108. Du Wang

The current situation in the field is as follows: The foreign guests from the Heavenly Palace and the Spirit Mountain are sitting at one table, accompanied by the King Yan Luo of the Fengdu and the Tai Mountain Mansion. On the other table, there are officials from the Underworld, and all ten Yama King are present, seated in a strict clockwise order according to their numerical sequence. In between, there are six chief officials from the Office of Registrar of Deeds.
这时候就能看出彼此的亲疏远近了，一殿下秦广王跟十殿下轮转王两人落座后，就举着酒杯对饮了一口；二殿下楚江王原本正对面是六殿下卞城王，不过他看见对方后，就提着旁边的一位功曹主吏，坐在了他的位置上，嘴里还轻轻嘀咕了一句：“晦气。”
Ying Wuchen saw everything clearly and remembered them in his heart.
These, these are all good things that can be used in the future.
Checking the number of people on both sides, there were exactly sixteen people at each table, and Ying Wuchen was somewhat impressed with his foresight.
Actually, it was really difficult for him when preparing these two tables. Because normally, a round table can seat about ten people, otherwise it would be too troublesome to pass the dishes in the middle of the table. Should we ask the guests to stand up and reach for the food?
Don't joke around.
If it's really like this, Yu Wuchen would feel that his future in this lifetime would be over.
After all, the most embarrassing thing compared to moving to another table when the leader is picking up dishes, is to make the leader stand up to pick up dishes.
Moreover, as we are now dining on hot pot, which requires a certain level of social etiquette, it is impossible for Ying Wuchen to allow the disrespectful behavior of "guests standing up and picking food."
If you want to avoid this kind of thing, you have to work hard on the table.
At first, he also thought that separating the people from the Heavenly Court and Ling Mountain could perfectly solve all the problems.
But when Ying Wuchen went to report to the Emperor Fengdu, he was the first one to disagree. And Emperor Fengdu couldn't even be bothered to come up with a reason; he simply said they couldn't sit separately and left Ying Wuchen to figure it out on his own.
Shen felt like giving up back then. He even wanted to grab Fengdu Emperor by his neck and ask him: "Why the hell didn't you tell me how many people are coming to dinner? How am I supposed to prepare the table?" If there are dozens of people coming, how big of a table do I need to prepare?
Although reluctantly in his heart, since he had taken on the task, Wu Chen had no more words and went directly to find the carpenter to make the table.
Since Emperor Fengdu did not specify the number of people being hosted, Wu Chen took the initiative and ordered a table for twenty people and another table for twenty-five people.
First try the water.
But when the inspection day arrived, Ying Wuchen realized that the solution provided by the damn carpenter was all square tables. Looking at the finished samples they made, Ying Wuchen lay on it and felt that there was still plenty of room for two more people beside him.
If someone sits at the corner of the table, they wouldn't even be able to reach the diagonally opposite dish, let alone picking up food standing up.
After going round and round, making several changes, the table issue is finally sorted out. Only then did Yu Wuchen realize that he doesn't even know the guests' preferences. What the hell should be served when the time comes?
Originally, he wanted to ask Emperor Fangdu for advice, but when he saw the miserable look on his face, Apuinchun dismissed the idea.
Just when he was at a loss, he got inspired by those four square tables. In the spirit of not wasting, Apuinchun asked the carpenters to join the tables together, leaving a hole in the middle. It was then decided to change the dinner menu to hotpot.
As for the large table made up of square tables, it is a backup plan prepared by Wuchen in case of unexpected needs.
He was afraid that a group of sixty or seventy people from the Heavenly Court and Ling Mountain would come for a feast.
The hole in the middle is also left to facilitate the waiter to stand inside and serve the dishes, because there are dozens of people sitting at one table, and in order to take care of their dining experience, it can only be served by others.
In the past, Ying Wuchen allowed people to enter and experiment. It looked a bit like a casino, with the dealer standing in the middle and dealing cards in a circle.
Fortunately, both the Heavenly Court and the Ling Mountain care about face and didn't send too many people over because they heard that the banquet was free, so Ying Wuchen's alternative plan was abandoned.
