flamboyant

Chapitre 63

Huo Nan ate and drank heartily, shouting "Bravo!" He was so happy that he didn't even know where he was.

Lu Ziqi sat upright, his eyes fixed straight ahead, appearing very dignified and respectable.

Song Xiaohua, on the other hand, seemed quite content, even nodding and swaying her head to the rhythm of the music.

With her around, no wildflowers could get within three feet of Lu Ziqi. Besides, the girls on the pleasure boat had seen it all and could tell at a glance that she was an imposter. Seeing her protective cat-like demeanor, they knew that no one would dare to provoke her.

Since that's the case, why not broaden your horizons and have a good time?

So, it seems we should thank Huo Nan, this 'third wheel,' for dragging them here.

As the saying goes, "Three years in the army, and even a sow can be seen basking in the sun." Look at his lecherous, impatient manner; even if he's not quite in a terrible state, he must be incredibly thirsty. I wonder how much he'll have to offer to get someone who only sells her art to sell themselves? ...

While she was lost in thought, the hairy crabs and chrysanthemum wine were served one after another. Song Xiaohua immediately had no time to pay attention to other people's physiological needs and only cared about satisfying her own appetite.

Crabs are considered cooling in nature, so Lu Ziqi couldn't eat them. Therefore, he devoted himself to serving Song Xiaohua.

Using special tools such as hammers, tongs, and tweezers, the crab shell is broken open and the crab meat is extracted. It is then placed in a small dish along with the crab roe, and a prepared balsamic vinegar is poured on top. The process is meticulous and thoughtful.

Song Xiaohua buried herself in her food, enjoying it immensely. Occasionally, some crab roe would get on the corner of her mouth, and Lu Ziqi would smile and gently wipe it away with a handkerchief.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Huo Nan glanced at the two of them, his smile deepening. He slammed his hand on the table and said, "Come on, it's been years since we last met, let's drink until we drop!"

Before Lu Ziqi could answer, Song Xiaohua waved her hand preemptively: "Go away, go take a rest! He can't drink anymore!"

"Really quitting? No way?!"

"There's no way around it, I can't disobey my wife."

"You...you're actually afraid of your wife!"

Song Xiaohua glanced at Lu Ziqi but didn't reveal the truth. She just put on a helpless expression. An impulse welled up in her heart, and she suddenly imitated Huo Nan and slammed her hand on the table: "He can't drink with you, I'll drink!"

"you?"

"distant!"

He patted his chest casually and said, "Let me tell you, I can hold my liquor really well. How about it, dare to challenge me?"

Huo Nan stared dumbfounded at Lu Ziqi, while Lu Ziqi stared dumbfounded at the heroic Song Xiaohua.

"Can your sister-in-law really drink?"

"I really didn't know..."

While the two stared blankly at each other, the other had already poured himself a full glass, stood up with his hands on his hips, tilted his head back, and looked extremely refreshed!

"I've already drunk this as a sign of respect!"

Huo Nan was overjoyed at the sight. He ignored everything else, put one foot on the stool, picked up a jar of wine, slapped it open, and drank it down in one gulp, not leaving a drop.

"Good! That's manly enough! Let's do it again!"

"I'll drink first this time!"

"Together!"

"My sister-in-law really has a huge capacity for alcohol!"

"That was back in the day..."

'Clang!'

Lu Ziqi glanced at the broken glass on the ground, then at the unconscious 'drunkard' he was holding, and smiled wryly: "Poor alcohol tolerance, but plenty of guts..."

Huo Nan muttered in a daze, "I've been a seasoned drinker for over ten years, and this is the first time I've ever seen someone get drunk so quickly..."

Song Xiaohua's last wisp of consciousness drifted away: "Damn it, back in the day I could outdrink all the boys in the class, how could I be so pathetic this time? So embarrassing!"

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After temporarily dismissing all the servants, Lu Ziqi settled Song Xiaohua on a soft couch behind the beaded curtain, took off his long robe to cover her, and gazed at her charmingly drunken face for a moment before returning to his seat, a faint smile still lingering on his lips.

Huo Nan quickly finished two more jars of chrysanthemum wine, and was now holding the fifth jar that had just been opened, wondering, "This wine is practically water, how can it make me drunk?"

"If you're not satisfied, just have someone switch to strong liquor."

"Strong liquor is meant to be drunk with someone; drinking alone is no fun." He sighed and downed another half jar, wiping his mouth: "Sages and worthies of the past are all lonely; only drinkers have left their mark."

Lu Ziqi poured himself a cup of tea: "Loneliness is not what I desire, nor is fame. All I seek is peace of mind. Loyalty to the emperor, service to the country, and protection of my family—then my heart will be at peace."

Huo Nan tilted her head and looked at him for a while: "I hope it's really because you're afraid of your wife."

“Being afraid of one’s wife is nothing to be proud of. I have already admitted it, so how could it be false?”

"Forget it, I can't be bothered with your affairs." He casually tossed the empty wine jar to the ground. "I heard you've joined the Privy Council, so I asked General Yuan for a post to return to the capital to report on my duties."

