Chapter 144 My Charming Ancestor 18
banquet?
Zhou Jue raised an eyebrow. "Alright, I'm hungry anyway."
She followed the young eunuch who was leading the way, through the deep corridors, and arrived at a grand hall.
Inside the palace, there was no singing and dancing as one might have imagined, nor were there groups of palace maids and guards.
There are only three low tables, arranged in a triangular shape.
At the top is Ying Zheng, and at the bottom left is Fusu.
Zhou Jue understood and sat down behind the low table to the lower right of Ying Zheng.
"Immortal".
Ying Zheng raised the bronze wine cup in his hand and offered a toast from afar, his movements meticulous.
"Today, I thank the immortal for enlightening me. This is a family banquet, with only my eldest son Fusu and I in attendance. I hope the immortal will not find it too simple."
"Your Majesty is too kind." Zhou Jue also picked up his wine cup, took a sip, and put it down.
A sour and astringent taste shot straight to the top of my head. This rice wine is awful!
Soon, the palace maids brought out dishes in a continuous stream.
A whole roasted lamb, sizzling with oil, smells incredibly fragrant, but if you get close and smell it... there's nothing else besides saltiness.
Several pots of steaming meat soup, mixed with various unknown vegetables, were a muddy mess that looked unappetizing.
There were also several dishes of green vegetables, wild mushrooms, and the staple food was finely hulled millet rice.
This... is the highest-level state banquet of the Qin Empire?
Zhou Jue looked at the "hard dishes" in front of him, and the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
Family members, I've tried it for you all and I'm reporting back!
The meat was dry! The meat soup was bland! The roasted meat was very salty!
Ying Zheng and Fusu clearly did not find anything wrong with it. They moved gracefully, eating and sleeping without speaking, and eating meticulously.
Seeing that the immortal rarely touched his chopsticks, he couldn't help but ask, "Immortal, is the food not to your liking?"
Fusu also cast a concerned glance his way.
"Not really," Zhou Jue put down his chopsticks and said honestly, "It's just that it feels a bit... monotonous."
monotonous?
Ying Zheng slowed down his chewing.
What he was eating was already the most exquisite delicacy in the empire.
Apart from rare animal meats such as venison, bear paws, elk, and jackal, which were not prepared on time, all the other dishes were carefully cooked delicacies.
Seeing their bewildered expressions, Zhou Jue suddenly felt playful.
She smiled and said, "Speaking of which, my hometown has some local delicacies. I wonder if Your Majesty and the young master would be interested in trying them?"
A glint flashed in Ying Zheng's eyes: "Items from the Immortal Realm? Of course I'm willing!"
Zhou Jue didn't say much, but a thought popped into his head.
The next second, some food prepared for her by the base appeared out of thin air on her low table.
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish, White Cut Chicken, Dongpo Pork, Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chili, Sliced Beef and Offal in Chili Sauce, Braised Sea Cucumber with Scallions, Wenzheng Mountain Bamboo Shoots...
A variety of fragrant aromas wafted through the air.
Ying Zheng and Fusu stared wide-eyed.
Zhou Jue ignored their shock and opened the lid on his own.
The aroma exploded instantly, aggressively filling the air of the entire hall!
The complex aroma, a blend of spiciness, soy sauce, and dozens of unnamed spices, was like an invisible hand that forced open Ying Zheng and Fu Su's noses, forcefully entering their nasal cavities and rushing straight to their brains!
fragrant!
It smells so good!
Compared to this flavor, their prized whole roasted lamb tastes like nothing more than salt-baked meat without any spices!
"What... is this food?" Ying Zheng's voice was somewhat hoarse.
"It is a dish from one of the eight major cuisines of my hometown."
Zhou Jue casually pushed the plates of food over: "Just pork, chicken, and fish."
Ying Zheng's gaze was fixed on the plate of deep red dried meat, which was still covered with bits of dogwood. With trembling hands, he picked up a piece and put it in his mouth.
boom!
The chewy jerky releases layers of meaty flavor as you chew it.
Immediately afterwards, a fiery, unprecedented spiciness exploded on the tip of my tongue!
Then comes the rich aroma of soy sauce, a hint of sweetness, a unique numbing sensation, and a variety of indescribable spice flavors...
Countless flavors, layer upon layer, made a wild display of presence on his taste buds!
Ying Zheng's eyes widened suddenly!
"This...this is an absolutely divine taste!"
Fusu, who was next to him, also took a bite, and his expression at that moment was exactly the same as his father's.
His gentle, jade-like face was filled with disbelief.
Zhou Jue then slowly pushed a bowl of abalone in front of the First Emperor.
A rich, fresh aroma, carrying the scent of the ocean, wafts through the air.
"This product comes from the deep sea."
Ying Zheng's gaze was drawn to the crystal-clear abalone. He scooped up a piece with a spoon and put it in his mouth.
No need for much chewing, the soft, chewy texture and the delicious taste made him feel as if he could see a vast and magnificent sea!
"Such a delicacy exists in the sea...?" Ying Zheng murmured to himself.
He had always thought that the sea was dangerous and wild, and that it was useless except for producing salt.
But today, this food from the "fairyland" has opened a door to a new world for him!
"Your Majesty, the sea is the richest granary under heaven."
Zhou Jue spoke softly, "What you're eating is just the most unremarkable kind. There are countless others that are far more delicious."
Ying Zheng's heart skipped a beat.
He thought again of that huge world map and that boundless ocean.
granary!