Now looking at the lively eating and drinking of the guests at two tables, Ying Wuchen wants to add a dish for King Biancheng.
Otherwise, it wouldn't be nice to have a "dead air" during the banquet.
Although it is often said that "a gentleman takes revenge, time does not matter," Ying Wuchen has never boasted of being a gentleman, so this theory does not apply to him.
And with the confirmation that Biancheng Wang was his first "enemy", Yin Chén couldn't help but fall in love with another phrase - "a small-minded person seeks revenge all day long."
And now, he is playing the role of a small person.
"Prince Liu, you have been wearing a serious expression. Is it possible that the dishes do not suit your taste?" Yin Wuchen poured a glass of wine for Prince Biancheng and then placed a plate of food in front of him. "Please, help yourself."
Prince Biancheng was originally very interested in hot pot, so he has always been enthusiastic about trying new dishes and tasting different flavors. However, all his good mood instantly vanished when he saw Ying Wuchen walking towards him.
And now, Yu Wuchen is nagging in the ear again, exhausting the remaining bit of good mood from Biancheng Wang.
"I am naturally stern-faced, you go and do your job, no need to pay attention to me."
"Uh---, Lord Liu, what you said is really unexpected. How could I have achieved what I have today without your guidance and the advice of everyone present?" Ying Wuchen motioned behind him, and Qing'er brought a glass of wine over. After taking it, he raised his cup to Prince Biancheng and said, "I hope Lord Liu can forgive and forget, and continue to inspire me in the future."
Then he downed the contents of his glass in one gulp, and immediately appeared unsteady on his feet, requiring assistance from those around him to maintain his balance.
To everyone else at the banquet, Apologies、Wine-drinking Behavior of Ying Wuchen seemed like an act of remorse for the events of the previous evening, but Prince Bancheng saw it differently. In fact, he felt that Ying Wuchen was even pretending when it came to his inability to hold his liquor.
If not, how could he dare to apologize so openly and loudly in front of the Emperor of Fengdu, when his stance was not as clear and distinct as before?
Impossible, absolutely impossible.
In addition, based on the investigations conducted into Yin Wuchen, both overtly and covertly, it is evident that this person is not a good person. So, Prince Biancheng knew without a doubt that the other party had ulterior motives. Despite this, he also knew that he couldn't keep leaving Yin Wuchen hanging, as it would only cause difficulties for future generations.
So King Biancheng picked up his wine glass, but was stopped by Yin Wuchen, who firmly held his wrist.
"I know that the Sixth Prince is unhappy, and I also know why." Yin Wuchen took a glass of wine from the plate brought by Qing'er and gulped it down without saying a word. "I, being insignificant, have no power to act on certain matters. But it is indeed something I did, so I won't shamelessly ask for the Sixth Prince's forgiveness. However, I still hope that you can understand."
After three consecutive drinks, Ying Wuchen was a little dizzy and leaned on Qing Er for support to avoid falling.
Just as Ying Wuchen was about to pick up the fourth glass of wine, he was stopped by the King of Biancheng: "As the ambassador of this Yulan Feast, you have single-handedly organized such a big event, and achieved remarkable results. It can be considered a great contribution. I will drink this glass on your behalf."
After speaking, he reached out his other empty hand to receive the cup of wine from Wu Chen. Because whatever he said or did, he was emphasizing his desire to let bygones be bygones.
As a superior, Prince Biancheng felt that he should appropriately demonstrate his magnanimity.
Although this was what he thought in his heart, Yu Wuchen didn't give him any opportunity.
Just as Prince Biancheng reached out his hand to take the wine glass, Yu Wuchen seemed to have thought of something, quickly straightened his body, and at the same time, left Prince Biancheng's hand reaching for the wine glass empty.
Just like a "last gasp of breath", Yu Wuchen suddenly woke up and spoke clearly, saying, "Your Highness, don't deceive me. The results of the public opinion survey haven't come out yet. How could I dare to falsely claim such an honor?"
