Chapter 203: Old Bottle

Ji Yuan recalled sailing down the Tongtian River in the dead of winter after attending the Dragon Lord's birthday banquet. On that journey, he once engaged in a speed race with a grand ship belonging to the Xiao family.

Unlike the old turtle, who suffered immense negative karmic repercussions directly impacting his cultivation, the Xiao family, merely navigating the intricacies of mortal officialdom and not engaging in immortal cultivation or magical practices, experienced far less drastic consequences.

As officials served as instruments of imperial power, the Da Zhen dynasty inherently bore a substantial amount of negative karma. Even a grave act like the execution of meritorious ministers, being an entanglement within the mortal court, only resulted in Xiao Jing leading a life plagued by illness and brevity. His true suffering, however, awaited him in the afterlife.

Although nearly two centuries had passed since the events recounted by the old turtle, it was conceivable that if the Xiao family's stratagems were sufficiently cunning to evade post-event purges, they might, after various reversals, still retain a position within the imperial court.

Ji Yuan's thoughts briefly drifted, but the old turtle's narrative pressed on.

"Among the founding ministers back then, there were indeed some intractable individuals. While the old emperor was alive, he could keep everyone in check, but upon his demise, the new emperor might not be able to command the court effectively. To safeguard the dynasty's stability, the old emperor resolved to eliminate any potential future threats."

The old turtle looked up at Mr. Ji, observing his thoughtful expression. He paused, waiting for Mr. Ji to meet his gaze before resuming his story.

"As I am merely a creature dwelling in the Chunmu River, I cannot possibly know every detail of court affairs. However, I do know how it began: In the 32nd year of Liyuan, at the old emperor's behest, Xiao Jing orchestrated a scheme during the New Year's Eve banquet in the imperial palace. He arranged for certain unruly military officials among the elder ministers to engage in a drinking contest with the crown prince and the other princes..."

"Even those princes with a high tolerance for alcohol had been secretly instructed by the old emperor to lose the contest. Some unsuspecting princes even believed their father merely sought to spare the elder ministers' dignity. The outcome was, naturally, inevitable: all the imperial scions were defeated. Subsequently, officials from the Censorate deliberately mocked the elder ministers for their perceived disrespect towards the princes, provoking one of them to utter insolent remarks. At the New Year's banquet, save for a few exceptionally perceptive individuals, everyone else dismissed it as a mere jest, unaware that it was, in fact, the grim prelude to a tragic massacre."

Thereafter, the old turtle's account became rather general. After all, he was not a court insider, and as time passed, fewer people dared to openly discuss the matter, naturally reducing the information he could glean from the Chunmu River.

Furthermore, the old turtle eventually realized the grave implications and sought to completely sever his ties with the Xiao family. He dared not attempt to divine the unfolding events, only occasionally overhearing literati, meeting privately with close friends on pleasure boats or small skiffs, recounting various tragic incidents.

Within the following two to three years, the old turtle felt the surge of negative karma reach its zenith, after which it gradually began to subside, signaling to him that the tragic events were nearing their conclusion.

As anticipated, in the 36th year of Liyuan, the new emperor ascended the throne. With a sweeping campaign, he "restored order and purged treacherous ministers," delivering belated justice to a select few loyal and upright individuals. By the end of that very year, the old emperor also passed away.

"This incident left me, the old turtle, trembling with fear, forcing me to hide for years within a water cave beneath a cliff in the Chunmu River. I was terrified that a single misstep could invite calamity. Even on rainy days, though there was no thunder, I dared not move much, nor did I risk cultivating too diligently..."

The old turtle spoke with profound regret, and Ji Yuan listened, his heart filled with empathy.

The old turtle's subsequent reclusion might strike many other mythical creatures as excessively fearful, given that numerous man-eating demons, despite their wicked deeds, show no apprehension of divine retribution. Yet, Ji Yuan understood the deeper reason.

Precisely because of his unique innate abilities, the old turtle possessed a far more profound understanding of cultivation than ordinary creatures. He harbored a greater fear of rare occurrences, specifically the immense terror hidden within low probabilities.

The story, begun at sunset, concluded barely before dawn, with the nascent sunlight seemingly imbued with the tale's bloody hue.

Having finished his narration, the old turtle fell silent, floating motionless on the river's surface. The large green fish swam quietly by his side, while the red fox lay still, equally mute, deeply shaken by the horrifying power struggles of the imperial court. He was somewhat frightened and even found himself worrying for Yin Qing's father, and whether Yin Qing's own future as an official might prove perilous.

