Chapter 317 Night Banquet
After not seeing him for more than half a year, he changed into the official robes of the Great Sheng Dynasty, changed his hairstyle, and became thinner, making him somewhat unfamiliar to Jiang Ling, which is why she couldn't recognize him at first.
Fang Shijie, on the contrary, was not surprised by her arrival.
He put on a smile, cupped his hands in a respectful greeting, and said, "Miss Jiang, it's been a long time!"
Jiang Ling composed herself and returned the greeting with a smile: "Young Master Fang... no, I should now call you Lord Fang. Lord Fang is truly thriving in the Great Sheng Dynasty. I must have been wronged by you in the Great Yu Dynasty a few days ago."
Unfazed by her sarcasm, Fang Shijie remained unmoved, his expression unchanged: "I've heard that Miss Jiang brought many specialties from the Great Yu Dynasty with her on this trip. My wife, Hongxiu, has loved local delicacies since she was little, and she's about to give birth. She'll be very happy to see Miss Jiang."
Red sleeves?!
Jiang Ling froze on the spot.
The other party said no more, nodded slightly, and turned to leave.
That evening, a banquet was held at the city lord's mansion.
In the hall, there was a long table, which was filled with northern specialties: a whole leg of lamb roasted until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, braised beef glistening with oil, as well as dried wild fruits, mellow milk wine, and several carefully prepared seasonal vegetables.
Although not as refined as the dishes served in the Great Yu Dynasty court, the portions were generous and the aroma was enticing.
Cheng Jiaojiao attended as a princess.
She was still wearing a veiled hat, her face veiled by a light gauze.
Accompanied by Jiang Ling and two palace maids, he appeared in the banquet hall.
Xiao Yuanshan, as the main host, sat on the left at the head of the table, while Zhao Jingxing sat on his right, and Cheng Jiaojiao sat next to Zhao Jingxing.
Jiang Ling served as a female official beside the princess.
Fang Shijie, dressed in the robes of a military officer of the Sheng Dynasty, sat below Xiao Yuanshan, facing Jiang Ling from a distance.
When Cheng Jiaojiao saw Fang Shijie, she remained expressionless on the surface, but her hand under the table tightly gripped Jiang Ling.
Jiang Lingfu picked up the wine pot, pretending to pour her wine, but actually whispered in her ear, "Don't panic. He won't pose a threat to us."
Upon hearing this, Cheng Jiaojiao relaxed her tense hands and looked away.
At the start of the banquet, Xiao Yuanshan raised his wine cup and said loudly, "Today, I am honored by the presence of Princess Anning and General Zhao at Yanxia Pass. I would like to use this cup of humble northern wine to welcome you all and wish that the friendship between our two nations will last forever, and that there will never be any war between us!"
Zhao Jingxing also raised his wine cup and stood up to return the toast: "Lord Xiao, you are too kind. The marriage alliance between our two countries is meant to foster good neighborliness and friendship. I thank you for your hospitality."
Cheng Jiaojiao also picked up her wine glass, bowed slightly, and her voice came through the light gauze: "Thank you for your trouble, Lord Xiao."
Singing and dancing began, and after several rounds of drinks and dishes, the meal was served.
Xiao Yuanshan began to probe subtly.
His gaze fell on Cheng Jiaojiao, and he said gently, "Your Highness must have had a long and arduous journey north. I've heard that Your Highness is the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Wu'an and has been pampered since childhood. I wonder if Your Highness can get used to the simple food of the north?"
Cheng Jiaojiao replied softly, "It is my duty to share the burdens of the country. The cuisine of the North has a unique flavor; Lord Xiao, you have gone to great lengths."
Xiao Yuanshan nodded, then turned to Zhao Jingxing: "General Zhao, although His Majesty bestowed the title of princess upon Miss Cheng for this marriage alliance, the dowry is rather simple. What is the reason for this? Could it be that your country still has concerns about this marriage alliance?"
