After leaving Loyal Righteousness Marquis Manor, to avoid being followed, Feng Ke wound around the capital outskirts for a long time before secretly slipping into the Regent Prince’s manor.
After returning, he went to his room to remove his Fubiao disguise.
Concerned about Lian Shenwei’s condition, after changing clothes he went out to find him. It was now evening, and he ran into Tian Nan, who had a serious expression and was hurrying along.
Feng Ke waved: “Where are you going?”
Tian Nan cupped his hands: “Northern Yi has attacked the frontier and already taken one city. Earlier when Master was drowsy we didn’t dare report it, and now there’s another urgent matter…”
Feng Ke raised his hand: “Stop.”
“Don’t tell him.”
Tian Nan: “But…”
When Feng Ke was in a bad mood, he wouldn’t even give Lian Shenwei face. His expression immediately darkened: “If you want your master to die early, go ahead and tell him now.”
Just back from the cliff’s edge, followed immediately by a high fever.
Were all the civil and military officials in court eating for free?! Without Lian Shenwei, could nothing function? If that little emperor couldn’t even handle this crisis, he shouldn’t be emperor!
Besides, he could see that Lian Shenwei finally had some thoughts of resting—they absolutely mustn’t cause trouble at this critical juncture.
Tian Nan was intimidated into silence. “Yes, I’ll tell Ming Zhu. Then Master’s side…”
“Don’t worry about that side. If something happens, I’ll take responsibility.”
Tian Nan breathed easier. “Alright.”
“Are you looking for Master, sir? He’s at Lanyue Pavilion in the rear courtyard.”
***
Lanyue Pavilion.
An extremely spacious pavilion.
Elegant layout, surrounded by lake water, with startled bird bells at the eaves corners. The ground was covered with carpets, and in the pavilion’s center was a round table made of mixed jade with a chess board carved on it. Pressing a mechanism would transform it into a dining surface.
This was the best moon-viewing location in the manor.
Lian Shenwei had designed it himself. He loved this place very much, so the arrangement was very thoughtful.
“I’m so busy my feet don’t touch the ground, yet you’re relaxing.”
Standing by the railing, Lian Shenwei knew who it was from the voice. He didn’t turn around, saying with amusement: “Didn’t you say things with Ningfeng were finished?”
Feng Ke snorted: “They are finished. Just came back from packing up there today—nearly suffocated me. Such a long treatment period—if not for your sake, by our Feng family standards, most of the Marquis manor’s wealth invested wouldn’t be enough for my consultation fee.”
“Many thanks to Divine Physician Feng for his generous assistance,” Lian Shenwei raised his eyebrows and was about to bow to him.
“Hey hey hey! Don’t!” Feng Ke hurried over. “If my old man finds out, he’ll skin me alive.”
Lian Shenwei: “Now that Ningfeng’s side is finished, what are you so busy with?”
“You,” Feng Ke glanced at him. “Time to change medicines, but because of back then… ninety percent of Central Plains medicines you can’t use. I have to inquire elsewhere about rare medicinal materials you can use, and if they’re usable, I need to ensure adequate quantities.”
He sighed: “Lord Lian, you’re very troublesome.”
Lian Shenwei: “Actually things are fine as they are now. No need to change medicines. Whether I live longer or shorter, I actually…”
“Stop.”
Feng Ke: “Are you trying to anger me?”
Lian Shenwei fell silent.
He rubbed his brow wearily. “Fine, I won’t say anymore.”
Feng Ke took in his appearance, his worry deepening another level.
“—I knew you two would be in the same place.”
A black-clothed man wearing a bamboo hat silently landed on the roof in front of Lanyue Pavilion. “Did you receive my letter?”
“Who?!”
Tian Nan shouted sternly, his gaze extremely vigilant.
What realm was this person?! At such close distance, he hadn’t detected anything at all—entering the Regent Prince’s manor as if entering an unguarded place.
He drew his blade to advance when Ming Zhu pulled him back at the critical moment, shaking his head: “Master’s friend.”
