Chapter 99 A pot of wine was casually placed on the windowsill when someone came knocking...

The tavern is attracting customers with its signature dish, "Fish from the First River Opening," drawing a steady stream of merchants from Fengling Ancient Ferry. At this moment, the main hall is already 70% full.

The waiters greeted and saw off customers with their feet barely touching the ground, holding a long-spouted copper kettle and pouring water into porcelain cups while announcing the names of the dishes, all in one smooth motion, like a ventriloquist performing a ventriloquism act.

Boiling water was poured over the withered tea leaves, and soon a golden and clear tea soup was brewed. Lin Mu blew away the foam and took a sip. He couldn't tell whether it was good or bad, but he just used it to quench his thirst. Li Liuyun, on the other hand, took a small sip and decided not to drink any more of the tea, as it was a bit astringent.

Bai Yuan and the group of teenagers sat around in a lively tavern, listening to a cacophony of dialects from all over the country, creating a vibrant and bustling atmosphere.

The curtain at the back of the kitchen was lifted, and a waiter carrying a fragrant platter of fish nimbly moved between the square tables, calling out at the same time, "Braised Golden Wing Carp, please enjoy, esteemed guests."

Having finally gotten a good meal, the boys couldn't wait to start eating. The moment they tasted the fish coated in the thick sauce, their eyes lit up: "This river fish is indeed plump and tender, living up to its reputation."

The merchant from the next table, speaking in broken Mandarin, called out, "Waiter, another jug ​​of liquor, please."

"Alright!"

At this moment, he propped up half his forehead under the west window, his hair dry and messy, and his pair of black eyes staring wide-eyed, just in time to meet the gaze of the white-faced man who was looking to the side.

"you……"

As soon as Bai Yuan opened his mouth, the beggar, who looked like he was there to beg for food and had a straw on his head, suddenly jumped up, braced himself against the window frame, and leaped into the tavern. Before anyone could see him, he grabbed a weapon and lunged at a man dressed in the uniform of a border guard at the next table.

Zhou Yaren was sitting with her back to the west window when she heard the commotion and suddenly raised her hand to grab the belt of the thug!

The latter froze, then suddenly kicked backward, slamming his leg into the corner of the elmwood table, nearly tipping it over. Bai Yuan quickly pressed him down, and the carp bounced back onto the plate without spilling a drop of broth. However, the piece of fish that Lin Mu had picked up rolled onto his robe.

Li Liuyun stood up abruptly and stomped on the knee of the assailant. With a thud, the man's kneecap slammed hard against the bluestone floor, making everyone present feel pain in their knees.

At the same time, Zhou Yaren removed the gleaming dagger and subdued the beggar boy in a few swift movements, rendering him unable to move.

The filthy boy turned his head, glaring fiercely at the meddlesome people, and roared, "Let me go!"

The man who narrowly escaped being assassinated leaned against the merchant next to him to avoid the weapon. After the scare, he immediately sat up, glared at the beggar-looking boy in front of him, and slapped him angrily: "How dare you come to assassinate me! You have an audacity!"

The beggar boy, filled with rage and fury after being slapped, cried out in a rage, "I'll kill you!"

With Li Liuyun pressing down on the back of his knee, the boy couldn't straighten up at all and could only shout fiercely, "Let me go!"

The man pointed at the boy's nose and berated him: "Don't you know where you are? You dare to commit violence in broad daylight? You're asking for trouble."

Zhou Yaren gripped the boy's wrist tightly: "What grudge do you have against each other?"

"Let me go! This corrupt official framed my father!"

"You insolent brat, stop spouting nonsense!" The man, with a broad forehead and wide face, was dressed in the uniform of a ferry crossing official, clearly a tax collector inspecting the cargo transport of ferry boats. He had just finished his shift and was drinking and chatting with some foreign merchants from the west when he unexpectedly met with a deadly predicament. "Your father stole salt permits from the Hong family, a salt merchant from Hedong, and murdered him. I caught him red-handed, and there's no denying it."

"Nonsense!" the boy gritted his teeth. "My father would never do such a thing as theft and murder! It's clearly you corrupt officials who abused your power to impose higher taxes, and that salt merchant, Hong, refused..."

The tax collector's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He interrupted sharply, "Slandering an official of the imperial court? Watch your tongue!"

Just then, the waiter from the tavern rushed over with several patrolmen. The tax official immediately ordered them to arrest the man and take him to the tax office.

