Song of Adolescence

Chapter 321 The White-Clothed Snow Moon City

This grand banquet had finally started.

The maidservants in white robes held up exquisite plates as they made their way around Grand Golden Terrace.

One course of embroidered delicacies, one course of blessed dried fruit in pouches, one course of golden-threaded medicinal herbs, one course of carved fried honey, one course of sweet and sour savories, and one course of cured meats, were being brought over plate after plate, filling up each and every table.

Zitong used his chopsticks to knock on a dish in front of him with vegetables that were carved into flowers and said curiously, "Why are these dishes so beautiful?"

Qi Tianchen reached out his chopsticks to pick up a carved flower, and said with a smile, "Why think so much about it? Just eat it."

Zitong put down his chopsticks and propped his head up with his hand. "I want to eat meat."

"Wait a little more, then." Qi Tianchen also put down his chopsticks.

At the next table, the Minister of Revenue, Li Ruochong asked the Minister of War, Wu Jingcheng in a low voice, "When do you think he'll invite us up?"

Wu Jingcheng shook his head. "What's the hurry? Ahead of us are Lanyue Marquis, Grand Preceptor Dong, and the two Highnesses. Let's just wait slowly."

From their point of view, when Xiao Se set up this pavilion in the air, his intentions were already obvious, which was to be able to talk privately with many of them. And what they discussed, as well as what deals were made, would become the greatest secrets out of this banquet.

The Six Ministers, the four biggest tycoons, the Qingzhou Mu family, the Grand Preceptor, and the Xiao Clan members. They were all eligible to be invited individually to that pavilion in the air.

Mu Chunfeng laughed happily and looked at the four Managers. "Have any of you ever tasted such exquisite dishes?"

Tian Mozhi snorted coldly. "The Autumn House that Young Master just gave away can let you eat such feasts for a year."

Mu Chunfeng said solemnly, "What do you know? Wait till I learn everything from the genius doctor, this business will prosper and make lots of money."

Tian Mozhi shook his head. "Business that cannot be calculated on the abacus is not a business."

Mu Chunfeng stamped his foot with anger. "How profane!"

"Prepare wine!" Second Master Tu called out loudly.

The wine was served, and maidservants also served the fifteen bowls of side dishes at the same time. But everybody’s eyes were not on those exquisite dishes…

A gorgeous woman appeared on the floor without anybody’s notice. She was wearing a red dress, all the more conspicuous among the maidservants' white clothes. But there was a sharp edge to this woman’s beauty, and people were afraid of approaching her. She took over the wine flask from the hands of a maidservant, and spoke softly, "I'll go."

The maidservant met her gaze and felt a moment of shock in her heart before she hurriedly handed it over.

The woman took the wine flask, reached out her hand and grasped a long sash that dropped down from the pavilion. With a light leap, she landed steadily on the pavilion. The wine flask in her hand only swayed slightly.

Jiu Jiudao asked in a low voice, "Did Grand Golden Terrace have such a beautiful lady with such skilful martial arts?"

Second Master Tu shook his head and said, "We have a few ladies with such skilful martial arts but none of them are beautiful."

"Is there danger?" Jiu Jiudao's face became cold.

Second Master Tu reached out and pressed him down. "It’s fine. With their abilities, no one on the floor can harm them."

"Who!" As soon as the lady opened the curtain and walked into the pavilion, a spear shot out and braced against her throat.

Xiao Se and Lei Wujie saw the lady and exclaimed at the same time, "Tiannü Rui?"

Back then, it was Tiannü Rui who had helped and supported them in Beauty Villa. She was a spy Snow Moon City had sent to Sangu City and she had an ambiguous relationship with their oldest martial brother, Tang Lian, that was difficult to grasp.

"Director, why are there so many delicious dishes!" Zitong looked at the bowls after bowls of dishes, already a little dazzled.

"Eat a little less. You should not eat more than two bites from each dish." Qi Tianchen put down his chopsticks, "Otherwise, you won’t be able to fit in the best dishes at the end."

Grand Preceptor Dong looked at the pavilion in the air and slowly raised his wine cup. Lanyue Marquis smiled and said, "Grand Preceptor must have guessed it."

Grand Preceptor Dong nodded. "Back then, he was like a colt that couldn’t be tamed. When I saw his temperament earlier, I thought he had changed, but now that I look again, he’s just the colt who has grown up."

Li Ruochong murmured, "Why haven’t they invited anyone upstairs?"

The Minister of Justice, Zhou De, had a gloomy look on his face and he said coldly, "He really invited us all here just to eat this meal. Isn’t the price too high?"

White Prince Xiao Chong and Red Prince Xiao Yu sat at the same table.

Xiao Chong sighed lightly. "We haven't sat at the same table to eat for many years."

Xiao Yu still had a cynical look on his face. "Have we ever sat together to eat?"

Xiao Chong nodded. "Yes. At the time, among our brothers, only you and lao-Liu wouldn’t laugh at me for being blind."

Xiao Yu nodded. "I remember that. I wonder if that person upstairs remembers. If he remembers, shouldn’t he invite us to go up and have a drink?"

Xiao Chong shook his head. "We killed his friend. He won't drink with us."

Xiao Yu sighed. "How childish."

In the pavilion, Tiannü Rui sat down with them, and her face was very calm. "Next, which one will you invite to come up here?"

"Not a single one." Xiao Se raised his cup and shook his head.

"Not a single one?" Tiannü Rui was confused.

"They thought I invited them to this banquet so that I could negotiate individually with each of them, threaten them or bribe them. In the end, I would receive the support of the Six Ministries as well as the Heavenly Revelations merchants and tycoons. But, they’ve all underestimated me." Xiao Se put down his wine cup. "I invited them just to tell them that I have returned. And they can either choose to follow me or oppose me. I will not win any of them over. They can make their own decisions."

Tiannü Rui sneered. "You’re the insufferably arrogant sixth prince. You are indeed qualified to do this. But you have to remember who paved the way for you!"

"I understand what you're trying to say." Xiao Se stood up. "This is not the time for me to abuse my authority. I must advance gradually and consolidate my power at every step, and cherish those who paved the way for me.

"I won't forget about da-shixiong. Don't worry." Xiao Se walked out of the pavilion and stood there looking down at everyone.

The fifteen bowls of side dishes had all been served. Everyone’s patience was also exhausted. With the exception of the two from the Directorate of Astronomy, not a single person in the hall came to this imperial banquet of their own volition.

They had been drinking from dusk till moonrise, the true banquet should also begin.

Xiao Se raised his cup. "I’m here to give a toast to everyone!"

The entire floor was silent.

Suddenly, sixteen people in white flew out from the sides of the hall.

They all had swords or blades at their waists, and without exception, each of them had the face of a handsome youth. They jumped out from the sides of the hall and landed steadily on the terrace constructed of a thousand gold.

The white robes of Snow Moon City!

Xiao Se stood on the pavilion in the air with the sixteen white robes on the thousand-gold terrace behind him.

Xiao Se raised his cup and they raised theirs together with him.

"To everyone!" Xiao Se shouted.

"To everyone!" Sixteen people chorused in unison.