While Xiao Chen and Zhu Gaochi were chatting happily, Xu Kaiying, the commander of the Jinyi Guards at the table next to him, was thinking about another matter in his mind.
Looking at Ma Yunshan next to her, Xu Kaiying lowered her voice in a low voice: "The prince is here today. We continue to ask Li Shangshu to hand over the detailed bill of income and expenditure for this full moon banquet. I'm afraid it's inappropriate, right?"
Ma Yunshan raised his head slightly: "Commander, are you ready to retreat? This is an opportunity. Once you miss it, it will be gone."
"That's what I said, but if I ask Li Shangshu like this in front of the prince, I'm afraid he will go crazy on the spot." Xu Kaiying said in a low voice.
"With so many guests, he will definitely toast each table in turn. When he comes over, just whisper to him."
"Okay, that's all." Xu Kaiying made up her mind.
In the past, the reason why everyone was afraid of the Jin Yiwei was because except for the emperor, all officials in the Jin Yiwei were within the scope of their investigation.
A few days ago, Jin Yiwei was preparing to start from Daning Dusi, but was delayed by some matters in Xi'an Mansion.
Now, Li An, the Minister of Punishment, as a court official, actually held a full moon banquet for his daughter at Zhongzhen Restaurant, the most luxurious restaurant in the capital.
With his salary, even if he doesn't eat or drink for ten years, it won't be enough to cover today's expenses.
Jin Yiwei asked him to provide an account of his expenses and income, which was not excessive.
No matter there is no big problem, just think of it as establishing prestige for Jin Yiwei. If some clues are discovered and he is pulled down by following the clues, Jin Yiwei's morale and self-confidence will definitely increase unprecedentedly.
Nodding towards the other officials on the table, Xu Kaiying picked up the tea bowl on the table and took a sip.
Li An, who was at the door of the restaurant, after welcoming the last guest, walked to the owner of Zhongzhen Restaurant next to him, Wang Zhongzheng, a wealthy man in the capital.
"Shopkeeper Wang, have we prepared the food for today's banquet?"
Wang Zhongzhen crossed his hands on his lower abdomen, bowed slightly, and said respectfully: "All the food and drinks have been prepared according to your requirements, and we are waiting for you to announce the start of the banquet."
"The guests have all arrived. Shopkeeper Wang tells the waiters to serve the dishes." Li An pointed to the table where Xiao Chen was sitting, "His Royal Highness is sitting at that table. The dishes must be served from him. Remember.
Now, all the dishes and drinks must be served to the prince, and then served to other tables."
"Don't worry, sir. I will personally arrange the order in which the waiters serve the dishes. I will never disturb the dignity." Wang Zhongzhen said hurriedly.
In a moment, dozens of waiters wearing uniform clothes, with white cloth handkerchiefs on their shoulders and delicate trays in their hands, walked out of the kitchen in an orderly manner.
The dishes were placed on the prince's table first, and then placed one by one on the head.
After all the dishes were served, Li An, holding an exquisite blue and white porcelain wine pot in his right hand and a small walnut-sized wine cup in his left hand, came to the prince's wine table with a bright face.
"Today is my daughter's 100-day banquet. Thank you all my colleagues for taking time out of your busy schedule to support me. I feel extremely honored. I will drink a toast first to show my gratitude to everyone."
After saying these words, Li An filled the small wine cup in his left hand, raised his neck and drank it all in one gulp.
"Master Li, are you in a bad mood today? Are you unhappy because you still wanted a young master, but a daughter of a daughter came to you?" Xiao Chen took a mouthful of vegetables, put it in his mouth, and said slowly while chewing.
Li An's eyes widened and he lowered his voice: "His Royal Highness is here today. I am so happy that I have no words to express. Don't talk nonsense here. I already have a son at home. This daughter is just what I want. How could it be so?"
I feel unhappy because of it.”
"If you are in a good mood, just grab a wine bowl and drink from it. Such a small wine cup looks stingy." Xiao Chen expressed his opinion without any politeness.
Li An was stunned and glanced down at the wine cup in his hand: "There are hundreds of people here today, and I want to toast them all. If I use a big wine bowl and the two tables don't reach the end, I'm afraid I'll be unconscious."
