Chapter 182: A Grand Banquet for Guests
The Crown Prince stayed in Pingjiang City, inspecting the area for nearly a month. He seemed quite satisfied and planned to use the Prince Rui’s Mansion Villa to host an imperial banquet for officials of Rank Nine and above from Pingjiang Prefecture and Linhai Town, along with their families.
As soon as the Crown Prince issued his command, the entire villa became so tense and busy it was practically boiling.
For this imperial banquet, the Crown Prince merely gave a verbal instruction, and all the work from start to finish fell upon the people at the villa.
Setting aside other matters, just considering officials of Rank Nine and above and their families, does this include retired officials? Does it include honorary titles like the President of the Silk Guild? What about honorary positions granted by decree? These matters need to be consulted, but before consulting, a list must be compiled: how many are currently in office, who are retired, and who has special circumstances.
And how should family members be counted? Surely many families would want to bring their daughters, after all, their Young Lord is not yet engaged, and the Crown Prince only has one official consort. What if, right?
If daughters are allowed, then can mothers and sisters also come?
Steward Sun, the villa’s chief steward, was overwhelmed.
Upon receiving a handwritten letter from Gu Yan, Mrs. Fu, the wife of Educational Commissioner Wei, immediately set off with her two young daughters for the Pingjiang Villa without even packing her luggage. A group of stewardesses stayed behind to hastily pack their belongings. By the time it was dark, they hung lanterns, loaded the trunks, and quickly set sail, following closely behind to Pingjiang City.
Since the Crown Prince invited female guests, someone had to host and attend to them. Mrs. Fu, as an aunt, had no choice but to take on this responsibility.
Even Mei Jie had heard about the Crown Prince’s grand banquet.
For dinner, they had baked flatbread. Mei Jie stir-fried soybean sprouts, leeks with eggs, shredded braised meat, and salted fish torn into strips and mixed with old cucumber. She also stir-fried a large bowl of minced meat with eggs.
A Wu grabbed a flatbread, spread some sauce on it, then added soybean sprouts and shredded braised meat. He took a bite of the rolled flatbread while watching Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan slowly tore half a flatbread, added soybean sprouts, then scooped some salted fish mixed with shredded cucumber, carefully rolled it up, and took a bite.
“The Crown Prince is hosting a grand banquet, have you all heard?” A Wu scanned everyone, his gaze still fixed on Li Xiaonan.
Li Xiaonan was focused on her flatbread, seemingly not hearing him.
“Of course, we’ve heard. Does anyone not know about this? This morning when I went to buy vegetables, all the vendors were talking about it. Each and every one of them acted as if they had received an invitation, as if they knew everything!” Mei Jie tutted.
“The villa sent word asking for four to five times the usual amount of preserved eggs, but not more salted eggs,” Li Yuzhu said with a smile.
“Everyone at the school is talking about this. The Headmaster is overjoyed. He’s Rank Nine, and he said he’s already received word from the Prefectural Yamen asking him to prepare. Second Brother Hong said the Headmaster’s face was redder than a bright red candle,” Li Xuedong said, laughing.
From the teachers to the students at the school, everyone was discussing this matter. Some even rumored that students from the Prefectural School could attend, and that the Crown Prince would personally test their knowledge.
“A Nan, are you going?” Li Xuedong turned to ask Li Xiaonan, who was focused on eating her flatbread.
“What would I go for? I’m not Rank Nine,” Li Xiaonan retorted.
“That’s true,” Li Xuedong chuckled.
“How can you not go? You’re friends with the Young Lord!” A Wu quickly chimed in.
“Do you want to go?” Li Xiaonan glanced sideways at A Wu.
“That’s the Crown Prince! Such a big event, everyone must want to go, right?” A Wu gestured with his flatbread.
“I don’t want to go. I hate banquets the most,” Li Yuzhu said with a smile.
“I don’t have time. Tomorrow morning I’m going out with Eldest Sister-in-law and will have to stay overnight. For a banquet like this, everyone will have to wear silk clothes, and that costs so much silver! I don’t want to go!” Li Jinzhu shook her head.
“I’d like to see it, but they say the Crown Prince will be testing knowledge. I’m most afraid of being tested in person, and it’s the Crown Prince. I think I wouldn’t be able to say a single word. Forget it, I can’t go,” Li Xuedong sighed.
