Men are superior to women: the heartthrob in Yunqi

The setting sun melts gold, and the dusk clouds merge together.

Mu Yao looked at the bustling scene in the mansion, and her eyes seemed to be drawn to it. Her originally depressed mood calmed down a little.

"Dad, why are there so many people in the mansion all of a sudden?" The Taifu Mansion covers an area of ​​about fifteen acres. There are at least forty new people coming in today. Adding the old people who came in, it feels a lot more crowded.

Li Taifu looked at his daughter lovingly, his voice full of care and comfort, "Not much, not much. In the past, Dad was used to living alone, and felt that having a few people in the mansion was enough to handle it. Now it's different, I have Yaoyao, so naturally there will be more people. Besides, you and Qingcheng will get married in a while, and many things will need to be done, and Dad feels that there are not enough people. They are all recruited from a few old friends of mine, and they have some skills. You can use them without worry."

Mu Yao stared at her adoptive father. He was tall and straight, with a head of neatly combed hair and a long, dense beard, which made him look like an immortal. Although his eyes were covered with "hardening by wind and frost", his years of ups and downs in the officialdom had trained him to have a pair of sharp and calm eyes, full of wisdom and majesty. He was like a towering tree that had experienced countless storms, strong and tough, and he used his own strength to protect her firmly. She felt the strong love of protecting her adoptive father.

Mu Yao unconsciously leaned against Master Li's chest, hugged him gently, and felt the safe haven that belonged to her alone.

Li Changan froze for a moment, and gently stroked Mu Yao's head with his rough hands. It felt so good to have a family, and the child in his arms would protect him for the rest of his life.

There was a sound of raindrops falling by my ears. The raindrops were fine and dense, falling along the eaves, landing on the ground, splashing ripples.

Mu Yao seemed to have thought of something, and raised her head and asked, "Dad, is Brother Xu back today?"

"Why, do you miss him?" Master Li joked.

Her thoughts were discovered, and a blush crept up to her ears. She couldn't help but said coquettishly, "Brother Xu said he would definitely come back before the banquet. Calculating, he should be here."

Imperial Tutor Li disagreed and consoled her, "Yaoyao, Dad's two treasures are priceless, and Qingcheng is probably still looking for a good opportunity to sell them. The "Eternal Life Pavilion" is different from our Treasure Pavilion. It only has special auctions, and the bidders who come in and out are all carefully selected wealthy merchants. It's no exaggeration to say that almost all the richest people in Yunqi are there. Besides, whenever Qingcheng comes back, she always comes to see you first. Don't worry, don't worry, you should focus on Qu Yan first. This matter concerns Dayun's reputation, and there can be no mistakes."

Somehow, Mu Yao always felt uneasy. Xu Qingcheng had never broken his promise to her, so could something have happened to her in Yuhe City? Thinking of this, she suddenly shook her head again. Maybe, as her father said, she was overthinking.

Tomorrow was the day of the music banquet. She slowly gathered her scattered thoughts and focused her attention.

I suddenly looked up again and saw that the moon was already filling the ground and fireflies were all over the sky outside the window.

Mu Yao leaned against the window, supporting her chin with one hand. A vortex of clouds, a shuttle of jade, a light shirt of thin silk, a slight frown on her black curls.

The person in the dark had a pair of scorching eyes filled with wonder. Liu Huifeng had never known that a woman could be so beautiful.

When everyone in the crowd looks at each other, the color of the world is like dust.

No wonder Wang Yanzhi lost his temper for her and spent a fortune. For a girl like her, it would not be too much to risk her life.

The next day, before the first light of dawn appeared in the east, Mu Yao had already stood up and followed the large army of "Shuiyunjian" into the palace.

The streets were sparsely populated, with only a few shops lighting up. Mu Yao sat in the carriage bestowed by Li Taifu, her head drooping lazily, feeling sleepy. She could hear the creaking of the wheels and the subtle sound of spring swallows flapping their wings.

There are about 800 people attending the banquet today, including important officials and their families. However, only 300 people can dine with Emperor Qingyuan in the "Jiying Hall". It is said that the third prince, "God of War" Ye Lianhe, will also attend.