The shopkeeper stepped forward with a beaming smile and apologized repeatedly to the merchants present, while the tax collector straightened his clothes and bowed to Zhou Yaren and Li Liuyun in thanks.

"If it weren't for the two righteous men who came to my rescue, I would probably be either dead or seriously injured today."

"It was nothing," Zhou Yaren said politely, then asked him how he planned to deal with the boy.

The tax collector said sternly, "Committing a crime in broad daylight is naturally not something to be taken lightly."

Zhou Yaren said no more. They had just happened to meet in this place and did not know the details of the incident. They would leave the matter to Jinling to decide how to handle it.

To thank the two for their generosity, the tax collector instructed the innkeeper to add several good dishes and wines to their table before taking his leave after settling the bill.

Lian Zhao gazed at the departing tax collector and said in a low voice, "I've heard that there are many corrupt officials at these ferry crossings and passes. Could it be true, as that kid just said?"

Lin Mu: "If that's really the case, then what good will happen to the little beggar after he's been caught?"

"Whether it's true or not, there will be no good outcome." Bai Yuan smelled the mellow aroma of the wine and poured himself a full cup. "What he did was a stupid thing where it was either you or me who would die."

Just as Lin Mu was about to argue, Zhou Yaren interrupted him: "What she means is that only when one is desperate or blinded by rage would one rush into public and assassinate a clerk without any attempt to conceal it."

“And it’s in a crowded ferry crossing with patrols everywhere,” Bai Yuan said. “Right next to the tax office where officials are on duty, this fool is completely reckless and doesn’t care about his life.”

Lin Mu was taken aback: "So, his father really has a criminal record? Wait, why are you drinking?!"

"But we can't rule out the possibility that he's just wishfully thinking he has a good father." Maybe he's secretly involved in robbery and plunder. Bai Yuan gripped the rim of his glass. "Would you like to have a drink too?"

Lin Mu took a bite of rice: "What's so good about alcohol?"

"Never tried it before?" Bai Yuan suggested. "Would you like to try some?"

Lin Mu had just begun to show some curiosity when Lian Zhao interrupted him: "There are rules in Taihang Dao that prohibit disciples from drinking alcohol."

"What will happen if you drink it?" The unrestrained Bai Yuan never took precepts seriously. "Who would come here to punish you?"

Several teenagers simultaneously turned their gazes to the expressionless Li Liuyun.

Li Liuyun was baffled: "...Why are you looking at me?"

Bai Yuan then asked him, "Are you in charge of the precepts?"

Li Liuyun: "I won't."

Bai Yuan: "Then will you drink it?"

Li Liuyun: "I won't drink."

Bai Yuan: "If you don't drink it, are you going to go back and complain?"

Li Liuyun: "..."

Bai Yuan nodded knowingly and drank the turbid wine in his cup alone.

After a moment, Li Liuyun finally spoke curtly: "No."

Upon hearing this, the four young disciples of Taihang Sect showed surprise. Did Liu Yun tacitly approve?

The usually well-behaved teenagers couldn't contain their excitement and were eager to taste the turbid wine. Lin Mu, who lacked self-control, had already reached for the wine pot: "Then I'll have a sip."

Unexpectedly, Bai Yuan pressed down on the wine pot: "What are you drinking at such a young age?"

No, she was the one who encouraged them to drink just now, and now she's the one stopping them from drinking.

Bai Yuan raised the corners of his mouth: "I thought you guys were all very strict with the rules and regulations, but it seems your willpower isn't that great either."

It turned out they were being played for a fool. The boys, who had almost failed to uphold the rules of the sect, stared at Bai Yuan like mute people, as if they had been stepped on by an evil spirit.

Bai Yuan, hogging the wine jug, raised his chin and said, "Aren't you hungry? Hurry up and eat your fill."

Lin Mu picked up the bowl and, in a fit of pique, shoveled the rice into his mouth, just like a greedy boy who hadn't gotten any candy.

Zhou Yaren placed a piece of fish into Lin Mu's bowl as a gesture of reassurance: "It's getting late, let's find an inn in town soon."

During the meal, Bai Yuan barely ate any food, but quickly finished his wine. Before leaving, he asked the waiter to fill another pot and take it to the inn in the city.

From the ferry crossing to the inn, Zhou Yaren spread her divine sense along the way, listening to countless noises within a few miles, but she never heard Chen Ying and Lu Bing's voices.

He refused to relax and sat alone in the guest room, doing his best to extend his divine sense further.

