[R18] Will drink wine – Chapter 11 of “About Wine” [English]

Chapter 11 New Year

Shen Zechuan’s shackles were unlocked, and he moved his wrists, listening to Xiao Qi’s endless complaints.Ji Gang pushed the unicyclist and quickly unloaded the Forbidden Army’s drinks, then moved over with his head wrapped in a coarse cloth.

Xiao Qi told Ji Gang to clean up the yard before going out, and then went outside to instruct the guard team tonight not to spread any rumors.

“Are you hurt?” Ji Gang took Shen Zechuan’s arm.

“No.” Shen Zechuan raised his hand and wiped his neck, where Xiao Chiye had left traces.he said, “Master.”

Ji Gang said: “Where does it hurt?”

Shen Zechuan shook his head, thought for a moment, and said, “His martial arts skills are fierce and his fists and feet are strong. I feel familiar.”

Ji Gang’s burnt face showed shock as he said: “Our Ji Family Boxing has never been spread outside.”

“As soon as he made a move, I didn’t dare to respond.” There seemed to be a taste of blood in Shen Zechuan’s mouth. He licked the tips of his teeth with the tip of his tongue. After thinking for a while, he said, “I was afraid that he would see some clues, so I didn’t dare to take action. I just acted like a fool and didn’t coax him over. Master, why does he hate me so much? Sir, when it comes to current affairs, shouldn’t he hate his relatives, headed by the Queen Mother, more at the moment?”

“You drunken boy!” Ji Gang said evilly, “You are the only one who can pick on the soft persimmons, so I can only look for you!”

Shen Zechuan waved his left hand: “He is looking for this, master, do you recognize it?”

Lying quietly in the palm was an old and worn bone wrench.

“Those with strong arms in the army often use big bows, and they must wear this kind of ring to pull the strings.” Ji Gang looked at the ring finger and said, “With such wear and tear, I’m afraid he is still pulling the Cangtian Big Bow in the Libei Iron Cavalry. But this Second Young Master Xiao is not marching or fighting, so what is he wearing this?”

***

Xiao Chiye fell asleep and was woken up by Lu Guangbai.

“You could do it last night.” Lu Guangbai didn’t shy away from it. He sat on a chair and said, “I just got a job, so I went to find someone to make trouble. I saw that I had just left the house and went to the palace.”

Xiao Chiye was covered with a quilt and felt uncomfortable in his throat, so he said, “I’m drunk.”

“In a few days, we will all leave the capital.” Lu Guangbai said earnestly, “You can’t keep drinking like this. What if you lose all your energy and collapse physically?”

Xiao Chiye didn’t reply.

Lu Guangbai said: “Last night at the banquet, he was so cruel to your elder brother, so you can understand him. He was busy with military affairs in Libei, and he was still thinking about your sister-in-law. Now he has to leave you here, and he feels uncomfortable. Aye, who in front of people doesn’t compliment him, but everyone wishes that he would never come back when he went to battle. For these people, he has to lead troops to the battlefield every year. He won’t say it, but he can’t.He is always made of flesh and blood, how can it not hurt?”

Xiao Chiye lifted the quilt, sighed, and said, “Don’t I understand what you are saying?”

“What do you understand?” Lu Guangbai threw the tangerine in his hand at Xiao Chiye and said, “If you understand, why don’t you get up and admit your mistake to your elder brother.”

Xiao Chiye took the tangerine and sat up.

Lu Guangbai saw the wound on he’s hand and couldn’t help laughing. He sat on the chair and ate an orange and said, “What are you doing to provoke others? You have to take a bite to enjoy it!”

“I asked him to sing a song.” Xiao Chiye said, “He said I wanted his life. This man is not a fuel-efficient lamp.”

“You are not a cheap person, and you were fighting with a prisoner in the house. Fortunately, you left in time, otherwise the city would be stormy again today.” Lu Guangbai asked, “Are you seriously injured?”

Xiao Chiye raised his hand, looked at it, and said angrily: “He is a dog.”

