Chapter 98
Yes! You have to try before knowing the result.
Ming Ye was a smart person and would never let small profits cloud his judgment. Being in his position, he had a broad perspective. If Ming Yu’s plan worked, the country would be wealthy and strong, and this would no longer be a distant dream. That would be a blessing for him as well.
No matter what, he had to help Ming Yu. After returning, he could have Xu Xi approach those merchants. But it shouldn’t be too obvious—first, they should spread a little rumor to lure people in, then slowly reveal their true intentions. Above all, they couldn’t let it seem too easy.
The two of them discussed the details of their plan before preparing to move forward.
That evening’s banquet was a small one. Only the Crown Prince, the princes, and certain consorts and princesses attended. Despite its small size, the family banquet was still quite grand.
Palace musicians played elegant melodies while palace dancers performed light, graceful dances. Everyone had already taken their seats, but the emperor had not yet arrived at the main table.
The consorts had their own table, each one dressed elegantly. Imperial Concubine Hui looked around but couldn’t spot the Crown Prince or Duan Wang.
Everyone knew that tonight’s banquet was held for Duan Wang. When he was still in the palace, the Emperor spoiled this foolish son of his. Now that he had finally returned, the Emperor was overjoyed and set up a banquet to welcome him back, which showed that, even though Ming Yu was now in Liangzhou, the Emperor’s favor remained unchanged. Just think, how many other princes received such special treatment?
Some people were jealous and couldn’t hide their resentment, so their words were naturally sharp. Imperial Concubine Shu and Imperial Concubine Hui exchanged a glance, and Imperial Concubine Shu, holding her handkerchief, covered her mouth and chuckled lightly, “Speaking of which, Duan Wang has been away for so long, it’s rare for him to come back, so why is the family banquet still delayed?”
Imperial Concubine Hui showed a satisfied expression. Since Imperial Concubine Shu had always been close to her, pushing her forward was the best option.
“Duan Wang’s personality, sister should know it well. He’s always been spoiled and headstrong. The Emperor dotes on him, so of course, he just follows along,” Imperial Concubine Hui spoke up, subtly blaming Ming Yu.
“Ha! Sister Hui, how much vinegar have you drunk to be so sour? Duan Wang’s innocence and carefree nature, with the Emperor spoiling him, isn’t that natural? If you were like him, I think the Emperor would only favor you, leaving us all with nothing,” Imperial Concubine Zhen teased with a smile.
Imperial Concubine Hui’s face immediately darkened at the words. Imperial Concubine Zhen was always going against her, and it was truly infuriating. “Imperial Concubine Zhen, what do you mean by that?”
Imperial Concubine Zhen casually adjusted her hair and was unafraid. “It doesn’t mean anything, sister Hui, surely you’re not the type who can’t take a joke?”
“You…” Imperial Concubine Hui was about to explode when Imperial Concubine Shu, sitting beside her, quickly stopped her. She remembered the situation at hand and realized that making a scene would only make things difficult to manage. In the end, she had to swallow her anger and ignored Imperial Concubine Zhen.
The atmosphere became a little awkward. Someone quickly laughed and tried to smooth things over, “It’s still early. Duan Wang just returned, and the Emperor must have missed him a lot, so of course, he wants to talk more.”
Imperial Concubine Zhen smiled triumphantly. Didn’t Imperial Concubine Hui just rely on her two sons for support? Hmph! Even though she was aging, she still tried to compete. She truly had the nerve.
Speaking of which, if it weren’t for Imperial Concubine Hui’s underhanded tactics, she would never have had a miscarriage all those years ago. Her son would have been the Emperor’s youngest, showered with all the love and attention. Unfortunately, after a few months, she miscarried for reasons unknown. Those years, she had been secretly investigating and finally found some clues. Imperial Concubine Hui probably thought she had covered her tracks well, but it was revealed in the end.
Over the years, because of the grudge in her heart, she had always opposed Imperial Concubine Hui. Whenever there was an opportunity to make Imperial Concubine Hui uncomfortable, she was more than happy to take it. Imperial Concubine Hui had always wanted her son to rise to power. As for the Crown Prince, Duan Wang was a thorn in their side, so Imperial Concubine Zhen deliberately spoke up for them.
“Exactly, Duan Wang is highly favored by the Emperor. This time he returns, the Emperor surely wants to show his care and love. Ordinary conversations are not something that can be finished quickly,” Imperial Concubine Zhen laughed, agreeing with the others. She began chatting with them, creating a warm atmosphere, while Imperial Concubine Hui, with a sour expression, tightly clenched her handkerchief.
Before long, the sound of silk and bamboo music filled the air, signaling that the Emperor was about to appear. Everyone quickly stood up to welcome him.
Sure enough, the Emperor entered, striding forward with the Crown Prince and Ming Yu behind him.
Looking at the Crown Prince and Ming Yu laughing and chatting as they followed the Emperor, with cheerful expressions, the Third Prince, Ming Tao, looked dark and gloomy.
This time, Ming Yu had returned to the capital with many Western Region goods. The sensation they had caused last time was still fresh in everyone’s minds, and this time, it was likely to be even bigger.
How hateful! Ming Tao cursed inwardly. Watching their profitable business, which he couldn’t get involved in, he had to think of other ways. He had already found the necessary people to form his own trading group. Such a profitable business was too good to let the Crown Prince’s side take all the advantage.
Since someone as foolish as Ming Yu could succeed, why couldn’t he do the same and set up a business in the Western Region? He didn’t believe it would be that difficult. This way, he could annoy the Crown Prince’s side, and maybe his father would be pleased with his work and it would win him the Emperor’s favor.
