Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Shen Yuan had also bought wine for this meal.

Ji Pingan didn’t much care for drinking, but Guo Mingchen and Xu Kangfu did.

The alcohol here was too weak for Shen Yuan. As Guo Mingchen and Xu Kangfu drank, they discovered Shen Yuan had an impressive alcohol tolerance. Before they knew it, the three of them were in a drinking contest.

It became a point of pride; each wanted to drink the other two under the table.

Shen Yuan drank as if it were water, one cup after another.

Xu Kangfu got drunk pretty quickly, and after a few rounds, Guo Mingchen also began to struggle.

"If you can't hold your liquor, stop drinking. If you get too drunk to walk later, I won't be able to haul you both," Ji Pingan said, putting a hand on the wine jug to stop them from drinking more.

Shen Yuan, still clear-headed, also worried that Xu Kangfu and Guo Mingchen would get sick from drinking too much. He said, "Let's call it quits. I'll go get you some hot water to help settle your stomachs."

"No need." Xu Kangfu stood up unsteadily, looking around dazedly with a furrowed brow. "I gotta hit the restroom."

Two sober people and two drunk ones.

Shen Yuan supported Xu Kangfu and said to Ji Pingan, "I'll take him, brother. Keep an eye on Guo Mingchen; be careful he doesn't fall into the water."

The pavilion in the middle of the lake was surrounded by water. A drunk person could easily lose their balance—better safe than sorry.

Ji Pingan nodded repeatedly. "Don't worry, hurry back."

A server from Weixianju helped Shen Yuan support Xu Kangfu to the restroom.

The restroom here was kept pretty clean, with incense sticks burning. Xu Kangfu was steady enough and didn't let Shen Yuan follow him inside. Shen Yuan told him to be careful and waited outside with the server.

Bored, Shen Yuan looked around idly. Suddenly, he spotted a familiar figure. Just as the person was about to pass a corner near a rockery, Shen Yuan tentatively called out, "Brother Zijun?"

Song Zijun stopped and turned around. Seeing Shen Yuan, his eyes lit up. He immediately turned and strode toward Shen Yuan, saying happily, "What a coincidence! I can't believe I ran into you here! It's been a while. Have you missed me, A-Yuan?"

"A little, yeah." Shen Yuan smiled and asked him, "When did you get back? Why didn't you come find me to hang out?"

"I've been back for a while, but I've been a bit busy lately and haven't had any free time." As Song Zijun spoke, he scratched the back of his hand, then his cheek and neck.

"What's wrong?" The light outside was dim, making it hard to see clearly. Shen Yuan leaned in closer, almost up against Song Zijun, and finally saw that Song Zijun's hands, cheeks, and neck were covered in angry red mosquito bites.

His eyes widened slightly. "Where have you been? How'd you get bitten up like this?"

Song Zijun gave a bitter laugh. "Young Master Lin sent me to lie low in the mountains."

Just talking about it made Song Zijun's bites itch even more. He unconsciously scratched harder, a mix of pain and relief.

"Stop that. These bites are severe. If you keep scratching like that, you might scar."

Shen Yuan reached out and grabbed Song Zijun's wrist to stop him from scratching. "You should soak in some mugwort water; it might help a bit."

Song Zijun, his wrist held, didn't move and looked down at Shen Yuan. "Will you help me?"

He had a good reason. "My hands are so itchy I can't help but scratch. You help me soak them."

"Sure. Weixianju happens to have mugwort. I'll have a server help prepare some." Afraid Song Zijun would start scratching again, Shen Yuan kept holding his wrist and didn't let go. "Where's your table? I'll walk you back."

"The Dance Hall," Song Zijun smiled. "The dancers here are quite good, though compared to the Westmoon dancers in Youyang, the ones here aren't as skilled."

Shen Yuan nodded perfunctorily, showing little interest. Seeing Shen Yuan wasn't interested in the dancers, Song Zijun smiled slightly. "No wonder Young Master Lin isn't keen on coming here. It's a bit inferior, not really worth watching."

Shen Yuan finally looked up, curious. "Does Fifth Uncle like watching dances?"

Song Zijun paused briefly. "It's hard to say whether he likes it or not. No one can truly discern Young Master Lin's preferences."

Shen Yuan felt a bit disappointed. He had been thinking that if Xie Yulin liked watching dances, he happened to know some basics. It would have been a way to show his appreciation by catering to his interests.

What a shame.

Shen Yuan called the server who had helped him with Xu Kangfu and asked him to take Xu Kangfu back. He also asked the server to inform the people in the lakeside pavilion that he had run into Song Zijun and would be in the Dance Hall, returning soon.

Song Zijun said generously, "Why just inform them? Invite everyone to the Dance Hall. That lakeside pavilion is full of mosquitoes. Are you there to eat or to feed the mosquitoes? Someone might get bitten badly."

Shen Yuan wanted to say no mosquitoes bit him, but considering Song Zijun's body covered in bites, saying that would probably infuriate him, so he kept his mouth shut.

