Chapter 298: Drinking a Cup of Men's Affairs

Chapter 298: Drinking a Cup of Men's Affairs

Chapter 298: Drinking Thousand Cups of Wine, a Man's Thing

"Senior Brother Linghu!"

The man had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and looked heroic. He was wearing a coarse cloth robe and a long sword on his waist. He behaved in an elegant, casual and natural manner. He was stunned for a moment, and seemed to remember who the girl with the sword was. He walked quickly towards him, bowed and smiled.

"It turns out that Junior Sister Daqi is here too."

Qiu Daqi stood up and greeted.

Huashan Sect and Zhengqi League both belong to Guanzhong, and have always been on good terms with each other. Disciples often visit each other, so they are also called brothers. Qingshan Gong of Zhengqi League especially admires this chief disciple of Huashan Sect, and once asserted that "Huashan Sect will prosper, and its prosperity lies in Linghu Chong!"

Linghu Chong looked at the man sitting at the same table with Qiu Daqi again. He was in high spirits and had an outstanding appearance. He was just sitting there quietly, but his invisible aura had already overwhelmed all the guests in the room. He was definitely not an ordinary person. Linghu Chong couldn't help but admire him in his heart.

"This is the third son of Guajian Villa, the third place winner of this year's imperial examination, right? I am Linghu Chong from Huashan Sect. Nice to meet Brother Fu. I have heard about the good relationship between Brother Fu and Junior Sister Daqi for a long time. After meeting today, I can see that they are indeed a talented man and a beautiful woman."

Linghu Chong naturally disliked the constraints of red tape, but as a senior disciple of Huashan, he was naturally good at dealing with people, so what he said was quite appropriate.

Qiu Daqi shook his head quickly and said with a smile: "Brother, you recognized the wrong person. This is a friend of mine. His last name is..."

Zhang Yu stood up, bowed and said with a smile: "My surname is Zhang. I am neither the Third Young Master nor the Third Scholar. I am just a wanderer in the martial arts world. Nice to meet you, Young Hero Linghu."

Qiu Daqi was a smart man. He noticed that Zhang Yu seemed unwilling to reveal his name in front of Linghu Chong, so he didn't say anything more.

On the day of the Huashan Heroes Gathering, there were many people and many things to do, and Linghu Chong was the center of everyone's attention. He deliberately kept a low profile, changed his name to Zhang Liyu, and mingled with the people in the martial arts world. Later, Yue Buqun was defeated and the Huashan Sect was hastily closed its mountain. The two sides had never really had any interaction.

Actually, today is our first formal meeting.

After Linghu Chong was embarrassed, he smiled and said, "I am not very good at seeing. I am not very good at seeing. Brother Zhang and Junior Sister Daqi, please don't blame me."

The few of them talked for a while. They were all young heroes in the martial arts world, with generous personalities and not fussy about trivial matters. At this time, the wine and food were ready, and the table was full of steaming delicious dishes. Zhang Yu asked the waiter to add more sets of bowls and chopsticks. Linghu Chong did not delay, and the three of them sat down.

"Brother Linghu, please!"

Zhang Yu grabbed the five-jin wine jar and filled it for Linghu Chong. However, he hesitated when pouring for Qiu Daqi.

The sword-wielding girl smiled and said, "This wine is very strong. I know my strength. If I can't drink it, I won't drink it."

Zhang Yu nodded, thinking that this girl had a generous but measured personality, so he filled her glass as well.

"Thank you for the wine, Brother Zhang. I won't be polite then!"

Linghu Chong couldn't wait any longer, he picked up the cup and drank it in one gulp.

I have heard that the water in Hunan and Xiangxi is sweet and the rice is abundant. Because of the humble and humid environment, it produces fine wine and strong liquor. The "Sui Sui Cuo" produced by Hengyang Linjiang Tower is the king of strong liquors. It tastes like fire when it goes down the throat and burns all the internal organs. Ordinary people will become drunk and unconscious after drinking two or three bowls. It is comparable to a knockout drug.

He took a dozen taels of silver that he had scraped together, sent away Lu Dayou, who was always with him, and asked him to go to Hengshan City first to reunite with his fellow apprentices, with the intention of having a big drink.

"It's really a good wine!"

Linghu Chong closed his eyes slightly, and felt his pores relax, as if fire was spreading across the land, and his whole body was filled with refreshment.

