Chapter 103 Representatives From The King Of War Division
Despite his thoughts, Harrison naturally would not contradict Luna.
After taking their seats, they had just exchanged a few words when people kept coming over to toast them. Their eagerness was understandable as they usually would not have the opportunity to meet bigwigs like Graham and the rest.
Thus, they were all seizing the opportunity to leave an impression.
Even Hugo did not allow the opportunity to slip. After everyone had toasted them, he went over to them with his wine glass. “It’s truly the honor of our family to have all of you gracing our annual party with your presence today! Let me toast all of you here!”
Upon finishing his speech, he lifted his wine glass and downed its content in one go.
In my sixty-plus years of life, this is my first time seeing such an imposing scene—not only did the three prominent families of Jadeborough come to offer their felicitations, but Randall and the Hansley family from Jazona also came personally! Even the Blackwood family back then might not have had such a grand reception, much less our family!
“You’re being too courteous, Old Mr. Smith. It’s the Smith family’s annual party today, so it should be us toasting you!” With a chuckle, Graham lifted his wine glass and urged, “Come on, let’s toast Old Mr. Smith together!”
“Sure!”
Subsequently, they all got to their feet and toasted Hugo together.
At that turn of events, Hugo was very much flattered. He hurriedly waved his hand. “I’m unworthy of such honor!”
“No, it’s nothing!”
After quaffing the wine in their glasses, they exchanged a look and suggested, “Why don’t we go and toast Mr. Goldstein?”
“Let’s go!”
While saying that, they refilled their glasses and headed toward the most obscure corner near the door.
Considering their identities, it went without saying that their every movement would not escape the crowd’s attention.
At the sight of them taking the first move and going over to Jonathan with their wine glasses in hand to toast him, the eyes of everyone there almost popped out of their sockets.
What is happening here? The chairman of Graham Group, the mayor, the most ruthless man in Jadeborough, the three prominent families of Jadeborough, and even the Hansley family from Jazona are actually going over to toast a worthless live-in son-in-law?
While they were still stunned, the few of them had already arrived before Jonathan.
Despite their usual imperious self in front of outsiders, they were all as docile as a lamb before the man.
“M-Mr. Goldstein, we’re here to toast you!”
Even when they were proposing a toast to him, they acted exceedingly trepidatious.
“This kind of glass is too small. Go and get something bigger!” Jonathan’s brows furrowed slightly.
Ew! They’re all holding tiny glasses whereby the contents can be finished in a mouthful, not at all manly! Back when I was in the military, we all drank from bowls! When had we ever drank from glasses?
“Sure, Mr. Goldstein! I’ll go and get some bowls instead!” Harrison was the first person who came around.
That was how he drank when he was in the military back then, so he naturally understood the man’s meaning.
“A bowl?”
Luna was wholly taken aback when she heard that.
I’m a lady, yet I’m to drink with a bowl? I-Isn’t that rather unseemly?
“You’re fine.” Jonathan waved a hand, deciding not to put her on the spot.
“Thank you, Mr. Goldstein!”
Luna breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m back!” Coming back with a few bowls, Harrison gave them one each. Then, he snagged a bottle of hard liquor and filled each of the bowls to the brim.
Although the others wore terrified expressions on their faces as they stared at their bowls that were brimming with hard liquor, they still gritted their teeth and steeled themselves. Lifting their bowls, they looked at Jonathan and proclaimed, “Here’s to you, Mr. Goldstein!”
“Bottoms up!”
Without saying anything superfluous, Jonathan picked the bowl up and downed it in one go.
That was his drinking style in the military.
There were no glasses, only bowls.
And after drinking, he would ride out to battle.
“Take it easy, Jonathan…” Josephine could not help urging when she saw him guzzling down the bowl of liquor all at once.
“Okay, I’ll do as you say.”
Flashing her a smile, Jonathan put down the bowl in his hand.
Truth be told, this scanty amount of liquor is nothing to me. Back when I was in the military, all the soldiers under my command could drink a couple of bottles at one go. This amount of liquor is no different from plain water!
“Mr. Goldstein—”
Luna was just about to say something after she had finished her glass of wine, but a flurry of urgent footsteps rang out from outside the door out of the blue. The servants of the Smith family then dashed in and cried out, “Old Mr. Smith, there’s a lot of military personnel outside!”
“Military personnel?”
When Hugo heard that sentence, his facial expression changed drastically.
Why is the military here? Nothing seems to have happened in our family recently, and we didn’t stir up any trouble either. Why would the military come knocking at our door?
“What happened?” He strode toward the door with a frown. However, just as he was moments away from the door, several military officers clad in dress uniforms marched in.
The man in the lead was Andrew.
At that moment, he was no longer wearing military fatigues but had changed into a dress uniform instead. A red cloak was draped over his back and fluttered with the wind, rendering him extremely authoritative.
“What’s the matter, officers?” Hugo rushed forward at lightning speed, his demeanor meek and submissive.
It’s our family’s annual party today, so if anything happens and news of it gets out, we’ll be a laughing stock!
“We’re here today under orders to offer our felicitations to the Smith family!” Andrew announced loud and clear as he stalked forward.
“Under orders to offer your felicitations? Whose orders?”
Hugo even wondered whether he was having a problem with his hearing when he heard Andrew’s words.
I’ve never known a single person from the military in my lifetime. Why would they come and offer their felicitations to our family?
“The King of War!” Andrew then clarified in a booming voice, “Today, we’re representing the King of War Division to offer felicitations to the Smith family!”
When he was done speaking, he waved a hand, at which the few military officers behind him promptly stepped forward and presented a gift.
“This gift is prepared by the King of War for the Smith family!”
T-The King of War?
The second Hugo heard that title, his legs went weak, and he almost fell to the ground on his knees.
There’s only one King of War in Jazona, and that’s Zachary Lint! He actually sent someone over to convey his felicitations to our family?
Right then, he even wondered whether he was dreaming.
If I’m not dreaming, why would the King of War offer his blessings to our family? In the whole of Jazona, we are nothing at all! We’re not at all worthy of his attention, nor are we worthy of having him personally send his men over to convey his felicitations!
“A-Am I dreaming?” He pinched his arm hard.
Ouch! It hurts, so I’m not dreaming! It’s true!
“Of course, you’re not dreaming.” Casting him a dispassionate glance, Andrew prompted, “Hurry up and accept the gift the King of War prepared for the Smith family!”
