Chapter 470: The Dugu Family Feast (Part 1)

The killings in Xinfeng County by Li Qing’an ultimately did not reach Chang’an. For Li Heng, launching a surprise attack on the immigrants in Henan Road was nothing honorable; his goal was not to expose Li Qing’an’s cruelty. Likewise, Li Qing’an did not want the people of Chang’an to know too much about these bloody incidents. He merely wanted to intimidate the troops in Guanzhong and establish his authority through killing.

Under this unspoken suppression by the two of them, the incident in Xinfeng County seemed like a gust of wind that vanished without a trace after passing by.

Yet both Li Qing’an and Li Heng knew this matter was not over. It hadn’t happened for no reason, nor would it end without reason. It was more like a case with no solution—if the truth was uncovered, it might turn into a major scandal; if not, it would simply disappear quietly.

After returning from Xinfeng County, Li Qing’an neither went back to the military camp nor to the Qianniu Wei barracks. Instead, he headed to the Dugu residence. The Dugu family had moved to Taiping Fang over half a month earlier, yet he hadn’t visited even once—which was rather unreasonable, as it was after all his father-in-law’s home.

Coincidentally, someone from the Dugu residence sent him a message, inviting him to dinner at home that night. Li Qing’an then changed into a long robe and silk hat and went to the Dugu residence.

The newly relocated Dugu residence was located in the northwest corner of Taiping Fang. This used to be the Dugu family’s old home. Twenty years ago, they moved to a new house in Wuben Fang, leaving this old house vacant, inhabited only by a few family members responsible for guarding and cleaning it. Twenty years later, the Dugu family moved back to the old house. Since it was well-maintained, only minor repairs were needed before they could move in.

After nearly half a month of busy preparations, the Dugu residence was finally ready, and they began inviting family members over for dinner to celebrate moving back to their old home. But Lady Pei thought carefully of things. Knowing that Li Qing’an actually disliked crowds, she deliberately chose a day other than the family gathering to invite him over for dinner the next day.

The old Dugu residence covered about fifty mu of land and had been the family’s home for a hundred years. It could have been even larger, but in the eighth year of the Kaiyuan era, the Dugu family donated about twenty mu of the eastern courtyard to the neighboring Chongguo Temple, reducing this once-giant mansion to an ordinary one. Still, fifty mu was enough to make it one of the famous large residences in Chang’an.

Since Princess Zhao would be temporarily staying at the Dugu residence after returning from Anxi, the Qianniu Guard, responsible for maintaining order in Chang’an County, specially moved a battalion stationed in Yanshou Fang to Tai Ping Fang. There was an abandoned military camp right across from Chongguo Temple, and craftsmen had begun repairing it in recent days.

In the evening, Li Qing’an’s carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the Dugu residence. The residence seemed very quiet today, quite different from last time. Li Qing’an got out of the carriage, and Mingzhu, who had been waiting at the door, rushed over.

“Brother-in-law, I thought you wouldn’t come!”
“Why wouldn’t I? Do you think I’m still as unreliable as last time?”

Last time, Li Qing’an had promised to take her and Pei Wan’er on an autumn outing by Qujiang Lake, but he couldn’t make it due to some matters, leaving Mingzhu resentful. Remembering that incident, she pouted and said, “We were planning to go on the outing anyway. If you weren’t coming, you should have told us earlier. We waited for you until noon and still couldn’t go. It’s your fault, brother-in-law!”

Li Qing’an laughed and said, “It’s indeed my fault. I’ll drink three cups of wine as compensation.”
“That’s fair!”

Mingzhu smiled, her mood improving. She took Li Qing’an’s arm and led him inside. “Brother-in-law, when do you think my sister will return? It feels like I’ve been waiting for a thousand years.”

Li Qing’an really liked his young sister-in-law. Being with her made him feel relaxed and free to speak without restraint. He smiled gently and said, “You silly girl. You’ve never been to Suiye, so you should know how long the journey takes. She might not even have arrived in Ganzhou yet!”
“I’m just anxious! Brother-in-law, do you think my little nephew looks like my sister?”
“Hmm! Usually, sons resemble their mothers more.”

Li Qing’an scratched his head. He suddenly realized a serious problem—he had almost forgotten what his son looked like.
“Why do you ask?”
“Hehe, if he looks like my sister, then he must look like me! Don’t you get it?”

Mingzhu’s face turned red. She quickly pulled Li Qing’an into the small guest room. “Mom, brother-in-law is here!”

It was a family meal today. There was only one large seating couch in the small guest room, with a low table on it, enough for a dozen people. The table was filled with various delicious dishes, and fine wine was kept in an ice bucket. By the time Li Qing’an entered, everyone else had arrived as well.

Besides the Dugu couple, Mingyue’s elder brother was also there. His name was Dugu Changfeng, who had just been promoted to the governor of Xuzhou last year. He came to the capital specifically to visit his family. His wife and four-year-old son also came along.

