In view of the fact that Luyang was more than a day's journey from Ruyang, the next morning, the father and son of Luyang Township Marquis embarked on a journey to Ruyang in a carriage.

In the matter of his entourage, the Marquis of Luyang listened to his son's suggestion and brought more than 20 guards headed by Zhang Chun, the head of the guard, as for Zhao Yu, he was still Jingnu, Cao An, Zhang Ji, and Ma Cheng.

There is nothing worth talking about on the journey, but all in all, on the evening of the second day, October 11, the group arrived in Ruyang County.

After entering Ruyang County, the Marquis of Luyang and his entourage settled in the post house in the county, and then the chief of the guard, Zhang Chun, sent someone to send a message to the Marquis of Ruyang, probably to tell the other party that they had arrived, so as not to make the host's family anxious.

It stands to reason that at this time, the Marquis of Ruyang's Mansion should send someone with status to come over to greet him, such as Zheng Qian, the son of the Marquis of Ruyang—at least Wang Zhi, who is the steward—or, simply send someone in advance to invite the Marquis of Luyang and his party to the mansion.

But as a result, the Marquis of Ruyang did not react, as if it was just a reaction of "Oh, I see".

In this regard, even Zhang Chun felt it, and said to the Luyang townsman: "As the second son said, I'm afraid it's not a good banquet." ”

The Marquis of Luyang nodded and said, "Tomorrow tell everyone to be cautious." ”

The next day, that is, October 12, that is, the day of the banquet in the Ruyang Hou Mansion, the Luyang Township Marquis and his party waited in the post house for a long time, but it was not until dusk that several servants of the Ruyang Hou Mansion came late, came to the post house to invite an appointment, and guided everyone to the Ruyang Hou Mansion.

The Marquis of Luyang is also a Marquis of Luyang, but the Marquis of Ruyang Mansion actually only sent a few servants to invite, and he came so late, which made Zhang Chun and other guards very angry, but because of his hometown, he did not attack on the spot.

Similar to the township marquis mansion in Luyang, the Marquis of Ruyang Mansion is not in the county seat of Ruyang County, but in the township of about ten or twenty miles northeast of Ruyang County.

Fortunately, Zhao Yu was witty, and when he saw that the Marquis of Ruyang Mansion was delaying in sending people to come, he woke up in his heart and asked everyone to have dinner in the post house in advance, so that the group would not be hungry at this moment.

It is estimated that around two o'clock, the Luyang Township Marquis and his entourage came to the Ruyang Marquis Mansion.

At this time, it was already night, and the guards standing in front of the gate of this Hou Mansion or someone was holding torches, and with the light of these torches, Zhao Yu noticed that two carriages were parked not far from the door of the mansion.

"It seems that it is not just my father and I who have been invited." Zhao Yu gestured to his father.

“……”

Following the direction indicated by his son, the Luyang townsman also saw the two carriages and frowned slightly.

Following the doorman into the house, he saw several guards, the first of whom said to the Luyang township: "In Xia Sun Mao, the prince ordered me to wait for the townsman here, and welcome the townsman to the banquet." ”

After that, he glanced at Zhang Chun beside the Luyang Township Marquis, and said: "The rest of the guards and entourage, please stay here, the mansion has prepared wine and food elsewhere......"

"Not necessarily!"

Because he had already eaten in the post house in advance, Zhang Chun didn't care about the food in the Ruyang Marquis Mansion at all, and interrupted the other party's words and said: "In the next Zhang Chun, where is the township, where is so!" ”

That Sun Mao smiled and said, "Brother Zhang's loyalty to the Lord is commendable, but in my Ruyang Hou Mansion, it is not necessary, is it possible that in my Hou Mansion, Brother Zhang is still worried about the safety of the villagers?" ”

"Not necessarily."

Zhang Chun sneered twice, and said lightly between the slight changes in the other party's color: "It's not that I can't believe you, it's just that Zhang believes in myself more." ”

This reason also makes sense, Sun Mao thought about it and said, "That...... The rest of the guards are advised to stay here, or they may disturb the feast. ”

Zhang Chun glanced at Sun Mao, turned around and ordered: "Zhang Ji, Ma Cheng, you two follow me, and the rest of you are waiting outside the banquet hall." With that, he looked at the other party again: "Is this okay?" ”

Sun Mao looked at the more than 20 guards of the Township Mansion behind Zhang Chun, and frowned slightly: "The mansion has prepared some wine and food......

"Not necessarily!"

Zhang Chun interrupted: "Our duty is to protect the townsman and the second son, not to go to your mansion to drink and eat." ”

As he spoke, the twenty or so guards of the Township Mansion behind him were silent, and some even sneered and squinted at Sun Mao and the others, with a trace of disdain and deep dissatisfaction in their eyes.

No one is stupid, how can these guards of the township mansion not see that this banquet is not a good one?

Seeing that the Luyang Township Marquis and his party were insistent, Sun Mao was helpless, so he had no choice but to lead everyone to the hall of the banquet.

When he walked outside the banquet hall, the Luyang Township Marquis and his party heard the sound of chatting and laughing in the banquet hall, he frowned and looked at Sun Mao, and said unhappily: "What does this mean?" Is there always a rule in your house that guests will have a banquet before they arrive? ”

Sun Mao was about to explain, when Zheng Qian, the son of the Marquis of Ruyang, walked out of the banquet hall and greeted him with a smile: "Marquis Zhao, it's finally time for the honorable driver." ”

Although the Marquis of Luyang was dissatisfied with the other party's statement, but because of the smile on Zheng Qian's face, he was not easy to attack, and after arching his hand in return, he asked, "Did your mansion invite other guests today?" ”

"Huh."

