Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 92 The Feast

As evening approached, Jiang Xun changed into clean clothes and walked with Ajiu toward the Duke of Wei's mansion.

The Duke of Wei's mansion was located in the east of the city, and its area was frighteningly large.

The blue bricks and gray tiles may not look as exquisite as the Meng Mansion, but they exude a heavy, imposing presence, like a giant beast crouching in the east of the city.

Two stone lions crouched at the entrance, baring their teeth and brandishing their claws. They were much larger than those of ordinary mansions, with each mane standing on end and their eyes wide open, as if questioning everyone who approached.

Xu Chen was already waiting at the door. When he saw them arrive, he quickly went to greet them: "Come on, come on, I'll take you inside."

Upon seeing that it was the young master, the gatekeeper let him through without even asking any questions.

With Xu Chen leading the way, the journey was smooth and unobstructed. After passing through several doorways, they arrived at a secluded courtyard.

The courtyard was not large, much smaller than the main courtyard of the Meng family mansion, but it was decorated elegantly—the ground was paved with bluestone, clean and tidy, and several old plum trees were planted in the corner of the wall. Although it was not the season for them to bloom, their branches and leaves were trimmed neatly and sparsely.

There were about ten long tables set up in the courtyard, and quite a few people were already sitting there, chatting quietly in twos and threes.

Compared to the large gathering of hundreds of people at the Meng residence, this place is much quieter and more homely.

Jiang Xun glanced around and immediately spotted the person sitting in the guest of honor's seat.

Second Prince Li Jue.

He was younger than Jiang Xunxiang, around thirty-two or thirty-three, with a handsome face, but his eyebrows and eyes had a touch of effeminacy, and the corners of his mouth turned down slightly, as if he was always dissatisfied with something.

He wore a dark gold brocade robe of the finest quality, which shimmered faintly under the light. Several thumb-sized gemstones were inlaid on the jade belt around his waist, making it look incredibly expensive, yet it exuded a vulgar air of ostentation.

He was speaking in a low voice to an elder next to him, his expression arrogant, his eyes sweeping over everyone present as if he were surveying his own territory, or as if he were weighing the worth of each person.

At the table below the Second Prince, there were two people sitting.

He was a man in his fifties, with a dignified face and a straight back. Sitting there, he exuded an aura honed on the battlefield.

The other one was younger, with a cheerful demeanor, and looked like a wealthy businessman.

The two men look somewhat alike, with their eyebrows bearing a resemblance to Dugu Hong's, suggesting they are from the Dugu family.

Sure enough, the dignified old man turned around and said something. Dugu Hong, who was sitting at the table behind him, respectfully stepped forward to listen, but his expression was not good—he probably hadn't recovered from losing face on the stage during the day.

"Who is that person talking to Dugu Hong?" Jiang Xun asked Xu Chen in a low voice.

"Dugu Yu, the head of the Dugu family." Xu Chen lowered his voice and spoke very quickly, "He fought alongside my father in the past and also had a good relationship with the emperor."

"What about the one over there?"

"I don't recognize that one either. He must be an elder of the Dugu family."

Jiang Xun nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the Dugu family members before subtly shifting away.

The head of the Dugu family is clearly not someone to be trifled with.

I've offended the Dugu family quite badly; it's best to avoid them in the future.

He continued looking over.

Two people were sitting behind the second prince.

One was a middle-aged Confucian scholar, around forty-five years old, with a thin face, wearing a blue robe, and holding a folding fan in his hand, looking like a frustrated schoolteacher.

Jiang Xun noticed that this person's fingers were thin and long with thick knuckles—it was clear that he had practiced hand skills and was quite proficient.

He bears a resemblance to Zhang Tao from Baoyue Villa, though it's unclear what their connection is.

The other one is more uncomfortable.

The man was in his early forties, with an ordinary, even plain, appearance—the kind of face that would be easily lost in a crowd.

