But if we don't replace them and just use Su's method to procure them, the public funds will not be enough!
In the end, she finally understood that the Su family was planning to subsidize the birthday banquet with their own money.
But she had asked Yun Tianbai to take over the job without any explanation, and she didn't have any money to pay for it!
In an instant, the birthday banquet became a hot potato; she couldn't handle it, nor could she throw it away.
We can't exactly ask a new bride to ask her mother-in-law for her personal savings to subsidize public expenses, can we?
With only half a month left until her grandmother's birthday banquet next month, she should have sent out the invitations long ago. However, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and tell Yun Tianbai about the situation.
Yun Tianbai frowned. "There are established rules for matters concerning the inner quarters. Just do what you can. If you really can't make up your mind, go and discuss it with your mother."
Shi Wenxia secretly groaned and quickly said, "Your Highness, you mustn't. This is the first grand banquet that I, Wenxia, have ever organized. If I ask my mother for help on this very first occasion, wouldn't that make my mother and grandmother look down on me?"
Yun Tianbai then asked, "Supposedly, there are quite a few established rules in the public treasury, so how come you can't even afford to hold a birthday banquet?"
Shi Wenxia quickly complained, "The official amount is only ten thousand taels. The banquet and drinks that Mother has set are too high. If Grandmother didn't know, it would be fine, but since Grandmother already knows, if it's not as good as the banquet, Grandmother will inevitably become suspicious and resentful."
After returning to the capital, Yun Tianbai had attended banquets at other mansions and knew the prices of the "Golden Jade Hall" banquet and "June Drunkenness" banquet. After thinking for a moment, he asked, "There are only so many merchants in the capital. Why don't we look at other counties and see if they have anything special? Instead of comparing ourselves to what everyone in the capital knows, we should try something different and give people a fresh perspective."
At this moment, Shi Wenxia's gaze shifted to the lotus flower behind Yun Tianbai, and upon hearing this, his eyes suddenly lit up.
Just now, before she returned to her room, she passed by the gate of Fu'an Hall and saw a fresh and beautiful lotus flower that someone had planted by the roadside. She asked Pei'er to bring it back.
When Yun Tianbai asked her this question, she suddenly remembered that in her previous life, after she was carried into the Duke's mansion, she went to He County with the young master to investigate a case one year and tasted the All-He Banquet made by a restaurant in He County.
It truly has a unique flavor and an excellent presentation. Lotus has always been a favorite of scholars and literati, so it is sure to be a refreshing experience!
Moreover, He County is just a dilapidated little county town. If you hire the best chef there and bring all the ingredients to cook a meal for the whole county, you can be satisfied with a maximum of two thousand taels of silver!
The key point is that this all-lotus banquet is something to behold! There's definitely no one in Kyoto who has ever tasted such an all-lotus banquet before!
Thinking this, she immediately perked up, "Alright! Now that the food is sorted, the drinks can be..."
Yun Tianbai shook his head. “These days, I’ve tasted all sorts of wines in the capital, and none of them can compare to June’s Drunkenness. Especially the first-class one… But don’t worry, no one will necessarily notice the difference between the lowest-class and the highest-class June’s Drunkenness. Just use the lowest-class June’s Drunkenness.”
She did the math in her head: one jar costs six hundred taels, ten jars would cost six thousand taels. Tsk tsk.
Living in Kyoto is indeed not easy.
Yun Tianbai added, "For the women's table, we'll use regular pear blossom wine. There will be eight tables for the women and eight tables for the men. First, prepare eight jars of June Wine and eight jars of pear blossom wine, and then prepare some other Zhuangyuan Red wine. If there isn't enough June Wine, then we'll serve Zhuangyuan Red wine."
Shi Wenxia calculated that the wine alone would cost six thousand taels, so eight thousand taels were gone.
Su Yun's team is a regular team from both the Su and Yun families, so they shouldn't have to pay, right?
"Then all that's left is the Eight Immortals Table and Chairs, Your Highness. Are you really going to spend such a large sum of money to purchase sixteen sets of Eight Immortals Table and Chairs?"
Yun Tianbai answered without hesitation, "Of course we need them. Last time when we got married, we didn't have a traditional eight-immortal table and chairs at home, and I was ridiculed by several classmates and colleagues. They said that which noble family in the capital still uses such a low table? It's not only uncomfortable to sit on, but it also interferes with drinking and chatting, and you can't even play drinking games! We must replace it! Moreover, these tables and chairs are durable. Once we replace them, they can be used for hundreds of years, and future generations can enjoy them. It's truly a blessing for our descendants."
These words left Shi Wenxia speechless. She opened her mouth, "But...but this one item alone will cost twelve thousand eight hundred taels..."
The Su family had already calculated the amount clearly.
Even after deducting the deposit of six thousand taels, we still have to pay another six thousand eight hundred taels. Adding the previous eight thousand taels, there is still a shortfall of four thousand eight hundred taels!
Yun Tianbai was taken aback, thinking he had misheard. "What? How much?"
"Twelve thousand eight hundred taels."
Yun Tianbai was even more surprised, "How can it be so cheap!?"
Shi Wenxia: ...
Yun Tianbai said, "I went to Vice Minister Liu's residence a couple of days ago. His set of eight-immortal table and chairs cost 1,500 taels! Our sixteen sets should cost more than 20,000 taels!"
Shi Wenxia: ...
Thinking of the six thousand taels deposit, which she realized was impossible to return, she could only say, "Then let's exchange it! But I'm afraid the amount is still a bit short."
"How much difference?"
“Four thousand eight hundred taels!” Shi Wenxia said, “However… if we paid for the missing table and chairs, whenever the family gathers for a feast and sees these tables and chairs, people will think that we paid for them…”
Yun Tianbai felt a tightness in her chest. In her previous life, she would never have cared about such a vulgar reputation.
Seeing that his gaze was a little off, Shi Wenxia quickly added, "I mean... people will remember our kindness in the future... reputation or not doesn't matter. Didn't you say that the eight-immortal table is comfortable to sit at?"
Yun Tianbai sighed, "I only have three thousand taels of private savings, and I'm still short eighteen hundred taels. Do you have any ideas?"
Shi Wenxia gritted his teeth and nodded, "I will find a way to get this 1,800 taels."
A few days ago, when I served tea to my elders, I received many red envelopes.
The Su family was very generous and gave her a silver note worth one thousand taels.
She can always scrape together some money, it's just so heartbreaking.
Once she takes over the management of the Duke's mansion, she will definitely try to get the money that was put in to make up for it!
The next day, when she went to pay her respects to Madam Su, she mentioned her intention to go to He County to hire a cook.
"I've heard that a certain type of banquet in He County is renowned for its delicious taste and appealing presentation. For my grandmother's birthday, it would be wonderful if it could offer something refreshing and unique." To keep everyone in suspense, she deliberately didn't reveal the name of the He County banquet.
Before Madam Su could express her opinion, Su Youran interjected, "Sister-in-law, what a wonderful idea! If it's something that has never appeared in the capital before, letting our guests try something new would be quite a story."
She naturally knew that Shi Wenxia in her previous life had praised the All-He Banquet after returning from a trip to He County.
only……
In this life, Shi Wenxia has never tasted the sumptuous feast of gold and jade, has he?
hehe……
Madam Su knew immediately what her daughter was up to, but she was also curious about what Shi Wenxia meant by "feast," so she nodded in agreement.
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