The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!

Chapter 367: A Toast to Bury Old Grievances?

These guests came one group after another. Truly guests they never dared to think of before.

The Lord Imperial Envoy, the Lord County Magistrate, these people they had only heard from storytellers before, now appeared one after another and wanted to eat their food and drink their wine.

Is this the sign that their restaurant is going to be famous?

Upon arriving in town, Huangfu Jingchen parted ways with Huangfu Jinxuan. He thought Xia Wenjin was still handling matters in the quarantine area, so he went there, only to find the imperial physicians and doctors discussing the illness.

Upon inquiry, he learned that after completing all the handovers, Xia Wenjin had left.

He should have returned to the inn, so Huangfu Jingchen went there too, but the innkeeper told him that the owner of the Hongfu Restaurant came to ask for her help, and she had gone there.

Huangfu Jingchen couldn’t help but chuckle.

In the past two months, Xia Wenjin had become so familiar with all the villagers of Wangshan Town that even the restaurant owner would come looking for his help.

Huangfu Jinxuan mentioned before that the evening would be a farewell for him as well as for Xia Wenjin, and they would invite Xia Wenjin to join as well.

The Hongfu Restaurant is not very big, with the first floor as the main hall and only three private rooms on the second floor.

It is precisely these three rooms that elevate the style of the Hongfu Restaurant, making it the only decent restaurant in town.

The three rooms are named Green Crane, White Heron, and Golden Tiger.

Huangfu Jinxuan reserved the Green Crane, while Kong Tixin wanted the Golden Tiger. As for the White Heron in the middle, it remained vacant.

By the time of You hour, the Golden Tiger room was fully prepared, with just the three five-jin wine vats sealed tight, yet the aroma still wafted out.

Kong Tixin ordered his attendant to fill the large wine pot on the table.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door. Kong Tixin personally went to open it, taking a peek to see a graceful young lady outside, her eyes as bright and clear as gemstones in the dark night, shining brightly.

Kong Tixin beamed with joy, saying: "Doctor Xia, please come in, come in!" He also looked behind Xia Wenjin: "Doctor Xia, are you alone?"

Xia Wenjin smiled and said, "I mentioned it to a friend, but he might be busy and unable to come."

Kong Tixin thought this was just right. Her friend must be that Huang Zheng, whom he once meant to punish publicly for spreading rumors, but he dared to resist punishment and run away.

If he were not an acquaintance of the Lord Imperial Envoy, he certainly wouldn’t have let him go. Now it seems he got off easy. However, his face showed no hint of that, still warmly inviting: "Doctor Xia, don’t just stand at the door, come in and have a seat!"

Xia Wenjin didn’t move. She smiled and said: "Lord Kong, if this farewell banquet is just you and me, it wouldn’t be very appropriate, would it? I’d better not go in."

Kong Tixin quickly said: "No, no, no, of course, it’s not just you and me. There are others accompanying us, there are others accompanying us!"

Just then, someone anxiously and fearfully arrived, wiping sweat from his forehead, nodding, and bowing: "Lord Kong, I’m late!"

Xia Wenjin raised an eyebrow: "Mayor Wang?"

Wang Bolao wiped his sweat again, smiled at Xia Wenjin: "Doctor Xia, the Lord County Magistrate said he wanted to give you a farewell, so he asked my humble wife and me to accompany, it is truly our honor, our honor!"

Following Wang Bolao by a few steps, his wife came over.

Xia Wenjin couldn’t help but glance at Kong Tixin.

Did Kong Tixin really call Mayor Wang and his wife to accompany? Could it be the sun really rose in the west, and he sincerely means to give a farewell?

Mayor Wang’s wife eagerly said to Xia Wenjin: "Miss Xia, it is truly our honor that the County Magistrate is hosting, and we are merely basking in your glory, thank you, Miss Xia!"

Her face beamed with joy, for her husband to share a table with the County Magistrate was a great honor, who knows, maybe her husband will have good fortune and secure a position in the County Government later.

Kong Tixin invited them to the table again.

Once they settled, more guests arrived for Kong Tixin.

This time, Kong Tixin was even more eager, personally opening the door, but then his expression changed.

Towards Xia Wenjin, he was full of warmth, speaking flattering words, though lacking true flattery in his bones; to Mayor Wang and his wife, though all smiles, he could not conceal a sense of superiority, with a slight condescension peeking through here and there.

But when facing the person outside, he was like a lapdog seeing its master, so overjoyed as if basking in spring sunshine. If he had a tail, it would surely be wagging wildly.

He promptly said: "Lord Yu, please, please come in, we’ve been waiting for you!"

Yu Shikui? Xia Wenjin slightly frowned without a trace.

Yu Shikui swaggered in with a steady gait and a dignified expression.

As for the restaurant owner, he was completely dumbfounded by now. His restaurant was indeed going to be famous with so many officials having dined there...

As soon as Yu Shikui arrived, Mayor Wang hurriedly hurried to pull his wife to salute Yu Shikui.

Yu Shikui’s gaze swept over, pausing on Xia Wenjin, then fell onto Kong Tixin, revealing a smile and faintly said: "No need for formalities, Mayor Wang."

Xia Wenjin remained seated, unmoving, causing a flicker of displeasure in Kong Tixin’s eyes, even more so in Yu Shikui’s. How could it be, a mere commoner of Jianghu, remained seated without saluting upon seeing him, unyielding, as if rooted in place!

Truly a grassroots from Jianghu, ignorant of courtesy.

Kong Tixin, with a practiced ease, said: "Miss Xia, I heard today the county is holding a farewell for you, Lord Yu mentioned having some misunderstandings with you before, and suggested a drink to bury past grievances, what do you think?"

Now that everyone had arrived, what choice was there?

She calmly said: "It’s Lord Kong’s treat, not mine!"

"So no objections then, haha, let’s serve the food!" Kong Tixin saw Xia Wenjin’s casual and languid demeanor, silently cursing this ungrateful girl, yet laughed aloud.

Whether she appreciated it or not didn’t matter, as long as his plan succeeded next, that’s all this impudent girl was good for.

The dishes began arriving one after another at the table.

One braised chicken, one braised pork joint, one soy sauce duck...

Each dish came in heaping portions, enough to satisfy anyone!

Yet Kong Tixin frowned at these dishes, finding them lacking any special features, served not on beautiful and delicate plates but in these simple earthen bowls affecting the appetite. Indeed, the countryside couldn’t offer up any remarkable dishes.

However, remembering that today’s treat was not about the food, he dismissed it.

What surprised him was the final dish, a plate of skewers on bamboo sticks. The meat, grilled to a golden hue, gave off an enticing aroma.

This was indeed something new, and the owner personally delivered it along with an introduction: "These meats are all freshly sourced game, wild from the mountains. This plate of grilled meat is prepared with a special recipe, I hope the honorable guests will try it!"