***

Xiao Jiming didn’t come back until noon. Chaohui followed and saw Xiao Chiye waiting under the eaves.

“Brother.” Xiao Chiye said.

Xiao Jiming took off his cloak and Zhaohui took it.The maid came over with a copper basin. Xiao Jiming washed his hands and ignored him.

Zhaohui looked back at him and said: “Sir, didn’t you go to the Imperial Army for review today? Go get the Governor’s Card and come back for dinner in the evening.”

Xiao Chiye said: “I will go when the elder brother says to go.”

Xiao Jiming wiped his hands, finally looked at him and said, “I didn’t let you go last night, so didn’t you go anyway?”

Xiao Chiye said: “I ran away and wanted to go home.”

Xiao Jiming put the handkerchief back on the copper plate and said, “Go get the sign and come back for dinner.”

Xiao Chiye just went out.

***

Since the imperial army was withdrawn from the task of guarding the capital, the former office has become deserted.Xiao Chiye rode over and saw a few men in short clothes and tied bags sitting around basking in the sun and posing in a dragon gate formation. They looked leisurely and lazy, without any “military” aura.

Xiao Chiye got off his horse and stepped into the yard with his whip in hand.There was a bald pine tree in the courtyard, and the snow was piled up in random piles. No one had touched the ice cubes hanging on the eaves, and the tiles on the roof looked like they should be renovated.

Poor.

Xiao Chiye continued to look around, and the paint on the plaque was peeling off.He went down a few steps to the main hall, raised the curtain with a riding crop, and leaned in slightly.

The people inside who were rubbing peanuts around the stove suddenly turned their heads and looked at Xiao Chiye.

Xiao Chiye put the riding whip on the table, lifted the chair, sat down on his own, and said, “Everyone is here.”

Everyone around them stood up with a clatter, and the peanut shells crunched under their feet.Most of them are veteran military households over forty years old. They have been in the Forbidden Army for a long time and have no other skills. They are best at extorting money.Now seeing Xiao Chiye, he looked up and down first, and then looked at each other with evil intentions.

“Second Young Master!” One of them wiped his hands on his robe and said with a smile, “I’m waiting for you to get the cards today!”

Xiao Chiye said: “I’m here in a hurry, where are the cards?”

He said with a smile: “When you didn’t arrive this morning, the Ministry of Works was urging people to go to work, so Zeng Qianshi took the card to transfer people. Come back later, and I will find someone to take you to your house.”

Xiao Chiye also smiled at he and said, “Who are you?”

The man said: “As for me, you can just call me Lao Chen! I used to be a member of the Hundred Household Office in Dicheng. I was promoted by Mr. Hua Shisan, and now I have experience in our Forbidden Army.”

“It’s strange here.” Xiao Chiye held the handle of the chair with one hand and looked at Lao Chen sideways, “The Governor should be the commander of the Forbidden Army. Why is there such a thing to get a card?”

“You don’t know something.” Old Chen saw that Xiao Chiye was listening intently, and his respectful body became straighter and more upright. “Last year, the Zhongbo army was defeated, and the water transportation from Jincheng could not come through. The capital was in short supply of food. The master of the Ministry of Personnel couldn’t pay the annual salary, so he laid off half of the people in the Forbidden Army Office. Now there is no general commander, and only Cao Qian is the next one. We are the only ones left in total.”

“So,” Xiao Chiye said, “Everyone can touch the Governor’s badge?”

“In the past, it was customary to just leave with a sign. We can’t wait for the work of the Ministry of Works. They are all for the palace to carry lumber. We are gentle people and can’t afford to offend anyone. There is nothing we can do.” Old Chen stood up and said, “If you think this is against the rules, you have to explain it to the Ministry of Works first.”

“I’m a temporary governor.” Xiao Chiye said, “What should I tell you to the Ministry of Industry? The emperor who is above the Forbidden Army. The Sixth Ministry wants the Forbidden Army’s help. In the past, it was just a matter of friendship, and I didn’t settle accounts with them. In the future, who needs manpower, what they will do, and how long they will work for, if you can’t explain clearly or calculate clearly, then don’t expect my people to move.”

