FID – Chapter 752

Chapter 752: Long Live the King

On the third day of the New Year, before it was even noon, the front of Wanjin Restaurant in Cangwu Town was already lined with horse-drawn carriages.

Every prominent family within the borders of Yunzhou who had received an invitation had arrived early.

Even some mid-tier families who hadn’t received invitations were racking their brains and pulling strings, desperately trying to tag along and find a way in.

After all, this was an invitation to a banquet personally hosted by the King of Nanling!

Whether or not they could actually forge a connection with him was secondary—just being able to show their face at a banquet held by the prince was already an immense honor. The benefits such exposure could bring to their families in the future were countless.

Though Cangwu Town was still steeped in a strong festive atmosphere, the townsfolk were no longer talking about where the best New Year fun could be found. Instead, all the buzz was about the banquet the Prince Regent was holding at Wanjin Restaurant.

Crowds of people had gathered around the restaurant, craning their necks in hopes of catching a glimpse of the Prince Regent, wanting to see what he looked like.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Ordinarily, it was near impossible for commoners to even catch sight of someone from the imperial family or the nobility.

Now that the Regent was right here in their town, even seeing him from a distance might be considered brushing with fortune. Later, they could even tell their children and grandchildren that they had once laid eyes on royalty. It would be a tale of pride for generations.

At the same time, the townsfolk were also openly and subtly probing, trying to find out which powerful figures had shown up that day, curious to see who had caught the Regent’s attention.

The most talked-about figures among the discussions, of course, were the garrison commander of Cangwu and Matriarch Li of the Li family.

Everyone knew there was a connection between Matriarch Li and the Liu family.

It was said that the Li family’s fifth young lady, for reasons unknown, had become the adopted daughter of the Liu family and had severed ties with the Lis.

Rumor had it that Matriarch Li and her fifth granddaughter had once had a serious falling out over the matter.

So now the townspeople couldn’t help but speculate; why did the King invite Matriarch Li to the banquet? What was the deeper meaning behind it? 

Could it be that he was doing it to stand up for the Liu family and for the former Fifth Miss Li, now known as Liu Muqiu?

After all, the King was about to marry Lady Ruyi from their very own Cangwu Town. Soon, he would officially be the Liu family’s son-in-law.

Given that, if he wanted to exert some pressure on the Li family for the Liu family’s sake, no one would be surprised.

At this moment, a group of high-ranking nobles and influential families—rarely seen by the common folk—had already gathered in front of Wanjin Restaurant. Everyone stood waiting at the entrance, none daring to go in before the King arrived.

He had not yet come; who would dare act presumptuously and enter first?

As the crowd murmured and speculated, nearing noon, an unassuming carriage slowly made its way to the front of the restaurant and came to a stop.

Immediately, the entire crowd held their breath and fixed their eyes on the carriage, waiting to see who would step out.

All the guests had already arrived, so the final one to appear could only be the King of Nanling himself.

A slender, elegant hand gently lifted the carriage curtain. What first met everyone’s eyes was a luxurious deep purple robe. Then, the figure of a man emerged—refined, composed, and strikingly noble.

The moment Matriarch Li saw that face, her excitement deepened. She had seen the King once before, so she immediately recognized him.

The garrison commander who had been secretly observing her reaction the whole time, noticed this and quickly seized the opportunity. He stepped forward ahead of everyone else, bowed deeply, and loudly proclaimed:

“Your humble servant, Yuan Fengpei, garrison commander of Cangwu Town, pays his respects to Your Highness! Long live the King, may you live for ten thousand years!”

With that, the others hurried to follow suit, stepping forward to bow and shout their greetings.

But they’d been just a moment too slow—outmaneuvered by a mere garrison commander!

They had underestimated him!

“You may rise,” the King replied coolly, his voice calm and aloof.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, he stepped down from the carriage, then turned back and reached a hand into the carriage.

Only then did the crowd realize that there was someone else inside.