"I received the report a while ago, but I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly. I estimated it would take another four or five days before you reached the capital." Lu Ziqi smiled, took a sip of tea, and then asked seriously, "What is the situation in the Northwest?"

"This is not good." Huo Nan also put away his playful demeanor, his eyes flashing with a sharp light: "That kid Li Yuanhao is quite capable. In just a few months, he launched a westward attack on the Uyghurs and decisively defeated Ganzhou. Subsequently, Guazhou and Shazhou surrendered one after another. On the way back, he used a feint attack to break through Xiliang. Now, the Hexi Corridor has completely fallen into the territory of the Dangxiang, and the barrier that our Great Song can use to contain them has almost completely disappeared."

Lu Ziqi nodded and said in a deep voice, "For now, the only way to mitigate the impact of this war and the marriage alliance with the Liao princess is to confer a title of king. This is a temporary measure and cannot last. The safety of the Great Song Dynasty truly depends on you, the border guards."

"Damn it! Those clueless bastards are giving orders like idiots! What a load of crap!" Huo Nan slammed his fist on the table, cursing loudly. "Supervisor, supervisor! Supervise my ass! When it's time to charge, they're cowards hiding like turtles, and when it's time to defend, they send the brothers to their deaths! Bastards! If it weren't for General Yuan holding them back, I would have chopped those bastards into pieces to be buried with the brothers who died unjustly!"

Lu Ziqi's expression hardened for a moment, then he smiled and gently patted his arm: "After spending some time in the army, I haven't seen any improvement in other areas, but I have certainly learned a lot more ways to curse."

Huo Nan stroked his beard a couple of times, quickly calmed down, and grinned: "I can't help but get excited when this comes up."

"I already know about the situation you described. I was looking forward to your visit to discuss countermeasures. In short, I believe in one principle: good generals and elite troops. Now, we have good generals and elite troops, but what we lack is trust between the generals and the soldiers. On the battlefield where life and death hang in the balance, only trust can lead to tacit understanding, to willingness to sacrifice, and to the chance of victory. You and General Yuan just need to go ahead and do your work; I'll handle the rest. Within two years, you must train a cohesive and combat-ready iron army. Otherwise, if anything changes, the northwest border defense will be in grave danger."

Lu Ziqi gently stroked the rim of the cup with his fingertips, paused for a moment, and slowly said, "Tell General Yuan that the name of this iron army is—'Yuan Family Army'."

Huo Nan was startled upon hearing this: "The most taboo thing in this dynasty is close relationships between generals and their subordinates. Doing so will surely invite impeachment."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

After a moment's thought, he asked, "Have you already reached an agreement with the Emperor?"

He raised his head and brows: "Smart."

"But the emperor did not rule in person."

"The Empress Dowager is old, and it is expected that she will return power to the Emperor. The best course of action now is to build up our strength and make a final push."

"So, there's been a change in the political situation?"

"The surface is calm, but the undercurrents are turbulent."

Have you already made a decision?

Lu Ziqi got up and went to the window, looking up at the colorful water: "The news that General Huo, a rising star in the Northwest Army, and Lord Lu, a rising star in the court, are having fun in this place of revelry must have already reached the ears of those who care. The next thing to do is to wait and see."

Huo Nan stood beside him and said, "I came to see you as soon as I arrived in the capital without reporting to the government. This must have surprised many people."

"The biggest surprise is that the highly decorated Deputy General Huo is actually Lord Huo, who was newly appointed to the imperial examination five years ago but then resigned and has been wandering around aimlessly."

"The least surprising thing is that my friendship with you remains unchanged."

"And even deeper."

The two looked at each other and burst into laughter. Their laughter pierced the deep night, dimming the brilliance of the night sky.

Author's note: Huo Nan has reappeared~ Does anyone still remember him?

Also: Li Yuanhao is truly an amazing person! ~ORZ

Chapter Sixty-Five: Xue Jiu Mei

Song Xiaohua got drunk quickly but woke up slowly, not fully sobering up until the evening of the next day.

Then, increasingly unwilling to accept it, he obtained another jar of wine. He cleanly and efficiently knocked himself out with just one cup, finally forced to accept that his former glory at the drinking table had been completely 'gone' with this time travel…

On the third day, when Lu Ziqi returned from court, he saw her sitting alone at the jade table in the courtyard, looking dejected and depressed. He couldn't help but chuckle: "Awake?"

"Um."

"Didn't you drink any more?"

"Um."

"Aren't you going to test how much you actually measure?"

"Um."

He lifted his shirt and sat down opposite her, carefully observing her complexion: "Have you eaten yet?"

He waved his hand weakly: "I have no appetite, I just had some soup."

"A hangover must feel awful, right?"

"Let bygones be bygones, life is already too tragic..." Song Xiaohua hummed out of tune, grabbed Lu Ziqi's hand, spread it out on the table, and rested her cheek on it: "If you had a little more meat on your bones, you would feel even more comfortable, that's why I told you to get a little fatter~"