Chapter 56 Victory Celebration Banquet (Part 1)
Although Dawn City remains under martial law, the repair of houses damaged in the battle has begun in earnest. The ordinary people in the streets and alleys show little resentment, as if they have already accepted the fact that they have been incorporated into the Nian Kingdom.
And that was indeed the case. The relationship between the three border cities and the central government of Feng Kingdom had never been good; in fact, it could be said to be one of long-standing resentment. Despite serving as a trade hub, the profits were entirely siphoned off, with harsh taxes levied and very little investment made in border development. Funds for city defense and people's livelihood were routinely delayed for months or even years. Whenever there was friction with Nian Kingdom, the three border cities were always the first to bear the brunt, yet they were never given any attention. How could they not resent it? Moreover, because the people of the border had a long history of interaction with Nian Kingdom and their appearance was more similar to that of people from Nian Kingdom, they had long been discriminated against by people from other parts of Feng Kingdom, and their sense of belonging to Feng Kingdom was truly weak.
As Shinju and the King of Venom walked down the main street of Dawn City, followed by a retinue of sword-wielding guards, they attracted countless prying eyes. Many of them thought nothing more than – such a ostentatious display of power suggested a new master had arrived, and they were now practically living under someone else's roof, their future likely to become increasingly difficult. Others guessed the King of Venom's identity; after all, the war god of the enemy nation was infamous, his reputation known even for stopping children from crying at night – a fact known to everyone on their borders.
The King of Zhen was oblivious to the fearful gazes around him; he was already used to it. He kept repeating Xi Tongzhao's words, his heart feeling as if it were weighed down by a thousand pounds.
He glanced at the python-patterned robe swaying beside him in the corner of his eye, remained silent for a long time, and finally spoke: "This time it seems that I am giving him a choice, but in reality I am just throwing the responsibility away again because I don't know how to heal his pain."
Shinju's steps faltered slightly. It was rare to see the King of Poison so lacking in confidence. He pondered, "In the end, no one can guarantee the safety of another's life, not even oneself."
The King of Zhen lowered his eyelids slightly, "If a ruler cannot take responsibility for others, why should others choose to follow him?"
“Nothing in this world is ever a given.” Shinju’s voice suddenly turned cold. “Even if you try your best to meet the expectations of others, you may not necessarily get good results.”
The King of Zhen felt a deep loneliness lingering in Zhen Su's words, and an indescribable sorrow hidden beneath. The King of Zhen glanced at Zhen Su, only to see Zhen Su's eyes narrow slightly, and his lips part slightly, "All I can do is stay true to myself."
The will of others cannot be interfered with.
Words spoken lightly can be as heavy as a hammer blow; Shinju's words stirred up a storm in the heart of the King of Poison.
He didn't start from the perspective of others, but from the perspective of a ruler like himself... Yet he didn't treat the masses as a void collective in dire need of salvation, which was quite unique.
Such clarity was beyond what his age, experience, and status could achieve. The sense of unease that the King of Poison had long felt towards Shinju reached its peak at this moment.
"..." The King of Zhen concealed the astonishment in his eyes, his throat moved slightly, and he suddenly changed the subject, "At the victory celebration banquet tonight, does Little Qingzi have anything he would like to try? I will have someone prepare it."
Caught off guard, Shinju didn't expect the King of Poison to change the subject so abruptly. He didn't point it out, but simply echoed, "Are there any local delicacies on the frontier? I'd like to try them all!"
The King's gaze softened unconsciously. "I don't remember many of them. I've tasted a few, but that was many years ago..."
The two chatted as they returned to the caravan. The atmosphere was so harmonious that it didn't seem like a relationship between a ruler and his subjects, but rather... In short, apart from the guards who were already used to such sights, the rest of the onlookers were all stunned.
.
With the victory banquet approaching, the camp was filled with jubilation and excitement. Apart from the wounded who had been transferred to the town and some exhausted soldiers who went to rest, the rest who still had the strength went to help with the preparations for the banquet. Some were buying supplies, some were setting up the decorations, some were slaughtering sheep, and some were taking turns on duty. Everyone was very busy.
Shinjuku was helping to clean the warhorses. Taking advantage of the good sun, he helped the warhorses remove their armor, fetched clean water, and used a boar bristle brush to wash away the bloodstains on their bodies.
Many soldiers were also washing their horses, still wondering why the warhorses were unusually docile today. Even the wildest horses, which hated baths the most, didn't make a sound and didn't kick when their rumps were brushed. They were unusually quiet.
Shinju changed into a simple robe for work and stood out among the horses and people, inconspicuous. But the King of Zhen found Shinju immediately, gazing at his fair hands and small face, which shone slightly under the blazing sun.
Although the Akhal-Teke horse is proud, its fur, which had been weighed down by its heavy armor for a long time, was finally freed and groomed to be quite smooth. As a result, it was in a very good mood and would occasionally brush its tail against Masuke with very light force, as if it were being affectionate.
Meanwhile, the gyrfalcon, which had returned to camp at some unknown time, completely ignored the falconer who was desperately whistling to call it. It landed steadily on Shinju's shoulder, but suddenly felt a swish of a horse's tail and jumped impatiently to Shinju's other shoulder.
