Chapter 816 To You All!

Outside the temple, Xiao Yibo finally met the Prince who had emerged riding Pixiu.

It was obvious,

The Prince was preoccupied.

And it was also apparent,

That the Pixiu beneath the Prince also seemed to have something on its mind.

Xiao Yibo didn't dare ask, and silently led the way on horseback, holding a lantern by the Prince's side.

As they traveled,

The Prince's Pixiu veered over.

Xiao Yibo's black horse was already quite wary of Pixiu, and this steed wasn't a warhorse that had seen battle. With a "glug," it spun around several times on the spot, refusing to move forward no matter how much Xiao Yibo urged it.

The direct hierarchy among beasts was more straightforward than among humans, lacking the pretense and false affection;

The horse clearly sensed the "big brother's" inexplicable hostility and dared not get too close.

Unable to reprimand the horse at this moment, Xiao Yibo could only chase after them with his lantern.

Fengxin City had no curfew at night, and due to thriving commerce, merchant caravans and the city's wealthy residents gathered here, especially the soldiers who had just received rewards and had money in their pockets; everyone had a desire to spend.

Therefore,

Tonight, the city was

particularly bustling.

The group passed through the streets and entered the Marquis's residence. Zheng Fan dismounted, first returning to his room to change out of his armor and into a python robe. Then, guided by Xiao Yibo, he circled around slightly, starting his entrance from the outermost tables.

Each table was set with twelve cold dishes, but because the Prince of the West had not yet returned, the hot dishes hadn't been served. The guests, who had long since taken their assigned seats, didn't dare touch a chopstick. They conversed quietly, not daring to grab anything to stave off their hunger.

Zhao Cheng, who had been waiting, saw that the Prince had finally arrived,

and immediately stepped forward,

raising his voice in the shrill tone characteristic of eunuchs;

"The Prince has arrived!"

Every era has its own flavor. The voice of a eunuch's announcement might sound strange to later generations, but in this era, having a eunuch announce your arrival was the most tangible symbol of status and position.

Ordinary officials' families couldn't employ eunuchs; it was a great act of presumption and disrespect. Aside from the imperial palace, only a "Prince's residence" could legally have a certain number of eunuchs, and they had to come from the palace.

So, strictly speaking, Zhao Cheng's entering and leaving the Marquis's residence as a eunuch a few years ago was a major crime.

But the censors in Yanjing only dared to make an issue of the Marquis of the West's unauthorized initiation of border disputes, stirring up a wave of impeachments. As for the Marquis of the West's use of eunuchs, even if there was solid evidence, no one would make a fuss about such a trivial matter.

For Zhao Cheng,

that thing, before it was cut off, felt infinitely precious. But after it was gone, he felt much more relaxed.

In the end, what you truly value is what you have now and what you will have. Regarding what you've already lost, you'll be much more open-minded about it in the future than you are now.

After shouting this,

Zhao Cheng felt a surge of pleasure.

Even,

the candlelight and lamplight before his eyes seemed to take on a hazy, illusory quality, as if a ray of light would burst forth at any moment. He would greet the light, facing before him, below him, a vast expanse:

"The Emperor has arrived!"

Love what you do. Zhao gonggong had grasped the true essence.

"Greetings, Your Highness, may Your Highness be blessed!"

"Greetings, Your Highness, may Your Highness be blessed!"

Xiao Yibo had originally thought that his Prince was preoccupied and a little down, so he wanted to help the Prince clear the path and let him go inside first, without wasting time out here;

After all, the guests sitting outside would already be satisfied to see the Prince pass by in front of them.

But the Prince of the West didn't try to make things easy. Instead, he put on a smile;

Sitting at the Calabash Temple seemed to resolve everything, yet it also seemed to resolve nothing. It seemed like a wasted effort, but since people are born, they must eventually head towards death. Life is inherently a wasted effort; what people seek is nothing more than a brief moment of happiness in between.

Therefore,

Zheng Fan today, suddenly wanted to immerse himself in it, to integrate into this atmosphere.

The Prince of the West pulled up an old man who was with his eight-year-old grandson.