"When brewing, you should add some medicinal herbs that help the wine to have a stronger flavor, such as Curculigo, Poria, and Angelica..."

"Brother Linghu is very good at drinking. I tasted Gentiana ginseng, Dendrobium candidum, and Cistanche deserticola."

"Brother Zhang is very knowledgeable. These medicinal herbs are rare, and it is even rarer to use them in brewing wine."

Zhang Yu picked up the wine in front of him, drank it in one gulp, and felt relieved.

At the nearby table, there were a few nosy people who looked like rich young men. They kept an eye on this side and secretly made fun of the three strangers while drinking. However, since they were carrying swords, they did not dare to offend them too much, so they lowered their voices.

"This is the third cup, why aren't you drunk yet? It looks like Brother Zeng is going to win."

"Brother Peng, it's too early to speak. Some people are born good at drinking fast. The key to 'mistakes made in time' is the aftereffect. It's refreshing for a while, but it's too late to regret later. At most, he can still sit firmly on the stool for half a quarter of an hour. I'll admit it."

"Brother Zuo, there's a drunkard here. How about we make another bet?"

After Qiu Daqi drank two cups, his cheeks flushed. Although he was not drunk, he stopped drinking. The three of them talked about Liu Zhengfeng's retirement from martial arts and exchanged their experiences in martial arts. They felt that they were getting along very well.

Zhang Yu spoke eloquently about the cultivation of internal energy and the circulation of qi through acupuncture points. With his deep knowledge of the two martial arts, Bei Ming Sheng Gong and Catching Dragons and Pressing the Acupuncture Points, he was qualified to be the teacher of both of them. Just a little guidance could make people feel refreshed.

As for the mysteries of swordsmanship and the essence of moves, Linghu Chong has unique insights and many wonderful ideas. Zhang Yu originally practiced the Five Mountains Sword School in secret, but he often didn't get the point. After being enlightened by the first disciple of Huashan, he felt that it was better than months of hard training. Truly, listening to one word from a master is better than reading many books.

"Brother Linghu's talent in swordsmanship is unmatched in the entire martial arts world."

"Brother Zhang's insights on Qi training are really remarkable. My master is also a master of internal skills. He has almost mastered the Purple Cloud Divine Art. If there is a chance, I would really like to introduce him to you."

Zhang Yu picked up the wine glass and said with a smile: "Mr. Yue of Huashan Sect, I have heard of his fame for a long time. If there is a chance, I would really trouble Brother Linghu to introduce him to me."

Qiu Daqi could only listen most of the time, but she also benefited a lot. She picked up the wine jug to pour wine for Zhang Yu and Linghu Chong, looking at their equally young faces, she thought that she would definitely hear their names in the world in the future, and she couldn't help but feel a bit of heroic spirit in her heart.

Qiu Daqi asked, "Has Uncle Yue not arrived in Hengyang yet?"

"Master was halfway there when he met a rapist who had done evil in Shaanxi. He followed him and found that he was quite skilled in martial arts, and his Qinggong was rare in the world. Master's wife was afraid that she would delay Master Liu's meeting, so she asked us brothers to come to Hengyang first and she stayed to wait."

When Qiu Daqi heard the word "rapist", he glanced at Zhang Yu who was sitting upright and smiled gently.

"Uncle Yue is such a martial artist, what kind of rapist can escape his clutches, right?"

Seeing Qiu Daqi looking at him mischievously, Zhang Yu coughed twice and quickly said yes.

In this way, he drank one glass of liquor after another.

Before they knew it, they had each drunk around thirty cups of wine, and their jars were empty, leaving the people at nearby tables dumbfounded. They all put down their bowls and chopsticks and began counting how many cups the two men had drunk. Even the guests on the first and second floors, upon hearing about the huge number of drinkers, came up to watch and whispered about the incident.

Zhang Yu had profound internal strength, his face looked normal, but the corners of his eyes were slightly red. His eyebrows were originally very beautiful, and with the help of alcohol, they were even more attractive, making him look like a handsome man with a jade face.

"Brother Zhang, can you still drink?"

Linghu Chong had not yet practiced the Huashan School's Zixia Gong at this time, and compared to Zhang Yu, his internal strength was inferior. He was only able to fight him on equal terms by relying on his natural ability to drink a lot, and he was already showing signs of being a little tipsy.

Zhang Yu chuckled and said, "If Brother Linghu can drink again, I will risk my life to accompany you."

