Chapter 185 – Family Dinner (1/2)

The Divine General’s estate was very quiet. Within and without the room, apart from the light sound of footsteps and the brushing of fabric upon fabric from clothing, nothing else could be heard, even coughs were absent, this was probably what could be called a household’s “style”.

The stone that was laid upon the path were as such and even the trees within the courtyard were the same.

Thick and straight, spaced at a fair distance, yet between the branches, there wasn’t a lot of green foliage; silent, sombre and cold.

Chen Chang Sheng sat by the side of the table, seeing the porcelain tableware before him that had a considerable feel of age, he didn’t know what he should say – from entering the estate till now, there had yet to be any meaningful discourse.

Xu Shi Ji and his wife sat on the main seats, while he sat in a position reserved for guests, Granny Hua stood by one side quietly and reservedly, ready to attend; the one serving the dishes was actually that haughty and delicate to the extreme girl, Shuang’er.

Within the room, were these five people, yet outside of the room, the amount of servants was numerous; several middle-aged stewardesses with cold expressions were glaring at the surroundings; maids would hold table trays and continuously head in and out, as their dresses crossed the high doorsill, it was all rather effortless.

The table trays those maids were holding contained lime juice, contained cold and hot wet towels and contained ivory chopsticks alongside small tiger chopstick rests carved from mahogany; in comparison, trays that held food dishes were far fewer in number.

Tonight’s dinner at the Divine General’s estate was relatively simple, there was smoked pork belly and pea shoots blanched in superior broth, the dishes were delicious, yet very standard, without the rare and precious sea fish commonly seen in banquets for guests by dignitaries in the Capital, neither was there any soup simmered from the marrow of yao beasts, even the amount of dishes were very few.

Calling it a family dinner; it truly was a standard family dinner.

Chen Chang Sheng mostly understood the reason for Xu Mansion in presenting this kind of posture, and could only use silence in reply, his head was lowered as he ate, yet he noticed that the dinner at Xu Mansion, apart from not having rare fowls, regular poultry was also absent, and even the commonly seen duck gizzard sauce was missing from the tens of condiment sauces present.

He was slightly curious, but didn’t inquire.

Once the dishes had all been served, Madam Xu began to converse with him, as with this family dinner, the conversation revolved around monotonous topics, yet didn’t touch upon obstinacy from the past.

And thus, a meal drably reached its end, the Divine General’s estate remained as quiet as it had been previously.

Madam Xu gave Xu Shi Ji a glance, raising the wine pot and filling Chen Chang Sheng’s cup to the brim.

This was Chen Chang Sheng’s second cup of wine for the night.

He gave a word of gratitude.

Xu Shi Ji raised his cup, looked at Chen Chang Sheng, then emptied it.

Chen Chang Sheng also emptied his cup.

Madam Xu poured wine.

Xu Shi Ji once again drank it.

Chen Chang Sheng followed suit.

Madam Xu once again poured the wine.

Xu Shi Ji held his wine cup, looked at Chen Chang Sheng and said, expressionlessly: “I must admit, from beginning to end, I had never felt any benevolence towards you.”

Chen Chang Sheng remained silent, not saying anything.

Xu Shi Ji indifferently said: “But everyone would have to admit, I did not bear you any malice, otherwise, you would have had no chance of continuing to remain alive to this point in the Capital, being able to sit opposite me.”