Chapter 80: Suitable or Not, Very Suitable

Once the ripples on the water had completely calmed down, the Wei family members still felt as if they were dreaming.

Although it was already almost June, everyone still felt a chill in the evening breeze because their clothes had been soaked with cold sweat earlier.

After Wei Wuwei called out to the river to express his thanks, he continued to stare at the river, lost in thought.

"Patriarch... how did it go?"

The Wei family's elder uncle was the first to break the silence, asking about the final outcome. Hearing this, Wei Wuwei finally looked up and smiled at those around him.

"Of course, it succeeded," he said. "All of you here are trusted members of my Wei family. I hope everyone keeps what happened tonight a secret, not even mentioning it to your closest relatives!"

These words were mainly directed at the other retainers. As for the old housekeeper and Wei Wuwei's two paternal uncles, they were naturally considered family.

After saying this, Wei Wuwei waved his hand decisively.

"Let's go to the dock and drink until we're drunk!"

At this hour, the gates of Chunhui Prefecture City were already closed. The only lively place outside the city was the large dock, where many people who made their living on the water resided. There were taverns, restaurants, inns, and posthouses, as well as painted pleasure boats, flower boats, and river cruise boats. It was a gathering place for boat passengers, wealthy families, young masters, and courtesans.

The large dock at night was even livelier than Chunhui Prefecture City during the day!

Long after the Wei family members had left, filled with excitement, Ji Yuan still lay on a distant willow tree. Hidden by a single leaf, he was merely a shadow in the moonlight.

On the river surface near the willows, only faint ripples caused by the evening breeze and flowing water remained; there was no longer any commotion caused by the old turtle. In the distance, sounds of singing and dancing faintly drifted from the multi-decked boats on the river.

From beginning to end, Ji Yuan merely watched and listened. All he could clearly see was a flicker of spiritual light from the old turtle and the Wei family's jade pendant. However, he heard every word they spoke.

The old turtle did not make things difficult for Wei Wuwei; his final sigh was full of emotion. If Ji Yuan hadn't known his own limitations, he truly would have felt an urge to help him.

However, what the old turtle sought was most likely related to cultivation. Ji Yuan didn't feel truly qualified to advise him. Therefore, he continued to look up at the bright moon.

He had originally intended to watch the spectacle, but it left Ji Yuan with many feelings.

"When I gaze upon the full moon, there are still regrets in my heart," he mused. "You seek fate, he seeks fate, and am I not seeking it too...?"

He had no intention of moving, and since it wasn't cold now, Ji Yuan's current physique could easily withstand it. So he stayed on the willow tree, holding his empty wine gourd, in a half-asleep state, for the entire night until dawn broke, in what felt like an instant.

When he woke up, he stretched. He subconsciously shook his wine gourd, then looked around but couldn't find a trash can. He couldn't help but let out a silent laugh.

***

In Chunhui Prefecture City, at the famous Yuanyizi Shop in the western corner of Piaoxiang Ward, the shopkeeper was, as usual, tallying accounts at the counter.

Outside, the sound of rolling wheels and shouts could be heard. The shopkeeper looked up to see Third Master Wang, who collected wine, arriving personally with two ox-carts.

The shopkeeper quickly put down his work, emerged from behind the counter, and stepped out of the shop to greet him with cupped hands.

"How have you been, Third Master?"

Third Master Wang's original name was Wang Zizhong. He was a senior member of the wealthy and influential Wang family in Chunhui Prefecture, the third-ranked brother of the current Wang family patriarch. However, he was usually hundreds of miles away in Zhouzhuang, overseeing the Wang family's properties, and rarely returned to Chunhui Prefecture.

Hearing the shopkeeper's enthusiastic greeting, Third Master Wang responded cheerfully.

"Hahahahaha," Third Master Wang replied cheerfully. "I've been eating well and sleeping well. I've just been thinking about the Yuanyizi Shop's 'Thousand-Day Spring' wine. Shopkeeper Zhuo, I hope you've been well?"

"Thanks to your good fortune, Third Master, I am also full of vigor," the shopkeeper replied. "The Thousand-Day Spring has long been prepared for you, just waiting for you to pick it up!"

The two men laughed and entered the Yuanyizi Shop together. Without needing the shopkeeper's instructions, the shop assistants immediately began to busy themselves, moving jar after jar of fine wine from the inner storeroom. On the side of the two ox-carts, members of the Wang family also helped out.

"Third Master, would you like a small drink?"

"Shopkeeper Zhuo, you're too kind," Third Master Wang chuckled. "How can one cup be enough!"

"Hahaha, my memory!"

Shopkeeper Zhuo walked back to the counter, took out a tray with exquisite porcelain cups and a wine pot, placed it on a table inside the shop, and then personally poured wine for Third Master Wang.

"Please, Third Master!"

"Thank you!"

Wang Zizhong sat on the stool and took the cup, drinking it all down. Meanwhile, Shopkeeper Zhuo carefully watched the cup he had just emptied, noticing that, like with any ordinary person, a fair amount of wine still clung to it.

