20demayo Chapter 87 Like a Fish
Chapter 87 Like a Fish
Chapter 87 Like a Fish
The study door closed.
Wei Zheng placed the food box on the table.
Lady Pei rushed forward, crying, and grabbed Wei Zheng's sleeve: "My lord! You can't eat this! This is clearly—it's filthy stuff! His Majesty is trying to humiliate you to death!"
"Humiliation?"
Wei Zheng gave a wry smile and reached out to lift the lid.
boom!
The stench that had been building up all the way finally erupted at this moment.
The entire study was instantly filled with chaos.
Wei Zheng took a deep breath, and the smell hit his head, making his eyes almost water.
On the plate, half a fish lay quietly, its flesh separated from the bone, the broth a dark reddish-brown, with a few pieces of garlic floating on top. It looked exactly like something scooped out of a garbage can.
"You are as beautiful as a fish—"
Wei Zheng muttered to himself.
Am I this fish?
It smelled bad, was hard, and made people want to vomit.
"Well done! Well done, Li Erlang!"
Wei Zheng suddenly burst into laughter, a somewhat manic laugh, "Since Your Majesty has bestowed food upon me, it is as if it were thunder and rain, and I—will eat it."
He's a ruthless person too.
He picked up his chopsticks, disregarding all decorum, grabbed a piece of fish with the skin on, closed his eyes, and stuffed it into his mouth with a death-defying air.
This must be what a dead rat tastes like, right?
Wei Zheng prepared himself to vomit.
however.
The moment the teeth bite together.
There was no rotten stench as I had imagined, nor any nauseating fishy smell.
A burst of intensely salty and savory flavor, mixed with the rich aroma of garlic and the caramelized scent of oil, explodes in your mouth!
Wei Zheng suddenly opened his eyes.
chew!
Chew hard!
The fish meat is firm and chewy, and its unique flavor after fermentation is like aged vinegar—pungent at first taste, but sweet aftertaste.
The spiciness kicked in, stimulating the back of my tongue and causing my saliva to be produced in a frenzy.
This—this taste—
Wei Zheng stopped chopsticks in his hand, his tragic expression turned into a blank stare, and finally into an unbelievable ecstasy.
"master?"
Seeing her husband's strange expression, Madam Pei was terrified. "Is it poisonous?"
"It's poisonous—it's poisonous—"
Wei Zheng mumbled incoherently, but his hands suddenly moved faster.
He picked up the biggest piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth along with the thick broth.
good to eat!
too delicious!
I've never eaten anything this delicious in my life!
All delicacies, from land and sea to dragon liver and phoenix marrow, pale in comparison to this dish of fish that is both stinky and fragrant!
This is just like Wei Zheng's life.
His actions were unpopular, his words were unpleasant to hear, and he was disliked by everyone. But deep down, he had a heart full of unwavering loyalty to the Tang Dynasty!
"You are as beautiful as a fish — you are as beautiful as a fish —"
As Wei Zheng ate, tears streamed down his face.
This time it wasn't from the smoke.
He slammed his chopsticks on the table, knelt down with a thud facing the direction of the palace, and kowtowed deeply.
"Your Majesty is wise!"
"Sir, what's wrong with you—"
Pei was completely dumbfounded.
Wei Zheng raised his head, his mouth glistening with oil, but his face radiant with an unprecedented glow.
"Madam, you don't understand! His Majesty is enlightening me!"
He pointed to the plate with only a few fish bones left.
"This fish smells incredibly foul, and everyone avoids it like the plague, just like my outspoken remonstrances in court, which are annoying to people."
"But if you patiently savor it, the true flavor lies in its rich and mellow taste!"
"His Majesty is telling me that he understands me! He knows that although this old man has a foul mouth, his heart is sweet! It's fresh! And he's doing this for the good of the Tang Dynasty!"
Wei Zheng was so excited that he trembled all over.
Throughout history, it has been said that if a ruler and his ministers could understand each other to this extent, they would die without regret!
"Bring the wine!"
