Yongli Ming Dynasty

Chapter 68: Northern Oath
Deng Yao and the others waited with bated breath, but before they could hear His Highness the Regent's instructions, His Highness waved his hand, and then dozens of palace servants came in with silver bowls in their hands and placed the silver bowls in front of the tables of the generals.
"Although it is autumn now, the weather in the south is very hot. This is a secret snow drink made in the palace. It can relieve the heat a little. Please try it and see how it tastes."

Liu Qijiao looked stunned, but he quickly reacted and led the other generals to shout out their thanks.
The generals below looked calm. After half a day of feasting, most of them had relaxed. They just thought that this was another palace food rewarded by His Highness.

Deng Yao looked at the food in the silver bowl. It was a bowl of reddish frozen milk cake.
The silver bowl was steaming cold, and a layer of fried peanuts and walnuts were sprinkled on the milk cake, and it was decorated with wolfberries, red dates, and mint leaves. The red, yellow, and green colors in the bowl really whetted people's appetite.
Deng Yao picked up the spoon and took a sip. The milk cake tasted icy sweet, followed by the crisp taste of fried peanuts and other nuts. A cool breeze rushed to his head, instantly making him feel cooler.

Deng Yao looked at the generals below, and sure enough, they were also eating heartily with their bowls in hand, saying that it was very satisfying.
"How does this palace snow drink taste?"

Deng Yao had just finished half a bowl of rice when His Highness suddenly spoke up.

"The imperial cuisine in the palace is naturally the best in the world. We are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to taste this delicacy. Thank you, Your Highness, for your generous gift." Liu Qijiao also put down the silver bowl and answered.

"General, you have the wrong person. The princess heard that I was hosting a banquet for all the generals today, so she cooked this snow drink herself. This snow drink is a secret recipe of the princess's family. It is thanks to the generals that I can eat it again today," said His Royal Highness the Regent with a chuckle.

"It was made by Her Majesty herself. We thank Her Majesty for the generous gift."

Upon hearing this, all the generals stood up, shouted their thanks, and tasted the snow drink in their bowls, only to feel that they wanted to add more delicious

This is made by the princess herself, how can it not be delicious? Even if it is just a bowl of rice, after being cooked by the princess, it must be a rare delicacy in the world.
The generals below were carefully tasting the snow drink in the bowl, but His Royal Highness the Prince above suddenly sighed softly.

The people who had been paying attention to His Highness immediately noticed His Highness's abnormality, so Liu Qijiao also asked tactfully:

"Why do you sigh so softly, Your Highness? Have we done anything inappropriate?"

"It has nothing to do with the generals. I just saw the snow drink in the bowl and suddenly remembered that I have never seen the ice and snow in the north."

"I grew up in the south, where I rarely see snow. The weather in the south is always hot, even in autumn and winter, it is often extremely hot."

"I have heard rumors that when winter comes in the north, there is heavy snowfall, thousands of miles of ice, and the sky and the earth are all white. I really don't know how magnificent the scenery in the north is."

The young regent sighed softly, and before Deng Yao and the others could react, a voice suddenly rang out from below.
"What's so good about this snow? It's all white and you can't see anything. What I hated most when I served in the army in Liaodong was this snowy day. The snow pits were so dense that they could freeze a person to death."

Yang Yandi's face was slightly red, and he started to yell while holding a silver bowl. He had drunk some wine and had fun in the garden for half a day. He had long forgotten the caution he had taken when he first entered the garden. When he heard the words above, Yang Yandi's attitude was renewed and he spoke directly.

Deng Yao's expression darkened. He glared at Yang Yandi, who was holding the spoon and was still unaware. He was about to stand up and apologize, but the Regent had already spoken.

"General Yang has lived in the north for a long time, so he naturally sees this icy and snowy scene as normal. But for a southerner like me, it is a rare sight that is rarely seen," His Highness the Regent shook his head and laughed, looking at Yang Yandi below and spoke softly.

"It's not difficult. It's already October. In a month or two, winter will come to the north. If Your Highness wants to see snow, I will take You to the north and let You see it all at once."

Yang Yandi spoke loudly. As soon as Yang Yandi finished speaking, another voice sounded. Zhao Xing, who had a beard on the opposite side, also spoke loudly.

"Yes, if Your Highness wants to see the snow, I can be your guide. When I was a general in Jin Province, the sky was full of ice and snow all day long. What's so difficult about seeing snow?" After hearing the two people's rapid conversation, Liu Qijiao and Deng Yao's faces turned black. These two generals really caused trouble.

