Chapter 77 Drunkenness

On the back hill, the newly sprouted branches of the trees intertwine randomly, cutting off the soft light and shadow.

A pavilion stands out somewhat abruptly among the trees.

"Your Majesty." Ji Ziyan bowed to the person before her.

The man did not tell Ji Ziyan to get up, but waited three breaths, finished placing the chess piece in his hand, and then spoke.

"He abdicated long ago; he's no longer the so-called venerable one."

Ji Ziyan lowered her head: "In my heart, you are the only one, my lord."

“Really?” Qiao Yi didn’t look at her, but picked up a chess piece and pondered where to place it. “I thought you would hate me.”

Ji Ziyan hurriedly replied, "This subordinate dares not."

Qiao Yi threw the chess piece back and turned to her: "There's nothing you wouldn't dare to do. From the day I saved you, I saw your ambition. It's a disservice to only let you be this steward."

Ji Ziyan bowed again, "My brother and I will never forget the Lord's life-saving grace. I am content with my position as steward and dare not dream of anything else."

Qiao Yi took a deep breath and said slowly, "You're very unwilling to let Ren Liuxiao be your father, aren't you?"

Himeko paused for a moment, then said, "No."

“You do,” Qiao Yi stood up and slowly walked towards her, “I can see the reluctance in your eyes.”

He reached out and stroked Ji Ziyan's face. "I know that old man likes you, so he deliberately sent you there... When no one's around, does he touch you like this too?"

Ji Ziyan's breathing quickened, and her body trembled almost imperceptibly. Suddenly, she knelt down with a thud and said quickly, "Your subordinate has no disloyalty to Your Majesty!"

"That's what I find strange." Qiao Yi smiled as he looked down at her, completely enveloping Ji Ziyan in shadow.

"I first made you acknowledge Liu Xiao as your father, and then I made you marry Cheng Yuan. I've already used you to this extent, so why don't you hate me?"

He slowly squatted down, pinched her chin, and forced her to raise her head. "Or rather, do you have some other intentions towards me?"

"Your subordinate... really dares not." Ji Ziyan's voice trembled so badly that a tear rolled down her cheek.

Qiao Yi gently wiped away her tears, but there was no pity in her eyes. "You know, I've never believed in verbal promises. I need to get something in return."

He stretched out his finger and slowly traced the lines left by Himeko's tears.

Gently wiping away the tears of a beautiful woman should have been a beautiful scene, but unfortunately, Qiao Yi had condensed spiritual power at his fingertips.

Like a sharp blade, a deep, bone-revealing wound was slashed across Ji Ziyan's face.

Ji Ziyan clenched her teeth, her forehead covered in cold sweat, not daring to utter a single groan.

Qiao Yi stood up, turned around and faced away from her, "Don't use any wound medicine, scars look better."

Ji Ziyan slowly lowered her head: "Yes..."

"Oh, right," Qiao Yi called out to Ji Ziyan again as she was about to leave.

"Throw my jade pendant away. I don't want to see my things in someone else's room."

Ji Ziyan clenched her fists, blood streaming down her face and neck. "Your subordinate obeys."

As night fell, Chu Jianshan waited in the room. All the curtains were drawn, and the flickering candlelight made the figures appear hazy.

Cheng Yuan entered the room and immediately saw Chu Jianshan slumped over the table, with several wine jars in front of him.

"You've come." Chu Jianshan propped himself up, his cheeks still flushed.

"Why did you drink so much?" Cheng Yuan sat down next to him.

"Qianlihong, your famous local wine." Chu Jianshan picked up a jar, placed it in front of Cheng Yuan, and said with a smile, "Would you like a jar?"

"Drinking leads to trouble." Cheng Yuan's expression remained unchanged.

"Boring." Chu Jianshan pouted and lay back down.

After an unknown amount of time, Cheng Yuan finally let out a soft sigh, "Alright, I'll drink."

Chu Jianshan immediately perked up, smiling as he filled the glass with wine.

Cheng Yuan picked up a glass and drank it down, then asked him, "Why did you suddenly decide to drink?"

Chu Jianshan rested his chin on the wine jar and muttered, "Wine enters the sorrowful heart, turning into tears of longing."

Cheng Yuan asked, "Then what are you thinking about?"

“There are many,” Chu Jianshan listed them one by one: “Changjin Mountain when I was young, the chubby and skinny little guys guarding the mountain gate, Old Wang who looked after the garden, Granny Zhao who ran the restaurant, and my older sister, my eldest brother, my master…”

His voice trailed off as he spoke, and Chu Jianshan's eyes were glazed over, his thoughts unreadable.

Cheng Yuan poured himself another full glass and drank it down. "You've got quite a big heart, able to hold so many people."

Chu Jianshan scoffed, "I don't believe you don't have it."

“Yes,” Cheng Yuan’s eyes darkened, “but times have changed so much that it’s not that important anymore. People have to live for the living, and dwelling on the past is not a good sign.”

"You're right," Chu Jianshan sighed, refilled his glass, raised it, and said loudly, "Come on! I'll toast you!"

Cheng Yuan picked up his wine cup and said, "There's no reason for a master to respect his disciple. I should be the one to offer this toast."

Chu Jianshan shook his head and smiled, "There are no masters or disciples here, no Changjin Mountain or Linyi Sect, only you and me."

Cheng Yuan paused for a moment, then said softly, "Okay, I'll drink it."

Chu Jianshan knew very well that Cheng Yuan couldn't hold his liquor, and now, after three rounds of drinks, Cheng Yuan's eyes were already a little blurry.

