26, Chapter 26

That night, near Chenghuang Temple in the east of the city, it was like a night market opened, which was very lively.

The banquet extended from Li's homeyard and was placed at the end of the street leading to Chenghuang Temple. Every few meters on the road, a fire stick was inserted. From a distance, the street of Chenghuang Temple seemed to have a fire dragon. In front of the temple, groups of people came to watch the fun. The Li family also arranged people to distribute peanuts and red dates from time to time. They were lucky and could grab a red envelope of wedding money with copper coins. The adults were smiling, and the children were even more happy, hiking around in the crowd, laughing and fighting.

This happy event was clearly distinguished by the men and women, and the guests were also clearly distinguished and clearly visible at a glance.

If Li Mu only married the daughter of an ordinary gentry family, then for this wedding banquet tonight, there would probably be no more than half of the gentry guests except the host family.

But the bride is a Gao girl, which is completely different.

The Gao family would be humiliated among the gentry because they married their daughter and became a poor family, and they would inevitably be criticized behind it. However, with the Gao family's deep roots and previous fame, it is obvious that the family's power will not be significantly weakened due to this marriage, or in other words, it will not be significantly weakened in a short period of time and will be quickly replaced by other gentry.

Those inferior gentry near Jingkou have no chance to curry favor with Gao family on weekdays. Now they have finally seized such an opportunity to show their effectiveness to Gao family. Who would be so stupid that they offend the Gao family in order to abide by the boundaries of scholars and common people?

The banquet that night gathered all the aristocratic families around Jingkou today.

It can be said that since the southern crossing of Dayu, the gentry has surrendered to the nobles and taken the initiative to rush to the poor to attend a banquet. This kind of scene is not a surprise, but it is definitely unprecedented before tonight.

So the arrangement of guests’ seats tonight is also quite interesting.

The Li family is a house with three entrances. After entering the second entrance, there is a four-sided courtyard in the middle of the veranda.

This is the home venue for the wedding banquet tonight.

In order to show respect for the daughter's family, the Li family set up several seats in the position of the top leader to serve Gao Yin for guests.

Starting from the next beginning, we will arrange our own banquet and continue to extend it.

A screen was also set up in the middle of the upper and lower heads to serve as isolation.

After Gao Yin and the local gentry who took the initiative to submit a letter to the banquet in the name of Gao took their seats, the groom Li Mu, who was the groom tonight, came to toast.

Gao Yin was really dissatisfied with this brother-in-law who was a few years younger than him.

But Ah Mei’s men have already married, what else can he do? Besides, in front of so many people in the wedding banquet.

Brushing Li Mu's face means slapping his Gao family's face.

He was naturally polite.

He was like this, and who would dare to say half of the bad things about the remaining guests? So he opened his eyes and lies, making things for heaven and earth, and came out and responded to Li Mu one after another.

Li Mu smiled and said, "Whoever toasts would not refuse, and he drank it all in one go, so everyone cheered and praised him for his heroic spirit."

Gao Yin could only smile bitterly in his heart. When Li Mu left, he saw the people around him flattering him. His words were boring and his face was disgusting. He felt very depressed. He drank a cup of wine and the banquet was not over yet, and the person was a little drunk. Jiang Tao hurried over and sent him to the pre-arranged residence to rest.

Gao Yin left the table drunk, and the gentry naturally followed him and stood up together. Before the people left the Li family's gate, they talked about Li Mu's favor and asking for marriage and Gao Qiao was forced to marry a daughter, saying, "It's just a person like Gao Gong, who is as simple as a valley, and he is as generous as a mountain. Only then did he make a wish and reach the sky in one step. However, such means are really despicable and have no demeanor."

Another person said, "Just a martial artist, what do you want to do if you want him? It's not that we look down on poor and common people, but those people, who are despised in their daily behavior. They all try their best to get to the camp and look ugly. Li Mu has such an opportunity, but he doesn't take advantage of the situation to threaten him? He just feels pitiful to the girl Gao. He heard that she is fairy-looking and has a talented and knowledgeable person, and she is really a ox chewing peonies, which is a big shame!" After saying that, he shook his head and sighed, looking sad.

These people were arrogant, but they annoyed the people in the nearby seats.

In addition to neighbors, there are also the heroes of Jingkou who usually call Li Mu brothers.

