The bond of fellowship! Wen Che was like someone whose painful spot had been poked. He was unwilling to bring up or even think about what happened back then. Even the people around him hadn’t mentioned it again. Now hearing it from Wen Yu’s mouth, his heart was fiercely stabbed, as if the pain numbed his entire body. But Wen Yu wasn’t wrong. He and Su Ziluo had indeed shared a bond of fellowship back then, close as brothers. They went to war together, fought enemies on the battlefield, and their relationship was so good they could risk their lives for each other. But a battle with Dalin ten years ago had caused all the affection between them to dissipate completely along with the smoke of the battlefield.

It no longer existed!

Ten years—a full ten years. Wen Che took a deep breath, his brow showing visible displeasure. His hands clenched into tight fists within his sleeves. Meeting Wen Yu’s eyes that had completely lost their reason, he said, “Ah Yu, you know what’s in my heart, and you know how I protect the entire Wen family. Anyone who wants to harm you, I won’t let off. But before doing anything, we must stay calm. We can only act after calmly thinking of a solution. We currently have no evidence. If you do something, not only will you be implicated, but the entire Wen family will be implicated as well. Do you understand?”

He tried his utmost to persuade his younger brother.

Wen Yu seemed to also realize that what he’d just said was inappropriate, and felt somewhat guilty for a moment.

His gaze dropped. After a long while, he finally nodded slightly and said, “I was too impulsive. Elder brother, I’m sorry.”

Wen Che raised his hand and patted his arm, saying, “As long as you understand, that’s good. In any case, I won’t let your injuries be for nothing. After the matter is investigated more clearly, I will definitely drag out the person who harmed you.”

“Yes, I understand.”

The flames of war that had just been stirred up finally died down!

The two brothers also calmed their tempers, no longer bringing up this matter, and returned to their courtyard.

That evening, a banquet was set up in the manor, with Minister Li personally hosting.

But the young ladies from each family were not present.

Su Ziluo also didn’t come due to his physical inconvenience!

Those who came to attend the banquet were all wealthy or noble persons. Though Minister Li’s birthday was actually tomorrow, quite a few people had already begun presenting treasures, offering up the gifts they’d brought one by one—all rare treasures, rarely seen in the world.

But these people weren’t truly sincere about offering birthday wishes to Minister Li. There was actually another reason. After all, Minister Li was a senior official. Court officials and the Emperor all respected him greatly. Moreover, many civil and military officials were his former students and disciples. So if they curried favor with Minister Li well, it was equivalent to currying favor with many court officials, and thus they could gain a power base. Everyone naturally understood this simple logic. It was just that on the surface they all politely and sincerely came to offer birthday wishes, not mentioning a word about what they did in the shadows.

Who knew how many schemes hid behind those smiling faces.

Minister Li understood all this too!

He ordered people to accept the gifts one by one, his face full of smiles.

Not showing even half a trace of his thoughts!

Luo Yang sat beside Shu Tian. While eating the delicacies before him, he didn’t forget to ask, “By the way, where is Miss Ji?”

Shu Tian glanced at him and said, “Women are not permitted to attend the evening banquet.”

“Then what is she eating?”

“That’s none of your concern.”

Luo Yang made a dismissive sound, then grabbed a chicken leg and stuffed it into his mouth.

Suddenly someone at the席 seats shouted loudly, “Come, drink!” Looking toward the sound, they saw Li Shiyan and his friend Zhao Quanzhi drinking wine. Perhaps having drunk too much and become somewhat intoxicated, they began shouting loudly, completely disregarding etiquette. Zhao Quanzhi beside him was slightly more sober. While drinking, he pulled at Li Shiyan, urging, “Drink properly, don’t shout.”

“Drinking is such an exhilarating thing—how can I not shout? Come, keep drinking.”

Li Shiyan was drinking in a confused daze. How could he still heed Zhao Quanzhi’s urging?

His head was now dizzy and muddled. He only had one thought—drinking. All the words his father had instructed him earlier had been completely thrown to the back of his mind.

What understanding etiquette?

What reading the occasion?

What knowing propriety?

What not causing trouble?

All were thrown beyond the ninth heaven.

Everyone’s gazes turned toward him in unison. Because Li Shiyan was the heir apparent and also Minister Li’s nephew, no one said anything.

But in Minister Li’s eyes, it generated a bellyful of anger!

How could he have such a worthless nephew?

Truly disgraceful!

The elder beside him lowered his voice and said, “Master, should I have someone quickly send the young master back to rest?”

Minister Li waved his hand, snorted, and walked away flicking his sleeves.

The elder quickly called over two servants to take Li Shiyan away.

The servants responded and went over, each supporting an arm and urging Li Shiyan, “Young master, you should stop drinking. You’d better go rest quickly, right?”

“Rest? I haven’t drunk enough yet!” Li Shiyan shook both arms, throwing them off, then grabbed the wine and poured it into his mouth. His eyes were unfocused, his face flushed red, his whole person swaying badly. If Zhao Quanzhi hadn’t supported him several times from the side, he would probably have already fallen to the ground.

And Zhao Quanzhi had also drunk until he was somewhat dizzy, his vision blurry, his body also swaying badly.

“Alright, Shiyan, stop drinking. We can continue tomorrow.”

“Zhao Quanzhi, tonight we won’t return until we’re drunk!”

“You…”

Before Zhao Quanzhi could finish speaking, Li Shiyan lunged at him with the wine bottle, and both fell to the ground together.

Gasps arose from the surrounding people!

Several servants rushed up and quickly helped them up from the ground.

While Wang Huai and several others sitting nearby couldn’t help but laugh, even mocking aloud, “This joke has really gotten big. The dignified heir of Marquis Kangding, yet so incapable of holding his liquor. If word spreads, won’t people laugh?”

Though Li Shiyan was drinking in a daze, his ears weren’t deaf.

When he heard these words, he immediately became angry on the spot!

While breaking free from the two servants holding him, he pointed at the gloating Wang Huai and said drunkenly, “What did you just say? Who can’t hold their liquor? Who’s a joke?”

Seeing him so drunk, Wang Huai was extremely pleased. He directly picked up a wine cup from the table and walked toward him, raising his chin while continuing sharply and sarcastically, “I’m talking about you! Don’t you see what occasion today is? Yet you’re making trouble here. You really aren’t embarrassed, are you!”

“You…” Li Shiyan intended to lunge at him, but his body was held back.

“What, you want to hit me? I think you don’t have that ability now, do you? Don’t think that just because you’re the heir apparent you can cause drunken trouble here. Be careful or you’ll bring disaster upon yourself!”

“Believe it or not… I’ll tear your mouth apart!”

“Fine, then come do it! Come tear it!” Wang Huai rotated the wine cup in his hand, continuing to provoke.

Li Shiyan’s drunkenness seemed to clear considerably at this moment.