allonlinenovel Chapter 1126 Hint
Chapter 1126 Hint
The state banquet hall of Longteng Hotel is magnificent, and the huge crystal chandelier illuminates the entire hall like daylight. The round dining table in the hall is covered with a snow-white tablecloth, and exquisite porcelain tableware and European-style crystal goblets are placed in front of each seat. In the center of the table is a jade-carved dragon and phoenix ornament, symbolizing the tradition and nobility of China.
The band area is arranged in a corner of the hall, with a perfect fusion of folk music and Western instruments. Famous landscape paintings are hung on the walls, complementing the European-style decoration. The entire banquet hall not only displays the cultural heritage of China, but also has an international style.
Su Zhengyang, wearing a dark blue Zhongshan suit and with the highest medal of the Chinese Empire pinned on his chest, was standing in the center of the banquet hall to welcome envoys from various countries. His posture was calm, his eyes were steady, and his every move showed the demeanor of a leader of a great country.
"Lord Chesterfield," Su Zhengyang greeted in fluent English, "I believe you were deeply impressed by yesterday's military parade?" His tone was gentle but with a hint of amusement.
"Ms. Dubois," he turned to the French ambassador and greeted him in perfect French, "Your blue dress goes really well with the moon tonight."
When dealing with Duke Romanov, Su Zhengyang deliberately used a few Russian greetings to show his respect for the Tsarist Russian nobles, but the confidence in his eyes did not diminish at all.
When Seckt and Marco approached, Su Zhengyang greeted them in German and Italian respectively, showing his extraordinary language talent and world vision in his conversation.
Facing the somewhat nervous Portuguese representative Silva, Su Zhengyang deliberately slowed down his tone: "Mr. Silva, we will have a lot of common topics tonight." This sentence made Silva's expression more solemn.
When Sukarno approached, Su Zhengyang said in Chinese: "Mr. Sukarno, we had a pleasant afternoon meeting. I believe you will see more interesting things tonight."
Su Zhengyang's attitude was just right: he showed the hospitality of the host, and in the details he revealed the calmness and confidence of a leader of a great country. He carefully considered the names and words he used for each envoy, showing his superb diplomatic skills.
Especially towards the English and Portuguese envoys, although his attitude was friendly, his words were always suggestive, which made the two envoys feel a little uneasy from time to time. However, towards the envoys of other countries, he seemed more easy-going, obviously implementing a "divide" strategy.
"Everyone," Su Zhengyang finally raised his glass, "Let us look forward to a new era of peace and prosperity together."
The envoys raised their glasses in response, but everyone understood that beneath this peaceful appearance, a game concerning the Far East was about to unfold. And the young Chinese president was clearly confident.
"Everyone," Su Zhengyang smiled and looked around at everyone, "I personally have always believed that although Western-style buffets are convenient, they lack a bit of human touch. Tonight, I would like to invite you to experience the traditional Chinese banquet style."
He made an inviting gesture and smiled gently but unquestionably: "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. What do you think?"
"Of course," Lord Chesterfield immediately said, "It is our honor to experience the traditional culture of China."
"Indeed," Mrs. Dubois agreed gracefully, "I have always admired the dining etiquette of the East."
The waiters led the guests to their respective seats. In addition to blue and white porcelain tableware, the round dining table was also equipped with ivory chopsticks inlaid with gold. In front of each seat was a seat card outlined with gold thread, on which the envoy's name was marked in Chinese and the language of the corresponding country.
According to the arrangement, Chesterfield and Silva sat on Su Zhengyang's left and right respectively. Opposite Ms. Du Bois was Sukarno, and other envoys also sat according to the carefully designed seating arrangement.
"In China," Su Zhengyang explained after everyone sat down, "a dining table is not only a place to eat, but also a place to communicate. A round table is a small world."
Prince Romanov looked at the tableware in front of him with great interest: "These porcelains are really exquisitely made."
"Yes," Su Zhengyang continued, "These are specially made in Qingshui Town, and each one embodies the hard work of Chinese craftsmen. Just like our meeting today, although the form is traditional, the content can be very novel."
Seckt and Marco looked at each other and saw the other's eyes clearly. The Chinese president chose the traditional round table banquet, which obviously had ulterior motives. At the round table, everyone can directly see the expressions of others, and this arrangement makes the negotiations more direct and transparent.
"I noticed," Garcia looked at the wine glasses in front of his seat, "both white and red wine glasses?"
"That's right," Su Zhengyang said with a smile, "We have prepared Moutai and Lafite tonight. Fine wines from the East and the West, all for the fun. However," he added meaningfully, "I suggest you start with Moutai. After all, this is China."
The envoys all agreed, but everyone understood that this was not just a choice of eating habits. From the layout of the table to the arrangement of drinks, everything conveyed a message: this was China's home court, and the rules would be set by China.
When the first dish was about to be served, Su Zhengyang raised his white wine glass and said, "Let's have a drink first and start tonight's banquet in the Chinese way."
The envoys raised their glasses to welcome the guests, and a meaningful diplomatic feast officially began as the wine glasses clinked.
When the second dish came, the waiter respectfully introduced: "Gangcheng crispy pigeon, served with plums soaked in aged Huadiao wine."
"Ah," Lord Chesterfield looked at the golden and crispy pigeon on the plate with a slightly embarrassed expression, "This is indeed a famous dish in Hong Kong."
Su Zhengyang picked up the chopsticks slowly and said, "The culinary art of Hong Kong City combines the essence of Chinese tradition and maritime culture. In the final analysis," he looked at Chesterfield meaningfully, "this is part of Chinese food culture."
The third dish was served shortly afterwards: "Macau Portuguese egg tarts, served with seafood stew."
Silva's hands visibly shook and he almost knocked over his glass.
"This dish is very interesting," Su Zhengyang continued, "It looks like a Portuguese dessert, but it uses Chinese flour, Chinese eggs, and is baked by Chinese chefs. For hundreds of years, it has become a part of Chinese cuisine."
Ms. Dubois keenly sensed the implication in the words and gently put down her chopsticks.
"I always think," Su Zhengyang looked around at everyone, "that food, like culture, will naturally return to its roots. Just like these dishes, although they have a little foreign flavor, they still have the taste of China in their bones."
"The president's words are very sensible," Duke Romanov said, smoothing things over. "Food really knows no national boundaries."
"But," Su Zhengyang raised his glass, "the land has its own owners. Come, Lord Chesterfield, Mr. Silva, let's taste these two dishes together. These are all your..." He paused deliberately, "...the specialties of the place where you live."
The atmosphere was a little tense for a moment. Chesterfield and Silva had to raise their glasses in response, but their expressions were very reluctant.
Sekt and Marco exchanged a knowing look, obviously understanding the deep meaning of the two dishes. Sukarno watched the reactions of the envoys from various countries with great interest, nodding and smiling from time to time.
"Speaking of which," Su Zhengyang continued, "the ingredients used in these two dishes were all shipped from China. It can be seen that what is separated will eventually reunite, and what is separated will eventually return. Don't you agree?"
No one responded, but everyone could hear the weight of this sentence. In this seemingly ordinary dinner table conversation, China's attitude could not be more obvious: Hong Kong and Macau will eventually return.
The waiters brought the next dish in due time, but the atmosphere on the table had subtly changed. These two dishes with strong regional characteristics had completed their mission of conveying information.