Before Princess Qian could breathe a sigh of relief, another breath came up.
Suddenly, a burst of whispers was heard in the originally quiet garden. Everyone in the pavilion turned their heads and saw Hai Chenxi wearing a green lotus-colored brocade robe with a silver satin ribbon edge. Starting from the lapels, several intertwined bamboos were embroidered with silver silk thread. The bamboo leaves fluttered in the wind. Because the hem of Hai Chenxi's robe swayed as he walked, it added to the dynamic feeling, and for a moment, it attracted the attention of all the ladies in the garden.
In addition, Hai Chenxi was handsome and had a distinguished family background, which made the unmarried ladies even more eager to try. They stretched their necks, hoping that the noble Prince Hai could see them among the colorful flowers.
"This Prince Hai is so handsome. This long gown is both elegant and noble, which really suits him. No wonder the Princess of Chu said just now that Prince Hai's Mansion is a beautiful place that can give birth to a peerless handsome man like Prince Hai." A lady blushed slightly and withdrew her gaze from Hai Chenxi. She spoke with a hint of regret in her tone, alas, such a handsome man is not within her reach now.
After hearing what the lady said, Princess Qian's eyes suddenly darkened, and then she lowered her eyes. Her long and curly eyelashes instantly covered the true look in her eyes, blocking the speculation and gazes of outsiders who were watching the show.
Yun Qianmeng glanced calmly at the angry Consort Qian, then smiled and said to the lady, "The last time I visited the Sea Prince's Mansion, the Sea Prince treated me to tea with mountain spring water. Now that I think about it, the spring water is clear and sweet, perfect for making tea. No wonder the Consort looks so charming and radiant, as dazzling as a pearl."
Princess Qian had never expected Yun Qianmeng to bring the conversation back to her. From everyone's reactions, it was clear that Yun Qianmeng's words had already sunk into everyone's minds, and they all agreed that Yangmingshan, where the Sea Prince's Mansion was located, was an extremely restful place. Princess Qian felt a surge of anger, but she managed a smile. She slowly raised her head and said modestly, "Your Highness, I'm flattered. All of this is thanks to the Emperor's grace. Seeing that my father had difficulty walking, the late Emperor allocated this ideal place for self-cultivation, allowing him to rest for a thousand years."
However, to everyone, these words were just an excuse from Princess Qian.
Yun Qianmeng did not continue what Princess Qian said. She just drank the water in the cup slowly, with a faint smile on her lips that showed no emotion.
Seeing that everyone looked at each other in confusion after hearing what she said, and then fell silent, Princess Qian immediately realized that she had been fooled by Yun Qianmeng. She shot Yun Qianmeng with anger in her eyes, but the other party had already started chatting about this matter with Ji Shuyu. Princess Qian was filled with hatred, and the silk handkerchief had been twisted in her hands so tightly that its original shape could not be seen.
Compared to the undercurrent in the pavilion, the atmosphere among the men's seats was also turbulent.
Hai Chenxi walked to the main table, a wicked smile on his face, and asked everyone present in a low voice, "Isn't this prince late?"
"The banquet hasn't begun yet, so the prince isn't late. Please take a seat, Prince Hai," Han Che replied with a smile, nodding to the steward beside him. Immediately, a group of maids filed into the garden entrance, each carrying a variety of delicious dishes. The aroma drifted in the wind as they passed. In the blink of an eye, the entire garden was filled with the fragrance of food, whetting the guests' appetites. They all wanted to see what delicacies the Han Xiangfu had prepared.
The maids moved with lightness and skill, and in a very short time they had placed all the dishes on the table. Everyone looked around and saw that today's housewarming banquet at the Han Xiang Mansion was mainly vegetarian, which made everyone who had expected delicacies from land and sea feel disappointed.
Han Che stood up, holding a teacup, and addressed the guests who had been invited. "Thank you all for coming today. However, in light of the recent floods in Jiangnan, the people are suffering. The Emperor, concerned about the people, has even put the Crown Prince's selection of a concubine on hold. As the Left Prime Minister, I should share the Emperor's concerns and consider the people. Therefore, today's wedding banquet will be primarily vegetarian, and all your drinks will be replaced with tea. I hope you will forgive me! Han Che would like to offer a toast to each of you!"
After he finished speaking, Han Che raised his head and drank the tea in the cup before sitting down again.
Since Han Che had spoken so clearly, how could they not understand? Furthermore, Prince Duan, Prince Chu, and the others hadn't shown any displeasure, so they had no right to point fingers and complain about Han Che's negligence.
