Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 837 The Arrival of King Zhongshun
Honglu Temple,
Inside the main hall on the mountain,
There was some chatter in the air, but after the steward's instructions, everyone was shocked and silent again.
I saw a few servants behind me carefully opening the food boxes, bringing out some meat dishes, and also bringing a few bowls and chopsticks. They poured a bowl of sake for Luo Yunhou and put the jar on the table.

at this time,

Even Zhang Jinyu felt a little strange. These dishes were delicious and obviously for a banquet. Moreover, the wine was also the best girl's red wine. It was really interesting.
Looking at the steward in front of him with some amusement,
"You have good sense, reward,"

Without further ado, he took out a hundred-liang silver note and slapped it on the steward's face.

The steward quickly smiled and took the banknote and put it into his sleeve.

"Thank you for the reward, Lord. I apologize to you."

"Well, let's go down."

Zhang Jinyu didn't care what they meant. Since he was already there, he would just eat his fill. However, there was only one more set of bowls and chopsticks. It would be a shame if Brother Bai didn't get involved in this mess.
"Brother Bai, it's boring to eat alone. Come over here and let's eat something to fill our stomachs."

Bai Guangju also realized that something was a little strange. Logically, the jar of meat and the pancakes that were just served were in accordance with Luo Yunhou's instructions and should be eaten first to fill the stomach. However, the dishes that were served later were definitely not made on the spot. There was also the jar of wine. The meaning behind this was intriguing.

"Well, since the Marquis has invited me, I'd better obey your order. I'm probably a little hungry."

Bai Guangju didn't hesitate to stand up and move his chair over. He picked up the chopsticks and picked up a piece of crispy meat and put it into his mouth. The taste was amazing.

The others opened their eyes wide, they didn't expect that Marquis Xiangyang would also join in the fun just as Marquis Luo Yun was making trouble. Why was that? They couldn't be having fun together, right?

Jinxiang Hou Liao Daping saw the two of them eating happily. He saw that the pieces of stewed meat were much less. He heard his stomach growl and felt hungry. He could no longer hold back and scolded them.
"Then the manager, come here!"

"Well, sir, go ahead."

The steward had not left yet. He first asked the servants to leave, called the maids to replace the tea for everyone, and then slowly walked over. Seeing that he could eat, Marquis Jinxiang didn't care about the cakes anymore. He put his hand on the cakes.
"No more cakes, I am tired of them. I feel a little uncomfortable in my stomach, the steward should know."

Marquis Jinxiang was also a man who cared about his reputation. Although he could not say it openly, the meaning of his suggestion was obvious. However, the steward pretended to be deaf and dumb and deliberately showed an embarrassed face.
"My Lord is ill, and feels uncomfortable in his stomach. He must have caught a cold. Could you please ask a doctor to come to my Lord?"

Seeing that the steward was not doing his job, Marquis Jinxiang's face darkened and he slammed the table.
"How can you be a steward? What I mean is that if you are hungry, you can go over and have the dishes over there."

With a glance, he was referring to the table of Marquis Luo Yun. These dishes were comparable to the small banquet outside. Marquis Jinxiang thought the steward agreed to serve him a table, but the steward stood there, not moving or saying anything, and seemed to have no intention of going.
"My Lord, it's really unfortunate that there are no extra dishes in the kitchen. These are distributed according to the number of people. Only because an official from the Honglu Temple asked for leave, the portion in his room was brought here, and a portion of wine was also brought to Marquis Luo Yun. The rest are for the banquet. I don't have the courage to take them out, otherwise, when the prince comes, I will not be able to explain it."

His face was indifferent, and he bowed his head to answer. However, these words, heard by others, were simply lies. The kitchen of Honglu Temple was comparable to the scale of the imperial kitchen. It was also specially approved by the retired emperor to build it. He also asked two imperial chefs to be on duty here, which shows the care put into this place.

So, who can believe that there is no extra food in the kitchen of Honglu Temple?

Zhang Jinyu was eating happily over there. Upon hearing this, he couldn't help but laughed out loud. There were not many people in the hall, but everyone heard the laughter. They knew who was laughing without asking.

really,

Jinxiang Houhong's face could no longer be suppressed, and he shouted angrily;
"Where is your master? Is this how Shaoqing Wen spoils people? How dare you ridicule me? Call your master here."

"My Lord, please calm down. I will tell you the truth. My master is the same. If there is no truth, there is no truth. How can I lie to you, my Lord?"

