Being an attendant was different - not only could you get a bunch of benefits, but you could also freeload food and drink without any worries throughout the event.
Ah, you think Xiaoyao was going to freeload food and drink? How could that be? Xiaoyao wasn't very gluttonous. However, Xiaoyao had a little monster beast that was a very gluttonous little glutton.
"Aren't you staying to accompany Guxing?" Le Youran asked somewhat curiously.
"It's already been over two days, about enough. Everything that needed to be said has been said. What I fear most is that the Eldest Princess might wake up early. If I want to leave then, I won't be able to!" Xiaoyao answered. This sentence also explained why he wanted to leave and why he was going with Le Youran.
Since he had to leave anyway, he might as well follow Le Youran to freeload a meal, then find some broken temple to rest in. Yes, a broken temple - Xiaoyao wouldn't go to Lanruo Temple now. Going there would be no different from staying by Guxing's side. The Eldest Princess would definitely look there too.
"You want to hide from the Eldest Princess? Don't say I was an accomplice, or I'll definitely be tortured to death by the Eldest Princess." Le Youran immediately said.
"Don't worry, I won't. I'm just going to have a late-night snack, then leave…
“Le Youran, you're late. How do you think you should be punished?"
When Xiaoyao followed Le Youran to a large courtyard, someone quickly came out to greet them and said to Le Youran with a smile. From Xiaoyao's perspective, this was only half-joking - the other party seemed to really want to punish Le Youran.
...
...
This large courtyard was called Shi Family Courtyard, belonging to the Shi family, one of the four great families of the Great Tang Imperial Capital. Although not as powerful as the Le family's dominance, the Shi family was equally strong and not much weaker than the Le family.
This was why Le Youran would come here. At the same time, this place was very lively, with many imperial capital dignitaries present.
The person who came was none other than a young lady of the Shi family with an important position. On the surface, she got along well with Le Youran, but everyone knew the two were like fire and water, having competed for many years.
"A drinking penalty then - I'll drink with you later!" Le Youran said with a smile. She knew this Shi family young lady absolutely couldn't drink - drinking was her weakness.
"Who's this person you brought?" The Shi family young lady quickly found a point of attack. She felt the male companion Le Youran brought this time seemed too inferior.
"This is my servant Xiaoyao, Le Xiaoyao. She's the Shi family's Fourth Miss, Shi Zhenxiang." Le Youran introduced them naturally.
However, while she was natural about it, others weren't. The Shi family young lady Shi Zhenxiang was very unhappy, "Le Youran, what do you mean by this? Are you treating me like a servant?"
"No, what's wrong?" Le Youran hadn't yet noticed what the problem was.
"What do you mean by introducing me to a servant? Treating him and me as equals, does he deserve it?" Shi Zhenxiang said with a dark expression. Le Youran's previous behavior made it seem like Shi Zhenxiang and Xiaoyao were on the same level.
"Ah, sorry, I was indeed careless!" Hearing Le Youran's apology, Shi Zhenxiang's expression improved considerably, but soon her face darkened again, even darker than before.
Because Le Youran followed up with another sentence, "Le Xiaoyao, you don't need to know who she is - she's not qualified..."
Le Youran's words clearly stated that Shi Zhenxiang wasn't worthy of being introduced to Xiaoyao. This made some people who had been paying attention break out in cold sweat. Although they knew Le Youran was domineering, they hadn't expected her to dare do this - directly trampling on Shi Zhenxiang's dignity.
"Now I already know. Shi Zhenxiang? That's a very interesting name. The person who gave you this name is truly a fucking genius!" Xiaoyao smiled. He wouldn't care about these matters - he was just a servant after all.
"What's genius about it?" Le Youran was somewhat puzzled, and others were also confused. This name wasn't very outstanding - it could only be called ordinary.
"Since you still have to eat dinner, I better not say," Xiaoyao shook his head.
"Don't be mysterious - hurry up and tell us!" Le Youran directly shook Xiaoyao.
"Alright, don't you think the pronunciation of these three characters is very interesting? The character Shi - isn't that what's in the toilet... Shi Zhenxiang, read it again..." Xiaoyao said with a smile that was very punchable.
"Shit? Shi Zhenxiang? Shit smells good? Damn, you're so disgusting!" Le Youran couldn't help feeling nauseous and cursed at Xiaoyao.
"You're the one who wanted to know!"
"Damn, damn! Shi Zhenxiang, your name is too genius. Don't appear in front of me when I'm eating in the future, I'm afraid I'll vomit!" Le Youran said directly to Shi Zhenxiang. Unlike others who would hold back, she would speak her mind directly.
"Pfft..." Some onlookers laughed, and they began whispering. Obviously they were all spreading this story. At this banquet, these three characters "Shi Zhenxiang" would definitely become the focus.
