Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 838: The Banquet Started Well but Ended Well
In the main hall of Honglu Temple,

The sound of wind instruments continued to be heard. Zhang Jinyu leaned back in his chair, and the scene in the hall was clear to the eye.
As the saying goes, after two cups of wine, one loses control of his mouth. The three princes probably didn't expect that the prince would start with them.

The Prince of Song had an unsightly expression on his face. He raised the wine cup, but he didn't know whether to drink from it or put it down. He turned to look at the two people beside him. They were just like him, and were of no use. He could only look at the Prince of Zheng, Zhou Zhengbai, for help.

The latter was also holding a wine cup, his face was gentle, his long robe and wide sleeves moved slightly, he clasped his fists towards the prince on the main seat, picked up the wine cup on the table, and replied;

"Ahahaha, Uncle Wang's words are serious. Although my father and I are in a vassal state, we are still subjects of Dawu. In the court, we are also powerful and majestic!"

What he meant was that his father's palace was full of officials in the court, and their hearts were with the court, but it was unknown who they were with.

Among the six kings in the court, only the uncle remained safely in the capital.

"Ahaha, my dear nephew, you are right. We are all ministers of the court, so we must understand the rules and abide by them. We must keep the relationship between the monarch and his subjects in mind, that's right."

Seeing that this stage was passed, King Zhongshun's face returned to normal, and he reminded with a smile,
"Of course, the relationship between the monarch and his subjects is the foundation of Confucianism, but filial piety is also the basis of human relations. Our father has been away from the capital for many years and has not returned. He misses the emperor very much. However, it is a rule that we can only come here to fulfill our filial piety on behalf of our father."

The prince of Han, Zhou Xingshan, raised his wine cup with the others, showing no fear at all. He stated his purpose with a resolute look. Although it was unknown whether it was true or not, his demeanor as a prince of the palace attracted people's attention.

Putting aside other things, no other princes dared to speak out and fight back. Prince Zhou, who was sitting in the main seat, seemed to have expected it, with a faint smile on his lips. It can be seen that the Zheng Palace and the Han Palace are the most powerful, and the other three princes are just local emperors.

At this time,
Bai Guangju, Marquis of Xiangyang, stood up, picked up his wine cup,
"Your Highness has invited us to a banquet today, and I am grateful. There are also some old relatives and nobles present. We are reminiscing about the past and welcoming the new. Please don't let the meaning of this delicacy overshadow our interest. I offer a toast to Your Highness."

It was not an exaggeration for Bai Guangju to call himself a lowly official. When he was a minor official in the court, he was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Clan Affairs. Now Prince Zhongshun held the title of the Chief Justice of the Ministry of Clan Affairs, which made him his superior. So Marquis Xiangyang stood up to smooth things over. Marquis Huaiyuan and others could not remain indifferent, so they picked up their wine cups and waited there.

Only Zhang Jinyu was happily eating, and from time to time he looked at the dancing of the women in the palace. They had plump hips and thin waists, and wore silk brocade on their bodies, which was looming and revealing. The waves on their breasts were fascinating. It was unknown where Prince Zhongshun found them. Not only were they all beautiful, but their looks were considered to be the most beautiful in brothels.
As for what's happening outside, just turn a deaf ear to it. Since we're attending a banquet, there's only one word to it: eat. As for the rest, you can do whatever you want with it.

Seeing that everyone was waiting there with their wine cups in hand, only Marquis Luo Yun had not stood up, and Prince Zhongshun had not moved. He glanced around the hall and saw that the posture of everyone following him seemed to be forcing him.

But on the left side, only Luo Yunhou was still sitting there eating and drinking. Thinking of what his brother had entrusted him with, he asked with an idea in his mind;

"Lord Luo Yun, is the food to your liking?"

As soon as the question was asked, everyone's eyes moved to Zhang Jinyu's table. As the saying goes, people eat fast and finish quickly. Zhang Jinyu had eaten most of the food on the table. He also threw the leftover bones and scraps directly on the table, making it look a bit messy.
Then Zhang Jinyu brought up the remaining jar of meat. After eating for a long time, it was still not as delicious as this jar of meat.
Hearing the prince's question, Zhang Jinyu swallowed the food in his mouth, nodded, and replied;

"Your Highness, these meals are delicious and worthy of being the imperial chefs of the palace. Once I start eating, I can't stop. Especially what Your Highness just said, dragons coiling and tigers crouching. There are no such good things outside the Great Wall. They are all roasted or boiled in a pot. As long as they are cooked, they can be eaten. Don't consider these things."

