Night fell, and the lanterns lit up.
The Eastern Palace's back garden had completely changed.
The once-elegant Imperial Garden had been transformed into a vast, brilliantly lit outdoor banquet hall.
Hundreds of strangely shaped palace lanterns illuminated the entire garden as bright as day.
A huge table stretching dozens of meters was covered with a pristine white cloth and piled high with all sorts of dazzling delicacies, many of them unheard of.
There was whole roasted lamb sizzling with oil, heaps of fiery red prawns, spicy crayfish piled in enormous wooden tubs and filling the air with their fragrance, and all kinds of delicate, colorful pastries.
The most eye-catching feature was the dozen zodiac sculptures carved from enormous blocks of colored glass, standing at the center of the banquet.
The sculptures had been hollowed out and fitted with luminous pearls of different colors, making them crystal-clear and dazzling with shifting light.
Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi, Zhang Fu, Xue Lu, and several other key generals stood at the garden entrance, staring at the scene before them with their mouths agape, unable to say a word.
"This... this is the victory banquet that kid Zhanjun put together?"
Zhu Di pointed at the palace maids, eunuchs, and a few soldiers granted permission to attend, who were wandering freely around the garden with plates in hand and helping themselves to whatever they liked. The corner of his eye twitched.
What part of this looked like a royal banquet with proper rules and decorum?
It was more like a marketplace!
"Father, you're here!"
Zhu Zhanjun came over with a grin, holding a glass filled with pale yellow liquid.
"Come on, come on, try my special 'beer.' It goes perfectly with the 'barbecue' over there. The taste is incredible!"
Without waiting for a reply, he shoved the glass into Zhu Di's hand.
Zhu Di brought it to his nose, dubious, and caught a strange, fragrant scent of malt.
Following his grandson's example, he took a sip. The chilled, fizzy liquid slid down his throat, and a refreshing sensation unlike anything he had ever felt spread through his whole body.
"Delicious!"
Zhu Di's eyes lit up.
"Father, Elder Brother, General Zhang, don't just stand there. Try some!"
Zhu Zhanjun beckoned Zhu Gaochi, Zhu Zhanji, and the others over.
"This is called a buffet. Just take whatever you want to eat. Don't be shy!"
Zhu Gaochi and Zhu Zhanji exchanged a glance, both seeing the same helplessness in each other's eyes.
They had never attended such a "down-to-earth" banquet in their lives.
But Zhu Di was already eagerly holding a plate, tucking into a platter of "garlic roasted oysters" as a young eunuch explained what they were. They could only steel themselves and follow after him.
"Grandfather, try this too."
Zhu Zhanjun returned with another offering: a bowl made of colored glass, filled with something milky white that steamed faintly with cold.
"This is called 'ice cream.' It's made from cow's milk. It's cool and refreshing, sweet but not cloying."
Zhu Di scooped up a spoonful with a small jade spoon. The sweet, smooth treat melted in his mouth, and even his face, usually taut with tension, relaxed.
"Mmm! Delicious!"
"Much better than the cheese from the Imperial Kitchen!"
"Zhanjun, is there any more?"
"Send some to your grandmother too!"
"Plenty! There's enough for everyone!"
The banquet went on amid an atmosphere that was easygoing, novel, and even a little chaotic.
At Zhu Zhanjun's urging, the stern-faced military officers who rarely smiled let go of their reservations, rolled up their sleeves, and ate heartily and drank deeply, having the time of their lives.
Only Zhu Zhanji still seemed out of place.
Holding a glass of juice, he stood in a corner and watched the lively scene before him, his heart full of complicated thoughts.
He had to admit that the things his second younger brother had come up with were indeed novel and entertaining. They really did help people unwind.
But was it truly a good thing to throw out all the rules of propriety and let everyone revel like this?
As he was lost in thought, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out from the night sky!
Whoosh—BOOM!
A huge firework burst overhead, forming a magnificent peony.
Then hundreds and thousands of fireworks shot into the sky one after another, dyeing the entire night with color.
"Great Ming will prevail!"
"Prince Zheng is invincible!"
Enormous characters made of fireworks appeared one after another in the night sky, drawing thunderous cheers from the soldiers below.
Zhu Di looked at the title in the sky that belonged to his grandson, then at the soldiers below, their spirits soaring thanks to Zhu Zhanjun. His expression grew complicated.
He lifted his cup and drained it, unsure whether he felt joy or worry.
Halfway through the banquet, Zhu Zhanjun made an excuse to change clothes and slipped away to a secluded corner of the garden.
A pretty young palace maid with a slender figure had already been waiting there.
When she saw Zhu Zhanjun, a blush rose to her cheeks. She quickly lowered her head and handed him a warm Hot Water Bottle.
"Your Highness, the wind is strong tonight, and you've just been drinking cold wine. Warm your hands with this."
The Crown Princess had sent the maid especially to look after Zhu Zhanjun. Her name was Wan'er, and she was thoughtful and quick on her feet.
"You're so considerate."
Zhu Zhanjun took the Hot Water Bottle and casually praised her.
Wan'er's face turned even redder. She bowed her head lower, her voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz. "It's only what this servant should do."
Watching her shy expression, Zhu Zhanjun smiled but said nothing more.
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