Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 394 The Temperamental King of Hedong

The King of Hedong's actions attracted the attention of everyone in the tent, but the King of Hedong himself had an air of nonchalance and unsurprisingly walked to the seat of the King of Zhong.

But instead of looking at Zhang Dai, the Prince of Hedong sat down between Zhang Ji and Princess Ningqin.

He had just come down from the polo field, still covered in sweat and dust. His sitting down immediately soiled the colorful carpet beneath the princess's seat, but the maid who had just kicked Alan away didn't dare to move an inch.

"I suddenly felt like having a conversation with Minister Zhang. I apologize for any offense I may have caused, Your Highness."

The Prince of Hedong knew his actions were somewhat rash, but he did not get up. Instead, he looked back at Princess Ningqin and grinned at her.

"Your Highness, there's no need for such formalities. I won't disturb you men's storytelling."

Princess Ningqin didn't mind, but she couldn't stand the smell of sweat on the Prince of Hedong, so she left the table and went to sit down next to the hostess of the Changfen family to chat with her sisters.

"On the field just now, King Hedong performed well. Although he lost, he was still honorable."

Zhang Ji was somewhat surprised to see the Prince of Hedong barging in so abruptly, but he still maintained a polite smile and spoke to him.

"My skill level is not something I need to comment on, Minister Zhang. I have only come here to ask you one thing."

The King of Hedong waved his hand to interrupt Zhang Ji's flattery, then glanced at Zhang Dai before looking at Zhang Ji again and saying, "Just now, when Minister Zhang's nephew was questioned in the tent, my sister spoke up to help him. Was that wrong? Minister Zhang, whether you care about your own son or not is none of my business, but you contradicted my sister, harmed her good intentions, and embarrassed her. Was that right?"

Zhang Ji was taken aback when the King of Hedong questioned him so directly, and was speechless for a moment.

The Prince of Zhong, unable to bear seeing his brother-in-law so embarrassed, quickly spoke up with a smile, saying, "Victory and defeat are common occurrences. Prince of Hedong need not be ashamed or angry. Since you were not present, the matter has been properly resolved."

Zhang Lang, moved by the memory of his close friend, sang a song for his cousin. His disciples, admiring the beauty of the verses, refrained from further teasing or mocking, and there was no need to dwell on this small matter. Zhang Lang himself was a witness to this event; if you have any doubts, you may ask Zhang Qing directly.

The Prince of Zhong clearly distinguished between those close to him and those distant from him, and immediately tried to direct the anger of the Prince of Hedong onto Zhang Dai.

Although Zhang Dai was displeased, the county princess had indeed stood up for him, and since the Prince of Hedong had protested, he naturally couldn't remain silent. However, before he could even open his mouth, the Prince of Hedong waved his hand to stop him.

"Your Majesty's magnanimity is admirable. But I, Your Majesty, do not possess such a mindset. I am well-informed about both important and trivial matters, and I do not need anyone to teach me!"

The Prince of Hedong, however, showed no respect for the Prince of Zhong, directly retorting. He then looked at Zhang Ji, whose expression was still shifting, and continued to press, "Minister Zhang, have you thought this through? Is my sister wrong? Minister Zhang, is your approach correct?"

“How to handle my family affairs is none of your concern to the King. But if the Princess feels wronged, I should apologize. Luo Nu, please go and speak to the Princess on my behalf…”

Pressed for answers, Zhang Ji frowned and began to speak, but before he could finish, the Prince of Hedong placed the wine jar he had brought on his table and said in a deep voice, "Zhang Qing, are you mocking me? Everyone knows how rude and disrespectful I am. Did I come here to listen to your tricks? My brother and I were born twins, and I will repay any grudge a hundredfold! I am still showing you some respect for now, but if you still want to test me, I will show you tonight!"

"How does Your Majesty wish me to apologize?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ji's eyes flickered a few times, his tone softened, and he asked softly.

"Drink it all!"

The King of Hedong tapped the wine jar with his finger. The jar had a capacity of about one dou (a unit of volume), and although it was not full, it contained at least two or three jin (a unit of weight) of wine.

Royal banquets are naturally not for strong liquor. The alcohol content is not high, and it is flavored with honey and other ingredients. The taste is not harsh, but rather like a unique beverage. Even women can drink a few cups without much problem. The conditions proposed by the Prince of Hedong are not too harsh.

However, such a method is quite humiliating, so Zhang Ji remained frowning and motionless after hearing these words.

The Prince of Hedong did not completely break off relations. After taking his seat, he spoke in a low voice. Although his demeanor was unfriendly, no one could hear their conversation clearly. When they saw that they were at odds with each other, they couldn't help but look over.

"Alas, I was just worried that with so many guests, there might not be enough wine. I am very grateful to the King of Hedong for his gift."

The Prince of Zhong grabbed the silver ladle from the table and was about to reach into the wine vat to drink some wine instead. Upon seeing this, the Prince of Hedong sneered, "If Your Majesty is worried about not having wine, there are still a hundred dou (a unit of volume) of wine stored in the cellar when my late father was alive. They can all be presented to Your Majesty in the future. Today, this vat can only be drunk by Minister Zhang!"

"Your Excellency's gift is too much to refuse! Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing upon me this fine wine. I have drunk it all, not a drop left!"

