After the gift-giving segment ended, the birthday banquet officially began.
All kinds of fragrant stir-fried dishes, all kinds of exquisite cakes and desserts, plus a plate of mouth-watering spiced beef, were brought to the birthday banquet one by one. It could be said to be full of thick Mohist style.
Especially the spiced beef, which was even more mouth-watering. Eating beef in the Tang Dynasty could be said to be against the laws of the Tang Dynasty. However, this time, even Wei Zheng did not have the slightest objection. Instead, he enjoyed the delicacies with everyone with a clear conscience.
Because everyone knew that although the beef in front of them was the cattle of the Tang Dynasty, it was slaughtered by the Mo Family Village by exchanging adult strong cattle from various grassland tribes for old cattle.
Although it was more than a decade old beef, for the Tang Dynasty, where beef was extremely scarce, even the dignitaries were impeccable, even Xieli Khan.
If it was before when he was the Khan of the grassland, he would not even be willing to taste such old beef. Back then, he must have eaten a calf less than one year old. That kind of beef was delicious, juicy, and incomparably delicious.
However, after coming to the Tang Dynasty, he became a prisoner. Although he was lucky to keep his life, only he knew the taste of going from being high and mighty to living under someone else's roof.
The most unbearable thing for him was the food. The cattle of the Tang Dynasty were precious. How could they let him slaughter and eat it? This was probably the first time he had eaten beef since coming to Chang 'an.
Xieli Khan finished the beef in front of him quickly and efficiently. Only then did he realize that Li Yuan was staring at him playfully.
"I've let the Retired Emperor see a joke. The Minister has not eaten beef for a few years and could not help himself for a moment," Xieli Khan said with shame.
"This is a small matter. Someone come and serve another plate of beef with Xieli." Li Yuan waved his hand. Immediately, another palace maid served another plate of beef beside Xieli Khan.
"You and I drink together!" Li Yuan raised his cup and invited Xieli Khan.
Xieli Khan quickly got up and drank it in one gulp. Suddenly, a burning heat flowed into his stomach. Xieli Khan's face suddenly turned red. He forced himself to hold it back and did not make a fool of himself.
Many courtiers could not help but smile when they saw this. They were probably like this when they drank for the first time to resolve their worries.
"How about this wine?" Li Yuan laughed.
"This is the strongest wine the Minister has ever tasted in his life," Xieli Khan said truthfully.
"Do you know that such a small bottle of fine wine is enough to exchange for a strong ox in each grassland tribe? In the future, the oxen and horses on the grassland will continuously flow into the Tang dynasty. You don't have to worry about the lack of beef," Li Yuan said proudly.
"A bottle of wine, a cow!" Khagan Xieli only felt a surge of reverse blood rush to his head. In an instant, his face became so red that it seemed as if it was dripping blood.
He was the king of the grassland, so of course he knew the importance of cattle. During his reign, even the most expensive three baskets of milk was not worth a cow leg! However, such a small bottle of Qianchou was actually worth a cow.
What he didn't know was that on the grassland, although the best seller was the whole jar of Sullen Falling Horse, as the more beautifully packaged Sullen Falling Horse entered the grassland, it was immediately loved by the grassland aristocrats and was sold at a sky-high price. A bottle of Sullen Falling Horse could be exchanged for a cow, but the supply could not meet the demand. Everyone competed with each other and took pride in drinking the best wine of the Tang dynasty.
"For the grassland tribes to be able to taste the fine wine of the Celestial Empire, it's really a blessing of three lifetimes," Khagan Xieli lowered his head and lamented.
Seeing this, Li Yuan was extremely happy. Every dog has its day. Thinking back to when he started the war, he did not lack in bowing and scraping to Khagan Xieli and gave him money and beauties. Now that he saw Khagan Xieli like this, he immediately spat out all the resentment in his chest.
"With such a grand scene, with fine wine and food in front of us, how can there be no singing and dancing? Come, dance." Li Yuan stretched out his hand and beckoned. Immediately, groups of dancers poured into the Weiyang Palace.
"Hu women?" Meton could not help but be stunned. He found that the people who poured in were actually a group of blonde and blue-eyed Hu women. Along with the passionate acceptance, they kept spinning and dancing.
"Hu Xuan dance!"
Meton took a closer look and suddenly understood. This was the Hu Xuan dance of the Western Regions. It was said that the Hu Xuan dance originated from the Kang Kingdom of the Western Regions and was extremely popular in the grassland tribes of the various countries of the Western Regions. It even spread to Chang 'an City along with the Silk Road and was all the rage in Chang' an City for a time.