He was one of the representatives of the reclamation households outside Fengxin City. He had originally been a refugee, and after being settled, he was among the first to help the Blind Man improve potatoes at Xuehai Pass.

The Blind Man seemed "erudite," but how could someone who liked playing the piano really know how to farm? A pile of theoretical knowledge without practical application was useless;

Over the years, this old man had contributed a lot and had obtained an official position, a small one, but respectable. He had dozens of people under him, specializing in the promotion of agronomy.

"How many people are there in your family, old man?"

"Replying to Your Highness, this old one... uh, this official has two sons. The elder son died in the land of Chu when he accompanied Your Highness to fight the Chu barbarians the year before last. The younger son stayed in Fancheng this time."

The old man's face didn't show any sorrow when he said this.

He still had a grandson by his side, and his younger son's wife was pregnant before the expedition.

In these times, eating this kind of food, dying on the battlefield was extremely common. When suffering becomes widespread, it has a reverse effect of "not worrying about scarcity but worrying about inequality";

Moreover, the old man himself held an official position. Although his eldest son had died in battle, there was a monthly pension. Counting the younger son still in the army, although the family hadn't separated yet, this household was equivalent to receiving allotments for three standard households.

Ordinary standard households relied on just one male member, and they could live in a way that others envied. The old man's family could be described as thriving.

The eight-year-old child was also wearing very fine clothes.

Of course, coming to the Prince's residence for a banquet required special dressing up, but if he wore silk to a banquet, his everyday clothes certainly wouldn't be bad.

Next,

Zheng Fan reached out and stroked the child's head, asking if he was studying in the academy and what he had learned recently.

Then,

the child began to recite an article he had written himself... "Our Marquis."

This wasn't prepared in advance, because no one would have expected the Prince to actually examine a child. Xiao Yibo hadn't arranged things in such detail. But in the academy curriculum, which the Blind Man had helped design, there was this assignment every semester.

The child's recitation wasn't elegant or refined because, from the beginning in Xuehai Pass, the children of the Marquis's academy weren't aiming to pass the imperial examinations, so they focused more on practicality. Either they were preparing to join the army like Liu Dahu and Zheng Man, or they would go to various workshops and start as small foremen.

The Qian Kingdom's literary style was flourishing, and there was a saying that those who had their names announced at Donghua Gate were good lads, but the Yan Kingdom's imperial examinations hadn't been open for many years, and the trend hadn't yet formed. Moreover, for the common people, the path of the imperial examinations was too distant and uncertain. A child who could "graduate" and immediately get a "job assignment" with standard household benefits was a clearly visible good future.

The child was very smart, but during the recitation, he still mixed up "Marquis" and "Prince" from time to time. He was used to calling him Marquis, and it was really difficult to switch over for a while.

Marquis Zheng listened with a smile,

and the surrounding guests gathered together, with kind smiles on their faces, looking at the child. They nodded from time to time, showing approving expressions. Those with long beards even stroked them.

It was certain that many of these people had never been so kind and patient with their own sons or grandsons.

After the child finished reciting,

the surrounding guests spoke up together, praising the child for being smart, as if they had witnessed a magnificent performance, as if they had just witnessed the peak battle between the Sword Saint and Baili Sword, satisfying, very satisfying, even with some lingering excitement.

The Prince nodded,

took off a jade pendant from his waist, and handed it to the child.

The child kowtowed to thank him,

everyone was happy;

Next, the Prince spoke to a few more people, the manager of the Prince's merchant caravan, and an old veteran with disabilities who had joined the army from Shengle City.

He asked about their well-being, chatting casually about everyday matters.

In fact, those who could sit here tonight, whether they were rich or not was hard to say, but they were certainly living good lives.

It took a lot of time, but the Prince was very patient.

After a long time, the Prince finally got up and walked inside. The people inside had been waiting eagerly for a long time.

It was the same act, repeated again.

This time, they chose another child and had him sing, singing "The Marquis's Battle Song."

So,

if you don't carefully observe and explore,

you really wouldn't know that the Blind Man could actually do so much work in his spare time amidst his busy schedule.