The sounds of children crying and shouting, men and women flirting and arguing, and the heavy breathing and coughing of the elderly, weak and sick are all amplified several times over, creating a chaotic and disorderly atmosphere. After listening to this noise for a long time, it is difficult to find peace and quiet in one's ears. Therefore, every time Zhou Yaren overuses her ears, she experiences tinnitus as if she is about to go deaf.

He knew he should stop, but he was eager to find Lu Bing's whereabouts, so he refused to give up.

Bai Yuan sat lazily on the green tiles of the inn, leaning against the window frame, looking down at the merchants and common people moving about in the streets and alleys. Every now and then, he would tilt his head back and take a sip of turbid wine, while also admiring the crescent moon in the sky. In case the blind man was not careful when looking for someone, Bai Yuan estimated the time and casually reached out and knocked on the window behind him.

A moment later, the tightly closed windows and doors opened from the inside.

A pot of wine was placed casually on the windowsill.

Zhou Yaren smelled a strong, mellow aroma.

"Have a couple of drinks," Bai Yuan invited him, but his eyes were fixed on the eaves, where the old shopkeeper was busy tying a guest's white horse to a stake.

Zhou Yaren looked at Bai Yuan: "You're drinking here?"

"nonsense."

He knew that Bai Yuan had a good capacity for alcohol. When she was in Bei Qu, she even dug out the Osmanthus Wine from Lu Bing's house and drank several jars of it. She came from the Taiyin Dao body and didn't care for any delicacies, but she loved drinking this kind of spicy and strong liquor.

Zhou Yaren said, "Strong liquor is harmful to the body, so it's best to drink less."

Under the eaves, the waiter came out carrying hay to feed the horses. Only then did Bai Yuan turn his gaze to Zhou Yaren: "Wine is used to worship heaven and earth and to serve the gods. Since ancient times, people have used wine to make sacrifices. However..." Bai Yuan raised his cup to the moon, "Life is short, so one should drink while one can. Not a drop of wine will ever reach the underworld."

Zhou Yaren was suddenly taken aback.

“There is no such good thing in the netherworld.” After saying this, Bai Yuan drank the wine in his cup in one gulp, then went to get the wine pot and refilled it, and then watched the white horse eat grass.

Knowing Bai Yuan's past experiences, Zhou Yaren felt very uncomfortable hearing her words: "I can't drink until we find Lu Bing."

Bai Yuan only took one cup, not believing Zhou Yaren would drink it at all. He was simply afraid that the blind man would become deaf before he even found anyone, which would be a loss.

“Come inside,” Zhou Yaren said. “It’s cool at night, don’t sit on the roof drinking.”

Bai Yuan leaned against the window frame, crouching close to Zhou Yaren and staring directly into her blind eyes. Two jugs of strong liquor had gone down her throat, permeating her entire body, leaving her feeling weak and completely comfortable.

A strong smell of alcohol suddenly hit him. Zhou Yaren, who was standing by the window, instinctively wanted to back away, but Bai Yuan put a hand on his shoulder and pressed him to the spot.

Staring at the suddenly approaching Bai Yuan, Zhou Yaren tensed her back and held her breath.

"Do you want to tell me the truth?" Bai Yuan asked. "What are you looking for Yin Sui for?"

After what happened in bed last night, he was really uncomfortable looking at Bai Yuan so closely, so he blurted out without thinking, "Legend has it..."

Realizing she had almost let something slip, Zhou Yaren immediately shut up.

Bai Yuan waited in vain for further details, then pressed, "What's the legend?"

Zhou Yaren tried to create some distance, but Bai Yuan held his shoulders firmly, making it impossible for him to retreat. He could only say, "Anyway, it's not about dealing with you."

Bai Yuan ignored this and insisted on asking, "What legend?"

"I cannot disclose that information."

"Then let me rephrase the question: what do you think was the purpose of the Gu Master seizing the Yin Sui? Could it be related to this legend?"

He used to say that Bai Yuan was trying to trick him into telling him things, but Bai Yuan was also trying to trick him into telling him things. Zhou Yaren said, "If I asked you about your background, would you tell me the truth?"

Bai Yuan paused for a moment: "You want to know?"

"right."

That meant there was nothing to talk about. Bai Yuan released the hand that was holding the person down and was about to pick up the wine pot on the windowsill when he suddenly froze—this "vengeful spirit" that never stops no matter where he goes has come knocking again.