Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 349: Hot Pot at the Tavern Annual Banquet

Cheng Chumo just took a sip of the bone soup, then picked up a piece of mutton that had been boiled in the spicy pot with chopsticks and put it into his mouth quickly.

But as soon as he took a bite of the mutton, his face flushed red from the spiciness. His mouth was like a machine gun out of control, exhaling "whoosh whoosh" while he kept shouting: "Oh hot, oh hot, this is too spicy!"

As he spoke, he hurriedly picked up the cold tea beside him and gulped down several big mouthfuls.

Seeing this, everyone burst into laughter at his appearance.

Cheng Yaojin slapped his thigh and laughed so hard he fell backwards: "You kid, you're usually fearless, how come you were subdued by this chili pepper!"

Qin Huaidao smiled and handed him a handkerchief, teasing him, "Chu Mo, you can't eat spicy mutton in a hurry. You have to take it easy next time."

Cheng Chumo slowed down, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and chuckled: "It's just too delicious, I couldn't resist. But this spicy hot pot, the more I eat, the more addictive it becomes!"

After saying that, he picked up another piece of meat with chopsticks, blew on it carefully, and put it into his mouth bravely again.

Cheng Yaojin looked at his son's face flushed and his hands and feet fumbling with the spiciness, feeling both amused and distressed. He quickly said, "Slow down! No one's trying to snatch it from you. This hot pot is very spicy. You just had hot soup, how can your stomach handle this spicy food?"

As he spoke, Cheng Yaojin reached out and gently patted Cheng Chumo on the back.

Cheng Chumo finished his cold tea, recovered his strength, waved to Cheng Yaojin, grinned and said: "Dad, I'm fine, the meat from this spicy hot pot is so delicious, I couldn't resist it."

Having said that, he still obediently slowed down the speed of picking up his chopsticks, picked up some vegetables and dipped them in the clear soup pot to fill his stomach.

Li Shimin smiled and said, "This hot pot can be enjoyed in many ways. The clear soup nourishes the body, while the spicy hot pot stimulates the appetite. Everyone can enjoy what they like. It's a rare occasion for us to get together today, so eating and drinking well is the most important thing."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and then happily immersed themselves in this delicious feast. The private room was once again filled with laughter.

In sharp contrast to Cheng Chumo's impetuousness, Wei Shuyu is rather gentle and polite.

He first picked up the chopsticks and gently picked up a piece of cooked fish from the non-spicy bone soup pot. His movements were graceful, as if he was performing a work of art.

He placed the fish steadily in the bowl, blew away the cool air a little, and then slowly put it into his mouth.

As he chewed, Wei Shuyu closed his eyes slightly, savoring the flavor. Then he smiled contentedly and praised softly, "The fish cooked in this bone broth is so tender and smooth. The flavor of the broth has completely seeped into the fish. It's truly wonderful."

Then, he picked up the soup spoon, scooped a spoonful of hot soup, took a sip, and nodded slightly: "This soup is rich and fragrant, with a long-lasting flavor. It must have been carefully simmered for a long time."

Fang Yiai stuffed his mouth with meatballs cooked in the hot pot and mumbled, "Shuyu, you eat like you write poetry. It's so troublesome. Only when you eat like me can you enjoy it."

Wei Shuyu put down the soup spoon with a smile and said, "Eating is about taste. Only by chewing slowly can you appreciate the true flavor. You're letting the Yuyu family down by gobbling it down so fast."

After that, he methodically picked up a dumpling, dipped it in a little sauce, and put it into his mouth.

During this lively banquet, Crown Prince Li Chengqian and Li Deyu started an interesting "battle" for the last tender beef ball in the pot.

Li Chengqian was quick-witted and quick-handed, and he was the first to reach out his chopsticks for the meatballs. Li Deyu was not to be outdone and quickly stretched out his chopsticks to stop him. The two men's chopsticks were deadlocked in the air.

Li Chengqian pretended to be serious: "Deyu, I am the crown prince, these meatballs should belong to me."