“You can say whatever you want.” Lao Chen laughed with the others and said, “But now we don’t care about patrolling, we just work as handymen! If we can help the Sixth Department, it is of some use. Besides, the emperor has not said anything in these years.”Second Young Master, having money in your pocket is not as good as having friends in the court. In the past, the situation of the Imperial Guard was different from that of the Libei Iron Cavalry. Besides, our Imperial Army is no better than the Eighth Battalion…”

Xiao Chiye stood up and said, “You just said, who recommended you to come here?”

Lao Chen poked his waist straight, his face glowed with energy, and he wanted to say loudly three times: “Master Hua San! You recognize it, right? The Queen Mother, she is the grandson of the old man, Miss Hua San…”

Xiao Chiye raised his leg and kicked it!Lao Chen was still talking with a red face, but he was kicked down unpreparedly, hit the table and chair and smashed the teapot.The tea splashed all over the floor with a bang, causing Lao Chen to jolt out of his wits. He crawled to his knees and shivered.

“The bastard raised in the side room of the Hua family.” Xiao Chiye swept away the peanut shells on the table. “You used to carry my boots. What kind of shade tree do you think he is? It is just a dog’s tail grass at best. I want the governor’s badge. Please tell me the rules. I am living in lard and can’t recognize who I am? I will have the final say in the future of the Imperial Army!”

Lao Chen propped himself up on the ground and kowtowed to him, as if waking up from a dream, he said urgently: “Second Young Master, Second Young Master…”

“Who heDamn it, it’s your second son.” Xiao Chiye’s eyes turned cold. “As the Governor of the Forbidden Army, I am the master who is hanging on to your wealth and life.Why are you pretending to be a gangster in front of me?The Ministry of Industry wants people to do the work, and they are all under the Guards.If you don’t have money to spend, why would you go under someone’s feet like this?The people below are working so hard, but you are so rich.Why, Hua Shisan said that you are guaranteed to be free from death!”

“Don’t dare, don’t dare!” Old Chen knelt down a few times and said, “Your Majesty the Governor! You are talking nonsense in your humble position…”

“It takes half a stick of incense.” Xiao Chiye said, “I will check the badges, the roster, and the 20,000 soldiers. It doesn’t matter if one is missing, just come up and take his place.”

Lao Chen quickly got up and ran outside.

***

A few days later, the generals left the capital, and Emperor Xiande led hundreds of officials to see Xiao Jiming off.In the heavy snow, Emperor Xiande held Xiao Jiming’s arm and coughed intermittently.

“It’s clear.” Emperor Xiande, who was huddled in his great cloak but was surprisingly thin, said, “After leaving today, we won’t see you again until next year. The northern frontier has been restless. Although the Biansha cavalry retreated this time, they still refused to surrender. The ambition of the twelve wolves is clearly revealed. You are my loyal minister and my brave general of Great Zhou. You must be careful in everything.”

“The rescue came late this time, but the emperor favored me. My father and ministers were all frightened. In the future, the emperor will have an order to leave Beiding until death.” Xiao Jiming said.

“I haven’t seen your father for many years after he fell ill.” Emperor Xiande slowly looked back, looking at the crowd of heads inside the city gate, and at the magnificent palace that had stood for a hundred years in Qandu, and said softly, “I can’t bear to be loyal to the battlefield for the remnants of the Shen family. But I have been sick for a long time, and many things have nothing to do.”

Xiao Jiming followed and looked at it. After a while, he said: “The capital is full of wind and snow. Your Majesty, take care of the dragon body.”

Emperor Xiande slowly let go of Xiao Jiming’s hand and said, “Good boy, go ahead.”

Lu Guangbai rode out of the city and saw Xiao Chiye alone in the pavilion at the foot of the mountain.He did not dismount, whistled at Xiao Chiye from afar, and said, “You brat, my brothers are leaving now!”

