Chapter 437: The Best in the South

The hundred-year birthday banquet of Li Rui, Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, General of Zhenshan, and Earl of Marquis Pingyuan, naturally could not have a low standard.

Even if Li Rui didn't have the intention to feast guests.

But the powerful in Qinghe City heard about it, and quite a few took the initiative to come to congratulate.

For a time, guests were like clouds in front of the General's Mansion.

Regarding this.

Li Rui's original words were to accept everyone.

Since they came, treat them as guests; since the hundred-year banquet was already held, if the guests were turned away, it would be lacking in etiquette and appear stingy.

He now had the confidence.

And compared to other Third-Rank high officials, his banquet standard really couldn't be considered too high.

Just past the Si hour.

The dignitaries who came to wish him a long life filed in one after another, congratulating with smiles.

Liang He and the four senior and junior brothers welcomed guests at the door.

Now Li Rui's four disciples had all made quite a name for themselves in Qinghe.

And all were in the Sixth-Rank realm.

Not to mention Below Tongxuan, at least they would be masters of the Innate Realm in the future.

Those guests saw this and were all envious.

Everyone praised Li Rui for his good eye.

And they had heard that Li Rui accepted disciples without looking at talent, just two words: nostalgia.

The four disciples were all connections made before they had developed.

It was passed down as a beautiful story in Qinghe.

Most guests visited Li Rui, exchanged a few pleasantries, and were led to the courtyard by Liang He and the others.

Only a few familiar people would stay.

"Brother Li, congratulations, congratulations."

Lin Lang brought Lin Wan to the mansion first.

Li Rui looked at the increasingly high-spirited Lin Lang and smiled: "Brother Lin's style is indeed more prosperous than before."

Lin Lang laughed:

"Brother Li, don't make fun of me; often hear that brother's immortal arts are complete, living for several hundred years is no problem, which makes me envious."

There was truly envy in his eyes.

Limited by talent, he was only in the Innate Realm.

He knew his own situation; in this life, if there were no great fortune, it was almost impossible to step into Below Tongxuan.

As for switching to the immortal path, he had even less talent.

But Li Rui was different; don't look at the hundred-year banquet now, but in his long life, it was just the beginning.

How could he not be envious?

Li Rui: "Brother Lin, wealth nourishes people; I'm waiting for your birthday banquet."

Lin Lang's laughter was even louder.

Just as the two were talking.

Heard footsteps outside the door again, and then heard Nie Nie Siming's bold voice: "Brother Li."

The words had just arrived.

Saw Nie Nie Siming, Yuan Xiong, and several people from Ning Ning Zhongtian who rushed from Mount Changqing Peak.

Li Rui smiled more: "Sit, sit, all are our own brothers."

Several people congratulated.

Not only that, everyone brought congratulatory gifts.

Just the aura emitted showed it was extremely extraordinary.

Afterward.

Quite a few dignitaries in the city, and even famous figures from Yunzhou and the Southern Region, came to congratulate.

Those who came to watch the fun outside Annan Town were envious.

These people were all big figures that countless people looked up to.

And today, they all traveled thousands of miles to congratulate Li Rui on his birthday.

Extraordinary!

Especially those old Qinghe people, who felt honored.

Who didn't know.

Li Rui was a native of Qinghe.

This gave Qinghe a big face!

Who could have thought that Qinghe, such a small pond, could raise a dragon like Li Rui.

How could they not be excited?

A group of dignitaries chatted in groups of three or five in the Li mansion; today's birthday banquet was not only an opportunity to make friends with Li Rui but also an excellent time for them to make friends with all kinds of powerful people.

Those who could come to congratulate were all people who had become refined in their respective forces.

Naturally, they would not miss it.

Just as a group of people were talking enthusiastically.

Saw a middle-aged man wearing a scarlet robe with a tiger-shaped patch on his chest walk into the Li mansion.

In the whole of Qinghe, only one person dared to dress like this.

Provincial Military Commander, Zhou Zhou Dinghai!

Following Zhou Zhou Dinghai were a group of generals from Annan Town, and Regional Commander Xue Gui was also among them.

The entire Qinghe military came!

This scene could not be said to be small.

Those dignitaries saw this scene and were secretly surprised.

Regional Commander Xue Gui brought Annan Town officers to congratulate, that was normal, after all, he was on the same level as Li Rui, and Li Rui was also an old man of Annan Town.

But Provincial Military Commander Zhou Zhou Dinghai came in person.

That was an existence that raised the level!

What kind of person was Zhou Zhou Dinghai?

That was a Second-Rank Provincial Military Commander.

In terms of real power, he could already be ranked in the top fifteen of the entire Yu Kingdom imperial court!

Such a big figure actually took the initiative to congratulate Li Rui, a Third-Rank.

What an honor!

One had to know, even with the title of Earl of Marquis Pingyuan, it wouldn't be enough to let such a big boss come in person.

It could only be because of his personal friendship with Zhou Zhou Dinghai.

Hearing that Zhou Zhou Dinghai came, Li Rui didn't sit in the hall anymore.

It was his birthday banquet, but Zhou Zhou Dinghai was a superior, so the etiquette that should be there could not be less.

Walking out of the hall.

Saw Zhou Zhou Dinghai laughing: "Master Li, congratulations."

Li Rui smiled lightly and personally led Zhou Zhou Dinghai and his group to sit in the hall.

