The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure-Chapter 1699 - 1693: Negotiations or Gourmet Seminar
The leader of the grassland is Wu En, who is the most fond of drinking. Upon hearing about the method of making Monkey Brew, he couldn’t help but show a look of longing. If he could taste Monkey Brew in this lifetime, it would be truly worth it.
Seeing this, Song Chongjin couldn’t resist introducing other fine wines. In his depiction, the wines of Great Chu not only have pleasing names but also beautiful colors, like emeralds, white silk, deep red, pure white, and clear to the bottom.
The flavors of the wines are also varied. Some are soft yet slightly spicy, some are sweet and mellow, some are crisp and clear, some are smooth initially but have a strong kick, and some have a fiery taste, like a flare shooting from the throat into the chest...
Not only Wu En, even his adjutant Bayin, couldn’t help but swallow.
On their grasslands, there is only mare’s milk wine, which is sour and spicy. Although it has benefits for relaxing the muscles, circulating blood, and aiding digestion, its potency isn’t strong enough for the men of the grassland, as even five or six-year-old children can drink a large bowl without getting drunk.
Therefore, upon hearing about these fine wines of Great Chu Country, they really wished for a pair of wings to grow from their sides and fly to Great Chu.
Song Chongjin’s adjutant happened to be a renowned gourmet in the Capital City, adept at critiquing the dishes of various restaurants.
After hearing Song Chongjin introduce the wines and observing the reactions of the people from the grassland, he knew they hadn’t even heard the names of these wines.
Thus, he decided to show off deliberately.
He meticulously described several signature dishes from the famous restaurants in the Capital City, making the men from the grassland surrounding Song Chongjin’s adjutant listen and swallow saliva silently.
The adjutant, being quite mischievous in nature, after detailing the special dishes of several renowned restaurants in the Capital City, began talking about the palace banquets.
Various kinds of fruits, pickled vegetables, and soups were mentioned casually.
The main focus was on dishes like phoenix tail shark fin, eight treasures wild duck, roast mountain chicken, colorful beef fillet, stir-fried frogs, and suckling pig with crispy skin...
If outsiders came in, they wouldn’t tell that this was a negotiation table between two countries.
It felt like a live food seminar!
Noticing that the negotiating time had arrived, the people from the grassland were still reluctant to leave, wishing the adjutant to continue for three more rounds, no, three hundred more big dishes!
Covering his mouth, Song Chongjin cleared his throat and decisively bid farewell, agreeing to continue the negotiations tomorrow.
Of course, before leaving, he seemed to inadvertently reveal that he would bring along two bottles of fine wine to let the other side taste tomorrow.
Brightening the eyes of several grassland men, they stopped holding on to the people.
All looked forward to the fine wines of the next day.
Both sides parted ways in a very friendly and harmonious atmosphere, returning to their respective territories.
A group from the grassland, having walked far, had a lagging member who, taking advantage of no one’s attention, turned his head back to look at the group from Great Chu Country.
Even from afar, he could vaguely discern the leading Lord Song, dignified and distinct from the others.
Unable to resist, he glanced a bit more before turning back, raising his whip and catching up with the team ahead.
On the way back, Song Chongjin initially was discussing today’s performance of the Grassland Negotiation Group with others when he suddenly felt a gaze from behind.
Turning his head to look, the people surrounding him showed no anomaly.
Looking back, he glanced at the hazy figures of the grassland people, with a flicker of darkness in his eyes.
Upon returning to the domain of Great Chu Country, everyone naturally relaxed, although knowing that at this time, the grasslands wouldn’t make a move, otherwise it would indeed ignite a war between the two countries.
After all, the grasslands and Great Chu Country have been at odds over the years, and now this engagement feels like probing contact, with uncertainty in hearts.
The garrisoned troops of Chu State, having seen the negotiation group off, remained in a state of readiness.
Concerned about potential mishaps from the grasslanders, they prepared to dash out and retrieve the negotiation members.
At this moment, seeing them return safely, the tension finally eased.
After counting heads and finding no issues, they signaled the waiting soldiers below to rest.
Song Chongjin and the negotiation group went to the accommodations arranged by the garrison soldiers.
Meals were promptly served.
In the past, regardless of who came, they would surely eat from large communal pots, sharing the soldiers’ food.
But now, even though the garrison’s provisions are modest, with the strategic schemes by Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu, the supplies have not been lacking over the years.
Everyone could eat well and stay warm, boosting morale.
This favor is well remembered by the garrison.
Thus, they prepared a special stove for Song Chongjin and his group. Although the cook’s skills were average, the ingredients were genuine, with large chunks of meat, and buns as big as an adult man’s fist, ensuring fullness.
After the meal, it occurred to everyone that the grasslanders hadn’t submitted their demands and conditions today?
Reflecting on the scene at the negotiating table, everyone began to wonder whether the grasslanders truly intended to discuss opening trade routes with them. It seemed the grasslanders are somewhat unreliable!
But when soldiers face a general, and water meets earth...
Even if the grasslanders have other intentions, they aren’t to be underestimated.
Throughout the afternoon, everyone’s thoughts wandered, inventing seventeen or eighteen possible motives for the grassland side.
Song Chongjin didn’t bother with these speculations and let them speculate freely.
Instead, he ordered someone to immediately go to Chicheng County to fetch more varieties of good wine.
Upon hearing the message, Wang Yongzhu asked a few more questions.
The messenger was Shadow Seven, who disguised as an attendant during the negotiation. Naturally, he had witnessed everything.
Explaining to Wang Yongzhu, Wang Yongzhu understood completely.
He not only prepared the wines but also selected two sets of the men’s and women’s fashionable robes from the Capital City. These garments had no other description but one word: Luxurious!
The clothing was woven with gold and silver threads, in vermilion color, embroidered with gold and silver thread patterns, and adorned with various gemstones, dazzling just by looking.
Additionally, various playthings like dice, and lastly several splendid cups and sheaths embellished with jewels on gold were prepared.
These were sent to Song Chongjin.
Upon seeing this full box of items, Song Chongjin immediately knew that Wang Yongzhu not only understood his intentions but improved his plan.
When the second day arrives.
Song Chongjin donned the robe that dazzled eyes, took two bottles of good wine, and leisurely went again.
Sure enough, Song Chongjin’s appearance today, made the grasslanders’ men nearly stick their eyes to his robe.
For the grasslanders, their favorite colors are warm and bright. Today’s vermilion color, already vivid, combined with gold and silver threads, sparkled under the sunlight.
Especially since Song Chongjin was tall, the outfit made him appear sharper and colder in temperament, seemingly a figure from a painting.
Amidst the desert, with yellow sand filling the air, everyone appeared dusty, except him as the sole vibrant color in the land.
This set of clothing and Song Chongjin’s impact was too significant, causing the grassland men to remain dazed even after entering the negotiation hall.
