67Who told you to eat staple food? You can get full just as easily by eating bear paws.
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Chapter 67 Who told you to eat staple food? You can get full just as easily by eating bear paws.
Minister Hu snorted, "My wife is not well, please invite the Commandery Prince Consort and the Princess to dine!"
Hu Bai led the group to the banquet hall and sent them off to eat.
Minister Hu said, "Princess, I still have matters to attend to, so I won't accompany you here. Please return after you finish your meal."
Hu Jianye had already issued an eviction notice; keeping these people in his home was truly a disaster.
If he didn't send them away soon, his home might even be emptied by them.
Hearing that Minister Hu was about to leave, Shen Yulou spoke.
"Minister Hu, His Majesty has already issued an imperial edict for you to preside over our wedding. I still have many details to discuss with you."
Minister Hu frowned, *Is he sick? I just said that casually, did he really take it seriously?*
*Does he expect me, a dignified Minister, to handle those trivial matters for him?*
*Where would I find the time for that?*
*Couldn't he just find a few people to deal with it?*
Minister Hu was too lazy to bother with him and said to Zhao Siyi, the Commandery Princess.
"Princess, I am truly busy with official duties. For any matters, please have my chief steward assist you."
Shen Yulou said, "Lord Minister, the Emperor's order was for you to be personally involved. If the Chief Steward Hu takes your place, it might not sound good if it reaches His Majesty's ears, might it?
Of course, I'm not doing this for myself; I'm afraid you might leave a bad impression on His Majesty.
Our wedding can be handled by ourselves, but it's just that we are short on funds. If Lord Minister could support us with ten or eight thousand taels of silver, perhaps we wouldn't need to trouble you."
Zhao Siyi, the Commandery Princess said.
"Forget it, Lord Minister is busy with myriad affairs every day; how could he have time to bother with a minor princess like me?
Moreover, Lord Minister is a high official; even with His Majesty's words, Lord Minister can choose to hear one part and not the other.
We'll handle the wedding ourselves. At worst, it will be a bit shabby. If His Majesty questions it then, we'll just say we don't have good connections."
Hu Jianye's mouth twitched, and he clenched his fists, trembling with anger.
*These scoundrels!*
*This is clearly extortion!*
*Are they using the Emperor's imperial edict to endlessly demand things?*
*They moved his furniture, took his antiques, and now they even want money!*
Zhang Xinjie stood by, looking a bit awkward. Although he also understood that Shen Yulou and Zhao Siyi, the Commandery Princess were asking Minister Hu for money, at this moment, he could only pretend not to understand anything.
Minister Hu gave Zhang Xinjie a cold look. With Zhang Xinjie, a minor official from the Imperial Clan Court, present, he didn't dare to do anything to Shen Yulou.
Minister Hu gritted his teeth and said, "Is two thousand taels enough?"
Shen Yulou said, "Lord Minister, we need to decorate the wedding chamber and hire servants, which might cost a lot..."
Zhao Siyi, the Commandery Princess said, "Forget it, don't make things difficult for Lord Minister. We'll raise another three thousand taels; at worst, I'll ask the Emperor for it."
"Alright, alright, alright! Five thousand taels of silver. The extra is my wedding gift to you two. I wish you a happy marriage. Eat your meal and then leave, okay?"
The Princess curtsied gracefully, "Thank you, Lord Minister."
Hu Jianye snorted coldly and flicked his sleeves, leaving.
Shen Yulou quickly took two steps to catch up, whispering, "Lord Minister, this is a letter from Consort Qing to you."
After slipping the letter into Hu Jianye's hand, Shen Yulou turned and walked back.
Hu Jianye's expression changed, and he frowned, looking at Shen Yulou.
*How did Consort Qing's letter end up in his hands?*
Consort Qing was currently in the Cold Palace, and her situation shouldn't be very good; it would be extremely difficult for her to send letters out of the palace.
Even if she did send a letter, it should be through the imperial princes finding a way.
*How could it be Shen Yulou?*
Hu Jianye squeezed the letter in his sleeve and quickly departed... Soon, a large table of sumptuous dishes was placed before them.
Shen Yulou's appetite was immediately piqued.
*Who said there was nothing good to eat when transmigrating to ancient times?*
*These dishes are too lavish; this is what you call delicacies from land and sea, a gourmet feast.*
Bear paws, shark fins, pigeons, Siberian grouse, all sorts of rare items were served on the dining table.
Previously, Shen Yulou had only eaten coarse rice porridge at home, with some beans and pickled vegetables as side dishes.
He had never eaten such fine food, even before he transmigrated.
"Everyone, please sit down, don't be shy, let's eat together."
Shen Yulou motioned for Song Hu, Qingqing, and Zhang Xinjie to sit around the table.
Hu Bai felt a surge of speechlessness in his heart, silently rolling his eyes, as if he were the one hosting the meal.
After they sat down, they began to devour the food.
The Princess and Qingqing's eating manners were relatively refined, looking pleasant to the eye.
But Shen Yulou and Song Hu disregarded their image.
Song Hu naturally had a large appetite, while Shen Yulou hadn't eaten anything good recently. The two of them ate with gusto, absolutely wolfing down their food.
Song Hu slammed the table and said, "Give me another bowl of rice!"
Shen Yulou glared at him.
"Who told you to eat staple food? Get rid of that bad habit immediately! You can get full eating bear paws too!"
Song Hu:... Hu Bai wiped the sweat from his forehead and quickly ordered the kitchen to continue serving dishes.
Song Hu alone could eat half a table of dishes, and the remaining few were no pushovers either.
Although the Princess and Qingqing ate relatively gracefully, these two also ate like starving ghosts reborn, consuming no less than anyone else.
The Princess and Qingqing had a simple diet at home, no different from ordinary commoners, so naturally, their appetites were stimulated when they encountered such rich meat and fish.
One table of dishes was quickly finished, followed by a second round, and these starving ghosts continued to eat.
Hu Bai was utterly speechless at this point. If one knew, they were the Princess and Commandery Prince Consort visiting the mansion.
If one didn't know, they would think refugees had arrived from somewhere.
They ate several rounds in total before they were finally full.
Shen Yulou looked around, wondering if there was anything else he could take.
Hu Bai whispered, "Lord Shen, our master has instructed that after you've eaten, everyone should please leave."
If he didn't issue an eviction notice, these people truly wouldn't leave. They were too thick-skinned; Hu Bai really couldn't stand it.
"Alright then, Lord Minister is truly hospitable. We will definitely visit often in the future."
"Hehe..."
Shen Yulou and the others walked out of the Minister's Manor, leaning against the wall. They had eaten too much and found it difficult to walk.
With a bang.
Hu Bai slammed the main gate shut, venting his resentment.
*What kind of people!*
*Pah!*
... Hu Jianye read Consort Qing's letter in his study, and his face turned grim.
*She wants him to give the Winery to Shen Yulou?*
*He and Shen Yulou have a grudge over the death of his son, and now he's supposed to give Hu Chen's possessions to him?*
If he hadn't recognized Consort Qing's handwriting, Hu Jianye would have thought the letter was a forgery.
The letter stated that Shen Yulou could cure Zhao Ying's leg.
This indeed made Hu Jianye's heart stir.
If Zhao Ying could become the Crown Prince, then Hu Jianye's position in court would surely soar!
Finally, Consort Qing also wrote that Hu Chen's death might have been an accident and had nothing to do with Shen Yulou.
Hu Jianye frowned, "Hu Bai, go to the palace and make arrangements for my wife to visit the Imperial Harem. She must meet Consort Qing and question her personally. This matter brooks no error!