However, everyone had to admire Han Che's ability to read the emperor's mind. The invitation to the Han Xiangfu had been sent before the flood in Jiangnan, but to avoid the perception of "extravagance and debauchery" in Emperor Yugan's eyes, Han Che served vegetarian tea, a truly impeccable gesture.
"Prime Minister Han is really thoughtful. He held such a unique housewarming party." Qu Feiqing slowly turned around and her eyes fell on the dishes in front of her. Although they were all vegetarian, they were delicious and mouth-watering. It was truly amazing.
Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but smile as she listened to Qu Feiqing's whispers. She leaned over slightly and jokingly whispered in Qu Feiqing's ear, "Han Xiang is indeed a talented young man with a sharp mind. Cousin, look, half of the ladies in this garden have their eyes on Han Xiang. Cousin, what do you think of Han Xiang as a person?"
How could Qu Feiqing not understand the meaning behind Yun Qianmeng's words? She couldn't help but shake her head and smiled. She picked up some vegetarian food and placed it in the small bowl in front of Yun Qianmeng, saying with a smile, "You, have some lunch quickly. Don't let your baby go hungry."
However, although Qu Feiqing did not answer Yun Qianmeng's question, her gaze followed Yun Qianmeng's words and looked at Han Che, who was not far away. His royal blue brocade robe made him look elegant and handsome, and because he was the newly-crowned top scholar, he looked even more elegant.
At this time, he was sitting at the same table with the three princes and Hai Chenxi. He would sometimes smile slightly and sometimes say a few words. Although he didn't say much, he could make Prince Duan and others nod with a smile. It was enough to show that Han Che was a prudent person who did things and spoke in a pleasant way.
Maybe it was because Qu Feiqing was staring at Han Che too intently, but Han Che, who was talking to Chu Feiyang, suddenly raised his head and looked towards the pavilion. However, Qu Feiqing was so absorbed in looking at Han Che's expression that she didn't have time to look away, and their eyes met in an instant.
Han Che immediately raised a handsome smile and nodded slightly to Qu Feiqing.
However, Qu Feiqing turned around the moment she came to her senses, not daring to stare at a man so boldly anymore. She shook the round fan in her hand violently a few times, as if to dispel the inexplicable heat and tension that surged in her heart. Even her jade-white cheeks were slightly flushed.
Little did he know that the moment Han Che saw Qu Feiqing staring at him, his calm heart suddenly rose to his throat. The hand that was originally holding the teacup instantly changed to tightly clenched, and only then did he force a smile to face her.
However, Qu Feiqing turned around without any expression, which made Han Che's originally inflated mood suddenly feel like being pricked by a needle, and all his courage was instantly lost. There was a hint of desolation in his half-closed eyes. But in a moment, when he raised his head again to face Prince Duan and others, his eyes were filled with calmness and rationality.
"This dish is really special. It looks like crab roe, but it tastes like winter bamboo shoots, mushrooms, etc." Yun Qianmeng picked up some vegetarian food and put it into her mouth. After chewing it carefully, she spoke softly.
Seeing that Yun Qianmeng could actually taste the ingredients inside, Han Yu smiled and explained, "Princess, you are truly amazing! This is indeed a vegetarian crab roll made with carrots, winter bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and eggs. This dish has a crispy, fatty, and delicate texture, with a hint of sourness amidst the saltiness. I'm afraid it's perfect for pregnant women."
This table started the conversation, and the ladies and ladies at other tables were no longer shy, pointing at the dishes on the table and asking Han Yu about them. Han Yu was very patient and actually explained them one by one to everyone.
At this time, the maids brought out the vegetarian dishes in white porcelain bowls, and inside they saw a lotus flower emerging from the water. For a moment, everyone was puzzled, and no one dared to taste it first.
Han Yu smiled and explained, "This vegetarian dish is called 'Lotus Emerging from Water'. It's made with lily bulbs, glutinous rice, tofu, and spinach. It tastes sweet."
Everyone suddenly understood and praised the dish for its realistic appearance, saying it was so realistic that they couldn't bear to eat it.
"I didn't expect that this vegetarian food could be so wonderful and dazzling. It's no worse than delicacies from land and sea." A lady looked at the table full of mouth-watering vegetarian food and praised it.
However, such praise still carries a bit of attack. The effort put into preparing such a vegetarian meal is probably no less than that of delicacies.
Han Yu sat back at her table and said with a faint smile, "Madam, you're too kind. This is just the way the common people eat. The common people can't have chicken, duck, fish and meat every day like the officials, but they are tired of eating vegetarian dishes, so they think of ways to make some vegetarian dishes that look like chicken, duck, fish and meat."