“······”卞城王看了看落空的手，心中一阵无语，他现在十分确定，应无尘就是装的。
否则哪个喝醉的人会有如此敏捷的反应，甚至还话里话外的给自己下套儿？
The results of the damn opinion poll haven't come out yet, but as I walked from the main venue to the Tianranju, the people were all discussing the TV show. Judging from their delighted expressions, the results of this opinion poll will likely be very close.
Prince Biancheng originally intended to exchange a few more words with Ying Wuchen, even if not persuading the other party to stop, at least it would be nice to finish this meal calmly, right? By the way, that fish ball just now smelled great, and it felt smooth when picked up. I just don't know how it tastes.
But when he saw the expression on Yu Wuch en's face, he knew that the other party would not let him off easily. Then he thought about what he had just said, and now Prince Biancheng really wanted to slap himself. Why did he have to bring up the issue of public opinion surveys for no reason?
There we go, now almost everyone at the table has heard what I just said. If the result of the opinion poll turns out to be unfavorable for Wuchen, there is no doubt that the "kiss-up colleague" sitting at the same table today will embellish and spread this matter, making it known throughout the office.
They won't care if this matter is related to themselves or not, after all, it involves a rights dispute, and cannot be simply ignored.
Although everyone was chatting enthusiastically at the banquet, when it comes to taking action afterwards, these shameless and treacherous people will definitely not show mercy.
People will wonder why the results of the program are so different from their own experiences, even though it looks fascinating.
And at some point, a brilliant person will come forward to explain that King Biancheng is manipulating public opinion, and they will probably be drowned in a sea of criticism from the public.
----
Just as King Biancheng became absent-minded, Ying Wuchen seemed to have just noticed that he was about to receive the wine glass, so he respectfully handed it to him. When King Biancheng regained his senses, Ying Wuchen quietly let go, and the wine glass "cracked" and shattered on the ground, then turned into powder and disappeared.
Another table of customers who were originally chatting quietly while tasting the dishes also turned their heads when they heard the commotion.
"What happened?" Emperor Fengdu asked with some displeasure. He had just been networking with several guests from the Heavenly Court with the help of Chen Ruochu. They were on the verge of reaching a cooperation agreement when a strange noise interrupted their negotiations, causing the harmonious atmosphere they had worked so hard to establish to disappear completely.
"Master Huicheng, when Lord Liu offered a toast to Lord Yiwuchun, he lost control due to being overwhelmed by the alcohol and accidentally broke a wine glass," an official replied, implying that the incident occurred because Yiwuchun drank too much.
Emperor Fengdu ignored the person who spoke first and instead glanced at Ying Wuchen. But seeing that his eyes were clear and he showed no signs of being drunk, he then shifted his gaze as if inquiringly looking at the Prince of Biancheng.
Prince Biancheng looked around bewildered, only to realize that he was now stuck again.
Because at this moment, answering is not right, and not answering is even worse.
If I answer yes, it would easily make everyone present think that I am not taking responsibility, even for such a minor incident, and it might even make my colleagues at the same table mistakenly believe that I am holding onto the previous issue. After all, before this, Wu Chen had already shown a gesture of admitting mistakes and seeking forgiveness.
Nowadays, everyone in the room, except for the maidservant, is either a guest or an official from various departments. If this gives people the impression that I am petty and mean-spirited, it will have a terrible impact on my reputation in the future. Especially since the celestial beings from the Heavenly Court are also present, if the gossipy Chujiang King adds a few more "touch-ups" to the story, Biancheng King will surely envision a bleak future from now on.
If the answer is no, it is tantamount to indirectly indicating that the official who previously spoke on behalf of themselves was lying, or even intentionally defaming Ying Wuchen. Although I did not imply for him to do so, the fact actually points to this conclusion.
If it were in normal circumstances, breaking a wine glass wouldn't be a big deal, and people wouldn't think too much about it. But because of the Yulan Festival, Ap Yuan Cheng's current identity and reputation seem to be somewhat different. Just now, on the way here, I heard several other Hall Yanluo quietly discussing, saying that Ap Yuan Cheng is extremely talented and so on.
