Yuwen Tong lifted his brows, coming to understand what Ling Zhang meant. Then his hand which was kneading Ling Zhang’s waist instantly slid elsewhere and gave Ling Zhang a little squeeze. “Yeah. This one’s exclusive to me.”
Ling Zhang had originally just wanted to make a sly little dig at Yuwen Tong. It hadn’t crossed his mind that Yuwen Tong would feel him up. He hurriedly took Yuwen Tong’s hands off him and said, “What are you doing? People might see us.”
“They are all outside,” sniffed Yuwen Tong, putting his arms around Ling Zhang again.
Ling Zhang stayed in his embrace for a while and then said, “Okay, that’s enough. We should get going. It’s inappropriate to keep that many people waiting too long.”
It was only then that Yuwen Tong released Ling Zhang. The two of them walked out together and went to the great hall of the Taiqing Palace.
All the courtiers and members of diplomatic corps had arrived. Both the hall and the square in front of the hall were packed with seated guests. Naturally, when Yuwen Tong and Ling Zhang entered the hall, all guests rose to their feet and then sunk to their knees to pay their respects.
Ling Zhang lagged a pace behind Yuwen Tong and stood there. Yuwen Tong furrowed his brows and looked over his shoulder at him.
Ling Zhang gave him a gentle push and breathed, “Keep going. Hurry.”
Yuwen Tong stared at him for a few moments before pivoting around to resume progressing.
Ling Zhang unnoticeably let out a sigh of relief and then followed Yuwen Tong to the seat of honor.
“My courtiers, envoys of neighboring countries, you may all rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Yuwen Tong sat down in the seat of honor. Ling Zhang, who didn’t want to be obtrusive, settled himself in a right-hand seat.
Although Ling Zhang wasn’t an official, everybody present knew about his identity, so even if he took the seat beside the seat of honor, nobody would dare say anything about it, but Ling Zhang didn’t want to steal Yuwen Tong’s thunder. This night belonged to Yuwen Tong, who was supposed to be the shiniest star, and nobody would be able to pull focus from him.
Of all those present, apart from the civil officials and military officers of all descriptions and members of diplomatic corps of the three foreign countries, there were also some others who were fairly conspicuous – members of the Ling family.
The Ling family were the only ones present who hadn’t been rewarded. Everybody else speculated that they would be rewarded after the wedding ceremony.
Aside from the Ling family, there were yet another two persons who attracted many people’s attention – Ji Yanlai and his nephew, Ji Xiaocong. Ji Yanlai had unnaturally attractive looks, and Ji Xiaocong was fair-skinned and quite adorable, but nobody knew who they were. The courtiers merely heard that the two of them were presently living with the Ling family, that their surname was Ji, that they and Ling Zhang’s maternal grandfather were from the same clan. Nobody knew anything more about them. Their identity and background were both cloaked in a shroud of mystery.
Some people had tried to fish for information, but the Ling family gave those people a perfunctory reply and dismissed them. Even when someone asked Ji Yanlai directly, the latter just pretended not to have heard them.
Some got angry, but they didn’t dare show any sign of their anger, what with the occasion. Most importantly, both Ling Zhang and the emperor were very polite to Ji Yanlai, which further deterred those people from saying anything offensive to Ji Yanlai.
Ling Zhang was somewhat amused by the sight of Ji Yanlai unhurriedly enjoying the food, showing a total disregard for those people who were trying to sound him out or giving him dirty looks. Ji Yanlai didn’t care about any of those things that these people believed he cared about. As there was nothing these people could offer that could pique Ji Yanlai’s interest, it was only too natural that Ji Yanlai was cold-shouldering them.
Apart from Ji Yanlai, there were yet another two people who were also fairly conspicuous – Xu Lingyun and Xiao Ziyan. The two of them were sitting at the same table. Though their conduct was totally socially acceptable, they appeared intimate and in sync, and there was an entirely different air about them. Those who knew their identities were all sneaking surreptitious glances at them, trying to find something to satisfy their curiosity and desire of prying into others’ personal life, but Xu Lingyun and Xiao Ziyan looked calm and composed, utterly unconcerned by those people’s gaze.