The steward was not afraid of these things. He was very confident and insisted that there was no such thing. However, he was also weighing the pros and cons in his heart. Marquis Jinxiang was just an empty title, so he was not afraid of offending him. However, Marquis Luoyun was different. He was a man who dared to use a knife.
Seeing that his words were retorted, the Marquis of Jinxiang, who was too embarrassed to lose face, was about to get angry, and the Marquis of Chuan Ning, who came with him, quickly stood up and tried to persuade him;
"Brother Liao, just wait a little longer. How can you be angry?"

It's not that the Marquis of Dongchuan is good at talking, it's because the two families are too close. Although Miao Dayong is a bit cunning, there is a saying among the people that a good man has three gangs. The marquis's mansions are of the same blood, so they have to speak out. Brother Liao's temper is too straightforward.
Jinxiang Hou Liao Dayong was a straightforward person, so he could not stand these sarcasms. His face turned red, and he slammed the table with his hand and said angrily;

"Brother Miao, what you said is wrong. This person looks down on others. The two people opposite can sit there and eat and drink, while we can only watch. What's the reason? The ancients said that it is not the lack of wealth that is worrying, but the inequality. I feel unfair, so I want to ask, may I ask, my lord, how to solve this problem?"

As Marquis Jinxiang was talking, he realized that he was too angry. In this situation, he had gone too far. When he came to his senses, he turned around and asked the princes who had sent the invitations. Although the princes were also guests, it was the princes who made the decision to invite them to the banquet. Therefore, this matter still needed to be resolved by the princes.

Seeing the questioning of Marquis Jinxiang, the princes were also a little confused, and their minds were also a little confused. King Zhongshun had not appeared yet. Could it be that this arrangement was ordered in advance, leaving them here to give everyone a warning?

I feel a little upset.

Seeing that Jinxiang Hou's face turned red with anger, Zhou Zhengbai and the others looked at each other and then scolded the steward;
"Nonsense! How can there be no food in the kitchen of the Honglu Temple? Do you want me to take someone to take a look?"

The threat was too strong, and the steward was a little scared. How could there be no food in the kitchen? Before he could come up with a good excuse, the loyal prince Zhou Jianan came in with a few guards and a bulging belly.
That sound could be heard from far away.

Zhou Jianan smiled happily, opened the curtain, and entered the inner hall. He saw that there were many more people in the room, and they were all familiar faces, especially the people on both sides. The face of Marquis Jinxiang was flushed with anger, while on the other side,
Aren't those Marquis Luo Yun and Marquis Xiangyang? Why are they sitting there eating? What's going on? The key is, what are these people doing here?
Although he had doubts in his heart, Zhou Jianan straightened his face and grinned;
"Haha, everyone here is an acquaintance, my dear nephews. I just overslept at home, so I came a little late. I just don't know why you are here."

Seeing Prince Zhongshun walk in with great vigor and vigor, the others all stood up and bowed.
"I've met the prince!"

Even Zhang Jinyu was no exception. He swallowed the meat in his mouth and bowed with everyone else. After all, Prince Zhou was his great benefactor. No, he should be called the noble one.
This most basic respect still exists.

Seeing that everyone was polite, Prince Zhongshun smiled, strode to the main seat, sat down gracefully, and put his hands together.
"You are all too polite. This is a family dinner to welcome my nephews. Since you are all here, it's just right for us to stay and have a drink together to make things more lively."

Zhou Jianan also realized at this time that the people from the Marquis' Mansion must have been called by someone. Without asking, he knew that it was these good nephews who were called. They used their minds just right and were worthy of being sent to the capital by the princes.

But it's not a big deal. Tonight's meeting is just an appetizer to test each other. Perhaps, several marquises can also test the attitudes of the nobles. Marquis Jinxiang and Marquis Chuanning have no official positions, but they have a great influence among the old relatives. Marquis Huaiyuan and Marquis Dongchuan are from the Beijing camp and will not interfere in the affairs of the court. The remaining two are the most troublesome. Marquis Luoyun and Marquis Xiangyang are the confidants in the eyes of the emperor, so they need to be cautious.

