Chapter 106: Small Cabinet, A Cup Drunk Tonight

A moment later, an old scholar with white hair, dressed in a Confucian robe, knocked twice at the door.

Seeing the man holding books, Yin Zhaoxian clasped his hands in greeting and gestured for him to enter the academy.

"Master Zhou! Please come right in!"

"Master Yin!"

Master Zhou returned the greeting, then entered and stood beside Yin Zhaoxian, looking at the sixty or seventy students in the classroom. This number was quite impressive.

"This is Master Zhou from the county," Yin Zhaoxian announced. "After I leave, he will temporarily take over as the county academy teacher. Come, everyone, let's bow to Master Zhou."

Hearing this, the students in the academy stood up one after another. They all bowed to Master Zhou and sincerely greeted him in unison.

"Hello, Master Zhou!"

Old Master Zhou stroked his beard and nodded, forming a good initial impression of the students.

When it was time for the academy to close, the students prepared to leave. Yin Zhaoxian stood in the academy courtyard, personally handing each student their letters and offering individual words of careful advice.

Witnessing such camaraderie between teacher and students, Old Master Zhou felt a pang of emotion. He had taught in private academies for many years, but how many students had he truly formed a deep bond with?

As evening approached, Yin Zhaoxian and his son, Yin Qing, walked home together. Yin Qing had been silent until they were on the path in Tianniu Ward and could see Jū’ān Pavilion in the distance. Only then did Yin Qing speak.

"Father, the dates are ripe!"

Looking up, the date palm in Jū’ān Pavilion's courtyard was laden with fruit, almost all of them ripe.

"Indeed, this year's fruit is ripe!"

Yin Zhaoxian smiled.

"It's strange, actually. Since Master Ji left, this date palm hasn't bloomed or borne fruit for two years. But this year, it's bearing fruit again."

Yin Qing chuckled.

"Maybe it knows you're preparing for the imperial examination, and decided to bear fruit especially this year! Anyway, we're in for a treat again!"

"Oh, you child!"

The father and son walked on, chatting and laughing. As they passed Jū’ān Pavilion, they looked at the tempting dates on the branches, and a faint fruity fragrance wafted out.

Perhaps Yin Qing's words reminded Yin Zhaoxian, or perhaps the father and son simply felt inspired.

After hurrying home and finishing the dinner Mother Yin had already prepared, the father and son took the key to Jū’ān Pavilion, ready to pick and eat the dates.

In the evening, red clouds hung in the sky. At the entrance of the pavilion, Yin Zhaoxian used the key to open the brass lock and slowly pushed open the courtyard gate.

"Creak~~"

The sound of the gate hinges turning echoed, and the father and son froze before even stepping inside, because there was someone in the courtyard!

This person was, of course, not Ji Yuan, but an elderly man wearing a round-collared long gown under a straight-collared robe. He was looking up at the date tree, and seeing the courtyard gate open, he turned his head to look at Master Yin.

"Who are you, old sir? Why are you in the courtyard of Jū’ān Pavilion?"

Yin Zhaoxian asked with a furrowed brow, subconsciously glancing at the pavilion's wall. "This height isn't something an old man could climb over," he thought. "Could he be a wanderer?"

The old man saw that Master Yin only pondered for a moment before breaking into a smile.

"You must be the county friend Master Ji spoke of, correct? May I ask your name, Master?"

"You know Master Ji?"

Yin Qing, surprised, asked before his father, and Yin Zhaoxian, hearing that the man knew Ji Yuan, dared not be disrespectful. He clasped his hands in greeting and replied.

"I am Yin Zhaoxian, and this is my son, Yin Qing. May I know your name, old sir, and where you met Master Ji?"

The old man scrutinized Yin Zhaoxian for a moment, then returned his greeting.

"My surname is Ying, and my given name is Hong," the old man replied. "I once encountered Master Ji in the rain in a neighboring county. I am also a friend of Master Ji!"

Seeing the old man's composed demeanor, and how his appearance certainly wasn't that of a thief, coupled with his claim of being Master Ji's friend, Master Yin stepped into the courtyard with a hint of excitement.

"So you are a friend of Master Ji!" Yin Zhaoxian exclaimed. "Unfortunately, Master Ji has been away on a long journey for a while now, so you won't find him here."

Yin Zhaoxian explained with a smile.

"Yes, I know..."

The old man smiled as he spoke, then continued to gaze at the date tree.

"I've come to check on it these past two years, and the date tree hasn't borne fruit," the old man said. "But this year, it finally has! Master Ji only gave me two dates back then, which really wasn't enough!"

"Ah?"

Yin Zhaoxian was slightly puzzled. This man had been coming for two years? He had no impression of it. Did he always sneak in like this, leave when he saw no fruit, and then return?

However, he fully understood the old man's craving for fresh dates. Anyone who had tasted these dates couldn't forget them.

So Yin Zhaoxian smiled and said:

"It must be that Master Ji didn't carry many dates with him when he traveled," Yin Zhaoxian said. "Old sir, you've certainly come at the right time! You can eat all the dates in this courtyard to your heart's content!"

Ji Yuan had originally entrusted Yin Zhaoxian with sharing these dates. With a friend coming from afar, it was even more appropriate for him to eat as much as he wished.

The old man, who was looking at the date tree, heard this and his eyes lit up. At that moment, the date branches in the courtyard seemed to rustle and tremble, as if a faint breeze had just swept through.

"Hehehehe... Master Yin, you jest," the old man chuckled. "One can never eat enough, and it's not proper to eat without restraint! How about this? I'll just have one bite. Do you agree, Master Yin?"

