CHAPTER 269: 0177 THE DISCIPLE IS NOT A LOG, THE TEACHER IS (TWO-IN-ONE)_2

This is the truth.

No matter how bored she is, she wouldn’t drink alone. Drinking tea is for peace of mind, a habit cultivated at the Daoist temple. What’s the point of drinking wine?

If it weren’t for Xu Chang’an reminding her of her only friend, Zhu Pingniang, she wouldn’t have taken out this jar of wine sent by Zhu Pingniang from Beisang City.

Yes, it was a gift of wine from Zhu Pingniang.

For a friend who knows she doesn’t drink yet sends her wine, Li Zhibai has nothing to say.

"But there’s nothing to teach about drinking wine." Yun Qian thought, isn’t it just drinking it straight? It’s not like it’s rouge.

"This wine was sent from Beisang City, so I thought my sister would understand a bit." Li Zhibai said seriously.

She naturally wouldn’t have Yun Qian teach her about other wines, but since it was wine from Beisang City where Yun Qian lived, she asked the right person.

As Li Zhibai spoke, her eyes drifted, but she finally asked, "Do you recognize this wine, sister? It doesn’t have any strange symbolism in Beisang City, does it?"

This is what she wanted to know.

Heaven knows what Zhu Pingniang intended by giving her this wine. Most importantly, when she opened it earlier, she clearly felt she had unsealed something, a seal left by Zhu Pingniang.

This instinctively made her feel uneasy, as if there was some hidden plot.

"I recognize this wine, and I like it very much." Yun Qian said, "Symbolism? I’m not quite sure, but I drink it often."

"You drink it often, sister?" Li Zhibai was taken aback, then became thoughtful.

That explains it.

Earlier, Xu Chang’an’s gaze at the wine seemed so peculiar that she even thought it might be some brothel ladies’ wine.

She hadn’t asked Xu Chang’an before, but now she felt relieved.

Since Yun Qian drinks it often, it wouldn’t be meant to "embarrass" her.

"As for the name, it’s called Jade Dew." Yun Qian said, slightly curling her lips.

It’s her favorite wine, so how could she not recognize it?

In fact, like Xu Chang’an, she smelled the familiar wine aroma the moment she entered.

It was the wine brewed by Liu Qingluo, perfect for ladies.

Jade Dew Wine holds special significance for Yun Qian, after all... it’s meant to be savored thoroughly in celebration.

Jade Dew Wine is a medium for affection between her and her husband.

That’s why she found it odd that Li Zhibai was drinking Jade Dew Wine alone.

"Jade Dew?" Li Zhibai’s eye twitched.

What was that woman trying to do by sending her Jade Dew Wine? She suddenly felt a chill down her spine, a foreboding feeling.

Was Miss Zhu certain Li Zhibai wouldn’t recognize this wine?

"Yes, it’s called Jade Dew." Yun Qian confirmed.

"There’s not another wine in Beisang City called Golden Wind, is there?" Li Zhibai asked instinctively.

"Golden Wind Wine? Never heard of it."

"Is that so? Good."

Li Zhibai breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced at the jar of wine she barely touched, murmuring, "This thing... better give it to Qin’Er."

This Jade Dew Wine has a weird name; she doesn’t really want it.

Just right, there’s quite a bit left... she’ll have Xu Chang’an take it to Qinling when he leaves later.

Li Zhibai glanced discreetly at the pot of warmed wine and said, "You said you like it, sister?"

"Yes." Yun Qian replied.

"Then I’m a bit curious, having not tasted it properly before." Li Zhibai looked at Yun Qian, "Do you want to join me?"

Yun Qian shook her head.

Jade Dew Wine, she would not drink with others.

"I’ll drink it myself." Li Zhibai blinked, "After the wine, I’ll do sister’s makeup."

"Alright." Yun Qian thought for a moment and added, "Sister, was your wish just to know the name of the wine?"

"You still remember..." Li Zhibai seemed a bit helpless, then sat down at the table with Yun Qian, nodding, "That’s fine."

Thus, the wish that Miss Yun sent out was fulfilled just like that.

Yet it wasn’t simple.

Though Yun Qian did not drink with her, she at least kept her company while drinking.

Hmm... watching Li Zhibai drink by herself should count as keeping her company, right?

With Yun Qian watching her and hearing that Yun Qian liked the wine, Li Zhibai had a new feeling as she drank once more.