Although what they said may not be true, they won't change their tune in a short period of time.
As for that official, the words he just spoke inevitably make people think he intentionally stepped on Yu Wuchen. If you think deeper, he and Yu Wuchen have no grudges, so why does he want to step on him? Is it because of jealousy?
Compared to this speculation, Prince Biancheng thinks that everyone is more willing to believe that the official acted on someone else's behalf.
And now, among all the people present, the only one who is not on good terms with Ying Wuchen on the surface is oneself. Especially for the officials sitting in the field, some of them are eyewitnesses to the previous infighting in the Gongcao Bureau, so they must already know that they have favored Lin Tianyi before, so it is easier for them to think in this direction.
With this thought, the muscles on Prince Biancheng's face twitched involuntarily for a few times.
However, he quickly gathered himself, and calmly answered the Emperor Fandu, "Your humble servant and the envoy were drinking together, and accidentally dropped and broke the wine glass when exchanging cups."
What about saying you are an old hand at this? With a simple statement like that, Prince Bingcheng not only protects Lin Tianyi, who spoke up earlier, but also successfully blurs the line of responsibility.
However, listening to his ambiguous response, Ying Wucheng was unhappy at the time: I previously conveyed goodwill to you through Su Yanru. At that time, you did not accept it. But now you want to brush it off with such a light touch?
There is no door!
So Yuanyi Wuchen interjected, "My apologies, Lord, but I noticed a strange expression on the Sixth Prince's face earlier and thought there might be something amiss. Additionally, I wanted to establish some rapport with the officials present, so I approached with a toast. Now that I reflect on it, I realize I was being too presumptuous, which displeased the Sixth Prince and led to this embarrassing situation."
Prince Biancheng: What you said sounds nice, but please don't say it again in the future.
He never expected that Yiwuchen would dare to persist at this moment, after all, guests from both the Heavenly Court and Ling Mountain are present. It is clear that this is not the time to deal with trivial matters, so Prince Biancheng chose to back down.
But Wuchen has never been a coward, especially since I have the advantage now. He won't easily let go of the King of Biancheng, otherwise he won't have the opportunity we have now, and there won't be a place for him to cry.
"Since the Sixth Prince dislikes me, I will wait outside the door. If you need anything, please remember to call me." Ying Wuchen bowed to the guests sitting at the two tables and was about to leave.
可他还没踏出一步，就被人给拉住了：“有些人自持身份，但却不代表所有人都跟他一样。”
说话的人是酆都城内十殿阎罗之一的楚江王，行二。
Wu Chen turned around and glanced at the person speaking, then bowed his fist and said, "Thank you, Second Prince, for your favor. However, this kid indeed overstepped his boundaries by being present. I will withdraw and wait outside the door."
Seeing that the other party still had something to say, Wu Chen softly comforted, "You and the Sixth Prince are both officials in Fengdu. Don't let our quarrel affect your relationship." After speaking, he glanced at the Prince of Biancheng.
Prince Chujian naturally did not force him to stay. Him speaking up was just to save face for Prince Biancheng and to repair his reputation regarding the seat swap incident. Now that he sees that Ying Wuchen is so understanding, he didn't say anything more.
Before leaving, Zhi Wuchen took a straight look at Chen Ruochu, and then left without expression.
Oh, Prince Biancheng, you may not believe it when I tell you, but you have inadvertently offended the Heavenly Court.
----
Lu Qing stood outside the door and heard the sound of it opening. She turned her head and saw Ying Wuchen, a glimmer of brightness flashed in her eyes and then quickly disappeared.
"Why did you come out? Didn't Sister just talk to you?" Lu Qing asked.
Yes, just before the party ended, Luo Qing contacted me about Chen Ruochu wanting to talk to me. But now, considering my position, Chen Ruochu may have something to say, but he probably won't come looking for me proactively, right?
No matter whether it is a good thing or a bad thing for Chen Ruochu to find herself, in any case, with the initiative in hand, Ying Wuchen is not in a hurry.
