Chapter 42

Lu Yao and his companions finally managed to return to the camp, with the sky already darkening.

Shen Jin felt that he had brought honor to the Bingzhou army in front of the crowd today, and was very proud. However, Lu Yao did not think so and had not given him a good face throughout the journey. Finally back at the camp, he ordered Xue Tong, Gao Xiang, Deng Gang, and others to be summoned urgently to enforce military discipline.

As they were talking, someone outside the camp gate shouted, "Daoming! Daoming!" Lu Yao hurriedly got up to welcome them. It turned out that Wang Xiu had brought several civilian workers to distribute the food and drink that Lord Yue Shi had bestowed upon the entire army.

All the soldiers were overjoyed, and the camp immediately became lively. After everything was settled, Lu Yao intended to invite Wang Xiu to stay for a few drinks. However, Wang Xiu pulled Lu Yao out of the door, laughing loudly, "The lord is looking for you! You'll have something to enjoy soon! Why eat this kind of dirty stuff?"

Lu Yao was completely confused but had no choice but to lead his horse and follow Wang Xiu urgently. On the way, he asked, "Brother Zihao, I wonder what important matters the lord has summoned me for?"

"Wen Changshi was ordered to inspect the territories of the State of Taiyuan and only returned to Jinyang late last night. The lord has invited all the generals in the army to welcome him. All those above the rank of commander are invited to attend," Wang Xiu replied.

Lu Yao nodded slightly. The Wen Changshi Wang Xiu mentioned was Wen Qiao, also known as Wen Taizhen. This gentleman was a direct descendant of the Wen family of Qixian in Taiyuan. His grandfather, Wen Hui, and his father, Wen Xian, had both served as local governors, maintaining their noble status for two dynasties, making them one of the top aristocratic families in Bingzhou. Wen Qiao himself started his career at the age of seventeen as a clerk in the capital, where he was known for his courage and integrity, fearlessly reporting illegal activities regardless of the rank of the offenders, earning him respect in the capital. Later, he served as a junior official and then as the magistrate of Luli in Shangdang. He was praised in the court as "majestic like a thousand-foot pine, capable of being a pillar of the state."

The Wen family of Qixian and the Liu family of Weichang in Zhongshan had a long-standing friendly relationship. Wen Qiao's mother was the wife of Liu Kun. When Liu Kun was appointed as the governor of Bingzhou, he specifically appointed Wen Qiao as his chief advisor, both to rely on his talents and to use him as a bridge to connect with the aristocratic families of Bingzhou. When Liu Kun led the army into Bingzhou, Wen Qiao did not accompany him but instead entered the State of Taiyuan with a small group to pave the way for the army. After the Battle of Banqiao, the Xiongnu defenders collapsed like snow, largely due to Wen Qiao's efforts in persuasion and encouragement.

After Wen Qiao's inspection tour, Liu Kun specially convened a grand gathering of all the generals to welcome him. This level of hospitality was truly unprecedented.

The banquet was set up in the governor's residence in the north of Jinyang. Lu Yao and Wang Xiu arrived on horseback in a short time. Jinyang was the capital of Bingzhou, and despite the ravages of war, it still had a solid foundation. The scale of the governor's residence was grand, and many areas could still be used after some repairs.

The two men passed through the main hall and the second hall, then crossed a flower hall to enter the rear garden. In a grand and imposing waterside pavilion, about thirty to forty people were already chatting and laughing, including various civil and military officials. Among them was a young general, Liu Yan. When Liu Yan saw Lu Yao, he raised his hand from a distance, clearly no longer harboring any ill feelings.

At the center of the gathering, naturally, was the governor of Bingzhou, Liu Kun, also known as Liu Yuanshi. Lu Yao hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects. Wang Xiu, whose rank was not high enough, stood behind Liu Kun.

"Daoming, no need for formalities, come, come." It seemed that Liu Kun was in a very good mood today. He pointed to Lu Yao and laughed to the person beside him, "Taizhen, let me introduce you to one of our rising stars. This is the newly appointed deputy general, Lu Yao, also known as Lu Daoming. He is a seasoned veteran of Bingzhou!"

Lu Yao knew that the person beside Liu Kun was the chief civil official, the chief of staff and general of Zhenwu, Wen Qiao. Wen Qiao was in his early twenties, with a face as beautiful as jade and eyes as bright as stars. He was tall and handsome, standing like a towering pine tree, exuding an indescribable elegance and grace. Lu Yao, who was himself a brave and handsome man, felt somewhat inferior in comparison.

