Chapter 4211

The money was secondary; the wild Yangtze River Huai fish was truly incredibly delicious. This fish had a high fat content, but it was rich without being greasy, which made the meat's texture even smoother and more tender. When freshly killed, the fish required nothing more than salt and ginger to be so delicious it would make one want to bite off their own tongue.

After the hotpot was served and the waitress announced the dish, Bao Chengzhi smiled and said, "In Xiangzhou, we are quite far from the Yangtze River. Secretary Su's hometown is right on the banks of the Yangtze, so I'll let him introduce this dish."

He was telling the truth; Xiangzhou was hundreds of kilometers from the Yangtze, so he wasn't as familiar with Huai fish as Su Xinghui.

Su Xinghui nodded and said, "Alright, let me introduce this dish to everyone."

Su Xinghui explained the benefits of the Huai fish. Upon hearing that it was truly extraordinary, everyone looked at the dish with newfound respect. Besides the fish, the dish contained only some fermented bean dregs, along with scallions, ginger, and garlic. The soup was boiled to a snowy white color and looked unassuming, but who knew it had such a prestigious background?

Su Xinghui smiled and said, "The fish maw of this Huai fish was a tribute item in ancient times, known as 'Jia fish maw,' because after it was dried in the sun, it looked just like a frame. Its value is comparable to fish maw..."

Su Xinghui cited classics and told a few anecdotes about fish maw. His words broadened everyone's horizons; the Huai fish really did have quite a history.

Su Xinghui's extensive knowledge and erudition also made everyone look at him with newfound respect.

Next, several Xiangzhou specialty dishes were served, such as chicken velvet with monkey head mushrooms, honey-date mutton, and so on. Bao Chengzhi introduced these dishes.

Later, several dishes familiar to Su Xinghui were served, such as charcoal-grilled bamboo rat, braised pheasant, and so on. These were animals that were widely farmed back when Su Xinghui was in Ye Zhugou, so he introduced these dishes.

Before long, the table was full, with over a dozen dishes, all Hudong specialties.

Then, the liquor was served. This liquor was even more familiar to Su Xinghui: it was twenty-year-old Pengwan Shangjun Shangjun Daqu.

Bao Chengzhi smiled and said, "These dishes are one thing, but this liquor is something else. This liquor was discovered by Secretary Su back when he was the town mayor of Pengjiawan. It can be said that without Secretary Su, we wouldn't be able to drink this Pengwan Shangjun Shangjun Daqu today."

Zhang Chongshan said, "Secretary Su, please introduce this Pengwan Shangjun Shangjun Daqu to us."

Su Xinghui nodded and began to explain the origins of Pengwan Shangjun Shangjun Daqu, along with some anecdotes about it, especially the "liquor sea" of Pengwan Shangjun Shangjun Daqu, which left the municipal party secretaries stunned; they had no idea such a magical thing existed in the world.

Bao Chengzhi smiled and asked the waitress to open a bottle of Pengwan Shangjun Shangjun Daqu. Immediately, a rich aroma of liquor wafted out, and everyone nodded, agreeing it was excellent liquor.

The waitress poured the liquor for everyone. Bao Chengzhi raised his glass and said, "Come, let's all have a drink. I hope that in the coming months, we can study together and make progress together!"

Bao Chengzhi's words were met with cheers. Making progress together was, of course, everyone's shared wish. They raised their glasses together and downed the liquor in one gulp.

Bao Chengzhi invited everyone to try the Hudong specialties. They picked up their chopsticks and tasted the dishes that interested them, nodding in approval after each bite.

The hallmark of Hudong cuisine is its reliance on fresh ingredients, focusing on the original flavor of the food, and emphasizing freshness, tenderness, softness, smoothness, and crispness, rather than relying on too many seasonings. Therefore, it had broad appeal. Since Bao Chengzhi was the host, Hudong Mansion naturally sent its best chefs to prepare the meal, so this table of food could be called the pinnacle of Hudong cuisine. Naturally, it was delicious.

After tasting a few dishes, Bao Chengzhi raised his glass to Su Xinghui again and said, "Secretary Su, come, we are fellow townsmen, let me toast you!"

Su Xinghui raised his glass and said, "Sure, fellow townsman, let's have a drink!"

Next, everyone began to toast each other. Participating in this training class for municipal party secretaries, besides becoming part of the cadre reserve, was largely about expanding their personal networks. The dining table was, of course, the best place to build those relationships.

As cadre reserve members, it could be said that if there were no accidents, they would be able to climb higher. Once they climbed higher, they would be deputy-provincial level officials, and at that level, these connections would be extremely useful.

Therefore, everyone drank quite relaxedly, completely shedding their usual reserve.

Back in their own cities, they were the Municipal Party Secretaries, high and mighty, the number one leaders. When it came to drinking, they naturally held back, taking only a sip when others drank a full glass.

But at this table, everyone was a Municipal Party Secretary, and they all needed to build relationships with each other, so naturally, no one held back. Basically, everyone drank a full glass at a time.

Those who could become Municipal Party Secretaries were all good drinkers. Today, Bao Chengzhi had arranged things quite thoughtfully, using traditional small cups, making it effortless for them to drink a cup at a time.

Good liquor and good food made everyone enjoy themselves thoroughly. Amidst the clinking of glasses, they slowly became familiar with one another.

As the liquor took effect, everyone became more talkative, and Su Xinghui inadvertently heard some things that were usually hard to come by.

Before long, a case of Pengwan Shangjun Shangjun Daqu was finished, but everyone felt it wasn't enough, so Bao Chengzhi had the waitress bring another case. These two cases amounted to twelve bottles.

Because of Su Xinghui's special status, many people toasted him. Su Xinghui didn't refuse anyone, drinking a full glass with them each time without hesitation. His drinking manner also made everyone feel very favorably toward him.

However, Zhang Chongshan was still a bit worried about Su Xinghui. He feared that Su Xinghui was too young and might not be able to control himself if he drank too much. He sat next to Su Xinghui, nudged him, and whispered, "Xinghui, don't drink too aggressively."

Su Xinghui nodded and said, "Old Zhang, thank you, but I'm fine. Don't worry!"

Zhang Chongshan looked at Su Xinghui and indeed couldn't see any signs of him being drunk, as his complexion was normal and his eyes were clear. He nodded and said, "Alright, just keep your own measure. If you drink too much, don't worry, I'll take care of you tonight."

Although it was impossible for Su Xinghui to get drunk, he still appreciated Zhang Chongshan's words and nodded, "Thank you."

Unknowingly, Su Xinghui had consumed over a jin of liquor, yet he remained as if nothing had happened, while none of the other municipal party secretaries had drunk as much as he had, yet they all showed signs of intoxication.