Chapter 127 Banquet of Appreciation
During the Lantern Festival in the 16th year of Jiazheng's reign, as per custom, the emperor and empress ascended the Hua'e Tower to enjoy the festival with the people.
The Emperor of Southern Qi had been feeling unwell recently. He showed up with his concubines and then returned to the palace to recuperate. It was rare for important officials in the court to return early to be with their families.
Since last spring, the Minister of Rites Zhang Wenhua introduced a Taoist priest to the Southern Qi Emperor. The emperor became obsessed with practicing elixirs and his temperament changed drastically, which made life difficult for the ministers around him.
Tang Ying came out of the palace and rode her Tengyun slowly towards home. Baoyi wanted to send two people to accompany her, but she refused: "Are you afraid that someone will assassinate me?"
The people of the capital city attach great importance to the Lantern Festival. After leaving the palace, you will find that almost all the shops on the street have colorful tents and lanterns in front of them. From afar, they are bright and colorful. Everywhere are people who come for night outings to watch the lanterns. You can hear endless laughter and joy. It is truly a good day for family reunions.
Bao Yi smiled and said, "I know that you are very good at martial arts, but today, His Majesty and the ladies gave you wine, and you drank a lot."
Tang Ying patted the scabbard at his waist, nonchalantly: "Don't worry, no matter how much I drink, I can still lift the sword. Even if someone assassinates me, I will make sure he can't come back."
A prophecy.
She was riding Tengyun passing by Wu'an Street, and a boy from nowhere threw two firecrackers at her, which blew up Tengyun's hooves. Then someone threw two more firecrackers at Tengyun's tail. Tengyun was completely frightened and spread his four hooves to rush into the crowd.
Tang Ying was sobered up by the shock. She quickly scanned the streets and used all her strength to drive Teng Yun to the nearest deserted alley to avoid trampling on pedestrians.
A man and a horse rushed into the alley. Before Tengyun could calm them down, more than a dozen men in black rushed out and blocked her way.
"What kind of luck is this!" Tang Ying laughed at herself, looking down at the black-clothed men who had gathered around her, and pointed her long sword at the leading man: "Since we have set up an ambush in advance, shouldn't you announce your name?"
The leading man said in a muffled voice: "Mr. Tang, don't you know the sin you have committed?"
"Which one are you referring to? I really don't know." Tang Ying said kindly: "Please give me a hint." The Imperial Cavalry Division is a killing machine. Many people have lost their lives at her hands. It would be difficult to expect her to remember it herself.
"You'll know when you go to hell!" The leading man seemed to have a bad temper. He whistled and everyone attacked.
At this time, Tang Ying felt a little regretful for rejecting Bao Yi's suggestion. It would have been better if she brought two guards with her, so that she wouldn't have to fight with others while drunk.
"You are too despicable and shameless!" They came here to collect debts and even tried to cut Teng Yun's horse legs. Tang Ying was so angry that she cursed and jumped off the horse. She was quickly surrounded by several people. Teng Yun took this opportunity to rush out of the alley.
The fight in the alley lasted for about a cup of tea. Half of the men in black fell down, and Tang Ying also had a wound on her left arm. Suddenly, someone shouted at the entrance of the alley: "What are you doing?"
The man stood against the light, and looked like a young man in fine clothes, with a long attendant beside him: "Sir, they seem to be killing someone."
The leading man in black said: "Boy, stop meddling in other people's business!"
The young master in brocade clothes ignored his threats and ordered his attendant: "Go and call the patrol officer over."
The attendant responded and disappeared at the entrance of the alley.
The leading men in black seemed to be very afraid of the patrolling yamen runners. Seeing that the situation was not good, each of them carried a corpse and retreated from the other end of the alley.
Tang Ying sat down on the ground, leaning against the cold corner of the wall to take a breath. Only then did she feel sweat on her back, the alcohol had dissipated, and her hands and feet were still a little weak.
The young man in brocade clothes at the entrance of the alley came over, stood in front of her, and stretched out his hand to her: "The ground is cold, it's easy to get sick if you sit on it."
As Tang Ying held his hand and stood up, she finally got a good look at his appearance and was immediately shocked: "Master Jingliu?"
The man who came was Jing Feng, the youngest son of Jing Huai, the Left Prime Minister. He was the Left Prime Minister's old son, but the most intelligent, decisive and handsome among all his sons. He was well-known for his talent in study when he was young. He was about the same age as Fu Chen, and happened to be the third place in the palace examination that Fu Chen took.
Jing Feng had been an official in a foreign country for many years. He heard that local officials did a very good job and were rated as excellent every year. When the military pay case happened the year before last, many official positions were vacated in Beijing, so the left prime minister found a way to transfer Jing Liulang back to Beijing. At the end of last year, he entered the Dali Temple and served as the Dali Temple Secretary. He had met Tang Ying twice, so they were not familiar with each other.
She stood up holding Jing Feng's hand. The latter probably didn't expect that the person he rescued in the dark was Tang Ying. After pulling her up, he was the first to let go of her hand and took a step back: "Master Tang, what are you doing..."
"Thank you, Master Xiao Jing." Tang Ying held up the sword and looked around for the scabbard: "I am so unlucky. I met someone seeking revenge during the New Year. I really want to die but I didn't choose a better day. Isn't it more fun to watch the lanterns with my family?"
Jing Feng bent down, picked up the scabbard and handed it to her: "...Maybe they no longer have family to accompany them."
Tang Ying heard dissatisfaction in his voice. He was accusing her of having too many lives on her hands, which led to her death. She couldn't help but laugh: "Master Xiao Jing and the Left Prime Minister don't look like father and son." How could such a picky temperament be the family tradition of the Left Prime Minister Jing Huai, who was good at smoothing things over?
