On the night when Shen Chen was treated to a banquet by the four major families, half of the officials from Rongcheng arrived. The banquet was filled with delicacies from land and sea, and the fragrance of flowers filled the whole city. The scene was extremely spectacular.
Even so, the people from the four families still felt that it was not very decent. Master Chen looked at Shen Chen apologetically, and picked up the wine glass with a smile: "Please forgive me, sir, something went wrong in the sacrifice to Mazu, and we didn't have time to prepare everything. It was really simple."
Too simple
Shen Chen laughed, shook his head and sighed: "You are too kind, too kind. Such a high-level reception is a gift to me. How can you say it is too simple?"
During the banquet, Master Chen raised his glass and sincerely toasted to Shen Chen from a distance: "Your Excellency has your own ideas, and we will definitely serve you at your service!"
Most of the benefits this time went to the Xu family. If the Xu family took it, it also went to him. He had made up his mind to marry into the Xu family. In this case, Shen Chen's arrangement was simply a pleasant surprise to them, so he naturally liked Shen Chen no matter how he looked at him.
Shen Chen smiled, picked up the cup and was about to drink, but suddenly stopped.
After a moment, he smiled and drank the wine in the glass as if nothing had happened. Then he took the glass and signaled to Master Chen that he had finished drinking.
During this time, he glanced at everyone on the field calmly.
There was an aphrodisiac in the wine. Because he had followed Young Master Lin for a long time, he had often seen all kinds of strange things and drugs. Therefore, he was very familiar with these things used to drag officials into trouble and could smell them out at once.
No wonder there are so many flowers arranged in the venue. No wonder it is not the season yet, but there are clusters of jasmine flowers in vases on the tables.
Jasmine mixed with this aphrodisiac, I'm afraid no one can resist the temptation.
Who used this thing on him
He was so courteous to Master Chen that everyone turned their eyes to him, feeling envious and jealous. Master Chen himself did not expect Shen Chen to give him such face, his face flushed red for a moment, and he quickly drank up the wine in the glass.
Not everyone is envious and jealous.
Some people's performance is meaningful.
Shen Chen read it once and understood what was going on. He smiled as he listened to the four major families competing to say that they had land that could be used for the construction of the Maritime Customs Office. He smiled and nodded again: "There is no rush for this matter. We still need to see the opinions of all parties."
After he finished speaking, he looked at Mr. Xu again and said, "If you have any insights, you can tell Mr. Xu first. I have said that the Xu family will serve as the deputy envoy of the Maritime Customs in the future."
Deputy envoy!
Not only did they directly participate in the affairs of the Maritime Customs with the Xu family, and not only did they hand over the tasks of receiving envoys and transporting tribute to the Xu family, they even directly appointed them as deputy envoys and gave them official status!
Why did the Xu family always rank last? Because they couldn't produce an official.
Although they also spent money everywhere to sponsor students and candidates for the imperial examination, the other three of the four great families did the same. Not only that, they also had people in their own families holding high positions, which were the real resources, and therefore they were able to suppress the Xu family.
But now it’s different. Shen Chen immediately gave the Xu family the job of deputy envoy. The chief envoy is of the fourth rank, and the deputy envoy is of the junior fourth rank.
Liu Biping was the governor of a place, a frontier official, and only a minister of the second rank. He had struggled for so many years, and was promoted by the whole Liu family.
The Xu family easily got a fourth-rank position.
Moreover, the overall transport of ships, after all, means that there is a chance to accompany diplomatic missions and visits to Beijing, which is simply a bridge to heaven.
Shen Chen gave it away so easily!
Everyone couldn't help but change color, even Liu Jia, who had been calm all along, couldn't help but lose his composure for a moment.
The smile on Mr. Xu's face could not be concealed at all, and he thanked Shen Chen happily.
Shen Chen finished the glass of wine with a smile, and then he seemed to be a little drunk. He held his head with his hands for a while, then bowed his hands apologetically: "I am drunk, and if I drink any more, I am afraid I will lose my manners. I have to leave now."
He stood up, waved to Han Bo, and asked to go back to the inn.
But everyone hurriedly stood up to try to stop him.
Everyone seemed anxious, and everyone seemed to be saying something reasonable. It was hard to tell who had drugged his wine with ulterior motives.
Shen Chen frowned and shook his head: "I really shouldn't drink anymore..."
"But there's singing and dancing next!" Someone said hurriedly, "Wan Jin has invited the courtesan Rong from Zhejiang Tingyun Tower. Not everyone can invite Rong..."
Madam Rong was the descendant of a criminal and was sent to the Music Bureau. Later, she was released from the imperial court due to the grace of God. However, her in-laws had already broken off the engagement with her by then. She had nowhere to go, so she simply went to Zhejiang.
She was the daughter of a high-ranking official. She was beautiful, well-mannered, and proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She was different from ordinary girls and ladies. Even the food she ate had a special flavor. Her value soared in a short time, and later she became a well-known courtesan whose smile was worth ten thousand gold.
These people really put a lot of effort into inviting her.
Then someone else coughed and said, "Yes, it's late at night. After something like that happened, I heard that many refugees appeared outside our city. For your safety, you should not go back to the posthouse late at night. Why don't you stay here for a night? This is the Xu family's villa. It is rumored that it was the palace of the prince of the previous dynasty. Everywhere is unique and magnificent. I think it is worthy of living here. It will not be a disgrace to your status."
Shen Chen seemed to be really dizzy, and his face was flushed.
Han Bo looked at him strangely, and seeing that she was indeed drunk, he thought again and again, and after repeated persuasion from Xu Dashanren and others, he finally agreed.
Mr. Xu, a kind man, did not dare to be negligent. Now that Shen Chen had saved their Xu family and promised to bring them such a huge benefit, he wanted to worship Shen Chen and serve him with three incense sticks a day.
Since Shen Chen wanted to live there, he personally arranged the best courtyard for him and hurriedly arranged for maids to serve him.
Although Shen Chen has no wife or concubine yet, he is a man after all. As a man, how can he not love beauty? Moreover, even if he doesn't love her, he has to arrange it first to see what Shen Chen wants. It is Shen Chen's decision whether to do it or not, but things that should be done should be done properly.
After he finished the arrangements, he let out a long sigh, feeling happy, and couldn't help but smile all over his face.
He laughed happily. The chairman next to him didn't say anything. The head of the Liu family, who was watching Shen Chen leave, also showed a barely perceptible sneer.
Laugh, laugh.
The happier they laugh now, the harder they will fall later.