Chương 240: Victory Celebration Banquet at the Imperial Court

The hall was covered with brocade mats, and seats were arranged according to rank.

The front row consisted of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, the middle row of civil and military officials, and the back row of lower-ranking officials.

The order was maintained, and no one dared to sit haphazardly.

The officials under the Taiguanling had prepared wine and food, with eunuchs holding jade pots and palace maids carrying food trays, standing on both sides.

The atmosphere was festive, but royal etiquette was strictly observed—after all, this was a formal victory celebration banquet, not an ordinary family dinner.

After Liu Ce arrived, he first exchanged a few pleasantries with old acquaintances such as Lu Zhi and Huangfu Song.

"Your Highness Prince Yan looks quite well," Lu Zhi said with a smile.

"Thanks to everyone's good fortune," Liu Ce said with a smile.

"Your Highness Prince Yan's attire is truly impressive!" Huangfu Song gave a thumbs up.

Just then, the eunuch's shrill voice rang out, "Please, Your Highness Prince Yan, move to the jade seat on the east side..."

Liu Ce followed the directions to the first seat on the east side—the seat of a prince, second only to the emperor's main seat.

After he sat down, the newly worn gold seal sash at his waist gleamed in the candlelight, attracting the attention of many.

Some were envious, some were jealous, and some were wary.

The three dukes and nine ministers sat in the front seats, while civil and military officials sat in the east and west seats in the middle and back, arranged according to their rank, with no one overstepping their bounds.

The eunuchs and palace maids returned to their positions, carrying food and serving dishes with quiet, unwavering steps. Only the soft sound of music filled the hall.

Liu Ce glanced around the room.

Wow, that's quite a grand affair.

It seems Liu Hong is genuinely happy and wants to show off.

A moment later, a eunuch announced loudly, "His Majesty has arrived!"

The musicians played the elegant music of "Qingyang," and Liu Hong ascended the throne surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids.

Liu Hong, dressed in a robe with twelve imperial symbols and wearing a crown with twelve tassels, exuded an imposing presence.

As the music subsided, the Imperial Kitchen Chief bowed and reported, "Your Majesty, the food and wine are ready. Please grant permission to begin the banquet."

Liu Hong nodded and said, "Let the banquet begin."

The palace servants began to pass the food around in turn.

Liu Ce looked at the dishes on the table: a sumptuous feast of roasted venison, dried meat, and roasted fish, served with rice and millet, wild rice soup, a jade cup, a lacquered table, and fine wine.

Although it wasn't as delicious as the stir-fried dishes from Youzhou, it was still a top-notch feast for this era.

The palace servants finished serving the dishes.

Liu Hong picked up the jade cup, and the music softened, filling the hall with silence.

He raised his cup to Liu Ce and said, "Today I hereby bestow upon you the title of King! For pacifying the borders, driving away the foreign tribes... and guarding the northern frontier of our Han Dynasty. This cup of wine is a reward for your great service!"

Liu Ce quickly got up...

The eunuch stepped forward and poured him a full glass of wine.

Liu Ce held the wine cup with both hands, bowed deeply, and performed the entire ritual with perfect precision, saying, "My achievements are all thanks to Your Majesty's wisdom, the soldiers' bravery, and the assistance of all officials. I dare accept Your Majesty's gift of wine and wish Your Majesty a long and prosperous life, and that the Han Dynasty's mountains and rivers may forever remain secure!"

After speaking, he raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp, then showed the empty cup to Liu Hong before bowing and returning to his seat.

His movements were fluid, his words were appropriate, and there was nothing wrong with them.

Liu Hong nodded in satisfaction, then raised his cup and said, "My lords, with your united efforts in governing, have jointly accomplished this great undertaking. Let us drink together!"

All the officials rose, took their cups, and shouted in unison, "Thank you, Your Majesty!" before drinking them down in one gulp.

The banquet officially began.

There were soft whispers and laughter in the hall, but no one dared to be presumptuous—after all, the emperor was present.

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, the celebration banquet entered its core phase: everyone congratulated Liu Hong and Liu Ce in turn according to their status.

The atmosphere grew increasingly lively, yet remained measured.

The first to stand up was Liu Yu, the highest-ranking member of the imperial clan and the head of the clan.

The old man walked up to Liu Ce's seat, raised his cup, and said, "Your Highness, the Prince of Yan, has rendered unparalleled service and been granted the title of Prince, bringing glory to the imperial family. I toast you with a cup, wishing you to forever guard the borders and protect the Liu family's empire."

