Dusk enveloped the streets, and the lanterns and lanterns on the streets were lit one by one, shining brightly in the hazy night.

Ning Yunzhao finally saw a familiar figure in his sight.

He took a few deep breaths and calmed himself down.

"Where have you been?" he asked in a friendly manner.

Miss Jun, who was walking slowly with her head down, seemed to be startled by him and was a little surprised to see that it was him.

"Master Ning," she said.

The night made her face a little blurry and her voice muffled.

She is unhappy.

Ning Yunzhao noticed it immediately.

"What's wrong?" he asked, and looked at Liu'er who was following behind Miss Jun.

Before Liu'er could say something, Miss Jun smiled and spoke first.

"Nothing, just taking a walk." She said, looking at him in surprise, "What do you want to talk to me about?"

Are you satisfied with your gift selection?

How was your first day of opening?

How can I help you?

She could bring up a lot of things at random, Ning Yunzhao looked at her.

"Nothing." He shook his head and smiled, "I just came to see you, I didn't expect you weren't here."

Miss Jun said "oh", as if she was a little unresponsive, but then she responded.

"When did you come? Have you been waiting for a long time?" she asked hurriedly, while letting Liu'er open the door. "Come in and have a seat."

"You haven't eaten yet? Why don't we find a place to sit and have a meal?" Ning Yunzhao said.

Miss Jun smiled.

"So you came to have dinner with me," she said. "You've treated me twice. It's a give-and-take thing. This time I'll treat you."

Ning Yunzhao smiled and said "OK" without any politeness.

Miss Jun thought about it and looked at the sky.

"The night market on Zhuque Street is now open. I remember someone said there is a good Lao Yang's BBQ shop there, suitable for drinking," she said.

Some people say that it should be mentioned in the map of the journey to Beijing.

Ning Yunzhao nodded.

"Sanyuanlou is right over there. The Meijian wine sold there is mellow and smooth, and is best paired with grilled meat," he said.

Miss Jun extends her hand to invite you.

"Please," she said.

…

At this time, the Lu Mansion was brightly lit, and everywhere was filled with festive red.

After worshipping heaven and earth and drinking wedding wine, the bride sat in the bridal chamber, while the groom came to the hall to toast relatives and friends.

The spacious hall was full of people, and maids were walking around serving food and pouring wine.

Everyone present was wearing festive clothes, but their demeanor did not seem like they were guests but were waiting for orders. Once the order was given, they would rush out like wolves and tigers to confiscate the property and destroy the whole family.

"I, Lu Yunqi, have no relatives or friends." Lu Yunqi raised his glass and said, "Toast."

His words were concise and even a little rambling, so people who were not familiar with him sometimes did not understand what he said, but everyone present could understand.

He meant that these people were his relatives and friends.

He toasted everyone with a glass of wine.

On this joyous day of life.

Everyone present stood up and picked up their glasses.

"Cheers to the Lord." They shouted loudly.

In the brightly lit and festive hall, a group of people drank three glasses of wine in a row.

Lu Yunqi motioned for everyone to sit down and then he turned around and went in.

People in the hall began to eat and drink, or chat in low voices, but there was no laughter or any trace of festivity.

This scene looks very strange.

It was clearly a festive occasion, but the people present did not show any joy at all. They had solemn faces and spoke in low voices, as if they were attending a funeral.

The eunuchs and palace maids standing by the bridal chamber saw Lu Yunqi approaching and greeted him with smiles, making the quiet atmosphere lively.

The door was pushed open.

"Please come in, Your Majesty." The leading eunuch said with a smile.

When Lu Yunqi came in, these people did not follow him in. The two maids who were serving the bride in the room also lowered their heads and retreated. The door was closed, and with the sound of footsteps, everyone standing in the corridor retreated.

The room was filled with red wedding candles, emitting a fragrant aroma. The table was decorated with utensils that were only used by the royal family, highlighting the status of the people attending this wedding.

On the bed covered with a bright red wedding curtain, the bride, who had already lifted the veil and changed into a bright red wedding dress, sat upright with her head slightly lowered, revealing her smooth and full forehead.

When she heard Lu Yunqi's footsteps, she did not move. Her posture remained the same, without the nervousness and restraint of a newlywed.

Lu Yunqi did not walk to the bed, but sat down directly in front of the table, picked up the wine pot and wine glass on it, poured a glass of wine, and drank it all in one gulp.

He just sat at the table and drank three cups in a row. Under the light of the big red candles, there was not a trace of alcohol on his fair face.

"Your Highness, would you like a drink?" he suddenly said.

Princess Jiuli, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, raised her head. Because of the bridal makeup, her originally plain-looking eyebrows were made more curved and her lips were deliberately painted a little red. She looked a little unlike herself, but also very festive.

"Okay." She said softly, stood up and walked over, sitting down opposite Lu Yunqi.

Lu Yunqi poured the wine for her, and Princess Jiuli took it, raised her sleeves to cover her mouth, and drank it all in one gulp.

Lu Yunqi also poured himself a glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp. Princess Jiuli had already taken the wine jug and poured herself a glass. This time she sipped slowly.

The two of them took turns picking up the wine jug on the table, pouring wine, and putting it down. One drank it all in one gulp while the other slowly tasted the wine.

Lu Yunqi suddenly poured a full glass of wine onto the ground. After pouring one glass, he poured another one.

"She doesn't drink." Jiuli said, slowly taking a sip of wine.

Lu Yunqi's hands froze and he did not move.

Jiuli took the wine glass and continued to pour the wine and drink slowly.

No one spoke another word, and in the room only the big red candles were dancing happily.

…

"I didn't realize you can drink quite well."

Miss Jun smiled and sat under a thatched hut by the river, holding a small wine glass and looking at Ning Yunzhao across from her.

Ning Yunzhao was holding a small wine bottle in his hand and was turning it over. There was not a drop of wine left.

"I didn't see it either." He said, looking at Miss Jun shaking her head, "Do you mean drinking a glass of wine until dawn?"

Miss Jun smiled and looked at the crescent moon in the night sky, which was as thin as a willow eyebrow.

The master said that all girls who travel the world must be able to drink, so she drank heartily. After she got drunk, the master disappeared.

Drinking doesn't prove that you are a girl who can make it in life. It just proves that you can be easily dumped.

No matter what time, she would never do anything that would not benefit herself.

"When you drink, you're not drinking the wine, you're drinking your mood. It's all the same." She said with a smile, took a sip, picked up a piece of roasted chicken skin and threw it into her mouth.

Ning Yunzhao said "oh" and picked up the wine bottle and shook it again.

"Then how much do you drink?" he said. "If you are in a better mood, do you drink more? Or less?"

Miss Jun smiled.

She is not good at talking to people like this.

Her status from birth meant that no one could talk to her on an equal footing. Later, she left the palace and followed her master across mountains and ridges, running around everywhere, and rarely made friends or interacted with others.

The only person who kept her company for a long time was her master, and he had never had a serious conversation with her.

"It's obvious that he's not a serious person."

She suddenly remembered what Zhu Zan said in Runan, and she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"What did I say wrong?" Ning Yunzhao asked with a smile.