A Drunken Revelry and Lingering Guilt

As night deepened, the grand celebration at Tianhe Gate was gradually drawing to a close.

With each guest bidding their farewells and departing, the estate slowly settled into quietude.

Yet, the ladies seated at the main table remained quite animated. They took turns challenging Bai Yuan to drinking games and finger-guessing, reveling in the merriment, even suggesting they move to the flower hall to start another round.

“Enough, it’s getting late. Bai Yuan, come with me; I have something to discuss.”

Just then, Yang Xuan, having seen Hu Feng off, returned. His gaze swept over his wives and concubines. “Wanzhao, Qian Ying, you may continue to enjoy yourselves here, but don’t drink too much.”

“Yes.”

With his command, Bai Yuan, who had been caught in a relentless gauntlet of challenges, felt as though she had received a grand pardon. She immediately rose to her feet.

“Just a little longer! We’re just getting started. Sister Yuan, don’t listen to him. Let Brother Xuan go by himself—”

Yin Shuang, however, had no intention of letting Bai Yuan off the hook, clamoring to continue the battle. But then, Yang Xuan’s meaningful gaze swept over her, and a sudden wave of guilt washed over her.

“Uh… that… Brother Xuan, you should go with Sister Yuan, ah, haha…”

“Wait a moment,”

From the other side, Qin Wanzhao suddenly spoke, stopping Bai Yuan, who was about to leave with Yang Xuan. “Sister’s courtyard is far too desolate. I’ve just had Biyan clean up the Golden Bamboo Courtyard. Sister Yuan, you should stay there tonight.”

“Golden Bamboo Courtyard?”

Bai Yuan gently shook her slightly dizzy head. She knew there was indeed such a courtyard in the Yang residence, but having never stayed there in her previous life, she had no real impression of its specific location.

Moreover, and more importantly… to suddenly change courtyards so late at night?

Bai Yuan felt utterly bewildered, especially in her slightly inebriated state, where her thoughts seemed to lag by half a beat. She found herself unable to react properly.

Under such circumstances, Yang Xuan had already made the decision on her behalf.

“That’s fine. The Golden Bamboo Courtyard it is; the environment there is much better.”

“Only the Golden Bamboo Courtyard was ready on such short notice. If Sister Yuan dislikes it, we can only change it tomorrow.”

Qin Wanzhao glanced at the somewhat dazed Bai Yuan, then looked up at Yang Xuan, a teasing smile suddenly playing on her lips. “On such a joyous evening, my husband must look after Sister Yuan carefully. Do not let her suffer any grievances.”

“Cough—”

Yang Xuan awkwardly averted his gaze, clearing his throat lightly. “I understand.”

Only then did he lead Bai Yuan out the door.

Once the two had departed, the other women lost their desire to continue drinking. They summoned the maids to clear the remnants of the feast, then proceeded to the flower hall to drink tea and refresh themselves.

Yin Shuang, the youngest among them, rested her head in her hand, watching the doorway with interest.

“Speaking of which, I never thought that after a few years, the original Bai Yuan would turn out like this.”

“Do you think she’s become easier to bully? Now you finally have another sister, you’re not the youngest anymore, so you’re taking it out on her?”

Qin Wanzhao cast a sidelong glance at her. “You were the most boisterous tonight. If I’m not mistaken, you secretly had one of the wine jars replaced with Drunken Immortal, didn’t you?”

Drunken Immortal was a unique medicinal wine brewed by Yin Shuang herself. It contained various rare spiritual herbs, blended and prepared to be mellow and refreshing upon taste. Its medicinal effects were comparable to high-grade spiritual medicines, and it was rumored that a single jar of it was equivalent to ten years of a common martial artist’s arduous cultivation. The only drawback was its extreme potency, said to even fell a Wine Immortal—even Yang Xuan himself had nearly succumbed to it by accident back then.

“That’s right, that’s right! Who told her to come and bully me back then? Of course I have to bully her back now!”

Yin Shuang boasted triumphantly, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief. “Bullying Bai Yuan… have you ever imagined her drunk?”

The women watched her excited demeanor, exchanged glances, and finally shook their heads in helpless unison.

“Only you would do something like this…”

Qian Ying sighed resignedly.

“It’s a pity my husband is so insensible. Just as she was about to pass out, he just pulled her away!”

However, Yin Shuang soon lamented, “I also didn’t expect Bai Yuan’s alcohol tolerance to be so high. She actually lasted this long with a jar of Drunken Immortal. If I had known, I would have added more…”

As she mumbled to herself, Qian Ying beside her seemed to recall something. “Right, wasn’t it said that she never touches alcohol? How is she like this today—”

“Could it be that the rumors were mistaken?”

“No, she was… feeling apologetic.”

On the other side, the usually taciturn Liu Qingyue suddenly spoke.

“Oh?”

The women in the room were simultaneously startled, even Yin Shuang looked up at the ‘Moon Swordswoman.’

Everyone present naturally understood that Liu Qingyue’s ‘Clear Moon Sword Heart’ technique, famed for reflecting the moon on the blade and illuminating the heart with its light, was always most adept at discerning subtle nuances and understanding people’s emotions.

Since she spoke with such certainty, she must have been extremely confident.

But, apologetic?

Qin Wanzhao repeated softly, lifting her head. She suddenly recalled the pure clarity in the woman’s eyes when the door opened, and the hidden sadness deep within them.

It was like… a secluded orchid blooming alone in a desolate valley, having weathered wind and rain.

“Because of her remorse, she accepted every drink. Especially from Sister Qian Ying.”

Liu Qingyue looked at Qian Ying.

“From me?”

Qian Ying was immediately taken aback.

“That’s right, that emotion was particularly evident towards Sister Qian Ying.”

Liu Qingyue nodded in confirmation.

“But…”

Qian Ying was naturally bewildered—she didn’t feel that the other party had done anything to offend her.

“Perhaps because she injured and pursued you before?”

Yin Shuang beside her frowned in thought. “And, she pursued all of us, so…”

“Ah… that was so long ago. Besides, without her, I wouldn’t have met Brother Xuan…”

As if touching upon certain past events, Qian Ying’s face suddenly flushed. Then, she abruptly remembered something and blurted out, “Right, this afternoon, I was so furious that I wanted to slap Bai… Sister Yuan. She, she didn’t dodge at all. If Brother Xuan hadn’t stopped me, perhaps…”

Then, under several disapproving gazes, she became increasingly flustered, eventually growing so guilty that she dared not continue speaking.

The women present were all astute, naturally understanding the implications: playful mischief like Yin Shuang’s was one thing, merely leading to a shared laugh; but slapping someone was truly going too far.

What’s more…

“I’m not saying this to be mean, Sister Qian Ying, but while Sister Tong certainly deserves sympathy, you’re protecting her a bit too much.”

Yin Shuang’s playful expression faded.

“Indeed, I’ve read the reports from the Rumor Hall. Sister Yuan handled the matter impeccably, in fact, quite appropriately. She considered all aspects, averting a potential crisis. Even if I had been there, I might not have managed it so perfectly. Conversely, Sister Tong has been constantly making unreasonable trouble; a lesson is only natural.”

Qin Wanzhao spoke with even greater emphasis.

“Spoiling is akin to killing.”

Liu Qingyue’s words were concise, yet they struck directly at the core.

The three women’s unanimous opinion caused Qian Ying to bury her head almost beneath the table.