Li Deyu refused to give in and retorted with a smile, "Your Highness, when there is delicious food in front of us, regardless of status, whoever grabs it first gets it."

The two refused to give in to each other, and their chopsticks kept colliding, making a "ding-dang-dang" sound, which attracted the attention of people around them.

Seeing this, Cheng Chumo laughed out loud: "Stop fighting, the two of you! If you keep trying to grab this meatball, it will be crushed!"

Cheng Yaojin also joined in the fun: "That's right, you're already grown up, but you're still fighting over food like a child."

Amidst the laughter of the crowd, the prince and Li Deyu couldn't help laughing out loud.

Finally, Li Chengqian let go of his chopsticks and said with a smile: "Forget it, forget it. I'll let you have it this time. Look at you, you greedy cat."

Li Deyu quickly picked up the meatball and proudly put it into his mouth. As he chewed, he said, "Thank you, Your Highness, for the 'reward'. This meatball is indeed delicious!"

Li Shimin watched the Crown Prince and Li Deyu fighting over the meatballs, feeling both angry and amused. He put down his bowl and chopsticks, cleared his throat, and said, "You two should behave well in Zuixianlou from now on. Don't do this again. Today is a rare gathering, and we should all be harmonious. Don't lose your composure over a bite of food."

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince and Li Deyu felt a flicker of embarrassment on their faces, and they quickly stood up and saluted. The Crown Prince's face was filled with guilt: "Father, your teaching is correct. I was too playful for a moment and forgot my status. I will never be so reckless again."

Li Deyu also quickly expressed his position: "Your Majesty, it was my fault that I lost my composure. I was only concerned with eating and didn't consider the overall situation. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Li Shimin waved his hand, his expression softening. "Stand up. I'm not trying to criticize you. I just hope you'll always remember your status and act prudently. The Yuyu family has put so much effort into preparing this banquet. We should cherish this precious moment, enjoy the food, and strengthen our friendship."

Everyone nodded in agreement, and the atmosphere became lively again. Everyone continued to enjoy the food, and laughter echoed in the private room of Zuixianlou.

After a lively hot pot banquet, everyone was satisfied with the meal and their faces were filled with joy.

Seeing that everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Yu Yu quietly stood up and tiptoed towards the utility room.

She gently closed the door, looked around, and after making sure no one was around, she called out softly, "System, system, give me something to help with my digestion."

As soon as she finished speaking, a soft light flashed, and the familiar electronic voice of the system sounded in her mind: "We have prepared a variety of digestion-enhancing foods for you, including digestion-enhancing tea bags. Drinking them after brewing can quickly promote digestion..."

Yuyu thought for a moment and said, "Let's use some digestive tea bags so that we can all drink together."

In an instant, an exquisite little box appeared in Yu Yu's hand, filled with tea bags with a faint herbal aroma.

Yu Yu hid the box with satisfaction and prepared to return to the hall to make tea for everyone to help them relieve the feeling of fullness after the meal.

On the other side, Li Junxian and the secret guards also sat together, enjoying the delicious hot pot.

They usually hide in the dark, carrying out their duty to protect the emperor, and it is rare for them to have such a relaxing time to have a meal together.

The steaming hot pot exuded an enticing aroma. Li Junxian picked up a piece of mutton, dipped it lightly in the spicy pot, put it in his mouth and chewed it carefully, with a satisfied expression on his face.

The secret guards also ate heartily, and the table was filled with laughter and the sound of dishes and chopsticks clattering.

"Commander Li, this hotpot is absolutely amazing!" The secret guard couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Li Junxian smiled and nodded: "Yes, thanks to the Yuyu family today, we can also taste such delicious food."

Just as they were enjoying their meal, they were completely unaware that Yu Yu was communicating with the system in the utility room, preparing tea bags to help digestion.

At this moment, they were immersed in this rare happy atmosphere and fully enjoyed the sumptuous hot pot feast.