If it is a good thing, just wait quietly for it to happen; if it is a bad thing, thinking about it won't help to avoid it.
"What are you thinking?" Luo Qing asked when he remained silent. "How did you come out?"
"No problem, it's a bit cold inside, so I came out to warm up a bit," Ying Wuchen casually replied.
"Cold?" Luo Qing murmured, "How can eating hot pot be cold?"
Whether eating hot pot makes you feel cold or not, Wu Chen doesn't know, but he knows for sure that Prince Biancheng is definitely feeling cold and uncomfortable now.
As expected, Prince Biancheng now feels like he has hemorrhoids, only half his buttocks can sit on the chair, and his body feels like it's crawling with little bugs, uncomfortable everywhere.
Actually, it makes sense when you think about it. Without Yin Wu Chen's warm presence, the atmosphere immediately became cold.
When he was present, everyone didn't feel anything special. But after Yin Wu Chen left, the guests found that the delicious food was as tasteless as chewing wax. This is really strange.
Actually, it's not a big deal. When Ying Wuchen is present, he explains the ways to eat various dishes and tells small stories related to the occasion. So, while everyone is eating and tasting, naturally they have different experiences.
However, after he was "forced to leave," everyone can only savor and contemplate on their own, lacking someone to crack jokes on the side, naturally losing a great deal of fun. Furthermore, the celestial beings from the upper realm, which one of them isn't always boasting about their extensive knowledge and experience? How can they now be so engrossed in a dish?
So, for various reasons, there are always a few pairs of resentful eyes in the field, occasionally drifting towards King Biancheng.
As soon as King Biancheng picked up a fish ball, the eyes of several people at the same table would unconsciously turn towards him, which made him directly throw the fish ball into the plate and put the chopsticks on the table.
It's not that he's full, but there are damn thirty-something pairs of eyes staring at him. No matter how good his appetite is, he can't swallow it.
Fortunately, the maids waiting by his side are very professional and don't look around. Otherwise, Prince Biancheng feels restless even when sleeping at night. Even if he lifts the blanket, there will be countless pairs of eyes inside.
----
Originally, Yuanchen just wanted to disgust Prince Bicheng, but he didn't expect to have such a strong effect.
He is now outside chatting with Luo Qing about trivial things.
Originally, Luo Qing should have been like him, going in to eat and drink together, accompany...
There is only the service of accompanying meals and drinks, but there is currently no service of accompanying sleep.
However, on the way here earlier, Luo Qing refused to accompany Xi Yan, and naturally Ye Wuchen was also happy to have free time. Otherwise, if people mistakenly think that he is seeking credit and acting recklessly, that would not be good.
However, having nothing better to do, he casually asked, "Your sister is also inside, why don't you want to go in?"
"······" Lu Qing was speechless for a moment. She had thought that Yu Wuchen would understand the situation and even came up with a lame excuse that it was cold inside the room, just so he would accompany her. But she didn't expect him to be so boring. "I just don't want to go in, especially when there are those self-righteous officials in the audience. Seeing their faces makes me feel uncomfortable all over."
When he saw her speaking, her eyes narrowed involuntarily, and Yu Wuchen knew that it touched Lu Qing's heart.
However, although he was curious, he had no intention of prying into the girl's thoughts.
After all, there is an old saying: A woman's heart is as complex as the ocean's depths.
Moreover, Ying Wuchen always feels that a woman's thought process is like a triangle, taking detours even when there is a straight path. This can be seen from the examples of Yao Niang and Yang Mama.
They can solve many things directly, but always prefer to take a roundabout route.
For example, Yang's mom can directly ask for the poem "Qingping Diao" herself, but she insists on involving Su Yanru in the middle.
For example, Yao Niang, who once looked down on the business I offered and now begs me to help.
There is no way around it in the Fengdu City, whether it is the flower pavilion or the theater, the fact of flesh trade is unavoidable. And now, the Qunyu Courtyard, because of two songs "Clearing the Peace" has risen in status and has become the number one brothel in Fengdu City. Yao Niang naturally cannot sit still.