The venue where the welcome banquet was held was enormous, which is typical of Earth Kingdom culture. After all, Earthbenders are unmatched in their ability to construct megastructures.
Who could outdo a group of Earthbenders when it came to that? They could shape the rock however they wanted! Thus, they only needed an excellent architect to guide them.
The banquet hall had high ceilings and wide columns adorned with intricate decorations. Interestingly, the statues in this place were not of King Bumi. In fact, there was none of him at all.
Every statue in the room was faceless and engaged in an activity, such as harvesting, fighting, training, teaching, or caring for others. The statues were more an exaltation of the spirit of Omashu's citizens than the self-aggrandizement of a powerful figure.
This subtle detail revealed Bumi's personality and how he ruled Omashu. Almost everything the elderly earthbender had done during his decades in power had been for the benefit of the city-state's population.
It was no coincidence that, like Ba Sing Se, Omashu had managed to hold out so long without being conquered by the Fire Nation. However, the best way to destroy a perfect defense is to attack from the inside, not the outside.
Amid the festive atmosphere of the celebration, some people genuinely enjoyed the banquet and the joy of celebrating. Others murmured under their breaths, wearing forced smiles, while their words revealed the opposite.
"Who was the idiot who let that guy go out and say that nonsense?" hissed Zhuge, Bumi's son and the eternal prince. He whispered to several nobles around him who were doing their best to blend in with the rest.
"Haha, aren't you the one who's desperate to rise up? Why are you so angry? Before crossing a river, you must test its currents, you know. Calm your anger, 'Young Prince,' and enjoy the wine and meat." A burly noble with a huge belly replied as he stuffed himself with food. He didn't even glance at the so-called prince and mocked him outright.
"Exactly! Aren't we comfortable under your father's reign? You're the only one always hatching plans that go nowhere to secure a throne you'll probably never use. Your son has a better chance than you do of claiming the throne, Zhuge," replied a middle-aged woman who was eating with more decorum than her noble companion.
"I alone must become king! I've already told you my plan. I will live a long life!" The elderly prince wanted to shout, but he restrained himself, whispering those words with considerable fervor.
"Huh? Is that even possible? HAHAHAHA! Do you actually believe that legend about the immortal old man? You fool! Those are just tales from the past, told by deluded and desperate people like you," said the burly nobleman. He laughed heartily and flung bits of meat at Zhuge, who grimaced in disgust.
"Not even the Avatar can live a long life. In ten thousand years, Avatar Kyoshi is the only one who achieved anything like that, and we don't even know if that was intrinsic to her or related to her transcendental status."
Why don't you pray to the spirits and ask to be reincarnated? That would be more interesting than living longer in a decrepit body like yours," the woman remarked, pointing at the prince's wrinkled face without a shred of respect.
None of the nobles in his so-called faction respected the 'Young Prince,' as they mockingly referred to him. Ever since his parents' time, this man had been promising benefits that had yet to be delivered.
After all, King Bumi managed the city so effectively that the privileged families didn't need to intervene directly, except for certain investments and royalties. The nobles didn't participate in Omashu's main industries.
In fact, the nobles of Omashu didn't even have land to farm. This was all because, during the war, King Bumi seized the opportunity to take control of everything the nobles owned, and he made it more successful.
The craft workshops, farmland, and legal export channels all fell under state control. Zhuge promised their parents that they would regain what had once belonged to them and receive greater benefits.
Did they receive what was promised? No! Their parents grew old, and then they came to power, fully aware that they would receive nothing. That is why some of them tried to align themselves with Yun. However, the true young prince had grown up under the strong influence of King Bumi.
This, combined with his friendship with Sage Shisui, was a bad sign; the nobles would never regain their former glory. This is why they tried to expand abroad by reaching out to other nobles overseas, such as the Beifong family.
"Shin's father must be mortified and happy right now. His son is engaged to the blind heiress of the Beifongs. On top of that, after being insulted by the Sage Shisui, it seems he's now part of Yun's faction.
It's worth investing in him rather than in you, Zhuge. At least we can have contact with people more influential than you. Do you think the Avatar wants many children? My eldest daughter is an adult, fertile, and a virgin." The noblewoman ignored the prince's sour expression and steered the conversation toward topics more appropriate for a banquet than whispering nonsense that would lead nowhere.
"Is that blind girl really Toph Beifong?" Haha! Old Lao has been so worried about his daughter. Or maybe it's just a ploy. Is his fear that his daughter is missing just an excuse?" A nobleman who had been listening to the conversation silently felt it was a good time to join in since gossip is always an interesting topic.
"Probably! Lao Beifong is very skilled in business. I thought he might call off the engagement and marry his daughter to the Avatar, or at least have the Avatar take her as a concubine. Speaking of daughters, I have an illegitimate one who's an adult. She knows chess, painting, calligraphy..." Another nobleman joined the conversation, and gradually, no one paid any attention to Zhuge, whose face was somber.
"I'm right. I will be the king of Omashu. Perhaps I no longer need to test the waters. I must act directly," Zhuge muttered. No one around him heard his words, though, since today was the day they ended their relationship with him.
