Gu Yuan’s expression changed.
He suddenly stood up, looking very surprised.
Since Emperor Feng ascended the throne, he rarely left the palace.
As an emperor, safety was paramount.
Attending banquets outside the palace inherently carried many hidden dangers.
First and foremost, one had to guard against assassins.
Everything eaten and drunk had to be carefully monitored.
Every time he traveled, there would inevitably be a massive entourage.
The Yulin Army, specifically tasked with guarding the imperial palace.
The Imperial Bodyguards, personally protecting Emperor Feng.
In short, it was an extremely troublesome affair.
It was costly, taxing on the people, and very dangerous.
For banquets like theirs, Emperor Feng never left the palace.
Having Chief Steward Hu send some rewards was enough to elicit gratitude.
However, for Ning Que’s banquet this time, Emperor Feng made the rare decision to leave the palace.
This also served to dispel the rumors of these past years.
Old Prince Ning’s death was clearly unrelated to Emperor Feng.
Emperor Feng had never thought of weakening Prince Ning’s power.
Otherwise, why would he support Ning Que’s ascension?
He even went so far as to attend the banquet outside the palace!
Emperor Feng, dressed only in casual clothes, walked in with a steady stride. Chief Steward Hu followed behind him with guards, and everyone rose and bowed deeply.
“We respectfully greet Your Majesty!”
“Dispense with the formalities.”
Emperor Feng took the main seat, smiling as he waved his sleeve, “Today is Prince Ning’s banquet. All of you need not be overly formal, lest I steal the host’s thunder. Prince Ning facilitated the peace talks, bringing peace to the Western Border. Tonight, there is no distinction between ruler and subject. We won’t leave until we’re drunk!”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
The officials rose and returned to their seats.
Emperor Feng smiled slightly, “Prince Ning, I hear you’ve prepared many rare delicacies today. I’ve grown tired of the food from the imperial chefs in the palace.”
“Then Your Majesty is in for a treat.”
Ning Que rose and clapped his hands.
Qingfeng and Mingyue nodded understandingly.
Soon, maids in pink skirts began serving the dishes.
Every dish was exquisitely prepared.
The portions were not large.
At the same time, they poured wine for everyone.
The wine was yellowish-brown, with a rich aroma.
Emperor Feng raised his wine cup and took a small sip. The taste was slightly spicy, very mellow and sweet, and it had a very unique wine fragrance.
“Hmm?”
“This wine is quite good.”
“Prince Ning, it seems you’ve hidden quite a few good things.”
Ning Que smiled and raised his wine cup in response, “These past few years, with nothing much to do, your younger brother has enjoyed researching these ‘ingenious crafts.’ This wine is called Yellow Wine, brewed from rice, millet, and other grains. Its taste is sweet and mellow, but it’s still best to drink only a few cups.”
“Excellent!”
Emperor Feng couldn’t help but smile.
Ingenious crafts?
Ning Que was truly modest.
Just look at how Gu Yuan crushed the main force of Western Liang this time; it was all thanks to cavalry. The Great Feng cavalry’s rapid increase in strength in a short period was due to the three cavalry artifacts provided by the Ministry of Works: the saddle, stirrups, and horseshoe!
The world thought they were developed by the Ministry of Works.
In reality, they were presented by Ning Que!
Could these be considered ingenious crafts?
They were clearly arts of strengthening the nation!
Everyone raised their cups.
The taste was indeed quite mellow and sweet.
One by one, they showed expressions of pleasant surprise.
The wine in Great Feng was still primarily rice wine.
The alcohol content was at most five or six degrees.
Ning Que had previously thought of making white spirits, but after giving it to the servants in his manor, they all thought he was trying to poison them. After all, the alcohol content they usually drank was not high enough, so when they suddenly tasted high-proof white spirits that had been repeatedly distilled, they naturally couldn’t adapt.
If one understood the history of white spirits, one would know that white spirits were not the mainstream in the country for a long time. There is a poem that says yellow wine is expensive and bought by the liter, while white spirits are cheap and bought by the dou.
Therefore, Ning Que had people switch to brewing yellow wine instead.
And honestly, the effect was really good!
Even Chang Baicao found it quite delicious!
