In Jingcheng, the spring wine came early; at the prince's residence, the feast had just begun.
Servants and maids began bringing in the dishes, bearing delicacies as they filed through the doors, their columns coming and going in an endless stream.
Wang Yang silently marveled at the spectacle, feeling for a moment as though he were watching a blockbuster film.
The dishes were even more exquisite, with meticulous attention paid to everything from the tableware to the presentation.
He tasted the fish soup in his white porcelain bowl, milky white as rich cream, and found it exceptionally delicious.
Seeing Wang Yang help himself to the soup, the Prince of Badong said, "This Water Shield and Mushroom Fish Soup is rather good, isn't it? Our Jingzhou crucian carp are the most famous of all. You won't find them anywhere else."
Before Wang Yang could answer, a voice suddenly spoke up:
"Quite right, Prince. As the saying goes, crucian carp in the south, carp in the north. In Jiangnan, crucian carp reign supreme; in the north, carp are king. And among Jiangnan's crucian carp, those from Jingzhou's Han River are the finest. That is why Sheng Hongzhi wrote in his Record of Jingzhou during the previous dynasty, 'Jingzhou has fine fu, surpassing those of Dongting Lake and Wen Lake.' This 'fu' refers to crucian carp."
Who's showing off all that book learning? He could give me a run for my money, Wang Yang thought. Following the voice, he saw a familiar face-Liu Cheng.
The Prince of Badong smiled. "The Liu family's fourth son is indeed learned. Once you receive your ranking, you might as well come straight to me for your career-starting office."
"Career-starting office" was an expression commonly used in official circles during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. It referred to