Seeing Xiao Chen requesting Li An like this, Wang Changlian next to him hurriedly helped Li An smooth things over: "Master Li is right, everyone who comes is a guest, and they should all be greeted in place. After drinking from the big wine bowl, the person is drunk, and the people behind him are drunk.
Who will greet the guests?"
"What Mr. Wang said makes sense. Brother Xiao, if you want to drink, I will drink with you today. Mr. Li still wants to greet the guests, can you let him go?" Zhu Gaochi looked at the wine bowl in front of him.
, licked his lips and opened his mouth.
"Okay, okay, since everyone has said so, I will pretend that I didn't see you fooling people with a small wine cup." Xiao Chen waved his hand and continued to eat his own food.
"I, how could I be fooling? Once this matter is over, I will go to Dongchang, and we will drink from the wine jar. I will never beg for mercy." Seeing Xiao Chen's reluctance, Li An had no choice but to launch a challenge.
"Okay, Mr. Li, let's continue to entertain the guests. Brother Xiao is joking with you. If the relationship is not in place, Brother Xiao may not even want to say anything. It's better for you to take it seriously." On the other side, Zuodu Censor of the Inspectorate
Jiang Qianxiao couldn't help but smile and said.
"He is just a knife mouth." Li An chuckled, poured another cup of soju, and saluted Zhu Gaochi: "Your Highness can come now. I am flattered, and I am even more excited and don't know how to express it. I just
Do it first as a token of respect." Li An raised his neck and drank it all in one gulp.
Hearing this, he put down the chopsticks in his hands and picked up the wine bowl on the table: "Dongchang Prison encountered a crisis. Mr. Li took me to the Penal Department Prison regardless of his own risk. Although some things happened later, these are no longer with us.
It is within my control. Mr. Li's loyalty to the court and his responsibility are all seen in my eyes and kept in my heart. There is no need to say anything more. After drinking this wine, I will express my feelings."
Holding the wine bowl in both hands, Zhu Gaochi gestured towards Li An, and under the gaze of everyone, he raised his neck and drank the wine in one gulp.
After not drinking for a long time, after a bowl of wine, I suddenly felt like a fire dragon rolling back and forth in my stomach.
His neck, as well as his face, suddenly turned red.
Even so, Zhu Gaochi pushed the wine bowl in front of Xiao Chen, signaling him to pour another bowl.
"Your Highness, can we wait till today? You really can't drink more of this wine?" Xiao Chen politely stopped him.
Zhu Gaochi's face was as red as Guan Gong, and he waved his hand towards Xiao Chen: "I really remember Mr. Li's responsibility in my heart. You pour another bowl, and I will return the favor. This is just these two bowls of wine.
, after that I will only eat vegetables and not drink."
After hearing these words, everyone present nodded secretly.
What happened some time ago, if Li An had refused to take the prince to the Ministry of Punishments, he would not have been implicated and spent more than ten days in jail.
Besides, compared with the Dongchang Prison, the safety factor of the Penal Department Prison is much lower. Even if he refused, he had a series of perfect excuses. Even when he went to the Emperor, he could not refute it.
But Xiao Chen knew the difficulties Dongchang faced at that time, Li An knew it well, and Zhu Gaochi knew it even more.
Transferring the prince is the only safe solution.
Now, the prince has returned safely, and he has never forgotten Li An's responsibility in his heart. Not to mention being in jail for more than ten days, even if the punishment is more serious, Li An's head will still be hot.
If Li An was flattered by Zhu Gaochi's arrival, when he heard that the other party was going to repay him, his heart was already filled with excitement and panic.
With his right hand trembling, he filled the wine cup in his left hand again.
Over there, Xiao Chen heard what Zhu Gaochi said, looked at the serious expression on his face, remained silent for a moment, turned around and took the wine jar in his hand, and slowly filled Zhu Gaochi's wine bowl.
Picking up the wine bowl, a smile appeared on Zhu Gaochi's face: "Master Li, the court has entrusted the Ministry of Punishment to you, and you must take charge of it. As long as you do your duty, the court will not treat you badly."
"I will bow down, exhaust myself, and die." Li An stuttered excitedly.
After everyone heard this, they all cast envious glances at Li An.
The prince, the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, and the future emperor.
To be so appreciated by the prince, Li Shangshu's future is limitless.
From now on, if you have nothing to do, you have to go to his Shangshu Mansion and walk around more.
