Mountains and rivers are waiting for you to return

Chapter 107 Celebration Banquet

Gu Jinheng had just delayed for a while behind Pei Nai and the others, but no one knew what he did. At this moment, he glanced across half the court and saw Shi Ran coming. The Tianyao soldiers along the way saluted him one after another.

His gaze still ultimately fell on Pei Nai, as if Pei Nai had always been his destination.

Han Ruize is no longer a member of Tianyao's staff. Even if he still holds the original position, he will not be treated as a superior or a subordinate. Seeing him coming, he turned around and sat on Pei Nai's right.

Da Xian did not sit next to his imperial sister either. He rested his hand on the backrest of the seat to the left of Pei Nai. Although he did not sit down, he occupied a seat.

Now there is no space on either side of Pei Nai.

Pei Nai didn't take a seat either. The local boy from Huayun Village next to Han Ruize glanced at Gu Jinheng and said, "Isn't he the man who led the troops to block our village gate a few years ago? Has his wife's body been found?"

"Lead troops to block the gate of the village? When?" Pei Nai didn't know that Gu Jinheng had led troops to besiege Huayun Village in the past.

Han Ruize said calmly, "Nine years ago, I came to look for your remains."

The local young man from Huayun Village didn't know that Pei Nai was the wife Gu Jinheng was looking for. He was shocked when he heard this, "What?"

"Nothing, just a misunderstanding." Pei Nai smiled awkwardly, "I'm sorry to have caused you trouble."

The young man put down his plate and waved his hand, "Don't say that. Zhubei Spear and Wanyue Blood Whip live in our village. The Wu tribe's army, even with their Xihan Knife and Yunjiang Liuhe Bow broken, couldn't even get into the village. We are proud of them. We go out and say we are from Huayun Village. It makes us look proud."

In a blink of an eye, Gu Jinheng was behind Pei Nai. His expression returned to normal, but there were some bloodshot in his eyes. "Come and sit with me?" he said.

Pei Nai shook his head and declined, "No, this place is fine."

Gu Jinheng pursed his lips indifferently and looked at the dishes on her table. "You don't eat mushrooms, why didn't you tell them?"

"She loves eating mushrooms, but when she was in her early teens, she found that mushrooms would cause her allergies and cause rashes on her body, so she had to avoid eating them. Now that her body is different, she naturally no longer has this taboo." Han Ruize spoke at the right time, his words full of sarcasm towards Gu Jinheng's previous inaction.

Gu Jinheng was not displeased, but his gaze shifted from him to Pei Nai, confirming with her.

Pei Nai nodded, which meant he agreed.

Everyone listened. This was Gu Jinheng's past negligence, confusing his wife's preferences and food taboos.

"I've got that." Gu Jinheng didn't argue.

Pei Nai frowned again. What's the point of remembering this now? But he didn't say much, just said, "Please take a seat. Everyone is waiting for you."

Gu Jinheng's eyes darkened, and then he sat down at the top.

Seeing how much Gu Jinheng valued Pei Nai, everyone thought to themselves that if the rumors were true, Duke Duan Ding wanted to remarry and reconcile, but now General Pei was unable to avoid him.

When they thought about how it was General Pei who took the initiative to express his feelings, causing a huge uproar and a sensation in the city, which led to the marriage between the two, and now the situation has been reversed, everyone was very sad.

Gu Jinheng took his seat and everyone returned to their seats one after another.

Everyone first stood up and paid tribute to the heroic souls who died in this battle, and the military music played the requiem.

There are thirty large wine vats in the square. Everyone holds a wine cup and scoops half a cup of liquor from the nearest large wine vat. They raise their heads and drink it all in one gulp, thus drinking with the deceased.

Afterwards, the wine jars were removed and placed on a horse-drawn carriage in front of everyone's gaze, and transported to the general's tomb that had been excavated in the valley outside the village yesterday.

The soldiers in charge would burn paper money there and then sprinkle sacrificial wine.

