Inside the Duke's Mansion, the courtyard plaza was imposing in scale, measuring an astonishing six or seven hundred meters on each side.
On the large stage at the front, a strip of bright red silk adorned the backdrop above the simple words "Lord Chen Cong's Eightieth Golden Birthday," lending the grand banquet an air of solemnity.
Not far behind it stood the main hall. Its second floor featured a spacious terrace, where numerous people of extraordinary bearing sat overlooking the plaza.
Long tables on both sides of the plaza were laden with a dazzling array of dishes, fine wines, and other drinks, their enticing aromas drifting through the air.
The guests freely gathered around nearby small round tables in twos and threes, whispering and laughing amid a cheerful hubbub.
Members of the Chen Clan were scattered throughout the grounds, keeping their visitors from far and wide company.
Just then, a ringing voice came from the entrance.
Zhu Hefeng stood there, announcing the arrivals in a loud voice that echoed over the plaza: "Seven Treasures Turn to Glaze, Soulful Resonance Endures Through the Ages!"
"Sect Master Ning Ruiting of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect arrives with his party, bearing a gift list: two fifty-thousand-year soul bones..."
Before he finished, surprise flashed in Ma Zhibin's eyes. "The Ning family really splashed out this time. Filthy rich, as expected. And Sect Master Ning Ruiting, Ning Ze, Ning Jiang, Ning Chi, and the others all came in person."
Long Wenkai chuckled and replied, "Didn't your family bring a whole crowd too? You, Uncle Rulong, and your father, Uncle Tianyang, are all here."
Ma Zhibin scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. "Heh, it's Uncle Chen Cong's Eightieth Golden Birthday. Of course our family had to send a few people."
At that, Long Wenkai gave