The City God was taking a bride and throwing a lavish banquet.
Naturally, the City God would not be paying for it. Instead, every household in the village pitched in.
Of course, the village's few landlords still shouldered the bulk of the expense.
Li Ping'an slipped into the feast with Old Man Jiang, and no one paid him any attention.
Li Ping'an also took it upon himself to help wash vegetables and do odd jobs.
After all, freeloading was not to be encouraged.
Inside the ancestral hall, the clay idol slowly awakened, transforming into flesh and blood.
Over ten feet tall, he resembled a small giant.
He wore a red official's robe and a purple-gold crown secured with a ribbon.
A red cloud was embroidered on the right side of his chest.
He looked imposing.
Accompanied by several landlords, he walked out.
The City God was in a very good mood today. He laughed heartily and stepped forward.
He took off his hat, then removed the jade pendant at his waist.
"Let's all drink our fill today!"
Everyone raised their cups to him.
Li Ping'an held a flask of wine in one hand and chopsticks in the other, sweeping relentlessly across the dishes on the table.
He looked as though he were conquering the world.
Having roamed the martial world for years, Li Ping'an knew a thing or two about blending perfectly into a crowd.
He could discuss affairs of state with teahouse patrons or chatter about household matters with the aunties.
After finishing a flask of wine, he focused all his attention on the roast chicken at the next table.
His own table had only three meat dishes, and no roast chicken at all.
The neighboring table, meanwhile, seated the landlords' dim-witted sons.
Li Ping'an had had his eye