Xiao Chiye held the horse and said: “There are many turmoils in the rivers and lakes, and the boat may be lost[1]. You have to be careful!”

“If you have something to say, why don’t you read poetry?” Lu Guangbai laughed heartily, “Just wait, you can go home one day.”

“It depends on fate.” Xiao Chiye also smiled.

There was a sound of horse hooves behind him. Lu Guangbai looked back and saw the tall man with black hair and slim robes coming on horseback in the snow. He hurriedly turned the horse’s head and shouted: “Commander! Let’s go together.”

Qi Zhuyin slowed down.She wears a cloak and carries a long sword on her back. Her outer robe is old and she is very lightly dressed.If you just look at her dress, she is just an ordinary woman in the world.But after the wind passed by, the face became clearer and looked extra charming.

“Your horse is a second-rate horse.” She raised her eyebrows and smiled, her power suddenly revealed, “You can’t keep up.”

Lu Guangbai liked it very much and said: “He is not as tough as a commander, but he is also a good man who has been on the battlefield. Let’s run around on the road, don’t we know that we can’t keep up?”

“I think that one is rare.” Qi Zhuyin raised his chin at Xiao Chiye, “Swap with me?”

Xiao Chiye touched the horse’s mane and said, “No way, no matter what, it’s me who will suffer.”

Qi Zhuyin raised his hand and threw something to Xiao Chiye.Xiao Chiye caught it with both arms, but it was an unusually heavy Ghost Head Sword in its sheath.

“Libei raised a batch of good war horses for Qidong years ago, and you are indispensable. I asked the best craftsman in my account to forge this thing, and it cost me a lot of precious materials.” Qi Zhuyin said, “How about it, it’s not a loss.”

Xiao Chiye weighed the weight and laughed.He said: “Commander, you will be my biological sister from now on! The knife I brought from home is good, but it is too light and is no better than this one.”

Qi Zhuyin said: “Sister? When you pull out the knife, you should call me grandpa!”

Xiao Chiye said: “Has this sword been named?”

“I’ve thought of something.” Qi Zhuyin said, “Anyone who talks about being wolfish and violent is said to be greedy and violent[2]. Isn’t that suitable for you?”

Lu Guangbai said: “The word ‘wolf violence’ is too fierce, he is…”

“Be fierce.” Qi Zhuyin whipped his riding whip, and his horse immediately ran out. She said without looking back, “The son of Libei just wants to be fierce!”

The large army had already moved, but they saw Qidong garrison’s Qianlang Hongying following closely behind Qi Zhuyin, rushing towards the eastern wilderness.Lu Guangbai couldn’t stay any longer, so he waved to Xiao Chiye and rode after him.

The next moment, I heard the cavalry stamping on the ground again, which seemed to make my feet tremble slightly.Xiao Chiye looked over and saw that his elder brother was leading the way. The familiar Libei cavalry swept across the snowy field like a black tide, galloping towards the north.

Haidongqing broke through the wind and chased, circling and roaring over Libei Iron Cavalry.Xiao Chiye stood with his sword in hand, watching the Libei Cavalry disappear into the vast snow.

***

Shen Zechuan was a little distracted and was knocked back by Master Qi.

“Now that the generals have returned to their posts, Qudu has once again fallen into a pool of stagnant water.” Taifu Qi stretched his neck with disheveled hair and looked at Shen Zechuan, “You don’t have much time left, so you can’t be willing to be the turtle in the urn all the time!”

“You are a swordsman, and I am a fish.” Shen Zechuan raised his eyes and said, “Sir, do I really have a chance to go out?”

“Blessings and misfortunes depend on each other. Confinement is not a bad thing.” Taifu Qi opened the stopper of the gourd and drank a few sips of wine. “It is easier to hide one’s capabilities and bide one’s time behind closed doors. You will have many opportunities in the future!”

The palace bell rang in the distance, signaling the beginning of the new year.

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[1]: “Dream of Li Bai Part 2″·Du Fu

[2]: Yan Shigu