A delicate, fair hand rested lightly on his, and the woman who emerged was radiant, with graceful features, lively almond-shaped eyes, and a serene, gentle demeanor.

Those who recognized her knew immediately—this was the Ruyi County Lady, Liu Yusheng.

Following her, a few more people stepped down from the carriage—Liu Zhixia and Liu Zhiqiu, the brothers from the Liu family.

And after them, two elderly people with graying hair emerged, the last to step down.

From their appearance, it was easy to tell that these two elderly figures were the heads of the Liu family—Elder Master Liu and Elder Madam Liu.

However, they both appeared much younger than their actual age.

Under the watchful eyes of the townspeople and surrounded by the prominent families, Feng Qingbai led the Liu family members slowly into the restaurant.

The shopkeeper had been waiting at the entrance and immediately guided them upstairs. The group entered the building, effectively blocking the view of the common folk.

The banquet was set on the second floor, which followed the traditional style of Wanjin Restaurant. The second floor was a private and spacious area, offering comfort and elegance.

At the main seat were Feng Qingbai and the Liu family members. The other guests then followed suit and took their seats.

Though everyone present was of noble status from Yunzhou, the person sitting at the main seat was the King—the Prince Regent, the most distinguished of all. The presence of royalty made everyone act with more restraint and formality, their usual ease and confidence replaced by a slight sense of propriety.

The garrison commander and Matriarch Li were assigned seats beside the main seat. 

Matriarch Li had brought her little grandson, Li Junyao, along, but it was not for any particular reason—she simply wanted to take him out and let him experience such an event.

This grandson had truly captured her heart.

Li Junyao was still young. Although he felt a little nervous in such a setting, the familiar faces at the main seat helped him relax. After sitting for a while, he gradually let go of his hesitation and returned to his childlike nature. He grinned foolishly at Liu Zhiqiu, showing off his small white teeth.

Liu Zhiqiu raised an eyebrow and waved at him.

Li Junyao’s eyes widened in disbelief as he pointed at his own nose, unable to believe it.

“Kiddo, come here,” Liu Zhiqiu chuckled.

At that moment, all the guests’ attention was drawn to them. Matriarch Li, though maintaining a solemn expression, instinctively gripped her handkerchief tighter under the table, her heart racing with excitement.

Li Junyao didn’t immediately approach. Instead, he turned to look at his grandmother. “Grandmother, may I go over?”

“Go ahead,” she replied with a smile. He was a lucky boy. 

With her permission, Li Junyao rushed over and sat down in the empty seat next to Liu Zhiqiu. He then cheerfully greeted everyone in turn: “Grandfather, Grandmother, Brother Zhixia, Brother Zhiqiu, Sister Liu… and Brother-in-law!”

“Pfft!” Grandma Liu burst out laughing. “This child really knows how to charm people with his words.”

Liu Yusheng also nodded, teasing, “Yes, he’s certainly sweet-talking.”

He actually called Feng Qingbai ‘Brother-in-law.’ Feng Qingbai, who was initially indifferent toward the child, now gave him an extra glance and even nodded at him. 

That alone was enough to make the surrounding noble families envious.

Matriarch Li felt an overwhelming sense of fulfillment.

This child’s fortune was his own making. He was her little grandson, her own flesh and blood.

The pride swelling in her heart was even more satisfying than seeing the Li family rise to greater heights.

As the dishes were served and after several rounds of drinks, Feng Qingbai raised his cup and addressed the room, “As you all know, this King’s wedding to the Liu family’s daughter, Ruyi County Lady, Liu Yusheng, is approaching. Today, this King held this banquet to express my gratitude. I am aware that many of the prominent families in Yunzhou have business dealings with the Liu family and have shown them kindness. Through this gathering, I wish to thank you all. I hope you will continue to maintain a good relationship with the Liu family in the future. Liu Zhixia, the eldest son of the Liu family, now serves as the governor of Yunzhou. He will also need your support in various aspects. I offer this toast to you all.”