Chapter 1422

In the banquet hall, there were no empty seats.

Twelve bronze bird-holding lamp stands were hung on the vermilion pillars of red wood around, arranged in order from the twelve pillars outward, symbolizing the twelve hours of a day.

More than twenty eight-foot-long purple sandalwood food tables were placed in the spacious hall.

The maids brought gilded silver pots as tall as a person's shoulder and poured fine wine into the bronze cups in front of the guests.

Suddenly hearing three beats of the Jie drum, the guests sitting in the hall looked at the twelve dancers in moon-white wide-sleeved skirts who walked into the hall from outside.

Stepping on gold-threaded shoes, the beads on the tips of the shoes jingled to the beat of the "Seven Plate Dance."

The guests tasted the fine wine in the bronze cups while admiring the graceful figures of the dancers.

From time to time, they praised the luxury of Zhang Lu's banquet to their colleagues beside them.

Governor Su Gu was diligent and honest, and required his subordinates to be equally diligent and honest.

This led to the fact that although the officials in Nanzheng City had a heart for enjoyment, they had to act according to Su Gu's honest style.

But now that Zhang Lu had come, he had broken Su Gu's previous style.

This made many officials feel that Zhang Lu was doing this intentionally.

Yesterday, Zhang Lu arrived in Nanzheng, and Governor Su Gu gave Zhang Lu a welcome banquet in the official residence. It is said that the ingredients and wine prepared made Zhang Lu very angry, and he left without drinking a single sip of wine, and his face was very ugly when he left.

The officials in Nanzheng City were already paying attention to this new official, Zhang Lu, who was trusted by Governor Liu Yan, so this kind of thing naturally spread throughout Nanzheng during the day today.

As the "Seven Plate Dance" ended, the twelve dancers slowly retreated to the screens behind the many officials and then left the hall.

Sitting in the main seat, wearing a brand-new official robe with peacock feathers woven into the warp and weft, and red phoenix patterns appearing in the movement, he straightened his waist and held a wine cup to look at the hall.

Except for the first position on the lower left, which was vacant, the rest of the guests had all arrived.

Zhang Lu gave a cold laugh and said with slight mockery: "It seems the Governor is busy with official business and should have no time to attend my night banquet."

The hall was silent.

Everyone could hear the dissatisfaction in Zhang Lu's words.

However, at this moment, a report from outside the hall brought the news of Su Gu's late arrival into the hall.

Everyone looked at Su Gu, who was walking in from outside the hall.

Su Gu, who came to the hall, saw that the night banquet had already begun, but there was not much embarrassment.

Instead, he smiled slightly at Zhang Lu and bowed: "Sorry, Lord Zhang, this official just returned to the city from outside the city not long ago, so I am a bit late."

"Haha."

Zhang Lu laughed and shook his head: "Not late, not late, Governor Su came just in time. Someone, hurry up and give Governor Su a seat."

Zhang Lu ordered the maids to entertain Su Gu.

As for Zhao Song and Chen Diao, who followed Su Gu, they could only sit at the small table behind Su Gu.

"Just talking about Governor Su, and Governor Su arrived," Zhang Lu said, looking at Su Gu who had taken his seat with a smile: "Everyone look, this official was right, Governor Su really just returned from outside the city, and didn't even have time to change his official uniform."

Knowing that today was Zhang Lu's night banquet, the guests who came were all dressed in brocade and finery.

Only Su Gu was in a simple official robe, which had already been washed until it was slightly faded, and even carried some dust on his body, which was clearly out of place with everyone in the hall at this time.

"Hehe."

Su Gu gave a self-deprecating smile and said: "Let you see a joke, Lord Zhang. It is not that this official did not change clothes, but that I only have this one official robe. On the contrary, your official robe, Lord Zhang... is truly gorgeous, which really makes this official very envious."

"Haha, when I came to Hanzhong Commandery, I heard that Governor Su was upright and honest. Now that I see it, it is really so. Even this official robe has been washed until it is faded. It seems that this official will have to learn more from Governor Su in the future."

Zhang Lu's banquet tonight was intended for a purpose.

So when he spoke, mocking Su Gu seemed a bit unscrupulous.

If it were normal times, one in charge of government and one in charge of military, even if the two were not on good terms, they would still have to maintain a facade.

But today, Zhang Lu's words clearly did not give Su Gu any face at all.

And Su Gu was not stupid, naturally hearing the mockery in Zhang Lu's words.

Su Gu did not care about Zhang Lu's opinion, nor did he care about Zhang Lu's attitude.

But Su Gu was not a clay figure.

Zhang Lu ridiculed him in front of so many people. If he said nothing, how could he manage his subordinates in the future?

Therefore, just as Zhang Lu's voice fell.

Su Gu had already picked up the bronze gilded wine cup in front of him.

Of course, Su Gu did not drink, but looked at the craftsmanship of the bronze gilded wine cup in his hand.

After turning it twice in his hand, Su Gu sighed in admiration: "This bronze gilded wine cup is truly exquisite. This official has only seen it in the Luoyang Imperial Palace."

Zhang Lu did not understand what Su Gu meant, only taking it as a compliment, so he said with a smile:

"That is natural. Each of these bronze wine cups is worth a hundred gold, not for ordinary people to use, nor for ordinary people to see."

This was a veiled insult that Su Gu had not seen the world.

Su Gu still did not change his expression.

But Zhao Song and Chen Diao, who were sitting behind Su Gu, were already full of anger.

Su Gu smiled while putting down the wine cup in his hand, then looked at the delicacies on the table and continued: "Lord Zhang's night banquet today, these delicacies, I am afraid they are also worth a lot."

The proud expression on Zhang Lu's face explained everything.

"This official came to Hanzhong Commandery to entertain many colleagues, so naturally I must attach great importance to it. These delicacies are naturally carefully selected top-grade ingredients."

"Even this fine wine is a tribute from the Western Regions, aged for many years, to highlight the importance this official attaches to it."

These words of Zhang Lu were again a veiled insult to the shabbiness of the welcome banquet Su Gu prepared last night.

With the conversation reaching this point, Su Gu looked at Zhang Lu and asked: "This official would like to ask, what is your annual salary, Lord Zhang?"

"If you want to prepare this night banquet, or decorate this gorgeous mansion, and these exquisite wine sets and delicacies, how much will it cost?"

"I don't know if you know a saying, Lord Zhang."

As Su Gu said this, the officials in the hall already felt that something was wrong.

Zhang Lu ridiculed Su Gu so much, but Su Gu had not even fought back.

Although Su Gu was upright, honest, and diligent.