Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 107: The Wine-Flowing Banquet

On the lotus-picking boat is a bamboo and wooden building built by the water, and the scenery is beautiful.

The Liushang Banquet was held beside the lotus pond, with the fragrance of lotus wafting in the air. Male and female guests sat separately, separated by a bamboo curtain.

There were not many female guests, less than ten.

On the male guests’ side, there were not only the Crown Prince and three princes, but also many talented and well-known people in the capital.

Prince Duan Li Huan was always courteous to the wise and humble, so he naturally treated these talented people with great courtesy.

At the beginning of the Liushang Banquet, Li Huan set the rules: "Only discuss talent and learning, not status" and "Make friends through poetry, don't talk about state affairs." He was a kind and generous person, and was very popular among the scholars.

Since Prince Duan had spoken, it was not convenient for the Crown Prince to object.

Li Zhao sat aside with an indifferent expression, occasionally raising his glass to take a sip, but said little.

The scholars and literati admired each other. For a while, everyone raised their glasses and discussed poetry, with laughter and joy all the time.

At some point, it started to rain.

Raindrops fluttered, creating ripples in the tranquil lotus pond. Some of the rain splashed onto the lotus leaves, making a dripping sound, which was leisurely and comfortable. The small bamboo building seemed particularly lively.

The whole atmosphere became more joyful——

"Rain falls on the lotus pond and pearls and jades smile."

"The wind blows the green canopy and the fragrance drifts away."

Everyone was talking at once, and many witty remarks were made.

The poetic inspiration became stronger.

Xue Yuechen listened to the excitement, called the maid beside him to whisper a few words, raised his glass to the girls, and smiled gently.

"Sisters, please sit down for a moment. I will go over there and toast to the princes and gentlemen. I will be back after a few words."

When the ladies saw the princess walk confidently towards the men's seats and chat and laugh with the talented men, they couldn't help but feel envious.

People with high status always feel more at ease. A woman should marry a good man like Prince Duan, who is handsome and tall, gentle and generous, and can give his wife dignity and enough respect.

Looking at Xue Sui again, their previous envy was gone.

Lady Ping'an, the wife of Prince Duan, was nothing more than a concubine. Naturally, she could not show her face in public like the Princess of Duan, and had to stay in a corner.

Xue Yueying said: "Big sister's dignity is not something that everyone can learn..."

Xue Yueman quickly agreed: "That's what I mean. Some people don't even consider their own status. They are too ignorant of their own abilities."

Xue Yue'e pretended to be ignorant and smiled coquettishly, "Fourth sister, Eighth sister, who are you talking about? Is there anyone who has no self-respect at our table?"

Xue Sui pretended not to hear it. He smiled and lowered his eyes, watching Ruyi carefully peeling lotus seeds for him.

Lotus seeds are sweet and delicious, and she loves to eat them.

At this time, the voice of Crown Prince Li Zhao came through the bamboo curtain.

"I have been ill recently, and the doctor has repeatedly reminded me to avoid certain foods and maintain good health. Look at these lotus seeds, each one is round and plump, I like them very much, but I don't know if they can be eaten. My brother, I heard that Madam Ping'an is an expert in pharmacology, why don't you ask her for me?"

Xue Sui was slightly startled.

Could it be that Li Zhao came here on purpose to cause trouble?
trouble making.

Soon, a girl in green came over with a box. In the box was a small white porcelain bowl filled with peeled lotus seeds.

Xue Sui suppressed his emotions and smiled slightly.

"Please reply to your Highness. Lotus seeds are sweet and astringent, and are mild in nature. They can enter the human heart, spleen, and kidney meridians. Eating them can nourish the spleen and stomach, stop diarrhea, consolidate the essence, and nourish the mind. If your Highness needs to maintain his health, you can eat them."

Nourish the spleen and stomach, stop diarrhea, consolidate the essence, and nourish the mind.

The girl blushed slightly and knelt down to salute.

The maid did not orally narrate Xue Sui's words.

I can’t even describe it verbally…

But the table suddenly became quiet.

Not only Li Zhao heard it, but everyone else heard it too.

Li Zhao smiled, "Good insight."

After a while, the girl came back around the bamboo curtain.

"His Royal Highness asked Madam, 'People say the lotus core is the most bitter. So when we eat lotus seeds, should we eat them with the core or without it?'"

Xue Sui's heart sank.

After pondering for a moment, he responded with a smile.

"The taste of lotus seeds varies from person to person. Some people like it, while others don't. Lotus seeds without cores have a soft and glutinous texture and are delicate when eaten. Lotus seeds with cores have a hint of bitterness and crispness. Your Highness, you can use it according to your heart and preferences..."

The girl left by herself.

After a while, she took the wooden box back with both hands and placed it in front of Xue Sui.

"Your Highness said that Madam Ping'an is well-informed and knowledgeable, so this box of peeled lotus seeds will be given to her as a reward."

