Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
“No, I quit drinking a long time ago.”
Zhang Ji might have been the only one in the world that could bring the Dragon King to his door easily. However, Zhang Ji still gave his salute at the door, waiting for the Dragon King. When the Dragon King was approaching, Zhang Ji immediately spotted the wine jars in the arms of the guard.
There was a time when Gu Shenwei regularly had people send wine to Zhang Ji as a gesture of respect. And now, he continued that practice. “What a shame! Those are Nu’er Hong from the Central Plains; they’re not often seen in the market now.”
Since the war began, the roads to the Central Plains had been blocked, and goods from the Central Plains were no longer available. These expensive jars of wine had been stored in a tavern in Jade City. Gu Shenwei hardly drank; he bought a few of them because he heard that the Norland people were all good drinkers. He was going to present them as gifts on certain occasions.
Zhang Ji was tall and had a serious face. He was used to the absolute power at the school, even the Supreme King’s sons and daughters were afraid of him. Now he licked his lips and was acting reluctantly. “You’re the distinguished guest; it would be impolite to decline. Put it down, we can all share.”
It was a small party. The guard put down the jars, made his salute, and left. Five people sat at a round table.
Zhang Ji took the seat of the host. On the left were Shangguan Yun and Shangguan Fei, and on the right were the Dragon King and Maid Lotus.
At first, the atmosphere was a bit awkward. Shangguan Fei felt out of place like a double agent sitting between his two masters, restlessly.
Shangguan Yun still wore that lazy look with a tired smile. He deliberately avoided Maid Lotus’s eyes because he still recalled how miserable he was when Maid Lotus hunted him in those days.
Maid Lotus found it puzzling that she had been invited. No matter where she was, she always looked indifferent as if everyone around her did not exist. For example, she did not even lift up her chopsticks now.
Only Zhang Ji and Gu Shenwei chatted casually, without the slightest bit of intensity that existed between enemies.
Zhang Ji picked up his glass and gulped the wine down, smacking his lips. “Good wine. He who makes this kind of wine should be beheaded, in case he uses it to seduce people.”
Then, he looked disapprovingly at the glass. Putting it away, he fetched a large bowl. Shangguan Yun immediately filled the bowl.
“Today’s an exception. If you should give me more of this wine, I might betray Golden Roc Fort and fight for you.”
“That would be most welcome.” Gu Shenwei did not take it seriously, while Shangguan Yun turned his head, looking slightly displeased.
Zhang Ji gulped down a few bowls of wine in a row. When his appetite was finally satisfied, he started to get into the business. Looking at Maid Lotus, he said, “You’re enemies, but you’re all somebodies coming from Stone Castle.”
Maid Lotus did not look up or speak, while Shangguan Fei giggled.
Zhang Ji looked at Shangguan Fei sternly. “Yes, I take you as a somebody because you’re the laziest and most shameless guy in Stone Castle.”
Shangguan Fei’s face immediately flushed. Though he was still afraid of Zhang Ji, he would not respect Zhang Ji as the Dragon King did. “How… how could you insult me? I’ve broken away from the Shangguan family.”
Shangguan Yun came to the rescue with a smile. “Mister Zhang is right, but I’ll be the ‘laziest’; moreover, I’m also the ‘most despicable’.”
The atmosphere was eased immediately, and Gu Shenwei broke in as well. “Then I guess I’m the ‘most sinister’.”
These derogatory words could also be used to praise people. Shangguan Fei became delighted. He pointed at Maid Lotus and said, “I know what she is… the most ‘vicious’.”
As Maid Lotus glared at him, Shangguan Fei added at once, “And the most beautiful.” Then, he turned to Zhang Ji. “Mister Zhang has to claim one word as well.”
Zhang Ji put his palms on the table and sighed. “Well, I have no talent. I deem myself the most ‘thick-skinned’.”
Shangguan Fei did not think that the word was appropriate at all and added, “How could Mister Zhang be the most ‘thick-skinned’? That should be Shangguan Hong. As long as you feed him, he’ll be your dog.”
Zhang Ji snorted. He once pretended to assist Shangguan Hong but abandoned him in the end. In his eyes, Master Hong was never a somebody. “I’m the most thick-skinned because even though we’re enemies, I still have the audacity to ask a favor from the Dragon King.”
Gu Shenwei respected Zhang Ji. Under the guidance of Zhang Ji, he quit being a killer and stepped into the Great Snowmountain. He decided to seek his revenge by becoming the sovereign of the Western Regions. Looking back, he realized that Zhang Ji had been more than an ordinary teacher to him.
“Please go ahead, Mister Zhang. Your student must obey.”
“You’re not my student, you’re the Dragon King.” Zhang Ji stood up and returned a salute. “Thank you for treating me as a ‘teacher’, and especially for your wine. It has been my best meal this year.”
Gu Shenwei helped Zhang Ji sit down. When Zhang Ji mentioned “favor”, he guessed what Zhang Ji wanted, more or less.
As expected, Zhang Ji cast his eyes on Maid Lotus again. “I hope Maid Lotus can stop pursuing Cloud King Shangguan Yun.”
Maid Lotus remained silent, as if she had not been spoken to.
“I thought that we have achieved a truce in Norland. As for later, we’ll still be enemies,” Gu Shenwei answered on her behalf.