Jingfeng was a pragmatic person who liked to get to the bottom of everything. He solved a long-standing unsolved case within three months of taking office. Even the Emperor of Southern Qi praised him in the court.
Jing Feng could not help but hear the sarcasm in Tang Ying's words. He did not expect that Tang Ying would actually make a joke in all seriousness: "The son resembles the mother. Maybe my personality is like my mother's."
Tang Ying felt a little embarrassed: "Master Xiao Jing is indeed...sincere." It is rare to find an official who is so sincere.
Jing Feng: "Master Tang, are you trying to say that I am stubborn and dull and don't know how to adapt?"
Tang Ying: "...Is this the Prime Minister's evaluation of Master Xiao Jing?"
Jing Feng actually laughed: "Master, you are very observant."
So she guessed right?
Tang Ying laughed: "Master Xiao Jing, you'd better be careful. Many people are afraid of the Imperial Cavalry Division. You are just trying to give them an advantage." The father and son have different political views and ideas. If their political enemies knew about it, who knows what kind of trouble would arise.
"I believe that the headmaster has heard about this matter a long time ago. There is no need to hide it, right?" He turned and asked with concern: "Does the headmaster Tang need to go to the nearby clinic to bandage it?"
While they were talking, the two had already walked out of the alley. The wound on Tang Ying's arm was three inches long. She was wearing a black official uniform on the outside, and the wound revealed the white clothes underneath, which was even more shocking.
"It looks like... it seems to be very necessary." She touched her waist, extremely embarrassed: "I don't have any money with me. I wonder if the doctor will kick me out?"
Jing Feng smiled and said, "I can pay for you."
Before the two of them entered the clinic next door, a group of patrolling yamen runners followed by Jing Feng's long-time attendant came trotting over. Seeing the injured Tang Ying, they were almost scared to death: "Who dares to assassinate Lord Tang?"
Tang Ying sent them to the scene with a few words, and she walked into the clinic. Jing Feng had been following her, and saw her unbuttoning her wrist guard, revealing her injured left arm, and turning around hurriedly. He caught a glimpse of her sitting in front of the medical record with a normal expression, allowing the old doctor to clean wound, apply medicine and bandage it. He noticed that there was cold sweat on her forehead and her right fist was clenched, and her face was calm, as if being injured was a common occurrence. He couldn't help but secretly admire her calmness.
That night, Jing Feng insisted on sending her back.
Tang Ying was walking alone in the wind and rain. Many officials wanted to avoid the people from the Imperial Cavalry Division. It was rare to meet a young man who actually treated her as a weak woman. They couldn't help but laugh: "Then I'll have to trouble you, Master Xiao Jing."
Halfway through the journey, Teng Yun and Zhang Qing came hurriedly. The honest young man was frightened and his face turned pale: "What happened? Teng Yun went back home alone." Seeing that she was injured, he was very worried: "Who did it?" He swept a suspicious look at Jing Feng. It seemed that as long as Tang Ying admitted that it was Jing Feng who did it, he would twist his head.
"It's nothing. I just ran into some blind thieves. Luckily, Master Xiao Jing passed by and shouted, scaring the thieves away."
Tang Ying thanked Jingfeng again and again, and then went home with Zhang Qing.
She thought that the matter would end here, and that she and Jing Feng would at most be acquaintances. The next day, she asked Zhang Qing to send a generous gift to the Left Prime Minister's residence and the matter would be over.
Who knew that although Zhang Qing's gift was delivered, Jing Fu also sent back a generous gift the next day. In addition to precious medicinal herbs for replenishing the body, there were also two bottles of secret hangover pills and two boxes of scar-removing ointment. The return gift came from Jing Feng himself.
Tang Ying: “…” This is a joke.
She stepped into the living room and saw the young man standing with his hands behind his back, smiling as warm as the sun. She couldn't help but secretly guess why he came, but she couldn't ask him directly, so she could only greet him with polite words.
"I was saved by Master Xiao Jing that day, and I was planning to give you a banquet to thank you, but I was too busy with official duties to spare the time, so I had no choice but to ask you to go to your house. I'm really sorry."
Jing Feng smiled and asked, "When will the banquet begin?"
Tang Ying: “…”Isn’t this young Master Jing a fool?
I was just being polite, just like the saying "I'll treat you to a meal when I get a chance". Anyone who has heard it knows that it's just a polite remark. Who would take it seriously?
Jing Feng seemed to be afraid that Tang Ying would go back on her word, and added: "It is my great honor to have Tang Ying personally host a banquet for me."
This was indeed the truth. Tang Ying had an extraordinary status. Since Fu Chen left the Imperial Cavalry Division, she had temporarily taken charge of the Phoenix Department. Although she had not been promoted, she had been constantly rewarded with titles and honors. Everyone with a discerning eye thought that she was lucky. Although she was a woman, she was a close minister to the emperor. So far, no one had been able to have a dinner at her home.
Tang Ying laughed: "...I wonder if Lord Xiaojing likes sweet, salty or spicy food? Do you like Kyoto cuisine or southern cuisine? I can ask the mansion to prepare it for you." It seemed that this meal was inevitable as they were forced to do something unavoidable.
Jing Feng smiled modestly, but was very different from her: "When I was a child, I liked northern food, but I have been in Jiangnan for the past few years as an official. I was not used to it , but I changed my taste unconsciously. After returning to Beijing, I miss Jiangnan food very much. If it's not too much trouble..."
Having said that, Tang Ying could only admit her mistake and said, "It's no trouble, no trouble. I will ask Master Xiaojing for advice on southern delicacies later. I hope you won't laugh at me."
Zhang Qing came with her maid to serve tea. When he heard the conversation between the two, he looked at them suspiciously, as if he had discovered something strange.
Tang Ying: …