Chu Jianshan was also a little dizzy, but given his alcohol tolerance, he could still stay sober.

Looking at the slightly tipsy person in front of him, Chu Jianshan suddenly felt reluctant to leave. If he didn't try to get information out of the drunk person, then he would have wasted his time drinking.

Chu Jianshan slowly approached him and asked softly, "Who am I?"

Cheng Yuan stared at him for a long while before slowly speaking: "Chu Jianshan."

Chu Jianshan clicked his tongue. This time he didn't call him Master anymore, showing no respect for elders.

He faced Cheng Yuan and said in a serious tone, "Now I'm going to ask you a few questions. You must answer them truthfully and not lie, understand?"

Cheng Yuan nodded, stunned.

Chu Jianshan thought for a moment and asked his first question: "What were your feelings about your master when you first met him?"

Cheng Yuan began to recall, his eyelashes blinking incessantly, "He... was very good."

"That's all?" Chu Jianshan frowned, pressing him for details. "Nothing else? Like handsome appearance! Extraordinary bearing! Immortal demeanor?"

Cheng Yuan still insisted on his two words, "It's just...very good."

Okay, Chu Jianshan gave in, at least he wasn't being insulted.

"Then..." Chu Jianshan changed the subject again, and as if he had thought of something, the corners of his mouth curled up, and a sly look appeared in his eyes.

"When your master isn't looking, have you ever been distracted or slacked off while practicing your skills?"

Cheng Yuan shook his head almost without hesitation: "Master's command cannot be disobeyed, and this disciple dares not slack off."

Chu Jianshan immediately lost interest in listening to gossip; this wooden-headed disciple was no fun at all.

As he was thinking about the next question, he suddenly noticed that Cheng Yuan seemed to want to say something but hesitated.

He then tried to guide the conversation, "You lied just now, didn't you? You actually slacked off a bit, right?"

Cheng Yuan nodded slowly, "Once."

"Just once?" Chu Jianshan looked puzzled and asked him, "When, and why?"

Cheng Yuan thought for a moment, then suddenly pursed his lips and said firmly, "I won't answer."

Chu Jianshan was stunned, not expecting this situation, and asked, "Why don't you answer?"

Cheng Yuan simply replied with the same two words: "No answer."

"Alright, I'm scared of you," Chu Jianshan said, withdrawing his curiosity and asking one last question.

"Why...do you like Chu Jianshan?"

“Chu Jianshan…” Cheng Yuan repeated the name.

"Yes, Chu Jianshan, why do you like this... selfish and mediocre person?"

“He’s not…” Cheng Yuan subconsciously wanted to deny it, but Chu Jianshan interrupted him with a smile.

"Okay, let's not get to the second half of that sentence. You just need to answer me why you like him."

Cheng Yuan was already quite dizzy, and he was only able to stay upright because Chu Jianshan was supporting him with one hand.

In fact, Chu Jianshan was already able to get away completely, but for some reason, he just wanted to hear this answer.

So he waited until he heard three words come out of Cheng Yuan's mouth: "Fengtian Village".

Fengtian Village is actually the village where Cheng Yuan grew up. Although the name sounds nice, the reality is quite the opposite. The village suffered from drought for years, resulting in a complete crop failure, and the villagers were almost forced to sell their children to survive. It was there that Cheng Yuan was abandoned.

Chu Jianshan thought about it again. It was true that they first met in this village, but Cheng Yuan was only eight years old at that time. He hadn't even had any romantic feelings yet, let alone any enlightenment.

Never mind, it's just the drunkard's nonsense.

Chu Jianshan smiled and shook his head, helped Cheng Yuan to bed, covered him with the blanket, and prepared to leave.

The moment he stepped out of the room, Cheng Yuan spoke again, mumbling incoherently.

"...When the common people suffer, those who follow the Way should have a heart to save the world."

Chu Jianshan stopped in his tracks, stunned.

When the common people suffer, a righteous person should have a heart to save the world. This is what he said to Xiao Chengyuan when he was in Fengtian Village.

He was about to take Cheng Yuan away when Cheng Yuan took one last look at the village and asked Chu Qingyuan, "Immortal Master, why is this happening?"

"What?" Chu Qingyuan didn't react for a moment. Following his gaze, he realized what he meant.

On both sides of this muddy road, there were grieving mothers who had lost their children, beggars with broken arms and legs, and madmen eating grass roots.

Seeing that such a young child could have such awareness, Chu Qingyuan felt even more that this child would achieve great things in the future. So he squatted down and let the filthy grass and mud stain his clean clothes.

He stroked Cheng Yuan's head and said, "When the common people suffer, a Taoist should have a heart to save the world. One day, you will be able to save them."

Chu Jianshan came to his senses, but did not turn around.

He stood there, stunned, and gave a bitter smile. This was just a rosy version of Chu Qingyuan from Cheng Yuan's memory.

At the time, he was just young and impetuous, learning from the words of some elders and doing what he thought was a way to save the world. He felt that he could save the common people. It wasn't until many years later that he realized the second half of that statement.

“I didn’t finish my sentence. When the common people suffer, those who follow the Way should have a heart to save the world, but the incompetent can only harm them. I am that incompetent one.”

[Author's Note]

The previous chapter was locked six times. I applied for a re-review a couple of days ago and it was approved, but then it was locked twice more for some reason. I'm still applying for a re-review, so please wait, everyone! [crying emoji]