The Second Volume of Case in Case, Chapter 27: The World's Granary, Socializing and Gossiping

  "Announcing the arrival of Madame Hua Guo..." a loud voice shouted, and I followed Hou Xian, carrying bamboo poles, into the Jia Mansion with an air of dignity.

  The Rongguo Mansion was also a grand and spacious compound, with a threshold that was over a foot high.

  In the spacious courtyard, on the right is the reporting office, and on the left are various gift boxes of different sizes, large and small, piled up into a small mountain.

  When I put the bamboo in front of Guan's family, his whole face twitched, and I smiled: "Bamboo, high section by section, evergreen for ten thousand years. I wish Secretary Jia to be higher than last year this year, and younger than last year next year."

  "Hmm... alright, alright, the Lady of Protection sent two more longevity bamboos——" The steward's voice was trembling with a strange tone. At this time, Hou Xuan and Chun Yu were no longer arguing, but instead laughed together.

  "Hey, you're really something." Later, Xuan's almond-shaped eyes curved into a line as he smiled, and Chun Yu also pursed his lips in amusement.

  "The Prince and Princess of Leng have arrived——"

  At the sound of this announcement, Chun Yu's smile momentarily froze, and he hastily said: "Madam, let's take our seats quickly." After saying that, he pulled me towards the banquet table. Later, he raised an eyebrow, scanned the officials who were busy trying to get close to us, and snorted in disdain.

  The banquet was set up in the central hall, with a main table and two secondary tables inside. The rest were placed in the east and west houses of the central hall, with their doors wide open facing a stage in the courtyard where music and dance performances were being held.

  At the entrance there are servants who lead the way. As soon as they see someone entering, they hastily come forward, carefully ask and then lead them to their seats.

  We were at the deputy table on the right, but unexpectedly, just as we sat down, Leng Yueying was led to our table. For a moment, Chun Yu's face changed slightly, and his eyes flickered before he lowered his head, avoiding looking at Leng Yueying's approach.

  "Leng Junzhu, your seat is here." Leng Yueya was also taken aback when she saw us, but then she smiled and squeezed in beside me, between me and Hou Xian. Hou Xian's face fell, his arms crossed over his chest: "Hey, this spot is small, can't fit you..." Hou Xian's gaze dropped, then quickly returned to normal. Leng Yueya's expression turned slightly solemn, and Hou Xian added another sentence: "There's an empty space next to Chunyu, why are you squeezing in here? Don't tell me you have a crush on me?"

  Hou Xian's careless words enraged Leng Yue Yao, her face turned even uglier, but today she didn't retort back. Instead, she pushed Hou Xian out with all her might, almost making him fall off his chair. Leng Yue Yao sat beside me and reached out to hold my hand: "Qing Ya, it's been a while since we last met."

  "Yes, I'm lazy, shopping is a tiring thing."

  "You've been having too much fun at the Guardian Manor, surrounded by so many handsome men, a different one every day, it's enviable to others."

  "Oh? How come you think so too? One man is enough, just like the one I like." I smiled with narrowed eyes, and Leng Yue Yao was stunned there for a long time without saying a word.

  Finally, Jia Mingkai took his seat. The main table had Wang Ye and Junwang etc., while I brought my family members, so it was inconvenient to sit at the main table, so I sat at the secondary table instead.

  Jia Mingkai raised his glass to give a speech, roughly thanking the guests and such, then everyone raised their glasses to wish him good fortune like the East Sea and longevity like Mount Nanshan, after which, they began eating.

  In the courtyard, beautiful women sang and danced, while officials toasted each other. At my table, apart from Cold Moon Jade, there were also children of other princes, who couldn't help but secretly laugh at Chun Yu Shan Shan and Hou Xian.

  "National Protector's wife, why don't you go to the main table? Are you afraid we'll be rude to your attendants?" Someone joked. Originally, she was of a refined and elegant age, just like these people who were of the same age, but while others had not yet married, she had already had three husbands and four attendants, which was indeed unusual.