But before the two of them could stand up and scold, His Royal Highness the Regent above them had already responded:
"I appreciate the kindness of the two generals, but I'm afraid it's not that easy to go to the Northern Country."

"My Great Ming originally covered the north and the south. Northerners could go to the south to see the sea, and southerners could go to the north to see the snow. But now the Tartars have entered the pass, the Central Plains is full of blood and the land of the north has fallen into the hands of the bandits. The people are crying day and night. I don't know if I will have the chance to return to my homeland in the north in this life." The young prince looked sad.

As soon as His Royal Highness the Regent said this, the originally harmonious atmosphere on the field instantly dissipated. Some generals who had been on tenterhooks suddenly changed their expressions. They knew that the main event of today's banquet was about to begin.
Deng Yao and other officers were all shocked when they heard the words of the Regent. Thinking about the words of the Northern Kingdom that His Highness suddenly mentioned, they had some vague guesses in their hearts. That was why the expressions on their faces became more and more serious.
Deng Yao originally wanted to stand up and stop Yang Yandi, but at this moment he suddenly kept silent. After His Highness raised this topic, no one dared to speak easily.

If the current situation is really as they thought just now, then every word they say now may be taken out later, investigated, misinterpreted or even impeached, which is a fatal matter.
This topic was not something that a group of generals could comment on casually. Even their own generals might not be qualified to participate. Before understanding His Highness' intentions, no one dared to speak casually.

All the generals in the field looked solemn, but there were still a few who were still unaware. Yang Yandi put down the silver bowl in his hand, took the wine glass beside him, raised his head and drank it all, and suddenly spoke

"Your Highness, why do you want to destroy your own prestige and boost others' ambitions? The Eastern Tartars were originally barbarians outside the Great Wall. They just took advantage of the civil strife in the court and the rise of bandits in the country, and only then were they lucky enough to enter the Great Wall."

"Now that Your Highness has ascended the throne, you only need to gather up your military equipment and unite our Ming soldiers. The Eastern Tartars can be easily destroyed. Your Highness, why should you be discouraged?"

Yang Yandi's cheeks were slightly red, and he wiped the wine stains from the corners of his mouth. He didn't know what he was thinking about, but his eyes were full of bloodshot, and a murderous look flashed across his face. He spoke loudly
"Others are afraid of the Tartars, but I, Yang Yandi, am not. When I was a soldier in Liaodong, I killed more than a dozen Tartars in one go. This Tartar has only one head and two arms. If I cut him with a knife, he will die anyway. What's so scary about it?"

Deng Yao listened to Yang Yandi, whose face was red and blood was boiling, and his heart tightened. He was about to open his mouth to scold him, but suddenly he heard a cheer from above.
"Good, very courageous, very heroic"

"We have heroes like General Yang and other generals in our Ming Dynasty. Why should we worry about the Eastern Tartars? Why should we worry about restoring our Ming Dynasty?"

"Come, let's drink another cup for the heroism and courage of the generals."

The young Regent's face flushed, and he looked extremely excited. He suddenly raised his glass.
The generals looked at each other, raised their glasses, and shouted their loyalty to the court, and then drank it all.
The wine in the silver cup of His Royal Highness the Regent seemed to be still restless. He stood up from the table, walked back and forth a few steps, looked at the generals below, and spoke again.

"Today in this southern autumn day, I am very happy to see many brave and heroic heroes of our Ming Dynasty."

"I want to make an appointment with all the generals. When you wipe out the Eastern Tartars and restore the northern part of our Ming Dynasty, I would like to drink with you again in the snowy land of the north and see the beautiful mountains and rivers of our Ming Dynasty. Are you willing to agree to my request?"

The young Regent looked excited and clenched his hands tightly.
"I am willing to follow your Highness, wipe out the Eastern Tartars, and restore our Ming Dynasty."

The generals looked at each other and the ruddy-faced prince above them. At this moment, they had no other choice but to stand up again and shout in response.

"Well, you are indeed the loyal ministers and generals of the Ming Dynasty. Although the national affairs are difficult, I have nothing to worry about with you generals serving me. This cup of wine is toast to you generals again."

The young prince took the wine jug, filled the glass, and drank it all in front of all the generals.
The generals below had helpless expressions on their faces, and could only shout "I dare not" and drink the fifth glass of wine of the day with His Highness above.
(End of this chapter)