To put it bluntly, the so-called "heroes" are actually the local "civilian tyrants" in Jingkou.

Needless to say, the refugees traveled south, and they had to take huge risks. Therefore, in order to survive, they often unite and migrate with their clans. Those northern soldiers who could get rid of the pursuit behind them, and finally led the crowd to come here through the war-torn places, were all powerful people with some real skills.

Everyone fled here. The land given by the imperial court was limited, bandits were rampant, and local indigenous gentry exploited them. In order to compete for survival territory, every family trained troops, and there were inevitably fights among all ethnic groups and surnames. In the end, the strong stood up and gradually emerged several civilian dominances, among which Sun Fangzhi, Dai Yuan, and Guo family Guo Zhan were the most famous.

The ancestors of these people, like Jiang Tao, all became officials. Now that they have fallen to this point, they each attract refugees to surrender, and they have even more fighting with each other in order to fight for the status of "ruling the master". The local gentry even fanned the flames from it, hoping that they would fight within themselves, which would help them to occupy their own territory.

This is why the public security in Jingkou was chaotic and a mess.

It was not until three years ago that the situation changed.

At that time, the three of them set up a ring to compete for the position of the Lord of Order. During the competition, there was a conflict and they led their tribe members to join the fight. At that time, Li Mu returned from the army and heard the news, he came forward to stop it. On the ring, with his powerful martial arts and extraordinary heroism, and the power of his father and ancestors, the three of them were convinced and willing to name Li Mu as the Lord of Order. From then on, they agreed to draw territories and be brothers with Li Mu until now.

Today, Li Mu got married. These people brought gifts and happily came to the banquet, ranking first in the first place. They were not kind people, and they drank a lot of wine. How could they bear it when they heard the group of scholars so derogatory and ridiculed? They were all furious. However, because this was Li Mu's wedding occasion, they could barely endure the idea of ​​drawing swords. Among them, Sun Fangzhi had the most violent temper and immediately replied: "The dignified gentry are all pretentious and superior. When the matter is about to come, they can't even save them. They can only rely on my brothers to break into the enemy's formation to save people! Not to mention that they fell in love with a woman, even if they ask for life to thank someone, it is natural. Who dares to say something wrong?"

Dai Yuan was elegant and elegant, and the scholar dressed up, and said with a smile: "Since Brother Sun said it very well! Gao Gong is so noble and elegant, Dai respects him very much. The last time in the battle of Jiangbei, Dai was not talented and led his children across the river to join the army. Although he did not make any contribution, he was worthy of his heart. I don't know who among these individuals had followed Gao Gong on the battlefield in Jiangbei? Since he looked down on us and other poor families, he came uninvited tonight. In terms of shamelessness and ugly appearance, we are really willing to give up the disadvantage!"

After he finished speaking, the guests in the courtyard laughed.

The scholars were speechless, and all of them were blushing.

Among them, Gu's surname is Gu Wei. He had a grudge with Dai Yuan because of his sister's marriage, so he couldn't help but rushed back and said angrily: "Dai Yuan! I'm here tonight, all for Governor Gao! If Governor Gao was not here, would you think I would come here to the banquet?"

Dai Yuan looked surprised: "Hey, why didn't you understand what I said just now? I mean that! If it weren't for flattering Gao, how could you condescend to a banquet with us?"

As soon as he finished speaking, another burst of laughter came from all over him.

Only then did Gu Wei feel reminiscent, and became angry. With the intention of drinking, he drew his sword and stabbed Dai Yuan with gritted teeth. Several young and energetic children of the gentry also followed him back and cheered on the side.

Dai Yuan brushed his sleeves and avoided the sword, and said coldly: "You want to fight, follow me out, I will accompany you to the end!"

Gu Wei was furious and raised his sword and slashed around. Seeing that he could not hit someone, he slashed hard at a table in front of him. Suddenly his wrist was pinched, his whole arm was immediately numb, his five fingers could not hold the sword, and the long sword fell to the ground immediately.

The man let go of his wrist and took a quick copy and the sword came to his hand.

Li Mu came, and with a "swish", he pulled a sword flower, and a snow-white ball of sword energy passed by Gu Wei's face.

Gu Wei was shocked and subconsciously hugged his head, then his waist sank, and the long sword had been inserted back into the scabbard he was wearing on his waist.

Li Mu grabbed the sword and returned to the sheath. The process was as fast as lightning. Gu Wei had finished before he could react.

