The old Duke of Qin was taking medicine daily, so he was not only unsuitable for drinking alcohol but also should avoid spicy and stimulating foods.
Fortunately, the chefs at the Marquis of Nanhai's residence had outstanding culinary skills, and they also made plain, light meals exceptionally well without spice.
The vegetarian meals from the Jade Void Palace were renowned far and wide, but they still couldn't compare to the cooking at the Marquis of Nanhai's residence.
The old Duke of Qin put down his chopsticks with satisfaction and said to his old companions with emotion, "Thanks to young Xie these days, we've truly enjoyed some good food."
The Marquis of Yongchang, wiping his hands with a hot towel, chuckled, "Just in terms of cooking techniques alone, Lan Yong is far superior to Da Yu."
The Duke of Zhao remarked, "I've heard that Lan Yong's people live in prosperity, with no worries about filling their stomachs and surplus grain in their granaries, which naturally leaves them with the leisure to ponder on new dishes."
The Duke of Qian nodded in agreement.
The Duke of Zhao had expressed his hope to his old friends more than once, "I wish that one day, the people of our Da Yu can also live like those in Lan Yong, without the worry of filling their stomachs."
Initially, as the country gradually stabilized, the Duke of Zhao felt that such days were not far off. No one could have predicted that the Emperor would suddenly go mad and hide himself away in the Yuanyou Palace to cultivate immortality!
What kind of immortality could alleviate the suffering of billions of people! What kind of Dao could bring peace and prosperity to the Da Yu dynasty!
The Duke of Zhao had dreamt several times of charging into the Yuanyou Palace with an axe and…
But he couldn't bring himself to strike.
The late Emperor had not only shown him great favor but also shared many years of loyalty as ruler and subject. At most, he could only beat the Emperor severely in his dreams.
He only hoped to wake the Emperor up.
But each time, he woke up from his sleep before his wish could be fulfilled.
What couldn't be achieved in a dream was even more impossible in reality.
The Marquis of Yongchang said, "It's ultimately a good thing that the Xie family has brought the four southern continents to submission."
Next door, Xie Jiang and the others had also finished eating and came over to join the elders for tea.
Xu Shuo, Yue Lin, and Lu Yuqing had just started eating spicy food, and their faces were flushed red, their foreheads covered in sweat. The elders chuckled upon seeing them like this.
"Didn't we tell you? Once you've eaten spicy food, you can't stop. The spicier it is, the more enjoyable it becomes. Everything else will seem bland in comparison."
"It's quite enjoyable while eating, but after finishing, my mouth feels like it's on fire, burning all the way from my mouth to my stomach."
If it weren't so impolite to stick out his tongue in front of the elders, Lu Yuqing's tongue would have been hurting so much that he would have wanted to pant like a dog in the summer heat.
The Duke of Zhao excitedly said, "In the future, when marching in winter, chewing on a bit of chili might help warm us up a little."
The Marquis of Yongchang strongly agreed, "Eating a bit of chili in the dead of winter, from head to toe, it's much more comfortable than enduring the cold wind."
The Duke of Qian remarked, "Chili is also a good thing."
But it couldn't compare to sweet potatoes; filling one's stomach was more important.
"Eating too much spicy food is bad for the stomach, just like drinking alcohol. A little is fine; one must know restraint," Xie Jiang said lazily, sitting by the window, the gentle breeze caressing his face, making him feel a bit sleepy.
"If we restrain ourselves at our age, we'll be buried in the ground eating dirt. You're underestimating us, young man. What's wrong with our age? Eating a bit of spice won't incapacitate us."
The Marquis of Yongxin felt very indignant, thinking that Xie Jiang looked down on them for being old. They had braved countless dangers throughout their lives; what was wrong with being a bit older now?
If they sparred on the training grounds, victory wasn't guaranteed to be theirs.
How dare he, with his slender arms and legs, look down on them for their age!
Their stomachs were perfectly fine.
