Chapter 86 Don't ruin someone else's good time while you're drinking.
In Xingguo Ward, after three jugs of wine, Pei Yuan was already unsteady on his feet and was about to fall when Pei Bi, who was beside him, quickly supported him. Pei Yuan's face was the same color as his red hair, and his voice, tinged with wine, also carried a hint of drunkenness. He pushed Pei Bi aside and reached out to Lou Cangyu. Lou Cangyu, whose face was flushed, saw the ward master beckoning to him and hurriedly went over to support Pei Yuan's burly body.
"Chu'er." Pei Yuan turned his face to the side, his consciousness somewhat blurred. He opened his eyes wide, trying his best to see the face of the person in front of him clearly. "Chu'er." Lou Cangyu's face transformed into Pei Chuqing's jade-colored face, his eyes devoid of emotion, coldly staring at Pei Yuan. "Chu'er, is that you?"
“I am Cang Yu.” Lou Cang Yu timidly corrected, “Young Master Pei is on the island, I am… Cang Yu.”
"You are not Chu'er." Pei Yuan roared and pushed Lou Cangyu away. "You are not my son."
The crowd, who had been drinking heartily, fell silent abruptly. Pei Yuan's large, hazy eyes seemed to be veiled with tears as he looked around at everyone, but he couldn't find the person he wanted to see. Pei Bi took his arm, "Master, it's time to rest."
"Chu'er, did you see that?" The drunken Pei Yuan began to ramble, "The Emperor personally came to Xingguo Warehouse, the Emperor came to see the Heavenly Furnace, and even bestowed upon me twenty Inner Workshop Casting Masters. Chu'er, you said you didn't believe we could do it, but now the great path is right under our feet. Aren't you going to walk alongside your father?"
“The sect leader is drunk.” Ajiu supported Lou Cangyu’s swaying back. “Young Master Pei will never leave the island in his life. The sect leader’s path still needs you to walk with him.”
Lou Cangyu seemed to respond but not quite, a hint of melancholy in his eyes. He picked up the wine pot on the table and drank it all in one gulp. The burning sensation in his throat was swallowed down. Lou Cangyu forced a smile and chased after him, saying, "Manager Pei, let me help my godfather to rest."
"Second Young Master, you mustn't." Pei Bi pushed Lou Cangyu's hand away. "How could I trouble you with this? I'll handle it."
Upon hearing "Second Young Master," Lou Cangyu's eyes reddened. "Uncle Pei, Cangyu knows her place. Second Young Master? You flatter me."
Back on Canglang Island, Aunt Lou had instructed Cangyu to call Pei Bi "Uncle" in private, which would seem more intimate. Pei Bi had no children, so calling him "Uncle" would surely make him treat you like his own son. Cangyu heard this but disdained to get close to Pei Bi. Although Pei Yuan had recognized him as an adopted son, the only one who truly considered him an adopted son of the Pei family was the steward, Pei Bi. Lou Cangyu sighed inwardly, and looked at Pei Bi as if he were a relative.
“Young Master is Young Master. Your current identity is the Second Young Master of the Pei family,” Pei Bi insisted. “Go back and have your drinks. I will take care of the shopkeeper.”
"Then I'll have to trouble Uncle Pei." Lou Cangyu rarely clasped his hands in a fist salute to him. Pei Bi stood there stunned for a few steps, then couldn't help but turn back to look at Lou Cangyu. Seeing him blending into the lively banquet as if nothing had happened, he paused for a moment, then helped Pei Yuan into the house.
"—Tell me about Ah Jiu's fish-handling tally." Ji Fang, who was usually timid and self-controlled, was also a little drunk. He squinted and shook the wine bowl in his hand. The bowl was not deep, and there was still some wine left in it. Ji Fang tried to pick it up and drink it all several times, but before he could even put it in his mouth, his stomach started to burn. He was afraid that others would see through his act and laugh at him, so he could only keep talking to someone, "Thirteenth Young Master, you seemed to know a lot during the day. Now, finish what you've got."