Speaking of this God of War, Mu Yao was deeply impressed. Wang Hao admired Ye Lianhe very much and would repeat it in her ear from time to time. She was so familiar with the glorious achievements and mighty posture of the God of War that she could recite them by heart. It was said that Ye Lianhe was twenty-five years old this year. At such a young age, he had experienced hundreds of battles, was good at making plans and commanding troops. Last year, because the Nanyue Kingdom provoked at the border of Dongtai County, Emperor Qingyuan specially ordered him to go there to maintain stability and demonstrate the country's prestige.

Ye Lianhe is the child of Imperial Concubine He Manru, and he is born to the same mother as the fourth prince Ye Yuheng. After Ye Yuheng was stripped of his title, the 100,000 troops under his command were assigned to Ye Lianhe. He is the pride and support of He Manru, and is also a threat that the court officials tacitly consider to be a match for Ye Qinghan.

The palace servants had been waiting outside the gates of the imperial city. When they saw Li Taifu's carriage approaching from afar, they hurried over to greet him. After confirming that it was correct, they quickly opened the gates and let them in.

Soon, the imperial kitchen became bustling with activity.

The twenty-four dishes set for the banquet are:

Cold dishes: cold-mixed snail slices, crispy fish with sauce, white meat rolls with Chinese toon, sweet-scented osmanthus melon jelly, braised white jade tofu, sweet and sour spare ribs, chilled red pork belly, and thin-skinned tribute walnuts.

Eight Chinese dishes: pan-fried steak, spicy chicken cubes, wood-roasted duck, cumin-roasted lamb chops, corn soup, pineapple and gold powder mousse, phoenix platter, and three-color peach gum soup.

Four main dishes: boiled Chinese cabbage, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, squirrel mandarin fish, and Wensi tofu.

The signature dish: Dragon Soaring Across the Seas.

Mu Yao incorporated sweet and sour and spicy flavors into the dishes. She also worked hard on the presentation of the dishes. In order to show the high quality of Wensi Tofu, she also hired a group of chefs with excellent knife skills at a high price. Before all the dishes were presented to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Li Changan checked them for her. She breathed a sigh of relief when she heard her adoptive father tell her that the dishes, taste and presentation details were undoubtedly the best he had ever eaten. As for the wine, due to the lack of time, the fine wine in the palace was used.

At noon, the Beiming delegation arrived at the Hall of Heroes.

State Master Xie Ci came to the banquet with a delegation of twenty people. Today, he was dressed in a white robe of a banished immortal, a jade gold crown, with a handsome figure, a handsome face, steady steps, and flying sleeves. The deep and sharp eyes and the unique charm of the first son made people unable to look away.

The women of many important ministers' families blushed as they looked at the handsome and suave man in the golden palace. They secretly marveled at his white clothes, thinking that only Xie Ci could wear them in such a graceful manner.

Xie Ci bowed to Emperor Qingyuan and Empress Feng, and sat down on the right side of Emperor Qingyuan. When he looked up, he noticed Ye Lianhe sitting opposite him, and he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly.

Noble Consort He, who sat to the left of Queen Gu, was very confident today. She wore a light red crown and robe that was slightly lighter than the phoenix robe. If you didn't look carefully, you couldn't tell the difference. She glanced at Queen Gu from time to time. Queen Gu was calm about this small action, as if it was just an insignificant little bug tickling her.

In addition to a group of female relatives in the Hall of Heroes, many ministers in the court were secretly paying close attention to the situation. Ye Qinghan and Ye Lianhe both had their own forces behind them. The day the throne was not passed on, there would be more variables.

Seeing that the hall was full, Emperor Qingyuan said loudly: "The Imperial Master of Beiming has come from afar. I have set up a banquet today to celebrate with the Imperial Master and all of you." After that, he raised his glass and drank with everyone.

At this time, the palace servants began to serve the dishes smoothly. Soon, the table in front of each person was filled with twenty-four delicacies.

The table setting at the Quyan banquet is different from that at ordinary banquets. Each dish is customized in quantity, which allows everyone present to taste the delicacies while ensuring that their stomachs are full.