Seeing the prince speak, the atmosphere in the hall relaxed a little, and everyone bowed again.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."

then,

After sitting down, the table in front of Zhang Jinyu was full of food. After eating for a while, some dishes were already half eaten, and the small pot of stewed meat was almost empty. Not to mention that it tasted good,
But only his table had food, and the others had none. He knew something was wrong, so Zhang Jinyu had to take the lead and speak first.
"The prince is busy with important matters, so it's okay to delay for a while. It's just that I'm hungry, and the prince didn't prepare any guests, so I haven't eaten anything. I have to trouble the Honglu Temple to bring some food to fill my stomach." Zhang Jinyu didn't even wipe the corners of his mouth. Not only was it shiny, but the whole room was filled with the aroma of stewed meat. Anyone with a good nose could smell it.
Zhou Jianan said "hmm". Luo Yunhou was a stubborn person, young and energetic, and he had no problems with him. His brother thought highly of him, so he didn't need to take him too seriously. He chuckled.
"Look at you, why didn't you tell me you were hungry earlier? It's not good for anyone to be hungry. The Honglu Temple is still doing a good job. Everyone, sit down. Someone, start the banquet and refill the table of Marquis Luo Yun."

He waved at the steward who was standing there in a daze. Everyone was a little stunned. They thought the prince would take advantage of the situation to make a fuss, but who would have thought that Prince Zhongshun would be so easy to talk to. Even the Marquis Jinxiang, who had been feeling sullen for a while, lost his temper in an instant.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will arrange it right away."

The doorman led his men and hurriedly retreated.
Not long after that, as if they had already prepared, the maids and servants began to clean the table for Marquis Luo Yun and the others. Taking this opportunity, Zhou Jianan turned to Marquis Jinxiang and asked;

"Lord Liao, when I came here just now, I heard you were angry. What's the reason?"

This question frightened Jinxiang Hou, and his flushed face turned pale. He was not a fool, and he saw everything that happened just now. Speaking of these things, he could only bear it by himself.

"My Lord, it's nothing, it's just that the snacks don't suit my taste and don't taste good, so I want to change them."

He wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeves to cover it up. Just like that, several princes could not help but laugh out loud.

Zhou Jianan was not stupid. Seeing the somewhat embarrassed look on Marquis Jinxiang's face, he knew that the incident was caused by Marquis Luo Yun, so he simply stopped asking.
"It's just a small matter, there's no need to get angry. Back then, when we entered the Central Plains, we couldn't even get enough to eat."

"Yes, Your Majesty is right. It's just that I am not used to the food, so this happened. Your Majesty, please forgive me."

Marquis Jinxiang's attitude changed drastically. It was not because he was afraid, but because he did not have the confidence. Seeing Marquis Jinxiang give in, Zhou Jianan did not say much.
at this time,

The steward brought a number of people and began to serve dishes to everyone one by one. With more people, the work was easier. In just half an incense stick of time, the table in front of everyone was filled with delicacies of all colors, aromas and flavors. Seeing this, Zhou Jianan waved his hand.
The steward nodded and led everyone down. Then, a group of dancers and musicians came in. The sound of stringed instruments began, and the dancers in the center of the hall began to dance.
Zhang Jinyu was completely confused, but after a few words, they started singing and dancing. It was said that the dancing of these women was really worth watching.

"Come on, my dear nephews, you have been away from the capital for a long time, and I miss you very much. It is a rare opportunity for you to come here, so I thought that I would have a family dinner to welcome you back. I would like to offer you a glass of wine from afar. Come on, drink it up."

How dare the princes not respond? Zheng Wang's prince Zhou Zhengbai picked up his wine cup and stood up.
"Uncle Wang, you are too polite. After my father left the capital, he kept talking about Uncle Wang and thinking about the kindness Uncle Wang showed him. However, he never had the chance to return to the capital. So this time when I come to the capital, I will definitely have a good drink with Uncle Wang."

"Yes, Uncle Wang, you have been working diligently in the capital to help the court, and we, the younger generation, have seen it all. I am very grateful to you for coming here to meet with me."

The prince of Han, Zhou Xingshan, also picked up the wine cup, and his mouth was like a lotus, with witty words all the time. The other three people followed suit and thanked him again and again.
Only Zhang Jinyu found it somewhat funny. Both parties knew the purpose of their visit. They must be tired after all this. Looking at the new dishes on the table, which were much more exquisite than those just now, he didn't care what others did. He picked up the meat and started eating. In the world, eating was the most important thing.

Coincidentally, Xiangyang Hou Bai Guangju, who was standing next to him, saw this and smiled helplessly. Only Luo Yun Hou dared to do so. He poured himself a bowl of wine, took a sip, and then started eating the dishes.