Linghu Chong had no interest in the struggle for power in the martial arts world, but he preferred to argue over wine. He looked around and saw that those people were shocked by his drinking capacity, which made him feel even more proud.

"Okay! Xiao Er, bring another ten kilograms of 'Years Wrong'. Daqi Shimei will be the witness. Today, Brother Zhang and I will not leave until we are drunk!"

The shopkeeper of Linjianglou was well-informed, otherwise he would not have given two red envelopes to the old man Huqin. He knew that he had met a master today, so he sent the waiter away and brought two jars of fine wine himself. This was a good opportunity to make the restaurant famous.

Let's talk about the seat inside, where the real third place winner in the imperial examination, Fu Xiaojie, saw the three men making such a big noise while drinking, as if they had done something big. He felt indignant and looked at the unopened pot of "Sui Sui Mistakes" on the table and ordered the guard to pour him a cup.

The guard advised: "Third Master, I heard that this wine is very strong and it is not suitable for human beings to drink. You are not good at drinking, so why not forget it?"

Fu Xiaojie was already full of anger, and when he saw that the guard dared to disobey him, he became even more furious. He slammed the table and shouted at him.

"What kind of bullshit is this? What do you mean it's not for humans to drink? They can drink it, but I can't?"

"You rough man! Do you know what drinking manners are? If there is a pound of food, I only drink half a pound. If there is a 10-pound stomach, I only drink five pounds. This is to show humility to others. This is drinking manners."

"I have lived for more than 20 years and have never, ever been drunk!"

Guajian Villa was originally a major sect in Guanzhong. Like the Badao Sect on Tongguan Road, it participated in the battle on Mount Hua to defend against the Demon Cult, lost its elite troops, and gradually declined into a third-rate force.

Fu Xiaojie lost his father at an early age and was raised by his mother. Although he came from a martial arts family, he was dedicated to studying and was strictly disciplined. He was only allowed to drink half a glass of wine during festivals, so he never got drunk.

"It seems that I am usually too modest, and I actually make you think that I can't drink!" "Fill it up! Fill it up quickly."

At this time, the third floor was crowded with many people. They heard Fu Xiaojie shouting and yelling with a foreign accent. With the previous experience in mind, they did not dare to take it lightly. They all looked over. In one day, three good drinkers came to Linjiang Tower and drank the strong liquor like water. If this got out, it would be considered a strange thing.

The guard had no choice but to open the wine seal and fill the glass.

"Third Master, do you really want it?"

Fu Xiaojie glanced at the table by the window again. The two of them were drinking as easily as water, so he felt relieved.

"Humph, I'll let you know what a real huge amount is."

He looked around at those who were looking at him, smiled slightly, raised his glass, and drank it all.

"Bang!"

The wine glass fell to the ground, and Fu Xiaojie seemed to be hit by a hidden weapon. He fell headfirst onto the table and lost consciousness.

The guard quickly stood up, reached out to check his breath, and only felt relieved after making sure that there was nothing wrong.

"It turns out to be a one-cup pour!"

Bursts of laughter broke out in the Linjiang Building.

As time passed, two empty wine jars were placed on the table, and the third one was almost empty.

The two of them drank more than fifty cups each, and were so drunk that the building gradually became silent.

Zhang Yu rubbed his forehead. He could of course use the Bei Ming Magic Art to eliminate the alcohol in his body, but he didn't do that. Linghu Chong was a man of integrity. Although he couldn't be open with him, he didn't want to lose face by drinking!

"Brother Linghu, are you still drinking?"

Qiu Daqi asked in a low voice.

She knew the rules. Men of the martial arts world don't like to be disturbed when they are drinking. But Linghu Chong looked a little scary at this moment. His face was red like a burning charcoal, big beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he was grasping the corners of the table with both hands, with a dull look in his eyes.

"Brother Linghu, don't force it!"

"When drinking with a good friend, a thousand cups are not enough. I... I'm fine. I can still accompany Brother Zhang and drink three hundred cups..."

Qiu Daqi had no choice but to pour the last two glasses of wine for the two of them. She deliberately spilled some of "Wrong Time" on the table, so that the third wine jar was quickly empty, ending the drinking session that lasted more than two hours.

"Brother Zhang... please!"