The long train of horses drove out of the village gate, and the song of returning souls finally stopped.

Everyone sat down again, the bonfire in the center of the square was lit, and the local music of Huayun Village started. It was a cheerful tune that dispelled the depression and dullness of the moment before, and brought out the joy of victory in the war. The villagers danced around the fire, and the enthusiastic and cheerful Qilu people joined in first, imitating their steps, or using the Qilu people's own celebratory dance steps, dancing to the tune.

Afterwards, the villagers and Qilu soldiers gradually pulled Tianyao soldiers to participate, and the center of the square became more and more lively.

After tasting a few bites of the delicacies, Da Xi Shangle could not wait any longer and invited Shao Liran to dance with him. Shao Liran was a little confused and everyone around him was laughing and joking.

"You're so lucky, Brother Shao." Someone teased him.

Shao Liran's ears blushed, then without refusing, he stood up and joined Da Xi Shangle in the campfire circle dance.

Pei Nai smiled and thought that the two of them were a perfect match. One was the gorgeous and noble Princess Qilu, and the other was a handsome and brave young general. They were really pleasing to the eye standing together.

"You're smiling like an elder. Hurry up and eat your food." Han Ruize patted Pei Nai's desk and teased.

The square was bustling with people at this moment, but Gu Jinheng still heard these words from a distance and looked at Pei Nai again.

Pei Nai noticed Gu Jinheng's gaze and subconsciously looked back, only to see that Gu Jinheng raised the corner of his mouth slightly and there was a smile in his eyes, as if he was very happy to look at Pei Nai like this.

"Stop looking at it. If you keep looking, he will come over again." Da Xian pouted at her and picked up some food with a serving chopstick and put it in her bowl.

Everyone had their own social circles, but no one approached Gu Jinheng. He was the only one there, along with the quiet and diligent guards behind him. He felt the loneliness of a powerful position.

When he was young, he was a mute bastard who was looked down upon by others, and everyone avoided him. Many years later, he had become the powerful Duke Duan Ding, and everyone was too nervous and afraid to approach him.

Fifteen years ago, fifteen years later, he was equally lonely wherever he was.

Pei Nai lowered his head to eat the food and casually said to Da Xian, "Don't take more, it's already piled up."

"Childish." Han Ruize commented on Da Xian's behavior.

Da Xi'an replied unhappily, "How could someone keep such a wonderful girl like Mingzhi? He's been their childhood sweetheart for fifteen years and didn't make a move on her, only to have her snatched away by someone else?"

"Were you weaned when I was arguing with Gu Jinheng?" Han Ruize asked back.

Han Ruize has just turned thirty, and Da Xian has only had his coming-of-age ceremony for less than a year, so he is about ten years younger than him. Although there is an age difference, it is not that exaggerated.

Da Xi'an glanced at his lower body and said teasingly, "I don't know if you can still do it at your age."

Han Ruize, the dignified Wan Yue Blood Whip, is at the age of full vigor and vitality. His words were so stimulating that people around him dared not blink.

Pei Nai was really afraid that Han Ruize would throw his chopsticks and start a fight with him, letting him see the difference in physical strength. Something like what they were capable of doing seemed like something they could do, so he tried to dissuade them, "You two, that's enough. Do you want me to find you a quiet place so you can argue slowly?"

The two of them glared at each other and stopped talking.

Pei Nai watched the bonfire dance and ate some dishes. Just as he put down his chopsticks and was about to drink some tea, he was suddenly hit by Gu Jinheng's precise pressure from a distance.

Pei Nai looked up and saw Gu Jinheng without any expression, just tapping the lower side of his lips with his finger.

She understood what was going on and quickly used a handkerchief to wipe the lower right corner of her mouth. Sure enough, there was some oil stain there, and many people almost saw her stained face.

Gu Jinheng then smiled and stared at her for a long time.

Just then, a subordinate came to report to him, leaned over and said something in his ear.

(End of this chapter)