Chapter 186: The Banquet Begins!

"Lord Adams, currently white sugar and honey are priced the same."

"Additionally, regarding your method of using white sugar, I can personally go to the Hou Jue's kitchen to teach you; you pay only after you are satisfied with the results!"

"Priced the same as honey?" Adams frowned slightly, for even now, he did not believe white sugar could compare to honey.

Although both were sweet, its sweetness was far too monotonous compared to honey.

But thinking this was his only hope to overcome the crisis, Adams still decided to try.

"Then let us begin. If it truly succeeds, I can pay you one gold coin per kilogram; furthermore, I will owe you a personal favor!"

Good heavens, didn't the bounty say it would only double?

If I recall correctly, honey was only twenty silver coins per jin, right?

Now this Adams opens his mouth and offers one gold coin per jin; he is far too generous!

However, who would ever dislike having too much money?

Thus, Gervas directly followed Adams toward the castle.

"Young Master Adams, you have finally returned? My Lord the Steward is anxiously searching for you!"

No sooner had they stepped into the castle than guards and servants immediately rushed forward anxiously to report.

Adams naturally knew the reason. "I understand!"

Having spoken, he led the group deeper inside.

And this was the first time Gervas witnessed the luxury of a Hou Jue's castle.

If the castles of minor nobles merely possessed defensive functions, sacrificing residential comfort.

Then at the stage of a Hou Jue's fortress, the two could already be compatible.

Moreover, aesthetics could be included as well.

Winding like a long dragon, the stone walls surrounded the entire mountain range, granting the Hou Jue's fortress more space.

With this space.

Arrangements such as flower beds, gardens, and independent manors could all be accommodated within this war fortress, filling the entire Hou Jue's fortress with vitality.

After walking for about ten-plus minutes, the group arrived at the square before the inner castle.

At this moment, several figures stood at the inner castle entrance; no sooner had Adams approached than a mocking laugh reached his ears.

"Adams, you have finally arrived. I thought you had fled because you ruined Father's birthday celebration?"

The speaker was a youth slightly younger than Adams, yet dressed in even more luxurious attire.

"Evan, who said I ruined Father's birthday celebration? Has it not even begun yet?" Adams looked coldly at the youth before him.

This was his younger brother Evan, and also the most likely mastermind behind the loss of the honey.

In the past, to maintain family harmony, he had not truly torn the face with Evan.

But what he received in return was the stepmother and Evan intensifying their actions.

Thus, Adams, who had almost jumped off the sea cliff just now, had already figured it out.

Since the stepmother and these younger brothers cared nothing for family affection or harmony, what else did he care about in the future?

"Although the banquet has not yet begun, it is practically here! Adams, the cooks in the entire kitchen are currently in chaos, saying you failed to prepare the honey in advance; now the kitchen cannot prepare cakes and sweets for today's banquet!"

"Without sweets, can the event still be called a banquet? Do you wish to make the entire Eastern Region nobility laugh at our Marquis Marquis Aosiding family?"

Evan looked at his useless older brother with interest.

Because he knew clearly that Adams was currently merely being stubborn.

After all, that batch of honey had already sunk forever to the bottom of the sea.

Even if Adams truly managed to capture that pirate crew, it would not change the outcome.

As for the merchant houses in Odin City, his mother had long ago secretly arranged personnel to pre-order all the stock.

Of course, she had also secretly given instructions to the managers of these merchant houses.

Therefore, Adams should not even think about obtaining a single jar of honey from within Odin City.

Yet no panic or worry appeared on Adams' face; instead, he said coldly, "You need not worry about this, Evan; I will go to the kitchen to resolve it right now!"

Having spoken, he turned to the steward nearby. "Steward Kevin, I will go to the kitchen to take command now, guaranteeing that Father's birthday celebration will encounter no mishaps! So please do not worry!"

This reassurance was very important.

Otherwise, if Steward Kevin informed the Hou Jue about the missing honey beforehand, then Adams would have no chance left to salvage the situation.

"Very well! Young Master Adams!" After looking deeply at Adams, the steward hesitated for a moment before finally nodding and responding.

This also meant he would not proactively report this matter to the Hou Jue!

Adams nodded in thanks, then walked toward the back kitchen with his head held high.

Gervas and the others followed behind him, watching with smiles throughout.

Gervas now understood that within this Marquis Marquis Aosiding Hou Jue's residence, a melodramatic struggle for the title was surely playing out again.

And watching Marquis Marquis Aosiding walk away, Evan frowned and hurriedly ran toward the back garden where his mother was located.

Passing through the corridor and leaving the sight of the people behind, Adams' originally upright posture immediately collapsed.

His head hung low, and with a face full of worry, he looked at Gervas. "Lord Harry, can white sugar really work?"

Gervas rolled his eyes; apparently, he was just a true man who could unleash his ultimate move for three seconds.

"Of course it can; my white sugar will make this Hou Jue's banquet renowned throughout the entire gathering!"

Adams did not aspire to being renowned throughout the gathering; he only hoped this banquet would not be ruined.

"Lord Harry, then I am relying on you now!"

And to achieve this deal and obtain those craftsmen, Allen naturally cared very much.

Not only did he teach the cooks in the kitchen how to add white sugar to make cakes and desserts.

He also personally mixed a batch of animal cream.

……

Time passed until evening.

As batches of well-dressed guests entered the banquet hall, the Hou Jue's birthday celebration officially began.

The current Marquis Marquis Aosiding Hou Jue stepped into the hall under the gaze of the multitude.

Accompanying him was the second Lady, taken from the Hernand family, and of course, Evan, the second son born to this second Lady.

"Begin!"

With a command from the seated Marquis Marquis Aosiding Hou Jue, servants who had waited long entered the hall in a stream, serving delicacies to the guests at each table.

Compared to the lesser nobles who placed most of the food on the table early, that was because the lesser nobles did not have enough servants to handle such an occasion.

But for the Hou Jue family, at least five servants were assigned to every long table.

To ensure guests could taste the dishes at their best texture just after leaving the pot, all hot food was arranged to be served only after the banquet began.

Steaming mushroom soup, sizzling roasted reindeer dripping with oil, and fragrant charcoal-grilled white bread instantly filled the entire banquet hall with the allure of food.

"Distinguished guests, do not be polite; everyone, enjoy yourselves!"

With another instruction from Marquis Marquis Aosiding Hou Jue, the nobles in the hall no longer delayed and began to feast heartily.

Evan and his mother exchanged a glance, confirming that no cakes or sweets were found on the table.

"Eh, Mother, today's food seems a bit off!" Evan asked in confusion.

"Evan, what nonsense are you spouting? The delicious food on the table is fragrant, every dish carefully cooked by our Hou Jue castle's chefs; how could it be off?" the Lady immediately scolded in a low voice.

"No, Mother, there seem to be no sweet cakes on this table? And a banquet without desserts—is this still a banquet?"

Swish!

Hearing these words, the crowd who had been feasting heartily at the table froze, all turning to look at the Hou Jue.

Because they too had indeed discovered that on this luxurious Hou Jue dinner table, there really were no sweets or sweet cakes!

And those who could sit at the same table as the Hou Jue.

Were either the Hou Jue's offspring or the most highly valued vassals and distinguished guests sent by great families.