It was now dawn, and the gates of Chunhui Prefecture were about to open. In the distance, merchants and farmers heading to market were steadily approaching, and a queue had already begun to form before the city gates.

Ji Yuan remained silent for a moment, then observed the scene and spoke.

"If your story were to be published, it would require significant alterations before any storyteller could recount it..."

Whether among humans or demons, in the bustling marketplace or the solemn imperial court, true harmony remains an elusive, almost unattainable state.

Ji Yuan secretly harbored a desire to disseminate meaningful stories through storytellers—tales significant to humans, to demons, or to other beings. Beyond offering a small diversion during leisure time to a populace with scarce entertainment, he also nursed a budding, yet unrefined, aspiration.

After this remark, Ji Yuan glanced at the three spirits around him, his gaze ultimately settling on the old turtle, Wu Chong.

"Your fortune has indeed been rather poor, which serves as a lesson not to recklessly use your divine abilities for mischievous ends. Over the years, every time you contemplated action, you found yourself suffering for it. However, opportunities still exist; your path to cultivation is not severed. From now on, just live a peaceful life."

"Mr. Ji's admonition is apt! The River God himself once said something similar."

"Haha."

Ji Yuan chuckled and addressed the three spirits beside him.

"You need not fear the arduous trials of cultivation too much. While it is incredibly challenging for a beast to start from scratch, once you achieve success in cultivation, you will possess a greater foundation than those demons born to transformed demon parents."

Ji Yuan stood up and picked up the fishing rod from the ground. Realizing its length made it too cumbersome to conceal in his sleeve or carry openly into the city, he tossed it onto the old turtle's back.

"Please hold this fishing rod for me; I'll retrieve it when I depart."

The old turtle naturally assented, accepting the task. Having spoken, Ji Yuan began walking towards the city gate, preparing to join the queue for entry.

Hu Yun quickly followed, trying to remain hidden in Ji Yuan's shadow, and quietly asked him.

"Mr. Ji, are we going to check out of the inn, collect our luggage, and then return?"

Ji Yuan nodded, then shook his head.

"First, we'll check out and retrieve our luggage, otherwise, we'll be charged for another day after noon. Afterwards, we'll make a trip to the Yuanzi Shop."

"The Yuanzi Shop? What kind of place is that?"

Ji Yuan retrieved an old wine bottle from his sleeve and held it up for Hu Yun to see. It was the very bottle in which he had once purchased his first pot of Thousand-Day Spring wine. Over time, it had held various other wines of differing qualities, even rare concoctions like Dragon's Saliva wine.

"Thousand-Day Spring?"

"Precisely. It's a place solely dedicated to brewing and selling Thousand-Day Spring. Since we're passing by, we might as well pay it a visit."

They queued to enter the city. Ji Yuan, with Hu Yun, planned to check out of their inn, retrieve their deposit, and then meandered through the city streets, arriving at the Yuanzi Shop's street before noon.

It was still the same storefront, with the same interior arrangement, and it appeared as quiet as ever, with little business. The shop assistants were scattered in small groups, sitting or chatting, seemingly unhurried.

The Yuanzi Shop's busiest period was spring, dedicated to brewing new wine. Autumn, by contrast, was a more leisurely season, especially around midday when deliveries of wine were unlikely.

Shopkeeper Zhuo Tao was diligently clicking his abacus, settling accounts from a ledger. After finalizing one entry and resetting the abacus beads, he closed the ledger with a smile. The Zhuo family had consistently prioritized brewing, never extending their operations beyond Chunhui Prefecture. They only collected the initial sale price of the wine, refraining from involvement in subsequent secondary or tertiary sales. This, combined with the provincial government's consistent support for the Yuanzi Shop, had ensured smooth business operations with few setbacks over the years.

"Cough...cough cough...cough cough cough cough..."

Shopkeeper Zhuo let out a few soft coughs, then succumbed to a prolonged, uncontrollable fit before finally stopping. He quickly reached for a small purple clay teapot nearby and drank a few sips from its spout, which at last helped to suppress the lingering urge to cough.

Some assistants nearby glanced at him and asked with concern.

"Shopkeeper, are you alright? You've been coughing for well over a month now; perhaps you should see the doctor again!"

"No, no, I'm fine. I've already seen a doctor; it's merely a common cold."

At that moment, Ji Yuan stepped into the Yuanzi Shop. Behind the counter stood the same shopkeeper from years ago, now merely a little older.