On hand was also Uncle Pei Min; this time his two sons were not present, but his daughters, Pei Yu and Pei Wan’er, came along. Li Qing’an spotted Pei Wan’er at first glance. A few days earlier, Pei Min had subtly conveyed the family’s intention to form a marriage alliance with Li Qing’an, to whom he had agreed—this was indeed what he desired. Of course, Pei Wan’er was extremely beautiful, with a gentle and graceful demeanor, and he really liked her. But his agreement alone wasn’t enough; it was more important to get the consent of his legal wife, that is, Mingyue’s approval, before Pei Wan’er could enter the family. Especially in aristocratic marriages, it wasn’t as simple as taking concubines casually from brothels or music houses. For Pei Wan’er to enter, she needed a proper status, as a sign of respect toward the Pei family. Pei Wan’er was also aware of this. Seeing Li Qing’an looking at her, she shyly lowered her head. Lady Pei, who was nearby, had heard about it as well—the Pei family had officially informed them of this matter, so Pei Wan’er’s presence today was also at Lady Pei’s request. As a daughter of the Pei family, they naturally supported the marriage alliance with Li Qing’an. But on the other hand, she had to consider the interests of her husband’s family. She knew that the Du Gu family wasn’t happy about this, as it clearly diminished their future interests. More importantly, if Pei Wan’er married Li Qing’an, what would become of her own younger daughter? The conflict between being a daughter of an aristocratic family, a wife of the Du Gu family, and a mother of a precious child filled Lady Pei’s heart with contradictions and helplessness. Everyone observed carefully. As soon as Li Qing’an entered, his gaze fell first on Pei Wan’er. Pei Min was secretly pleased—if Li Qing’an liked Pei Wan’er, this marriage would bear fruitful results in the future. However, Du Gu Haoran was somewhat displeased. When the Pei family officially announced this marriage to the Du Gu family, discontent arose within their ranks. Of course, as a royal clan and a renowned family for centuries, the Du Gu family wasn’t so petty. As a prince, Li Qing’an had the right to take additional wives and concubines beyond his legal wife, something the Du Gu family understood well. Their dissatisfaction wasn’t directed at Li Qing’an but at the Pei family. Clearly, the Pei family had been too domineering. It should have been Li Qing’an who first informed the Du Gu family, but instead, the Pei family took the initiative and directly announced the decision, showing an attempt to impose their will, which caused dissatisfaction among the Du Gu family. Therefore, today, when Pei Min came to the Du Gu family’s banquet, Du Gu Haoran was rather indifferent toward his brother-in-law. Sensing her husband’s displeasure, Lady Pei sighed quietly and quickly stood up to introduce her sons to Li Qing’an.

“Qilang, you haven’t met him yet, have you? This is Changfeng, Mingyue’s elder brother.” After glancing at Pei Wan’er, Li Qing’an turned his attention to Du Gu Changfeng. Du Gu Changfeng’s original name was Du Gu Mingyuan, but he later changed it to Changfeng—a name with a distinctive meaning: “feng” refers to a male phoenix, while “huang” refers to a female one, so Du Gu Changfeng essentially meant “the eldest son of the Du Gu family,” yet in a subtle way. Du Gu Changfeng appeared to be around thirty years old, with a long nose, delicate eyes, and well-defined facial features, giving him a distinguished appearance. He resembled Mingyue somewhat, both looking like their mother. Li Qing’an immediately took a liking to his brother-in-law. Having served as an official for a long time, Du Gu Changfeng was a sensible man. Although Li Qing’an was his brother-in-law, he wasn’t someone he could treat casually or joke around with. Moreover, his uncle had spoken to him the previous day, mentioning that he might be transferred to the imperial court, making Li Qing’an’s attitude crucial—his brother-in-law could serve as a guiding light in his career. Before Li Qing’an could speak, Du Gu Changfeng stepped forward and bowed, saying, “Changfeng pays his respects to the great general!” Li Qing’an quickly returned the greeting with a smile, saying, “This isn’t an official banquet but a family gathering. Let’s drop the formalities. We’re all family here; let’s be casual.” His gaze then shifted to Du Gu Changfeng’s son, and he said with a smile, “So this must be Xiaozhi! I heard from Mingyue—truly, a promising young talent.” Children often act as a lubricant in interactions between adults. In awkward situations, talking to children can ease the tension. That was the case now. As Li Qing’an’s brother-in-law, he should have bowed to his elder brother-in-law, but given Du Gu Changfeng’s high status, such a gesture would have been unusual even at a family gathering. Being arrogant in front of the parents-in-law would upset them, while being too humble might be seen as insincere. By shifting the conversation to the child, the awkwardness due to formalities was naturally resolved. Du Gu Changfeng quickly pulled his son over and said with a smile, “Quick, kowtow to your uncle!” His son, Du Gu Zhi, was very obedient and smart. He immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying, “Xiaozhi kowtows to his uncle, wishing him to achieve even greater positions than his grandfather.” The child’s innocent words brought laughter to everyone in the room. pleased, Li Qing’an picked up the child, poked his little face with his beard, and said with a smile, “It’s our first meeting, so your uncle must give you a gift. Tell me, what do you want from your uncle?”

