The Lu Ming Banquet was hosting newly-qualified candidates for the state examination. Of course, non-qualified candidates and examiners would be surprised if they showed up uninvited.
If the other party is not an envoy from Chu State, he may not even be able to enter through the gate of this garden.
Precisely because they were envoys of the Chu State, even if it was unreasonable for outsiders to attend the Deer Ming Banquet, Fang Hong could not send people to drive them out.
Everything is not that simple once it involves the two countries.
"Of course I won't be surprised. Several envoys, please come in." Fang Hong thought for a short moment, then a smile appeared on his face and ordered: "Ask someone to add another table."
Under the surprised gazes of many students, a follower brought a new set of tables and chairs, and the position was just below the examiners and Lingzhou officials.
Fang Hong did not let all the Chu envoys sit at the same table. Instead, he sent two local officials from Lingzhou to change their seats and personally accompany the two Chu envoys.
"I heard that in this state examination, Lingzhou produced a Jie Yuan who had not been seen in ten years. He won the first place in three consecutive games..." The middle-aged envoy from Chu State looked at Fang Hong and asked: "Lingzhou has outstanding people.
, can we breed such talents. I don’t know where Tang Jieyuan is now. We all want to see Mr. Jieyuan’s style."
Fang Hong smiled and said: "Your envoy has just arrived in Lingzhou, and he actually knows about Tang Jieyuan?"
"To be honest, we have already heard about Tang Jieyuan's deeds before we arrived in Lingzhou." The middle-aged man pointed at a handsome young man opposite and said with a smile: "Master Xiao Li admires Tang Jieyuan very much.
, I’ve long wanted to meet you.”
Fang Hong looked at the handsome young man and was slightly surprised. It was rare for this person to be able to accompany the envoys on missions at such a young age. He was either extremely capable or had an extraordinary background.
Such thoughts flashed through his mind, and he quickly nodded and said, "Tang Jieyuan is here..."
He pointed to the table behind him, but his expression was slightly startled, with a look of doubt on his face, and he asked in surprise: "Where is Tang Jieyuan?"
…
This garden is specially used to hold the Deer Ming Feast. Every three years during the Deer Ming Feast, the local government will invite dozens of chefs from the city to prepare the Deer Ming Feast in the garden starting from the day before.
dishes.
Able to provide the dishes needed for a banquet of more than two hundred people, the kitchen in the garden is naturally huge.
Before Tang Ning and Fang Xiaopang entered the kitchen, they smelled a tangy aroma.
Fang Xiaopang held Tangning's hand slightly, obviously impatient.
Two guards stood guard at the door, stopped Tang Ning and Fang Xiaopang, and said, "The kitchen is an important place, and no one else is allowed to enter!"
Fang Xiaopang looked at Tangning with pleading eyes.
If this was a county government office or some other place, Tangning would just need to use her father-in-law's name and she would be able to go without any hindrance.
But this was the Luming Banquet, where Lingzhou bigwigs gathered, so my father-in-law's name might not be very useful.
He pointed at Fang Xiaopang, looked at the guard and said, "Her uncle is Mr. Fang Hongfang."
The expression on the Yamen servant's face was still serious. What happened to Mr. Fang Hongfang? The Minister of Civil Affairs also had to be reasonable. Can anyone enter the important kitchen area? If the Lu Ming Banquet is messed up, who should be blamed?
On your body?
He looked at the two of them and waved his hand: "You two, please come in!"
Li Yi led Fang Xiaopang in and walked in. The yamen servant's companion looked at him and asked, "She said her uncle was Mr. Fang and you believed it. What if they lied to you?"
"I just saw that when the adults came in, Master Fang was accompanied by a little girl..." The yamen servant glanced into the kitchen and said, "Looking at her physique, she is definitely the one."
The kitchen was very large. When Tang Ning and Fang Xiaopang walked in, dozens of cooks were busy.
No one noticed him, and no one paid attention to them. Anyone who could walk into the kitchen from the outside and was not a cook could not be offended by the cooks here.
Each exquisite dish has been prepared and placed neatly on the table.
Fang Xiaopang looked at the dazzling food here and he didn't know how many mouthfuls of saliva he had swallowed.
Tang Ning picked up two pairs of chopsticks and handed them to Fang Xiaopang. She looked at the fat steward in the kitchen and said, "Let's try the taste."
The fat steward was also a well-rounded person. The fat on his face trembled and he said with a smile: "Please..."