The Hu women who were able to enter the Weiyang Palace to perform had superb dancing skills. Immediately, they won waves of applause from the Weiyang Palace from time to time.
Li Yuan's interest was greatly piqued. Seeing Khagan Xieli at the side, he had a thought and said, "I once heard that the Right Guard Grand General is especially good at this dance. With such a beautiful scene, why not dance a song?"
The Hu Xuan dance was especially popular in the Turks. Back then, Khagan Xieli was even famous for being good at the Hu Xuan dance. Even Li Yuan had heard of it.
Hearing this, Khagan Xieli's heart skipped a beat. His face instantly turned from red to white. He said, "The Minister is already old and has long forgotten this dance. How can I embarrass myself in front of the Retired Emperor?"
Back then, when he danced the Hu Xuan dance, he was very proud of himself. Now that he was reduced to a prisoner, how could he be in the mood to dance?
Li Yuan was currently in high spirits. How could he let it go so easily? He said, "This dance is easy to learn. How can you forget it just like that? Don't you see that the Right Guard Grand General is humble? Why don't you ask the Grand General to dance a song?"
The Hu girl who received the order immediately received it. She immediately went forward to pull Khagan Xieli while dancing.
Immediately, he felt sad in his heart. Thinking back at the Rope Pond Gathering, there was still Lin Xiangru who stood up for the King of Zhao. And he was a prisoner. Who would stand up for him?
Khagan Xieli was helpless. Contentedly, he reluctantly danced a song with the female dancer.
After the song, immediately the hall was filled with cheers.
"The Right Guard Grand General's elegant demeanor has not diminished in the past!" Li Yuan laughed loudly and said.
"Retired Emperor flatters me!" Khagan Xieli said with a defeated expression. He returned to his seat and drank silently. The beef in front of him also immediately became tasteless.
Everyone knew that Li Yuan had two major worries in his heart. One was the change in Xuanwu gate. The other was his old rival Khagan Xieli. Back then, when the Tang dynasty was first established, Khagan Xieli attacked the northern border of the Tang dynasty for many years. In those few years, Li Yuan could be said to be extremely sullen. Year after year, he offered generous gifts and bribes to the Turks. However, it still could not satisfy the greed in Khagan Xieli's heart.
The change in Xuanwu gate was already done. Naturally, it could not be changed. However, Khagan Xieli was imprisoned in Chang 'an City. Today's scene was probably specially made to make Li Yuan happy.
The two people fought for a lifetime. In the end, it was still Li Yuan who won and had the last laugh.
After Li Yuan enjoyed himself to his heart's content, he invited everyone to drink together.
"Where there is wine, there must be poetry. Wine without poetry is inelegant!" Li Yuan put down his wine cup and said loudly.
Immediately, everyone involuntarily turned their gaze to Meton who was leaning against the door at the back. Among the great poets of Chang 'an City, Meton was in the limelight. Moreover, each of his poems was very popular.
Meton smiled bitterly. Just as he was about to get up, he discovered that Li Yuan turned his gaze to Feng Zhidai at the side.
"Although Minister Feng was born in Lingnan, I heard that he is extremely good at composing poems. I wonder if he can compose a poem!" Li Yuan said with some drunkenness.
Hearing this, Feng Zhidai was delighted. He quickly saluted and said, "I will follow Retired Emperor's instructions."
"Xieli becomes a crown, Yuli becomes a string recitation, …" It had to be said that Feng Zhidai indeed had some literary talent. What he wrote was the story of how his grandmother, Madam Xian, spread Han culture to the land of Nanyue. Xieli is the clothing of the land of Lingnan. Nowadays, everyone is wearing Han clothing. Yuli is the musical instrument of the minority. Nowadays, everyone is plucking the strings.
After Feng Zhidai finished his poem, Li Yuan's expression immediately became very happy.
"Today is Zhen's birthday. Xieli is dancing, Zhidai is composing a poem. The Huyue family has never existed since ancient times." Li Yuan said excitedly.
Hearing this, Li Shimin raised his cup and said, "Today, the four barbarians have entered Zhen. It is His Majesty's teachings. In the past, Gaozu of Han Dynasty also bought wine from Retired Emperor in this palace. Arrogantly boasting, Zhen does not accept. "
Li Shimin's words and attitude were extremely respectful. It was as if he had returned to the time before the Li Tang Dynasty started the war. At that time, the father was kind and the son was filial.
Li Yuan laughed loudly. He raised his wine cup and drained it in one gulp. His eyes were hazy with drunkenness.
"Zhen and others congratulate Retired Emperor on longevity. Long live, long live, long live." In the entire Weiyang Palace, all the officials congratulated in unison.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