At that moment, the old man's face twisted completely, and his eyes flashed with murderous intent, which he quickly concealed. However, some people had been watching him for a long time.
A certain fat cat watched him from a hidden spot, paying close attention to his words. Furthermore, Ty Lee and Shisui, who could see auras, sensed the shift in Zhuge's mindset and the subtle murderous intent swirling within him.
The Sage was enjoying the banquet, even though part of his attention was on someone he considered undesirable. He was having fun with his friends. Especially since they had started a drinking contest.
"Alcohol from the North Pole is strong, but my wine is better!" exclaimed Bumi, dropping a heavy orange gourd onto the table with an arrogant smile on his flushed face.
"Well! Now that I'm from the North Pole, however, I must take issue with your words. Zuko, give me fire!" Shisui exclaimed. He grabbed a bottle of alcohol, took a big swig, and spat some of the liquid onto a small flame created by his brother-in-law.
Suddenly, a burst of flame erupted when the alcohol and fire reacted. The people around them gasped in excitement at the spectacle, while the Sage gave a rough bow.
"I still can't believe Shisui is so... festive when he drinks," Suki whispered to Sokka. He shook his head, remembering the foolish things the sage did at the welcome banquet at the South Pole.
At the North Pole, however, he couldn't do the same thing because of the atmosphere and circumstances of the visit. Besides, would he dare act that way in front of his grandmother? Never! He loved his ears too much!
"He's always been like this. It's just that alcohol strips away the dignity he insists on maintaining. Remember the serious Shisui from those stories? The one you usually see is just him pretending. This is the real Shisui," Petra replied to Suki, prompting her to pay closer attention to the Sage's actions.
"But why does he do that?" Toph was curious to know more about this matter, all while ignoring the constant glances from Shin, her supposed fiancé. She didn't like the idea that something as serious as her marriage had been decided by her parents and not by her.
"Because he has the image of the Fire Nation in mind. When people see him, they don't just think of 'The Sage Shisui,' they also see 'one of the most important people in the Fire Nation.' Whether they're our own men or from the outside world, few people see him for who he really is," Azula replied to the earthbender's question, causing her to nod.
"Couldn't he just be himself? It's not like anyone could tell him otherwise!" Katara joined the conversation because this topic caught her attention. She believed that being 'authentic' was always best.
"Don't worry. He's not the type to fool himself. His true self always slips out without his realizing it. In time, he'll realize that his actions are foolish." Sometimes I can't believe he's so naive about certain things," replied Mai, who was quite observant.
"Exactly! Shisui's aura has always been fluid and unstable. It's always changing, just like his thoughts. It never stays fixed. When he forces himself to stay still, it inevitably spills over. Do you get it? A water joke! Haha!" Ty Lee held a large mug of beer, grinning widely as she wrapped one arm around Petra's neck.
"Yeah, I think you've had enough to drink," said Azula, stepping forward and taking the alcohol away from her friend. This caused Ty Lee to complain, but Petra restrained her. Then, the princess looked at her fiancé, who was holding the gourd that Bumi had left on the table.
"Elder, why does this wine smell so strong? Is it from a reserve you never mentioned?" Shisui asked. Bumi nodded and snatched the gourd from the sage. He opened it and poured some of its contents into a small glass.
"Aging wine from that peach is problematic since herbs are required to neutralize most of its poison. The longer it ages, the more those toxic elements become the defining characteristic of the drink.
The one you tried earlier was aged for nine years. I have reserves aged for 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, and 72 years, and even 81 years. It's my strongest sample so far. There's one that's about to reach 90 years, but it'll take some time," explained Bumi as he handed Shisui the drink, looking at him seriously.
"As I said, you're an Enlightened One, so your chi is already active. This wine will be nothing but pure alcohol to you. It's very strong, stronger than you'd expect.
The monkey spirit who taught me to make this drink warned me that the longer it's aged, the more powerful its effect will be. Therefore, the intoxication it induces is greater." Bumi warned, but Shisui didn't listen. Instead, in full view of everyone, he downed the entire drink in one gulp.
"Hey, it's not that strong..." Shisui only managed to say that before collapsing onto the table as hard as a rock. An indescribable, alluring wine aroma emanated from his body. Within seconds, he regained consciousness.
His eyes were glassy, and he had a slight blush on his tanned cheeks. He staggered as he stood up, yet his arms moved smoothly as he performed Waterbending.
"WAIT! I have an idea! Why don't we take a group bath!?" The droplets of water that Shisui always carried floated around his body. Sensing imminent danger, his friends lunged at him and grabbed his arms.
"Don't flood everything!" they shouted in unison. A silly grin spread across Shisui's face as he closed his eyes and fell asleep standing up, making the whole situation even more ridiculous.
"That wine is off-limits. I don't even want to see it near Shisui, okay?" Azula whispered, fighting the urge to set Bumi's white beard on fire as he laughed.
It was funny to see the Sage drunk. Now, he wanted to see Aang just as drunk.