Chapter 007: Welcome Banquet

At this moment, everyone took their seats with Tang Feng at the head. Since the main seat was already occupied, Tang Feng sat in the guest position, and the others also took their respective seats. Once the guests were seated, the staff of Taibai Tower began to pour wine into each person's cup. As Tang Feng inhaled the fragrant aroma of the wine, he realized it was a rare and fine vintage

A flicker of anger passed through Wang Dedao's eyes, but after a discreet pull from someone beside him, he managed to suppress it, forcing a smile that did not reach his eyes as he said, "I beg your pardon, esteemed sir. I have never been one to drink, so I am unable to accompany you in this toast." The person who had just offered the toast added, "I hope you can forgive us, esteemed sir. Our young master has indeed been unable to drink since childhood, and it is not a matter of lacking respect for you." With that, he bowed again to Tang Feng.

Tang Feng slowly poured the wine into his mouth, wearing a smile while listening, yet feeling even more surprised inside, not expecting that the Wang family would do this as a favor to him. Before Tian Jing could finish speaking, he added: "The one toasting is Wang Cai, the steward of the Wang family's outer court. He is very adept at navigating social situations and is quite a formidable character, holding a status in She County that is on par with other wealthy families. His willingness to apologize to you is already a significant show of respect."

Seeing Tang Feng's silence, Tian Jing, who was beside him, poured a glass of wine and said, "My lord, I raise this glass in your honor." After drawing Tang Feng's attention, he softly added, "Please do not think that the Wang family arranged this out of disrespect for you. I have seen many county magistrates here, and when they came, the Wang family only sent a steward to handle the matter. It is unprecedented for their third young master to come and host a welcoming gathering today. Moreover, this third young master has always associated with individuals of at least the level of a prefect, and he has long held himself in high regard. It is not intended to embarrass you, my lord."

At this moment, one of the individuals who entered with Wang Dedao stood up and raised his cup, saying: "Today, the county magistrate has graciously accepted our humble invitation to this welcoming banquet, which truly leaves us flattered and astonished. Let us first toast to you, sir." After making a gesture of respect, he downed the drink in one gulp. Upon seeing this, the others hurriedly drank their own cups, but only Tang Feng and Wang Dedao did not partake, which caused a slight awkwardness among the crowd.

Upon hearing this modern and well-known term "Wang Cai," Tang Feng couldn't help but smile slightly. It seemed that people at this time were still not accustomed to calling their pet dogs in such a manner. However, this Wang Cai did appear to have a somewhat servile demeanor. After indulging in a bit of self-satisfaction by disparaging others, Tang Feng's discontent began to subside.

Although Tang Feng said this, everyone knew he was indirectly criticizing Wang Dedao for arriving too late, causing everyone to wait in vain. However, no one dared to say anything and could only remain silent.

Seeing Tang Feng finally in high spirits, Tian Jing and Gao Ming secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and the atmosphere at the banquet became even more lively. However, amidst all this, there was one person whose expression was not as cheerful as the others, and that was Wang De Dao, the third young master of the Wang family. He was still brooding over Tang Feng's earlier questioning of him. He had never regarded such a minor seventh-rank county magistrate with any importance. Today, it was only because his father had ordered him to do so that he reluctantly came to meet this newly appointed county magistrate. Unexpectedly, Tang Feng did not give him any face, and he was determined to make Tang Feng look foolish. Yet, in front of so many people, he could not openly make things difficult for the county magistrate, as the other party was, after all, the head of the county. Thus, his resentment only deepened.

The master was injured and left, causing the others to lose interest as well. After a few calls, they all departed one after another. Tang Feng also left Taibai Building in a state of confusion, leaving behind the young waiter who had brought the soup, standing there pale and at a loss for what to do

At this moment, Wang Dedao's handsome face was already covered with blisters, and he had fainted from the pain. The four did not dare to delay, quickly lifting him and heading down, not even exchanging a word about the situation, leaving behind a group of bewildered onlookers. Only when Wang Li was leaving did he cast a deep glance at Tang Feng, for he believed that only this person had the motive to inflict such harm. The mystery surrounding this young man had long been selectively ignored by him.

They believed that their actions were so subtle that no one would notice, yet unbeknownst to them, one person had already taken note of their every move. This person was none other than Xie Huo, who had been standing behind Tang Feng all along. Upon seeing these two plotting against his young master, a hint of murderous intent inadvertently flashed in Xie Huo's eyes.

The other party not only explained but also offered a gesture of courtesy, which made Tang Feng appear somewhat petty. Thus, he laughed heartily and said, "It seems I have been overly sensitive." As he spoke, he first picked up a piece of food and ate it, then finished his drink, saying, "I shall pour myself another cup as an apology." He filled his cup again and drank it down.

Everything happened so quickly that no one had yet figured out what was going on when Wang Dedao fell to the ground. A few people who followed him hurriedly stepped forward to check, while others also got up and rushed over. Everyone was quite puzzled as to how that bowl of soup had splashed onto Wang Dedao's face and the book.

However, he did not take action, and the matter did not come to an end. Just at the moment when the waiter placed the soup on the table, the large basin suddenly leaped from the waiter's hands and splashed towards Wang Dedao, along with the bowls.