Ye Qinghan looked in the direction of Li Taifu and saw him rubbing his hands and looking at the delicacies in front of him with eagerness. He couldn't help but shook his head in amusement. He hadn't seen Mu Yao from the beginning, and there was a trace of loneliness in his eyes.

Minister Xu was sitting on the right side of Grand Tutor Li today. He secretly winked at Li Changan. Li Changan didn't understand what was going on, so he followed Xu Shida's gaze and saw his youngest son Xu Yan.

What else is there to not understand? Master Li glanced at the old man and whispered, "Qingcheng is not here, Yaoyao will stay in the imperial kitchen and watch over her. You will be able to see her when the emperor summons her later."

Minister Xu clapped his hands in joy, and the Hall of Heroes suddenly became quiet.

Emperor Qingyuan was discussing the matter of the alliance against the axe with Xie Ci. When he heard the applause, he looked at the Minister of Rites and asked, "What do you think, Lord Xu?"

Xu Shida was shocked. He was too happy. He stood up and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I saw that the dishes at this banquet were different from the past. The presentation and the dishes were very novel. I was so moved that I couldn't control myself. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me and the Imperial Master will tolerate me."

Emperor Qingyuan saw that all the ministers were nodding their heads at the banquet in front of them, and said happily: "Today's banquet is organized by the noble lady Mu from the Taifu family. Come on, everyone, don't be restrained, enjoy the food and drink!"

Those present who had tasted the cuisine of "Shuiyunjian" were just waiting for the emperor to say this, and they all picked up their jade chopsticks to taste the food carefully.

Especially the Minister of Personnel Zhu Huaijin, he was so satisfied with the meal.

Since he went to "Shuiyunjian" last time, he has been going there every now and then, and it has almost become his regular canteen. Today, he ate the "sweet and sour spare ribs" that he never gets tired of. For this dish, he specially took his own chef to "Shuiyunjian" to taste it several times, but he couldn't make it taste the same.

While eating, he praised Lady Mu's intelligence and wisdom to Li Taifu, and praised her to his colleagues generously, saying that Mu Yao was unique in the world. Li Taifu was so happy that he almost stroked his beard bald. This made the people present who had never seen Mu Yao and had never been to "Shuiyunjian" extremely curious, and they asked Li Taifu about Lady Mu. Some of the colleagues who had seen Lady Mu rushed to pull their unmarried sons to Li Taifu to introduce them.

The position of Master Li was undoubtedly the brightest scenery in the entire venue today.

Xu Shida turned around and patted Xu Yan's shoulder impatiently and whispered, "Lady Mu will be here soon. Find a chance to talk to her. Your father has done his best to help you. You have to live up to your expectations."

Mu Yao's name was well-known to Xu Yan. Firstly, when Minister Xu fiddled with the Eight Treasures Fan every day, he would always praise Lady Mu, saying that she was as beautiful as a fairy and had a kind and intelligent mind. His ears were almost callused from repeating her. Secondly, when he and his friends were drinking and chatting, he often heard them talk about Lady Mu's stunning appearance and excellent character, and that she was the wife they dreamed of. Today, he wanted to see if this woman was really as good as they said.

Wang Yanzhi sat in front of the table, automatically blocking out all the noise around him, quietly savoring Mu Yao's "heartfelt gift". Every dish was full of deliciousness, and every bite was filled with rich aroma. He also runs a restaurant business under his name, and the "Little Bridge and Flowing Water" is his property. Take this cumin grilled lamb chops for example, whether in terms of taste or control of the heat, "Little Bridge and Flowing Water" can never achieve this level.

The princess and Prime Minister Xu sat opposite Xie Ci, exchanging polite greetings with Emperor Qingyuan. Xie Ci and Xu Qingcheng were from the same school, and the princess and Prime Minister Xu treated him much more kindly than others.

Several people noticed the movement from Master Li's side and looked over there.

The princess and Prime Minister Xu pricked up their ears and listened carefully to what they said, with the corners of their mouths raised. Such a capable daughter-in-law is really hard to find. It's a pity that Qingcheng didn't make it to the banquet, otherwise he would be proud. At the same time, they were worried about others' covetous hearts. Excellent women shine wherever they go, and they can't hide even if they want to.

