Robes of dark black, embroidered with golden lion on the shoulders, accentuated her cold and exquisitely beautiful Face.
Coupled with three burly men who clearly weren't to be trifled with.
This wasn't like attending a banquet; it looked more like they were here to crash the party.
The bustling hall, previously filled with flattery, was now utterly silent.
Everyone's gaze converged on that slender figure.
Jiang Yuechu's gaze swept indifferently across the hall of cowering merchants and gentry, finally resting on the main seat.
The white-haired old monk also looked over at this moment.
Their eyes met.
Neither of them spoke, and the others dared not utter a sound.
After a long while.
The corpulent salt merchant, emboldened by a few drinks, suddenly slammed the table and stood up, pointing at Jiang Yuechu and shouting sternly, "With Great Master present, you, a mere Junior, dare to arrive so late and show no respect! Why aren't you quickly stepping forward to apologize to Great Master!"
As soon as he finished speaking.
Chen Tong's eyes flashed with fierce light, his hand already on the hilt of his saber, and he spoke chillingly.
"Do you want to die?"
The salt merchant, intimidated by his Evil Qi, shivered in fear, his legs feeling weak, but he still stiffened his neck.
"You... you Demon Suppression Division, do you intend to commit murder in public?!"
"Amitabha."
No Abstinence Monk, with his big belly, staggered out. He smiled and performed a Buddhist 禮 to the salt merchant, "This patron, what you said is wrong."
"Great Master is an enlightened monk, with pure senses and empty attachments. How could he care about such mundane etiquette? Your boisterousness, on the contrary, is inferior and disturbs Great Master's tranquility."
He paused, then glanced at Forgetting Dust in the main seat, the smile on his Face growing wider.
"Besides, I've never heard that the Buddha needs you chatterboxes to stand up for him."
"You!"
The salt merchant's Face turned crimson, choked by his words, yet he couldn't find anything to retort with.
Just then, another cold and arrogant voice rang out.
"As a Sixth-Rank Langjiang of the Demon Suppression Division, with an official position, I don't even need to bow to the Regional Governor of Liangzhou."
Liu Ke, with his hand on his longsword, slowly stepped forward, "What are you, that you dare to shout at an imperial official here?"
Three distinct pressures simultaneously bore down on the salt merchant.
His Face turned pale, sweat dripped from his temples, and he couldn't utter another word.
The guests in the hall didn't even dare to breathe heavily.
No one had expected that before the Dragon-Slaying Fairy even spoke, her three subordinates would be so... "Everyone, everyone, harmony brings wealth, harmony brings wealth!"
Seeing the situation about to spiral out of control, Qian Hong quickly stood up, his Face wreathed in smiles, trying to smooth things over.
He hurried to Jiang Yuechu, bowing deeply, his posture extremely humble.
"Lord Jiang's presence truly honors our humble abode. Quickly, quickly, please take a seat!"
With that, he led Jiang Yuechu to an empty seat beside the main table.
That seat had long been prepared.
Directly opposite the old monk Forgetting Dust.
Jiang Yuechu didn't stand on ceremony and sat down directly.
Chen Tong and the other two stood silently behind her, facing off against the Young Monk standing behind the old monk.
In the main seat, Forgetting Dust's hand, which had been twirling prayer beads, slowly stopped.
"I had heard of patron's great name before, and now seeing it, it is indeed well-deserved... It's just a pity that patron's Killing Intent is a bit heavy."
Jiang Yuechu chuckled, "We of the Demon Suppression Division uphold the law and slay demons. If our hands weren't stained with Killing Intent, wouldn't the people of this city sleep uneasily?"
"On the other hand, Great Master, as a renunciate with pure senses, can see through the Killing Intent beneath my skin with a single glance. It seems you have quite some experience with matters of killing and strife?"
"Presumptuous!"
The Young Monk behind Forgetting Dust shouted angrily, "How dare you be so rude to Master!"
Jiang Yuechu's gaze shifted from the old monk's Face to the Young Monk, her expression calm.
"Do you have a say here?"
"You..."
The Young Monk's Face flushed red.
"Hmph."
A cold snort emanated from the old monk's nostrils.
The Young Monk's Face turned pale, and he quickly lowered his head, stopped speaking, and retreated behind the old monk.
Qian Hong felt bitter in his heart at the sight.
Damn it, when immortals fight, Mortals suffer. It was just an invitation to dinner, why is there so much trouble!
Yet, he still put on a smiling Face and began to organize.
"Eat, eat, come on, everyone, pick up your chopsticks!"
Following Qian Hong's call, everyone in the hall seemed to awaken from a dream, quickly resuming their previous merrymaking of exchanging toasts.
As if the tense scene just now had never happened.
However, no one dared to look at Jiang Yuechu again, nor did anyone dare to step forward to offer a toast or chat.
What a joke?
If they couldn't provoke her, couldn't they at least avoid her?
With this thought in mind, everyone tacitly treated her as air, redirecting all their enthusiasm back to Forgetting Dust in the main seat.
At this moment, Qian Shaoyou in the corner moved.
Amidst the surprised or horrified gazes of the guests, he actually carried a wine pot and walked straight towards Jiang Yuechu's table.
Someone, unknowingly, gasped.
No, whose reckless brat is this again?
Still daring to offer a toast to this female fiend?
Qian Boyong's Face instantly changed, and the smile on Qian Hong's Face also froze.
Qian Shaoyou, however, was completely oblivious. With a smile he thought was dashing, he walked to the table, picked up the wine pot, and was about to pour wine for Jiang Yuechu.
"Miss Jiang, I am Qian Shaoyou. I have always admired your demeanor. To meet you today is a stroke of great fortune. I specially came to offer you a toast!"
However.
Jiang Yuechu slowly raised her eyelids and looked sideways.
"Are you worthy?"
"…"
Qian Shaoyou's smile completely froze.
The entire hall of guests erupted in chatter.
So arrogant! So presumptuous!
The people of the Demon Suppression Division are truly too disrespectful!
Qian Hong's Face instantly darkened, and he was so enraged he nearly fainted.
On one hand, he wished he could strangle his good-for-nothing son on the spot.
At a time like this, with a person like that, is she someone you can provoke?
Isn't it chaotic enough already?
On the other hand, this person surnamed Jiang was simply too arrogant!
Were those words merely a slap to Qian Shaoyou's Face?
This was clearly a slap to the Qian Family's Face!
But no matter how resentful he was in his heart, he could only endure it at this moment.
He cupped his hands towards Jiang Yuechu, his voice hoarse.
"My unruly son has offended Lord Jiang. As his father, I apologize on his behalf. This toast, my son and I will offer to Lord, I wonder if Lord can give my Qian Family some Face?"
Jiang Yuechu slowly sighed.
"You, as a father, truly went to great lengths. Ah, it's a good thing I'm kind-hearted."
Qian Hong felt relieved upon hearing this, but before he could speak.
"It's just that I don't usually drink alcohol."
She turned to Qian Shaoyou, her eyes curving into a smile.
"How about this, I'll personally feed you, alright?"