Chapter 112: The Purple Maiden

A thousand cups are too few when drinking with a kindred spirit. The two newfound drinking companions, instantly like old friends, pledged at Zilan Pavilion that they would not leave until thoroughly intoxicated.

The fruit wines and craft brews at Zilan Pavilion were exquisite, yet their production was difficult and the flavors too refined, lacking the robust strength of true spirits.

Having finally met a genuine drinking comrade, Jing Ke opened a jar of three-year-old aged liquor from his carriage and drank deeply.

The two drunkards reveled in their cups, speaking freely and without reservation.

In another room upstairs, two more people sat—yet the younger swordsman kept his eyes closed, as if blind, showing little interest even in the presence of beauty.

“Hmph! A prince from Korea and an ambassador from the Northern Kingdom, yet so lacking in manners!” Purple Lady wished to find an opportunity to approach Han Fei, but the two drinkers were so passionately engrossed that she dared not intrude.

Wei Zhuang had observed them earlier, and what troubled him most was the scent of the liquor.

“Purple Lady, do you still resent me for defeating you? Do you think I, Wei Zhuang, am unworthy of fine, potent wine?”

Mention of the wine only further riled Purple Lady.

“Zilan Pavilion cannot produce such spirits! Northern strong liquors are not only intoxicating but serve as military medicinal brews—and now they are monopolized entirely by the Emerald Tiger!”

Though the Mo family disciples had managed to replicate evaporated white spirits, the strong and mellow liquors of the Northern Kingdom remained unmatched, with production costs far exceeding those of the North.

So that was it! Wei Zhuang opened his eyes and covertly glanced at Purple Lady.

He was a normal man, yet he had not yet mastered the strongest sword and lacked the energy to ponder such human affairs.

“This Ambassador Jing Ke is no mere rumor; he’s not only a drinker but a formidable warrior!”

Purple Lady smiled: “If Wei Zhuang holds him in esteem, then Jing Ke must be no weakling!”

“By the way, Sir Zhuang, what do you make of the Northern Alliance?”

Yan, Zhao, and Wei had already joined the Northern Alliance; Zilan Pavilion had gathered much intelligence.

The Guigu School had dominated the world for centuries, and its external forces were formidable; otherwise, Wei Zhuang would struggle even to find a meal.

“This Northern Kingdom does not cross the Qin border but seeks to lead six nations in alliance—there must be something amiss!”

Purple Lady nodded, recalling a piece of intelligence she could not yet disclose, as it lacked confirmation.

In the vast Eastern Sea, no one traveled freely.

“Too bad the two drinkers cannot stop! Otherwise, I would have liked to witness the trustworthy Ambassador Jing Ke.”

Wei Zhuang had no desire to flirt, but Purple Lady kept bringing up the two men, which irked him somewhat.

“What a laughable ‘trustworthy’ promise! Though the Northern King is from the Central Plains, the Northern Kingdom is fundamentally barbarian! To surrender to a foreign land is the greatest evil!”

Purple Lady smiled faintly, thinking: Seven states, the Northern Kingdom, Korea—all are foreign lands to her family!

Han Fei loved his wine but savored it slowly, while Jing Ke was accustomed to drinking heartily. By the time Han Fei was thoroughly drunk, Jing Ke was only half inebriated.

“Ha! Delightful! Han Fei’s capacity must be the greatest in Korea!” Jing Ke laughed heartily, feeling no guilt in soaking Han Fei with three jars of fine wine.

After laughing, Jing Ke leaned back to rest.

At that moment, Purple Lady approached with a smile, and the maid outside promptly closed the door.

“Li Ji—no, it’s Purple Lady!” Jing Ke raised his head and could not help but cast a few more admiring glances.

Her slender waist moved with a slow grace, emitting a mature fragrance from head to toe.

Using beauty to charm men was a woman’s instinct, and Purple Lady had mastered this art thoroughly.

“Young swordsman Jing Ke, this is a warm tea I brewed myself.”

In truth, it was a sobering tea.

Scented with medicinal herbs, Jing Ke accepted it graciously.