"One bite?"

Yin Zhaoxian was surprised, and at the same time, a whisper of doubt rose in his heart. Could this friend of Master Ji also be an extraordinary individual?

"That's right, just one bite!" the old man affirmed. "Do you agree, Master Yin?"

The old man stroked his beard and nodded, looking as if he would merely take a small taste.

"Heh, why wouldn't I agree?" Yin Zhaoxian chuckled. "I'm merely managing these dates for Master Ji. Since you are Master Ji's friend, old sir, please eat as much as you like! Qing'er, let's pick some fruit for the old gentleman."

"Alright, time to pick dates!"

Yin Qing could hardly wait. He had finally heard that he could pick dates. But before he could move, the old man spoke again.

"No need, no need, it's no trouble!"

As he said this, the old man looked up again, a wide smile spreading across his lips, mimicking Yin Qing's tone.

"Hahahahaha... Time for dates! *Ang-hou~*"

"Whoosh~~~ whoosh~~~"

Amidst a barely audible dragon's roar, a fierce wind suddenly rose in the courtyard. The entire date tree swayed violently, and countless dates were swept from its branches by the gale, carried by the wind into the old man's gaping maw.

Yin Zhaoxian and Yin Qing staggered, raising their hands to shield themselves, both astonished and terrified.

In just a few breaths, the brief gale ceased. The father and son were astonished to find that at least half of the dates on the tree in the courtyard were gone, yet the branches and leaves showed little damage.

Yet, the way the date tree swayed in the wind still felt peculiar.

"Crunch... crunch crunch..."

Chewing sounds emanated from the old man's mouth beside them, and the fresh, sweet aroma of the dates wafted out.

"Excellent, excellent! The taste is superb, simply superb!"

Master Yin's heart was still pounding fiercely. Even though he had been somewhat mentally prepared, this was far beyond anything he had imagined.

"Master Yin, I assure you, I only took one bite!" the old man said, chuckling. "I certainly haven't broken my word. Please don't casually report false accusations to Master Ji about today's events, hahahaha..."

Although Yin Zhaoxian's heart still fluttered erratically, he still tried his best to compose himself and clasped his hands towards the old man.

"This Yin certainly has been blind to a true immortal," Yin Zhaoxian said. "Old sir, you truly keep your word and indeed only took one bite. However, you gave this father and son quite a fright! If there's a next time, I hope you'll give us a warning first!"

Ying Hong had been carefully observing Yin Zhaoxian from the moment they met until the dates were consumed. He perceived an upright and extraordinary aura about him. Now, hearing his casual words despite his lingering fear, he smiled and nodded.

"Indeed worthy of being Master Ji's only friend in the county!" Ying Hong said. "It was I who startled Master Yin; I hope you'll forgive me!"

"By no means, by no means!"

With this exchange, although still shaken, the atmosphere became cordial. They picked a plate of dates and sat down at the stone table to chat, mainly discussing how they had met Ji Yuan and become his friends.

As the Yin father and son complemented each other in narrating the story of how Ji Yuan saved the red fox and then released it with Yin Qing, the old man also beamed with delight.

Although it was clear the old man was holding back some information in his words, Yin Zhaoxian didn't press him. Nor did he casually inquire about the origins of this clearly extraordinary old man. He simply listened and shared.

The two conversed happily. The old man, Ying Hong, suddenly seemed to remember something, and slapped his head, exclaiming.

"I almost forgot!"

As he spoke, as if performing a magic trick, he produced a slender-necked porcelain wine pot and two porcelain cups from behind his back, placing them on the stone table.

"I owe Master Ji a round of drinks," Ying Hong said. "Unfortunately, Master Ji is extraordinary; he cannot be found or divined. I came here both to see if the dates were ripe and if he had returned. Since I've taken a liking to you, Master Yin, at first sight, would you please appraise the taste of this wine on Master Ji's behalf?"

"Why not!"

Yin Zhaoxian was also uninhibited. Though he rarely drank alcohol, he thought to himself, "I can't disgrace Master Ji! It's just a drink!"

The old man smiled without speaking, and personally poured a cup for both Yin Zhaoxian and himself.

"Master Yin, please!"

"Old Master Ying, please!"

Both raised their cups and drank. As soon as a cup of wine entered his stomach, Yin Zhaoxian felt a sweet and rich aroma, a long-lasting wine flavor, and a surge of warmth coursing through his body, his cheeks flushing.

"Good... wine..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he collapsed onto the stone table, motionless.

Yin Qing, who had been busy eating dates nearby, panicked. He looked at the old man, then at his father. Although he knew the old man shouldn't harm his father, he was still worried.

"Old sir, is... my father... is he alright?"

"Hahahahaha... No worries, no worries!" the old man chuckled. "Master Yin simply can't hold his liquor; he's drunk!"

The old man raised his cup and drank his wine, then burst into cheerful laughter!

"Hurry home and get a blanket to cover your father," the old man instructed. "Let him sleep in the courtyard tonight! Go, quickly now, go!"

Yin Qing swallowed and nodded, not daring to defy the old man's wishes. He quickly ran out of the courtyard and headed home.

After Yin Qing left, the old man's smile slightly receded. He poured himself another cup of wine and stood up, holding the cup.

His peripheral vision glanced at the date tree in the courtyard.

"Heh, I'll offer you a cup too!"

With that, he raised his cup and poured it onto the tree roots. The wine seeped into the ground, yet the soil didn't even appear wet.

When Yin Qing hurried back with a blanket and his worried mother, there was no one else in the courtyard except for Yin Zhaoxian, who was asleep on the table.