Gabriel couldn't help but complain in his heart, what kind of brains are these Eastern warriors, do they have to fight together for something meaningless? Isn't it just a knife, just keep it first, isn't it still afraid that someone will steal it? Just for such a small matter as big as a sesame mung bean, there is no need to be frozen here now.

The French businessman wiped the sweat from his forehead while persuading Zhang Heng, while someone on the other side walked up to the maid and whispered a few words.

Eventually, the maid said, "You can take the ribs with you, but you must stay with the knife." ”

Zhang Heng knew that this was the biggest concession that the other party could make, and of course he didn't want to be ruined tonight because of this incident, so he nodded and agreed to the other party's request.

However, Zhang Heng did not hand over the knife he was carrying to the maid, but inserted it in the open space in the courtyard and said, "Don't touch it, I will take it with me when I leave." ”

The maid had no objection to this, and bowed down again when she heard this, "Welcome to Youji, please allow me to make up for my previous disrespect." ”

Without waiting for Zhang Heng to say anything, she took out the sword at her waist and stabbed it in her chest upside down.

It all happened so fast that the French merchant didn't even realize what was happening, the tip of the knife had pierced the maid's delicate skin, and was about to pierce her heart, but at the last moment, it was held up by a scabbard.

"No need, I've forgiven you." Zhang Heng held his ribs and said.

And Gabriel on the other side was already stunned in place! Oh my God, what kind of crazy people these guys are, he also complained in his heart about the maid when he persuaded Zhang Heng before, but compared to it, the other party's remedy now makes him more afraid.

It's just a small mistake, no, it's not even a small mistake, this maid is just doing her duty, is it necessary to do it to this extent? The French businessman shook his head repeatedly.

Zhang Heng knew very well that the people in this teahouse were probably not just warriors, but also dead soldiers in captivity by the Fallen Curtain Sect.

Because only the dead can be so indifferent to life, not only the lives of others, but also their own.

"Please follow me." Although there was such a small episode in the middle, the proprietress still did not change her face and personally led the way in front.

And Zhang Heng had already retracted his ribs, and followed casually, but Gabriel was stunned for a while before he quickly followed.

The proprietress opened a shoji door, and there were already a few people sitting inside, most of them samurai, and some geisha accompanying them.

One of them is playing the shamisen, a traditional Japanese instrument, two others are dancing, and the rest are pouring sake for the guests.

Seeing the French merchant come in, one of the older samurai got up to welcome him, and at the same time introduced Gabriel's identity to the others, taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhang Heng's gaze also swept over the people seated, and the guy who suspected that Nakamura Hanjiro didn't see it, but he accidentally met an acquaintance.

- Shinji Takeuchi.

The latter once came to the small mountain dojo with Yamada to provoke, and after Yamada was cut off a hand, Zhang Heng thought that Takeuchi would stand up and avenge his companion, but he didn't expect this guy to claim that he was not his opponent and led people to leave silently, but it was precisely because of this city government that Zhang Heng remembered him.

Takeuchi's face changed suddenly after seeing Zhang Heng, as if he didn't expect the latter to appear here tonight, but in the end, he still squeezed out a smile and nodded to Zhang Heng.

"Takeuchi, didn't you know each other before?" The older samurai saw this scene in his eyes and asked curiously.

"It's a one-sided relationship." The smile on Takeuchi's face was a little reluctant, because what happened in the Koyama Dojo was too embarrassing, and he obviously didn't want to go into detail here.

With the introduction of the older samurai, Zhang Heng also roughly figured out the identities of the group of people in the house now, they are generally samurai from the Choshu and Satsuma domains, but Zhang Heng didn't see Matsuo and Takahashi among them, it is estimated that they are not at the same level and cannot participate in tonight's banquet.

Zhang Heng didn't forget his own work, and after sitting down, he translated other people's questions for Gabriel, and then translated Gabriel's answers one by one, but at this stage, the two parties are talking about some unnutritious polite words, including Gabriel's impression of Kyoto, the current situation in France, and the situation in some Europe, the older samurai apologized to the French businessman, saying that the master here will not arrive for a while, Gabriel nodded in understanding.

I have to admit that at this time, many people in Japan have begun to learn from the West and understand the world, and the Shogunate faction is no longer as hostile to Westerners as the early Emperor Shogunate faction, but has turned to compete with the shogunate for the support of the great powers, which also makes the shogunate led by Tokugawa Yoshiki more and more worried.

But these things have nothing to do with Zhang Heng.

The two sides chatted for a while, and the food was served to the table one after another.

During the Edo period, the only meat that could be eaten in Japan was fish and poultry (even fish, the ruling class valued fatty fish and had no appetite at all), and the shogunate issued a law that basically did not allow four-legged food to be eaten, and some people were exiled for abandoning sick cattle and horses on wasteland...... Of course, this regulation is not completely absolute, for example, what weaker mothers and patients can still get tacit permission to eat some venison pork or something.

In addition, it turns out that no law can stop foodies, although there are regulations in advance, but there are people all over the country who secretly eat meat, and the place where meat is sold is called a yokai house, and the meat seller generally only says that he goes to buy medicine, and it is said that Tokugawa Yoshiki himself was very fond of eating pork, and of course the emperor, as a spiritual idol, probably did not eat these good things.

And most of the samurai here tonight are people who advocate learning from the West, so there are not too many taboos about this, and in order to entertain Gabriel, who came from the original way, the tea house also specially prepared a red leaf pot.

The so-called red leaves are the black word for venison, and the red leaf pot is also a venison hot pot, served with tofu, meatballs and green vegetables, and is quite delicious and popular in Kyoto.

The older samurai stretched out his hand and smiled in hospitality, "Please." ”

Gabriel grabbed the chopsticks in an awkward manner, but before starting, he still asked, "Don't we have to wait for the master to come?" ”

"It's okay, I've been told that we can start first." The older warrior smiled and said, "As for that big business, it's not too late to talk about it later." ”

"In that case, you're welcome."