Chapter 477 Family Banquet
The conversation between father and son ended unpleasantly. The original plan to invite the King of Qi and his family to have dinner in the palace was naturally abandoned.

Just after lunch at the Prince of Qi's Mansion, Li Yuanhui's nephew, Princess Pingyang, and her husband, Chai Zhewei, the son of Duke Qiao Chai Rong, came to the mansion to ask for a meeting.

"Hello, uncle. My mother asked me to come and invite you to our house for a dinner tonight. My second and third uncles will also be there."

Li Yuanhui smiled happily when he saw his nephew, "I have to go to your invitation even if I have something very important to do. I have been back for several days and have not seen your mother yet. How is her health?"

"My mother is in good health, but she always misses you and my cousins."

"Hahaha, among all the brothers, I am the one who is taken care of by your mother the most. I have been busy with the wars these years and have not seen her very often. It has been five or six years since we last met. Time flies. Even you have grown into a man of eight feet tall. You have the heroic spirit of your father, not bad."

Chai Zhewei is the eldest son in the family. He is already twenty years old and is very much loved by Li Yuan. He now serves as the General of the Left Guard, an important position.

Among the younger generation in Chang'an, he is also very capable and has much of his father's chivalrous spirit. He is always praised by the dandy young men in Chang'an, who boast of his extraordinary bravery.

Today, I met my fourth uncle whom I hadn't seen for a long time. I felt that he was less majestic than my second and third uncles, but more friendly and intimate.

"Thank you for the compliment, uncle."

Chai Zhewei came out of the Prince of Qi's Mansion and went to the Eastern Palace and the Prince of Jin's Mansion. The reason why he sent the letters in this order was that his mother had specially asked him to do so. Although he did not understand the deep meaning, he never dared to disobey his mother's words.

In fact, Princess Pingyang had the final say on all matters, big or small, in the Chai family, and both Chai's father and son were afraid of her.

After visiting the Eastern Palace and Prince Jin's Mansion, Chai Zhewei returned to Princess Pingyang's Mansion to report to his mother. His father happened to be there too.

"Reporting to Grandpa and Grandma, I have been to all three uncles. They all said they would come on time."

Princess Pingyang nodded and said, "Okay, go and do your work."

"Yes, mother. Aye, I'm leaving now."

After Chai Zhewei left, Chai Rong asked, "You want to invite the Crown Prince, the Prince of Jin, and the Prince of Qi to your residence? Is it to negotiate peace?"

Princess Pingyang said, "My eldest brother passed away early. Erlang, Sanlang, and Silang are all my brothers from the same mother. As their eldest sister, I cannot pretend not to see any disputes. I can just invite them over for a family dinner. If we can reconcile, we can reconcile. If we can't reconcile, then let them be. I can't just watch them drift apart, can I?"

Chai Rong nodded when he heard this. "Of course, but the conflict between the princes didn't happen overnight. Some things are hard for you to say. Just do your best. Don't worry about this. How about I go to the camp to guard at night?"

Chai Rong actually didn't want to get involved in the disputes between the Crown Prince, Prince of Jin and Prince of Qi. Although he was his brother-in-law, how much power could this brother-in-law have when even his father Li Yuan couldn't handle the situation?

Moreover, he felt that if Princess Pingyang really used her status as the eldest sister to teach her younger brothers a lesson, it would be embarrassing for these brothers, so he thought it would be better for them not to stay at home.

However, Princess Pingyang said decisively: "You are their brother-in-law. I asked them to come over for dinner. Why are you avoiding them? This is the Princess's Mansion, not the Eastern Palace or the Prince of Qi's Mansion. I have the final say! When Erlang and Silang were young, they were causing trouble outside. How much trouble did you solve for them at that time? Now they are the crown prince and the Prince of Qi, but they are still my brothers. Why are you afraid of them? You have won your current official position by fighting on the battlefield. Do they dare to cause trouble for you?"