“I have long heard of the Northern Kingdom’s chief minister’s fame; seeing you now, you are truly talented in both intellect and martial prowess.”

Jing Ke had now reached the mid-stage of innate cultivation, only slightly weaker than Wei Zhuang.

As a young master with the potential of a grandmaster and an ambassador of a nation, Purple Lady naturally did not want to miss the chance to befriend him.

“Purple Lady, you flatter me! Jing Ke is merely average in both letters and martial arts,” he replied, thinking of his junior sister’s instructions and daring not to look longer, only shaking his head with a smile.

Alas! Another difficult swordsman to deal with! Purple Lady was somewhat disappointed; she could tell Jing Ke, like Wei Zhuang, was very resistant to her.

“Ambassador Jing Ke must come often, especially for that mellow wine—our sisters have become quite envious.”

Speaking of the wine, Jing Ke felt a pang of regret.

“Alas! Once it’s drunk, it’s gone!”

He still had to journey to Qi and Chu as an envoy, with no time to return to the royal city for more supplies—and the king was not even there.

“Purple Lady, I must take my leave first. Leave this fellow here,” Jing Ke said hurriedly, truly uncomfortable staying with other beauties.

Purple Lady did not urge him to stay.

“Hmph! Another dull swordsman! But at least a talented one!”

Wei Zhuang, eavesdropping nearby, laughed. Fortunately, nothing untoward had happened between the lone men and women.

He knew Purple Lady hid many secrets; otherwise, a mere woman, even a grandmaster, would find it difficult to maintain Zilan Pavilion.

Grandmasters were powerful but feared encirclement by armies and were even more wary of barrages of crossbow bolts.

Originally, Purple Lady had no intention of personally attending to the drunken man, but seeing Han Fei sleep so sweetly, she was slightly moved.

“Sister, let me help,” said Moyu, stepping out from the music room upon seeing Purple Lady supporting Han Fei.

“All right, let us take him to a guest room.” Han Fei’s carriage guards remained outside, but Purple Lady deliberately retained him.

Back at the minister’s residence, Jing Ke was hesitant.

He had advocated an early mission to Korea, unwilling to repeat the mistakes made at the Wei royal palace.

Now he pondered whether to first visit Qi to persuade King Qi—the navy was ready, and this fleet of a hundred thousand would for the first time march south to subdue Chu and Qi.

“Enough! No more waiting. Let King Han send an envoy to accompany me to Qi!”

Thinking of the refugees outside the city, Jing Ke was unwilling to delay further.

If Qi signed the alliance smoothly, the navy could quickly advance south and land in Chu.

...

After roaming the sea for several days, the carriage landed directly in Qi and then made a slow journey toward Korea.

Ten days later, Lin Shu arrived outside Xinzheng City, but the carriage made no move to approach the city gate.

“Master, Jing Ke was right to say the navy should speed up; the refugees keep increasing!” Shao Shao felt heartbroken.

Korea was already densely populated, and now countless war refugees flooded into Xinzheng.

Fortunately, the government and some nobles cooked food and distributed it to the refugees. Though insufficient, it sustained life, forcing them to survive by digging roots and worms.

“Ah! This is no fun at all!” Having seen enough, Xiao Yan’er understood—they were not playing but starving!

Lin Shu’s carriage had plenty of provisions and housed a thousand iron cavalry, yet he had no intention to concern himself with the refugees.

If they were citizens of the empire, he would spare no effort to aid them, but these were Koreans, some of whom might join other armies in the future, becoming foes of the Northern forces.

The carriage wandered outside the city all day, prompting Yan Fei’s curiosity.

“Husband, haven’t you memorized the map yet?”

Lin Shu shook his head: “I have a general idea of the surroundings, but I am searching for metal ore. It may take another day. You should begin your cultivation.”

Seeing her husband’s earnestness, Yan Fei ceased questioning.

“All right, I shall start cultivating as well.” Third and Fourth Ladies sat quietly to cultivate, and Xiao Yan’er did not wish to fall behind.

The carriage moved stealthily through the forests and grasslands, but it was not truly searching for ore.

This was a secret—a secret Yan Fei, Shao Shao, and Xiao Yan’er must not learn.