"Your son presents a phoenix to your father!" Xin Yiwei lifted the cage cloth, and the golden pheasant suddenly flapped its wings, splashing mud all over the emperor's face. The green parrot on Prince Feng's shoulder fluttered its wings and imitated him: "Drowned chicken! Drowned chicken!"
Yang Weimin stood up, twirling his goat beard. “It’s written in the Classic of Mountains and Seas that the inscription on the head of the phoenix is “virtue” and on its wings is “shun.” He walked to the front of the cage and said, “This is your Highness’s chicken.” He dragged out the last syllable, and suppressed laughter echoed in the tent.
Xin Yiwei's face flushed. "Today, hundreds of birds in the forest paid homage to the phoenix. You all saw it with your own eyes!" He pulled Qi Yingxiong over. "General Qi can testify!"
"I did hear someone yell 'Phoenix.'" Qi Yingxiong clasped his fists, his wrist armor jingling. He winked at Su Sheng, who slowly tore into the venison. "I sprained my ankle while hunting, so I didn't see anything."
Jiang Yihuan suddenly stood up, his black iron wristband banging against the table. "I saw a bald pheasant being chased by over twenty people and crashed into a tree." He dipped his fingertips in wine and drew a crooked-necked pheasant on the table. "It looks very similar to the Second Prince's."
The green parrot fluttered to the edge of the table, tilted its head and glanced at the ink: "Extremely similar! Extremely similar!" Xin Yiwei was so angry that his fingertips trembled. The golden pheasant in the cage suddenly screamed "cluck" - it was so scared that it had diarrhea.
The emperor pinched his nose and waved his hand, "Carry it down, carry it down!" Two young eunuchs stifled laughter as they went to take the cage. The pheasant fluttered and flung out a few more drops of yellow and white. Prince Feng laughed so hard that he fell down, and the tassel of the jade pendant at his waist entangled the parrot's anklet.
"Wait!" Xin Yiwei suddenly drew his sword and split the cage open, holding the chicken by its neck. "Father, look carefully at these tail feathers!" Three colorful feathers stained with feces shimmered in the candlelight. "These are phoenix feathers!"
Yang Weimin leaned in to sniff, then pinched his nose and stepped back, "I only smell chicken shit." The tent erupted in laughter, several generals splashing their wine. Marquis Yongding seized the opportunity to tear off another piece of venison and rub his oily hands against Jiang Yihuan's armor.
The emperor rubbed his eyes, which had tears welling up from his laughter. "Second brother, you are so thoughtful." He gestured for the eunuch to bring a bowl of venison. "I'll give you a bowl of auspicious meat to improve your eyesight."
Xin Yiwei stared at the venison in his bowl when he suddenly caught sight of Jiang Songyi in the corner. The girl was carving deer antlers with a silver knife, occasionally whispering to the Crown Prince. He slammed his wine cup and said, "Father! I want to ask the Imperial Observatory to verify my identity!"
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