Hearing the princess say this, Chai Rong smiled bitterly, then nodded, "Then I'll listen to your arrangements, and I'll accompany you all to have a few drinks tonight."

In the afternoon, the three brothers arrived at Princess Pingyang's mansion one after another.

Because Mrs. Li only invited the three brothers and not their entire family to the banquet, dinner was served in the pavilion in the small garden in the back hall.

Chai Rong was talking to a few people in the front, while Madam Li was leading people to make arrangements in the back.

Crown Prince Li Er, who was the heir to the throne, sat in the main seat, with his two brothers sitting on his left and right respectively. Chai Rong sat next to Li Yuanhui. They all started talking, and it was very lively, without any signs of estrangement or grudge.

When the sun was setting, Madam Li came to the front hall. "Sister, long time no see. You haven't changed at all. You are still the same as when I left Chang'an."

"Shiro is getting better at saying nice things now."

"No, it's all true."

"That's enough."

"Hahaha"

Bring a few brothers to the pavilion in the backyard.

Li Yuanhui looked at the dishes on the table. They were all the ones he used to eat at Li's house.

There are roasted lamb and duck cooked with flowers that he likes, cold bamboo shoots and lion's head that Li Er likes, and shredded rabbit with chrysanthemum and fried deer legs that Li San likes.
These were all common dishes in the Li family’s past, and they were still on the daily menus of the Eastern Palace, Prince Jin’s Mansion, and Prince Qi’s Mansion. However, it has been a long time since they all appeared together.

The brothers were all silent for a while. After a while, Li Er said, "Big sister, you are thoughtful. Some of the dishes here have not been seen for several years. Thank you for taking the trouble to prepare them today."

With these dishes and the occasion today, how could the brothers not understand the good intentions of the eldest sister. It was just to bridge the conflict between the brothers.

Madam Li said, "Okay, stop talking nonsense and take a seat. Today is a family dinner. Put aside your usual court affairs. Today, it's just your sister, brother-in-law, and you three brothers."

"Okay, listen to eldest sister."

Li Yuanhui was the first to respond with a smile, then walked to the last seat and said, "Big sister will take the main seat today, second brother, what do you say?"

Li Er nodded upon hearing this, and then responded, "Silang is right. Since only family members are here today, let's not get into any red tape. The eldest sister is the oldest, and as the saying goes, the eldest sister is like a mother. We brothers have been taken care of by the eldest sister since we were young, especially after our mother passed away. The eldest sister should take the seat."

Li San also said, "That's right. Big sister's husband, please take the seat."

Mrs. Li did not refuse, "Okay, let's all sit down and talk while we eat."

Chai Rong also agreed, "Okay. Everyone, sit down. Everyone, sit down."

Several people took their seats one after another. Li Si pushed his brother-in-law to his seat and poured wine for them. Finally, he sat down and poured himself another glass.

"Come, this first glass of wine, the three of us brothers, will toast to my eldest sister and my brother-in-law. I still remember that when I was with Yu Zhongheng, Du Bing and a few others, we didn't know how to behave and got into a fight on the street. It was my brother-in-law who helped us get out of it. Otherwise, we would have been punished by Aye."

Li Er also laughed and said, "Silang is right. My brother-in-law was in the Imperial Guards at the time and he took good care of me. This glass of wine is for my brother-in-law."

Chai Rong laughed and said, "Why bring up these past events? Hahaha, we are all family."

Li San raised his glass in response, and they all drank a glass of wine and filled their glasses.

The siblings chatted for a while over wine, and then they got down to business.

"There are some things I shouldn't say, but Aye is old and my eldest brother is gone. If I don't say some things, no one else will. Erlang, Sanlang, you brothers have been at odds over the past few years. I know it all."

"Si Lang is here today, so you two brothers should talk it out. What exactly do you want? Do you have to kill each other before you stop?"

(End of this chapter)