Chapter 691 - 252: Xinglin Banquet
Chapter 691: Chapter 252: Xinglin Banquet
To secure Zhao Jing’s position as the Champion Scholar, the Emperor had uncharacteristically argued with the Empress Dowager. Perhaps because of this, or perhaps because of Zhao Jing’s naturally aloof and cold demeanor, the others felt a sense of awe and couldn’t help but take a step back.
Zhao Jing supported the swaying Xu Yanhe. Frowning, he asked, "How much have you had to drink?"
"Not much," Xu Yanhe replied, his words slurring. "It was hard to turn down their hospitality, so I couldn’t help but have a few extra cups."
The surrounding scholars rubbed their noses sheepishly, only now realizing they had gone too far. The banquet was only halfway through, yet they had already gotten him this drunk. Anyone who didn’t know better might think they were seeking personal revenge.
Zhao Jing didn’t say much. He simply called over a nearby eunuch. "My cousin is drunk. Please take good care of him."
The young eunuch accepted Xu Yanhe from Zhao Jing’s hands with deep reverence and trepidation. "Please rest assured, top scorer. I guarantee I will serve Mr. Xu well. There will absolutely be no mistakes."
Zhao Jing nodded. "Thank you for the trouble."
The young eunuch supported Xu Yanhe and led him to a nearby pavilion to rest.
Zhao Jing looked at the surrounding Advanced Scholars. None of them dared to meet his gaze, all turning their heads to avert their eyes. However, the rare opportunity to network was too tempting. Itching with anticipation, they shamelessly approached him once more.
"To be in the same graduating class as Scholar Zhao is an incredible honor for us! We’ve long heard that Mr. Zhao’s talent is unmatched across the land. Seeing you today, your extraordinary bearing truly makes you a role model for us all. This cup is not only to celebrate our success in the same examination, but also to celebrate meeting such a great mentor and friend. In the future, here in the Capital City, if Mr. Zhao ever needs anything, just give the word..."
What a glib tongue. In just a few short sentences, the man had pulled out all the stops to flatter and fawn. To think there was someone among his peers willing to stoop so low.
Zhao Jing cast a dark, profound look at the group before a faint smile touched the corners of his lips. He took the cup of wine they offered. "Meeting is fate, and we should support each other in the future. I’ll drink this cup first as a sign of respect; please drink at your own pace."
With that, he readily drained the wine from his cup.
Seeing this, the others immediately slammed the table and cheered. Their side of the banquet instantly grew lively. Perhaps influenced by the commotion, the other Advanced Scholars who were still exchanging polite pleasantries also let loose. Using poetry as a medium, they began to drink heavily.
Prince Ning watched the scene below, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. He didn’t send anyone to stop them. Instead, he simply remarked to the eunuch beside him, "As expected of the Champion Scholar chosen by the Emperor. He really has a few tricks up his sleeve."
It was more than just a few tricks. By the time the banquet ended, the vast majority of the Advanced Scholars had to be carried out by the eunuchs.
The few who still retained some of their senses knew they had gone too far by getting so drunk. They awkwardly bowed to Prince Ning in apology. Prince Ning would never say anything unpleasant at such a time. He kindly comforted everyone, instructing the eunuchs to keep an eye on them and escort them back to their residences one by one.
Once practically everyone was gone, Prince Ning finally looked at Zhao Jing, who was sitting upright and sipping tea. "I never knew," the Prince said meaningfully, "that this year’s top scorer not only writes magnificent prose, but also possesses a first-rate tolerance for alcohol."
Zhao Jing stood up and cupped his hands in greeting. "It’s just a minor parlor trick, unfit for a refined setting. I’ve made a fool of myself in front of the Prince, and I beg for your forgiveness."
Prince Ning didn’t say much else, acting as if he hadn’t seen through the reason behind Zhao Jing’s earlier behavior. He simply pointed at him from afar and left with a laugh.
When Zhao Jing returned to the Xu family reeking of alcohol, he unsurprisingly drew the attention of the entire household. But he was in much better shape than Yanhe, who was currently snoring in a drunken stupor, completely unaware of where he even was.
The Xu Family surrounded him, asking why he had drunk so much. Zhao Jing replied with a few polite platitudes, such as, "My fellow scholars were so enthusiastic, it was hard to refuse their hospitality," and, "I met some kindred spirits and couldn’t help but drink a few extra cups."
The women and children of the Xu family were all fooled by him, but Chen Wanqing didn’t buy his sweet talk.
"If you had truly met kindred spirits, you wouldn’t have used that tone of voice. Tell me the truth; you’re just trying to fool us."
Realizing he couldn’t hide it from her, Zhao Jing chuckled softly and recounted the entire incident in detail. When Chen Wanqing heard that he had only drank more to take revenge for Yanhe, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
"You’re about to become a father, how can you still be so childish? So what if Yanhe got drunk? You didn’t have to drag yourself down with him. Don’t you know your own alcohol tolerance?"
At this point, Chen Wanqing paused, belatedly realizing a blind spot in her logic.
"Hasn’t your tolerance always been quite poor? When did you develop this ability to drink a thousand cups without getting drunk? Why didn’t I know about this? Jing, tell me the truth. Are you hiding something from me?"