Chapter 8, Year-End Banquet

Fortunately, fortunately... How is General San?" Zhang Xi forced a smile as he spoke to Zhang Fei

To calm his mind a little, Zhang Xi also began to attempt to build relationships with the civil officials seated next to him

It seems that no one is paying any attention to this side at all

The elder brother's prohibition must naturally be obeyed Zhang Fei exclaimed loudly and continued, "However, it is not that I drink in the army, but rather that I only have a few drinks after returning home. Please rest assured, my dear scribe, I, old Zhang, will never let drinking interfere with my duties"

You are of no concern anyway, being the sworn brother of the lord and having a tough exterior, it does not matter if you are beaten or punished

What does it mean

It was indeed Lord Liu Bei, who merely glanced over to this side, nodded and smiled, showing no intention of addressing his troublesome third brother.

For example, Liu Bei's Left General's Office

So the question arises—how to step down now

Zhang Xi is merely a newcomer who has just joined the company. It is quite normal for him to engage in more communication and interaction with various leaders and colleagues at the annual meeting to build good relationships

"Good, that's settled!" Zhang Fei slapped Zhang Xi's shoulder vigorously and said, "I won't dally with the clerk any longer. The jar of wine that Clerk Zhang shared with me last time is nearly empty now. I vaguely remember that in the storeroom..."

A man with a dark complexion, shamelessly and reeking of alcohol, tries to flatter you and get close... Zhang Xi feels uncomfortable no matter what.

Zhang Xi felt a sudden jolt in her heart

What do you mean by me sharing a jar of wine with you, when it is clearly you who shamelessly clung to it

Zhang Xi and Guanyin Er Ye truly have not had much interaction; this is their first meeting.

The individual is a senior executive in the company and even refers to the boss as a brother, holding significant power... How could Zhang Xi, a mere manager in the grassroots logistics department, be willing to offend the upper management of the company over such a trivial matter

Furthermore, the lord has issued a clear decree: aside from official banquets, all alcohol is strictly prohibited in both the military and the government. At this moment, you loudly bring this matter up; are you trying to get someone killed?

However, it seems that no matter which Liu Bei it is, he does not blame his subordinates for these matters

Zhang Xi's first reaction upon seeing the Second Master was—truly deserving of the title "Bearded Gentleman"

His height and demeanor speak for themselves; at a glance, he is a formidable general exuding an air of authority

Come, come, Zhang Zhu Bu... don't be so petty, let's have a drink together!" Zhang Fei shouted loudly as he approached, grabbing Zhang Xi's wrist and dragging him to drink.

While speaking, Zhang Xi was also observing the reactions around him... Surely, by adhering to his principles so firmly, he would leave a good impression, right!

But I can't do it, I am a newcomer who has been on the job for less than three months

At that moment, before Zhang Fei could continue to rage and press for more, Liu Bei had already begun to speak

In such weather, the common people generally do not venture outside; they stay at home relying on their winter provisions to get by

Liu Bei, as a person, truly has no shortcomings when it comes to his subordinates

In December in Jingbei, there have been two consecutive light snowfalls

This matter is rather suspicious

Upon seeing Zhang Xi's demeanor, Zhang Fei also felt a bit annoyed

Losing in momentum to Zhang Fei is not something to be ashamed of; compared to the iron-willed General Xiahou Jie, it is already a hundred times stronger.

... ... ''

Zhang Xi hurriedly faced Zhang Fei with a serious expression and said, "General San, this is not permissible. The prohibition of alcohol in the army is a clear order from the lord. How can General San defy it?"

If it weren't for that blackguard causing trouble just now, Zhang Xi should be toasting with her colleagues at this moment

However, there is something that Zhang Xi does not quite understand ... ? ... Since this matter has been blown out of proportion by that blackguard, do the civil and military officials under Liu Bei's faction simply pretend they haven't heard anything ? !

Zhang Xi quickly glanced around and noticed that Lord Liu Bei was smiling and chatting with Guan Yu, who was also responding with a cheerful demeanor, seemingly oblivious to what was happening on their side

Wealthy families indeed have the intention to decorate with lanterns and streamers at this time, preparing to celebrate the New Year

This blackguard has no sense at all. Even if I were to give you a backdoor favor, it cannot be done in public like this. Do I still want to maintain my reputation

What can Zhang Xi do? At the banquet, this black fellow speaks to you in a friendly manner. Although the smell of alcohol on his breath is a bit strong, we cannot hold that against him, can we

Isn't that also a violation of the rules

Um... didn't hear it?!

But in this era, it really is not feasible

At this moment, in order to flatter Zhang, one would inevitably abandon their principles and earn the title of a "sycophant," which would completely ruin Zhang Xi's reputation and future

Zhang Fei, however, paid no attention, or perhaps he simply did not hear what Zhang Xi said, and continued to speak about his own matters.