What my Great Qin Dynasty lacks most is grain!
If only we could transform the food from this vast ocean into delicacies on the Qin Dynasty's dining table...
His breathing instantly became heavy!
The atmosphere of the banquet, enhanced by the delicious food, became warm and harmonious.
After eating and drinking his fill, Fusu looked at Zhou Jue, hesitated for a long time, and finally mustered up his courage, stood up, and respectfully bowed.
"My lord, my father has given me the book of words of wisdom that you gave me. I am dull-witted and have read it repeatedly, but I still do not understand the meaning of 'virtue' in 'winning people over with virtue.' I humbly request your clarification."
They've arrived.
Zhou Jue knew he would ask.
"Fusu, I ask you, do you know what the 'Dao' is?"
Fusu was taken aback, then replied, "The Way is the word of the sages, it is benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and law, it is the universal principle."
"wrong."
Zhou Jue shook his head, his words always startling.
"The 'way' mentioned in 'Lunyu' is the 'way' of 'fist'."
Fusu: "???"
Looking at his bewildered handsome face, Zhou Jue patiently guided him: "It's like the saying 'A gentleman who is not stern will not command respect,' which means that a gentleman needs to be stern when he takes action, otherwise he cannot establish himself. It's simple, direct, and efficient."
Fusu was completely petrified.
Ying Zheng, standing behind him, also froze in mid-air, his hand holding the wine cup, a strange expression on his face that seemed to want to laugh but had to suppress it.
Zhou Jue continued, "The key to 'winning people over with virtue' is not 'virtue,' but 'winning over.' When others don't listen to your reasoning, you need to use physical methods to make them 'win over.'"
She picked up the leftover lamb leg bone from the table and weighed it in her hand.
"For example, if you talk to him about benevolence and righteousness and he doesn't listen, then you pick up this bone and 'swing' it across his face to subdue him. Then, you can calmly talk to him about benevolence and righteousness. See if he listens then?"
"This is the essence of 'Lunyu'."
"Benevolence is your core. But ruthless measures are the guarantee for you to exercise benevolence. Benevolence without power is cowardice and indulgence, which will only harm yourself and your country."
boom!
Fu Su’s mind seemed to explode with a thunderclap.
These words are vulgar! Domineering! Barbaric!
But it was like a key that suddenly unlocked the lock that had been weighing on his heart for many years!
So... that's how it is?
He doesn't want to abandon benevolence, but rather to learn how to defend his benevolence with his fists!
He looked at Zhou Jue, then at his father who had an approving look in his eyes, and solemnly bowed deeply.
"Fusu...I have learned a lot!"
Ying Zheng watched this scene with satisfaction.
This eldest son is finally starting to understand things.
He put down his wine cup, his expression turning serious again. He looked at Zhou Jue and asked the question he most wanted to ask tonight.
"Your Majesty, my empire needs talented people."
"You once said that in the future there would be figures like Xiang Yu and Liu Bang who could overthrow my Great Qin. But I don't believe it. In this vast world, over the next thousand years, only these two talents have emerged!"
His voice carried the greed and desire unique to emperors.
"Immortals, besides them, are there any others?"
"Are there any generals who can expand my territory? Are there any capable ministers who can bring peace and stability to the country? Are there any skilled craftsmen who can create such divine weapons?"
"I want them all!"
Zhou Jue smiled.
That's exactly what she was waiting for.
"Your Majesty, there are many people like this."
With a wave of her hand, the tablet computer specially made by Chen Jianguo appeared on the low table.
She tapped her finger, the screen lit up, and a lifelike portrait appeared.
He was an ordinary-looking young man, but his eyes were as sharp as knives.
"This person is Han Xin."
Zhou Jue's voice carried a captivating power.
"A master of military strategy, the more soldiers he commanded, the better. He was known to later generations as the 'God of War.' In terms of commanding troops and strategizing battles, no one could surpass him."
Ying Zheng's breath hitched!
A military genius?!
His gaze was fixed on the portrait, as if he wanted to etch the person's appearance into his very bones!
Zhou Jue drew his finger again.
Another portrait appears, depicting a scholar with an air of elegance and wisdom about him.
"This man is Zhang Liang. He can strategize within the tent and win battles a thousand miles away. He has extraordinary talent and is a teacher of emperors."
Imperial Tutor!
Ying Zheng's fist clenched unconsciously.
"This man is Xiao He. A man of great talent who can govern the country, pacify the people, and ensure a continuous supply of provisions and wages. With him around, the soldiers at the front will never have to worry about their rear!"
"This man, Chen Ping, is skilled in ingenious schemes and tricks. He devised six extraordinary plans to establish his rule over the world."
"This man, Cao Shen, is skilled in both civil and military affairs..."
...
Each name, each portrait.
One by one, these top talents who left their illustrious names in history and assisted Liu Bang in establishing the Han Dynasty for four hundred years were presented to Ying Zheng by Zhou Jue.
Ying Zheng's chest heaved violently.
His eyes had turned bloodshot!
These... these were the traitors who should have overthrown his Great Qin!
No!
They are not traitors!
They are the treasures bestowed upon this land by heaven! They are the pillars that support an empire that will last for eternity!
These treasures, these pillars of strength, should, and must, belong to him, Ying Zheng!
Where are they?!
Ying Zheng suddenly stood up, grabbed the low table in front of Zhou Jue, and raised his voice involuntarily because he was too excited.
"Immortal! Please tell me! Where are they now?!"
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