Finally,

the Prince entered the heart of the banquet.

The people inside hadn't been waiting foolishly. After learning that the Prince had returned, they had started the banquet, slowly eating and drinking, waiting for the Prince.

First, there was a round of toasts from the military generals;

Ke Yan and Dong Ge had returned to Xuehai Pass and Zhennan Pass to guard them, but there were still many lower-ranking generals present. The Prince of the West didn't refuse anyone and drank with them all.

Although he knew that he could just touch his lips as a gesture, he didn't do that tonight.

Luo Ling and the other Jìng Nán Army commanders who had come to congratulate him during the day didn't stay for the banquet but returned before dark, coming and going in a hurry.

Desertion of duty was a major crime;

deserting one's post and staying overnight in Fengxin City was tantamount to preparing to rebel openly.

But there was one person who stayed, and that was Li Guangzong.

Li Guangzong was older, a few years older than Li Fusheng. Age wasn't the problem, but he had injuries. In fact, he had already semi-retired before this.

According to Yan's rule that civil and military positions could be switched without restriction, he now held the title of prefect, but he had delegated his authority long ago. He had two people under him, one Yan and one Jin, nominally as deputies, but they had long since sidelined him.

"Your Highness."

Li Guangzong raised his glass;

Zheng Fan returned the toast;

Their eyes met, but they didn't say anything specific.

When the imperial court was preparing to take action against the Jìng Nán Army, Li Guangzong was the most free because he had already left the army, but at the same time, he was the most active, basically leading the effort to get Zheng Fan to come forward and maintain the Jìng Nán Army's structure.

But today's scene with the Emperor had almost blocked the possibility of the Jìng Nán Army leaders wanting to "gather and rise up" in terms of both law and reason;

Unless Zheng Fan's brain suddenly heated up and he prepared to rebel, under the general trend, the backbone of the Jìng Nán Army, after the departure of the Prince of Jìng Nán, would inevitably move towards disintegration.

It wasn't like the Qian Kingdom's previous practice of dispersing and dividing an army that had formed cohesion. Rather, structurally, the old Jìng Nán Army system would no longer be able to respond.

After Li Guangzong finished toasting, he sat back down somewhat dejectedly.

Perhaps not many people were determined to rebel, but everyone instinctively wanted to continue the carefree days that everyone had enjoyed when the Prince of Jìng Nán was around;

Even house cats and dogs that have been spoiled will resist being managed, let alone this group of ruffian leaders who had enjoyed unrestrained days?

Zheng Fan socialized with some more people before finally entering the innermost small courtyard.

"I'm late, I'll punish myself with three cups."

Sitting inside were Mao Mingcai and the Fifth Prince. After Zheng Fan punished himself with three cups, the two immediately stood up to accompany him.

Because Zheng Fan was late, they had enough time to digest the scenes of the day while preparing for the matters at the dinner table.

Whether it was because he was really drunk or deliberately doing it,

Mao Mingcai held the hand of the Prince of the West, recounting the scene of their sincere cooperation in Yingdu back then, reminiscing about the glorious years of the past;

The Fifth Prince insisted on telling the Prince of the West about the things he had encountered while repairing the river embankment recently, where there were problems, where people dared to embezzle, and which local officials were idiots.

The Prince of the West drank bowl after bowl, interacting with them enthusiastically.

He originally had worries in his heart,

but upon closer inspection,

there was nothing to worry about.

This empty feeling,

wasn't emptiness,

but a sense of solidity.

As he drank this wine, it seemed that all the pungent taste had disappeared. What he was drinking wasn't wine at all, but honeyed nectar.

The more he drank, the sweeter it became,

the more he drank, the more he felt;

The expansion of the day,

the silence of the Calabash Temple,

the noisy candlelight of the night, all the way down,

it was as if his whole person had been released.

The moonlight was so beautiful, the delicacies were so delicious, and the people before him were so lovely.

The Prince of the West grabbed a handful of Mao Mingcai's beard and smiled:

"Lord Mao."

"Your Highness, it hurts..."

