usatvline Chapter 193 Eating Hot Pot and Drinking Baijiu
Chapter 193 Eating Hot Pot and Drinking Baijiu
The crowd filed in and entered the Zhangtai Hall, where they took their seats according to protocol. Seated on the far left was the King of Wei, next to the King of Qi, then in the middle was the host of the banquet, the King of Qin, and on the far right was the King of Chu. The court officials stood orderly on either side, each holding their breath, awaiting the King of Qin's address.
The King of Qin sat upright on the main seat, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone present, before he spoke in a low voice: "It is truly an honor for us that the Kings of Qi, Chu, and Wei have graced our Great Qin with their presence. On behalf of Great Qin, I extend my warmest welcome to all of you!"
Below, the numerous Qin officials stood with solemn yet enthusiastic expressions, shouting in unison, "Welcome the King of Qi, the King of Chu, and the King of Wei!" Before their words had even finished, a thunderous applause suddenly erupted, resounding throughout the entire palace.
Faced with such a grand and unprecedented welcoming ceremony, everyone present was astonished. Apart from the King of Qin and his officials, everyone else was speechless, unable to believe what was happening before their eyes. The Kings of Qi, Chu, and Wei, in particular, were completely dumbfounded, unsure how to react. However, caught up in the enthusiastic applause, they couldn't help but join in the applause.
After the applause subsided, the King of Qin smiled and slowly said, "I am well aware that the Kings of Qi, Chu, and Wei have come to my Great Qin to discuss matters related to economic zone cooperation. However, this matter is of great importance, and many details still need to be discussed in depth before a decision can be made. Therefore, we will set this topic aside for today and discuss it in detail another day."
Upon hearing this, the King of Chu immediately responded, "Since the King of Qin does not wish to discuss the economic zone today, I will take my leave and return to my inn to rest." With that, he made as if to turn and leave.
Seeing this, the King of Qin quickly reached out to stop him, and said with a smile, "King of Chu, please don't be in such a hurry! Back then, you and I often gathered together, drinking and chatting happily. Now that we have finally been able to reunite, how can we part so hastily after just meeting?"
Upon hearing this, the King of Chu stopped in his tracks, turned to look at the King of Qin, and asked in confusion, "Then, according to the King of Qin, how exactly do you intend to arrange things?"
The King of Qin laughed heartily and said loudly, "I am truly delighted that you have come from afar. Therefore, I have specially ordered a sumptuous banquet to entertain you distinguished guests. It is freezing cold now, so why don't you all finish the banquet first, and then return to the inn to rest after you have eaten and drunk your fill?"
The King of Qi smiled slightly and said softly, "What the King of Qin says is very true. I am indeed starving."
Upon hearing this, the King of Qin burst into laughter and replied, "In that case, let's serve the dishes!"
As the King of Qin's hearty laughter subsided, a group of well-trained eunuchs filed in. First, they steadily lifted a large square table and carefully placed it in the center of the hall. Then, with swift and orderly movements, they brought in four exquisite chairs and arranged them perfectly around the table.
Before anyone could react, even more eunuchs surged into the hall like a tide. This time, they carried round tables, arranging them in a row. Then, another group of eunuchs followed, carrying matching stools to the round tables. Each table could seat six people, creating quite a spectacular scene.
Just as people were still immersed in their curiosity about this peculiar arrangement, a group of graceful maids approached. Each carried a heavy bronze pot, their steps light yet steady. Upon seeing this, everyone was astonished, exchanging bewildered glances, secretly wondering what kind of delicacies the King of Qin had prepared. After the bronze pots were properly placed, plates of fresh, juicy lettuce and tempting raw meat were continuously served.
At this moment, the King of Qin smiled, waved to the crowd, and said loudly, "Gentlemen, please take your seats!"
Having said that, he himself took the lead, striding towards the square table and unhesitatingly sitting in the innermost seat. Seeing this, the King of Qi, the King of Chu, and the King of Wei exchanged glances, understanding each other perfectly, and each found a seat at the table and slowly took their places.
Seeing that the kings were already in place, the other officials also began to move. They searched for suitable seats in an orderly fashion, and the Qin officials naturally sat around the round tables, chatting and laughing. Not to be outdone, the officials from the other states followed suit and quickly found their own empty seats and sat down comfortably.
The King of Qi's gaze fell on the raw vegetables and meat in front of him. He frowned slightly, turned to the King of Qin with a puzzled look, and asked, "Your Majesty, why are all these ingredients raw? Is there some secret to them?"
The King of Qin smiled slightly and said softly, "The ingredients are raw." His sharp gaze first swept over the King of Chu, then moved to the King of Wei, his smile still on his face, and continued to explain, "Please do not be surprised, everyone. This is hot pot, which is the most suitable food to enjoy in the winter of our Great Qin."
Just as everyone had taken their seats, a group of graceful palace maids entered in single file. Each carried an exquisitely crafted wine pot, made of smooth, delicate ceramic. Matching ceramic wine cups followed. Upon seeing this, everyone present was stunned. The Qin people were accustomed to drinking from large, heavy wine vessels; such small, delicate wine pots and exquisitely crafted cups were truly rare, inevitably raising questions.
The palace maids skillfully poured wine for each guest in turn. When everyone looked closely at the wine glasses, they found that the liquid inside was pure white, as clear and transparent as water. At the same time, a strong and mellow aroma of wine wafted over and instantly filled the entire palace.
With a smile, the King of Qin raised his wine cup and said loudly, "Today, on behalf of the Great Qin, I once again sincerely welcome the King of Qi, the King of Chu, and the King of Wei to grace us with their presence!"
Having said that, he tilted his head back without hesitation and downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, then showed the empty cup to the King of Qi, the King of Chu, and the King of Wei. Seeing this, the other three followed suit, quickly raising their cups and drinking heartily. However, perhaps because they were caught off guard, the sudden stimulation of the strong liquor caught them off guard, and all of them choked and coughed violently, creating a rather embarrassing scene.
Upon seeing this, the King of Qin burst into laughter and quickly offered words of comfort: "Haha, I am truly sorry, everyone! I was careless and forgot to inform you beforehand that this is a newly brewed liquor from our Great Qin, with a fiery and strong taste. If you wish to drink it all in one go, you should prepare yourself mentally!"
The King of Chu choked on the strong liquor, coughing until his face turned red, as if a fire was burning in his throat. He glared at the King of Qin with uncontrollable rage, his finger trembling as he pointed at him, and roared, "You clearly did this on purpose!" His voice was so loud that the entire palace trembled slightly.
The King of Qin, however, feigned innocence and said, “King of Chu, please do not be angry. I was truly negligent for a moment and forgot that you might not be accustomed to such strong liquor. I have a habit of drinking, so I did not consider the matter thoroughly. I hope the King of Chu will forgive me. However, I will present some of my treasured elixirs to the King of Chu later as an apology.”