When the lady saw that Han Yu refuted her words in a dignified manner, her expression became a little embarrassed, and then she lowered her head and ate the vegetarian food in front of her, which she had never eaten before.
"Cousin, try it too and calm down!" Yun Qianmeng picked up some vegetarian dishes and placed them on the small plate in front of Qu Feiqing, and whispered with a smile in her eyes.
Unexpectedly, her teasing caused the strange mood that Qu Feiqing had suppressed with great difficulty to come back again, and she began to shake the fan even faster than before.
"Your Highness, do you know why I arrived late just now?" At the main table, Hai Chenxi suddenly turned slightly and whispered in Chu Feiyang's ear.
Upon hearing this, Chu Feiyang raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes sparkling with a faint smile. He then turned to look at Hai Chenxi, who was smiling strangely, and whispered, "Why did Prince Hai suddenly reveal his whereabouts to me? It's a pity that I'm not interested in Prince Hai's whereabouts. I'm afraid Prince Hai has found the wrong person."
Seeing Chu Feiyang's guard so high, Hai Chenxi also laughed, and then whispered back: "This prince is also worried about the prince, so I told you this out of kindness. Doesn't the prince feel that someone is missing from today's banquet?"
"When did the relationship between Prince Hai and Prince Chu become so harmonious? They have even reached the point where they whisper to each other without letting anyone know! I wonder what the two of you are talking about. Happiness is better shared with others than enjoyed alone. Look at how happily you two are laughing. There must be good news." Jiang Muchen, who had been silent from the beginning, suddenly started to attack. His frosty expression made others avoid him. Only a few people at the main table looked normal.
Chu Feiyang curled his lips into a smile, then replied, "Prince Hai is congratulating me on my upcoming promotion to father. Do I have to explain everything to him?"
Just as he was speaking, Chu Feiyang's sharp eyes had already swept over everyone in the garden, but he found that Qu Changqing was not at the table. A dark and cold light flashed across Chu Feiyang's eyes, but he already understood something in his heart.
After hearing Chu Feiyang's answer, Jiang Muchen felt a surge of anger in his heart. His gaze instantly shifted from Chu Feiyang's annoying face to Yun Qianmeng. However, the beauty had her back to him, which made Jiang Muchen secretly annoyed.
"It seems that the prince has discovered who is not at the banquet." Hai Chenxi's attention was always on Chu Feiyang. When he saw a gleam in Chu Feiyang's eyes, he knew that the other party had noticed who was absent. However, he had to admire Chu Feiyang's keen insight. With just a glance, he saw everything. Such a man was really too terrifying.
Chu Feiyang retracted his gaze and took a sip of the teacup in front of him. After his analysis came to an end, he swallowed the sweetness in his mouth and spoke again, "Prince Hai must have been involved in this matter. But now Prince Hai has told me about this matter. Is he trying to sow discord?"
Seeing that Chu Feiyang had thought of everything in just the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Hai Chenxi's heart tightened slightly, but he smiled wickedly and unrestrainedly, "Prince Chu, you are worrying too much. This prince just couldn't bear to see you and your son never see each other again, so I told you out of kindness."
However, in the process of informing this matter, he slightly provoked the relationship between Chu Feiyang and that person, which must be extremely beneficial to the Sea Palace in the future.
Chu Feiyang just smiled without saying anything. However, the smile on his lips remained, but the smile in his eyes had long since cooled. He raised the teacup in his hand and clinked it with Hai Chenxi's cup, saying elegantly, "Thank you very much, Prince Hai."
"Your Highness, don't be angry. It's just a small favor." Hai Chenxi smiled slightly, raised the teacup, and replied angrily.
Prince Chen looked at the hypocritical smiles on the two people in front of him, sneered in his heart, and drank the tea in his hand to suppress the anger in his heart.
"But, isn't the prince going to the palace? Maybe the prince will go..." Putting down the teacup, Hai Chenxi looked at the sky and spoke with a hint of embarrassment.
Chu Feiyang elegantly picked up a piece of vegetarian chicken and, while interrupting Hai Chenxi's next words, spoke calmly, "As a subject, how can I interfere with the Emperor's decision? Besides, how can Prince Hai be so sure that my presence will appease the Emperor instead of irritating him?"
The sharp question left Hai Chenxi at a loss for words. If he said too much, it might just backfire. Now that his goal had been achieved, why bother?
Without saying anything to refute Chu Feiyang, Hai Chenxi's attention seemed to be attracted by the vegetarian food on the table, and he was immersed in the joy of eating.
Chu Feiyang also ate his lunch calmly, without any sign of anxiety or nervousness.
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