Chapter 2317

Chapter 2317: The Banquet Begins

"It's too heavy. If I wear that, I won't be able to eat. When I wore a xiapi (ceremonial cape) before, I didn't eat properly all day. Today is a continuous banquet. Are you not letting me eat? A Tang suit is better. It’s festive and light." Zhu Yanyi said with a smile.

"That’s true. Let’s go down and arrange the guests." Although it wasn’t a wedding, they wanted their husbands to meet more clan members. So, the three siblings were responsible for seating the guests.

Zhu Zhibin was also involved, as he and Nuan Nuan would get engaged once they returned to the capital.

The three siblings arranged the guests. Fortunately, the Zhu family estate was large enough. They set up seventy tables for the continuous banquet, so there was no worry about people going hungry.

"The continuous banquet starts at ten in the morning and lasts until midnight. Anyone who comes gets food," Zhu Zhibin said to Nuan Nuan. "It might be tiring at first. If you get tired, go rest. Arranging a continuous banquet isn’t that hard."

Nuan Nuan smiled gently. "I remember. Don’t worry. If I’m really tired, I’ll go rest. I won’t push myself."

"Sister, look at Dou Miao. She’s really grown up now. She knows how to care for her wife," Zhu Yanyi said teasingly to Zhu Yanli.

Zhu Yanli looked sentimental. "Isn’t it? I still remember when Dou Miao was born. Twenty years have passed in a blink."

"Eldest Sister, Sister, can you stop being sentimental all day? Besides, I’m twenty, not two," Zhu Zhibin protested. He had resisted his sisters’ teasing countless times, but always lost. Even though he was the youngest professor with top-tier intelligence, he had no status at home.

"Don’t worry. After you and Nuan Nuan marry, Eldest Sister and I won’t tease you. We need to give you some face. If we tease you when your children are born, you’ll lose face," Zhu Yanyi said with little sincerity.

"Grandpa is here. I’ll go greet him." Zhu Zhibin felt he couldn’t stay there. He saw Xie Zhong and Qi Qiao’er arriving with Xie Shengyu’s family of four, so he went to welcome them.

Zhu Zhibin greeted Xie Zhong. "Grandpa, Grandma, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, you’re here?"

Xie Zhong nodded, looked at the number of tables, and said, "You don’t need to worry about us. Your family will be busy all day. We’ll find seats ourselves."

Zhu Zhibin nodded. "It’s lucky it’s sunny and windless today. It’s comfortable outdoors. Grandpa, do you want to sit outside or inside?"

"Outside. I want to enjoy the sun," Xie Zhong said with a smile.

"Old Xie, come sit with us." This was Old Zhan, sitting at a nearby table with Old Chun, Old Zhang, and others. Xie Zhong didn’t hesitate and joined them. "Fine. I’ll sit with you old fellows."

Cheng Baokun and Chen Ailian arrived next, along with Cheng Xu’s couple and Cheng Chen.

Zhu Yanyi went to greet them. "Godfather, Godmother, Brother Cheng Xu, Sister-in-law, Brother Cheng Chen, you’re here."

"It’s your family’s good day. We naturally had to come," Chen Ailian said with a smile, looking around. "Where is your mother?"

"She’s in the storage room checking the return gifts," Zhu Yanyi said with a smile.

"I’ll go find Xin Lian. You find seats. I’ll join you later," Chen Ailian said to Cheng Baokun.

Cheng Baokun said, "I’ll go find Shun Yao. It’s been a long time since we talked." He left without waiting for Cheng Xu and the others.

Zhu Yanyi arranged Cheng Xu’s couple and Cheng Chen at a table indoors. Since they were all young and knew each other, it was better for them to sit together.

Next, the Qi family arrived. Qi Jizong brought everyone he could. Since it was the first lunar month, a time for visiting relatives, and everyone was on holiday, they all came.

Qi Jizong sat with Xie Zhong’s group. Others found suitable tables, with the young ones sitting together.

As time passed, more Zhu clan members and villagers arrived.

Zhu Yanyi and the others greeted guests until about one in the afternoon. Then they could leave, as most people had arrived by then.

The benefit of a continuous banquet was that whoever arrived first could eat first. There was no need to wait.

After eating, people could go back and return when hungry. The food was available until midnight, so there was no need to worry.

Zhu Yanyi and the others only needed to greet the first round of guests. They didn’t need to manage subsequent visits.