Feng Ke almost thought he was hearing things, looking up in surprise: “You?! Qiu Che!?”
Lian Shenwei’s expression showed no surprise. He looked up with a smile: “Saw your letter. Calculating the journey, you’d arrive about today, so I came here specifically to wait for you.”
Feng Ke: “?”
“What letter?”
Qiu Che flew down from the eaves, landing lightly beside the two, placing the cage and bundle he carried on the stone table.
He removed the Wuliang Sword and poked it at Feng Ke’s shoulder, his face cold: “Naturally the letter written to Xi… Lian Shenwei. I wrote to you too, asking if you knew where he was. Think about what you said in your letter.”
Feng Ke cried out in pain, grimacing, both guilty and self-righteous: “How can you blame me for that?”
Clearly Qiu Che had the coldest temperament of the three, yet whenever he was there, the three of them never had a quiet moment.
They’d been separated for ten years, yet upon meeting, they were still acting this way.
Lian Shenwei shook his head secretly, signaling Ming Zhu to have the others guarding in the shadows withdraw.
“Sit. We haven’t gathered in many years—don’t quarrel right after meeting.”
Feng Ke covered his shoulder and made a sound: “The instigator who absolutely had to hide his identity is actually advising us here?”
Qiu Che: “Agreed.”
Lian Shenwei: “…”
He casually changed the subject. “Qiu Che, what’s that you’re carrying? Looks heavy.”
The three sat down, and Qiu Che lifted the cloth covering the cage.
Inside was a palm-sized bird, drab gray, with a circle of downy feathers still around its neck. It looked sickly but had fierce eyes, craning its neck to look at people.
“This,” Feng Ke pondered a moment, “is very ugly.”
The bird cawed at him, fierce yet weak.
Feng Ke: “…”
No matter how fierce, it was truly very ugly—so ugly you couldn’t tell what species it was.
Lian Shenwei: “What is it?”
Qiu Che: “I picked this up at the border of Dulan. Hard to tell exactly, but I’m guessing it’s a mutated gyrfalcon, abandoned by bird traders. Because it left its growth environment, it’s very special.”
“You’re not someone who likes picking things up,” Feng Ke said suspiciously. “You didn’t steal it, did you?”
Lian Shenwei’s eyes held amusement, pretending to be thoughtful: “Brother Qiu, not seeing you for many years, you’ve changed considerably.”
“…I really picked it up,” Qiu Che said. “I was resting at the Dulan border with only one piece of dried ration left. It crawled over from somewhere and snatched the ration from my hand.”
Qiu Che’s expression was complex.
To say it “snatched” wasn’t quite accurate either. Seeing the bird was pitiful, he broke off a piece and threw it on the ground. But the bird didn’t even look at it—it insisted on eating what he held in his hand.
In the end, he half-acquiesced, letting this bird “ferociously” snatch away his dried ration.
Lian Shenwei was curious: “Then you caught it?”
“No,” Qiu Che’s expression was beyond words. “Then it got stuck.”
“…”
The bird in the cage sensed three gazes that would make any bird angry, and immediately cawed fiercely several times, “mightily” flapping its wings twice.
Feng Ke couldn’t help but laugh.
“I patted it on the back, it regurgitated, then collapsed. I put it in a cage and brought it along, wanting Feng Ke to examine it and leave it with you to raise.”
“The little fellow tried so hard to live, going through so many hardships without giving up,” Feng Ke mentioned seemingly casually. “Don’t you agree, Lord Lian?”
Lian Shenwei paused, instinctively looking toward him.
Feng Ke’s expression was normal, only saying to Qiu Che: “This bird is perfect for Lian Shenwei to raise—he’s idle anyway.” Then he smiled and poked the cage. “Don’t worry, I’ll heal you so you can fly properly in the future, free and unrestrained.”
Lian Shenwei lowered his eyes for a moment.
“What else? What’s in your bundle?”
Qiu Che unwrapped it.
Inside were two small jars of wine wrapped in clothing. The moment they opened, fragrant wine filled the air.