Zhao Jingxing had anticipated this question and calmly replied, "Lord Xiao, you are overthinking it. His Majesty attaches great importance to this marriage alliance. However, before her departure, the princess, mindful of the suffering of the border people, voluntarily requested to reduce her dowry and use the saved funds to provide relief to the border people. His Majesty, moved by the princess's benevolence, granted her request. This is not a sign of disrespect, but rather a testament to the friendship between the two countries."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuanshan's eyes flashed with surprise, then he smiled and nodded: "I see! Although Your Highness is young, you have such a kind heart and mind, which I admire greatly! If His Majesty knew, he would surely be pleased."
Just then, Fang Shijie suddenly raised his wine cup, turned his gaze to Jiang Ling, and said loudly, "As a capable maidservant by the princess's side, Miss Jiang has taken care of the princess's daily life all the way. She must have worked hard and made great contributions. I would like to offer a toast to Miss Jiang and wish her all the best in the North."
All eyes in the hall instantly focused on Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling felt a chill run down her spine; Fang Shijie was deliberately targeting her.
She picked up her wine glass and slowly rose to her feet: "You're too kind, Fang Sima. Taking care of the princess is my duty, and I dare not accept the words 'thank you for your hard work and great contributions.'"
Xiao Yuanshan's thoughtful gaze shifted back and forth between Fang Shijie and Jiang Ling. "Could it be that Commander Fang and this Miss Jiang are old acquaintances?"
Before Jiang Ling could speak, Fang Shijie spoke first.
"Your Excellency, my fate with Miss Jiang is shallow, and I have no chance to meet her. However, Miss Jiang looks very familiar to me, and I feel an instant connection with her. I hope Miss Jiang and Her Highness the Princess will forgive my abruptness."
Jiang Ling understood.
Although it is unknown how Fang Shijie became the Sima of the Dasheng Dynasty, it is conceivable that he would not want his affairs in the Dayu Dynasty to be discovered by his fellow officials.
Xiao Yuanshan laughed and said, "I see. Fang Sima is young and promising, and familiar with the customs and culture of Yongzhou. You will have to take good care of Her Highness the Princess and the delegation these next two days, and make sure they feel at home and experience the beauty of our northern lands."
Fang Shijie bowed and replied, "Your humble servant obeys. I will do my utmost to ensure that our distinguished guest has a pleasant stay."
The banquet continued, with toasts exchanged and songs and dances performed with great enthusiasm.
However, everyone at the table had their own thoughts.
Jiang Ling had a lot of questions in her mind.
She did not deny that one of the reasons she came to the Great Sheng Dynasty was to find out about Hongxiu.
In retrospect, Hongxiu is at least safe.
As the banquet drew to a close, Zhao Jingxing rose to take his leave: "Lord Xiao, Commander Fang, thank you both for your hospitality. Her Highness the Princess must be tired from her journey, so we will take our leave now."
Xiao Yuanshan did not try to stop them, and nodded with a smile: "Alright. General Zhao, Your Highness, please take care on your journey. I have already ordered people to prepare a courtyard for you to rest in. If you need anything, please let me know."
With Jiang Ling's help, Cheng Jiaojiao slowly got up and followed Zhao Jingxing outside.
Stepping out of the city lord's mansion, a night breeze blew by, carrying the chill of the north.
Back at the inn, Jiang Ling immediately met up with Zhao Jingxing in his room.
Zhao Jingxing frowned: "I didn't expect Fang Shijie to actually escape back to the Great Sheng Dynasty and become a Sima. He recognizes you and Cheng Jiaojiao, and with him following us all the way, the plan ahead probably won't go very smoothly."
In the face of the inescapable net of the capital city of Da Yu, he managed to escape unscathed, demonstrating the depth of his cunning and scheming.
Jiang Ling spoke in a deep voice: "I have a vague feeling that the matter of arranging the marriage between the Cheng family's daughter and the Cheng family is related to him. But I can't understand why he insisted on having Cheng Jiaojiao as the bride?"
Zhao Jingxing suddenly remembered Lei Zhen of Zhenbeiguan, the frontier general who had some private dealings with the Marquis of Wu'an's family in the capital...
Could it be that the Great Sheng Dynasty is eyeing the power behind the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion?
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