Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Drinking

Zhe Rou knew Lu Chen's temper well. He would not easily discuss personal matters with others. Lu Wan's invitation probably had nothing to do with him. In that case, it would be nice to go out and relax.

Thinking this way, she agreed.

The next day, she packed up early and dressed up carefully. She combed her hair, pinned a simple jade gardenia flower on her temples, and added a pair of glass pearl earrings. She also applied a light layer of powder. She looked in the mirror and saw that there was nothing wrong with her complexion, so she felt relieved.

After instructing the clerk to guard the shop, Zhe Rou took Xiao Chan to Panlou.

The people of Dajin were very open-minded. There was no curfew in the city, and the night market was bustling. It was common for female guests to go out for banquets together. As soon as Zhe Rou arrived at the door of Panlou, a waiter[1] came up to her with a big smile on his face and asked, "Would you like to book a private room or a table?"

Zhe Rou smiled and told her the room number she had booked. Guomai became more attentive, patting her waist and guiding her to the private room on the second floor with his hand.

The Pan Building was brightly lit, its curtains and screens adorned with pearls, exuding an air of luxury. Lu Wan had been there for a while, and upon seeing Zhe Rou enter, her eyes lit up immediately. She smiled, rose, and walked over to her, inviting her to a seat. "A few days ago, my sister-in-law opened her pharmacy, and I was busy at home, so I couldn't get away. Today, I'm using Pan Building's newly released Qiongbo wine to celebrate for her."

She had a fair face and rosy cheeks, smiling eyes, and a sweet and gentle voice, which made people happy just by looking at her.

Zhe Rou couldn't help but laugh, and followed Lu Wan to the small carved table in the pavilion and sat down, "Thank you, Miss Wan."

As she spoke, she gestured for Xiaochan to hand over the brocade box she had brought, and softly said, "Summer is humid, and children's skin is delicate, making them prone to rashes. I've made a few anti-humidity sachets, which you can hang on the bed curtains for your young lady."

Lu Wan was deeply moved and told the maid to carefully put it away. She looked at Zhe Rou with a smile and said, "Sister-in-law is the best. I want to thank my aunt on behalf of Xuan Jie'er. Now that life is settled, sister-in-law, you can have a child someday. I'm looking forward to becoming an aunt. The red envelope is ready."

Zhe Rou felt a pang of bitterness in her heart for a moment, but she just smiled gently as a tacit agreement.

After asking Zhe Rou about her taste preferences, Lu Wan picked out a few of his signature dishes and ordered some fried mandarin duck tripe, roasted lamb head and jade lung, and also ordered a pot of Qiongbo wine.

The waiter quickly brought the wine. Lu Wan raised the cup and said with a smile, "I'll toast to my sister-in-law."

Zhe Rou clinked glasses with her with a smile, then lowered her head and took a sip.

When the Mian wine entered his stomach, it had a pungent aftertaste. Zhe Rou only felt a burning sensation in his throat, but also an indescribable sense of pleasure, and even a bit of murderous hatred.

Lu Wan couldn't help but gasp, "This wine is quite strong."

Looking up, she saw that the wine cup in front of Zhe Rou was empty, and hurriedly tried to dissuade her: "Sister-in-law, don't drink too quickly. If you get drunk, my brother will know about it and I'm afraid he will be angry with me."

Hearing her mention Lu Chen unexpectedly, Zhe Rou felt a little rebellious. She picked up the wine and poured another glass, saying softly, "It's okay, don't pay attention to him."

After they had some food and wine, Zhe Rou suddenly remembered Peng Shuang and asked casually, "How is Peng Shuang recovering? Calculating the date, she should have her period this month, right?"

Speaking of this, Lu Wan's expression was slightly strange. "Auntie's hands are amazing. She managed Chongshuang's period perfectly. But it's a pity that Gu Hongjian doesn't know what's good for him. I was kind enough to add someone to his family, but he got mad at me for a few days because of it. He stayed in his study all day and almost turned himself into a frog."

Zhe Rou was stunned for a moment, then smiled and advised sincerely: "This is a good thing. My husband has you in his heart, so he cares about it. He is just jealous."

Lu Wan was a little drunk, with a slight blush on her cheeks. She shook her head and sighed softly, "I don't care who he has in his heart, as long as he doesn't disturb the good life of Xuan Jie'er and me.

Sister-in-law, you don't know... Back when my uncle got into trouble, I knew that no one in the Gu family liked me, that they were gossiping everywhere and secretly waiting to see me laugh. I had no choice but to grit my teeth and marry into the family. My husband ignored me, my mother-in-law disliked me, and even a maid dared to insult me... Now that I've established myself in the mansion, Gu Hongjian has shown some interest in trying to curry favor with me, but he wasn't there when I was in the most difficult time. Who would care if he tried to curry favor with me now?"

As she spoke, she smiled, holding her cheek and looking at Zhe Rou, "Sister-in-law, you don't know, I really envy you.

Gu Hongjian and I are just an ordinary couple who got married blindly. I am in the Gu family just looking for a place to stay and make a living. But sister-in-law is different from me... You and my brother truly share hardships and love each other. In today's world, it is so rare to be able to stay with your husband like this."