"Master Zhou is joking, it's just the intention of a few disciples."

The Yu Kingdom had always had the custom of a hundred-year banquet.

Of course, it was basically for strong people with high realms.

After all, it was really difficult for ordinary people to live to this age.

A hundred years, even for master martial artists, was a long time; generally speaking, the younger generation would handle it, especially some large clans and sects, who attached even more importance to this matter.

The hundred-year banquet was a great opportunity to make friends with dignitaries and show strength.

Although Zhou Zhou Dinghai's status was more expensive, he didn't have the intention to steal Li Rui's limelight as the birthday star.

After chatting with Li Rui in the hall for about a quarter of an hour, he took the initiative to leave.

Li Rui understood.

Zhou Zhou Dinghai was deliberately raising his face.

Leaving now was because he didn't want to steal Li Rui's limelight.

The reason Zhou Zhou Dinghai was so delicate was naturally because Li Rui had made great contributions; although the two were not in the same camp, Li Rui was a great help to Zhou Zhou Dinghai.

This was also the reason he came to congratulate today.

But Zhou Zhou Dinghai's appearance made Li Rui's status in the hearts of those dignitaries who came to congratulate rise by several levels.

Knowing a big boss was certainly powerful, but being able to let a superior like Zhou Zhou Dinghai come out in person was the real ability.

Quite a few people originally intended to leave.

Seeing Zhou Zhou Dinghai appear, they turned back again.

Zhou Zhou Dinghai's arrival brought the hundred-year banquet to its peak.

But afterward.

The arrival of people from the capital and the Wu Court brought the banquet to another height.

"Vice Minister of Rites, Lin Hai, congratulates Master Li on his fortune like the East Sea!"

"Censorate of the Wu Kingdom, Censor Sang Kong congratulates!"

Congratulatory gifts sent from the capital and the Wu Court were sent one after another.

Making everyone present know what it meant to have magical powers.

Everyone knew that Li Rui had eyes and ears everywhere.

But it wasn't until today that they had a direct feeling.

Not to mention the dozen Third-Rank high officials from the capital sending gifts, actually having so many big officials from the Wu Court congratulating him.

Eating from both countries!

But what truly shocked people was still to come.

About past noon.

Someone came from the capital again.

Just as everyone was guessing which big official it would be, they heard the young man congratulate: "His Highness the Prince of Qi, wishes Master Li a long life!"

This time.

Everyone was completely unsettled.

Officials congratulating was one thing.

A prince actually came to congratulate, which gradually started to be outrageous.

Li Rui looked at the young man who rushed to Qinghe from the Fourth Prince's mansion.

Even he was a bit surprised.

But soon he felt relieved.

If he hadn't guessed wrong, it should be the work of that woman Xia Yun.

When the Fourth Prince sent someone.

The many dignitaries in the courtyard knew that among the people Li Rui knew, they belonged to the group that was neither powerful nor expensive.

But... soon they discovered that the matter was far from as simple as they imagined.

Soon.

Someone came from the capital again.

It was a young man wearing a Daoist priest's robe.

"Gu Gu Changsheng of the Imperial Observatory, Jiang Jiang Linxian congratulates Master Li on his longevity!"

Hearing that the Director and Deputy Director of the Imperial Observatory also came to congratulate.

Everyone was not surprised.

After all, who in the Yu Kingdom didn't know that Li Rui was a guest of the Wenxian Tower, was Gu Gu Changsheng's own person, and called Jiang Jiang Linxian a brother.

But a First-Rank Land Immortal calling someone to congratulate.

This was undoubtedly a heaven-defying honor.

But Li Rui received such honor twice today.

Annan Heir Yuan An walked into the courtyard.

"Master, I came to congratulate on behalf of my father!"

Master's father?!

Those who could come here were all well-informed people; how could they not recognize that the noble young man in front of them was the only son of Annan Marquis Yuan Yuan Dingting, the future little Marquis who was nailed down.

The only son of the Military Saint Yuan Yuan Dingting came to congratulate in person.

How much face was this!

And they heard just now that Yuan An didn't say Master Li, but Master.

These two words were the truly extraordinary ones.

Heir's Master!

It was not an exaggeration to say it was the most prominent in the Southern Region.

Li Rui looked at Yuan An and smiled helplessly: "Heir, really don't need to call me Master, I can't afford it."

Yuan An had a flash of cunning in his eyes: "Father and Mother said, I worshiped when I was young, so that is my Master."

Li Rui was dumbfounded.

He really couldn't understand why Yuan An, such a noble heir who was even comparable to a prince, chose him, such an old man, to be his master.

Yuan An's arrival brought the atmosphere to the peak.

Just when everyone thought there would be no more surprises.

Actually saw a eunuch walk into the Annan Town camp, and arrived at the Annan Town camp.

That eunuch walked straight into the Li mansion.

Li Rui went out to welcome him in person again.

"Eunuch Zheng."

That's right, this person was the great eunuch Eunuch Zheng who led him to meet the Emperor in the palace back then.

Eunuch Zheng looked at Li Rui with a smile:

"Master Li, haven't seen you for many years, His Majesty ordered the old slave to come to congratulate Master Li on his hundredth birthday; His Majesty said, a family that accumulates goodness must have surplus joy, Li Rui has become a talent in his old age, he is the best in the South."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 438 =====