Liu Ce rose and replied, "Uncle, you flatter me. I will certainly do my utmost to live up to the expectations of the imperial clan."

The two drank it all in one gulp.

Then, other members of the imperial clan, including Taichang Liu Yan, followed suit. One toasted Liu Ce for "bringing glory to the imperial clan," while another toasted him for "being young and promising." For a time, cups were offered to Liu Ce, and he accepted them all, but he only took a small sip from each cup. He was joking, though; if he drank them all, he would be carried out tonight if so many people were offering toasts.

Then there's the military group.

Huangfu Song, Zhu Jun, and the others rose, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, the Prince of Yan, is a master strategist, enabling our soldiers to display their might on the northern border. Today, your bestowal of the title of Prince is truly a fulfillment of the people's expectations! We, your subjects, respect Your Highness and are willing to follow you again to drive out the barbarians and expand our territory, to strengthen our great Han!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the military officers rose up in agreement, their voices echoing throughout the hall.

This atmosphere of heroic spirit perfectly matches the theme of celebrating the victory at Jingbian.

Liu Hong was overjoyed upon hearing this and ordered the eunuchs to serve the military officers more imperial wine.

Liu Ce replied, "Generals, you flatter me. The success of the northern expedition was entirely due to the bravery of our soldiers; I dare not claim credit for it."

Another round of drinks.

The group of upright civil officials was not to be outdone.

Lu Zhi, Ma Ridi, and others rose and began to recite the prepared eulogy: "The Prince of Yan, with his resolute and courageous character, has carried out strategies to pacify the borders, pacifying the Wuhuan, defeating the Xianbei, and subjugating Goguryeo. The northern border is now free of war, and Liaodong has come under his rule. Now, he has been granted the title of Prince, which is truly a divinely ordained achievement, and his blessings will extend to the four seas..."

The long string of formal, literary words made Liu Ce's scalp tingle.

In his heart, he was thinking: These literary people, they praise people in such a roundabout way, why not just say "awesome"?

But he still had to maintain a smile, stood up, and said with a smile, "You flatter me, everyone."

Finally, there are the aristocratic families.

Yuan Wei, Yuan Feng, Yang Ci, and others rose to offer a toast, their faces beaming with humility as they said, "Your Highness, the Prince of Yan, is young and accomplished, his achievements surpassing those of his time. We offer our congratulations."

As Liu Ce raised his glass, he noticed that Yuan Wei's fingertips paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the golden seal ribbon at his waist before disappearing in an instant.

That look in his eyes was very complex.

There was apprehension, vigilance, and perhaps even a hint of... resentment?

Liu Ce understood, but remained outwardly composed, replying with a smile, "You flatter me, Lord Yuan."

The two drank it all in one gulp, their faces showing no sign of anything amiss, but the undercurrents were already fully in place.

After the officials from prominent families returned to their seats, they covered their faces with their sleeves and spoke in hushed tones.

"This child's power is growing; we must be wary..."

"Being granted the title of King is already the ultimate goal; we cannot allow him to further interfere in the central government..."

"Youzhou has a strong army and has recently been granted a royal title. It will be even more difficult to control it in the future."

"Making him a king is already an exception; if we let him grow too powerful..."

"Let's wait and see..."

Although Liu Ce couldn't hear them, he could guess what they were saying.

It doesn't matter.

Think what you want.

Seeing that the atmosphere in the hall was just right, Liu Hong ordered the musicians to say, "Today we celebrate the victory in pacifying the border; in addition to elegant music, let us play a martial dance to add to the festivities!"

The music official received the decree.

The elegant music ceased, and the sounds of drums and horns began.

Eight warriors, clad in black armor and wielding shields and axes, entered the hall and performed the Eastern Han Dynasty's "Ba-Yu Dance." Their leaps and strikes, synchronized with the drumbeats, were incredibly powerful and exhilarating, stirring the blood of the generals present.

After the martial arts dance ended, a dancer dressed in silk robes performed the "Long Sleeve Dance," with gentle music playing softly and long sleeves fluttering, combining strength and gentleness.

The officials in the hall clapped their hands in approval.

Liu Ce was also thoroughly enjoying the performance—this was authentic Han Dynasty song and dance, which would require a ticket to see in modern times.

While watching the performance, Liu Ce secretly observed the people in the audience.

Most of the military generals were genuinely happy... The civil officials from powerful families had complex expressions and shifty eyes... This court was truly fascinating.