“Forget about the future, I just hope Maid Lotus can stop her pursuit during this time.” Zhang Ji naturally would not expect so much as making the Dragon King and Maid Lotus stop forever. “I noticed that the agreement is among Norland, Golden Roc Fort, and the Dragon King. New Moon Hall isn’t included.”
Maid Lotus was both the Dragon King’s personal guard and the New Moon Hall’s Managing Master. Most people valued that first identity, while Zhang Ji cared about the latter title.
Gu Shenwei recalled that Zhang Ji detested and despised New Moon Hall’s methods. He was surprised that Zhang Ji took Maid Lotus so seriously today.
When Zhang Ji mentioned New Moon Hall, Gu Shenwei was not able to defend Maid Lotus anymore. The Dragon Army collaborated with New Moon Hall. But that did not include meddling in the other’s internal affairs.
Zhang Ji was really thick-skinned. When all was said and done, he was actually asking a favor from Maid Lotus.
It was no wonder that Shangguan Yun had been looking so awkward. Being the “Cloud King”, he had to be very embarrassed to ask a woman to spare him. Even being the “most despicable”, he could not help blushing.
Finally, Maid Lotus seemed to feel everyone’s gazes on her. She raised her head and spoke for the first time. “If he apologizes, I can spare him temporarily.”
Zhang Ji claimed to be “thick-skinned”, but it turned out that he was trying to please Maid Lotus. Who would have known that she would be so rude as to suggest that?
Shangguan Fei had no business here. He observed them secretly with excitement in his heart. He blamed himself for not having recognized the crafty Zhang Ji earlier. It was no wonder that the Supreme King, Dragon King, and Cloud King all respected him so much.
Zhang Ji turned to Shangguan Yun and scolded the latter sternly like a teacher holding a ruler to his student. “Apologize to Maid Lotus.”
Shangguan Yun was really blushing this time, but he managed to cover it up with a smile. He stood up, raised his glass, and slightly bowed to Maid Lotus. “It’s all my fault that I let subordinates treat you disrespectfully in Wushan. Would you please be so kind as to forgive me?”
Maid Lotus stood up as well. She stayed silent and sipped from her glass as a gesture of acceptance.
Shangguan Yun gulped it down and looked calmer. He said with a smile, “I remember that Maid Lotus said I’d regret not killing her. To be honest, I really regretted it.”
“But you won’t regret your apology today,” Maid Lotus replied.
Zhang Ji ignored their little spat and clapped his hands. “OK, it turns out that being thick-skinned is really helpful. Cloud King, you should thank the Dragon King. Without him, Maid Lotus wouldn’t have let you off.”
“Thank you, Dragon King. It’s a shame that you don’t drink; otherwise, I’d propose a toast to you.”
“As Mister Zhang said, today’s an exception.” Gu Shenwei raised his glass, checked the wine, and drank it.
Shangguan Yun raised his eyebrows and fetched a bowl as Zhang Ji did. Then, he gulped it down. “The Dragon King is really broad-minded.”
While the chemistry was good, Shangguan Fei knew what he was. He was the negotiator between them. None of them trusted him but they had to use him. On such occasions, his mission was to use his quick wit to break the ice.
Shangguan Fei had successfully completed the task.
Maid Lotus was still silent, but her face lit up a little. After a couple of drinks, her glowing face seemed lovely.
Shangguan Yun was really surprised to find that when his Ninth Brother called Maid Lotus the “most beautiful”, he had not been merely flattering her.
It was evening when the party was drawing to an end. Zhang Ji seemed to care about Maid Lotus very much today. When he stood up to leave, he spoke to her again. “Since we’re having a truce, you’ll have a good rest and stop watching Cloud King for tonight, right?”
“I suppose I’ll be too tipsy to do that.” Seldom had Maid Lotus spoken as straightforward as she did now. Shangguan Fei was stunned again.
Gu Shenwei found it surprising as well. Shangguan Yun and his companions arrived last night, and Maid Lotus never mentioned that she would watch them.
The five people merrily separated. People who spotted them were shocked and spread various absurd rumors that night.
Maid Lotus went to rest, while Shangguan Fei could not sleep. He wanted to talk to someone. He especially wanted to talk to the Dragon King. Without an invitation, he directly followed the Dragon King into the room and quickly came up with an excuse to stay. “Everyone used their unique skills at the party.”
“Well, what did you see?” Gu Shenwei happened to need to organize his thoughts with someone else.
“Zhang Ji and Shangguan Yun must have been plotting a big plan, otherwise they wouldn’t have begged Maid Lotus.”
“Indeed.”
“Maid Lotus deliberately embarrassed Shangguan Yun to see how much they were willing to pay. The more they would pay, the bigger the plot is.”
“Zhang Ji doesn’t appreciate you for nothing.”
Shangguan Fei sighed. He wished he had received the teacher’s guidance earlier so that he would not have to drift through jianghu now. “But what’s their big plan? I think my lord must have already known it at the party table.”
“If you were any smarter, I’d have to kill you.”
Gu Shenwei did not answer Shangguan Fei’s question. He certainly had guessed Zhang Ji and Shangguan Yun’s plan because, just like him, they wanted a share when Norland fell apart. It was their methods that differed.
They were still enemies; they just switched to other battlefields and changed methods.