Ruyi, who was peeling lotus seeds, felt her hands tremble, and she thought to herself, "Your Highness the Crown Prince is so kind!"
Doesn't she have to peel it anymore?
Xue Sui gently put down the handkerchief he used to wipe his hands, and used the silver chopsticks to fiddle with the peeled lotus seeds in the box, his tone calm.

"Thank you, Your Highness."

The atmosphere at the table was a little weird, but everyone quieted down.

Even Miss Xue Ba and Miss Xue Jiu, who had just been sarcastic, shut up.

If they continue to make indirect accusations, they will be the ones who overestimate their own capabilities.

After all, Xue Sui was not only the wife of Prince Duan, she also received a reward from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince just by saying a few words.

This is also very lucky.

How could an abandoned girl who had been living away from home for ten years suddenly have such ability? -
Xue Yuechen sat beside Li Huan, hiding the displeasure in his eyes, and put down the wine glass gracefully.

"You all have brilliant writing skills, but unfortunately I am not very knowledgeable and only have a superficial understanding of most of what you have said. There are a few distinguished guests next door, so I will not accompany them, so as not to spoil your fun here..."

Li Zhao said: "Since we have such distinguished guests, why don't you invite the emperor's sister-in-law to join us in the fun? It will add some elegance to this banquet."

As soon as these words were spoken, the talented men in the men's seats suddenly became excited and cheered.

The story of talented men and beautiful women has always been a topic that writers and poets love to talk about.

It's a rare opportunity, and the young and passionate blood is boiling...

Seeing that Li Huan had no objection, Xue Yuechen smiled and asked the servants to roll up half of the bamboo curtain.

In this way, the male guest can see the girl's clothes but not her face, which is not considered rude.

A girl joined the poetry meeting, and the young scholars were inspired to write poetry.

"Since it was proposed by His Royal Highness, why not ask His Royal Highness to set the questions?"

Li Zhao said, "Look at the lotus swaying its green shadows, why not write some beautiful words to praise the pure joy? Since we are in the lotus picking boat, let's use lotus as the theme. It may be a bit vulgar, but it's rare that my brother is interested in it."

"it is good!"

Everyone applauded.

A young man stood up and saluted.

"I'll go first—"

"Wait a minute!" Li Zhao suddenly interrupted him, "Since we are going to compete, how can there be no prize?"

There was a sound of surprise at the table.

Seeing him staring at him, Li Huan smiled slightly and looked at Xue Yuechen.

"Princess, may I borrow your golden lotus fan?"

Upon hearing that, Xue Yuechen happily handed over the fan with both hands.

"This gift is for the leader!"

Prince Duan made a generous donation, and the atmosphere suddenly became heated.

The scholar's eyes lit up, he bowed, cleared his throat and said:
"The green lotus sways in the clear water, and the pink stamens are full of affection and reflect the sunshine. Fishes play under the leaves, and the beauty of the whole pond composes a song." After saying this, he won a lot of praise.

Everyone praised him, saying that his poems were delicate in style.

Someone immediately picked up a pen and wrote down the poem and hung it on a bamboo screen prepared in advance for people to read.

"The green leaves embrace the flowers and seem to speak, while the clear water reflects the shadows and makes them sound like strings."

"The pink lotus half hides the dream, the green umbrella gently sways in the evening smoke."

There are endless witty sentences.

The men's section was bustling with activity, with people reciting aloud or clapping their hands in praise...

There are more and more poems on the bamboo screen.

The presence of the girl inevitably added a touch of charm, and was full of tenderness and affection.

As for the female guests, the girls were all shy and no one spoke.

The raindrops were falling, much heavier than before, making crisp sounds like pearls and jade on the bluestone slabs, which made the place even quieter.

Xue Yueying suddenly stood up, walked lightly to the bamboo curtain, and said in a tender voice:

"I am not talented, but I have come up with a few words. I hope that Your Highnesses and Young Masters will be generous in giving me some advice—"

The small bamboo building immediately became quiet.

Xue Yueying leaned forward slowly, her emerald skirt faintly visible behind the bamboo curtain.

She deliberately posed so that the men's seats could just see a graceful silhouette...

Every sentence is like pearls falling on a plate.

"The green leaves droop to hide their powder makeup, and the lotus heart is filled with dew and tears. The clear waves reflect my reflection but no one cares. I stand guard in the secluded pond and complain about the long night."

There is a sense of resentment in the poem.

The poem about the lotus seems to say that she has beauty and talent, but no one appreciates or loves her, which makes her extremely miserable.

After that, someone wrote a title and hung it on the other end of the bamboo curtain.

"Mrs. Gu's poem 'Lotus Complaint' is truly graceful and moving."

"Not bad!"

"A talented woman!"

