
Apart from Wu Xu, there is only one lantern man here.
But Xu Zhiqiong is not a Mohist, and he does not have the function of holding a lamp.
Wu Xu glared at Xu Zhiqiong: "Are you holding the lamp so that you can't hear me?"
With no other choice, Xu Zhiqiong raised the white lantern in his hand and stood beside Wu Xu with a solemn expression.
Even if there is only one lamp, this is still the court hall of the lamp-bearing Yamen.
Wu Xu stood next to the white lantern, his tall figure looking particularly majestic.
"Mr. Zhou, you said that one of my men, the lantern-carrying man, died in your backyard. Please tell me, which one of my men is the lantern-carrying man?"
Zhou Kairong pointed to Qu Jinshan's body and said, "The body is right here. You think I'm blind, and I still allow you to deny it."
Wu Xu shouted: "Qu Dengshou, he said this is your body, do you admit it?"
"I'm still alive, where did the body come from?" After a burst of laughter, Qu Jinshan walked to Wu Xu from a distance.
Tonight, Xu Zhiqiong learned a little more about Zhangdeng Yamen.
There are not only Taoist warriors and Mohist craftsmen in the yamen, but also yin and yang cultivators.