"Look at Xu Pangpang, how well he's doing as the prefect of Yingdu. What about you? You smoothed things over too much back then."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Hearing this, Mao Mingcai wasn't angry. He had the demeanor and cultivation, and he could see that the Prince of the West was really a little drunk, not deliberately using his drunkenness to ridicule himself, because he didn't need to do that at all.

He had been arrogant and outrageous enough during the day, why would he need to beat around the bush when scolding someone!

"But I don't blame you. At that time, the war was frequent, and you could only smooth things over to maintain the stability of the rear."

"Yes, yes, yes." Mao Mingcai nodded. "Your Highness understands me."

If it hadn't been for today's scene, Mao Mingcai would have always regarded Zheng Fan as a "confidant," but taking advantage of his drunkenness, he let go.

After hearing this, Mao Mingcai picked up the wine jug and started pouring it down his throat,

"Your Highness understands me!"

They were all refined people, all important officials of the court, and usually their etiquette and demeanor were inevitably impeccable;

But it also depended on who they were with. As long as they were of equal status, or if the other person's status was even higher than theirs, they could willingly play a "debauched" scene with the other person.

"Damn it." Lord Mao cursed. "Everyone says I'm worse than that Xu Wenzu, but can it be the same? When Xu Wenzu went, the war was already over, over! How easy was it for him, how easy! Did I want to be that repairman, did I want to!"

"Yes, it's hard for you."

"Your Highness, it's also hard for you."

"No, it's not hard for me, I'm very relaxed. You don't know, I have many capable people under me, and I basically don't interfere in anything."

"Your Highness, why couldn't you have been so modest as you are now during the day? Oh, I see, you were doing it on purpose, weren't you? You wanted to be deliberately tyrannical during the day, to smear yourself?"

"Bullshit, I'm just a good-for-nothing."

"Okay, okay, I won't expose it, I understand, I understand. Don't worry, Your Highness, I understand, I still believe that Your Highness is still that Your Highness, the one who was wholeheartedly devoted to the country in Yingdu City, hic..."

"I'm telling you the truth, I really don't do anything, I..."

"Alright, alright, Your Highness, His Majesty also often says that he relies entirely on us ministers to support him in order to prop up this great Yan empire, I understand, I understand..."

"You understand my ass!"

The drunken Prince of the West was furious and threw the wine glass in front of him on the ground.

The Fifth Prince immediately came over to support the two men, who were swaying and hugging each other,

one was a Prince of the Yan Kingdom and the other was the Acting Prime Minister of the Yan Kingdom, and at this time they were really no different from the drunks fooling around at the village entrance.

"Your Highness, what a pity, you already have two wives, and my granddaughter can't come in as a concubine, otherwise, I really wanted to marry my granddaughter to you."

"Your granddaughter, this Prince, doesn't want."

Lord Mao said drunkenly: "I can't give you my wife, you, don't even think about it!"

Seeing that the two were getting more and more outrageous,

the Fifth Prince could only reach out and separate them,

who knew that the Prince of the West grabbed the Fifth Prince's neck and pulled him over,

cursing directly at him:

"You good-for-nothing!"

"..." Fifth Prince.

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm a good-for-nothing, I'm a good-for-nothing."

As the Emperor's son, the higher the reputation for virtue, the better; as the Emperor's brother, the bigger the reputation for being a good-for-nothing, the better;

The Prince of the West pointed at the Fifth Prince,

and cursed:

"Good-for-nothing, it's been so long, and you still haven't built a Gundam!"

…

"It seems that the Master is a little drunk today."

The Blind Man said to Si Niang, who was sitting in front of him.

"Is that so?" Si Niang was drinking lotus seed porridge, stroking her belly.

"Moreover, after coming out of the temple, something made me feel unexpected. In the past, the Master liked to go through these social engagements like a dragonfly skimming the water. Today, he seems particularly diligent."

"Isn't that what you wanted to see?" Si Niang asked with some curiosity.

"I'm afraid that something must be wrong when things are out of the ordinary."

Si Niang chuckled twice and said, "Are you afraid that the Master will go crazy after getting drunk and settle the score with you for what happened during the day?"