He came to his senses and saw that he was still holding his head. He looked at him with countless eyes, put down his hand awkwardly, and looked at Li Mu, trying to get angry and find some things back. But he didn't have the courage, so he was fixed there, his face turned red.

Li Mu smiled slightly, glanced at the group of scholars in front of him and said, "Tonight, Mr. Li's happy event, thanks to all the great masters, and the glory is shining brightly. I am very grateful. The elder brother is drunk and has been sent to rest. If you want to stay again, Li Mu must drink if you have wine, why not sacrifice his life to accompany the gentleman? If you stay without intention, you will send him respectfully. If you have something to say, when the elder brother wakes up tomorrow, you will go and look for him and say that. What do you think?"

Those gentry people were really a little afraid of him and did not dare to cause trouble. Seeing him giving him a step, they hurriedly took advantage of the situation and said goodbye. Gu Wei glared at Dai Yuan fiercely, mixed with the crowd, and hurriedly left.

Li Mu sent him a few steps, and when the scholars left, he turned to the other guests and smiled and said, "It's nothing! Everyone continue, don't go back tonight without getting drunk!"

Everyone laughed, responded, and sang and became lively again.

Sun Fangzhi and Dai Yuan winked each other, and pulled Li Mu with a smile, and they must drink him, as if they had to pour him down. Fortunately, Guo Zhan, among the three, was the oldest and the most steady person. He knew that he had drunk a lot tonight, so he blocked him and let him go.

Li Mu was finally able to escape, and amid the laughter of the brothers behind him, he headed towards the bridal chamber located in the east wing. When he walked to the clapper veranda, he saw a dim red light coming out of the door from afar. His steps slowly stopped, stood for a moment, and finally took another step towards the door.

Aju stood upright at the door, with seven or eight servants and maids standing on both sides. Seeing Li Mu coming, the servants and maids bowed to him.

Li Mu stopped opposite Aju.

Aju hesitated for a while and whispered: "Sister-in-law Li, my little lady is tired on the road and has just stopped. She has fallen asleep. I will go in and wake her up." As she said that, she turned around and was about to push the door and enter.

"No need, I can go in by myself."

Li Mudao.

With the light coming from the red lantern above his head, Aju looked at him.

Although his speech was clear and his tone sounded calm, he had a strong wine color on his face and obviously had drunk a lot of wine at night.

"I'd better wake her up first-"

She frowned and suppressed her increasingly intense dissatisfaction.

She was worried and handed Ami who had fallen asleep to the man who might have been half drunk.

Even though this man is now her husband.

Who knows how he would treat her petite lady she saw since she was a child?

After she finished speaking, she had to turn around and enter again before raising her hand. An arm had reached over her side, and her palm pressed on the door knocker, blocking her way.

"I won't have to worry about you anymore, I'll go in by myself."

Li Mu repeated it, his tone was still dull.

Aju turned his head slowly and looked at the man for a moment.

He was not discussing with her, nor was he asking for it.

She read a irresistible meaning like giving orders in the two gazes he cast.

Aju gritted her teeth and finally slowly retreated aside.

Li Mu gently pushed open the hidden door, raised his foot, and stepped into the threshold.

...

Luo Shen didn't expect that he would sleep so heartlessly.

Perhaps from the day after knowing that the marriage was confirmed, until tonight, she had always been thinking about everything, but she couldn't think of anything that could really calm herself down, so she felt anxious.

She was really tired.

Everything was settled tonight. Anyway, people were sent into the bridal chamber, and their minds were blank. After walking on the water, they spent a few days in the swaying cabin. As soon as they reached the stable and soft bed under them, they sank into the sweet and dark village, and they didn't even have a dream.

This was about the best time she slept in these days.

She didn't know how long she slept before she woke up.

I only vaguely remember that when I just lay down, I could hear the silence of noise coming from the banquet outside. The pair of candles in the room had only burned for about an inch.

At this moment, her ears were quiet, with no sound, so quiet that it seemed a bit unreal.

Her eyelids moved slightly, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes. In a daze, she felt a black shadow in front of her, as if she was a human form...

She settled down, opened her eyes wide, and suddenly woke up. She seemed to have been poked by a needle and quickly climbed up.

Just a moment ago, when she woke up, she met a pair of eyes that looked down at her.
To be continued...