Huh? The Tyrant Cries After My Inner Thoughts Were Exposed!-Chapter 218: All Good People

As only a dozen people came, Su Juan quickly started the banquet and served the dishes.

The people below started serving the dishes, with each table laid with two meat dishes, three vegetarian dishes, and a soup, which made everyone’s temples at the scene twitching, and the chopsticks were tightly clenched.

Has Princess Jinyang really fallen to such a miserable state?

This was truly unbearable for them to see.

The two meat dishes were clearly a single fish, one plate had half of the fish’s body, one side steamed, the other braised, with the fish head even in the soup, and the three vegetarian dishes... Did she think that putting them in three separate bowls would hide the fact they all came from the same pot?!

Speaking of perfunctory, she could have just served everything from a big pot, but instead used several bowls for serving. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Scholar Yuan looked on, feeling sorry for Su Juan. After all, she was once a dignified princess, and now having to eat such food, which wasn’t even as sumptuous as his dinner at his mansion the previous night.

Su Juan glanced at these people out of the corner of her eye, her heart uneasy, "Why isn’t anyone picking up their chopsticks, do they think it’s too shabby..."

Immediately everyone picked up their chopsticks, taking some dishes and complimenting, "No wonder the cook at the princess’s mansion can make fish taste so good, such dedication!"

"The previous chef ran away, and I specifically recruited one from East Street to fill the gap, unexpectedly the cooking skills are quite something!"

"..."

Upon hearing this, everyone’s faces remained composed as they praised, "Yes, yes, these dishes are cooked so deliciously, I’ve never tasted such wonderful flavors in my life."

"Thanks to Your Highness, we get to taste such earthly delights today."

Those present were all wise. Although Su Juan was out of favor now, she was still a current princess, a fourth-rank in court, who knows when the Emperor might change his mind, and the princess would rise again. They wouldn’t do anything that would kick her while she’s down.

After all, the incident of Imperial Censor Chen being beaten to death and then dying of illness was still fresh in their memories.

Su Juan was so praised that she felt embarrassed, "If you find it delicious, please have more, I’ll have the kitchen make more."

The crowd: "Thank you, Your Highness, then we won’t hold back, we will heartily enjoy it."

On the side, Xie Xun’s temples twitched, these folks sure know how to flatter. It’s just one fish and a few vegetables but they praise it as if there’s nothing like it on earth.

Su Juan smiled as she called for someone to bring the drinks. After the servers filled the cups, everyone raised a toast to celebrate Su Juan’s birthday, a cup after another... and all fell silent.

Scholar Yuan stared at the wine cup in his hand, then looked at the wine pot on the table. Is this wine? Why does it taste like water?

Xie Xun’s mouth twitched. Even if you’re selling misery, isn’t it a bit much to water down the wine?

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Su Juan’s heart skipped a beat, "Did they realize that I watered the wine?"

The crowd was silent: "..." Seriously? Are they so poor they have to water down the wine?

Su Juan sighed in her heart, "Alas, I once laughed at Nie Yun Guang for being thrifty by adding water to wine, now I truly understand he had no choice."

The crowd forced a smile and said, "This wine is quite nice, Your Highness, truly refreshing and thirst-quenching!"

Xie Xun couldn’t stand to watch, they could barely taste any alcohol, it really did quench thirst!

Su Juan was moved, "Since you all like it so much, I’ll have some prepared for you to take a couple of jars when you leave later."

The crowd repeatedly declined, "Your Highness, that’s too much, we still have wine at our own houses."

This water, they did not want.

Su Juan: "It’s okay, the longer the wine sits, the more aromatic and mellow it becomes."

"Bury it under a peach tree for decades, and maybe it’ll turn into peach blossom brew!"

The crowd: "..." Peach blossom brew, even if the Jade Emperor himself came, this would still be water.

Mei Ying was full of disdain, what is this, just water, but they’re talking about it as if it’s an imperial delicacy, are these people all such bootlickers?

Su Juan sighed, thinking they must find her embarrassing... "I knew it."

Scholar Yuan was the first to speak, "Since Your Highness insists, I must accept two jars, thank you, Your Highness."

Even if Su Juan couldn’t compare with the past, the old friendship of breaking bread together still remained.

Seeing this, others spoke up too, with some even asking for three jars.

Xie Xun had never seen such an absurd situation in his lifetime, just a few jars of water, yet people fought over them as if they’d remiss if they missed out.

Mei Ying pursed her lips; she didn’t want to take home two jars of water just to occupy space.

Liu Xuan and Liu Miaoying remained silent throughout, just watching quietly.

Liu Xuan genuinely believed Su Juan was down and out, poor, and didn’t want to burden her by eating a lot while picking dishes.

Liu Miaoying really didn’t expect Su Juan to be so full of it.

The guests present looked at the two who stood still and said nothing, sighing inwardly, what friendship, now that Princess Jinyang isn’t what she used to be, they didn’t even eat more than a couple of vegetables, nor said a word.

And Heir Xie’s disdain was nearly written on his face.

Princess Jinyang was truly pitiful, treating such people as dear friends.

When the banquet ended, these guests politely took away several jars of wine, and Su Juan smiled, seeing them off all the way to their carriages, watching them from afar.

Inside the carriage, people looked at the jars occupying half the space, wanting to cry. They hadn’t mentioned being this big!

It was something that had to be dealt with back at the mansion.

They vaguely heard Su Juan’s inner thoughts outside...

"Now that I’ve come to this state, my colleagues from court who were friendly before no longer come, yet these few officials still give me face... such good people."

"Wuwuwu... touched."

"If I rise again someday, I will treat you well!"

The guests in the carriage sighed, their efforts to praise without end all day were not in vain, only it’s a pity, not knowing if the princess could rise again.

However, the Ministers of Revenue and Justice were once so good with Princess Jinyang, and that Marquis Wu Yuan, who used to think of marrying Su Juan to his grandson every day, none of these people came today.

The heart of people is like this, when the wall is about to fall, everyone pushes.

Probably after today, Princess Jinyang will realize the nature of those she once associated with was opportunistic.

But Mo Youqian was never seen to be like this before, he really could put on an act!

Meanwhile, Opportunistic Minister Mo was instructing his confidant to deliver birthday gifts to the Princess Mansion, not forgetting to remind, "Although Xiao Su didn’t let this old man go, it is, after all, a birthday, take this birthday gift there with care, don’t let others see it."

This child is really honest, afraid that her current situation might trouble others, she didn’t let anyone attend her birthday banquet.

Also not sure what the Emperor is thinking, Su Juan once poured all her private property to relieve Da Jin’s immediate crisis, how could such a kind-hearted granddaughter be allowed to suffer?

If she were his own granddaughter, she’d be treasured in his hands.

The Emperor is truly... oh, no mention.

Minister of Revenue Mo felt deeply troubled for Su Juan.

...

"Achoo!"

The eunuch promptly sent for the Imperial Physician.

The Old Emperor rubbed his nose, puzzled: Why have I been sneezing so much today?