Chapter 148 Celebration Feast: Eating Hot Pot Together.
Django was completely unaware of the reactions of the court officials.
She sat regally at the head of the hall, her gaze sweeping over every general and strategist below—Zhuge Liang, Zhou Yu, Zhao Kuangyin, Huo Qubing, Bai Qi, Qin Shubao, Yuchi Jingde, Du Fu… These names, shining brightly in history, were now gathered together. Looking at this constellation of stars, a slight smile played on her lips: With such heroes assisting us, wouldn't it be a waste not to join hands and forge a new path for our land?
This time, she didn't wait for everyone's report, but stood up directly. Her clear voice broke the silence, carrying an undeniable determination:
"We can't wait any longer."
Those four simple words carried immense weight, instantly drawing everyone's attention to her. Their gazes held inquiry, expectation, and a burning passion ignited by her decisive action.
“We are advancing cautiously, while the court is gaining a respite, constantly strengthening its defenses and mobilizing troops.” Jiang Ge’s voice rose a few decibels, clearly reaching everyone’s ears. “Instead of waiting for an opportunity, let’s create one! Why should we give the court another chance to breathe? We should take the initiative and strike!”
These words were like cold water being poured into a boiling oil pan, causing an uproar in the audience.
"What you say is absolutely right, my lord."
Yuchi Jingde roared first, his voice booming like a bell. He looked around and saw that although everyone was in high spirits, most of them were still processing the decision. His gaze couldn't help but sweep over Huo Qubing, who was sitting in the corner lost in thought—this young Marquis of Champion had been in this absent-minded state for several days, and no one knew what he was thinking.
oops.
Ignore him.
Seeing the crowd discussing amongst themselves but no one immediately offering a concrete strategy, he could no longer suppress the surging fighting spirit within him. He abruptly stood up, his dark face flushed with excitement:
"Since we're going to war, we need to sharpen our weapons and fill our stomachs! Why not hold a victory celebration first? Let's have hot pot, barbecue, roast meat, and the like, so that the brothers can eat and drink their fill before going into battle!"
He could already picture the red broth bubbling in the copper pot and the sizzling flames of dripping oil from the grill. He had longed for these delicacies for a long time, but enjoying them alone always felt like something was missing – of course, he would never admit to anyone that he was stingy with the money.
Zhuge Liang paused slightly with his feather fan, lightly covering his lips, a mischievous smile flashing in his eyes: "General Yuchi is rather impatient. The capital has not yet been captured, and to talk about celebrating victory at this time is surely premature. Could it be that General Yuchi has already foreseen the future and is certain of victory?" His tone was gentle, yet carried a hint of good-natured teasing.
Far from being annoyed by this, Yuchi Jingde patted his chest, which was as hard as iron, and replied with great pride: "With the brilliant strategist Zhuge Liang, the resourceful Zhou Yu, and my colleagues who are the bravest in the army, let alone taking the capital, capturing that little emperor alive would be a piece of cake!" His loud and boisterous laughter echoed in the hall, and his unreserved confidence seemed to dispel all darkness, instantly easing the heavy atmosphere brought about by the meeting.
Although these words were spoken with great confidence, they were by no means unfounded boasts.
After all, he was Yuchi Jingde—a fierce general who single-handedly rescued his lord amidst a vast army, sweeping through thousands with his spear, and establishing great achievements during the Xuanwu Gate Incident. Back then, when facing the elite imperial guards of the Crown Prince's palace, he displayed the same indomitable spirit, regarding dangers as nothing. Today, facing the imperial troops, whom he considered mere chickens and dogs, he naturally felt even more confident and composed.
Upon hearing this, Qin Shubao, who was standing to the side, burst into laughter. He and Yuchi Jingde were sworn brothers and had a great understanding. He reached out and patted Yuchi Jingde's broad and sturdy shoulder heavily: "Good, since Brother Jingde has such ambition, then I will wait and see."
His gaze inadvertently drifted to Huo Qubing, who sat quietly to the side, seemingly isolated from the surrounding clamor, and he added meaningfully, "However, when it comes to a thousand-mile raid and capturing the enemy leader amidst ten thousand troops, the Marquis of Champion is the most skilled. A thousand-mile raid, a direct attack on Qilian, and the sealing of the Wolf Mountain—such abilities are beyond our reach."