Feng Shisan reeked of alcohol and had lost count of how much he had drunk. He only knew that when the wine ran out, he had someone replenish it. In his twenty years of life, he had never drunk so freely. Feng Shisan was also pondering that none of what had happened today seemed to be something to celebrate. He wasn't the adopted son of the Pei family, and the Emperor hadn't bestowed any rewards upon him. If he had to find a reason, it could only be... Feng Shisan laughed out loud. It was that he had fought with the leader of the Eagle Guard, and his skills had even caught the attention of the Crown Prince. He seemed to have even heard the Crown Prince praise him a few times.
Thinking of the joyful moment, Feng Shisan almost wanted to draw his sword and dance to entertain everyone. But when Ji Fang suddenly asked a question, Feng Shisan's dark eyes seemed to brighten, flashing with a gleam. "The fish tally, that's the fish tally! My mother said that in my father's camp, only the captain has one. A captain is a fifth-rank military officer, and only fifth-rank officers can receive the fish tally." Feng Shisan put his arm around A Jiu's shoulder and reached into his chest. Feng Shisan was strong and powerful, and A Jiu was pinned down and could hardly move. Everyone burst into laughter at this scene.
Guan Ye tilted her head, closed her eyes, and quietly watched the two of them. Her face was flushed from the few glasses of strong liquor she had secretly drunk. The way A Jiu was being held down by Feng Shisan was quite funny. Guan Ye couldn't help but chuckle. She looked up and met A Jiu's gaze. A Jiu's dark, shining eyes were half-closed and quietly watching her.
Guan Ye raised the wine bowl in front of A Jiu with a heroic air about her. A Jiu's Adam's apple bobbed, and her dark eyes revealed a hint of drunkenness.
"I found it!" Feng Shisan shouted, raising the fish-shaped tally in his hand. "Ajiu, whoever has this is considered a fifth-rank military officer. A fifth-rank military officer! My father dreams of having one. Even the Eagle Guard by the Crown Prince's side might not be as good as you."
"Wow!" the crowd cheered. "Ah Jiu is amazing!"
Ah Jiu followed Guan Ye's figure and saw that she was ignoring the disturbances and just focused on eating her food. Ah Jiu found her even more adorable.
"Feng Shisan, have you had too much to drink?" Lou Cangyu asked Xiao Ma, "You're quite knowledgeable, is a fish-shaped talisman really that powerful?"
Xiao Ma leisurely drank alone, lightly tapping his empty wine bowl with his knuckles. Lou Cangyu, understanding, picked up the wine pot and refilled Xiao Ma's bowl. Xiao Ma slowly drank it down, glanced at A Jiu, and laughed, "He's considered a fifth-rank official, but not a real military general. With a fish-shaped tally, he can freely enter and exit the palace gates, making it convenient for the emperor to summon him. The Eagle Guard by the Crown Prince's side, even as a leader, is only a sixth-rank official, and he also has a fish-shaped tally. The fish-shaped tally is not an official seal, so just take it with a grain of salt."
"Oh." Lou Cangyu understood and poured more water for Xiao Ma.
Xiao Ma was in a good mood today. He didn't show any signs of drinking, and his complexion remained fair, though his eyes were somewhat unfocused. Xiao Ma pulled Lou Cangyu aside and whispered, "Speaking of which, today's prize should still go to you. Although the Pei family has a young master, he is far away on Canglang Island and is born with a disability. After what happened with Jiang Muyun, he is heartbroken and will probably never reconcile with the ward master in this lifetime. You, the second young master, will be the young master of Xingguo Ward sooner or later. This is much more substantial than Ajiu's nominal reward."
"You really think so?" Lou Cangyu's neck was flushed red from drinking too much.
“Of course.” Xiao Ma was somewhat displeased by his skepticism. “You believe Thirteenth Young Master’s drunken ramblings, but not mine?”
