Chapter 622: Old Acquaintance

Ji Yuan looked at the man in the pavilion. Though his features were blurry, his peculiar beard was unmistakable, immediately piquing Ji Yuan's interest. After speaking, the man bent down and unhooked a leather pouch from beside a wooden box.

The leather pouch swayed twice in the man's hand, a faint sloshing sound emanating from within. Then, the man tossed it towards Ji Yuan.

"Catch the wine, sir!"

Seeing the pouch flying towards him, Ji Yuan quickly took two steps forward and reached out with both hands to catch it. The pouch bounced off his chest before landing in his hands. It appeared that if Ji Yuan hadn't moved, he could have easily caught it while standing still.

Although Ji Yuan's reaction wasn't exactly flustered, it slightly disappointed the man in the pavilion. He didn't let it show, however, and instead gestured to the spot beside him.

"Please, sir, come in and rest a while."

Ji Yuan took the pouch, removed the stopper, and inhaled deeply. A rich, potent aroma of wine wafted up, suggesting it was a strong liquor.

Ji Yuan lifted the pouch, pouring a stream of wine into his mouth from a short distance, tasting it before swallowing.

"Excellent, this is good wine!"

With that, Ji Yuan entered the pavilion, sat down, and took several more large gulps from the pouch. He then handed it back to the man.

The man took the pouch, drank from it, and then surveyed Ji Yuan from head to toe.

"Sir, you have quite a capacity for drink! To take so many sips of this wine without batting an eye, I, Gan, am beginning to believe you could drink a thousand measures and not get drunk."

The man was very generous. After taking his drink, he offered the wine to Ji Yuan again. Ji Yuan accepted without hesitation, thanked him, and took a few more gulps.

"I have ten catties of strong liquor in this pouch. Sir, if you have a white liquor flask, feel free to fill it up."

"Haha, you are indeed generous, my friend. But I'll just have a few sips. Besides, this amount wouldn't be enough."

The man chuckled, assuming Ji Yuan meant the pouch of wine wasn't enough for him. Without further comment, he looked at a funeral procession passing by, observing the figures in mourning attire, and asked softly,

"Sir, you returned from Tomb Hill this morning, drinking and singing a mournful song. Were you perhaps paying respects to a departed relative or friend?"

A mournful song? What mournful song? Ji Yuan thought his chanting and singing might not have been particularly cheerful, but certainly not mournful.

Ji Yuan couldn't help but smile wryly. Finding himself at a loss for words, he remained silent for a moment, then glanced at the box by the man's feet. Although blurry, it resembled a backpack or a scholar's satchel. Some people carried bundles, while others preferred such boxes, especially useful for transporting offerings for ceremonies.

"Have you just concluded your respects, my friend?"

The man sighed upon hearing Ji Yuan's words.

"Ah, I, Gan, haven't visited in years, and I never expected my friend would be gone. When I return to Lianyu City again, there will be no one to drink with. Oh, by the way, my name is Gan Qingle, from Shangrong Province. I'm currently a wanderer with no fixed home. Sir, you possess an extraordinary demeanor; may I know your name?"

As the man spoke, he saluted with clasped fists. Ji Yuan, still holding the wine pouch, returned a slight bow and replied,

"My name is Ji Yuan—'Ji' as in strategy, 'Yuan' as in destiny. Thank you for the wine, my friend."

Ji Yuan spoke, then stood and returned the pouch to Gan Qingle. Gan Qingle took it, stood, and offered a reciprocal bow as he saw Ji Yuan out. As Ji Yuan exited the pavilion, Gan Qingle suddenly noticed the pouch felt lighter than it should. A quick shake confirmed that most of the wine was gone. He recalled Ji Yuan hadn't appeared to drink much, so such a significant depletion couldn't be due to spills. Observing Ji Yuan's unchanged expression as he walked away, Gan Qingle nodded to himself.

"What an impressive capacity for drink!"

Gan Qingle thought for a moment, rehung the wine pouch on the side of his back-box, then bent down and effortlessly lifted the box onto his back with one hand. With light steps, he quickly pursued Ji Yuan, who was now a short distance from the pavilion.

"Mr. Ji, if you don't mind, allow me to accompany you. This Great Cellar Wine, though not widely known in Lianyu City, is, in my opinion, no less superior than some famous wines. The original ten-year aged cellar brew has the purest flavor. I can take you to buy some."

Ji Yuan had no aversion to the man, and he was quite interested in the wine he had just sampled. Since the man mentioned a place to buy it, Ji Yuan was certainly happy to accompany him.

Lianyu City wasn't actually far from Tomb Hill; the pavilion where they had rested was already midway between the two locations. Therefore, even without employing any mystical arts, Ji Yuan and Gan Qingle arrived at Lianyu City in under an hour, walking at a brisk pace.

Before even entering the city, the bustling sounds filtered through the distant city gates and reached Ji Yuan's ears. Once they stepped inside, the city's full clamor enveloped him. He could discern the vibrant market atmosphere through the sounds, as if he could already see the distant vendors, laborers, and myriad people.

Although Gan Qingle, Ji Yuan's companion, was not a native of Lianyu City, their casual conversation during the journey revealed his considerable familiarity with the place. Likewise, over the course of their half-hour acquaintance, Gan Qingle's initial impression of Ji Yuan became clearer: he was a man of extraordinary knowledge and bearing, possessing an appealing and approachable aura. Thus, when Ji Yuan asked him to lead the way, Gan Qingle gladly agreed.

"Mr. Ji, would you prefer to go directly to Huifu for your visit, or shall we fetch some wine first?"

"Let's get some wine first. I'm never without wine, and it feels rather strange to be without it now."

"Haha, sir, you are a true man of character! Come, my treat!"