Seeing that he couldn't refuse any longer, and worried that further entreaties from the Prince of Hedong would only make things worse, Zhang Ji took the silver ladle from the Prince of Zhong's hand and scooped the wine into his cup, then gulped it down. The Prince of Hedong stood by the table watching Zhang Ji drink, until the wine jar was completely empty. Only then did he stand up, satisfied, and say to Zhang Ji with a smile, "My family has a large collection of wine. If your craving for wine returns in the future, Minister Zhang, you are welcome to come and ask for more!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ji couldn't help but show annoyance. However, having drunk most of a dou of wine in such a short time, even though he wasn't a strong drinker, he was already somewhat drunk and his chest and abdomen were churning. He didn't dare to speak at all, but just closed his eyes and gritted his teeth to suppress the strong urge to vomit.

After the Prince of Hedong got up and left, Zhang Ji felt the surge of anger in his chest and abdomen subside. Then, with his bloodshot eyes, he glared at Zhang Dai and said fiercely, "You are not allowed to associate with the Prince of Hedong again! This man is arrogant and not a good friend!"

I may cut ties with you, but I can't cut ties with my brother-in-law!

Seeing the miserable state Zhang Ji was in after being treated by the King of Hedong, Zhang Dai's anger subsided considerably. At the same time, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly at how unscrupulous the King of Hedong was. In order to avenge his sister, he not only disregarded the Prince of Zhong and his sister, but also the Zhang family. He was simply a scoundrel.

“Uncle, please calm down. The Prince of Hedong personally came to offer wine, and you did not respond, which was impolite. With all the princes and princesses here at the banquet, how dare you be so arrogant! I will go to his table to express my gratitude. We can resolve this minor misunderstanding with a smile. We must not let a moment of anger make you feel uncomfortable in the clan.”

As Zhang Dai spoke, he stood up and headed straight for the throne of the King of Hedong.

"you……"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ji became even more furious. Just as he was about to rebuke Zhang Dai, his breath became disordered, and he began to vomit violently.

Upon seeing this, the attendant hurriedly raised his feather fan to cover up Zhang Ji's unsightly behavior. Whether someone is drunk or not has nothing to do with their status. He had seen all sorts of drunken behavior at court banquets and was naturally prepared for it.

Zhang Dai walked toward the seat of the Prince of Hedong, only to see the county princess frowning and looking cold, as if reprimanding the Prince of Hedong, while the Prince of Hedong sat there with his head bowed and eyes downcast.

When the county princess saw him arrive, her pretty face showed a slight embarrassment. She opened her mouth as if to speak but did not utter a sound. She stood up from her seat and left the tent directly behind the table, followed by several maids.

Watching the county princess's departing figure, Zhang Dai felt a sense of loss. But as the princess left, the Prince of Hedong regained his energy, looking up at Zhang Dai and asking, "What's wrong? Are you here to avenge your uncle?"

Zhang Dai smiled and shook his head, then walked into the banquet hall and sat down. Seeing that there were still wine cups on the table, he was about to pick one up and take a sip when the Prince of Hedong slapped his hand away, saying, "Those are my sister's utensils. I'll get you new wine vessels."

After the servants brought out new wine vessels and filled them with wine, the Prince of Hedong picked up his cup and drank it all in one gulp. Only then did he say to Zhang Dai, "Your uncle is no good man, and he is no longer an official in the Crown Prince's palace. Why should he humiliate his young son by currying favor with the Crown Prince? If he humiliates himself today, he will be able to humiliate himself everywhere in the future. That's why my sister spoke up for you, not to sow discord between you and your uncle!"

Even the King of Hedong understood such a simple truth, yet Zhang Ji was probably still smugly pleased with himself for flawlessly belittling his own son. Zhang Dai, of course, didn't think the county princess was being nosy; it was precisely because he was moved that he mustered the courage to make that statement.

However, the county princess left without speaking to him, which made him uneasy. So he leaned closer to the Prince of Hedong and whispered, "The county princess seemed displeased when she left. Was she upset that I acted rashly and abruptly just now?"

"If you hadn't done that, how could I have let you go just now!"

Upon hearing this, the Prince of Hedong muttered something at first, then whispered, "Just now, I returned home and saw Ayu sitting alone, smiling foolishly. I haven't seen her smile like that since Father passed away... My elder brother is incompetent, leaving her with many troublesome family matters. Even when I see her looking melancholy at home, I don't know what's troubling her. Only a few things related to you, Zhang Dai, can make her look less worried."

At this point, the King of Hedong looked at Zhang Dai with a serious expression and said, "Otherwise, Zhang Dai, why would I treat you differently? Even if you are exceptionally talented, I don't care for poetry and books!"

"If you can please my sister, you can be my best friend. Your words just now were indeed moving, but don't stop at mere words; you need to put your heart and soul into it! Otherwise, my daughter doesn't necessarily need you!"

Zhang Dai was pleasantly surprised that his brother-in-law was so frank. However, since this guy wasn't the main person in question, and considering that the county princess had left without saying a word, he quickly whispered, "The county princess looked unhappy just now, and left as soon as she saw me, not giving me a single word. What was the meaning of that?"

"How could I know what's on her daughter's mind! She probably resents my meddling and is afraid of offending your relatives, making it difficult to get along in the future."

Upon hearing this, the King of Hedong immediately retorted in an annoyed tone.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai felt a surge of warmth in his heart. Had the county princess already made such a long-term plan?
He quickly added, "Your Majesty has clear likes and dislikes and acts decisively; you would never flatter or compromise yourself. Even if there are some obstacles in my family affairs, I can handle them properly and would never bother the County Princess. The County Princess need not blame Your Majesty for this..."

"My sister is scolding me, what's it to you!"

Upon hearing this, the King of Hedong was immediately displeased, suspecting that Zhang Dai was implying that his sister was unruly and unreasonable.

Zhang Dai couldn't help but roll his eyes upon hearing this. This guy couldn't even tell right from wrong, so trying to please him was pointless.

(End of this chapter)