Chapter 847: First Volume, Chapter 847: Turning the Guest into the Host

First Volume, Chapter 847: Turning the Guest into the Host

After this sudden upheaval, the wine-tasting banquet should have been canceled, but the guests who had already entered the Wang Family Mansion feared being drawn into the conflict and dared not leave rashly.

Just as they were preparing to rise and depart once the storm had passed, they ran straight into Qin Feng, who had arrived late.

For a moment, everyone was caught between advance and retreat.

Under the pressure of everyone's stares, Wang Fugui, Patriarch of the Wang Family, gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

"I, Wang Fugui, pay my respects to Marquis Qin. The hour is already late—shall we reschedule the wine-tasting banquet for another day? What do you think?"

Canceling the wine-tasting banquet has nothing to do with the time of day.

The guests here, though not Imperial Relatives or high-ranking ministers, were still prominent figures in the Di Royal Capital.

The more such "neither high nor low" nobles they were, the more skilled they were at games—staying up all night was merely basic conduct.

Wang Fugui's suggestion to cancel the banquet, after all, was nothing but fear of Qin Feng.

Know this: half the guests here came to belittle and suppress Qin Feng; the other half came to watch the spectacle—and to throw stones at one who has fallen.

But…

What had just happened in the Di Royal Capital was a thunderclap to everyone.

Time and again, it had been proven: provoking Qin Feng carried a cost none of them could bear.

At this very moment, every person present—including Wang Fugui—was solely focused on ending the wine-tasting banquet and putting as much distance as possible between themselves and this omen of doom.

Qin Feng naturally understood what Wang Fugui was thinking.

In the past, canceling the wine-tasting banquet would have been fine—just reschedule it later; nothing would be lost.

But today was different.

Earlier, Qin Feng had withdrawn to the Yi Guan under Ning Hu's protection, intending to hold his ground against the Imperial Guard there—only for the Yi Guan to be set ablaze.

This was no accident, nor was it the Imperial Guard rushing to capture Qin Feng; it was the very thing Qin Feng had feared becoming reality: the hidden "madmen" of the Di Royal Capital had begun to act.

As for who these madmen were—whether aligned with the Hawk Faction or backed by Chen Si—Qin Feng knew nothing, for anyone could be a madman!

Qin Feng realized his plan must now be accelerated.

He smiled warmly, patted Wang Fugui's shoulder, and gave him a smile as warm as spring breeze.

"Master Wang, there is something I am unsure whether I should say or not."

Hearing this, Wang Fugui shuddered, forcing a smile uglier than crying.

"Marquis Qin, you're joking—speak your mind freely! What is there that you dare not say? You humiliate me."

Qin Feng cut straight to the point: "This wine-tasting banquet is of great importance to me. If trivial matters disrupt its proper conduct, I shall be deeply saddened."

Trivial matters?

Capturing the City Gate, summoning the entire Wang Du garrison, war on the verge of breaking out.

This was a trivial matter?

Had these words not come from Qin Feng's mouth, Wang Fugui would have thought the man insane.

Wang Fugui's palms sweated with tension; he forced a smile: "The wine-tasting banquet is merely a chance for us to foster goodwill—there will be many such opportunities."

"If Marquis Qin…"

Before he could finish, Wang Fugui caught Jing Ci's gaze—he swallowed the rest of his sentence.

A chill ran down his spine; had Jing Ci Princess not reminded him, he would have foolishly rejected Qin Feng outright.

This was Qin Feng, after all!

Recalling what had just occurred in Wang Du, Wang Fugui felt his legs trembling; though inwardly he resisted a hundredfold, he forced himself to change course.

"If this is Marquis Qin's wish, I shall obey without question."

Seeing Wang Fugui so cooperative, Qin Feng gave him an approving nod, patted his shoulder again, and said solemnly: "Rest assured—if the wine-tasting banquet proceeds smoothly, you will not go unrewarded."

Wang Fugui smiled broadly on his face, but sighed inwardly.

What reward or not—so long as he could rid himself of this omen of doom, he would gladly bankrupt his entire family.

To cross such a man was to risk total ruin—family destroyed, death without burial.

The guests present silently cursed Wang Fugui for being useless, yet as they watched Qin Feng and Jing Ci head toward the venue, none dared to leave privately—they could only exchange uneasy glances and reluctantly follow.

The so-called venue was merely the courtyard outside the main hall.

Yes, on this bitterly cold day, the banquet was being held outdoors.

But Qin Feng did not mind; after all, Di customs were fierce, unlike the frail literati of Liang Kingdom, and the wine-tasting banquet required charcoal to heat wine—it would not freeze them to death.

Two rows of small tables stood in the courtyard, each with a cushion behind it.

At the Bei Zun Wei stood a large table.

Jing Ci gestured: "Marquis Qin, please take the Upper Seat."

Without hesitation, Qin Feng refused: "Ha! Your Highness is trying to make me err—you are Princess, and I am merely a minor Marquis; how could I sit above you?"

"Your Highness takes the Upper Seat—I'll sit anywhere."

Saying this, Qin Feng sat down on the left lower seat—originally Wang Fugui's place. Wang Fugui dared not protest and immediately ordered all guests to shift one seat backward.

Jing Ci sighed inwardly.

This Qin Feng was utterly unpredictable—sometimes recklessly bold, as if he meant to pierce the heavens; other times, he showed proper etiquette and understanding of propriety…

The more she interacted with Qin Feng, the less she understood him; she abandoned her confusion and sat firmly in the Upper Seat.

The entire courtyard fell silent; no one dared speak until Qin Feng opened his mouth.

Only Wang Fugui kept waving, directing servants to distribute delicate little stoves and copper pots before each guest.

The stoves were for warming wine; the copper pots for boiling meat.

As steam rose in waves, a peculiar charm emerged—even this freezing snow-laden night seemed less unbearable.

Snow still fell, but less heavily now, sparse and drifting.

Qi Ya held an oiled paper umbrella beside Jing Ci, shielding her from the snowflakes.

Wang Fugui had arranged for a servant to hold an umbrella for Qin Feng, but Qin Feng refused.

Qin Feng sat kneeling on the ground in an unusually formal posture, holding Chopsticks, gently stirring the meat in the bronze pot, never acknowledging the guests present.

Qin Feng's actions left everyone deeply perplexed and tense.

The more incomprehensible he was, the greater the danger!

Only when the chicken was half-cooked did Qin Feng place the Chopsticks beside the bronze pot and mutter to himself: "Strange—has no one tonight planned to give this Marquis a beating? That's not like the Northern Di style."