Samuer, on the other hand, took a small sip, savoring the taste. The nomadic people of the grasslands also enjoyed drinking, and the most popular was naturally kumis, though its alcohol content was lower.
“Cough, cough, cough…”
“Yellow wine is still quite strong.” Ning Que looked at Samuer and said with a smile, “If the princess isn’t accustomed to it, she can drink less, or try some fruit drinks.”
“It’s fine.”
“Prince Ning, what are the names of these dishes?”
Ning Que smiled and stood up, raising his hand to introduce them, “This dish is called Poetic Ritual Ginkgo. As the saying goes, ‘Without learning poetry, one cannot speak; without learning ritual, one cannot stand.’ This dish is made from white ginkgo nuts, with a color like amber, fresh and light, soft and sweet. It also has the effects of sobering up and relieving coughs.”
“Excellent!”
Emperor Feng was immediately delighted.
He particularly liked this dish.
It tasted sweet and delicious, melting in the mouth.
“And these other dishes.”
“Squirrel Mandarin Fish, Gold and Jade Full House, Longjing Shrimp, Wensi Tofu…”
Ning Que introduced them one by one.
Each dish embodied the wisdom of the chefs, truly a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate. Just as he had said earlier, even the palace couldn't offer such dishes.
Even the Gu Family father and son, who were at odds with him, didn't stop their chopsticks. With every dish they tasted, they felt that what they had eaten before was simply pig slop!
Especially this Longjing Shrimp!
It must have been cooked with immortal tea.
The immortal tea blended with the shrimp, making it fresh and tender.
The shrimp had the fragrance of tea, and the tea had the freshness of shrimp.
After eating, the aroma lingered in the mouth, leaving one with an endless aftertaste.
Yu Ji also liked this dish very much.
After several quick chopsticks, the plate was already empty.
The courtyard was packed, with cups clinking everywhere.
Starting from Sima Changqing, everyone toasted one by one.
When it was Gu Mingzhi’s turn, he paused deliberately. He looked towards the back of the courtyard, where there were many shabbily dressed old people, some even missing arms or legs.
“The dishes prepared by the Prince are indeed excellent.” Gu Mingzhi raised his wine cup, “This banquet was also very well prepared. However, there is one thing I don’t understand. Why are there so many servants and commoners at such an important banquet? Is the Prince perhaps trying to humiliate us?”
They had all rushed from Jingyang and were already very reserved. After Gu Mingzhi said this, they became even more flustered. They all lowered their heads, not daring to speak.
“Does Lord Gu look down on them?”
“Not at all.” Gu Mingzhi raised his hand in a bow and said earnestly, “I believe that there should be order between the noble and the humble, and it should not be confused. When His Majesty previously held the Banquet of a Thousand Elders, it was to demonstrate his benevolent heart. Prince Ning has just ascended to his position and is already imitating His Majesty to win the hearts of the people. What is the meaning of this?”
“Gu Aiqing, you’ve gone too far!”
Emperor Feng put down his wine cup and rebuked him coldly.
Ning Que, however, remained unfazed and said with a smile, “They are all people from Jingyang, and their families have had military merits for three generations. General Gu fought on the battlefield, and it is thanks to the soldiers’ fearlessness that he holds his current official position. Similarly, my Prince Ning’s Manor is also established on military merits. As I inherit the princely title, I should not forget these people, and naturally, I must invite them to the banquet. What, Lord Gu, now that your official position is high, you look down on these soldiers?”
“You…”
“Father!”
Gu Yuan frowned and shook his head.
Only then did Gu Mingzhi quiet down.
He couldn’t just say anything!
Gu Yuan would still lead troops in the future. If this matter got out, who would still fight for him?
If the morale of the army scattered, it would be over!
Gu Yuan took over the conversation, laughing, “Today is the Prince’s banquet, and the invitation of guests should be decided by the Prince. Just drinking like this feels a bit uninteresting. Since Grand Tutor Yu is also here, why don’t we play a drinking game to liven things up? What do you think, Prince?”
“No problem.”
Ning Que, however, gave a fake smile.
He knew that Gu Yuan was digging a pit for him.
However, would he be afraid?