Shocking! The entire court was drooling with envy because of me.

Yan Wenli's smile froze.

I was even a little scared.

How could he dare to let the Grand Secretary beg him?

Moreover, the Prime Minister's "I beg you" doesn't sound like he's asking for a favor at all.

"No need, no need, Lord Pei, I already reserved a seat for you. It's right at the front, even closer than my seat."

"Thank you." Pei Yuan's voice remained indifferent, as if he was not surprised at all.

Seeing this, Xin Heng quickly pulled Yan Wenli and said, "Then do I not need to beg anymore? Where is my location? Take me there quickly."

"Get out of my way!" Yan Wenli flicked his sleeve. "I'll say it again: if you beg me, I'll take you to eat Shen Niangzi's delicacies."

Xin Heng: "..."

What a mistake! This time, Yan Wenli has gotten ahead of him.

Yan Wenli is so shameless, for him to beg from Yan Wenli is simply...

"Please, I beg you, I really want to eat it, please, take me with you!" Wang Shoucheng grabbed Yan Wenli's sleeve, pleading with tears streaming down his face.

It's clear he has no shame whatsoever.

Zhou Chongdian immediately realized what was happening and quickly grabbed Yan Wenli's other sleeve: "Please, Lord Yan, have mercy and give me something to eat! I would be eternally grateful for your kindness!"

At this point, Xin Heng couldn't hold back any longer: "Yan Wenli, I'm begging you!"

What's the use of having a face? You can't eat it.

Since everyone else is shameless, then he won't care about saving face either. Let's not make a fool of each other.

We'll settle the score with Yan Wenli after we finish eating.

"Please, please!"

"Please, give me something to eat!"

"Please, for the sake of our years of friendship!"

"..."

Under the persistent pleas of the food-loving official, Yan Wenli was thoroughly satisfied, his mouth agape in a wide grin.

These colleagues of his usually argued with him in court. They were from the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Personnel, all of them wanting money from his Ministry of Revenue.

He was finally happy and satisfied today.

However, he hadn't had enough fun yet, since it was still a long time before the restaurant opened.

"How about this, if you praise me again and make me happy, I'll give you a seat."

The food-loving officials: "???"

"Yan Wenli, can you stop being so narcissistic!" Xin Heng couldn't take it anymore and shouted, pointing at Yan Wenli's nose.

"Lord Xin, is this how you speak to me? Don't you want to eat Lady Shen's delicious food anymore?"

Yan Wenli was utterly fearless.

Xin Heng suddenly fell silent, as if fate had gripped his throat.

The food-loving officials, quick to understand, exclaimed: "Lord Yan, you are truly wise and capable, elegant and refined, learned and charming!"

"Yes, you are simply our most admired person!"

"Lord Yan, you are truly a man of exceptional talent, a master strategist, resourceful and wise, devoted to the country and its people, and as handsome as Pan An..."

"You possess an ethereal elegance, stunning beauty, inner and outer grace, and a poised and poised demeanor..."

"..."

In an instant, all sorts of words came out, even the phrase "as beautiful as a flower" appeared.

Xin Heng frowned, his eyes wide, and couldn't help but sigh, "Really... utterly shameless."

They have absolutely no shame.

Well, he'll just have to endure this humiliation.

"Yan Wenli, you have big eyes, fair skin, thick eyebrows, a wide face, and thick earlobes. You're a lucky man, and you look good at all."

Yan Wenli: "..."

He thought this didn't sound like a compliment at all.

No, that's still not enough. He must teach these people a lesson today.

Anyway, he knew he wouldn't get away with it after eating Shen Niangzi's delicious food; he might even get a beating. He might as well enjoy himself now.

"How about this..."

Just as Yan Wenli was about to speak, a dignified voice rang out.

"Stop crowding around Yan, hurry up and get in line!!"

He recognized the voice immediately; he knew it was his father-in-law, General Tao, without even turning his head.

He was exhausted from traveling back and forth between Beijing and Ping'an County every day, so his wife, Tao Wanrong, stayed in their hometown.

He and General Tao, however, had to return to the capital because they needed to attend court.

Therefore, as soon as he got off the carriage, General Tao ran to find his daughter, Tao Wanrong.

It was precisely because his father-in-law was not around that Yan Wenli dared to do this.

Hearing General Tao's voice now, he immediately lost his courage.

"General Tao, do we need to beg and praise Lord Yan before we go to line up?" Xin Heng shouted.

Yan Wenli's smile vanished instantly, and he quickly said, "No need, no need, let's go, all the seats have been reserved, there's one for everyone."

"General Tao, is it really unnecessary to continue pleading with Lord Yan?" Xin Heng seemed deaf.

"What request? What praise? Come here right now!" General Tao was puzzled.

Xin Heng winked at the other officials and whispered, "Hurry up, our chance to complain has come."

In an instant, those lowly, gluttonous officials didn't even glance at Yan Wenli, and immediately followed Xin Heng to General Tao's side.

They lined up in their pre-selected spots and began to complain to General Tao, one after another.

Yan Wenli not only couldn't laugh, he almost cried.

He knew there might be retribution, but this retribution came far too quickly.

He dawdled over and found that not only General Tao, but also his father, Old Master Yan, were there. Both of them looked at him with some unfriendly eyes.

"My two fathers, you... listen to my excuses."

"No, I mean, let me explain..."

Old Master Yan raised his hand and smacked Yan Wenli on the forehead: "You brat, you're really asking for it! How dare you make such a rude request to these esteemed officials, and even make the Grand Secretary beg you?"

"In my opinion, let the servants take this boy back. Don't let him eat today," General Tao said from the side.

"You, take him back to the Yan residence. We'll talk about it when we get back!" Old Master Yan ordered his servants.

Almost instantly, Yan Wenli was subdued by two servants, one on his left and one on his right.

"My two fathers, no, I'll do anything you want, but you can't stop me from eating grilled sausages!" Yan Wenli was completely dumbfounded.

He had thought he might be unlucky, but he never expected to be this unlucky.

"Madam, please put in a good word for me. We're husband and wife, we're one family!"

Tao Wanrong said with a gloating look, "You go back first. We'll go back after we finish eating. You don't need to eat today."

Her husband is definitely not going to get to eat any of those grilled sausages today.

She had just overheard her two fathers whispering about splitting Yan Wenli's share between them.

It would allow him to vent the anger of the court officials, punish Yan Wenli, and also give him more food—why not?

"Madam!!" Yan Wenli cried out in anguish.

He then turned to General Tao and pleaded, "Father-in-law! I beg you, Father-in-law!"

Seeing that General Tao remained unmoved, he then began shouting at Old Master Yan, "Father, you're my own father!! How can you be so heartless?"

Old Master Yan and General Tao exchanged a glance. Not only did they feel reluctant, but they also felt a sense of anticipation.

I can eat a little more today!

There are no fathers or sons in front of delicious food!