After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 1107 Best Friends

The banquet began and unmarried young girls took their seats one after another.

The warm pot banquet of the fourth branch of the Zhou family did not prepare any delicacies from the mountains and the sea, but it had the authentic Chang'an flavor, carefully cooked by the Chang'an chefs. Ninety percent of the people attending the banquet today had lived in Chang'an. Eating these dishes reminded them of the good times they had in Chang'an, and everyone was smiling while eating.

Zhou Xuejun also whispered to Wu Qiong: "Although the maids in the Cining Palace occasionally cook a few hometown dishes, the taste is no longer the same as what we are used to. I am not used to it, but I am embarrassed to say it. Why don't I go back and ask my mother to ask the cook at home to teach my maid to cook a few Chang'an dishes, so that I can also taste the flavor of my hometown in the palace?"

Wu Qiong replied in a low voice: "We can only stay outside the palace for three days. How many dishes can your maids learn in three days? It would be better to ask the Fourth Madam to pick one or two clever maids at home and teach them from scratch. Let them learn a few more good dishes, and then send them to the palace to serve you after they are trained well. Isn't that better?"

That way she would have to wait longer.

Zhou Xuejun hesitated for a moment and decided to combine the two methods: "I will let the maid learn a few simple dishes from the cook at home, and then ask mother to pick two smart maids to learn cooking, so that I can use them in the future. That way, I won't have to wait too long, and I can eat meals that suit my taste in the palace!"

Wu Qiong smiled and said, "It's up to you. Anyway, the Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager and the Fourth Lady will not refuse you. When the Emperor came to the Cining Palace to have dinner with the Grand Empress Dowager the other day, I saw that he also liked the northwest dishes. If you can add a few more new dishes to the Cining Palace menu, the Emperor might be very happy!"

The two sisters discussed and decided on this matter while chatting and laughing, as if bringing a cook into the palace and deciding on the meals for the Cining Palace was an easy task for Zhou Xuejun.

Haitang listened and had a clearer understanding of Zhou Xuejun's position in the palace. This girl was quite popular among the nobles in the palace. Even though her grandfather was seriously ill and her father was not powerful enough, it still could not shake her position as the future queen. She got along well with her fiancé and her future mother-in-law and great-grandmother.

Zhou Xuejun's position is stable, which means that the Zhou family has a bright future. The Zhou family took risks twice to make contributions to the emperor. The first time, they were treated with indifference and suffered for many years. The second time, they finally met a wise emperor and did not lose both the wife and the army. The new emperor is a person who knows how to repay his gratitude and will not treat the meritorious officials unfairly. It also means that all civil and military officials can rest assured and do not have to worry about meeting a petty and twisted emperor who may violate taboos at any time, ruining their bright future and even their family and friends will suffer.

As a former follower of the Zhou family, the Hai family can now finally breathe a sigh of relief. The Zhou family is safe and sound, and Tao Ge Lao, who once served the late emperor and the new emperor with all his heart, will also have a good ending. Under the wings of these two parties, the Hai family will surely be able to succeed and have a bright future.

Haitang lowered her head and ate the food. There was not much wine at the banquet today, and there was no female singer from the opera troupe to entertain, but the relatives and friends who attended the banquet ate, drank, talked and laughed, and the atmosphere was still very pleasant.

Halfway through the banquet, the atmosphere became lively and everyone stopped staying at their seats and started walking around, chatting and joking with acquaintances.

Zhou Wenjun came over from the married women's side and greeted several sisters and girlfriends. She touched Zhou Xuejun's little face and sighed, "My eldest sister heard about my grandfather's affairs and came back to Beijing to find out the truth. I have wanted to see you for a long time, but who knew that after so many days, I finally saw you today. Are you living well in the palace now? No one bullies you, right?"

Zhou Xuejun said with a smile: "I am doing well in the palace. With the Empress Dowager taking care of me, who dares to bully me? The Empress Dowager and the Emperor are also very kind. When Concubine Zhang was in a bad mood earlier, she didn't like to talk to people, but she has been much more kind recently. Don't worry, big sister, I'm not a child anymore. If someone bullies me, won't I fight back?!"

Zhou Wenjun sneered, "If it were any other sister who had practiced martial arts and learned horse riding and archery since childhood, I wouldn't worry about it. But you, you only know how to read books all day long, and you think wielding swords and guns is too troublesome. You are as weak as those ladies from scholarly families. Even Sister Hai is stronger and smarter than you. How can I not worry about you?!"

Haitang heard her mentioning herself and said with a smile: "Sister Xuejun's strengths are not in martial arts. She is well-read, knowledgeable, and smart!"

Zhou Xuejun gave Haitang a big smile, then pulled Zhou Wenjun and said, "Don't look down on me, big sister. I'm not as good as you in martial arts, but I'm much stronger than the girls from scholarly families. I haven't been sick since I came to Beijing, but Sister Wu coughs every time the season changes, and she has to gasp for air after walking a few steps. Big sister, instead of worrying about me, you might as well worry about her!"

Wu Qiong never expected that she would be angered just by the time she was drinking tea and watching her sisters laugh. She couldn't help but said angrily, "How can I be so delicate?!"

Zhou Wenjun didn't spend much time with Wu Qiong, but he had long regarded her as a little cousin who needed care, so he asked her, "How are you doing in the palace now? Xuejun and the new king are engaged, so I'm not worried that the people in the palace will dare to neglect her, but I don't know how you are doing?"

Wu Qiong smiled and said, "Don't worry, cousin, I am doing well in the palace. I grew up in the Cining Palace, and now that I am back here, I feel cordial and familiar. The Queen Mother also arranged for me to meet with His Royal Highness Prince Kang a few times, and His Royal Highness Prince Kang treated me with great care. I feel at ease, and there is nothing I am dissatisfied with. Now I just hope that the house at home can be rebuilt as soon as possible, and that my brother and sister Zhang can get married soon. It would be great if I could hear the good news about my nephew before I get married!"

Zhou Wenjun chuckled, "You are an impatient person." After laughing, he continued, "The reconstruction of the Wu Mansion is progressing smoothly. Brother Hengjun has been checking the progress almost every day. It is said that the front yard of the main house has basically taken shape, and the roof was sealed the other day. If it continues to go smoothly, the main house will be basically completed by the middle of next month, and the rest is just some finishing work on the edges and corners."

When Wu Qiong returned to Cheng'en Marquis's Mansion from the palace, he had also heard his cousin Wu Ke talk about the progress of the project, but not as detailed as Zhou Wenjun. Now, hearing what he said, he couldn't help but chant: "That's great! It won't delay my brother's wedding."

Zhou Wenjun and Zhou Xuejun looked at each other, smiling, but they couldn't help sighing in their hearts. Wu Qiong's wedding date was also approaching, but she was only thinking about her cousin's wedding date. In her heart, her parents' home was more important after all. Although there was nothing wrong with such thoughts, she was about to get married, so she should spend more time on her husband in the future. Prince Kang was weak and needed more care. He was the Wu family's future support!

Zhou Xuejun decided to look for an opportunity to persuade her friend. Zhou Wenjun had already turned to talk to Haitang: "I met Yuqi the other day and told her about your letter. She was very grateful. Unfortunately, the Yingchuan Marquis' Mansion wants to avoid the limelight now. They will neither host banquets nor go out to visit guests. I'm afraid there will be no chance to see you. She will leave the capital in a while, so I can only think of a way to meet you later."

Haitang couldn't help but be stunned: "Sister Peng is leaving Beijing? What's going on?"