After a minor incident, the ministers continued eating and chatting.
Yun Beiye then signaled to Zhao Zhongquan that the song and dance performance could begin, and that the families of the ministers who had come to the banquet could also show off their skills if they wished to dance.
Unbeknownst to them, Xiao Jinyu had secretly dispatched several imperial guards to stand behind Xi Jing, observing his every move.
If he harbors even the slightest disloyalty, he will be captured by the Imperial Guards.
When Yun Duoduo was half full, Sun Huohuo walked over with a wine glass in hand, his face flushed.
"Duo'er, didn't you say last time that you wanted to see a boy band?"
"Look at me, I'm pretty good to you, I got it for you!"
Yun Duoduo was completely confused, thinking he was just drunk and talking nonsense.
Sun Huohuo clapped his hands, and twelve handsome young men, some with delicate features and others with striking good looks, walked up.
"These are all my newly recruited underlings. I personally taught them their kung fu. Take a look, isn't it just right!"
The twelve boys quickly formed a line and, following the music played by the music troupe, began to wield swords and axes.
Yun Duoduo was stunned.
[This, this, this... she wasn't talking about that kind of boy band!]
"Duo'er, how is it? Do you like it? Is it to your liking?!"
Facing the twelve energetic teenagers before her and listening to Sun Huohuo's shouts in the main hall, Yun Duoduo wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
Everyone at the table turned their gazes to the twelve handsome young men, and then to Yun Duoduo.
His eyes were filled with surprise and disbelief.
[I never expected that the Ninth Princess, at such a young age, would have such a taste!]
Tomorrow's front-page headlines in the bookstores will be: "Shocking! The Ninth Princess secretly recruits advisors, and upon reaching marriageable age, she can't wait to throw a grand banquet, inviting male prostitutes!"
Unable to bear the heavy gaze, Yun Duoduo, amidst the strange looks from everyone, pulled Ah Xiang to the toilet.
...
After the meal and the song and dance performance, the atmosphere at the banquet gradually became lively. Yun Beiye and the Empress Dowager had already left, and the ministers, handsome men and beautiful women present slowly relaxed and began to leave their seats to chat.
Yun Duoduo also returned. She walked to Yun Beiming's side and asked, "Third Imperial Uncle, at the hundred-day banquet, was that little copper piece you gave me related to the Medicine King Valley in Shu Kingdom?"
She clutched the small copper piece and held it up to her eyes.
The small copper plate was covered with strange symbols and patterns.
"Duoduo truly lives up to her reputation as Yun Beiming's niece!"
Yun Beiming took the small copper piece and said.
"It is the token of Medicine King Valley. The one who holds the token is the Valley Master. Medicine King Valley will give you whatever medicine you want."
Yun Duoduo nodded. "Third Imperial Uncle, if you are going to Shu again, you must be careful."
"Oh? What do you mean?"
Yun Beiming put down his wine glass and looked at Yun Duoduo intently.
“A while ago, I went to the Shu Kingdom. When I was leaving, someone bumped into me and actually slipped a note into my hand.”
Yun Duoduo said as she recalled.
The note read, "A small gift from behind the Buddha statue at the temple at the end of Tianshui Street, please accept this token of my respect."
"Tianshui Street?"
Yun Beiming knew this place; he had lived in Shu for many years and was quite familiar with the streets of Shu.
Yun Duoduo nodded: "Yes, it's Tianshui Street. I didn't pay much attention to it after I got the note, but when I was going back to Nanyang, I happened to pass by Tianshui Street, so I went there."
"And guess what's inside the box behind the Buddha statue?"
"Poison?" Yun Beiming blurted out.
"Third Imperial Uncle, you're amazing!" Yun Duoduo gave a thumbs up.
"There is indeed a box behind the Buddha statue, but it contains cordyceps that has been laced with black poison."
Yun Beiming pondered for a moment before speaking, "This was definitely not done by Hall Master Dongfang, but rather by his son, Dongfang Ziheng."
"Duoduo, remember this: if you ever want medicinal herbs from Medicine King Valley, go to Medicine King Valley and find Hall Master Dongfang. Never negotiate with Dongfang Ziheng alone."
Seeing that Yun Beiming spoke very seriously, Yun Duoduo tried her best to remember it.
"Take this token. This token can command the entire Medicine King Valley. Dongfang Ziheng always wanted to take this token from you, which is why he used that poison to harm you."
"Third Imperial Uncle, Duoduo understands."
It seems I'll have to be more careful when I go to Shu in the future, and not be too conspicuous.
...
On the other side, Sun Huohuo was eating heartily. He had been chased and killed every day recently, and finally managed to hide in Fushuang Palace. There were fewer people trying to kill him, but because he had injuries on his mouth and face, he couldn't eat anything that required chewing. Every time he moved his mouth, it would pull on the wounds on his face, and the pain made him want to bang his head against the wall. He had no choice but to drink porridge and meat soup for every meal.
His wound has almost healed in the last couple of days, and he can finally eat meat and drink alcohol to his heart's content.
Xi Jing looked at the people in Anqing Palace, searching them by age, his gaze lingering for a moment on the faces of Xue Deyi, Xiao Jinyu, and Sun Huohuo.
These people don't look very old; they're probably that little one's childhood sweethearts.
He recalled his guard's description and identified Sun Huohuo as the suspect.
He walked up to Sun Huohuo, who was holding a chicken leg and eating it with relish, his mouth greasy. Suddenly, the light in front of him turned black.
He snorted in dissatisfaction, "Get out of the way, you're blocking my light!"
He looked up and was stunned.
[Is this the King of Western Chu? What is he doing here?]
Sun Huohuo's cheeks were bulging.
Xi Jing sized up Sun Huohuo, revealing a disdainful expression.
That's it?
[He's not even one ten-thousandth as handsome as me, and his eating manners are so unrefined, how could that little thing have fallen for him?]
"Are you Yun Duoduo's childhood sweetheart?"
Xi Jing confirmed that he needed to find the right people to proceed with the next steps.
Sun Huohuo was stunned again, then let out a loud burp. Xi Jing smelled the digested meat and nearly fainted.
Be elegant...
Xi Jing forced himself to control his expression, not wanting to show any terrifying or angry look in front of others. It wouldn't be good if Yun Duoduo happened to see his ugly expression and got frightened.
Sun Huohuo was a little confused, and he swallowed the food residue in his mouth.
Childhood sweethearts...
Why did this person ask so suddenly?
If we're talking about childhood sweethearts, then I really did grow up with Duo'er.
Thinking of this, Sun Huohuo nodded, picked up another plate of dumplings, and planned to happily show off the whole plate.
"Very well, if you're a man, stand up and fight." Xi Jing rolled up his sleeves and pulled a dagger from his boot.
Fighting?!
So suddenly? He hadn't even finished his chicken leg yet!
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