"Then please go to the lakeside pavilion and call everyone over."

After Shen Yuan finished speaking to the server, Xu Kangfu came out.

He was much more sober now. Seeing Song Zijun, he could still recognize him. "Oh, Advisor Song, what are you doing here?"

Song Zijun held the highest position among Xie Yulin's strategists. The other strategists had complex feelings toward him.

They admired and envied him, wanting to surpass him but finding it impossible.

Song Zijun had always been the benchmark and aspiration for the other strategists.

Xu Kangfu was no exception. Seeing Song Zijun now, his remaining drunkenness completely faded. His dark eyes burned with a complex mix of emotions.

It was as if he wanted to challenge Song Zijun and defeat him, yet also like he was seeing an admired figure with burning sincerity.

Song Zijun also had an excellent memory. Those recruited by Xie Yulin as strategists were all capable individuals.

And those called to Qingyun County and assigned to Shen Yuan's side were even more outstanding.

Therefore, Song Zijun had an impression of Xu Kangfu; he wasn't an unknown name.

Song Zijun responded naturally, "Advisor Xu, how much have you had to drink? Your face is so red, and your steps are unsteady."

Realizing Song Zijun knew him, Xu Kangfu's eyes lit up. He stubbornly insisted, "Not much, not drunk at all, just a light drink."

"Then perfect, come with us to the Dance Hall for a bit more. You can also enjoy some Westmoon dances."

Song Zijun extended the invitation. Xu Kangfu glanced at Shen Yuan, saw him nod, and naturally had no reason to refuse.

The three of them went to the Dance Hall first. Song Zijun's seat was quite spacious with a good view.

Seeing more people, a server immediately added chairs and asked if they wanted a screen pulled around.

"Pull it," Song Zijun said.

Soon, Ji Pingan arrived with Guo Mingchen. The evening breeze on the way over had sobered Guo Mingchen up.

Everyone sat down and had another round of drinks.

Shen Yuan tended to the bites carefully, while Song Zijuan's body remained stiff and unmoving, held as rigid as a board. When Shen Yuan told him to relax, he shook his head and said he couldn't. "I'm ticklish. If I don't tense up, I'll flinch away."

Shen Yuan didn't say anything more and continued to carefully dab Song Zijuan's skin, occasionally blowing on the bites to further relieve the itch.

Ji Ping'an, over at his spot, couldn't stand it any longer. "If you're so ticklish, why can't you do it yourself? It's your hands that got bitten, not that you lost them."

Song Zijuan shot him a sidelong glance, sitting as steady as a rock. "I won't."

Ji Ping'an was annoyed with him but didn't want to put Shen Yuan in a difficult position. He simply stood up and took over the task from Shen Yuan, glaring furiously at Song Zijuan, though his words were directed at Shen Yuan. "Go on, eat something. I'll take care of him."

Song Zijuan was having none of it, pressing himself closer to Shen Yuan. "Absolutely not! You bailiffs have hands of steel. If you do it, I'll lose a layer of skin."

Xu Kangfu, somewhat dizzy from drinking, was about to say something upon hearing Song Zijuan's words, but Song Zijuan pre-empted him with a sharp look. Xu Kangfu immediately closed his mouth.

Shen Yuan also said it was fine, that it really wasn't tiring.

Moreover, Song Zijuan had been bitten quite badly. Later, they would need to go to a clinic to get some ointment. Using too much force and breaking the skin wouldn't be good.

Ji Ping'an sat back down with a thud, glaring at Song Zijuan without pause.

After Shen Yuan tended to Song Zijuan for a while longer, Ji Ping'an reached his limit, feeling Song Zijuan was being too excessive by insisting on his younger brother serving him.

Seeing Ji Ping'an was truly about to lose his temper, Song Zijuan, fearing a beating, decided to quit while he was ahead and told Shen Yuan it was enough.

Shen Yuan told him to use the mugwort water first if it itched, then focused on eating his own food.

In the center, the dancers were performing to occasional cheers.

Shen Yuan watched for a while. The dancing was decent. Having been in the entertainment world himself, he had seen better and soon lost interest. He stopped watching and focused on drinking, pondering the taste of the wine.

After a dance concluded, the dancers would pour wine and serve dishes for the patrons before quickly dispersing.

However, the dancer who came to Shen Yuan's table lost her balance and fell toward him.

Ji Ping'an was sitting to Shen Yuan's left. He hadn't been drinking and reacted quickly, raising his hand to catch the dancer's arm and steady her.

Guo Mingchen and Xu Kangfu, sitting across from Shen Yuan, both stood up, their minds clearer than ever from the shock.

It scared them to death. Fortunately, it wasn't an assassination attempt by a spy, or their lives might have ended there today.

With Ji Ping'an's yank, the dancer fell into a sitting position on the ground.

Shen Yuan and the others had not changed out of their official robes when they came out. In Wu Country, there were no regulations forbidding officials from entering such places.