She looked at the clear wine in her cup, glistening with a hint of brilliance, and scented with a fruity aroma.

She took a sip, savoring it in her mouth.

It was soft, with a hint of sweetness, like biting into a peach, very pleasant.

Swallowing it didn’t have the expected after-burn.

She looked at Yun Qian, "Does Chang’an like this kind of wine?"

"He likes something stronger."

"I thought since sister liked it, he would say he liked it too."

"He likes spicy food."

"That’s the first I’ve heard." Li Zhibai sat elegantly, sipping the fruit wine delicately.

If she weren’t drinking Jade Dew Wine alone, it would be even better.

The crystalline liquid swayed gently, and the firelight in the room cast a glow that made the droplets in the cup shimmer, quite beautiful.

"This wine has a good presentation." Li Zhibai nodded, her prejudice against Zhu Pingniang dissipating.

Perhaps she just wanted her to try this kind of wine?

Thinking this way might not be wrong.

Zhu Pingniang truly liked Liu Qingluo and often praised her "daughter’s" craftsmanship to everyone.

Think about it, both Xu Chang’an and Gu Qiancheng went to Liu Qingluo’s tavern because of Zhu Pingniang’s recommendation.

Before that, she had already sent some to Li Zhibai, which was entirely normal.

——

At the same time, in a tall pavilion somewhere in Beisang City, Zhu Pingniang’s embroidered shoes dangled from her toes, one leg perched on the table, holding a swaying wine cup.

The room was filled with the fragrance of wine, so strong that even without deliberately breathing, the rich aroma was palpable.

The crystalline wine swirled gently in the white wine cup.

A few drops of fine wine fell from the rim, shattering like splashes and soaking the carpet.

She was drinking alone too, sipping the Jade Dew wine.

This kind of wine is meant to be drunk alone.

"Zhibai... why did she open the wine?"

Zhu Pingniang, with a sultry posture, had eyes full of confusion. Heaven knows how she felt when she sensed the unsealing of something she left behind.

Wasn’t she supposed not to drink?

Alone, Li Zhibai would definitely not open wine.

Moreover, Li Zhibai has no friends, nor would she have the chance to drink with others.

So Zhu Pingniang was itching to know what Li Zhibai was like while drinking wine.

"Could it be..."

Zhu Pingniang showed a suspicious expression.

Could she be drinking with young master Xu Chang’an?

Although she knew Xu Chang’an was respectful towards women, she also knew Xu Chang’an had a special attitude towards Li Zhibai. It wasn’t impossible for them to drink together.

The more she thought about it, the more she felt it was that way; otherwise, she couldn’t imagine anyone else getting close to Li Zhibai and making her interested in drinking.

The next time she sees Xu Chang’an, she must interrogate him thoroughly.

Zhu Pingniang bit her lip, then sighed.

She really wanted to return to the mountain, but now that the Mountain Protection Array was yet to be successfully maintained, she simply couldn’t leave.

Otherwise, she would have flown to the Chaoyun Sect to see which nerve of her friend’s was tickled wrong, or... who dared to approach her carelessly.

Of course, there’s also the Qingluo girl she sent to the mountain... how did that girl end up with some Immortal Talent?

After half a day’s cultivation, she achieved open source?

Who can tell her what happened?

If it weren’t for the identical messages passed by a few people, she would have thought that her silly girl was falsely reporting military intelligence.

She only remembered Liu Qingluo having excellent potential, but... never felt she’d have Immortal Talent.

When Zhu Pingniang first learned of it, she truly thought it was heaven playing a joke on her.

So, she was drinking the wine previously sent by Liu Qingluo these days, and had also sent some stock to the girls in the brothel to let them bask in the immortal aura.

"Could it be Immortal Talent, so the brewed wine is also good?" Zhu Pingniang lightly brushed her ear’s black hair, feeling the moisture on her hand, she sniffed.

This drink had a delicate and elegant flavor with a bit of fruit aroma, except... no one would like the feeling of wine flowing down into their neckline no matter how it tastes.

But she quite liked it.

"Li Zhibai... hmph."

Zhu Pingniang gritted her teeth.

"A woman as wooden as a log."

She had never drunk with Li Zhibai, yet someone else got the chance first.

Zhu Pingniang raised the wine cup to the firelight, then downed it in one go, a flush rising on her face.

The wine flowed from the corner of her mouth to the black nightdress on her chest, deepening the color of her attire.

This could be considered as sharing a drink with the wooden one.