Upon Ji Yuan's entry, those inside the shop instinctively scrutinized him. Due to his illusionary spell, Ji Yuan's eyes appeared perfectly normal, giving him the impression of a refined gentleman.

Shopkeeper Zhuo, being an ordinary man, naturally did not recognize Ji Yuan after so many years, despite the strong impression Ji Yuan had made on him previously.

"Esteemed customer, are you looking to place a wine order?"

Typically, patrons visiting the Yuanzi Shop placed orders for wine by the barrel or cartload, or pre-ordered the new vintage for the following year. Very few came for individual retail purchases, but the Yuanzi Shop would not refuse such customers.

Ji Yuan did not reply immediately. Instead, he approached the counter and observed Zhuo Tao, noting that it was indeed just a common cold, with a chill settled in his chest and lungs, which would likely dissipate with warmth within half a month.

Ji Yuan was capable of curing such an ailment. As he drew the wine bottle from his sleeve, he subtly flicked it, and the chill in Zhuo Tao's chest and lungs was instantly dispelled.

This subtle gesture went unnoticed by others, whose attention was instead drawn to the old wine flask Ji Yuan had produced.

"Shopkeeper, I have an old wine flask here. How much would it cost to fill it with new wine?"

Shopkeeper Zhuo meticulously examined the ceramic wine flask. Its exterior was not dull, but the body bore small nicks and chips, indicating frequent use. Furthermore, the style appeared to be an older model from several years ago, as the flasks for newly opened cellars had since changed.

Regardless, encountering such an old wine flask and potentially an old patron of Thousand-Day Spring, Shopkeeper Zhuo felt rather pleased.

"The price hasn't gone up. This is a one-catty flask; it will cost eight hundred *wen* to fill."

Ji Yuan nodded, then abruptly asked.

"Shopkeeper, do you charge eight hundred *wen* to fill a one-catty flask even if a customer brings their own? Is there really a two-hundred *wen* difference for the flask itself?"

Shopkeeper Zhuo had been about to reach for his purple clay teapot to soothe his throat, but after a moment, he realized he no longer felt the urge to cough. He lowered his hand, sensing Ji Yuan's uncommon bearing, and became inclined to converse a little more.

"Well, actually, it wasn't always this way. As you pointed out, a mere wine flask hardly accounts for two hundred *wen*."

"Then why the change?"

"Heh, there's really nothing secret about it. Back then, to ingratiate myself with a particular customer, I deliberately sold aged fine wine at a reduced price and also offered a two-hundred *wen* discount on a wine flask. The shop's employees and a few close acquaintances are aware of this. Since then, anyone who comes to the shop with their own one-catty flask for wine has only been charged eight hundred *wen*."

Ji Yuan smiled.

"Oh, Shopkeeper, you treat everyone equally? That must be quite a loss for a businessman like yourself!"

The shopkeeper chuckled in response.

"Although I, Zhuo, am no scholar or knight-errant, I do possess a certain degree of pride. Besides, unless they are high officials or nobles, who among common folk drinks Thousand-Day Spring daily? Even fewer come to this shop to purchase wine... And what's more, we keep it quiet!"

"Hahahaha..."

Ji Yuan laughed in admiration, then produced two taels of silver from his sleeve.

"The shopkeeper remains shrewd indeed! Please give me a pot of new wine; here are two taels."

This struck him as odd. Wasn't the customer going to have his old flask refilled?

However, since the man had stated it himself, Zhuo Tao complied. He took a bottle of new wine from the counter, weighed the silver, and then handed it to Ji Yuan.

Ji Yuan took the wine bottle and immediately turned to leave. Just as he was about to step out of the shop, Zhuo Tao noticed the old flask still on the counter and quickly called out.

"Esteemed customer, your wine flask is still here!"

The customer in white robes waved his hand.

"It's a gift for you!"

Zhuo Tao was left somewhat bewildered, looking down at the worn flask. What use did he have for it? The Yuanzi Shop certainly had no shortage of such items.

But when he looked up again, the customer in white robes, who had just been at the doorway, was nowhere to be seen.

'He walks so fast.'

Zhuo Tao stepped around the counter, went to the doorway, and peered left and right. The street stretched out, hazy with figures in the distance, but he could not discern where the man had gone. He sighed and returned to the counter.

A shop assistant by the counter asked with a smile.

"Shopkeeper, what shall we do with this flask?"

"What else? Just discard it."

The shop assistant murmured, "Oh," picked up the flask, examined it closely, and then instinctively pulled out the stopper. A faint, refreshing aroma wafted forth, instantly revitalizing everyone in the vicinity who caught its scent.