  I smiled and said, "Oh no, I just wanted these two attendants to broaden their horizons, that's why I brought them here."

  "Ah, madam, I heard that Master Jia originally invited Xun Yu to be the chef, and we thought we could taste the flavors of the mortal world. Who would have thought that Xun Yu was injured? What a pity!"

  Everyone couldn't help but feel a pang of regret.

  "If everyone wants to eat, you can come to the Guardian's Mansion, I'll let Chunyu make it for everyone."

  "Really! Too good!"

  "Cough!" Leng Yueyao coughed coldly, "How can the Shunyu family casually cook for others? They only serve imperial relatives, and even when Lord Jia invites Shunyu Shi Lang, they have to go ask for the emperor's oral decree."

  Everyone looked at me with hopeful eyes, but unexpectedly Leng Yue Yao pitied Chun Yu. She glanced at Chun Yu, who was lowering his head to eat, and thought: "Ah, how embarrassing! Why do I feel like a mistress?"

  "Master..." A younger maid called out in a spoiled tone, I softened: "It's alright, Chun is mine, if I let him do it, he will."

  "Great!" The people at the table cheered and applauded.

  I felt a killing aura coming from Leng Yueyao's direction, and my body tensed up instantly.

  "The flower has bloomed!" A loud and excited shout drew everyone's attention to the stage, where a beautiful woman in magnificent attire elegantly walked up, carrying a jade pipa!

  What a treasure! I immediately opened my eyes wide, and the pipa was crystal clear, with cotton-like clouds flowing inside. It's truly a gem! While men are infatuated with flowers, I, a materialist, am captivated by the qin (zither). The sound of the qin is like a clear spring water.

  Suddenly, Chun Yu bumped into me and I looked at him in confusion.

  "Magistrate Cao is offering you a toast."

  "Lord Cao?"

  "Empress Dowager, your subject is here."

  Following the sound, I saw Cao standing beside me. I hastily stood up: "I'm really sorry, Madame was so absorbed in listening to the guqin."

  "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. I wish the Empress Dowager a speedy recovery from her injuries. Without the Empress Dowager, the court would be dull and quiet." Old Cao comrade toasted and left with a smile.

  Court? Want me to attend court? No way, looks like I need to think of an excuse to skip class.

  My body was pulled down, and I looked at Chun Yu in surprise. He turned his face sideways, tightly grasping the hem of my garment. Another person came to offer a toast, but because Chun Yu was holding onto my clothes, I could only respond while seated.

  Staring at Chun Yu's hand grasping the hem of my clothes, I raised my eyes to look at him again. He remained still, his face turned towards the stage, as if he was completely absorbed in watching.

  "Elegant, I salute you!"

  Leng Yueya raised her wine glass. Seeing Leng Yueya, I suddenly realized that I was sitting between her and Chun Yu like a wall...

  "Hmm... okay." I downed it in one gulp, feeling a bit guilty towards Leng Yueyao.

  "Jun Yu, I'll toast you a cup too." Leng Yue Yao raised her wine glass. Jun Yu was still looking outside, and I nudged him. He turned back hastily and picked up his wine glass with his left hand: "I don't dare, I don't dare."

  "It's said that before Consort Chunyu married into the Protector General's estate, she often came and went from the Cold Estate." A young master at the table spoke up, and others chimed in: "That's right, isn't it said that Princess Leng's culinary skills were also taught by Consort Chunyu? Is that true?"

  The atmosphere suddenly became awkward, and I really didn't know if these young ladies and gentlemen were doing it on purpose.

  Recommend Jiang Yu's "The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation"

  Book number: 1072381

  "If you want to use others, you must first be used by others."

  "Some people are only fit to be pawns and will never be able to play chess."

  "Politics is just figuring out what people want and don't want."

  "Power is being able to give people what they want and also being able to give them what they don't want."