Zhe Rou felt bittersweet after hearing this, as if even the wine in the glass had lost its flavor, and it felt so spicy that it made her eyes swell and burn.

The two of them were each thinking about their own things and they toasted each other for a few rounds. Zhe Rou saw that Lu Wan's cheeks were gradually turning red and her eyes were hazy, obviously she was about to get drunk. She hurriedly stopped her from drinking and told Xiao Chan to get two bowls of sobering soup.

Xiaochan replied "yes" cheerfully, hurried out of the wine room and went downstairs.

Zhe Rou waited for a while, and was picking up some food with her sleeve when she suddenly heard a scream that sounded very much like Xiao Chan's voice.

Her heart skipped a beat. She stood up and walked to the door of the wine room, only to see Xiaochan collapsed in panic at the corner of the stairs, with two porcelain bowls shattered into pieces on the ground. Two men were standing in front of her. One was shorter and looked like an attendant. Next to him was a young man in brocade clothes with a bad look on his face. His robe was soaked with the sobering soup, turning it dark in color.

"Where did this blind slave come from? How dare you offend our master! Do you know how much this brocade dress is worth? Even if you sell it, your whole family can't afford the compensation!"

The short attendant shouted angrily in a shrill voice, then raised his hand to slap Xiaochan.

Zhe Rou's heart skipped a beat, and the drunkenness immediately dissipated. She hurried forward, protecting Xiao Chan behind her. She looked up and smiled at the young man, saying, "My maid accidentally bumped into someone and offended them. I apologize on her behalf. Please be magnanimous, young master. I don't know the value of your clothes, but I will compensate you according to the price and will not refuse a single cent."

Xiaochan knew she had gotten into trouble, her face turned pale, and she tugged at Zherou's sleeve in panic, holding back her tears and whispering, "My wife, I watched the road, it was him who suddenly appeared..."

"How dare you!" She was interrupted by the attendant before she could finish her words: "You sharp-tongued slave, how dare you turn the tables and slander my husband!"

Xiaochan was immediately frightened, and Zherou held her hand tightly, indicating that she didn't need to be afraid.

Although this dress is expensive, it is not something they cannot afford to pay for. Seeing that the people on the other side are of noble status and have a majestic demeanor, and they only have a few female relatives, there is no need to argue in vain, just accept the loss.

As he spoke, the young man in brocade clothes looked at her face very directly, and looked her up and down wantonly, like a cold and sticky poisonous snake, which made the hairs on her back stand on end and her heart panic.

Thinking that Lu Wan was still drunk in the wine room, Zhe Rou instinctively stepped back, not wanting to argue any further. "How much does this dress cost, sir? I'll send it to Pan Lou's account later. It will definitely be worth a lot. Just send someone to pick it up."

He didn't ask where he lived, nor did he reveal his own address. He just handed it over to Pan Lou to deal with it, so that there would be minimal involvement.

After saying that, she took Xiaochan's hand and turned around and left.

The short attendant saw what his master was thinking and naturally couldn't let her leave easily. He immediately raised his hand to block her way and said, "My husband hasn't agreed yet. Madam, you must stay."

This move was truly reckless. Zhe Rou was shocked and angry for a moment. She quickly avoided his hand and took a half step back, frowning: "I have already promised compensation, what else do you want?"

The young man in brocade clothes stared at her, sneered, and said slowly, "Why, my lady, do I look like someone who is short of money?"

The short attendant chimed in, "Let my lady know that our husband is the current Third Prince. If you continue to be rude, wouldn't that mean you don't respect our Third Prince?"

Zhe Rou was shocked. She knew that there were many nobles in the capital, but she didn't expect to run into such a big Buddha.

As a result, she didn't dare to rashly announce Lu Chen's name, fearing that accidentally offending the nobleman would bring him disaster. She could only bow and salute, saying in a deep voice, "I have no intention of offending the nobleman. I hope Your Highness will be magnanimous. My husband is still waiting in the pavilion, so I'm sorry I can't stay with him for long."

Before the Third Prince could reply, the lattice door of a nearby wine room was suddenly pushed open.

A wine cup suddenly flew out and hit the short attendant on the back of the head. He cried out in pain, covered the back of his head with his hands, turned around, and opened his mouth to curse, but fell silent the moment he saw who was coming.

A sneer rang out from the corridor. Xie Yunzhou leaned lazily against the doorway of the wine pavilion, his chin slightly raised as he sneered, "It's so noisy outside, I thought it was just someone else. It turns out that Third Brother failed to discipline his children properly, allowing his servants to bully decent women. It's just a set of brocade robes, isn't it? Your Highness, the Third Prince, when did your family become so strapped for cash? Go to Duke Xu's house someday, and I'll compensate you with ten or eighty pieces."

The third prince Li Zhen's expression changed immediately.

Xie Yunzhou walked over and stood in front of Zhe Rou, looking coldly at the eunuch attendant: "Nine Lady, did that thief touch you just now?"

It was as if he would cripple her hands and feet if she opened her mouth. Zhe Rou's heart skipped a beat, and she really didn't want to cause trouble, so she hurriedly shook her head and whispered, "It's okay."