These words were both an appreciation of Yuchi Jingde's heroic spirit and a clever way of steer the conversation toward the taciturn but formidable young general.
Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall turned their gaze to that corner.
Huo Qubing, who had been sitting as still as a mountain, only slightly raised his eyes at this moment. A cold glint seemed to flash in his sharp eyes. The young general's lips curled into a cold and confident smile, and his entire aura changed, like a cheetah that had been lying in wait for a long time, finally receiving the order to strike.
"To capture the enemy leader, the key is to strike unexpectedly and catch them off guard." He slowly rose, his black battle robe shimmering with light as he moved, his deep voice like the clash of metal, "Catch them off guard and cut off their foundation."
He strolled to the map, his posture as upright as a pine tree. His long, slender fingers precisely pointed to a strategic pass north of the capital, his nails neatly trimmed.
"Give me five thousand elite cavalry,"
His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable determination: "Bring plenty of dry rations, travel light, and take the mountain trails. Within three days, I will surely break through this pass. At that time, the army will descend from the north like heavenly troops, striking directly at the imperial city, forming a pincer attack with your main forces from the north and south, leaving the defending army unable to defend both ends."
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly turned around, his gaze sweeping across the entire room like lightning before finally settling on Yuchi Jingde: "But this victory celebration banquet—" He paused deliberately, his tone carrying a hint of youthful arrogance, almost defiant, "is not too late to hold it after I capture the emperor and trample the Golden Palace."
Such unbridled confidence and such daring to venture deep into enemy territory—aside from Huo Qubing, who achieved unparalleled feats at a young age, no one else in the world could possess such qualities.
All the generals in the hall turned their attention to him.
The boy's sharp and confident demeanor did not offend the crowd at this moment; instead, it moved them deeply.
Yuchi Jingde was taken aback at first, seemingly not expecting Huo Qubing to be so direct, then burst into an even louder and more hearty laugh, which shook the dust off the beams: "Good, good, Marquis of Champion! It's as you say, when you return victorious, no one is allowed to take the first bowl of wine at this victory banquet, I will definitely toast you!"
Seeing that the fighting spirit was ignited and morale was high, Jiang Ge's gaze swept gently over the eager faces of her generals, and she already had a plan in mind. A slight smile played on her lips, and her voice was clear and melodious: "Since all the generals share this sentiment, a pre-battle reward is a way to boost morale. So let us have a meal together before we set out. In this early winter, with the chilly winds rising, it's perfect to sit around the fire and enjoy this hot pot. It will not only ward off the cold but also unite our hearts."
She said she was pointing her hand at the light surface of the system.
Before long, several antique-looking, gleaming brass pots appeared and were placed on a long table pieced together in the center of the hall. Beneath the pots were glowing red charcoal fires, which were placed in exquisite red clay stoves.
Soon, the carefully simmered broth in the pot began to bubble. The clear broth was as milky as spring water, and its fresh aroma filled the air. The red broth, on the other hand, was bubbling with chili peppers and butter, and its rich and spicy flavor whetted the appetite.
The rising steam in the chilly early winter air blurred people's faces, but instantly filled the entire lobby with a warm and lively atmosphere.
Zhuge Liang paused his hand holding the feather fan, observing with interest the bubbling and rolling of the clear and red broth in the pot. He murmured thoughtfully, "The clear rises, the turbid sinks; yin and yang interact, mutually generating and restraining each other. This dish seems simple, but it secretly embodies the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, the way of yin and yang in harmony."
There are so many profound truths about eating hot pot.
That's a bit pretentious.
Zhou Yu inwardly grumbled, but outwardly remained composed. He elegantly picked up his jade chopsticks, took a slice of mutton sliced as thin as a cicada's wing, and lightly dipped it in the bubbling broth. Once the meat turned white, he lifted it out, dipped it in a little sauce, and put it in his mouth. After savoring it, he nodded and smiled, "The meat is tender, and the broth is rich and flavorful. If our navy were to embark on a distant expedition in the future, and could transport such easy-to-cook, delicious, and warming food to the front lines by warships, I'm sure the morale of our soldiers would be even higher."
On the surface, he appears serious, but his inner monologue is: This is so delicious, can't we eat it every day?
Wide face, tears streaming down...
Meanwhile, Yuchi Jingde stood to the side.
