Chongfei Manual [I]

Chapter 108.2

After three rounds of wine, Wan Qi Zhen raised a wine cup to Emperor Chong Zhen and said, "People say that there are three good things about the Central Plains (another name for Da Liang). The wine is good, the people are good, and the scenery is good. After coming to Da Liang, these three areas were outstanding as expected. However, this prince has only appreciated wine and the scenery. I haven't seen the "people" yet."

There was an accent when he said these words in Central Plains language and he also stressed the word "people". Even if people didn't want to over think his words, it was difficult to do so.

Wu Rong's fourth prince had an unruly personality. He was good at plotting and schemes. He was regarded highly as Wu Rong's clever and insightful prince. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been brought along to the Central Plains this visit. It was said that his ability was outstanding and his military achievements were excellent. He was also Wu Rong's best warrior and the lover that all of the young women in Wu Rong dreamed about. However, he was fickle in love and promiscuous. Starting from when he was fourteen years old, he had ten concubines in his home and an unknown number of outside mistresses.

Now, as soon as he mentioned women, while the court officials didn't outwardly show their feelings on their faces, they were internally frowning.

This fourth prince, he spoke these words without looking at the current situation.

Fortunately, Emperor Chong Zhen didn't lower himself to Wan Qi Zhen's level. He laughed and said, "Fourth prince's words made this emperor think of an idiom."

Wan Qi Zhen raised an eyebrow and replied, "Your Majesty, please tell."

Having another meaning, Emperor Chong Zhen said, "A wine-lover's heart is not in the cup*."

(The translator literally translated the literal meaning of those words. This idiom is used to say that the other person has an ulterior motive.)

Wan Qi Zhen quietly laughed and decline to comment.

Sitting across from Wan Qi Zhen, Zhao Jie's expression didn't change. He lowered his eyes and fiddled with a xi jiao cup carved with lotus flowers and a dragon and phoenix. His lips curved into a trace of a fake smile.

(Below is a picture of a xi jiao cup carved with only leaves.)

Emperor Chong Zhen didn't continue to speak. He clapped his hands to signal for the dancers to come out.

Shortly after, one after another, lithe dancers wearing red robes embroidered with butterflies came into the hall. There were golden palace belts around their waists and sashes hooked at their elbows. Their hair was arranged into shuang huan wan xian hairstyles. They had slender waists with figures like willow trees. At the center of the large hall, the dancers swayed their waists and hands. They gracefully started to dance to sound of the lutes and Chinese harps.