Chapter 20: Is it the wine or the past that intoxicates?
Outside the Western Warm Pavilion of Daguangming Palace, Liu Yi's expression was solemn as he waited on one side, while Luo Mu was much more relaxed on the other. He would look up at the sky and then glance at Liu Yi before smiling and shaking his head slightly. The great Liu was no longer the Liu of old; the carefree and unrestrained him from back in the day had become a doting father with his mind preoccupied with his own daughter. Before they could exchange any words, Dai Gonggong, who had been attending to the Emperor, stepped out and made a inviting gesture towards them.
"I, your humble servant, pay my respects to Your Majesty." He was not Luo Mu Mu, or at least he used to be able to enjoy the same treatment as Luo Mu Mu in front of the Emperor. Now, he had to go through all the formalities and even felt nervous about entering this familiar palace. It wasn't that he was worried about his own future - if he couldn't complete his mission, he would deserve to die anyway. Having followed Luo Mu Mu to the capital for so long, he still worried about Qi Liu's little girl, and also worried that the Emperor might investigate her background again.
"Was your relationship with me like this in the past, Liu Qing? It's fine if it's like before. I know what you're worried about. I promise not to bring up past matters, but I also want to see that girl." The Emperor said so, but Liu Yi still stood respectfully with his head bowed as when he came in. He knew many things had changed and couldn't go back to the way they were before. His eyes caught a glimpse of the Emperor speaking while staring intently at the wall behind Luo Mu's back. The color of that part of the wall was slightly whiter than the surrounding area, where a painting used to hang.
"I heard that the young master of the Ning King's household is also returning to Kyoto. Can he really leave his fiefdom so easily? Luo Mu, you should know how the Imperial Court operates." Luo Mu didn't kneel down and apologize sincerely, but instead smiled again with narrowed eyes. If it weren't for the Emperor suddenly wanting the Crown Prince to start taking control of some power, would the Ning King be so anxious that he even summoned his son back? The Emperor's thoughts were clear to him - although he looked more dignified than anyone else, he was also lonelier than anyone else. Throughout history, how many emperors had only one Empress and no other consorts? The Emperor still had that eccentric woman on his mind. As the ruler, he held the power of life and death in his hands, but no one wanted freedom more than him. However, Luo Mu felt that even if he were to abdicate, it shouldn't be at this time - at least not until Ning King and his followers had been eliminated. This was originally what they had planned, but things changed with the return of Liu Yi and the various events he described over the years.
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Entering Shu territory, they changed horses for the seventh time. After all, mountain roads are not easy to walk on horseback, and it's much more convenient to ride a horse. Although the back of the horse is not as comfortable as the carriage, even taking a short nap requires worrying about falling off. Life is full of unexpected events, but fortunately, the heavens have blessed us, and the Shu road is not as difficult to travel as rumored. It can be seen that rumors are usually unreliable, and exaggeration only gets worse with each retelling.
As soon as I entered Shu land, I clearly felt the enthusiasm of the locals, but couldn't tell if the smiles on their faces were genuine or just for show because of their luxurious clothes. (Please forgive my petty heart, this girl is just that dark-minded.) Although I hadn't been to Yibin in my past life, I didn't expect that in this time and space, there would still be a place called Yibin Prefecture. The whole street was filled with the strong aroma of wine, it seems like this trip will have great gains! In a small county town full of wine shops, can we not find the legendary Wuliangye?
I didn't expect that the branch of Mo's Home Inn had already opened in Shu, the facilities and service are unparalleled in the Eastern Jin territory. This is also the reason why Qi Xian never thought of opening an inn. Maybe one day I can find Mo to chat and exchange experiences, if she wasn't a time-traveler, she would definitely be a pioneer in her era. For such a mysterious woman, Qi Xian is also full of interest.
Under the guidance of the inn's young master, Qiuxi and Gan Jing immediately rushed to the best tavern in the county town, "Tianxiang Building". Seeing that they were dressed up, the young master was also enthusiastic about welcoming them to the elegant room on the second floor. As soon as they entered the building, they heard some people wearing wide robes and holding folding fans, who claimed to be talented scholars, reciting "Flying waterfalls straight down three thousand feet, suspected to be the Milky Way falling from the nine heavens". Who said that Shu was a land of southern barbarians, nonsense.
Tian Xiang Lou, being the best of Yibin's wine houses, indeed has extraordinary wine. The color is pure and unadulterated, with a fragrance that fills the mouth upon entry. However, this still isn't what Qi Mei was looking for - how can wine without an aftertaste be unforgettable? Tian Xiang Lou's small dishes are typical Sichuan spicy cuisine, which Gan Jing enjoys immensely. Upon leaving Tian Xiang Lou, Qi Mei doesn't feel too disappointed. As someone who has lived two lifetimes, she naturally knows that often the most famous isn't necessarily the best. Every circle has its own unwritten rules. It seems that to find truly good wine, one must not only go to those famous wine houses but also not overlook those small wine stalls.
When they arrived in Yibin County, it was already afternoon. As they came out of the Tianxiang Building, the dusk had begun to rise, and the night market on both sides of the street was even more lively. Qianshi Qiuxi had always liked to linger in the night market on Ma Tai Street, not that she wanted to buy anything there, but just to feel a kind of atmosphere. She had always enjoyed this lively atmosphere, especially on summer evenings when the wind was gentle.
Ah Kuan Zhang opened his new and curious little eyes, looking around east and west, seemingly carrying a lot of things in his arms, perhaps bringing gifts for the lovely ladies on the sandy island. Gan Jing still had a cold face, he seemed to dislike crowded places, or was just afraid of getting his white clothes dirty, but didn't he already give her a dust-repelling pearl last time? Qi Xie almost rushed straight to the most crowded wine stall, the more people there were, the more she squeezed in, Gan Jing slightly furrowed his brow and followed along.
The small stall was bustling with activity, several strong men had rolled up their sleeves and were drinking loudly while listening to the stall owner tell a few off-color jokes. Although Qī Xiāo had already caused quite a stir in Shāzhōu City, she was still a woman after all, so for convenience's sake, she wore men's clothing when traveling. In ancient times, women rarely left their homes, let alone came to such a rowdy place to drink. Qī Xiāo and her companions found a small table by the wall and sat down, and the old boss immediately brought over several large bowls of wine.
It must be a strong wine that can make several robust men drink and repeatedly exclaim in admiration. It's clear that most of the customers at this small stall are regulars. At that time, she had come to this space-time with a backpack for crossing dimensions, but in a moment of impulsiveness, she forgot to ask how to return. The dimensional backpack had long since become a tattered rag. If she could really go back once or consider whether to jump from the 20th floor again, this scene would remind her of the times she laughed and chatted with Lina at the food stalls. For an instant, her consciousness was blurry, and many things that had passed by couldn't be turned back. She suddenly remembered many things - Ah Bin, whom she had just broken up with, and the scene of walking alone on the streets after her parents were gone. Alas, it's hard to say whether this intoxicating feeling is from the wine or the indelible memories. It turns out that not wanting to remember doesn't mean you can forget.
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