Befriending Ji Yuan greatly alleviated Gan Qingle's sadness over his departed friend. Indeed, in life, beyond moments of triumph, forging friendships with diverse individuals one genuinely connects with is a profound joy.

Tianbao Kingdom also operated under a prefecture system, and Lianyu City, as the prefectural capital, was certainly not small. Ji Yuan and Gan Qingle navigated the city, leaving the bustling main thoroughfares to weave through quieter streets and alleys. They eventually turned into a peaceful side street, which led into a broad yet deep old alley.

From a distance, even with Ji Yuan's blurry vision, he could make out a storefront at the far end of the alley, or rather, at the entrance to its other side. A large triangular flag hung outside, and Ji Yuan could discern, partly by sight and partly by inference, that it bore the character "jiào" (cellar).

"Sir, we're here."

Gan Qingle chuckled, his pace noticeably quickening. Before he even reached the shop, his loud voice boomed out.

"Old Yao, do you have any excellent Great Cellar Wine, the ten-year aged vintage?"

"Master Gan, you're here! Of course, we have as much as you need!"

From inside, an old man leaned out into the alley, responding with a voice equally as boisterous. His smile and booming voice were as robust as the Great Cellar Wine itself.

Ji Yuan followed Gan Qingle to the storefront. It was a small shop with a counter facing outwards and a side entrance. Stacked nearby were vertical wooden planks, clearly for securing the shop from within at closing time. There were no other staff besides one remarkably robust and burly old man. Just standing at the entrance, a potent scent of wine permeated the air.

"This is Mr. Ji; I've brought him specifically for your business, so no passing off inferior goods as quality!"

"Now, Master Gan, what are you saying? Our Great Cellar Wine's reputation is at stake, especially when you bring a customer."

From behind the counter, the old man bowed to Gan Qingle and Ji Yuan, who returned the gesture. Amidst their shared smiles, Ji Yuan suddenly turned his gaze towards the street beyond the alley. A sizable procession was passing by, complete with carriages, horses, numerous attendants, and guards on tall steeds. Among them, Ji Yuan recognized a familiar face.

Gan Qingle was also looking outside, then turned to Ji Yuan and said,

"Mr. Ji, please get your wine here first. I'll be right back."

"Is there something unusual about that procession?"

Gan Qingle glanced back at the now-passing procession, then turned to Ji Yuan again. Knowing Ji Yuan was perceptive, he decided not to hide anything.

"Just now, I saw a female official on horseback in that procession named Lu Qianyan. She's an extraordinary woman from the Kingdom of Tingliang. Her presence suggests this is no ordinary group. I'll follow them to see. If anything interesting happens, I'll share it with you when I return!"

Ji Yuan had indeed seen Lu Qianyan, and he also knew that Princess Chu Ruyan of the Kingdom of Tingliang was in one of the carriages, and even Monk Huitong was part of the entourage. However, he kept this to himself, merely nodding to Gan Qingle and saying,

"Go ahead, Master Gan. I'll purchase the wine here."

"Alright, I'll just follow for a short distance and be back quickly."

With that, Gan Qingle left the alley and walked with a natural stride in the direction the procession had taken.

"He's quite the busybody, too..."

Ji Yuan chuckled softly to himself, and the old man nearby, who had clearly overheard, chuckled in agreement.

"Master Gan is always like that. So, sir, how much wine would you like to buy, and do you have a container? I've already refilled Master Gan's wine pouch."

Ji Yuan turned to face the old man behind the counter, smiling as he drew the White Jade Thousand-Measure Flask from his sleeve.

"Fill... hmm, I'll take one of your largest jars."

Ji Yuan had intended to say "fill it up," but a glance at the various wine jars in the shop showed that their combined capacity wouldn't equal a thousand measures. Moreover, the aroma indicated that many were not aged sufficiently. While Ji Yuan wasn't overly particular about wine, given a choice, he would naturally opt for the best quality.

"Alright! A jar of Great Cellar Wine it is! Sir, you clearly have discerning taste! The fragrance of this jar of wine alone could fill an entire floor! See, this jar holds four catties, and it's all aged over ten years..."

"Not this size of jar; I mean those."

Ji Yuan interrupted the old man, glancing at the small jar he had placed on the counter, then pointed towards the back of the shop where two rows of wine jars, as tall as a person's thigh, were lined up.

"Oh?"

"Why are you standing there? Do you not sell those?"

"Sell, sell, sell! Of course we sell them, absolutely! That jar is quite large, though. Uh, where are you staying, sir? I can load it onto a cart and have it delivered for you."

"Just tell me the price first. I'll carry the wine myself."

Seeing Ji Yuan's smile, the old man paused, then his face broke into a delighted grin, and he replied with increased deference,

"That large jar holds sixty catties of wine, no less, and we're always fair. I'll charge you for sixty catties, sir, which comes to twelve hundred coins. Silver or copper, whichever you prefer."

At twenty coins per catty, the price was quite reasonable given the wine's quality.

Moments later, the weighed silver remained on the shop counter as the old man stared blankly, peering out of the alley. He had just moved the wine jar to a side entrance when he watched Ji Yuan, having already paid, simply pick up the massive jar with one hand and walk out of the alley, carrying it effortlessly.

The sight left the old man dumbfounded. The enormous wine jar, including its contents, must have weighed well over a hundred catties. He himself struggled to even budge it, yet this refined gentleman possessed such incredible strength. Truly, he was worthy of Master Gan's company.

Then, a sudden realization struck the old man. He quickly leaned out and shouted towards the alley entrance, where Ji Yuan was no longer in sight.

"Sir, Master Gan said to wait for him here!"

The old man's voice carried, and moments later, Ji Yuan's calm voice drifted back.

"Don't worry, I'll find him..."