"It's not that bad."

"Not that bad? People can do anything when they're drunk. What if the Master wants to spank you?"

"Is that possible?"

"We would be happy to see it. Who told you to always distribute oranges, making them all get mouth ulcers?"

"Eating some fruit is good for the body."

"Alright, alright, I don't think it's a big deal. Maybe the Master is just in a good mood today, so he drank a little too much and said a little too much."

"Perhaps."

"It's rare to see you get stumped. The Emperor's three imperial edicts were very unexpected."

"Indeed, but it doesn't matter. It was just a random arrangement anyway. It's fine if it's broken. Isn't it interesting to feel like you've met a worthy opponent?

If there was a useless Emperor sitting on the dragon throne, the thrill of rebelling would be greatly reduced."

"You're still not giving up."

"I never like to give up halfway when I do things."

"Alright, whatever makes you happy."

The Blind Man suddenly stood up and said, "The Master is back."

The banquet hadn't ended yet. This banquet would last a long time because there would be imperial envoys to offer condolences to Fengxin City and the Prince's residence. It wouldn't end until late at night.

But the Prince, who had already over-completed his task, was walking back with a jug of wine in his hand, his steps slightly unsteady.

Xiao Yibo and Zhao Cheng each held out a hand on one side, watching carefully.

"Yo, Master, cheers."

A Ming happened to be coming up from the wine cellar, also holding a jug of wine in his hand.

"Cheers, Vampire!"

Zheng Fan raised his wine jug, toasted A Ming, and then took two gulps.

Then,

staggering,

Zheng Fan sat down on the ground.

Zhao Cheng and Xiao Yibo wanted to help him up, but Zheng Fan pushed them away.

Si Niang opened her mouth and said, "You guys go down."

"Yes, Madam."

In the small courtyard,

the Prince was sitting on the ground holding a wine jug, shaking it, it was empty.

"Where's the wine!"

Si Niang leaned against the door frame, finding the Master's appearance very interesting and laughed.

A Ming stepped forward and handed his wine jug to the Master.

The Master took the wine jug,

and said:

"You're so good!"

Saying that,

he put his arm around A Ming's neck, as if about to lean in.

A Ming twitched and dodged in advance, and the drunken Prince kissed emptiness.

But he didn't take it seriously, picked up the wine jug, and took another sip.

Xue San also appeared at this time, smiling and saying to A Ming:

"I guess the Master hasn't advanced. If he had, you wouldn't have dodged."

A Ming retorted: "Haven't you advanced yet? Go ahead."

"That's right!"

Third Master suddenly woke up, immediately rushed outside, randomly found a passing waiter to get a jug of wine and flew back.

"Master, let's drink, come, come, come!"

"Come, drink!"

Zheng Fan and Xue San toasted.

Xue San waited,

but the Master didn't say anything more, and instead began to look up at the moon.

"..." Third Master.

After a while,

Zheng Fan picked up the wine jug again,

and facing the bright moon,

shouted;

"To the inn in Hutou City!"

Everyone present was silent.

At this time, Fan Li, holding a roasted lamb leg, also appeared here sneakily. No one knew how he, with such a big body, managed to be so silent.

The Master raised his wine jug again, facing the sky,

shouting:

"To the chicken shit all over the Cuiliu Fort!"

Another mouthful of wine went down,

Zheng Fan shouted again:

"To the hot spring pool in Shengle City!"

Another big gulp went down.

"To the Marquis's residence in Xuehai Pass!"

"To the Prince's residence in Fengxin City!"

The devil kings present all put away their playful smiles at this time, and even Fan Li stopped rushing to gnaw on the lamb leg.

Because the names of the places that the Master shouted were actually everyone's... home over the years.

"Plop!"

Another jug of wine was finished, and Zheng Fan threw away the jug and fell backward.

But he kept turning his face to look at Si Niang, the Blind Man, and others standing around him,

and reached out to grab the empty wine jug he had just thrown down on the ground, raised it,

and shouted:

"Thank you, thank you!

For letting me always have a home here,

To you all!"