As he thought about this, his expression cleared up. Hmph! Let them be proud for now. Once his trading group was up and running, the Crown Prince would have no say in the matter.
The Emperor had already taken his seat, and the palace servants began to bring up wine and delicacies in an orderly fashion.
When the dishes were set on the table, the Emperor looked toward Ming Yu. Ming Yu smiled and raised his hand. Two palace attendants stepped forward, holding golden silk-glass cups and gently placed them in front of the Emperor and the Crown Prince.
Everyone was momentarily stunned. What were these things, and why were they only for the Emperor and the Crown Prince?
Ming Yu stood up and uncovered the lid for the Emperor, revealing a small, golden yellow, round cake inside. As soon as the lid was removed, a fresh, sweet fragrance wafted out, making everyone’s appetite surge at the mere sight of it.
“Father, this is the Golden Jade Cake I made especially for you. The main ingredient is corn, mixed with yam and honey. Please try it,” Ming Yu said, his face full of eager anticipation for the Emperor to taste it, which made the Emperor chuckle.
Everyone at the table heard Ming Yu’s words, and they realized that the Golden Jade Cake had been personally made by Duan Wang. Golden Jade Cake? Made from corn? No one had ever heard of such a thing.
Could it be another rare item from the Western Regions that Ming Yu brought back? In fact, Ming Yu had previously presented watermelons from the Western Regions, which some of the people at the table had shared. Unfortunately, those watermelons were scarce, and with so many people in the palace, there was barely enough to go around. No one knew whether Ming Yu had brought back more watermelons this time, but many still missed that sweet and crunchy taste.
The Golden Jade Cake looked visually appealing, with a delightful fragrance and promising taste, so it was likely to be a fine delicacy.
The Emperor picked up his chopsticks, preparing to take a bite, when a voice interrupted: “Wait!”
Everyone turned to see the Third Prince, Ming Tao, stepping forward. “Father, your health is precious. This item’s origins are unclear—how can we just eat it without knowing if it’s safe?”
He spoke with a worried expression, as if genuinely concerned for the Emperor’s well-being.
There were rules for the Emperor’s meals: someone had to sample the food first and confirm its safety before it could be served, and each item could only be tasted with three bites. Every time the Emperor had a meal, Ming Yu would exclaim how hard it was, since even eating had so many restrictions. It was truly a difficult life.
Ming Yu understood Ming Tao’s intentions, and with a faint smile, he gave him a look before turning to the Emperor with a grin. “Father, I worked so hard to make this, and I haven’t even had a taste myself. Please, share a bite with me.”
Before anyone could respond, Ming Yu quickly grabbed a piece of the corn cake from the Emperor’s plate and popped it into his mouth, chewing it happily and savoring its sweetness.
His shameless behavior left the Emperor at a loss for words. Was there no decorum left? How could the prince taste the food himself? What were the palace attendants there for?
The attendant quickly knelt to apologize, but Ming Yu waved him off, tugging at the Emperor’s sleeve with a broad smile. “Father, this is a rare treat. I can’t bear to waste it by letting anyone else have a bite.”
The Emperor shot him a glare, fully aware of Ming Yu’s intentions. Since he had brought this unique item to the palace and personally made it, Ming Yu was unashamedly presenting it to the Emperor in front of everyone, knowing full well it would shut some mouths.
“As a prince, look at you. Where’s your sense of propriety?” The Emperor’s tone was scolding, but there was a helplessness in his voice as he couldn’t stay mad at his son.
In his heart, the Emperor was still pleased. However, this son of his was just too shameless.
Ming Ye, trying to ease the tension, spoke up. “Father, Fourteenth Brother is just showing his sincerity.” He then winked at Ming Yu. “Fourteenth Brother, why fight over food with Father? I’ve got a share here too. If you want some, feel free to take it.”
Ming Yu chuckled. “I brought this to share with all of you, but there’s not much. Still, Father’s portion tastes the sweetest.”
The Emperor burst into laughter at his son’s words. This silly child, it seemed his only redeeming feature was his tongue, which could always make people laugh.
Ming Tao, however, was furious. So, it seemed that the three of them were a family of their own, with harmony and joy all around, while the rest of them couldn’t even get a word in.
“Fourteenth Brother, enjoy your little moment. Only you would get Father to share food with you so generously,” joked Princess Anping with a laugh. “Now, sit down. Shouldn’t we begin the feast? Father, I haven’t even had lunch today, all for this dinner.”
Princess Anping was the Emperor’s eldest daughter, and while she wasn’t the daughter of the Empress, she was the Emperor’s firstborn and had a special place in his heart. Among the other princes and princesses, she held considerable influence in the palace.
Her words were also a way of helping Ming Yu. She had quite liked the Western goods Ming Yu had sent her before, and now, she was returning the favor. After all, it wouldn’t cost her much to help him out.
In truth, everyone present, aside from those with vested interests, didn’t have any deep animosities with Ming Yu. They were all hoping to get on good terms with him in hopes of receiving some benefits in the future.
Ming Yu stuck out his tongue and quickly sat back in his seat.
The emperor waved his hand and smiled, picking up his chopsticks. “Alright, alright, let’s begin the banquet.”
In an instant, the sound of strings and bamboo flutes filled the air, and graceful dancers entertained the guests. Ming Yu ate while admiring the performance, feeling as though he was enjoying the Spring Festival feast while watching the Spring Gala—a festive and joyous atmosphere.
Everyone at the table behaved with elegance, laughing and chatting merrily, except for Imperial Concubine Hui and the third prince, whose faces were full of displeasure. They could only silently eat their food and drink, their meal making them feel as if they were suffering from stomach problems.
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