Xie Ci noticed the noble lady Mu who was mentioned many times. He had been to Dayun several times, and today's dishes were undoubtedly the most sumptuous and the best. Especially the dessert called pineapple gold leaf mousse, which really pleased him. There was also a corn soup that was quite special. He had never known that corn could be mashed into a paste to make a thick soup, but it not only tasted like corn, but also seemed to have a milky taste. What surprised him most was how this soup was so rich and yet so smooth?

Suddenly, he felt a naked gaze staring at him from the dark. His brows knitted instantly, and he silently caught the gaze that made him extremely uncomfortable.

When He Wanyi saw that Xie Ci had noticed something, she quickly retracted her presumptuous look.

Feng Xuanyan, who was standing beside her, glanced at her and teased, "Wanyi, didn't you just accept Meng Fang? Why are you planning something else now?"

Speaking of Meng Fang, since the Spring Festival Banquet, He Wanyi launched a more fierce offensive against him, but the offensive was not directed at him, but at his family. In order to prevent the already struggling family from getting worse, he finally broke his spine and entered the Heroic Marquis's Mansion.

His stubbornness aroused He Wanyi's great desire to conquer him, and she has not divorced him yet.

He Wanyi shrugged disapprovingly: "No matter how reckless I am, I will never covet the number one son of Yunqi. I still have this self-awareness."

What a joke, Xie Ci doesn't even look down on Helian Qing, how can she have a chance? I'm afraid she'll even lose her life. She likes challenges and conquers, but that doesn't mean she has no brains. She knows very well who she should touch and who she shouldn't touch.

Feng Xuanyan was impressed by her. She glanced at Xie Ci and heard people praising Lady Mu from the Taifu Mansion. The scene of the Spring Banquet came to her mind. She saw that the men present today were being pulled by their families to lean towards Taifu Li, instead of staying close to her as in the past. She felt depressed. In the past, she could not match Helian Qing's reputation outside, but in the palace, she was uniquely charming. Then she said to He Wanyi in a sarcastic tone, "The Lady Mu they are talking about seems to be a stunning beauty. Maybe she can catch the eye of Master Xie."

When He Wanyi heard this, her whole face turned cold instantly, making her originally poor face even more hideous.

"No matter how beautiful she is, can she be prettier than Helian Qing? Can she be prettier than you?" She said so, but she never thought that Helian Qing and Feng Xuanyan were good-looking.

Feng Xuanyan's eyes brightened after hearing this. Then she pretended to be reserved and said, "Don't say that. There is no ugly person who can make friends with Helian Qing."

Emperor Qingyuan looked at Li Taifu's direction with deep eyes, glanced at Ye Qinghan who was silent not far away, and looked at the eldest princess with a slightly complicated look. This micro-expression happened to fall into Queen Gu's eyes. Her pupils suddenly shrank, and she stared at Ye Qinghan meaningfully. Ye Qinghan noticed this gaze and raised his eyes to meet Queen Gu's sharp gaze. He noticed a hint of dissatisfaction in his mother's eyes, and instantly looked away and ignored it, lowering his eyes, with a lot of thoughts in his mind.

Ye Lianhe saw Ye Qinghan avoiding Queen Gu's gaze, and raised his eyelids slightly, continuing to taste the wine and food with a smile. He had been in Dongtai County, a bitter and cold place, for nearly a year, and hadn't had a good meal for a long time. Today's dishes were all to his liking. It was said that the owner of "Shuiyunjian", Miss Mu, was in charge of it. He took note.

At this moment, Emperor Qingyuan laughed loudly and said, "I have heard you all enthusiastically talking about the noble lady of the Taifu family. I am also quite curious about her. Noble Lady Mu is not only kind-hearted and intelligent, but also wealthy and good at business. She is stunningly beautiful. The Taifu has a good daughter! Hahahaha!"

Li Taifu quickly stood up and saluted: "Your Majesty, thank you for your praise. It is a blessing for my daughter to be appreciated by your Majesty, and it is also a blessing for me, an old minister.

Emperor Qingyuan's eyes were gloomy. He stroked the dragon head on the armrest of the throne and signaled to Chief Steward Lei standing beside him.

Chief Steward Lei shouted loudly: "Ms. Xuanmu, please come to see me."