Chapter 66: Unexpected [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Following the money given by Mr. Gu, Shen Tang prepared a small amount of each type of wine. Almost the instant the incantation took effect, the strong and domineering aroma of the wine filled the private room, awakening Mr. Gu's thirst for alcohol. Without considering any other plans, he immediately poured himself a cup.

Despite Mr. Gu's sickly appearance, as if he might kick the bucket at any moment, he is actually a heavy drinker with a severe alcohol addiction.

"Good wine!"

He drank it all in one gulp and didn't hold back his praise.

After drinking the wine, a few rosy blushes appeared on her pale, sickly face, making her look much healthier than before. But even someone who doesn't know medicine knows this is wrong; if you're sick, you should take good care of yourself instead of drinking heavily. Shen Tang's disapproval was written all over her face.

Mr. Gu was multitasking.

Even while drinking, he didn't let his guard down around Shen Tang.

Seeing the fleeting worry on her face and the muttering thoughts emanating from her mind, Mr. Gu was slightly surprised—this Shen Lang was truly interesting. Knowing that he harbored some ulterior motives towards him, she still managed to squander her "kindness" on him.

He had thought this interesting Shen Lang would be more than happy for him to die on the spot in the street, after all, the fleeting murderous intent he'd felt when he stared at his neck was so clear. Mr. Gu, enduring Shen Tang's gaze, poured himself another large cup: "Truly fine wine!"

Shen Tang said, "Excessive drinking is harmful to health."

Mr. Gu said, “Shen Lang, it’s true that ‘alcoholism is harmful to health’ for ordinary people, but for me, alcoholism is the key to longevity. The wine brewed by this Word of Power is in no way inferior to the works of masters. If I had such talent, I could save a huge amount of money on wine.”

Shen Tang: "..."

That sounded so familiar. She said, "Someone said the same thing to me not long ago. Is this wine really that good?"

Mr. Gu asked in surprise, "You've never had it before?"

Shen Tang said, "I drank it last night."

However, last night's situation was too tragic. Unless she was completely alone, her drinking posed a threat to the safety of others.

Mr. Gu, unaware of what happened last night, assumed that Shen Tang was too young to appreciate the beauty of wine, and jokingly teased her, "That's because you're still young and don't understand the wonders of wine. When you're older, you'll understand—wine is the best medicine in the world, capable of curing all ailments."

Shen Tang remained expressionless: "..."

She was absolutely certain that alcohol couldn't cure all ailments—because Mr. Gu had downed a whole jar of Lanling wine by himself from the moment he started drinking, and even that hadn't cured his brain problem, which proved that his words were a lie.

Oh, she's using the "you can't see into someone's heart" spell now, so this guy can't hear what he's saying. What a pity.

Mr. Gu: "..."

Shen Tang lowered her eyes silently and counted the number of wine jars.

After a while, she finished her work.

"The drinks are ready, Mr. Gu, please enjoy."

Shen Tang made a move to get up and leave, but Mr. Gu suddenly put down his wine glass: "Shen Lang, are you really Shen Lang?"

"Otherwise what? If I'm not Shen Lang, then who else could I be, Gu Lang?"

"I have my doubts. It's not that I don't believe Gong Yunchi, but compared to what others say, I trust what I see and hear more! No matter how you look at it, Shen Lang's appearance at such a coincidence is too much. What is your purpose? What is your identity? Why did you redeem Chu Yao? What can a man whose literary talent has been crippled and whose future is ruined bring you?"

Shen Tang suppressed the throbbing in her brow, her tone unusually unfriendly.

"What does all this have to do with you? I'm just a wine seller making a living. Instead of wasting your time on me, Mr. Gu, you'd be better off minding your own business. A sunset over the desert? Hmph, from the Northern Desert? Hiding such a message on the paper... Compared to me, Mr. Gu's motives are far more intriguing. Are you trying to fish in troubled waters, or are you trying to muddy the waters?"

Neither of them spoke in a loud or heavy tone.

However, the atmosphere in the private room was very somber.

"My lord, the music and dance have begun." A soft, sweet female voice came from outside the private room, dispelling the tense atmosphere.

"Come in, Shen Lang, why don't you sit down and enjoy the view?"

For some reason, Mr. Gu's voice suddenly softened.

Shen Tang's expression was unfriendly: "I am not interested in women."

Mr. Gu said, "Not interested in women? Or men?"

Shen Tang: "Yes, for example, that one named 'Weng Zhi'."

She vaguely guessed that Mr. Gu's relationship with the courtesan was unusual; they were either master and servant, master and apprentice, or both. The courtesan was most likely not just any courtesan, but had a complicated background. Otherwise, why would he and the then-prosperous young master Gong Cheng, before his downfall, address each other as "old friends"?

By saying this in front of Mr. Gu, Shen Tang was doing it on purpose; it was a provocation, an attempt to anger and disgust Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu's reaction was unexpected by Shen Tang.

“Weng’s approach won’t work.”

Shen Tang: "..."

Mr. Gu said seriously, "If you like it, you can go to another place later. But Shen Lang is still young and shouldn't get too attached to this."

Shen Tang: "..."

Just as Shen Tang was about to say no, the wooden door to the private room was already opened.

Seated outside the door was a group of musicians, all around thirty years old. While not exactly young for a music academy, their skills were superb, and every performance was breathtaking. The refined literati of Xiaocheng all enjoyed coming to listen to a piece.

In addition to the musicians, there is now a dancer as well.

Today she will be performing the Flower Drum Dance.

This dancer was quite beautiful, but not exceptionally so within the Yaoling Pavilion. Her most distinctive feature was that she had only one ear.

Shen Tang looked at the dancer.

The dancer looked at Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu looked at Shen Tang.

Until the dancer let out a strange scream, her previously deliberately feigned gentleness vanished without a trace, and she charged towards Shen Tang like a madwoman. Shen Tang sneered and kicked her in the shoulder without any politeness, sending her sliding half a meter away on the floor.

Mr. Gu feigned surprise: "This dancer is new..."

Shen Tang coldly interrupted him.

"Not only is she a new face, but she's also a female relative of the Gong family who was exiled! Mr. Gu, you sit at the head of the table and enjoy the dance of the exiled women of the Gong family. If your health permits, perhaps you could even have a night with her. May I ask—does Gong Yunchi have any objections?"

Before anyone knew it, she had a longsword with dragon patterns in her hand.

The gleaming sword reflected Shen Tang's expression at that moment.

Cold, ruthless, and bloodthirsty.

Perhaps even she herself didn't know she had this side to her.

Mr. Gu said, "Of course Gong Yunchi will have no objection."

Shen Tang: "..."

She mocked him sarcastically, and Mr. Gu's every answer was unexpected. It was truly frustrating to punch cotton.

Shen Tang sneered: "Does he have no objection or is he unaware of it?"

“I don’t know. Even if I did, I probably wouldn’t care. Because—” Mr. Gu dragged out his words, even though Shen Tang’s sword was already eager to kiss his throat, he remained calm and composed as he uttered the next sentence, “She was the dowry of the eldest daughter-in-law of the Shen family.”

Shen Tang: "..."

Holy crap!

Mind reading is "Mr. Gu's" scholarly skill, passively activated (meaning he constantly depletes his literary energy, remaining perpetually in a state of low health and low mana, forced to listen to others' thoughts), rendering ordinary mind-reading techniques ineffective. Because of this ability, his health has always been poor, requiring him to rely on long-term medication and drinking alcohol to alleviate his pain.

There's one more chapter, I'll post it later. You guys should go to sleep early.

PS: The cat we hired in the previous chapter—who says cats can only be people?

(End of this chapter)