So you do not drink in the army, but you drink at home, right

Should I blame myself for shifting the responsibility onto him, or do I feel that my response to Zhang Fei this time was appropriate, and that adhering to my principles is not wrong

And * the * book `` It is not that Xi does not show respect, but rather that one serves the ruler's interests with loyalty! '' Zhang Xi feigned calmness and said with a smile, `` As long as the three generals obtain the lord's consent, a mere jar of fine wine shall certainly be presented by Xi! ''

As the "Grain Supply Ledger Keeper," Zhang Xi is indeed qualified to attend such a banquet... It is somewhat equivalent to a corporate annual meeting in later generations; Zhang Xi, after all, can be considered a grassroots manager and is eligible to participate.

This drinking culture is quite detrimental ... However, Zhang Xi is no match for him

Having been pulled by Zhang Fei to drink three bowls of wine in a row, Zhang Xi still did not understand why the "Three Generals" was so fervently enthusiastic towards him

The art of shifting blame... There is no way around it; we do not possess the quick wit of Zhuge Liang, and in the blink of an eye, we cannot come up with many solutions. We can only shift the blame to our lord, Liu Bei.

Speaking of that beard... it is truly better maintained than Zhang Xi's hair

Reflecting more carefully on the initial moment when Lord Liu Bei smiled and nodded at me... it seems that everyone is already accustomed to this matter, and Liu Bei has implicitly indicated his approval, hasn't he

To be honest, Zhang Xi really does not want to offend Zhang Fei in this matter

Finding ingredients in the dead of winter is no easy task, especially when they must meet the standards of noble banquets in this day and age... It is quite challenging

Zhang Xi does not quite understand this matter, as he is not familiar with Liu Bei in this world. He does not know whether he is the Liu Bei from historical texts, who remains impassive, or the Liu Bei from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, who weeps over the division of the world.

What does this gaze really mean? Zhang Xi pondered for a long time without understanding.

Zhang Xi's face immediately fell

Yide, do not make things difficult for Master Zhang... Come here, I have something to discuss with you and some illustrations to show!

This blackguard is indeed thick-skinned. Last time, under the pretext of the New Year’s reward, he extorted a jar of rice wine from my side. Now, with a darkened face, he comes to find me again under the guise of offering a toast.

... ... Not acceptable

In a single sentence, Liu Bei called away the disgruntled Zhang Fei, and in passing, he also gave Zhang Xi a meaningful glance

However, this is not the first time Zhang Fei has met.

"General San, please speak!" Zhang Xi slightly tilted her head, yet maintained a respectful demeanor as she spoke

Now that he has some free time, Zhang Xi quickly put on a smile, turned to a scholar sitting at the next table, and said, "I am Zhang Xi, courtesy name Yuanchang, a native of Yingchuan, currently serving as the grain and provisions clerk under the command of the governor... May I ask for your esteemed name?"

This approach is actually not very good; if one encounters a ruler with a narrow mind, it could easily lead to jealousy.

Zhang Xi continues to resolutely shape her persona with righteous eloquence

But now... one must find a way to step down

This era emphasizes reputation and character

Oh my goodness

There is no way around it, especially during the New Year... The main reason is that we truly cannot afford to provoke this individual

This matter is something that must not be agreed to under any circumstances

Mr. Zhang, it has been some time since our last meeting. I wonder how you have been

The civil officials who were originally seated near Zhang Xi are now engaged in lively toasts and conversations in groups of two or three, with not a single person paying attention to this side.

If I had known, I should have just agreed from the very beginning. At worst, I could say that I was pressured by the three generals and carelessly agreed.

This is illogical

As the New Year approached, Liu Bei planned to host a banquet in his Left General's residence to entertain the civil and military officials under his command. Zhang Xi was also busy preparing various ingredients for the banquet.

After that, Zhang Xi probably understood Zhang Fei's intention in inviting him to drink

Jia Xu did not do much; he merely employed excessively cunning strategies for self-preservation, which led to criticism, and even as a Grand Minister, he was mocked by Sun Quan. If Zhang Xi were to abandon his principles now to please Zhang Fei, the issue would be even greater than that of Jia Xu

The second master truly cares about his mustache

Just now, I firmly placed myself on a moral high ground, appearing to uphold principles... Now, suddenly bowing my head and agreeing, what will people think?

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei immediately became displeased

At this meeting, Zhang Xi not only saw the lord Liu Bei again, but also encountered that shameless, wine-loving rogue, as well as... Standing next to the rogue was a burly man with a red face and a big beard, at least 1.9 meters tall

It has been a month since I became acquainted with the clerk... Well, we are familiar with each other now, and the clerk knows that I, Old Zhang, am a straightforward person. I do not understand beating around the bush; I will speak my mind directly!

It is easy to say, a certain family in Changsha is known for its deception

"This won't do, that won't do... We never had such trouble getting wine at home before!" Zhang Fei said, grabbing Zhang Xi's sleeve and glaring at him fiercely with wide eyes. He continued, "Master Clerk, you share the surname Zhang, and I also share the surname Zhang. Perhaps we were even of the same clan five hundred years ago. Are you really going to be so disrespectful?"

The key point is that when Guan Yu was eating, he actually hung a pouch around his neck to tuck his beard away