Chapter 869 - 872: Arranging a Gathering
Gu Wenheng naturally had to properly explain this clan rule that left everyone puzzled.
"So, no one in your esteemed residence has broken this rule until now?"
"No." Before the other party could ask further, Gu Wenheng continued, "It is that no one in the entire clan has broken this rule."
"..."
The officials’ eyes sparkled upon hearing this. If they had only come for the grain seeds before, they now had entirely new considerations. Every family had daughters of marriageable age, and the Gu clan offered prime candidates for marriage. Even setting aside this strict family rule, with Gu Wenheng’s abilities and Mrs. Gu’s wealth, they were an absolute top-tier choice. Not to mention those who doted on their daughters—everyone wanted to swallow their pride and fight for an opportunity.
With so many people present at the moment, no one could be too eager, but their expressions toward Gu Wenheng became even more fervent.
Even Liao Weidong was tempted. He had previously thought about sending his granddaughter into the palace, but unfortunately, there were no plans for a royal selection. A marriage alliance with Gu Wenheng wasn’t a bad idea either.
Having thrown out the bait, Gu Wenheng had no intention of dwelling on the matter. The one who would truly make the final gatekeeping decisions was the children’s mother. He called for the Shopkeeper and ordered the dishes to be served.
The kitchen naturally prioritized this table. Before long, Tianfu Restaurant’s signature dishes filled the tabletop.
The waiter serving the food also specifically placed several vegetarian dishes in front of Gu Wenheng.
Taking this opportunity, Gu Wenheng substituted tea for wine, reminding everyone of today’s occasion, and excused himself from drinking with them.
Knowing they had no chance with the grain seeds, everyone turned their grief into appetite, loosening their belts to drink and eat to their hearts’ content.
By the time the banquet ended, apart from Gu Wenheng, not a single person could stand steady.
The moment they were taken back to their respective estates by their servants, the Emperor and the Supreme Emperor in the palace received the news.
The Emperor only felt that these people were far too idle. While he was working hard to review memorials, these people were living carefree lives. What was even more detestable was that they got drunk at noon. If there was an emergency in the afternoon, there would be no one to handle it.
In his palace, Supreme Emperor Hua Shunming smacked his lips. He also wanted to find someone to enjoy a hearty drink with, but unfortunately, that was impossible for the rest of his life.
"Xiao Lezi, as master and servant for decades, we have been together the longest. Why don’t you go find two pots of good wine, and we can share a few drinks?"
Le San was somewhat used to the Supreme Emperor’s sudden whims by now. With a sycophantic smile, he said, "I have no objections, but I’m afraid the Empress Dowager and the Holy Emperor would skin me alive.
"Supreme Emperor, if you pity this old servant, you must not say such things again."
The Supreme Emperor had truly forgotten that he wasn’t allowed a single drop of alcohol right now.
"Heh," Hua Shunming pointed at Le San. "You old geezer, you’re becoming increasingly difficult to talk to.
"When I was the Emperor, you used to just go along with me. How long has it been since I abdicated? Now you know how to use words to gag me."
"Supreme Emperor, I am a coward," Le San said. "Either way, I’d have to pay with this old life of mine. I just have more faith in your protective feelings toward me, Supreme Emperor." At least he might be left with an intact corpse when the time comes.
Having spent a lifetime together, Hua Shunming surprisingly understood his unspoken implication. "Fine, fine. I knew you didn’t have the guts.
"I just remembered that I had a rather pleasant chat with a few old ministers last time. They can be considered old acquaintances of many years. Why don’t I summon them into the palace?"
Le San replied, "...Supreme Emperor, have you forgotten? The last time those old officials returned home, they were all somewhat unwell."
Although it hadn’t been publicized, how could it possibly be hidden from the Royal Family?
"They all say that to be an emperor is to be a solitary man. That saying is truly correct." Hua Shunming suddenly felt utterly bored. Over the years, countless people had surrounded him, yet there wasn’t a single one he could have a heart-to-heart with.
"..."
No one in the entire palace answered, making Hua Shunming’s expression even more desolate.
"Sigh..."
Fu County.
By the time County Magistrate Gao received the news, it was already too late. The officials and soldiers sent from Shangjing had already entered the village.
He hurriedly put on his official robes, gathered a group of Government Officials, and rushed toward Gaoling Village.
"The Gu family certainly kept this well hidden. I am a County Magistrate at any rate; the least they could have done was give me a heads-up," County Magistrate Gao complained to the steward beside him, his face covered in sweat as he sat in the carriage.
Because of his poor handling of matters this time, his superiors had issued several letters of reprimand in succession. His future was practically ruined by this incident.
"They are indeed somewhat tactless," the steward echoed, hoping to deflect his superior’s anger. "It has been hard on you all these years, maintaining the peace in this area for them. Even if Mr. Gu holds a high position, he still shouldn’t act like this."
Provoked by these words, County Magistrate Gao also felt that he had suffered a useless grievance. This was merely a matter of lifting a finger for Mr. Gu and his family. If they had just given him a hint or two back when they sought him out for the land deeds, he wouldn’t be so passive and wretched right now. Most importantly, this matter had been reported directly without going through him. He wouldn’t get a shred of credit for this monumental achievement, which made him feel even more infuriated.
And now, the imperial envoys sent from above had already arrived, yet he, the parents official, wasn’t present. This was a complete display of contempt toward him. He lifted the curtain and ordered the driver outside, "Faster!"
The road from the county town to Gaoling Village had long since been paved wide and flat. It didn’t take long for them to arrive, but they were stopped the moment they reached the village entrance.
Facing rows of soldiers, County Magistrate Gao hurriedly straightened his official hat. "Sir, I am the County Magistrate of Fu County. May I pass?"
"No idle personnel are allowed inside. Lord County Magistrate, you should wait outside for news." The person standing guard here was a Fourth-rank Blade Guard, who naturally didn’t take a mere seventh-rank county magistrate seriously.
County Magistrate Gao also noticed the official uniform on the man and naturally didn’t dare to insist too strongly. "Could you perhaps do me a favor and announce my arrival? Just say that County Magistrate Gao is here to visit Mrs. Gu."
Faced with this request, the other party didn’t refuse. He quickly called a nearby soldier to go inside and deliver the message.
Taking this opportunity, County Magistrate Gao tried to build rapport. "Sir, the appearance of new grain seeds in the jurisdiction managed by this subordinate is a blessing for this land. I heard that several imperial envoys came from Shangjing this time. May I ask which lords they are?"
The guard glanced at him and didn’t hide the truth. "This time, Lord Mao and General Xiao came together to escort the grain seeds. Because the matter is of grave importance, we hope the Lord County Magistrate can cooperate with us." He hoped the magistrate wouldn’t block the way here if he had nothing better to do.
County Magistrate Gao replied, "...This subordinate also heard the news and just wanted to come over and see if there was anything I could help with.
"You see, I even brought the Government Officials from the county government."
It was precisely because they had so many people that they couldn’t be allowed to enter casually. The guard took a look, wondering what was wrong with these civil servants. They knew there was a major event happening here, yet they still ran over to join the fun. Asking to see Mrs. Gu was probably a fake excuse, while wanting to get into the village was the real objective!
However, this wasn’t within his scope of duty. He stopped paying attention to the magistrate and began scanning his surroundings.
Little did he know that with them heavily guarding the area with layers of security, even the local villagers avoided walking past. Who would dare to tactlessly approach?
The tactless County Magistrate Gao: "..."