Lian Shenwei’s eyes brightened slightly: “Wine from Phoenix Pavilion?”
Qiu Che nodded: “Brought two jars over. Kept them wrapped the whole way—if the wine fragrance dispersed, the taste would be wrong.”
“I haven’t had any in a long time either,” Feng Ke was also tempted, sniffing. “Still have to thank you for this—otherwise how would Qiu Che bother bringing wine?”
Ming Zhu brought up a set of wine cups.
Lian Shenwei: “Snow Mountain White Dew and Intoxicating Spring.”
“Two enduringly popular wines—one spring, one winter; one soft, one strong. Perfect together.”
He thought for a moment, mentioned several pastries the manor currently had, and asked Tian Nan to fetch them.
Feng Ke: “Mention wine and he perks up.”
“Last time in Jinling, his health wasn’t good so he couldn’t drink. The capital is far, so this time I brought him two jars.”
Wine cups distributed, appropriate pastries placed in the center, moonlight cold and clear, evening breeze slightly cool.
“First time gathering in all these years. I’ll drink first to express my apologies.” Lian Shenwei raised his hand to pour himself wine, when Feng Ke’s chopsticks smacked his hand with a sharp sound.
“Put it down!”
Lian Shenwei: “…”
Qiu Che was puzzled: “What’s wrong? His health still hasn’t recovered?”
On such a fine day for reunion, Feng Ke didn’t want to spoil things. Drinking a bit was fine, but seeing Lian Shenwei’s intentions—clearly wanting to drink more—had he forgotten about that fever? Rounding up, nearly thirty years old, why couldn’t he think more?
“He just recovered from fever. He can touch alcohol now, but can’t drink much,” Feng Ke glanced at Lian Shenwei. “Don’t touch this wine jar tonight. I’ll pour for you.”
Lian Shenwei fell silent: “…Fine.”
Being able to drink was better than last time when Qiu Che dipped one chopstick in wine and let him lick it for a taste.
Then he watched Feng Ke take the wine jar and stingily drip, drip, drip above his cup… filling a small half of the already small cup.
“Savor it slowly. After finishing you get three refills—not bad, right?”
Lian Shenwei was speechless and took a small sip.
Familiar wine fragrance instantly filled his mouth. Unlike other wines, even drinking Phoenix Pavilion wine to intoxication wouldn’t cause a headache the next day. Each wine had a unique flavor.
Previously in Jinling, most of his money went to Phoenix Pavilion. Ten years ago, if someone told him to “savor it slowly,” he would have chased them away with the Cangshan Sword.
Times had changed.
Lian Shenwei sighed, putting down the cup: “Frustrating.”
Feng Ke: “Then be frustrated.”
Qiu Che nodded: “Agreed.”
Lian Shenwei: “…”
Tian Nan quietly pulled Ming Zhu away, whispering: “Master is very happy today.”
Over the years, only Master Feng could make the master suffer. Now there was another one, but he could sense the master was very relaxed.
Even his demeanor was pleasant.
That way of teasing each other, so natural—close friends of many years, surely.
Ming Zhu nodded.
Different from what they’d seen at the cliff that day.
Right now Master… was full of vitality.
They savored these two small jars with great enjoyment. The wind made the startled bird bells ring softly. Lian Shenwei, being controlled, drank very little. After watching the bells for a while, he smiled and asked: “Want to hear a tune?”
Feng Ke and Qiu Che both agreed.
Lian Shenwei went to fetch his dongxiao flute.
Still the nameless tune from last time, but this time with friends and fine wine as companions, even though today wasn’t a full moon, there was no sense of lack.
Author’s Note:
This is sweet, a warm and soothing chapter to help everyone relax~
Chibi Theater:
Qiu Che expressionlessly brings out wine: ●—●
Lian Shenwei: cat eyes light up jpg. cat pounces jpg. cat opens mouth jpg.
Feng Ke swift and precise: chopsticks smack! (takes away wine jpg.)
Lian Shenwei: …retracts paws gif
***
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wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1