When a scholar praised her, Xue Yueying smiled slightly, said a few polite words, and sat back down. She glanced at the other girls, and finally her eyes fell on Xue Sui's face, with a hint of provocation.

"Sixth sister, can you write poetry?"

Xue Sui replied calmly: "I have never written a poem."

Xue Yueying remembered that Xue Liugang said when he returned home that he was taught to read and write by the embroiderer and had never read any books.

He knows a little about pharmacology, probably from what he heard from the people in the streets.

Not everyone can discuss poetry seriously...

"Don't be modest, sister. I'm just joining in the fun and saying a few words casually."

Xue Yueying said that she wanted to be laughed at, but in fact she wanted to make Xue Liu look bad in front of everyone.

In order to let His Royal Highness Prince Duan take a closer look, a country girl will never be able to enter a noble hall.

Xue Sui looked calm, "Why is Madam Gu making things difficult for me?"

"It's not difficult." Xue Yueying smiled and said, "Everyone knows that Sixth Sister grew up in the countryside. Even if she doesn't write good poems, no one will laugh at her... Big sister, what do you think?"

Xue Yuechen smiled and said, "Then Sixth Sister can just recite a few lines casually, just for fun."

The eighth and ninth girls also laughed.

"Yes, yes."

"Sixth sister said that Lianzi's words were very logical, so I guess it wouldn't be difficult for him to write a poem."

Xue Sui seemed not to hear their sarcasm, and had a faint smile on his lips.

"Then I will imitate Madam Gu and sing a song?"

Suddenly, everyone in the room fell silent.

Xue Sui gently turned the round fan in his hand, his brows lowered, as if he was thinking.

After a long while, she slowly stood up and walked to the bamboo curtain. Her gauze shawl slipped off her shoulders and her jade-like neck was slightly raised. In the room filled with lotus fragrance, she had a kind of cool and otherworldly beauty.

"The lotus should have guarded the clear pond, but the mud has permeated its fragrance. The secret love between the pearl and the fetus is hard to be right——"

"You!" Xue Yueying stood up suddenly and knocked over the teacup in her hand in panic.

The water flowed down and wet the hem of her skirt...

As everyone in the room watched, Xue Sui smiled slightly and slowly recited the concluding sentence.

"In vain, your noble character will only make you a laughing stock."

As soon as these words came out, the whole place fell silent.

She suddenly turned around and smiled at Xue Yueying.

"What do you think of the poem, Madam Gu?"

Everyone could hear that Xue Sui was mocking Xue Yueying.

Regardless of whether the poem was well-written or not, the meaning of the poem alone was enough to make Xue Si feel ashamed.

No one spoke for a long while.

Until a cheer with laughter came from the table.

It’s Li Zhao.

He said: "Mrs. Ping'an's words not only praise the noble character of the lotus, but also lash out at the filthy things such as improper behavior. Using the lotus to satirize the world, it also shows the character of the people. It is indeed a top-notch work."

Li Huan's heart sank slightly, and then he saw the prince stand up and walk towards the bamboo curtain.

"Today's prize must go to Madam Ping An."

Xue Yueying's face looked extremely ugly and she bit her lower lip slightly.

Amid the waves of laughter, her eyes turned red silently.

The poetry gathering was organized by Li Huan, who also offered the prize. The outcome was determined by the prince's mere words.

Isn't this just using the prince's status to suppress others and deliberately making it difficult for Li Huan to get on the stage?

Everyone held their breath.

Only Li Huan smiled slightly, "Your Highness, the poetry gathering is not over yet, it's too early to say anything..."

Li Zhao raised his hand and looked towards the sky. A few strands of raindrops fell on his fingertips and he twisted them slightly.

"It's raining heavily, and I'm not in the mood anymore. My Royal Brother, please continue. I won't keep you company."

What’s the point of having a poetry gathering if the prince leaves midway?
Everyone present knew that the prince was casual, but they didn't expect him to be so casual and leave as soon as he said he would. He didn't care at all that he ruined the fun of others, which was in line with the prince's usual arrogant style.

Everyone looked at each other, with embarrassment on their faces.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince!" Li Huan suddenly spoke and called him.

"A heavy rain is coming. I'm afraid we'll have to keep you here today. The poetry party can be continued tomorrow. Now that we've had enough wine and food, why don't I play a few games of chess with Your Highness to relieve the loneliness in the mountains?"

The rain outside the curtain was getting heavier, falling on the lotus pond, giving off a fishy smell.

Xue Sui looked towards the bamboo curtain and met Li Zhao's gaze.

Just then, a mountain breeze blew by, blowing up the copper bells on the bamboo eaves. Amid the tinkling sounds, he smiled slightly.

"I am willing to accompany you."

It's a bit late today, and I have guests at home, so I'm delayed. Sorry, sorry!! I wish you all a happy new year and all the best. See you tomorrow...

Li Zhao: Why does it always end when it's my turn?