Wang Zizhong noticed Shopkeeper Zhuo's gaze and asked with some confusion:

"Shopkeeper Zhuo, what are you looking at?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all," replied the shopkeeper. "Third Master, please drink!"

After saying this, the shopkeeper quickly poured more wine.

This continued for three cups. Each time, the shopkeeper carefully examined the cup, making Wang Zizhong feel increasingly awkward. If he hadn't been familiar with Shopkeeper Zhuo's character and confident in his own martial arts skill, he might have suspected he was being poisoned.

"Shopkeeper Zhuo, have you gone mad?" Wang Zizhong finally asked. "What exactly is going on?"

This time, Shopkeeper Zhuo didn't try to evade the question. Instead, he sat down opposite Wang Zizhong, filled his cup, and then poured one for himself.

"Third Master, what rank would your martial arts skill be considered in the jianghu?"

"Why do you ask?"

Wang Zizhong was quite puzzled but still answered.

"If we're talking honestly," he said, "it's above the first-class level. I'm only a step away from reaching the Xiantian (innate) realm. Give me another ten or eight years, and I might just break through!"

"Uh... are there many people with martial arts skills like yours in the jianghu?"

"Hehehe..." Wang Zizhong chuckled. "They are as rare as phoenix feathers or qilin horns!"

Wang Zizhong, quite pleased with himself, drank all the wine. Shopkeeper Zhuo quickly refilled his cup.

"Third Master, forgive my presumption," asked the shopkeeper, "can you drink the wine in the cup in one gulp, such that not a single drop remains?"

"What's so difficult about that?" Wang Zizhong scoffed. "Just watch closely!"

After saying this, Third Master Wang held the cup near his chest and suddenly flicked his arm. With his right hand, as if flinging his arm, he tossed the wine into his mouth. Then he held up the cup for Shopkeeper Zhuo to see.

Shopkeeper Zhuo saw that the bottom of the cup was indeed clean, but it still didn't look like its original white porcelain. So he stretched out a finger and wiped it, discovering that a small amount of wine still remained on his fingertip.

"No offense, Third Master," the shopkeeper said, "but let me get you a different cup!"

"Shopkeeper Zhuo, you seem to have something else on your mind," Wang Zizhong said. "What, was my little trick just now disappointing?"

Wang Zizhong's remark was not sarcastic but genuinely puzzled.

"Third Master," the shopkeeper continued, "if you drink like this"—and here he demonstrated a normal drinking motion—"can you drink the wine completely and feel the bottom of the cup dry to the touch?"

After saying this, the shopkeeper made a drinking gesture. There was nothing special about it; it was just how an ordinary person raises a cup to drink, first taking a sip, then slowly pouring it into their mouth.

Wang Zizhong watched all of Shopkeeper Zhuo's movements and replied with a frown.

"I'm afraid that's impossible," he said. "As you saw, even with force applied to shake the wine, there were still remnants. Let alone with such a light motion. Even a peerless Xiantian master, who can pull objects from two feet away through the air, cannot make invisible water behave so obediently!"

The speaker did not intend it, but the listener took it to heart; the phrase "make invisible water behave" struck Shopkeeper Zhuo's heart.

"So that's how it is," Shopkeeper Zhuo said. "Thank you, Third Master, for enlightening me."

After thanking him, Shopkeeper Zhuo was somewhat absent-minded.

But sometimes, things just happen to be that coincidental.

"Shopkeeper," Ji Yuan's calm, moderate voice suddenly rang out from outside the door, "if I bring my own wine gourd to buy wine, can I get it for a bit cheaper? Your Thousand-Day Spring... it's addictive!"

Ji Yuan's calm, moderate voice rang out from outside the door. Shopkeeper Zhuo abruptly stood up, startling Wang Zizhong beside him.

He looked up towards the door and indeed saw the person he had seen two days prior.

"Yes, yes, we do!" the shopkeeper stammered. "No, no, it's cheaper, it's cheaper!"

Even though he tried his best to act normal, his excited state couldn't be hidden at all, leaving Wang Zizhong utterly bewildered. Ji Yuan, however, frowned slightly, pondering why this was the case, but couldn't immediately think of what the problem was.

Wang Zizhong looked at the person outside the door. Could it be that this person was very special?

When he saw Ji Yuan also look his way, Wang Zizhong raised an arm and gave a slight bow of greeting. Ji Yuan politely returned the gesture with a slight cupped-hand bow.

"Customer, customer, please come in!" the shopkeeper eagerly urged. "This is the twenty-year-aged Thousand-Day Spring, do you think it's suitable?"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Wang Zizhong interjected, jumping up. "Shopkeeper Zhuo, isn't this improper? Didn't you say there wasn't much of the twenty-year-aged left and you wouldn't sell it!"

Wang Zizhong jumped up, shouting and fuming, even forgetting to drink his own wine.