Wei Zheng scrambled to his feet, full of vigor, "Even if I lose my head tomorrow, I'll still enjoy this meal with my confidants tonight to the fullest!"
The next morning.
In the square in front of the Taiji Hall, civil and military officials lined up to await the court.
The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.
Everyone had heard about what happened a few days ago, and they all shrank back, afraid of offending His Majesty.
Changsun Wuji and Fang Xuanling huddled together and whispered to each other.
"I heard last night that Eunuch Wang went to the Wei residence."
"I heard about it too. He was carrying a food box and ran faster than a rabbit when he came out."
"It seems that Wei Xuancheng is in grave danger this time."
As the two were talking, a person walked in through the palace gate.
With a brisk pace and head held high.
The crimson official robe he wore made him look exceptionally dashing.
Wei Zheng!
Not only did he not die, but his face was rosy and his eyes and brows were full of joy, making him a completely different person from the old man who was preparing to die to prove his point yesterday.
"this----"
The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment.
At this moment, the whip cracked three times.
Li Shimin walked up to the dragon throne through a side door, his gaze sweeping across the entire hall.
His Majesty the Emperor seemed to be in a good mood today. His torn sleeve had long been repaired, and he had even changed into a brighter dragon robe.
"If you have something to report, do so now; if you have nothing to report, leave the court."
Wang Dequan shouted, and then secretly glanced at Wei Zheng.
Wei Zheng strode forward, holding his official tablet, and announced loudly, "Your subject, Wei Zheng, has a memorial to present!"
The hall fell silent instantly; you could hear a pin drop.
Everyone held their breath in suspense.
Is this old man about to fire again?
Li Shimin sat on the high platform, looking down at Wei Zheng, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Xuancheng, what do you wish to report?"
Wei Zheng took a deep breath, suddenly put his tablet on the ground, and solemnly performed a grand salute.
"Your Majesty, I thank you for the meal you provided last night!"
"That fish—though its smell was pungent, its aftertaste was unforgettable. I was foolish and at first thought it smelled bad, but upon closer tasting, I realized how delicious it was."
"Your Majesty's intentions, I understand! I will be like the fish on the plate, even if it means my death, I will leave behind that rich and authentic flavor for the Tang Dynasty!"
These words were spoken with great passion and conviction.
The entire court was dumbfounded.
What kind of fish?
What smells bad?
What kind of riddle are these two playing?
Li Shimin laughed heartily, his laughter so loud that dust fell from the ceiling of the palace.
"Excellent! What a delightful and unforgettable experience!"
He stood up from the dragon throne, walked to the edge of the steps, and looked at Wei Zheng.
"Xuancheng, your mouth is like that fish. Sometimes it really gives me a headache, and I wish I could throw you out."
"But as long as the Tang Dynasty still craves this delicacy, I—will tolerate your stench!"
The emperor and his minister exchanged a smile.
The tension from yesterday vanished in an instant.
Fang Xuanling stood to one side, scratched his head, and whispered to Cheng Yaojin beside him, "What kind of fish is that? Is it really that magical?"
Cheng Yaojin sniffed. He seemed to have smelled a strange odor at Princess Jinyang's place yesterday, and at the time he thought it was some eunuch defecating in his pants.
"How would I know?"
Cheng Yaojin muttered, "But judging from old Wei's ruddy complexion, it's probably something good. I'll go ask His Majesty for some to try later."
After the court session ended.
Li Shimin was in a great mood and kept Wei Zheng behind alone.
"Xuancheng, now that you understand my meaning, then regarding the Fengshan ceremony—"
Wei Zheng straightened his face and stiffened his neck.
"Your Majesty, the Fengshan ceremony is a waste of resources and manpower, absolutely unacceptable! The fish may be delicious, but this principle cannot be changed! If you wish to perform the Fengshan ceremony, you must first step over my dead body!"
Li Shimin's smile froze on his face.
Okay.
He ate the fish and understood the reasoning, but his stubbornness remained unchanged.
"Get out! Get out of here!"
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