In the history that Lu Yao was familiar with, this Wen Changshi was not only the chief strategist of Liu Yuanshi's northern campaign against the Xiongnu but also became a key minister of the Eastern Jin Emperor Yuan after crossing the sea to Jianye a dozen years later, achieving great feats in stabilizing the state. His life was also filled with legendary stories, many of which are recorded in the "Shi Shuo Xin Yu."

Lu Yao did not dare to be disrespectful to such a person and hurriedly bowed, "Long admired, long admired, I greet Wen Changshi..." Before he could finish, his arms were held by Wen Qiao, who said in a clear and gentle voice, "I just arrived in Jinyang yesterday, but I have already heard of General Lu's heroic deeds in turning the tide of battle and bravely repelling the enemy. Having a comrade like General Lu is truly a blessing for Wen Qiao." They exchanged a few pleasantries and then took their seats.

After a while, more than twenty people arrived, including the general of the guard, Linghu Sheng. Seeing that all his subordinates were present, Liu Kun enthusiastically waved his hand, "Let the banquet begin! Serve the wine!"

The waterside pavilion was large enough to accommodate everyone. The floor was covered with soft fur rugs and luxurious tables. Lord Yue Shi and high-ranking officials such as Linghu Sheng, Wen Qiao, and Xu Run sat at the head of the table, facing the door.

The other generals entered and took their seats according to their ranks.

After Lu Yao sat down, he couldn't help but touch the fur rug under the couch. The rug was brightly colored, thick, and soft, and although he didn't know what kind of fur it was made of, it must have been extremely valuable. The stone weights at the corners of the rug, which were usually made of ordinary stones, were clearly made of fine jade, intricately crafted, and it was unclear whether they were relics found in Jinyang or brought by Lord Yue Shi himself.

As everyone took their seats, dozens of servants moved around, serving various delicacies. Lu Yao looked at the abundant food in front of him and finally understood what Wang Xiu meant by "enjoyment." In a short time, the variety of delicacies served far exceeded Lu Yao's expectations.

First served was steamed suckling pig, which was marinated in bean sauce and then steamed with ginger and orange peel, and finally drizzled with hot oil. Next was a dish of black fish fillet, which was cooked with Sichuan pepper and vinegar, resulting in snow-white fish meat with an unparalleled freshness. This was followed by camel hoof soup, five-flavored meat, and other famous dishes. The food was excellent, and the wine was also of the highest quality. The wine used at the banquet was the famous Fenjiu from Bingzhou, known for its smoothness, sweetness, and lingering aftertaste, which everyone praised.

Lu Yao had once accompanied Lu Ji and Lu Yun in the Jin Valley of Luoyang, which was the private garden of the wealthiest man in the world, Shi Chong, where the luxury and extravagance were beyond imagination. Even the high officials in the Jin Valley did not often enjoy such delicacies! In this war-torn Jinyang, to have such a feast, it was rumored that Liu Kun was a man of great generosity and luxury, often spending a thousand gold coins on a single meal. Today, Lu Yao finally realized that the rumors were indeed true.

At this moment, the servants served a dish of roasted mutton. This dish was made by slicing the meat of a one-year-old lamb, seasoning it with scallions, ginger, Sichuan pepper, and black pepper, and then roasting it, a dish that was very popular in the imperial court. Everyone was delighted, but Lu Yao found it difficult to eat. His face was ashen, and his facial muscles were twitching. The reason was simple: he did not eat mutton.

Throughout history, the Han people had always considered fish and mutton to be the most delicious, and it was rare for someone not to eat mutton. However, the Lu family of Jiangdong, who had lived in the south for generations, were accustomed to the light and delicate flavors of the south and could not tolerate the strong smell of mutton. Because of this habit, Lu Ji and Lu Yun had caused many troubles in Luoyang. Lu Yao was the same; he would cover his nose and walk away if he caught the smell of mutton from a distance.

However, in such a high-level banquet, and with the lord himself serving the guests, it would be too impolite not to eat. Lu Yao had to force himself to endure the discomfort and keep tearing at the mutton. After swallowing a few bites, he felt nauseous and his stomach churned as if a storm was brewing. He barely managed to suppress the urge to vomit and did not ruin the banquet.

Just as he was wiping his sweat and feeling relieved, he heard Liu Kun ask with interest, "Why has Daoming stopped eating? Is the food not to your taste?"

Lu Yao hurriedly bowed and said, "The food today is truly delicious and unprecedented. Unfortunately, my appetite is limited, and I feel full and cannot eat any more."