The three marquises opposite had strange expressions on their faces. The host hadn't even picked up his chopsticks. The two of them were eating happily. Marquis Xiangyang was also acting out of character, which made Marquis Chuanning Miao Dayong extremely puzzled. He looked at the first lord, Marquis Huaiyuan, and saw him sitting there, looking at his nose and his heart, not saying a word, like a piece of wood.

At the main seat, Zhou Jianan and several princes drank a cup of wine, then filled the cups and held them up.
"Everyone, you should also follow me. I am also very happy to be able to drink with all the marquises. Come, let's toast to each of you!"

"Okay, do it."

"Cheers to His Majesty!"

Everyone picked up their wine cups and drank them all. Taking advantage of this break, the music in the hall changed to a new one. It was melodious and pleasant to the ears. It was followed by a long-sleeved dance with several dancers dancing in the hall. It was so pleasing to the eyes.

"Okay, come on, pick up your chopsticks and try the cooking skills of the Honglu Temple's kitchen. The chefs here were once the imperial kitchen's chefs. They are famous for their first-hand Beijing local dishes."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

After another round of politeness, everyone picked up their chopsticks and tasted a few bites of the dishes. Apart from Luo Yunhou who ate the meat in big mouthfuls, the others only moved their chopsticks slightly, tasting the delicacies on the plate and then showing a look of satisfaction.

Zhou Yewen, the prince of Song, seemed to have found an opening and took over the conversation.
"Thank you for your hard work, Uncle Wang. As expected, the dishes here are very delicious, with great color, aroma and flavor. Especially this dish, which looks like a dragon coiling and a tiger crouching. It is really, really the best!"

"Yes, Uncle Wang, this dish is the finishing touch. There are not many people in Beijing who can make this dish!"

Chen Wang's son Zhou Yunfu also had a face full of approval, but he glared at the seat below with a slightly concealed look. Wu Wang's son Zhou Lianghao, who was still eating happily, seemed to have received a signal and nodded quickly.
"Uncle Wang, just one word, delicious!"

The smile was a bit awkward, it happened too suddenly.

The so-called dish of "Dragon Coiling and Tiger Crouching" was made by the imperial chef who brought the retired emperor with him when he was hunting in the Western Hills hunting ground. It was specially made with northern dishes. When the dish was served, the carved meat was surprisingly lifelike. The fish was carved into the shapes of dragons and tigers with skillful knife skills, which looked lifelike as if they were about to jump out of the plate.

When the emperor saw this, he took advantage of his hunting excitement and named this dish "Dragon Coiling and Tiger Crouching". Of course, ordinary people could not have it.

But there were no flattering words from the few people. Zhou Jianan smiled slightly, picked up a piece of meat from the tiger with chopsticks and put it into his mouth, saying;

"This dish is rare, and it also has a profound meaning. When the emperor was hunting, he ordered this dish. It is very rare. Just like your father and I, we are both ministers in the court. Although we are powerful, we are still entrenched in one place and we can live happily!"

Zhou Jianan's face straightened. His meaning was simple and straightforward, with a hint of sarcasm in his words, as if he was hinting that some princes had stretched their hands too far and had over-inflated ideas. In the local areas, you may be a tiger, but in the capital, even a tiger needs to lie down.

The atmosphere at the banquet, which was originally somewhat cheerful, suddenly became solemn. No one had expected that King Zhongshun, who had not shown any sign of authority before coming, would actually do this while he was here. King Song and the other three, who had just been flattering him, now looked as if they had swallowed a fly, and their faces became extremely ugly.

The others immediately noticed the subtle atmosphere in front of the main seat. They put down their wine glasses and only picked up the food with chopsticks to cover up their behavior. However, they were paying close attention in secret. For a moment, apart from the crisp sound of silver chopsticks hitting jade plates and the sound of music, they ignored even the dancing of the maids.

Especially the two marquises at the end. Their sons served in the Beijing camp. Although they had many connections with their noble relatives, it was only on the surface. Inwardly, they were still very cautious. Now it seemed that there was no good banquet. They had already regretted coming to this muddy water. Even the Marquis of Jinxiang, who had been talkative just now, buried his head in his food, as if he was half-mute. There was no trace of the nagging and gossipy woman he had before.

In the entire hall, it seemed that the only sound left was the crackling sound of the flickering candlelight.

(End of this chapter)