"You?" Lou Cangyu felt pleased, but still spoke with restraint, "Don't think I don't know, you drank a lot today too, but yes, you just kept the smell of alcohol inside."
Xiao Ma chuckled a few times, raised his wine bowl to toast him, and Lou Cangyu raised his wine bowl to clink with his. The two looked at each other and drank it all in one gulp. "Although we may have quarrels on weekdays, we are still brothers who have been through thick and thin together. There is a long road ahead, and Cangyu will have to rely on everyone."
"We crossed the river together, but each went our own way upon reaching the shore. The mountains and seas will eventually meet again, and we will meet again amidst the wind and rain."
It was nearly midnight when the banquet finally ended. The swordsmen, arm in arm, helped each other into the house. Lou Cangyu vaguely felt that someone was missing. He rubbed his eyes, which were still half-closed, and tried to turn around to look for them. Xiao Ma turned his head away, his breath reeking of alcohol, and said, "Let's go, don't look."
"A-Jiu, where's A-Jiu?" Lou Cangyu called out haphazardly, his feet feeling as light as if he were walking on cotton.
"Let's go." Little Ma chuckled incessantly. "Don't ruin their good time."
"Oh." Lou Cangyu's mind was a blur, half-understanding, as he pointed at Xiao Ma's grinning face. "You little rascal, Xiao Ma, your brain..."
Feeling dizzy and lightheaded, Feng Shisan tried to break free from Ji Fang's grasp. He strained his eyes to see his surroundings more clearly, but the figures were blurred and every face was indistinct. Feng Shisan tossed the wine bowl he was holding into the air, pushed Ji Fang away, drew the sword from his waist with his right hand, and gracefully caught the falling wine bowl. Feng Shisan staggered drunkenly, saw the intact wine bowl on the sword's edge, and laughed triumphantly.
Feng Shisan lightly flicked the wine bowl with the tip of his sword, like a dragon playing with a pearl. Ji Fang glided forward, reached out and caught it. Seeing the wine glistening inside, he tilted his head back and drank it all down. He then turned the empty bowl upside down and raised an eyebrow at Feng Shisan.
Fueled by the alcohol, Feng Shisan began to wield his sword with dazzling skill, his movements as swift as a startled swan skimming the waves, whistling through the air and stirring up a storm, displaying the power to break through any enemy lines. Ji Fang, watching with an itchy hand, reached for his own sword, only to find it had been stolen.
"Thirteenth Young Master, give me back my sword."
"Hahahaha." Feng Shisan laughed heartily, "If you've got the guts, come and take it."
Xiao Ma drew his sword and threw it to Ji Fang, saying, "Ji Fang, don't hold back against Thirteenth Young Master, beat him to a pulp."
"Okay."
Ji Fang was not as tall and strong as Feng Shisan. He was thin but very agile. Holding the sword hilt, he rushed into Feng Shisan's sword technique like an arrow released from a bow. Wherever he passed, sword energy left a mark, making the onlookers shout "Bravo!"
Feng Shisan leaped and spun, his sword curtain like a waterfall, or like a galaxy falling, slashing down directly at Ji Fang's sword. Ji Fang grinned and chuckled, his hands gripping his sword and drawing a silver arc. With a "crack," the old tree beside him trembled violently, its thick canopy slowly cascading down amidst the sword energy, perfectly blocking Feng Shisan's magnificent sword strike for Ji Fang.
"Great!" Xiao Ma clapped his hands repeatedly. "Well done, Ji Fang! That's how you beat him."
Lou Cangyu, half-asleep, forced his eyes open and was jolted awake by the scene before him.
"They've all had too much to drink." Guan Ye tapped her knuckles on the table. "When Manager Pei sees that half of the big tree has been cut down and asks who did it, I doubt any of these people will admit it."
