The son-in-law of a prosperous family

On the night of the palace banquet, the lights in the Forbidden City were turned on, and the glazed tiles and palace lanterns complemented each other, shining brightly.

Zhao Yunchuan, dressed in brand new court robes, followed the crowd into the banquet hall. Although he was looking forward to this palace banquet, he was also aware that his official position was humble and he should be arranged in the back row.

At this time, a eunuch with a calm expression walked over at a leisurely pace, bowed slightly to Zhao Yunchuan, and motioned him to follow him.

Zhao Yunchuan didn't think much about it and followed the eunuch. But as he walked forward, he was more and more surprised by the scene around him. They were actually walking towards the front row of the hall.

Looking at the beautifully carved seat in front of him, Zhao Yunchuan was full of disbelief. He subconsciously pulled the eunuch and asked in a low voice, "Eunuch, are you sure this is my seat? I am of low rank, did you take me to the wrong place?"

The eunuch looked calm, nodded slightly, and said softly: "Sir Zhao, it is absolutely true, this is the position that His Majesty specially arranged for you."

Zhao Yunchuan was still a little hesitant and confirmed again: "Eunuch, could there be a mistake? The people in the front row are all important officials in the court..."

The eunuch smiled and patiently explained, "Sir Zhao, His Majesty has already ordered you to take a seat here. You don't have to worry. This is a great honor."

The tug of war between the two naturally caught the attention of the officials around them. The officials who were originally chatting with each other instantly understood each other's intentions and started to talk among themselves.

Some are envious, some are jealous, and some even sneer.

Zhao Yunchuan took a deep breath, bowed to the officials beside him, and then sat down steadily.

The Minister of Rites beside him narrowed his eyes and said with a fake smile: "Lord Zhao, it seems that you have won the emperor's favor recently. You will be very successful in the future."

Zhao Yunchuan responded modestly: "Your Excellency, I am flattered. I owe everything to your Majesty's kindness. I am only doing my duty."

The banquet began, melodious string and bamboo music sounded, and dancers danced gracefully in the center of the hall.

The dancing girls' sleeves fluttered like fireflies, their waists swayed, their rings and bracelets jingled, and their toes tapped the ground like willow catkins. Their makeup was exquisite and bright, with the flowers between their eyebrows and the pearls and jade on their temples complementing each other, shining brightly under the reflection of the palace lanterns, and their every move showed their charm.

The officials below the stage cheered and followed the dancer's movements closely.

Zhao Yunchuan just took a sip of wine out of courtesy, his eyes looking through the swaying figure, his thoughts already drifting away.

I miss Huai Ge’er.

At this time, a steaming dish was served on the table. However, in this cold hall, the heat dissipated in just a moment.

Zhao Yunchuan looked at the cold food and lost his appetite.

The officials around him were toasting each other and talking about the changing situation in the court. From time to time, someone would cast an inquiring look at him, mixed with flattery and suspicion.

He managed to respond with a few more sentences, looked up at the bright moon hanging high outside the window, and silently calculated in his heart the time when the palace banquet would end.

Suddenly, an imperial censor came over and tried to probe him in an implicit way, trying to dig out some evidence.

The censor seemed to be chatting casually, but there were hidden meanings in his words. He kept testing Zhao Yunchuan, trying to find flaws in his words and dig out evidence that could implicate him.

Zhao Yunchuan was so perceptive that he saw through the censor's intentions in an instant. He put on a fake smile and asked, "Censor Wei, are you testing me this time because you have prepared a memorial to report me?"

Censor Wei laughed dryly, and a hint of barely perceptible greed flashed in his eyes.

In Wei Yushi's opinion, Zhao Yunchuan is currently in the emperor's favor. If he can find something wrong with him and successfully impeach him in the court, he will surely become famous and rise to a high position.

Facing Zhao Yunchuan's questioning, the censor did not comment, but just smiled meaningfully, as if to say that as long as he found the opportunity, it would be only a matter of time before he was reported.

Zhao Yunchuan snorted in his heart, but his expression remained calm. He took a sip from his wine glass and said slowly, "Your Excellency is an imperial censor. You should perform your duties conscientiously and supervise all officials. There is nothing wrong with that. However, if you make random reports based on your own assumptions without any evidence, I am afraid that it will damage your reputation."

Upon hearing this, a trace of anger flashed across Wei Yushi's eyes, but he immediately returned to his hypocritical look and said, "Master Zhao misunderstood. I was just chatting with you."

Zhao Yunchuan was so concerned about Huai Ge'er and his son at home that he had no interest in this luxurious palace banquet.

Ever since he stepped into the hall, he had a perfectly fake smile on his face, and his words, when greeting people and responding to compliments, were nothing but superficial courtesy.

Just as Zhao Yunchuan was secretly complaining about the complexity and boredom of this palace banquet, the sound of stringed instruments suddenly rose in pitch, the rhythm became more rapid, the dancers danced with greater amplitude, and their skirts raised layers of fragrant waves.

The emperor raised his glass and his eyes swept slowly among his ministers, finally landing on Zhao Yunchuan, just in time to catch sight of something strange happening to him.

He frowned slightly, put down his wine glass, and asked, "Lord Zhao, I see you are distracted, but are the dishes today not to your liking?"

This sudden question instantly made the hall quiet.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on Zhao Yunchuan. Zhao Yunchuan suddenly came to his senses, secretly saying something was wrong. He hurriedly stood up and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, you misunderstood. Today's dishes are very much to my taste, especially the shrimp. The meat is tender and the taste is delicious. It is truly a masterpiece."

When the emperor heard this, he smiled and said, "Since you like it so much, I'll give you the shrimps on the table as a reward."

After saying this, he signaled the eunuch to bring the shrimps on his table to Zhao Yunchuan.

Two eunuchs immediately carried the dishes and walked quickly to Zhao Yunchuan.

The fresh shrimps on the plate were shiny red and smelled delicious, attracting the attention of officials around them.

Zhao Yunchuan quickly adjusted his posture, clasped his hands together, and bowed 90 degrees. His movements were smooth and his voice was loud and respectful: "Your Majesty's reward is like the stars that light the way. I am deeply encouraged. The fresh shrimps on this plate are the essence of the imperial cuisine, and they are full of your Majesty's care for me. I will remember this great favor in my heart."

When Zhao Yunchuan took the plate from the eunuch, he turned slightly to avoid touching it with his sleeves. He looked at her sincerely and thanked her again: "Your Majesty's reward is a spur to my humble servant. I will do my best in the future and live up to your expectations."

The emperor was naturally very satisfied with Zhao Yunchuan's understanding.

When Zhao Yunchuan raised his eyes, he noticed that the officials around him had different expressions.

Censor Wei had a fake smile on his face, but there was a cold gleam of jealousy in his eyes;

The Minister of Rites took a sip from the wine glass and said with a fake smile, "Lord Zhao, the emperor's favor is rare. You must be more diligent in the future."

Zhao Yunchuan raised his wine glass and gestured to the Minister of Rites: "I will remember your teachings. I have always been grateful for your advice. This glass of wine is for everyone."

After saying this, he raised his head and drank it all in one gulp. Then, he cleverly changed the subject, easing the delicate atmosphere on the scene.