King Ning, firstly because of his friendship with Pei Ji, and secondly because he had heard that Pei's son was a young talent, had praised him in front of Cui Daosi long ago. He had already thought highly of him compared to others, and now that his grandson had been saved by him, it was only natural for him to be treated with such courtesy. When he calmed down a little, he suddenly thought of the painter and asked him about it. Knowing that the painter had arrived, he ordered him to be summoned.
Xuyu was nearby, and she went up to pay her respects to her cousin.
When one reaches the age of Prince Ning, he has experienced a lot and it is inevitable that he believes more in the theory of cause and effect and destiny.
The palace supervisor who was ordered to call people had arrived a moment earlier and reported that Pei Jiazi seemed to know the painter and came out to meet him outside the gate. Then he thought that if it weren't for the painter's arrival, Pei Jiazi might not have come out. If he hadn't come out, he wouldn't have encountered Li Hui's rescue in danger. In this way, this painter is also a luck-bringer for his grandson.
Besides feeling lucky, she also loved the painter because he had a handsome appearance, which was rare among men. Moreover, he looked friendly at first glance and spoke to her in a very cordial manner. She told her to slow down the painting of "Pleasures along the Qujiang River" and that since she was here today, she could also go sightseeing.
Xuyu thanked her.
After King Ning gave his orders, he looked at Pei Jiazi again, nodded secretly in his heart, and then ordered people to send Li Hui to rest. He also led his people back inside to continue the banquet that had just been interrupted.
It was common knowledge in the court that Liu Ceye and Wang Zhang were at odds with each other.
Except for court meetings, these two rarely appeared together. But today, because of Prince Ning's face, they came together and were both honored guests.
Liu Ceye expressed his condolences to King Ning and said a few words that King Xin'an would have good fortune in the future. After returning to his seat, he watched from afar as King Ning called Pei Jiazi to his side and introduced him to the many literati and celebrities present today.
Not only that, Wang Zhang also acted like an elder, talking and laughing with the boy, almost touching his head and rubbing his back, looking very affectionate.
After Pei Xiaoyuan entered the capital, Wang Zhang openly and secretly took credit for recommending him to the Jinwu Guard, and regarded himself as Pei's mentor. In comparison, Liu Ceye, who had been the villain for nothing, seemed embarrassed.
Although his face showed no expression at the moment, he couldn't help feeling a little anxious in his heart. He took the opportunity of changing clothes and went to a remote place where no one was.
The Crown Princess's elder brother, the Imperial Attendant Wei Juren, was waiting there. He was less than thirty years old and, like the Crown Prince, was known for his good relationships with people.
"What happened to the prince? The banquet is almost halfway through, why hasn't he arrived yet?" Liu Ceye asked about his nephew's whereabouts.
After all, Prince Ning has a special status, and almost all the famous princes and nobles have come to today's banquet.
Prince Kang Li Ze arrived early in the morning and stayed almost inseparable from Prince Ning, discussing poetry and prose with famous scholars and men of letters. He seemed to be eloquent and in high spirits.
However, Crown Prince Li Mao, who should have been the focus of attention, did not show up.
Although the Crown Prince did not have to be present at such an occasion, he would do it anyway to save Prince Ning's face.
Wei Juren wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief and said he had sent someone back to check and got a report that the Crown Princess didn't know. She only knew that he had left the city yesterday on the pretext of hunting and didn't know where he had gone. She only sent Dian Jun back at night, saying that they had encountered a white deer in a valley, which was a good omen and should not be missed. They wanted to hunt it down and present it to the saint, so he was afraid that he would miss the Qujiang Banquet today.