Xie Jiang rolled his eyes towards the window. The more they refused to admit their age, the more it proved they were old. No matter how stubborn they were, the fact remained.
"Would I offer you something that would incapacitate you after eating it?"
The Marquis of Yongxin's sense of smell was exceptionally keen. "Do you have any other good things hidden away?"
Xie Jiang replied, "Are you really planning to lie down after eating it?"
"It's not up to you to decide whether I lie down or not! What good things have you hidden? If you have good things, show them! Why are you keeping them hidden?"
The Marquis of Yongxin became increasingly convinced that Xie Jiang was hoarding something, wondering if it was food or drink.
The Dukes of Qian and Zhao and the others were also a bit curious. They had seen too many good things from Xie Jiang, so it wasn't surprising that he might have more. They certainly didn't believe that what they had seen so far was all the rare items Xie Jiang could produce.
Xie Jiang said, "Rat poison!"
The Marquis of Yongxin slammed the table and exclaimed, "Hmph!"
He wanted to smash Xie Jiang's head with a single blow!
He was being toyed with!
Meanwhile, the old Duke of Qin was asking Lu Yuqing and the others about their visit to the palace that morning.
When talking about going to the palace that morning, they couldn't help but recount everything that had happened the previous night at Chunse Manyuan.
The elders' attention was immediately drawn.
"Young Xie didn't make the first move this time?" The elders found it hard to believe.
Xie Jiang had just eaten a few baked oysters. The attendant, thinking their young master hadn't eaten enough, immediately sent for some freshly made cakes. Xie Jiang reached out and took a piece of cake from the plate, noticing all the elders looking at him. "I'm not the kind of person who likes to get into fights."
This statement was made as if no one present would believe it.
The Duke of Zhao glanced at the Marquis of Yongxin and said, "When does Old He ever admit it when he's had too much to drink?"
The Marquis of Yongxin retorted indignantly, "When have I ever had too much to drink!" He wasn't like Xie Jiang, who could only hold his liquor for one round; his capacity was much greater!
The Duke of Zhao ignored the Marquis of Yongxin, but everyone understood his meaning.
The Marquis of Yongxin snorted. Seeing the cake in front of Xie Jiang, he took a piece and started eating it. It was still warm from being freshly made, and with one bite, his mouth was filled with the aroma of eggs. The Marquis of Yongxin instructed Tian Kangtai, "This pastry is really good. My wife likes it the most. Pack me a box later."
Tian Kangtai smilingly agreed. Whenever the elders visited, the kitchen not only prepared wine and food but also never forgot the pastries.
Xie Taihong said, "My little Jiang has a very good temper and never causes trouble wherever he goes. If the imperial clan's disciples hadn't been too overbearing, why would little Jiang have fought with them?"
The elders exchanged glances.
Who was Xie Taihong referring to?
They didn't know.
They didn't recognize them.
Hearing Lu Yuqing continue his account, the Prince of Yong had blocked them all at Chunse Manyuan, and only when the palace gates opened the next morning did he bring them all into the palace, attempting to argue their case before His Majesty.
The Duke of Zhao said contemptuously, "Those dissolute youths of the imperial clan are always causing trouble. That old fellow Xia Qingyun, knowing that it was his own clan's disciples who initiated the fight, still had the audacity to make a scene at the palace!"
The elders could guess the rest of the story without Lu Yuqing needing to elaborate. His Majesty would likely not grant them an audience.
It wasn't a matter of national importance, and Prince Yong was being too fanciful.
Xie Taihong had already put on a wronged expression and complained to the elders about how the Prince of Yong had bullied them, and how he and his son had endured hardship for the sake of the bigger picture.
If the elders had been less experienced in life, they would have mistakenly believed that Xie Jiang and his father had suffered much humiliation in the palace that morning.
Xu Shuo rubbed his nose and remained silent.
Lu Yuqing scratched his head as he listened.