When Tang Ning turned her head, she saw that Fang Xiaopang had started to taste the food with chopsticks. He tugged on her sleeve and said, "Don't stare at this one all the time, eat something else..."
There are more than thirty tables at the Luming Banquet, which means more than thirty dishes must be prepared for each dish. Each table eats a little, so they can't tell.
Tang Ning and Fang Xiaopang were tasting the flavors one after another in the kitchen. During the Luming Banquet, Governor Dong signaled the examiners, stood up, and loudly said: "Let's start the banquet!"
The banquet officially began, and countless attendants rushed towards the kitchen.
Fang Hong looked at a table below and frowned slightly.
Zhang Hao, the doctor of the Ministry of Water, also looked in that direction and frowned: "Where did Tang Jieyuan go? I still have many questions to ask him!"
At the same table, Zhong Mingli glanced at the empty seat and rubbed his brows helplessly.
The middle-aged envoy from Chu State looked at Fang Hong and asked: "I heard that Tang Jieyuan has not yet been crowned. This is the first time he has participated in the state examination?"
Fang Hong's expression remained unchanged, but he was already a little wary in his heart.
None of the envoys sent by the Chu State were talented people. Although Tang Ning was the Jie Yuan of Lingzhou State Examination, even if the other party really appreciated his talent, they would not do it many times on such occasions.
mentioned.
There may be some other reasons for this.
"It is indeed the first time for Tang Jieyuan to participate in the state examination." Fang Hong nodded and said: "As for his age, I really don't know much about it. I have to ask Mr. Zhong."
The middle-aged envoy was startled and asked: "Master Zhong?"
"Master Zhong is Tang Jieyuan's father-in-law." Fang Hong smiled, looked at Zhong Mingli, and asked: "If I remember correctly, Tang Jieyuan should be only seventeen years old this year, right?"
Zhong Mingli nodded and said, "There are still a few months until I turn 18."
The middle-aged envoy looked at Zhong Mingli with a surprised look and praised: "Last year, Mr. Xiao Li won three yuan in a row. He was also seventeen years old. I thought that Mr. Xiao Li was already a talent that we had not seen in Chu for decades, but instead
I never thought that there are such outstanding people in Lingzhou."
Including Fang Hong and Zhong Mingli, the expressions of those at the table looking at the handsome young man changed.
Being the number one scholar at the age of seventeen is a unique thing in the history of Chen State.
Even if Tang Ning were to win the top prize, it would only be after the age of eighteen, and she would still not be as good as Mr. Li.
"Tang..." The middle-aged envoy was about to speak again, but the handsome young man next to him seemed to glance at him inadvertently, and he immediately closed his mouth. When he spoke again, a smile appeared on his face, and he said
: "It's a real honor to be able to attend Guizhou's Deer Ming Banquet today..."
At this time, at a table somewhere below, a figure stepped forward, holding a wine glass, walked up to Fang Hong, bowed respectfully, and said, "Master Fang, the students give you a drink."
To the examiners of the state examination, although the students who take the state examination are not considered their disciples, they can still be regarded as half students because of this relationship. Especially those at the top, it is impossible to say that they will be able to compete with them in a few years.
Since he was an official in the same dynasty, the examiners were willing to get close to these people.
Fang Hong had some impression of this person. The student's name was Zeng Zilou. He had good scores in the state examination and was ranked in the top ten on the A list. Hearing this, he nodded, raised his glass, and took a sip.
Zeng Zilou did not leave, he looked at the handsome young man and said with a smile: "Master Xiao Li is the number one scholar in Chu State, so he must be very knowledgeable. I came across a couplet a few days ago, and I couldn't think of the second couplet after thinking hard. I don't know.
Could you please ask Mr. Li for advice?”
Although Chu and Chen are friends of each other, how can there be true friendship between countries?
Scholars have always spoken very tactfully, and all the officials here are also thoughtful people. How could I not hear that this is not a request for advice, but a test.
It was probably because Zeng Zilou was not convinced by the young champion of the Chu Kingdom, and had thoughts of comparison in his heart.
"Nonsense!" Dong Cunyi glared at him and said loudly: "Hurry up and get down!"
"Hey, what are you doing, Governor Dong?" The middle-aged envoy was stunned for a moment, then a smile appeared on his face and he waved his hand: "It is normal for young people to communicate with each other and ask for advice, so why should Mr. Dong be serious?
"
Having said this, Governor Dong would have lost his etiquette if he persisted. He glanced at Zeng Zilou with a dark look and said nothing.
