When Emika had stepped into the Hall of Gathering Elegance, beautifully decorated gold-gilded high tables and chairs had been set up. The table set included enamelled bowls, plates and dishes decorated with dragon designs and floral patterns, blue and white jade tureens, gold goblets, and silver thread embroidered napkins.
And the aroma of an array of special foods made her mouth water. Taizong had knowingly sent her a list of the gargantuan banquet awaiting her gourmands tastebuds: wild herb salad in a cold bean jelly served with duck stewed with wine, stir fried spinach with small dried shrimp, steamed lotus root with glutinous rice, bean curd stewed with mushrooms, bamboo knotted rolls and steamed buns stuffed with minced pumpkin and mutton, hot pot of chicken with pine nuts and cabbage, pork fried in salt with fresh mushrooms, shaped cakes dusted with crystal sugar, spiral buns with various fillings such as lotus seeds, peanuts and dates.