“What about you, Mei Jie? You must want to see it, right? It’s the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince!” A Wu said anxiously.
“I do want to see the Crown Prince, and the Emperor. But I saw him with Yuting the other day. Right, Yuting? The Crown Prince on stage was so handsome. I think the Crown Prince at the villa definitely won’t be as handsome as the one on stage.”
There had been many good plays in Pingjiang City recently, and Mei Jie had enjoyed them to her heart’s content.
“The one on stage is fake, the one at the villa is real!” A Wu retorted, looking at Mei Jie.
“I don’t think it’s fake, he was so handsome! And the singing was good too!” Mei Jie finished a flatbread and reached for another, but then retracted her hand halfway. “I can’t eat anymore. A Nan told me to eat only seven-tenths full, and eight-tenths is probably too much.” Mei Jie pressed her stomach.
“You’re really not going? I really want to go see,” A Wu looked at Li Xiaonan.
“What about you?” Li Xiaonan looked at Wang Yuting.
“I’ve advised her against it. Those are officials. What are you going for? You have to kneel when you see officials, and everyone else will be sitting while you’re kneeling?” Wang Yuting shot A Wu a look.
Li Yuzhu burst out laughing.
“You know Steward Sun, right? Go find Steward Sun and tell him you want to see the excitement. Ask him to inquire with Uncle Hong for you, maybe he can arrange some work for you,” Li Xiaonan suggested to A Wu.
“I already asked Steward Sun. Steward Sun said that ever since the Crown Prince moved into the villa, even the villa’s servants have been sent home,” A Wu said dejectedly.
“You actually asked? Then have Steward Sun pass a message to Shi Gun, or find Wan Jing. Shi Gun is busy and won’t bother with you. Have Wan Jing ask Uncle Hong, maybe that will work,” Li Xiaonan continued to suggest.
“That girl Wan Jing has a terrible temper,” A Wu muttered.
“This is the only way…”
“I’ll go!” A Wu quickly cut Li Xiaonan off.
………………………………
Mrs. Fu set off immediately upon receiving Gu Yan’s handwritten letter. Two boats sailed against the wind and with the current. They poled their way to Chongde, where the current changed direction, becoming against the wind and against the current. The steward added more men to pole. Around the Yin Hour, the two boats docked at the Pingjiang Villa wharf.
Having heard from her cousin that her mother had rushed over overnight, Fourth Miss Wei simply slept in her clothes in a warm pavilion not far from the wharf. Upon hearing that the boats had arrived, she rushed out to meet them. Seeing Mrs. Fu, she burst into tears, like a child seeing their mother.
It had only been a day or two since the Crown Prince issued his decree, and she had already been distressed enough to cry several times. Now, it was alright, her mother had arrived!
………………………………
Linhai Town.
Huang Xianzhou, wrapped in an old padded jacket, hunched his neck and inspected the newly arrived cargo ships along the wharf.
Mr. Yao walked beside him, taking notes and chatting with Huang Xianzhou.
“The Crown Prince’s banquet, are you going or not? You’re a proper Rank Six official!”
“No!” Huang Xianzhou replied decisively.
“Are you throwing a tantrum again?” Mr. Yao wanted to sigh.
“What tantrum!” Although Huang Xianzhou hunched his shoulders and looked weary and dispirited, his tone was cheerful.
“What news have you received?” Mr. Yao leaned forward, observing Huang Xianzhou.
“Well, just pretend you don’t know.”
“Think about it, I was demoted here to suffer by the Young Lord’s displeasure. Would the people at the villa be willing to let me attend this event? Of course not. And everyone knows I have a stubborn temper, so I should also stubbornly refuse to go.
“I’ve already told the Maritime Tax Bureau that I can’t get away and won’t be going.”
Huang Xianzhou clasped his hands behind his back, lowered his voice, and chuckled.
“Indeed, it’s not appropriate for you to go. What news have you received?” Mr. Yao moved two steps closer to Huang Xianzhou.
“No news, just a message telling me to decline and not go.” Huang Xianzhou lowered his voice.
“That *is* news! Something must be happening, and it should be happening soon,” Mr. Yao tutted.
The things he and his Esteemed Master had extracted from Old Wan were truly outrageous! He figured it was about time for something to happen.