And then there were Jiang Xi, Shao Feng and some others of the North-western Army. These people were high-ranking officers of the North-western Army and also Yuwen Tong’s most immediate, most trusted subordinates. They represented the hundreds of thousands of troops of the North-western Army, who were the strongest force at Yuwen Tong’s back.
This banquet was an occasion where old courtiers and newly appointed ones got to know each other, where officials of the four countries communicated, and where various forces sounded each other out.
Those who hadn’t enjoyed themselves to their hearts’ content wouldn’t leave before the end of the banquet.
Ling Zhang sat there for quite some time. He didn’t leave either. For him, this was an opportunity to know all those people at once. While the others were observing him, he was also observing the others.
“Big Brother, His Majesty is looking at you,” said Ling Maomao, glancing at Yuwen Tong who was sitting in the seat of honor and had been gazing at his big brother for quite a while. Then he shifted his gaze to Ling Zhang whose mind seemed to be wandering and gave his arm a gentle push.Read manga at our MangaBob.com
Ling Zhang pulled himself back to the present, subconsciously twisted his head aside to look in the direction of Yuwen Tong, a puzzled expression in his eyes, as though asking Yuwen Tong why he was gazing at him.
Yuwen Tong, seeing Ling Zhang had barely touched the food in front of him and been drinking and dealing with those trying to strike up conversations with him, worried that the wine would take a toll on Ling Zhang’s health, so he sent someone to have those in the kitchen prepare a bowl of noodle soup for Ling Zhang.
As a bowl of hot noodle soup was proffered to Ling Zhang, all those who were on their way to Ling Zhang’s table to make his acquaintance halted, gazing confusedly at the noodle.
Yuwen Tong said, “Don’t just drink wine.”
All the others, “…”
They quietly turned around and returned to their seats.
Clearly the emperor was disgruntled, and whoever dared to urge Childe Ling to drink wine would be working against the emperor, and to work against a newly enthroned emperor was no doubt suicidal.
Looking at the bowl of noodle, Ling Zhang pulled a wry face. How was he supposed to eat when everybody present was staring squarely at him?
Yuwen Tong withdrew his eyes, which then slowly swept across all those in the hall.
The courtiers, all of whom were observant and could take the hint, immediately looked away from Ling Zhang.
Ling Zhang, “…”
Ling Maomao took a couple of sniffs and said, “This smells like the noodle my mother makes. Who made this, Big Brother?”
Ling Zhang took a slurp from his bowl and then replied, “A cook of the Infinite Fortune Palace.”
The “cook of the Infinite Fortune Palace” sitting in the seat of honor twisted his head aside and glanced at Ling Zhang. It was after he saw Ling Zhang eating noodle with loud slurps that his face softened.Read manga at our MangaBob.com
Yuwen Tong had started making the soup base very early in the morning. He had instructed the cooks to keep watch on the fire and leave the soup base to simmer. Also, he had made the noodle from dough all by himself when he’d gone back to change his clothes. As regards the chopped green onion and the fried egg, it had indeed been a cook in the Infinite Fortune Palace who prepared them. These two things, after being made, lost their original flavor easily, and there was nothing Yuwen Tong could do about it.
Watching his big brother eating the noodle with good relish, Ling Maomao swallowed hard, and then he quietly twisted his head around to enjoy the courses in front of him. Although the smell of the noodle was tantalizing, these dishes made by imperial chefs were very delicious as well. Ling Maomao felt that it was a little dumb of his big brother to choose a bowl of noodle over a tableful of delicacies.
Ling Zhang, who Ling Maomao believed was a little stupid, finished the bowl of noodle and the soup. Feeling comfortable, he kneaded his belly. He had broken out in a sweat due to the heat but looked in much better spirits.
Seeing he had finished the noodle, Yuwen Tong instructed a servant to take the empty bowl away.
All officials present were astonished by the emperor’s public display of affection, and even Ling Zhang’s family members were somewhat embarrassed, having mixed feelings.
Fu Caiwei secretly gave a chuckle and said, “This is a good thing, isn’t it? His Majesty cares about Zhang’er so much. Now we have nothing to worry about.”
Watching Ling Zhang kneading his belly, Ling Zhaowen had a complex expression in his eyes. “His Majesty is overindulging him. It’s inappropriate to behave this way on an occasion like this.”
Fu Caiwei smiled, “What’s important is that they have a good life and are happy.”
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