This fierce general, who wielded his spear with ease on the battlefield, now seemed somewhat flustered when faced with small, slippery chopsticks and flat slices of meat.
He finally managed to pick up a piece of meat, but it slipped from his hand on the way to the pot, splashing some soup. This caused Qin Shubao, who was beside him, to slap the table and laugh loudly: "Brother Jingde, how come your hands, which are capable of moving a thousand pounds and wielding a spear like lightning, can't even control these small chopsticks today? Could it be that you've become flustered and weak-handed in the face of delicious food?" Yuchi Jingde's face turned slightly red, and he muttered, "It's because these things are too delicate." He simply asked a servant to bring a new pair of chopsticks, and only then was he able to enjoy his meal.
Bai Qi remained silent, focusing intently on savoring the flavors. He first tried the clear broth, then the spicy broth. His brow twitched slightly on his bronze, serious face, as if he quite approved of the novel taste. Without hesitation, he picked up a large piece of mutton and dipped it into the spicy broth to cook.
In the rising steam, Wei Zhongxian's dark purple brocade robe stood out starkly against the backdrop of military uniforms. The way he held his chopsticks carried the elegance unique to palace interiors; the tips of his silver chopsticks lightly touched the surface of the red soup, dabbed a little chili oil, and brought it to his lips.
Unexpectedly, the moment that bright red touched his tongue, a scorching heat surged straight to his throat. This eunuch, who had weathered many storms in the palace, was so overwhelmed by the spiciness that he lost his composure. His fair face instantly turned bright red, and a violent cough burst from his throat. He hurriedly covered his face with his wide sleeves, his knuckles turning slightly white from the effort.
"Can't even handle this little bit of spice?" Yuchi Jingde's loud voice rang out with a hint of mockery. He was holding chopsticks, on which was a slice of mutton covered in red oil.
The assembled generals couldn't help but smile upon hearing this. The red oil in the pot was bubbling, with countless peppercorns and chilies floating in the broth; such intense spiciness was indeed not something an ordinary person could withstand.
Wei Zhongxian suppressed the burning pain in his throat, wanting to retort, but as his sleeve fell slightly, he saw those usually mischievous eyes now brimming with tears. He was about to speak—
"Cough...cough cough cough—"
A more violent cough interrupted his words, and tears welled up in his eyes. His disheveled appearance drew laughter from the entire room. Even the usually composed Qin Shubao couldn't help but slam his fist on the table. Zhao Kuangyin shook his head and chuckled, while Zhou Yu covered his mouth with his sleeve, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Just as Wei Zhongxian was in a difficult situation, a hand with distinct knuckles quietly offered him a celadon teacup. Zhuge Liang had already left his seat and approached, his feather tassels swaying gently as he said in a warm voice, "The spiciness is quite strong; a little water will soothe you." His voice was like a clear spring rinsing over stones, refreshing amidst the pungent aroma filling the room.
Wei Zhongxian paused for a moment, and as he took the teacup, his fingertips inadvertently touched the other person's warm palm.
He lowered his head and sipped the tea; the cool, refreshing tea did indeed soothe the burning pain in his throat.
The group chatted and laughed.
Huo Qubing did not approach the long table in the center. Instead, he carried a bowl of meat that his servant had prepared for him, walked to the window, opened it halfway, and let the biting north wind blow through his hair and robes.
Despite the chill, he ate the steaming hot meat with gusto, his gaze fixed on the dark night sky in the distance.
Jiang Ge didn't rush to pick up her chopsticks. She quietly watched as these figures, each leaving a significant mark on history, sat together, temporarily setting aside the barriers of their identities and the differences of their eras over a simple hot pot meal, enjoying their meal and chatting like ordinary friends. She couldn't help but smile, a complex and warm emotion welling up in her eyes.
Amidst the rising, swirling mist, she raised the teacup before her, her voice soft yet clearly reaching everyone's ears: "Today, I offer this tea in place of wine, wishing my army a resounding victory! When we take the capital and pacify the world, we will gather in the Golden Palace to drink a true celebratory toast!"
"We are willing to follow our lord and create a prosperous era together!"
The crowd responded in unison, their voices loud and clear, filled with unwavering conviction.
Outside the window, the first light snow of winter had quietly fallen, its pure white petals silently covering the roof tiles and branches of the courtyard.
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Author's note: Trying to adjust my state...
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