Chapter 937: Chapter 745: You’re Invited to the Banquet
“Father-in-law’s steps are inscrutable and hard to discern. I looked closely, and they don’t even consu inner strength. So when my strength is exhausted, my defeat would be even more embarrassing. In that case, it seems Father-in-law went easy on !”
Zhou Mu said with a smile, looking at the weathered silhouette disappearing at the Heavenly Palace Gate, his gaze involuntarily carrying a hint of admiration. To blend the mystical with martial arts, without strong inner strength, yet able to avoid misfortune, truly opened his eyes!
“Getting hit and you’re still smiling! Are you craving abuse?” Gu Changsheng glanced at him and turned to walk up the steps.
At the door, he turned around again, “My old man has entered the capital, and the Heavenly Palace has prepared a welco banquet. Would you like to join?”
“Naturally!” Zhou Mu chuckled, stepping forward to follow.
However, Gu Changsheng turned his gaze to the onlookers, where a few distinguished-looking individuals were watching the show. He pointed at them and spoke casually, “Aren’t you the ones who Zhou Mu ssed up the kitchen for? Is it really worth rushing here to watch the show so eagerly?”
The officials who were pointed at froze montarily and were about to pay their respects when the voice ca again from the other side.
“Forget it. My father has entered the capital, and the palace banquet is ready. I invite you to share the feast with us at the Heavenly Palace. Save your petty grievances for another day; it’s a rare opportunity!”
The plainclothes officials: “…”
What would the Crown Prince think of such words?
The Southern Emperor is really putting them in a difficult position!
They lowered their heads as low as they could, really fearing that the Crown Prince might anger and use them as scapegoats!
“Why are you still standing there? Father-in-law has entered the capital; he’s inviting you to accompany us, isn’t he? Or do you expect this prince to welco you?” Zhou Mu, standing beside Gu Changsheng, turned back and spoke in a lukewarm tone.
“Huh?”
The group of plainclothes officials was stunned upon hearing this.
“No, no! It’s just that we ca in plain clothes, which might not be appropriate to accompany. Perhaps we should return ho, change into official attire, and then co again? What do you think, Your Highness?” The Left Pri Minister bowed and respectfully asked.
“If you change into official attire, you won’t be able to enter the Heavenly Palace!” Zhou Mu snorted coldly, took the woman’s hand beside him, and walked towards the door.
“Why did you make yourself look like a ghost?”
“Afraid of dostic violence! You don’t know how angry my old man was at the gate. He almost knocked down the door tower, and those female officials were so scared they couldn’t stand up. I dare not provoke his ire.”
“Too ugly! Don’t do this next ti!” Zhou Mu raised his hand and wiped away the darkness under her eyes, “Next ti, just bla all the mistakes on . Either way, Father-in-law won’t do anything to you; he’ll just deal with .”
“Are you enlightened? Or just asking for a beating?” Gu Changsheng raised an eyebrow.
“This prince has always been very enlightened.”
“…”
Until their voices faded behind the Heavenly Palace Gate, a few officials standing before the crowd still hadn’t co back to their senses.
While they were dazed, several lines of female officials bowed and approached them, stopping in front of the officials with their right hands over their chests, bending down to salute.
“Honorable sirs, Your Royal Highness invites you to the banquet. If you are unoccupied, would you accept?”
“Unoccupied, unoccupied! Naturally unoccupied!” The Left Pri Minister and others hurriedly replied, Godfather, such respect, pure admiration like honored guests!
When have they ever seen the usually haughty female officials of the Southern Country be so courteous? They were actually a bit overwheld with favor!
They were all important ministers of the Imperial Court, even when attending a banquet at the Imperial Palace, they never felt this way!
“Haha…” The leading female official smiled, straightened up, “You are all pillars of the Zhou Dynasty and viewed differently by the Son-in-law. It’s truly a great blessing.”
The Left Pri Minister and others were stunned upon hearing this, looking at each other, feeling a bit disoriented.
Were they royally favored? Why were they unaware?
A great blessing? More like a great misfortune!
Their kitchens were devastated beyond recovery!
Especially the Minister of Rites, who was sweating coldly. God knows, these days, he felt as if his head was hanging by a thread, almost scared to death by the Crown Prince!
The female official noticed their expressions and slyly smiled, “Didn’t the Son-in-law borrow your kitchens, or entrust you with the wedding preparations? If that isn’t special treatnt, nothing is!”
The Left Pri Minister and others imdiately understood, their eyes showing a hint of delight!
Indeed, indeed! In the misfortune lies fortune, and in fortune lies misfortune! If not for special treatnt, the Crown Prince certainly wouldn’t have rudely co to their mansions causing trouble!
They were all neutral ministers of the court, never participating in factional strife, and yet their mansions were troubled by the Crown Prince’s mischief, truly hard to swallow!
So, this is what they call special treatnt!
To be honest, the Crown Prince’s special treatnt is really… ahem! It renders one speechless!
“Thank you for the guidance, Female Official!” The Left Pri Minister imdiately bowed and saluted.
“Thank you for the guidance, Female Official!” Soh Wu and the others followed suit, bowing and expressing gratitude.