Zheng Qian smiled, with a hint of mystery in his smile and a hint of ill-will.

I saw him pull the sleeve of the Luyang Township Marquis and said with a smile: "Zhao Xianghou, come, let's have a banquet together." ”

Seeing this, Zhao Yu also took Cao An and Jingnu into the banquet hall, followed by Zhang Chun, Zhang Ji, and Ma Cheng, and the rest of the guards of the Xianghou Mansion stood on both sides one by one, and did not communicate with the guards from the Ruyang Hou Mansion on the side, without saying a word, looking a little cold.

The stone steps outside the banquet hall were only a few steps, and in just a few moments, the Luyang townsman was taken to the banquet hall by Zheng Qian.

At this time, the guests who were already seated in the banquet hall also stopped their movements and looked over here.

Just a cursory glance at the guests in the banquet hall, the pupils in the eyes of the Luyang townsman shrank suddenly, it turned out that among the few guests in the banquet hall, he saw a few faces that had been photographed a while ago.

Ruyang County Commander Wang Dan......

Yangren County Commander Zhengzhou ......

Wheel County Order ......

Xincheng County Order......

And so on and so forth!

Good fellow, almost all the county magistrates of the counties in the upper reaches of Rushui were present.

"Original...... And so!'

The Luyang townsman snorted softly.

At this time, Zhao Yu, who followed his father into the banquet hall, had also noticed the county orders of Rushui counties such as Wang Dan and Zhengzhou who had been photographed a while ago, and his heart was slightly shocked, and his face showed a little mockery.

At this time, Zheng Qian let go of the sleeves of the Luyang Township Marquis, and bowed to an old man in Chinese clothes who was more than half a hundred years old sitting on the main seat: "Father, the Zhao Xianghou of Luyang County has arrived. ”

Obviously, this old man is the Marquis of Ruyang, Zheng Zhong.

"Hahaha."

After hearing Zheng Qian's words, Zheng Zhong, Marquis of Ruyang, had no intention of getting up in his seat - of course, according to his seniority, he really didn't need to get up to greet him, but his next words to blame the Marquis of Luyang made the Marquis of Luyang Township father and son quite dissatisfied: "Isn't it a banquet when you meet?" Why is Zhao Xianghou late? ”

With his words, all the guests present, the county magistrates of Rushui County, also discussed in a low voice, some shook their heads at the Luyang townspeople, and some simply sneered.

And at this moment, I heard a young voice say loudly: "Then blame the servants of your mansion!" …… My father and I arrived in Ruyang County yesterday and sent someone to inform you, but it wasn't until dusk today that you sent someone to invite you. People who don't know still think that Ruyang Hou deliberately targeted my father and son! ”

In an instant, the discussion in the banquet hall stopped abruptly, and everyone looked at Zhao Yu who spoke out.

I have to say that these people who can become county commanders are naturally not stupid, how can they not see the strangeness? - Unless the Marquis of Luyang Township is really arrogant, otherwise, who would deliberately snub the invitation of the Marquis of Ruyang?

Obviously, there must have been people from the Marquis Mansion of Ruyang who deliberately targeted their father and son, and even the banquet itself was a product of the father and son.

However, what several county commanders didn't expect was that Zhao Yu, the second son of the Luyang Township Marquis, dared to unceremoniously expose the matter and did not give the Ruyang Marquis any face.

"Interesting......

With similar thoughts, the county commanders of Rushui counties immediately watched a good show.

It's similar to what they thought, regardless of whether the Marquis of Ruyang knows the mystery or not, but Zhao Yu's accusation of the behavior of his servants in the house in person still made the Marquis of Ruyang quite unhappy, he immediately sank his face and reprimanded: "Xiao'er is so unruly!" The old man is talking to your father, and you dare to interject as a child? Is this how your father Zhao Gongyu taught you?! What a rude boy, I really don't know anything! ”

Zhao Yu was not stunned at all, with a little mockery, and said with a smile: "My father taught me to stick to justice, that's why I told the truth of this matter in public, what's wrong?!" The Marquis of Ruyang did not ask the servants of your mansion for neglecting the guests, but accused me of being fair, who is ignorant of things? Who is rude? …… Could it be that this is how your mansion has always entertained guests? If that's the case, it's really a novelty, and I'll ask someone to publicize your mansion when I go back, don't thank me! ”

"This kid...... Why don't you give face to the Marquis of Ruyang like this?'

The county magistrates present all showed surprise.

"Boy, are you so rude?!" Zheng Qian asked Zhao Yu with a look of anger on his face.

However, Zhao Yu didn't bother to pay attention to it at all, turned his head and asked Zhang Chundao: "Zhang Weichang, where is the invitation?" ”

“……”

Zhang Chun looked at Zhao Yu with admiration, took out the invitation from the Ruyang Marquis Mansion from his arms, and handed it to Zhao Yu.

Zhao Yu took the invitation and glanced at it, then raised it up and said loudly: "This invitation is enough to prove that my father and son are not unannounced guests, but are invited by the Marquis of Ruyang." And, in order to rush to today's banquet, my father and son set off early the morning before yesterday, and did not dare to delay on the way, so that they arrived in Ruyang before yesterday evening and settled at a post house in the county. …… However, since yesterday evening, the Marquis of Ruyang Mansion has not sent anyone to greet him at all, and it was not until dusk today that so many people came to the post house to invite my father and son to a banquet. What's more, before my father and son arrived, your mansion had already held a banquet, which is really ridiculous and unheard of! …… Since you are so perfunctory, what did the Marquis of Ruyang ask my father and son to do?! ”

With that, he snapped and threw the invitation in his hand to the ground.

"This kind of feast, don't eat it!"