But as he sat there, he exuded a chilling aura, like a snake lurking in the shadows, silent yet sending shivers down one's spine.

His gaze was indifferent, as if he had no interest in anything, but Jiang Xun noticed that his gaze paused for a moment when it swept over him.

Just a moment.

But Jiang Xun already sensed that this person was dangerous.

He was almost certain that this was Ling Xuan, the deputy commander of the Golden Feather Guard.

Jiang Xun withdrew his gaze, secretly plotting how to approach Ling Xuan and inquire about the Thief Saint's master.

However, he remained outwardly calm and turned his gaze towards the Duke of Wei.

Most of the people sitting on the Duke of Wei's side were officials from the Jiangning Prefecture.

Some were dressed in official robes, and their ranks looked quite high; others were dressed as military officers, with burly figures and calluses on their hands from years of wielding weapons.

Jiang Xun didn't recognize any of them, and he was too lazy to recognize them.

His gaze swept over the back row, then suddenly stopped.

A middle-aged man sat in the corner, with a refined appearance and three long wisps of beard under his chin, looking like a senior civil official.

But he sat there, his back straight and his demeanor calm, looking more like he was on duty than attending a banquet.

He saw Jiang Xun looking over and nodded slightly.

Jiang Xun was taken aback—did this person know him?

He looked closely at the face and confirmed that he had never seen it before.

Seeing the puzzled look on Jiang Xun's face, the middle-aged man simply smiled, looked away, picked up his teacup, and slowly took a sip, as if his nod just now was an unintentional gesture.

Jiang Xun wondered to himself: Who is this person? Why is he nodding to me?

"Sit down, sit down." Xu Chen pulled the two to the last row and said in a low voice, "We're here to eat, no need to come to the front."

Jiang Xun was delighted and sat down next to A Jiu, while Xu Chen simply moved his seat there as well.

Not long after they sat down, Xu Chen tugged at Jiang Xun's sleeve and said, "My dad's here."

Jiang Xun looked up.

An old man strode out from the back hall. He was in his fifties, with a burly build and a broad back. He walked with a brisk pace, each step firm and resounding, as if he were marching on a military drill ground.

He was dressed in civilian clothes, but his imposing presence was impossible to conceal—he was a man who had survived countless battles, every bone and blood of him etched with the marks of war.

Duke of Wei, Xu Jingye.

He was a founding hero of the Dayong Dynasty and a veteran who fought alongside the emperor to establish the empire.

The late Crown Princess's father held military power and was stationed in Jiangning.

Rumor has it that in the army, his words carry more weight than imperial edicts.

Jiang Xun looked at him and suddenly felt a sense of respect.

It wasn't because of power or influence, but because this person possessed a certain charisma—something that couldn't be built up with gold and silver, but rather something earned through sheer hardship and battle, something that came from walking through mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

The guests, who had been talking in hushed tones, fell silent instantly and rose in unison to bow to the Duke of Wei.

The Duke of Wei returned the greeting with clasped hands and strode to the main seat, bowing to the Second Prince: "Your Highness, I apologize for keeping you waiting. I am truly sorry for being late."

His voice was loud and clear, full of energy, so loud that the lanterns in the courtyard swayed.

The second prince quickly returned the greeting with a beaming smile: "Duke Wei, you're too kind. I just arrived myself."

Everyone took their seats.

The dishes were served one by one.

Jiang Xun sat in the last row, with roast chicken, fish, and several side dishes laid out in front of him, a full spread.

He picked up a piece of chicken with his chopsticks, and his eyes lit up immediately—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, very flavorful, far better than the food at the inn.

"Delicious!" he whispered to Ah Jiu.

Ah Jiu's mouth was already stuffed full, her cheeks bulging like a hamster's, and she nodded indistinctly, "Mmm-hmm!"

Xu Chen poured wine for the two of them and secretly drank a glass himself: "This wine is really delicious."