A-Jiu, sitting at the next table, had barely eaten any hot food after drinking half the night. She'd only filled up with water and her stomach was still half empty. Hearing Guan Ye mutter to herself, A-Jiu quietly put down her chopsticks. "Are you asking me?"
Guan Ye stared intently at Feng Shisan and Ji Fang's moves, then said, "I've never seen Ji Fang make a move before, and I thought his swordsmanship was mediocre. But under Young Master Shisan's sword, he's not at all at a disadvantage."
Ajiu could only helplessly say to her, "Pei Bi's teachings are strict. He is a descendant of swordsmen from Xingguo Ward, not a member of the Pei clan. To have the Pei surname, one must have some skill, just like..."
"Pei Cangyu?" Guan Ye said, still trying not to look at Ajiu.
Ajiu nodded, but realizing that Guan Ye wouldn't look at her and wouldn't see her nod, she could only reply, "Yes."
During their conversation, the two had become quite heated, yet neither could gain the upper hand. Ji Fang, who was usually timid and cowardly, gripped his sword, which shone brightly. The sword swept across the ground, scattering fallen leaves in the wind and turning the ground golden. Feng Shisan's sword gleamed, and with a loud shout, the sword flew out of his hand and pierced the trunk of a tree in the courtyard with a whoosh. The force was so great that the blade went all the way to the hilt.
Ji Fang was stunned, his mouth agape in astonishment. He quickly sheathed his sword, and Xiao Ma strode over to take his sword, sheathing it with effortless grace. Pointing to the hilt on the tree trunk, he asked, "Thirteenth Young Master, what does this mean?"
"That's it." Feng Shisan put his hands on his hips. "We were all taught by the same master. We could fight until dawn and still not be able to determine a winner. Ji Fang, go and draw your sword. If you can draw it, you win."
"Isn't this bullying?" Guan Ye felt indignant on Ji Fang's behalf and pushed the table aside to get up.
"What's the rush?" Ajiu glanced at her flushed face. "Let's see what happens."
His words seemed to possess a magical power; Guan Ye didn't want to pay attention, yet she obsessively did as he said.
"Hey?" Ji Fang sniffed. "This is my sword!"
Feng Shisan burst into laughter, "It's your own sword, so you have to draw it yourself." He yawned several times as he spoke, "That's it for today. If you draw your sword, you win. If you want it to be drawn by tomorrow morning, you'll have to beg me, Young Master Shisan, to draw it for you..." Feng Shisan turned around arrogantly, clenched his fist and raised it above his head, "Then I, Young Master Shisan, will be the most skilled swordsman in Xingguo Ward!"
"Thirteenth Young Master, are you being shameless! Feng Thirteen, Feng Thirteen?" Ji Fang didn't dare to really chase after him, and stopped after calling out a few times.
Seeing Ji Fang in a hurry, Xiao Ma chuckled and put his arm around his neck. "It's past midnight and you're still not going back to sleep. Let's go see Cang Yu. If we don't leave now, we'll be able to doze off even while standing."
“My sword…” Ji Fang said, his face contorted with frustration.
"Don't worry about tomorrow, Feng Shisan will definitely pull it out for you tomorrow." Lou Cangyu yawned and dragged Ji Fang into the house. "If it's stuck in there and can't be pulled out, wouldn't that be embarrassing for him?"
Ji Fang thought it made some sense and silently followed their steps. Suddenly, he felt as if someone was missing. Just as he was about to turn around, Xiao Ma forcefully pulled him back.
"A-Jiu? Where's A-Jiu?"
"Ah, ah my foot."
Guan Ye stood up and stretched. A Jiu watched her movements calmly. Guan Ye took half a step forward and said, "It seems they forgot about you. There's still someone who hasn't finished eating."
Ah Jiu paused slightly, then finally couldn't help but burst into a muffled laugh. He had probably been holding it in all night, or even longer. He clenched his fist against his chin, laughing so hard that his chest heaved and the scar on his left eyebrow was bent over with laughter.
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