It was just a compliment to my face. Who doesn't like to hear good words?
Everyone's faces were slightly red, and there was no longer the nervousness that was there just now.
"How can Marquis Luo Yun be so self-deprecating? The wild ginseng outside the border is good stuff, but it's cold at the border, so the food and things we use are naturally not that fine."

Zhou Zhengbai, the prince of Zheng, raised the wine glass in his hand and bowed towards Marquis Luo Yun.

Zhang Jinyu waved his hand carelessly and picked up the wine bowl on the table.
"Your Highness, you don't have to say nice things. There are wild ginsengs, but they are all deep in the mountains and old forests. If you want them, you have to risk your life to dig them. I've never heard of anyone getting rich by digging ginsengs. It's enough to eat and have enough food. You might run into the Jurchens one day and lose your life."

It seems like this is a deliberate statement, and no one knows what is going on, whether it is true or false.

"Ahaha, what Lord Luo Yun said is right. The wind outside the Great Wall is always cold, whether it's winter or summer. It's not like the Central Plains, where it's spring all year round. But what do you think of this dish, Lord Luo Yun?"

No matter how I talk about it, it seems that I can't get past this dish. Zhang Jinyu was just talking nonsense. This dish looks very imposing, with dragons and tigers crouching. It must have been carved. It uses venison and fish. This is strange. What is the meaning of putting deer and fish together?

"Your Highness, I think the fish is fine, but the venison was not stewed at the right time. The taste is okay, but it's a bit strange. Cooking the creatures that swim in the water and walk on the road together is a win-win situation."

Ambiguous, seemingly unrelated, and passed over in confusion.

Who knows whether this sentence touched him or King Zhongshun took advantage of the situation to praise him heavily;
"Marquis Luo Yun said it well. Some things can benefit both parties if they cooperate. As long as you are loyal to the court and the emperor, you will be favored by him. Come on, do it!"

at last,

Zhou Jianan brought up the important matter. The emperor and the emperor emeritus were both in the palace. They came to the capital together. Whether they came to show their loyalty or filial piety, it still needed to be discussed. It seemed that the people in the marquis' mansion didn't know about it, so it was better that they didn't know.

Everyone's faces relaxed, and the solemn atmosphere disappeared. Then, everyone drank the wine cups in their hands and sat down again.
Everyone took a deep breath and reached out to pick up the chopsticks.

Zhang Jinyu was already full at this time. As the saying goes, a full stomach leads to lust. He sat there drinking tea, looking at the women dancing in the hall, feeling a little envious. If he could see these while dining in the Marquis' Mansion, wouldn't he be able to eat a few more bites? Even if he had a poor appetite, he wouldn't feel hungry just by smelling the delicious food.

After watching for a while,
Passing through the dancing crowd, you can see the Marquis of Jinxiang sitting opposite you.

He ate his food and drank his wine in small bites like a gentleman, completely different from his angry appearance just now. Looking at the others, the lively atmosphere had disappeared and everyone was careful. It really proved the saying that a person appears to be fierce but is actually restrained.

After three rounds of wine and five dishes, seeing that everyone had finished eating, Prince Zhou put down his bowl and chopsticks, stroked his beard, and glanced at his nephews with a gleam in his eyes. He didn't expect that after not seeing them for a few years, they had grown so outstanding.
So I changed the way and talked about family matters;

"Zhengbai, by the way, is your father doing well in his fiefdom? I haven't seen him for a long time, my brother."

The voice no longer had the coercive tone just now, but was full of the kindness of an elder. Zhou Zhengbai bowed with his hands, smiled slightly, and replied, "Uncle Wang, you are too polite. When my father was in the fiefdom, he often talked about Uncle Wang, talking about the days when he was in the capital. He also said that during that time, he and Uncle Wang did many interesting things. I have been listening to him all the time."

Speaking of the past, Zhou Zhengbai really wasn't doing it to respond to Uncle Wang's words. When his father was in the study, he often explained the situation in the capital at that time, especially that night. His father regretted it deeply. If all the kings had fought together to stop the Beijing army, it would only take an hour for the situation in the palace to be settled. He would also be much stronger than the current emperor. Unfortunately, the kings lost their courage, which led to the current situation inside the pass.