Of course, those leaving after eating could receive a gift at the door. This was a gift from the Zhu family.

"Everyone in the village came today, except for Broken Zhang," Zhu Shun Yao said, taking a break from the ongoing banquet.

Zhu Yanyi noticed this too. "She’s probably too embarrassed to come." Not everyone had thick skin. Especially since she had stolen their ginseng, she likely felt ashamed.

"But we don’t have any major conflicts with Broken Zhang. Why wouldn’t he come?" Zhu Shun Yao was confused.

Zhu Yanyi coughed. "Don’t ask me. I don’t know. Maybe it’s because of the ginseng. Her skin isn’t thick enough. If you’re worried, send someone to check on her. But honestly, I don’t like her or her daughter. Broken Zhang isn’t the same as before. I don’t see anything good in her now."

"Never mind. As you said, we have no relation to him. There’s no reason to care too much," Zhu Shun Yao filed it away without dwelling.

Just then, a police car passed by with sirens wailing.

Before Zhu Shun Yao could speak, Yan Aohan said, "Tian Du, go check. What’s happening?" A police car during the New Year likely meant an incident.

Pei Tiandu agreed and left. He returned quickly. "Broken Zhang is dead. Poisoned. His daughter found him and was terrified. She’s in the hospital now."

Broken Zhang was dead, and Zhang Yan Hong was terrified. What was going on?

Yan Aohan asked, "What exactly happened? Has it been investigated?"

Pei Tiandu said, "It’s still under investigation. I didn’t see the body, so I can’t judge. When I arrived, the police were already there. The forensic doctor examined it and preliminarily determined it was poisoning. But what poison, they’ll know after the autopsy."

Yan Aohan nodded. "In that case, you’re in charge of investigating this."

"Yes." Pei Tiandu left again. To investigate, one had to act quickly. If delayed, clues would disappear.

After Pei Tiandu left, Yan Aohan asked Zhu Yanyi, "What do you think of this?"

Zhu Yanyi shrugged. "I don’t know what’s behind it, but one thing is certain. Broken Zhang didn’t offend anyone. If she did, it was probably me, because she stole my ginseng. How did she die? And by poisoning? Interesting."

"Yes, it is interesting. If you’re bored, we can visit Broken Zhang tonight to find the truth," Yan Aohan raised an eyebrow at Zhu Yanyi.

Zhu Yanyi said indifferently, "Sure. We’ll look tonight. For now, let’s focus on current matters."

Broken Zhang’s matter wasn’t particularly important to Zhu Yanyi. Today was a big day for the Zhu family. She had no interest in looking at a corpse.

Zhu Shun Yao sighed upon hearing the news. "Life is unpredictable. Broken Zhang was two years younger than me."

"I wonder who was so wicked to poison him," Xie Xin Lian said nearby.

"Stop worrying about other people’s business. There’s a lot to do at home," Xie Zhong reminded them.

"Yes," Zhu Shun Yao and Xie Xin Lian listened to Xie Zhong.

Broken Zhang’s death did affect some villagers, who stopped coming to the banquet. However, there were still many others, so the event concluded smoothly.

After Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan finished bathing, they entered the Underworld. Yan Aohan checked the Book of Life and Death and summoned Lao Hei. "Lao Hei, bring Zhang De’s soul here."

"Yes." Lao Hei agreed. Soon, Broken Zhang appeared before Zhu Yanyi and Yan Aohan. The soul had no consciousness, just as it was now.

Yan Aohan didn’t need to interrogate. He placed his hand on Broken Zhang’s head and quickly learned the truth.

"Zhang Yan Hong did it," Yan Aohan told Zhu Yanyi.

"Zhang Yan Hong? Her adopted daughter? Ruthless," Zhu Yanyi frowned slightly. "But why did Zhang Yan Hong kill Broken Zhang?"

Yan Aohan said, "Broken Zhang didn’t know either. But from his memories, I saw that Zhang Yan Hong specially made his favorite Mapo Tofu. After eating it, he died. Broken Zhang had resentment because he didn’t know why his adopted daughter killed him. However, this resentment hasn’t formed a crisis yet."

Yan Aohan tapped Broken Zhang’s forehead. A small black spot appeared, showing the resentment of an unjust death.

Zhu Yanyi raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She took out the Book of Life and Death and resolved her resentment.

Since this was the Underworld, too much resentment would affect its operations. Resolving this resentment was necessary.