Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 173 : The Emperor’s Birthday Celebration (5)

Chapter 173: Chapter 173 : The Emperor’s Birthday Celebration (5)

On the night before the Heavenly Emperor’s birthday, the Golden Dragon City held a grand banquet for the noble families of all nine palaces.

For this occasion, the verdant field next to the Crystal Jade Pond was transformed into a huge banquet area. Banquet participants were seated according to their ranks, with the palace masters and their families sitting closest to the Emperor and his royal family.

Other than that, everyone had the privilege to dine under the clear, unclouded full moon.

One by one, the palace masters brought their closest family members with them to congratulate the Emperor and personally hand over their carefully selected gifts for their liege.

"Your subject, Zhang Zhiyuan from Longjing Palace Master is here with his wife and son. We herewith congratulate Your Majesty on the auspicious, eighty-eighth* birthday. May Your Majesty’s reign last for tens of thousands** of years!" Zhang Zhiyuan proclaimed solemnly once they arrived in front of the Heavenly Emperor, the Empress, and the Crown Prince.

With their heads bowed close to the ground, Lady Song and Zhang Fengxi repeated the last sentence.

The Heavenly Emperor was in an excellent mood today. He raised his wine cup and beamed at the Zhang family.

"Rise, rise! This is a birthday celebration. All of you, do enjoy the food and drinks!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" They all said in unison before they retreated to their table.

Zhang Fengxi raised his eyes to look at Xie Jianyu. Alas, his gaze was unreciprocated. Xie Jianyu did not notice him because he was busy looking at the ones who came after the Longjing Palace’s group.

It was the Juhua Palace Master and his family.

Wu Qingyou brought his wife, his two children, and also Wu Shenxia to congratulate the Emperor.

Xie Jianyu was looking at Wu Shenxia. The way he looked at her made Zhang Fengxi’s skin crawl with irritation.

After all palace masters formally congratulated the Heavenly Emperor, the feast began.

For the occasion, the Golden Dragon Palace truly outdid itself. The palace workshop manufactured nine sets of tableware that were imprinted with each palace’s sigil.

Each piece of china was made from the best clay that was sourced from the Human Realm’s Mount Wuquan and shaped by the most artistic potters in the workshop. At last, they were painted by the best painters in the palace.

Through their capable hands, the sigils came alive. The growling tiger on Zhang Fengxi’s cup looked like it was about to jump out of the cup anytime soon.

If the tablewares were already beyond impressive, then the dishes almost took everyone’s breath away.

To tempt the participants’ palate, a big bowl of bird’s nest soup was served with thinly sliced mushrooms, fresh bamboo shoots, and scallions.

There was also a plate of spring rolls to accompany the soup. The spring rolls were rolled with the thinnest wrapper, and they contained a perfectly spiced combination of various vegetables.

Each table was manned by an attentive attendant, who was quick to notify the passing waiters to bring out the next dish before the table went empty.

After the soup and spring rolls, came a huge platter of roasted suckling pig with very crispy skin and tender meat. It came with a basket of thin pancakes and a plate full of spring onion stalks to make rolls with, and a bowl of savory sauce to dip the rolls before tasting.

The guests did not even have to roll the pancakes themselves. The table attendant in charge was more than happy to roll the pancakes for them.

In honor of the occasion, the next course of the feast consisted of longevity noodles with green vegetables, a whole egg, and braised beef slices.

Throughout the meal, the wine kept coming. Zhang Zhiyuan drank so much that he almost fell asleep at the table.

"Dear, seriously!" Lady Song kept pulling at her husband’s shoulders whenever the palace master’s body tilted to the front.

"Fengxi, I will take your father near the pond to sober up," Lady Song told her son. "You stay here, alright? Do NOT drink too much wine!"

"Yes, Mother," Zhang Fengxi said, but he grabbed a jug of wine as soon as his parents were out of sight.

Seeing that the guest was drinking again, the table attendant quickly got to work. After all, wine was best enjoyable with a good side dish.

"Prince Zhang Fengxi, please."

Zhang Fengxi stared at a plate full of freshly rolled roast suckling pig slices. He only wanted to drink, but he did not have the heart to disappoint the hardworking table attendant.

Just as he lifted a roll to his lips, he saw Xie Jianyu leave the royal dining table and approach Wu Qingyou’s table.

To be more specific, he went to talk to Wu Shenxia.

From his seat, Zhang Fengxi could see Xie Jianyu’s and Wu Shenxia’s faces clearly. Xie Jianyu was smiling. It was not the kind of polite smile that he often put on for show. It was a genuine kind of smile. A happy one.

And Wu Shenxia, she looked at the Crown Prince as if she had never seen a more beautiful omega in his life.

Zhang Fengxi abandoned the roll and drank directly from the jug instead.

They looked perfect together. A match made in heaven.

For some reason, Zhang Fengxi’s chest felt stuffy. He did not want to eat or drink anymore. He did not want to look at them anymore. It was too painful. He could not take it...

"Prince Zhang Fengxi, is everything alright?" The table attendant was alarmed when he saw how fast color drained from Zhang Fengxi’s face.

"Do you require any assistance???"

"I... I am fine, I just..."

"Zhang Fengxi, what is wrong with you?" a familiar voice was heard in front of him.

Zhang Fengxi looked up and stared at Xie Jianyu’s face.

The sharp eyebrows that hung over the lovely almond eyes, the perfectly chiseled nose, the luscious pair of lips, the long hair in high ponytail style that gently fluttered behind him...

Maybe it was just the wine clouding his eyes, but he had never seen a more beautiful god in his life.

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Author’s note :

*Okay let’s talk about numbers.

In Chinese culture, numbers hold a certain importance.

The lucky numbers are 0, 6, 8, and 9.

8 (ba) sounds similar to the Chinese word for prosperity (fa).

88 is thus a very lucky number.