"Well, it's hard for my brother to worry about you. I want to ask you what interesting things your father mentioned. Tell me about them."

Prince Zhongshun hummed, and then began to ask questions again. It seemed that he would not give up until he got the answer. However, it did not mean that Zhou Zhengbai had no fear at all. He pointed at the dancers in the field.

"Uncle Wang, you are joking. There are so many interesting things that I cannot elaborate on them in detail. There is only one thing. My father once said that he went to the Spring House with Uncle Wang, listened to the music, and watched this dance. He also said that he watched it all night and did not return to the palace. He said that he and Uncle Wang drank all night."

When these words fell into the ears of many people, they all looked at the prince in the main seat with some inexplicable expressions. Even Zhang Jinyu looked over with wide eyes. They drank together in Chunlou for a whole night. Could it be that he kept a few women and had a good time all night, living a life of drunkenness and dreams? Besides, the boss behind Chunlou was the Zhongshun Palace. They were together at that time. What happened inside was still unknown.
Zhang Jinyu was not the only one who could think of this. The Marquis of Xiangyang and the Marquis of Dongchuan looked at each other with doubtful expressions.
Seeing that what was said was directed at himself, Prince Zhongshun looked a little embarrassed. The Chunlou incident did happen, and it was not just one person. At that time, he often used Chunlou to win over many people, but unfortunately, in the end, everything was in vain.

"Haha, you are talking about this matter. It is true. We were just chatting about some ancient paintings. It was getting late, so we didn't go back. By the way, did you encounter any unexpected incidents on your way to the capital?"

Seeing that the words were a bit hollow, King Zhongshun changed the subject and asked if there was anything wrong on the way here.
Several people looked at each other and shook their heads. They thought they would just walk away. However, the Prince of Han, Zhou Xingshan, looked a little serious. He clasped his fists and replied;
"Uncle Wang, we took the official road, so there was no one who was so blind as to cause trouble. We arrived in a few days, but I left late, so I was the last one to arrive. I ended up in Wuzhou, where many disaster victims were staying. I asked the palace guards to go over and ask them, and found out that they had escaped from Linshan County, south of the capital."

He said it casually, but all the marquises below, except for Marquis Jinxiang, raised their heads. Marquis Huaiyuan, who was cold and icy, also interrupted directly and asked;
"Prince, you are saying that there are refugees coming from Linshan County. How can you be sure that they are? Wuzhou City is in the south of Anyang County, far away from Jingnan. There are also mountains in between. It is not something that ordinary people can endure to run all the way there."

Hu Jianglin, Marquis of Huaiyuan, commanded troops in the Beijing camp back then, and together with the old Duke of Jia, he led troops to fight against the White Lotus rebels. There were some people who entered the mountains in a panic, without enough food and water, and as many as entered died. At that time, there were nearly 50,000 White Lotus members, but only a few could get out. He was the one who was in charge of leading the troops in the pursuit, and he had a deep understanding of this.

Therefore, only a few of the weak refugees could make it.
"Marquis Huaiyuan is right. Let's not talk about whether they are refugees or not. From Linshan County in the south of Beijing to Wuzhou, the distance is short through the mountains, but the road is rugged and there is no water source. Once the water source is cut off, they can't hold out for long. So, maybe the prince remembered it wrongly."

Dongchuan Hou Duan Kaihua also sat in his seat to inquire. After all, the distance was several hundred miles, and including the mountain road, ordinary people could not pass.
"Yes, my dear nephew, maybe I remembered it wrongly."

Zhou Jianan also hurriedly asked again. After all, the matter just mentioned was of great importance. If those refugees could come, Linshan County City would change hands, and what would happen to the imperial court's army heading south? Therefore, he did not want to test it again.

The Prince of Han, Zhou Xingshan, frowned, as if he also realized something was wrong. Could it be that the imperial army heading south had already met the Taiping Sect in Linshan County, south of the capital? But the time difference was a long time. He remembered that he had entered the capital in advance and took the official road. He also asked clearly. Although it was unintentional, he also heard clearly that they escaped from Linshan County. As for the specific matter, he seemed to have not asked.

"Uncle Wang, and the two marquises, I really heard that man say he escaped from Linshan County. I was surprised at the time and asked him how he got here from such a long distance. He replied that Chenzhou City was lost and a large number of bandits came from outside the city. Some of their villages had to bring their families with them into the mountains and survived by eating tree bark along the way. I felt sorry for them and gave them some food."

