Wentang

Chapter 480 Li Shimin's Treat

One after another, people dressed in fine clothes crossed the street and walked towards the palace with happy faces. The people along the street avoided each other for fear of bumping into each other and causing trouble.

After the people in fancy clothes passed by, they whispered:

"What's going on today? Why are all these nobles who don't celebrate the festival come out?"

"You do not know?"

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"My second uncle's third son's brother-in-law's sister-in-law's father-in-law's father-in-law works in a noble man's house. I heard that the saint invited all the dignitaries in the city to dinner."

"Yes, yes, I've heard that too. It seems that the sage discovered a delicacy that is particularly delicious, so he asked all the dignitaries to taste it together."

"It is said that there was a special order that no one should be absent."

"This... hey, seeing that there is going to be a plague of locusts in Yongzhou, the court has not said anything up to now, and the sage even invites dignitaries to dinner... hey..."

"It's really dizzy... The saint must have been stunned by that corrupt official, and he doesn't know about the locust plague yet."

"The sage is a Mingjun. Everyone has benefited from his old man. Someone must have bullied him. We should find a way to pass the news of the locust plague to his ears."

"How do you pass it on? Could it be that you just stop a noble person on the street and let him take the message?"

"What kind of bad idea, do you want to stop you?"

"I won't go. The locust plague is not just my family's damage. Why should I go?"

"Then what are you talking about..."

So this group of people broke up unhappy. As for the locust plague... After all, it hasn't happened yet, and no one wants to be the bell ringer. What if the locust plague doesn't happen?
However, the news that the emperor discovered the delicacy and invited dignitaries to feast and taste spread all over the world.

For this, some people scolded the faint king, some said why not eat minced meat, some said treacherous ministers blocked the way to listen, in short, they said everything.

And those people who have experienced the locust plague began to find ways to catch the locusts, trying to eliminate the locusts or alleviate the locust plague.But it was precisely because they had experienced the locust plague that they knew it was futile.

And some well-informed businessmen have already started hoarding food and waiting to make a fortune.

The common people didn't know that everything that happened in the capital was brought into the palace through dark lines and delivered to Li Shimin's desk.

For all this, he seemed to have expected it and didn't feel it was strange. After seeing it, he threw it on the table and asked, "Is everyone here?"

The great eunuch Zhao Meng said respectfully: "Returning to the saint, all the nobles and officials above the fifth rank in Beijing have arrived. Among them, two of them are seriously ill and 22 of them are aged and unable to move. The eldest son will attend the banquet on their behalf."

"Well, what about the food? Are you ready?" Li Shimin asked again.

Hearing the word gourmet, Zhao Meng's face twitched for a moment as if he remembered something terrible, but then he forcibly controlled it, and said with a normal expression: "It's ready, and the banquet can be held at any time."

"Okay, then let's serve. I hope they will like these delicacies too." Li Shimin showed a weird smile.

"Here." Zhao Meng bowed and stepped back to arrange for people to serve.

In Daxing Hall, thousands of high-ranking officials and dignitaries gathered here, and everyone got together in groups of three or four according to their identities and affinities to discuss topics of concern.

The matter of the locust plague was mentioned occasionally, but it was only a superficial discussion, and it was quickly skipped. No one dared to talk about such a sensitive matter.

It's not that the officials of the Tang Dynasty are all selfish people, but those who can plead for the people may not know the news, and those who know the news may not dare to say it.

In addition, people have a fluke mentality, always thinking what if the locust disaster is a false alarm?

The most discussed is the emperor's purpose.

Although the emperor's oral order was to find a delicacy for everyone to taste, everyone knows the character of His Majesty Zhenguan, and he is not such a person who is very happy.

Even if he finds something interesting, at most he will invite a few trusted courtiers to taste it in private.

Even Wei Zheng, who has always been outspoken and outspoken, did not express his opinion in a hurry, but stood in a corner with squinted eyes, waiting for the final answer to be revealed.

If the emperor really had other meanings, he would naturally not say anything.If the reasons given by the emperor are not satisfactory... Wei Zheng's saliva can also drown people.

Some people were also asking for gossip, Changsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling and others became the focus of attention.It's just that they are not very clear about this matter, and they are too embarrassed to say that they don't know, so they can only play charades.

After sending away batch after batch of people who were trying to make connections, they also looked at each other with wry smiles.What does this do for a saint?Can't you discuss it with them beforehand?

But for some reason, a person's name suddenly jumped into their minds... Qingshui Hou Yueshan, he must know what's going on.

Then they began to look for the target in the crowd, but they couldn't find the figure after searching, which made them confirm their guess even more.

At this moment, Zhao Meng appeared on the side of the hall with a group of wrestlers, attracting everyone's attention.

"The sage has a decree, please take your seats."

"Thank you saint."

Then everyone found their own seats and sat down one after another.

After everyone sat down, Zhao Meng shouted again: "Banquet."

A group of palace ladies and warriors appeared with trays, and plates of dishes were placed on the table.It's just that these dishes are all covered with lids, so you can't see what they are, but you can guess from the attractive aroma that they should be delicacies.

This strange smell made many people suspicious. Could it be that the sage really just invited everyone to dinner?
There are not many dishes, and there are only six dishes on each table, so they are served quickly.But no one dared to lift the lid. It would be impolite for the emperor to lift the lid before he ordered it, and he would be impeached.

Li Shimin didn't make people wait too long, and appeared right after the dishes were served.

Afterwards, I skipped the ceremony, and after letting everyone sit down, Li Shimin said loudly: "Recently, I discovered an ingredient, and the dishes I made are very delicious. I fell in love with it the first time I ate it. I can't help but share it with you, and I hope you will like it as much as I do."

"Well, this ingredient is not only an ingredient but also a medicinal ingredient. It can treat many diseases and has a curative effect on tuberculosis. Even if you are not sick, eating it often can strengthen your body."

Changsun Wuji really deserved to be the roundworm in Li Shimin's stomach, and immediately answered: "The ingredients with such powerful effects must be very rare and rare?"

"No, no, just the opposite. This kind of food is very common and cheap, so cheap that no one wants to eat it." Li Shimin laughed.

"This... Dare to ask the saint what kind of food it is, I wonder if I have seen it before?" Changsun Wugou said in surprise.

"I have seen it, not only you have seen it, everyone present has seen it. I won't keep it secret, you can open your eyes and have a look with your own eyes and taste it with your own mouth to see if I am right."

(End of this chapter)