Linghu Chong picked up the wine glass, and his eyes began to double and he staggered. He tried three times but still couldn't find his mouth. Finally, he lay down on the table and snored like thunder.

"Brother Linghu, I respect you!"

Zhang Yu picked up the last glass of wine, drank it all, slowly put the glass down, and stood up, his steps staggering a little, but he finally stabilized his body.

Qiu Daqi asked, "Are you okay?"

Zhang Yu shook his head and said, "I'm not drunk, but I'm afraid that Brother Linghu won't wake up in the next two days..."

"Senior Brother Linghu and I were originally going to Hengshan together, and I will send him to the hands of my fellow disciples."

Zhang Yu also felt the alcohol rising and felt very uncomfortable, so he said goodbye to Qiu Daqi and planned to find a place where no one was around and use his true Qi to force out the alcohol.

"Sir, please stay, sir, please stay!"

The restaurant owner squeezed out from the crowd, holding a pen and ink in his hand, and smiled: "Please stay for a while, sir."

Zhang Yu frowned and asked, "What? I owe you money for the wine?"

"Of course not, of course not. As the saying goes, a thousand cups are not enough when you meet a bosom friend. So are people and wine. Sir, you are a wine connoisseur. Let alone giving enough money, even if you don't give a penny, our inn will still warmly entertain you."

"If you have anything to say, say it now!"

The alcohol in his body made his blood boil, and Zhang Yu was far from being as relaxed as he looked.

"I would like to ask you to leave your calligraphy on the wall for future generations to admire."

The shopkeeper has been running this restaurant for more than 20 years and has never seen such a large number of people. This matter is in full view of everyone. If it is spread out, it will surely attract a large number of customers. If he can leave his calligraphy, it will be an additional publicity gimmick.

Zhang Yu shook his head and said, "The shopkeeper has found the wrong person. I am not good at poetry."

"Sir, just write whatever you want."

The shopkeeper was extremely pious. He bowed deeply and handed over the brush dipped in ink with both hands.

He didn't care what the other party left behind, even if it was a bunch of ink dots.

After a long time, I finally heard a sound.

"All right!"

The shopkeeper was delighted, as in this line of work, he was best at keeping a low profile and being humble, as the saying goes, one should not hit a smiling person, and there was nothing he could not get help from.

"Thank you, thank you very much."

However, Zhang Yu did not take the brush from his hand. Instead, he took a mop from the corner, dipped it into the ink bucket, and walked to the north. That wall was the most empty, with only two short poems.

"Sir, the north side is painted by ancient people, and you write on the east and west sides..."

Zhang Yu glanced at him and chuckled, "What I wrote is the handwriting of the ancients."

He leaped up, spread out the five fingers of his left hand, climbed the wall, waved the mop with his right hand, and watched from a distance, Zhang Yu himself turned into a pen, writing huge ink characters on the wall.

"What a light gong!"

Those who know the goods will applaud.

The shopkeeper felt a little regretful, as these things had destroyed the entire wall. The other party was a man of the world with extraordinary skills, so he did not dare to offend him, not to mention that he had begged him to leave his calligraphy.

Isn't this left behind?

"Boom!"

Zhang Yu put the mop back into the ink bucket, took a look at the calligraphy, and then went down the Linjiang Tower carrying the black bag.

Many people gathered around, commenting quietly, and no one spoke for a long time.

There were many well-educated scholars among them, all of whom were wondering, which ancient person wrote this poem? Have they seen it in any book? In the end, they looked at each other in bewilderment, without any answer, they could only believe in the only explanation.

The rich young man surnamed Zeng murmured, "What I wrote is the handwriting of the ancients. So this is what it means! This person is so confident. He really has a talent to hide. I have never heard of such a person in the officialdom. It is a pity that he has fallen into the underworld. What a pity!"

Qiu Daqi called the brothers of the Righteous Alliance to carry Linghu Chong downstairs. Before leaving, she looked at the calligraphy left by Zhang Yu on the wall, which turned out to be another Linjiangxian. After reading the first sentence, she was completely stunned.

"The rolling waters of the Yangtze River pass eastward, and the waves wash away the heroes. Right and wrong, success or failure, are all gone. The green mountains are still there, and the sunsets are red several times."

"White-haired fishermen and woodcutters on the river bank are used to looking at the autumn moon and the spring breeze. We are happy to meet each other over a pot of wine. Many things in ancient and modern times are all talked about with laughter."

(End of this chapter)