The dancer was also terrified, immediately kneeling on the ground and pleading incessantly, "I beg for your forgiveness, my lords, spare my life! I beg for your forgiveness, my lords, spare my life..."

Shen Yuan bent down, placing his hand in front of the dancer's forehead to stop her from kowtowing.

His gaze fell on the dancer's ankle, which was swollen and bruised. Presumably, that was why she had lost her balance.

Shen Yuan said softly, "Get up quickly. Your ankle is injured and needs treatment."

The dancer could tell Shen Yuan didn't intend to blame her and wept with joy.

"Thank you, my lord!"

The commotion was noticed by the staff of Weixianju. A waiter soon arrived with a burly man.

The burly man roughly hauled the dancer to her feet, while the waiter bowed and scraped, apologizing profusely to Shen Yuan and the others.

After listening to the waiter, Shen Yuan addressed the burly man, "She's injured. Why are you pulling on her so hard?"

Hearing this, the burly man loosened his grip slightly. "My apologies."

With that, Shen Yuan couldn't say much more.

He poured himself some wine and noticed the waiter, the burly man, and the dancer were all standing to the side, motionless. He asked curiously, "Why aren't you leaving yet?"

The three looked perplexed, but seeing Shen Yuan wasn't joking, they could only leave with puzzled expressions.

Seeing the three leave, Shen Yuan turned back and noticed the others at the table were also looking at him strangely.

"What's wrong with you all?" Shen Yuan touched his face. "Is there something on my face?"

Song Zijuan said, "Not at all."

Seeing Shen Yuan genuinely didn't know, Song Zijuan explained, "In these kinds of settings, if you show that much concern for a dancer, it can only mean one thing: you're taking that dancer with you."

Song Zijuan's voice suddenly became low and suggestive. "To spend a wonderful night together."

Thinking again about the reaction of the Weixianju staff, Song Zijuan couldn't help but laugh. "The waiter was waiting there for you to give the word to choose a room. Who would have thought you'd just tell them to leave, hahahaha!"

Shen Yuan exclaimed in shock, "Ah? I didn't know that!"

There were actually such hidden rules?!

"It's better you didn't know." Ji Ping'an rubbed Shen Yuan's head. "Forget everything Song Zijuan just said. You're still young; it's good for you not to know these things."

"A-Yuan will be seventeen in two months. At his age, plenty of men are already fathers." Song Zijuan disagreed. "How is that young? Why shouldn't he hear what I have to say?"

Ji Ping'an was truly annoyed with Song Zijuan, almost rolling his eyes. "At your age, you don't even have a wife or children. My brother isn't even seventeen yet. What kind of nonsense are you teaching him?"

"You're twenty-two this year, and I'm only twenty. You haven't married or had children either. Someone older than me isn't in a hurry, so why should I be?"

Song Zijuan was slick-tongued, speaking at a frighteningly fast pace with sharp wit.

Seeing the argument was about to escalate, Shen Yuan quickly interjected, "Alright, alright, no more fighting."

He looked left and right and sighed, saying, "I don't even know when I'll have a wife. Fifth Granduncle said he'll handle it for me later. I shouldn't be thinking about these things now; it's not good for my future prospects."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the two spoke in unison:

"Did Young Master Lin really say that?"

"Did Fifth Granduncle really say that?"

Shen Yuan nodded. "Why would I lie about this?"

Ji Ping'an laughed heartily. "Good! Xiao Yuan, you must listen to Fifth Granduncle. The person he finds for you definitely won't be bad!"

Song Zijuan raised an eyebrow slightly, the smile at the corner of his mouth fading, though he quickly concealed it. "With Young Master Lin around, A-Yuan's future marriage is sure to be blissful."

Shen Yuan hadn't really thought about whether it would be blissful or not; it was all a matter of the distant future.

"Anyway, for now, I just need to focus on writing stories, doing my job as Scribe properly, and figuring out how to develop the clan. Everything else can wait."

Ji Ping'an wholeheartedly agreed.

A real man should establish his career before starting a family! It was late, and the group left Weixianju, each returning to their own homes.

The small courtyard in the southeastern corner of Weixianju was where the dancers rested.

The night was overcast, with dark clouds obscuring the moon and casting everything in shadow.

The dancer who had fallen in the performance hall moved with agile stealth, slipping out of the room without a sound. She made her way to a nearby pond, where a figure clad in black and masked stood beneath a willow tree.

"Master, I failed the mission today," the dancer knelt to atone for her failure. "I have been incompetent in my duties. Please punish me."

The figure in black reached out, snapped off a willow branch, and whipped it backward.

The slender willow branch lashed her arm like a metal whip.

The dancer lowered her head, clenching her teeth in silence as she endured the pain.

When no second strike came, she cautiously looked up to find the figure was gone, leaving only a small ceramic jar lying on the grass.

Puzzled, the dancer picked it up. She opened it and sniffed lightly, realizing it was an ointment for external injuries.