"I'm going to kill you!" Shi Zhenxiang's face alternated between red and green. She wanted to kill Xiaoyao, the culprit, and began attacking him.
"If you want to touch him, you're seeking death. I'm warning you, if he loses even one hair, your Shi family can forget about establishing a foothold in this Great Tang Empire!" Le Youran blocked Shi Zhenxiang's attack and said coldly.
"Hmph! Even if your Le family is domineering, you can't make our Shi family unable to establish a foothold in the Great Tang Empire!" Shi Zhenxiang snorted coldly, feeling Le Youran was bragging too much. However, despite this, she didn't provoke Xiaoyao again, because it wasn't worth falling out with the Le family over a little servant like Xiaoyao.
Fortunately, she thought this way. Otherwise, if she had touched Xiaoyao, the trouble would definitely be more than she could bear. Actually, Le Youran wasn't bragging, because now whoever touched Xiaoyao would be struck down by the Eldest Princess, and might even involve the Tang royal family.
Although they wouldn't touch Xiaoyao, they would still cause him some trouble.
"Le Xiaoyao, my family is short-handed. How about having your attendant help out? I'll pay for it. Here's ten taels..." As she spoke, Shi Zhenxiang had already taken out an ingot of ten taels of silver.
"No..."
"Deal!"
When Le Youran was about to refuse, Xiaoyao had already agreed and taken the ten taels of silver. His movement was extremely fast, it disappeared in the blink of an eye, making people wonder if Xiaoyao had practiced martial arts.
"What are you doing? If you want money, I can give it to you. I brought you here - you don't need to do this." Le Youran looked at Xiaoyao very displeased.
"Earning ten taels of silver at one banquet is very profitable," Xiaoyao replied nonchalantly. Not only could he earn ten taels of silver, but as a servant he could eat first, which was what Xiaoyao liked most.
"Hmph, since you took the money, go help!"
"Fine, what do you want me to do?"
"Serve dishes and pour wine, of course!"
"Good!"
"Absolutely not!"
"Good" was Xiaoyao's answer, while "absolutely not" was Le Youran's. Serving dishes and pouring wine meant showing his face in public, and she knew Shi Zhenxiang would definitely play tricks.
"He already agreed - what right do you have to say no!" Shi Zhenxiang completely ignored Le Youran.
"It's fine, Le Youran. I'm also very good at serving dishes and pouring wine!" Xiaoyao said indifferently.
"Shi Zhenxiang, don't regret this. When you can't continue this banquet, don't say I didn't warn you!" Le Youran suddenly remembered something. She felt that perhaps Shi Zhenxiang would be the unlucky one.
"You're not planning to cause trouble, are you? The people here today are all high officials and dignitaries, ministers from the court. Don't make too much of a scene, or don't say I didn't warn you!" Shi Zhenxiang thought Le Youran would cause trouble, but she didn't know Le Youran wasn't talking about this. The development of events was completely beyond her imagination.
This originally very joyful banquet really couldn't continue, because many people didn't dare eat the dishes or drink the wine.
At that time, Shi Zhenxiang was still happily calling for Xiaoyao to serve dishes and wine, loudly promoting that Xiaoyao was Le Youran's attendant, using this to prove she was stronger than Le Youran and could command her attendant.
This was a naked slap in Le Youran's face.
At first, everyone just smiled about this, thinking it was just the two of them bickering. It was harmless, until...
"Eight-treasure duck, please enjoy!" Xiaoyao brought up the dish and said very politely.
"Chi Chi, this is a famous dish..." The people at this table didn't tease Xiaoyao either and began preparing to eat. This made them feel very fortunate, lucky they hadn't joined Shi Zhenxiang's petty quarrel, or they would have been unlucky.
Because the people at the table suddenly noticed the strange behavior of an important figure. This important figure was the Minister of War from the court. Although he wasn't the highest-ranking official here, there weren't many who ranked higher than him, so his behavior attracted everyone's attention.
They saw the Minister of War looking at Xiaoyao for a while, and his chopsticks that he had extended just stayed suspended in mid-air. Obviously, he had also wanted to pick up his chopsticks to eat, but something had made him suddenly stop.
Then he suddenly put away his chopsticks and stood up!
"What's wrong?"
Everyone's minds were full of confusion.
"Don't stand - hurry up and eat. The food will get cold." Seeing the Minister of War's behavior, Xiaoyao casually said something, not knowing if he was doing it on purpose or just speaking casually.
Then Xiaoyao continued serving dishes to other tables.
The Minister of War sat down because he felt this matter couldn't attract others' attention. But asking him to eat the food - he really couldn't eat anymore. Not just an eight-treasure duck - even if dragon meat were placed in front of him, he wouldn't dare eat it.
(End of Chapter)