After hearing this explanation, not to mention the marquises, even Zhang Jinyu's face changed. Calculating the time, it should have been five days ago. In this case, the Taiping Cult had already set up a trap.
The two marquises who had just asked the question were also full of surprise. They didn't know what was happening in Jingnan, and they didn't know where the imperial army heading south had gone. So, without the imperial court's official report, they were completely confused about what was happening in Jingnan.
"My Lord, what do you think?"

Huaiyuan Marquis Hu Jianglin felt something was wrong, so he asked King Zhongshun,

Zhou Jianan, who was sitting high on the stage, also noticed that something had changed. The princes' convoys entered the capital via the official road. It would take three days for a fast horse to get from Wuzhou City to the capital, and seven to nine days for normal travel. At that time, it was the day when Wang Ziteng led his troops south. Wouldn't that mean that Chenzhou City was lost?
He quickly looked down, and only Luo Yunhou knew much about military affairs, so he quickly asked;
"Lord Luo Yun, what do you think?"

Zhang Jinyu had already estimated the situation in the south when he heard the conversation between the few people. If the prince of Han was telling the truth, it meant that the Taiping Cult's troops had arrived before the imperial court. Below Chenzhou City, the situation in Linshan County was still unknown, and they had laid a big trap, waiting for Wang Ziteng's troops.

Obviously,

They had the upper hand. Even so, the secret letter from His Majesty was the key. If they got it there first, they might be able to save the reinforcements heading south. If they really rushed in, the consequences would be unpredictable. Of course, there were ways to crack it.
Then he stood up and replied;

"Your Highness, we are still just guessing about what is happening here. The Taiping Sect is still determined to take over the southern part of Beijing. They want to learn from the White Lotus Sect and occupy the county town to spy on the heartland of the Central Plains. However, the imperial court has set up the Daliang City Jiedushi in the south to guard against them. Now that the imperial court army is heading south, everything is still unknown."

He just brushed it off with a few words, without saying anything, or maybe it was useless to say anything, which made the Prince of Song and others look at him with contempt. Wasn't it said that Marquis Luo Yun was the most capable fighter in the Dawu court? Now it seems that he was just saying something to please the emperor.

Only the Marquis of Xiangyang behind him could guess a little. It seemed that Marquis Luo Yun, or the emperor, had already thought of a countermeasure. After all, the main force of the Anhu Camp of the Beijing Camp was temporarily managed by Marquis Luo Yun, and it was up to the emperor to say whether to send troops or not. By the way, Wang Ziteng was in real trouble. Unfortunately, there was no movement from the south. It was too weird.

Not to mention the speculation of Marquis Xiangyang, even the princes Zhou Zhengbai and Zhou Xingshan of Han were speculating about the situation in the south of the capital. But how could it benefit them? Unfortunately, most of the energy of the royal palace was involved in the capital, and they could not spare manpower to pay attention to the movements in the south. Could it be that the Taiping Sect was so powerful that it was comparable to the White Lotus Sect back then and defeated the imperial army? How was it possible?

Seeing that Marquis Luo Yun didn't say anything, Prince Zhongshun didn't ask any more questions and gave a few instructions.
"My dear nephews, we have almost finished our meal. We are tired from the journey. Let's stop here today. The scenery here is beautiful and there are many houses. Have a good rest. I am a little tired, so I will leave now."

I don't know if it was because they were really tired or because of something else, the banquet that started off well but ended badly ended, and the princes had a lot to say, so they stood up and bowed;
"Uncle Wang, please entertain me."

"We are family, it's none of our business, let's go back."

Zhou Jianan did not stay long. He waved his hand, and left the hall in a hurry with his personal guards and servants.

There were several other marquises who were puzzled as to why the person had left so suddenly. Seeing the person leaving, Zhang Jinyu touched his full stomach, burped, stood up and bowed to the princes.
"My lords, thank you for your hospitality today. I will leave now without saying thank you."

"Your Excellency is very polite. I am just offering you flowers to show my appreciation. I am sorry for the poor hospitality. I will make it up to you next time."

Zhou Zhengbai and his companions did not dare to ask Marquis Luo Yun to salute, so they bowed directly in return, saying nice things. Now it was clear what was more important.

"Then I'll say goodbye!"

He turned around and left the hall!
(End of this chapter)