This move took everyone by surprise, including Wang Li, who had just failed in his attempt. He thought that it was acceptable for the opponent to see through his scheme, but he did not expect the opponent to counterattack. This caught him off guard; by the time he wanted to save Wang Dedao, it was already too late. Scalding hot soup splashed all over Wang Dedao's face and body, causing him to cry out in pain.

Wang Li took a small iron ball from his pocket, placed it between his fingers, and aimed it at the knee of the waiter who had just approached Tang Feng. He was confident that once his iron ball struck the man, he would inevitably fall, causing the bowl of soup to spill over Tang Feng. However, what he expected did not happen; the waiter continued to move forward, and his hidden weapon vanished without a trace. At this moment, Wang Li realized that there was another skilled fighter present who had intercepted his attack, and that person was assisting Tang Feng. He immediately refrained from making any further moves. Just because he could not even discern who had intervened, Wang Li understood that he was far from being a match for his opponent.

Only then did everyone feel at ease, and they each poured a cup of wine to toast. After a few cups were downed, the conversation among the group became more lively, and the earlier awkwardness dissipated. They engaged in friendly chatter, discussing business matters or the farming season, creating a warm atmosphere. However, Tang Feng did not join in the discussions; his mind was preoccupied with a particular matter.

At that moment, a waiter brought in several dishes. As soon as these dishes were placed down, Tang Feng was captivated by their exquisite appearance. Wang Cai, noticing Tang Feng's expression, flashed a hint of disdain in his eyes, but quickly restored his original smile and said to Tang Feng: "I have heard that you are from Shanyin, so you may not be very familiar with the cuisine of Huizhou. Allow me to introduce it to you." As he spoke, he pointed to a dish that was golden in color and cut into small pieces, saying, "This is the most famous delicacy from my Xuan County, known as 'Mao Tofu.' Someone once wrote a poem: 'Daily indulging in the delicacy of Mao Tofu, I would not mind being a Huizhou person for long,' referring to this dish." He then pointed to a large bowl of chicken and said, "This is 'Hua Gu Shi Ji,' another famous dish from my Xuan County. The Hua Gu is a specialty mushroom from Huangshan, and the stone chicken can only be found in our county. This dish is fragrant, sweet, tender, and refreshing, with a lasting aftertaste. I invite you to try it." He continued to introduce several other dishes to Tang Feng, such as 'Ham Stewed Turtle,' 'Pickled Fresh Mandarin Fish,' and 'Wen Zheng Mountain Bamboo Shoots,' all of which are renowned Huizhou dishes. Occasionally, he added some introductions and verses, showcasing his remarkable knowledge. Tang Feng listened with a smile as he finished introducing these dishes and tasted a few. Indeed, they were delicious, and he praised, "Huizhou cuisine is truly exceptional; it has not only opened my eyes and broadened my knowledge but also satisfied my palate. Excellent!"

Just as Wang Dedao was looking for a way to humiliate Tang Feng, another person entered carrying a large bowl of the famous Huizhou dish, Zhonghe Soup. The waiter walked carefully, as the bowl was both large and heavy, fearing that he might accidentally spill it. Upon seeing this person approach, Wang Dedao devised a plan. He exchanged a glance with another attendant who had accompanied him, and the man named Wang Li immediately understood that he was meant to spill the soup onto Tang Feng. However, he also realized that doing so would greatly embarrass Tang Feng, who was the county magistrate, and hesitated for a moment. Wang Dedao shot him a fierce glare, leaving him with no choice but to act.

This banquet was said to be a welcoming event for himself, but Tang Feng did not feel that they were particularly respectful or flattering towards him; instead, they were quite courteous to Wang Dedao. Since the Wang family intended to befriend him, they surely would not send someone who couldn't even drink to represent them, which was clearly intended to put him in an awkward position. Reflecting on the immense power of the Wang family that he had heard about before coming, Tang Feng felt that this welcoming banquet would be more aptly named a "Hongmen Banquet".

"Sir, is this wine not to your taste?" Gao Ming hurriedly interjected, trying to smooth things over, while repeatedly signaling to Tang Feng with his eyes. However, Tang Feng merely raised his cup and said, "I have a habit, which is that I must have food in my stomach before drinking. Currently, my stomach is empty, so how can I dare to drink this cup? I wonder if the Third Young Master shares this habit as well?"

Accompanied by the sound of footsteps, one person led the way while four others followed him upstairs. Tang Feng could immediately recognize that the person in front was Wang De Dao, the third young master of the Wang family. He was tall and slender, exuding a somewhat elegant demeanor, and his appearance could be considered handsome. The only thing that felt out of place was his pair of eyes, which carried a hint of frivolity and always seemed to look down on others. While Tang Feng was observing Wang De Dao, the latter was also sizing him up, and the others quickly began to introduce the identities of both parties. Tang Feng smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, but Wang De Dao frowned slightly and returned the gesture in a rather perfunctory manner. After reaching the upper floor, Wang De Dao did not hold back and walked straight to the head of the round table, calling out as he walked, "Everyone, please take your seats and let us begin the meal."