As a prime minister of the dynasty, no matter how honest or approachable he might be, it’s highly unlikely he would sit in the common area to eat. So everyone was led straight up to the third floor, and it had to be a large private room, by the window!

Thomas Foster didn’t see anyone bring a menu or anything. He had barely sat down when plates of dried fruits, snacks, and cold dishes were served, along with hot towels and a kind of pale blue small round tablet.

Thomas Foster recognized this thing—he’d even eaten it before. It’s called xiangyao. It’s called “medicine,” but it’s not actually medicine. The Song people called anything with a pungent flavor “medicine”—for example, spices were also called xiangyao.

But this xiangyao is not that xiangyao; it’s an oral hygiene and etiquette item. Simply put, it’s the Song dynasty’s chewing gum, just without the gum base. You could keep it in your mouth to freshen your breath, and it also soothed the throat a bit.

Thomas Foster wasn’t sure if ordinary families had this stuff, but in the Prince Consort’s residence, it was a staple, and there were several grades. The brands used by the master and the servants were different, and even within the same grade, there were different flavors.

Back when Thomas Foster had just woken up, the osmanthus fragrance he smelled wasn’t from incense in the room, nor from the princess’s perfume, but from the osmanthus xiangyao in her mouth.

Judging by the look of it, the xiangyao used in Bai Fan Lou was probably the same brand as the one in his own residence—definitely not low-grade. The reason Leonard Thompson kept complaining about being broke just now was probably because he knew Andrew Bennett was coming here. He wasn’t faking it—he was genuinely pained!

Whether it was Andrew Bennett being considerate of Leonard Thompson, or Leonard Thompson having spoken to the staff here in advance, in any case, all the main dishes had been served, but not a single performer was in sight—not even a token appearance.

This left Thomas Foster a bit disappointed. He couldn’t visit prostitutes, but surely there was no harm in having a performer or two around? Even the emperor had palace performers, and the Prince Consort’s residence kept more than a dozen song and dance girls. So why couldn’t he see any in such a high-end restaurant?

Unfortunately, no one paid any attention to his glances around. As soon as the food arrived, Andrew Bennett started eating with great enthusiasm, at most inviting everyone to raise a glass and drink, then burying his head again to tackle the roast rabbit in front of him.

“Boshi, ever since I woke up, I’ve forgotten everything from before. These days I’ve been trying to recover my memory, but there are some things even my family can’t explain. My wife says you are my closest friend—why not tell me about it and clear up my confusion?”

Since Andrew Bennett wasn’t saying anything, Thomas Foster had to take matters into his own hands, targeting Leonard Thompson. Who told him to join the emperor in tricking him? This was payback!

“Of course. What would Jin Qing like to hear?” Leonard Thompson didn’t know what Charles Bennett was up to, but the request wasn’t unreasonable, so he agreed readily.

“Naturally, I want to hear about court affairs. My wife told me I fell off my horse after drinking too much at Brother Zizhan’s farewell banquet, so let’s start with Brother Zizhan. Why was he exiled to Huangzhou?” Seeing Leonard Thompson take the bait, Thomas Foster put on a look of utter confusion and started digging a pit.

The princess had never answered this question, only saying that as a woman she didn’t know much about court matters and couldn’t respond. The maids and coachmen had let slip a few words, but they really didn’t know anything—their information came from street gossip, which was not only scant but also unreliable.

Thomas Foster had heard of the Wutai Poetry Case. Apparently, Su Shi had offended a certain faction in court because of Andrew Bennett’s reforms, and then suffered misfortune along with Andrew Bennett.

Now that Andrew Bennett had been fully reinstated, shouldn’t Su Shi be allowed to return as well? Even if he wasn’t restored to his original post, at least staying in the capital would be more comfortable than being sent to a small county in Hubei. Even in the Southern Song period, that area was still underdeveloped.

It wasn’t that Thomas Foster wanted to meddle in politics—even if he wanted to, he didn’t have the ability. But since he’d run into this great prime minister, and had his “madness” as an excuse, he might as well take the opportunity to push a little. Maybe he could win Su Shi a chance at a turnaround.

Among his so-called friends here, the only one Thomas Foster really wanted to meet was Su Shi. Su Dongpo—who wouldn’t want to see him in person?

As for the others, it wasn’t that they were inferior to Su Dongpo, but Thomas Foster had barely heard of them, so he’d pass. Anyway, it was unlikely they’d be composing poetry or painting together in the future. Even if they didn’t mind him, he minded himself.

No more poetry, and painting was out of the question. The moment he opened his mouth or picked up a brush, he’d embarrass himself. Better to keep his decent reputation and not ruin it any further.

“Well… it’s a long story, maybe…” Leonard Thompson’s face turned green at Charles Bennett’s question. He glanced sideways at Andrew Bennett, who was still stuffing meat into his mouth, as if he hadn’t heard a word of the conversation.

“No time like the present. Since we have this rare opportunity today, let’s keep it brief. What do you think, Prime Minister?” The trap was set—there was no way out now. The nickname “Skinflint Hong” wasn’t for nothing. You could leave, but you’d have to leave a couple of pounds of flesh behind!

“I haven’t had such tender and delicious rabbit in ages. Why not ask the restaurant to bring another plate…” Andrew Bennett finally lifted his head from the plate, looked at Leonard Thompson, then at the Prince Consort, and finally fixed his gaze on the princess.

“I can’t hold my liquor, my lord. Please drink a few more cups with the Prime Minister. The restaurant will bring more rabbit. I’ll take my leave…”