Shinju's right shoulder slumped, but he acted as if nothing had happened, continuing to bend over and scoop water to wash the Akhal-Teke horse's hooves.
The soldiers standing nearby were so shocked their jaws nearly dropped.
Shinju was in high spirits, not only because of the great victory of the Nian army, but also because his dantian had finally been repaired, with the missing parts connected and even covered by the inky toxin. He could finally feel the slight movement of energy in the air. Although this small world lacked any spiritual energy, it didn't make Shinju feel suffocated; on the contrary, he felt quite comfortable. Shinju didn't understand why, but with leisure time on his hands, he chose to ignore it for the time being and enjoy this rare moment of peace.
After washing the horse, he ran to watch the master use a hook knife to trim the horse's hooves. His golden eyes remained bright, as clear as the unwashed blue sky.
The King of Zhen leaned against the gatepost of the camp with his arms crossed, not walking over, but just gazing at someone on the grassland outside the camp, gradually becoming infected by their presence, his expression one of contentment.
As the sun set, the increasingly pale yellow hue of the sky was gradually replaced by the orange-red bonfires lit in the camp, illuminating the surroundings with a warm glow.
However, the evening breeze was still a bit chilly, and the people who came to attend the victory celebration entered the largest temporary tent one after another, carried by the cool breeze.
The tent was filled with a medley of aromas. A goose, freshly roasted from the earthen oven, hung on an iron rack, its deep red skin still dripping with glistening juices, its enticing fragrance making mouths water. On the tables, not only did the wines carry a unique savory aroma, but the butter tea offered a blend of milk and tea fragrances, while the dishes were adorned with the rich scents of chive blossom sauces and the delicate aromas of vegetarian dishes.
The most enticing aroma in the tent had to be the highlight of the frontier victory banquet – the "Hun Yang Mo Hu" (a type of whole sheep dish) placed at the very center. Whole sheep were hung upside down, and the head chef, in front of the assembled guests, carefully deboned the meat, removing a large piece of skin to reveal the goose wrapped inside. Then, a small opening was made in the goose, through which plump, white glutinous rice, mixed with small pieces of meat and nuts, dripped down. The chef caught it all in a large bowl, then tore off pieces of tender goose meat and mixed them in, creating a fragrant bowl of glutinous rice with meat.
The first bowl was naturally presented to the King of Poison, and then it was passed to the various tables for the soldiers to taste.
Saki was slightly puzzled that he didn't get a separate bowl, but to his surprise, after he tasted the dish for the King of Poison, the King of Poison only took two bites and then gave the rest of the bowl to Saki.
"His Majesty is eating so little again?" Masahiro wondered to himself. Could it be that the taste was just so-so? But he had heard that it had been roasted in a charcoal pit kiln for an entire afternoon, requiring extremely precise control of the heat. The chef sitting in the middle was renowned for his culinary skills in the border region, so it shouldn't be too bad.
"Glutinous rice is hard to digest," the Poison King simply said.
Shinjuku placed the large bowl on his small table, scooped up a spoonful, and put it in his mouth.
The aroma is incredibly unique and complex, a blend of the rich fat of mutton, the smoky notes of charcoal, the savory fragrance of goose, and the rich aromas of glutinous rice and nuts. The taste is just as layered and nutty as the aroma. Even though there's no mutton in the bowl, you can almost taste its subtle sweetness, unlike the sweetness of goose meat alone, and even more distinct from the cloying sweetness of glutinous rice. The sweetness alone is multifaceted, yet they blend together wonderfully, making you unconsciously slow down your chewing, wanting to savor every nuance. In addition to the dominant sweetness, there's also the salty and spicy flavor of spices, but it doesn't overpower the sweetness; instead, it enhances it, balancing the sweetness and making it so irresistible that you can't stop eating, wanting more after each bite.
Unfortunately, there were just too many people, and after they were all distributed, there were none left.
Shinjuku glanced at the now empty hanging rack and licked his lips with lingering satisfaction.
The King of Zhen noticed this and turned to Zhen Su, saying, "If you still want to eat it, I will have Chef Zhao come back to the capital with us and make this dish again when we hold a banquet."
Unexpectedly, Masaya shook his head and said seriously, "The chef looks quite old. The journey back and forth must have been exhausting. We might get tired of eating like this. It's just right now." Some things should remain in our memories in their most perfect form.
The King of Poison could tell that Shinju truly meant it, rather than being forced or compromising, so he did not insist and nodded slightly.
After one round of eating, the number of drunkards in the tent increased, while the number of sober people decreased.
Just then, a message came from outside the tent. In order not to dampen everyone's spirits, King Zhen simply went outside to listen, leaving the others to continue enjoying their delicious food and drinks.
Shinjuku stared at the departing figure of the King of Poison until it disappeared through the tent flap before turning his gaze back into the tent. He then saw a burly man with a flushed face and unsteady gait walking towards him, carrying a huge wine jug.
"Hey, Eunuch Qing, please do me the honor and come try our special Jade Ice Cake!" the man said with a smirk, his face full of fat.
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