“Hehe…” The Female Official covered her mouth and chuckled upon seeing this, “This cannot be regarded as guidance, rely that you are too close to the matter to see it clearly! Ladies and gentlen, if Your Royal Highness has invited you to a banquet, he must have noted that you’re dressed in casual clothes, as this is a family banquet prepared at the Heavenly Palace Traveling Palace since the Lord has entered the capital. A family banquet would be inappropriate inviting only you; I wonder if the madams in your households might be free to join us for the feast at the Heavenly Palace?”
“They are indeed free! Boy, hurry and relay the ssage to the mansion, invite the Madam to the Heavenly Palace for the feast!” The Left Pri Minister laughed at these words.
“Wait, Sir, since our Emperor has extended the invitation, we mustn’t lose our manners. Though we, Southern Country, are often deed barbarians, we are well aware of the Central Plains etiquettes!” The Female Official interrupted with a smile, waving to the Female Official behind her, “Ladies, accompany the gentlen to their mansions, and present our Emperor’s private invitation to the madams for the feast!”
“Yes!”
Several won behind the Female Official responded with smiles.
“Please, gentlen!”
“After you, Female Official!”
“Gentlen, you must know, this is the first ti our Heavenly Palace Traveling Palace is hosting a banquet, though a family feast there are Southern Country flavors; I trust you will find it delightful.” The Female Official led the way, smiling, without the slightest air of a formal palace banquet. Her voice was warm, akin to casual conversation.
These words instantly dispelled the initial nervousness and apprehension of the Left Pri Minister and the others upon entering the Heavenly Palace.
“In that case, are we in for a treat?” The Left Pri Minister, already of an age knowing his fate with a white beard, had a smile on his elderly face.
“Haha… speaking of which, that indeed is the truth. You gentlen might not know; our Sovereign has always been carefree, except in one matter—insisting that the food be exquisite, so indeed, you are in for a treat!” The Female Official chuckled again, nonchalantly ntioning their Emperor’s inclination for gourt food.
“The term ‘bell ringing and delectable food’ refers to the standard that asures the noble families of old, with the Southern Emperor pursuing the path of exquisite food, it is only proper!” The Minister of Rites stroked his beard as he spoke.
“Gentlen, you might not know, my Sovereign always recalls the days of poverty when he couldn’t even see a trace of at, vowing to make up for it. Hence, it’s not about consciously seeking bell ringing and delectable food, the scholar is often worried that His Highness might eat enough to beco a fat lady despised by the son-in-law, hehe…” The Female Official couldn’t help but laugh again.
This elicited laughter from the Left Pri Minister and others; any discomfort of entering the Heavenly Palace was dispelled by the Female Official’s casual words, giving them the feeling of being at ease like visiting relatives for a small gathering.
With ti to spare before the banquet, instead of leaving the Left Pri Minister and others to wait idly, the Female Official led them on a tour of the newly adorned Heavenly Palace. Along the way, even the well-experienced Left Pri Minister was astonished by the ingenious decorations everywhere in the Heavenly Palace, their great size, and delicate thoughtfulness—treasures everywhere, harmonious without any sense of dissonance!
It truly opened their eyes!
In the back hall of the Heavenly Palace, upon hearing the female official’s report, Gu Changsheng nodded approvingly, “Well done, rember to ntion it again at the appropriate ti, do not startle them!”
“Yes!” The Female Official nodded and retreated.
“You’ve put a lot of thought into this!” Zhou Mu chuckled dotingly from the side.
Gu Changsheng looked up, showing a delicate face free of any sickly makeup, her brows and eyes smiling, “Parents who love their children must plan for their long-term future; as a daughter, all I can do is let my parents go as they please!”
“My Changsheng is a good girl!” Zhou Mu smiled fondly, ruffling her casually pinned hair.
“Enough nonsense! Father should be finished with his grooming, we must properly pay our respects. But before going, don’t forget what I reminded you about. Rember it?” Gu Changsheng rolled her eyes at him.
“I dare not forget my lady’s reminder!” Zhou Mu replied with a smile.
Gu Changsheng’s lips twitched as she said, exasperated, “You deserve a ruler’s beating; my father won’t hesitate to hit you if you keep this up!”
Typically, people also call her “lady,” but when the evildoer says it, it sounds peculiar!
Hm!
They are not even married yet! Not calling her by her surna or na, yet having the nerve to call her “lady,” if her father hears this, he’s sure to get hit again!
Hm!
Zhou Mu smiled at her words, the two of them headed hand-in-hand towards the palace arranged for Gu Taitian.
In the Heavenly Palace, visitors are rare, but now it was bustling, a group of female officials guiding the Left Pri Minister and others around the Heavenly Palace, attracting nurous Female Imperial Forest Army mbers to cast frequent side glances.
“Ladies and gentlen, I beg your pardon, they are spoiled by the Sovereign and lack discipline, but they an well. They must recognize your faces so that in the future they won’t neglect to properly greet you!” The Female Official smiled at the Left Pri Minister and others, explaining.
“Understandably understood! Let them boldly take a good look, it won’t reduce my flesh; I won’t suffer any loss!” Soh Wu, a military man raised to speak boldly, had initially felt unnerved by the scrutiny but felt reassured upon hearing these words.
The visitors from the Southern Country often appeared arrogant and rude, but getting acquainted was beneficial.
The others also chuckled, except for the Left Pri Minister, whose old eyes flashed with a gleam, as he stepped forward and spoke…
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