Seeing the good understanding between Li Qing’an and his grandson, Du Gu Hao Ran was also happy. The slight displeasure he had felt earlier was long forgotten, so he smiled and waved his hand, saying, “Qilang, sit down quickly! Don’t spoil the child.”

Du Gu Zhi scratched the back of his head, thinking about what he wanted. Suddenly, he shouted, “Uncle, I want a sword!”

“Good! You have ambition.”

Li Qing’an held him and sat down, smiling. “If you want a sword, you’ve come to the right person. I may not have much else, but I have plenty of swords. If you like it, I’ll give you a small bow and arrows as well.”

Du Gu Zhi clapped his hands in joy. Lady Pei picked up her grandson and said with a smile, “Qilang, this little guy has loved swords since he was young. During his coming-of-age ceremony, there were only books, pens, inkstones, and the like around him, but he ignored them all and grabbed the small wooden sword hidden under his grandfather’s books.”

Pei Min also stroked his beard and smiled, saying, “Little Zhi has the same personality as his great-grandfather—fond of martial arts rather than literature. He’ll likely become a general in the future.”

Li Qing’an patted the child’s cheek and said with a smile, “Just like his uncle, he’ll ride horses and carry swords in the future.”

Li Qing’an’s seat was carefully arranged by Lady Pei. Although he held a high status, family meals usually followed seniority rather than rank. So the three elders sat in the middle by the wall, while Li Qing’an sat at one end of the long table and Du Gu Chang Feng at the other. The three girls sat in the middle outside, along with Chang Feng’s wife, who sat next to her husband. Thus, Li Qing’an’s left side was Pei Min, his right side was Pei Wan’er, and next to Pei Wan’er was Ming Zhu.

As soon as Li Qing’an sat down, Pei Min gave Wan’er a wink, signaling her to pour wine for him. Wan’er was a bit shy. Just as she was about to get the wine pot, Ming Zhu, still thinking about Li Qing’an’s requirement to drink three cups as punishment, stretched out her arm, grabbed the pot, and said to everyone with a smile, “Just now, my brother-in-law said that since we missed our autumn outing last time, he wants us to drink three cups as punishment. Let me be the one to propose the drinking game, so he can punish us with three cups before we talk again.”

Ming Zhu had no ulterior motives. She didn’t know that Pei Wan’er had already been promised to Li Qing’an. But Lady Pei, her mother, knew. Seeing her daughter steal the spotlight from Pei Wan’er, who hesitated with her hand outstretched, feeling embarrassed, she was about to stop her when Li Qing’an said with a smile, “It was my fault last time. I promised the three girls but broke my word. So I should drink three cups as punishment—one cup for each girl as an apology.”

Ming Zhu smiled and said, “Then let the guest start first. For the first cup, Wan’er should apologize first. She’s been eager to go on the autumn outing with my brother-in-law all along.”

Pei Wan’er’s face suddenly turned red. Mingzhu had truly embarrassed her. Mingzhu filled Li Qing’an’s cup with wine. Li Qing’an picked up the cup and smiled at Pei Wan’er, saying, “I apologize for making you wait so long last time.”
“There’s no need to apologize, General!” Pei Wan’er’s face was red, and her voice was softer than a mosquito’s buzz.
“Here’s the second cup!”
Seeing that Li Qing’an drank it all at once, Mingzhu poured him another cup. At that moment, Pei Yu, who had remained silent until then, waved her hand and said, “I’ll pass. I wasn’t feeling well that day and didn’t want to go. It’s good that the General isn’t coming—it suits me just fine.”
“What’s wrong with you? You were the one who complained the most that day.”
Mingzhu didn’t understand the subtlety behind this and said angrily, “Then pour the second and third cups for me! Since I’m the villain, might as well go through with it.”
Madam Pei shook her head secretly. It seemed only her daughter didn’t realize what was going on. She felt guilty toward her daughter and said gently, “Mingzhu, let your brother-in-law eat something first! Drinking on an empty stomach makes one get drunk easily.”
Li Qing’an laughed and said, “It’s okay. I’ve already promised Mingzhu to apologize to her—how could I go back on my word?”
He let Mingzhu pour him two cups of wine in a row and drank them all at once. Then he smiled at Mingzhu and said, “This time, your brother-in-law didn’t try to trick you, did he?”
Seeing that Li Qing’an had given her enough face, Mingzhu beamed and nodded. “Mm! That’s much better. Go talk to them. We girls will just keep drinking and eating.”
At that moment, Dugu Haoran picked up his cup, stood up, and said with a smile, “Today is a family gathering. Although Mingyue couldn’t make it, she’s on her way. The day when our whole family will be together is not far away. Come! Let’s raise this cup for that day of reunion.”