Li Zhen didn't take it seriously. He looked at him and sneered, "Mingqi, I know you're always bold and reckless, but Yuanfeng is my man after all. Can you really break his hand right in front of me?"

When beating a dog, you have to consider the owner. Beating and killing his servants and confidants in front of him, what's the difference between this and directly tearing off his face and throwing it to the ground and stepping on it?

No matter how arrogant and ostentatious Xie Yunzhou was, he would not be so ignorant of the seriousness of the matter.

Xie Yunzhou suddenly smiled, looked at him steadily, narrowed his eyes, and said coldly: "Third brother, do you think I dare?"

Hearing the stern tone in his words, Li Zhen's eyes suddenly paused and his expression became sinister.

Of course, he knew that his cousin had a domineering temperament. He had relied on the emperor's love since he was a child and had always been rampant in the capital city. He was so reckless and even he had to give him some distance.

It's funny to say that a few days ago, Xie Yunzhou fell off his horse on the golf course, and the government was furious because he didn't say anything to comfort him. If someone who didn't know the truth came, they probably wouldn't be able to tell who was the government's biological son, him or Xie Yunzhou.

Although the lady in front of him was quite pretty, with a face that could be happy or angry at the same time, which was quite to his liking, it was indeed not worth it to quarrel with Xie Yunzhou just for a mere woman's beauty.

After thinking for a moment, Li Zhen raised his eyebrows and smiled, "So we are all acquaintances. It's just a misunderstanding. There's no need to dwell on it. I still need to change my clothes. You can do whatever you want."

He turned around, gave his followers a cold look, and led them away.

Seeing Li Zhen walk down the stairs, Zhe Rou secretly breathed a sigh of relief and looked over with a smile, "Thank you so much for today, Mingqi."

"Why are you being polite to me?" Xie Yunzhou smiled. The candlelight in the pavilion shone brightly, falling on his eyebrows and eyes, making him look even more handsome and unrestrained. "Are you here alone?"

Zhe Rou smiled and said, "And Wan Niang, she's drunk and is resting in the wine room."

Xie Yunzhou nodded and glanced at Zhe Rou.

She drank too much today and was a little tipsy, with a flush on her cheeks and a few strands of hair falling down. The milky yellow candlelight flickered faintly, as if caressing her fair face, tenderly and affectionately.

He suddenly felt a little jealous.

It’s hard to tell whether I’m jealous of the candlelight or someone next to it.

Xie Yunzhou's Adam's apple rolled slightly, and he looked away, admonishing, "My third cousin has always been sinister and dissolute. I'm going to leave the capital on business in a few days. Go back and tell Lu Bingyan to be careful and to send more guards for you."

Zhe Rou curled up the corners of her lips, thanked him, and took Xiao Chan back to the wine room.

Although there had been some twists and turns just now, Zhe Rou felt at ease knowing that Xie Yunzhou would also be here tonight. She returned to the wine room and asked for another bowl of sobering soup, and asked the maid to feed it to Lu Wan. The two chatted for a while, and Gu Hongjian got the news from somewhere and hurried over to pick them up.

Lu Wan was worried about Zhe Rou, so she staggered and refused to move. She pushed Gu Hongjian aside and said, "Send my sister-in-law home first."

Zhe Rou smiled, naturally not wanting to disturb their time together as a couple, so she said that Lu Chen would come to pick her up and told them to go back without worry.

Hearing her say this, Lu Wan did not insist any longer and urged Gu Hongjian to pay for the wine. After saying goodbye to Zhe Rou, the couple returned to the County Earl's Mansion together.

The wine room became quiet, and the noise outside became clearer.

Shangjing is indescribably prosperous and magnificent after dark. Leaning against the railing and looking out, the long street is ablaze with colorful lights, people are coming and going, various vendors are walking around, children are playing in the streets, and young men and women are walking hand in hand, the air is full of the smell of fireworks.

Zhe Rou lowered her eyes and looked for a while, but felt more and more lonely.

She lowered her head and drank one glass of wine after another.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but the drunkenness gradually took over. She felt dizzy, her body was slightly hot, and she felt drowsy. She put down the wine cup, leaned back in the gooseneck chair, closed her eyes and took a nap.

Xiaochan covered her with a thin blanket, went out to ask the seller for a bowl of sobering soup, and was about to feed her when she looked up and saw Lu Chen coming in.

It was so unexpected that Xiaochan was startled and called out stammeringly, "Lang, Langjun."

Lu Chen nodded, took the hangover soup from her hand, walked to Zhe Rou, half-knelt down, reached out and touched her cheek, and called softly: "妱妱."

Seeing that she was quite drunk, Lu Chen felt very uncomfortable. He frowned, supported Zhe Rou's body from behind, carefully held her in his arms, and slowly fed her a few sips of sobering soup.

Zhe Rou's mind was groggy. She vaguely felt someone helping her up. Their arms were strong and firm, and they seemed to be saying something to her. However, she was too hazy to understand. She just thought it was Xie Yunzhou coming to help, so she smiled dazedly and waved her hand, "Mingqi, I'm fine."