Chapter 50: Brothers Reunite

  Li Ke looked at Qin Mu Bai seriously and waited for his response.

  "This... Your Highness, please forgive me. I don't know, and even if I did, it wouldn't be convenient for me to tell you," Qin Mu Bai said. "Otherwise, not only would I be punished by the Emperor, but I'm afraid Your Highness yourself would also not get a good outcome from the Emperor."

  Li Ke hesitated for a moment, nodded: "You're right... I was too abrupt, shouldn't have asked."

  "Thank you, Your Highness, for your understanding." Qin Mubai bowed his hands in gratitude, but in his heart, he was secretly thinking: You clearly did it on purpose. Investigating the news is fake, with your intelligence, you wouldn't know that I definitely won't leak such a thing? What you're really doing is testing my abilities, aren't you?

  "There's no way, I can only go to the Emperor and try my luck." Li Ke sighed and shook his head, saying, "It's almost been half a year, Father should have calmed down by now. If I go with sincerity and admit my mistakes, asking for forgiveness and making up for it, he should also help me out."

  "Your Highness has spoken." Qin Mubai nodded, thinking to himself: That's how it should be. The Emperor has reduced your allowance and punished you with house arrest for half a year, which is already enough to justify it to the law and the officials. What can't you discuss between father and son? Why drag me into this and make things difficult for me? Fortunately, I'm not stupid, I didn't really talk to you about it. Otherwise, you Li Ke would definitely think I'm a "traitor" - if I could betray even the Emperor, is there anything left for you Li Ke to trust?

  Next, Li Kui skillfully shifted the topic and no longer discussed any topics related to politics. They mostly chatted about wine, music, and martial arts, without even mentioning anything about the imperial palace.

  Qin Mubai thought to himself, it's clear that Li Ke wants to treat me as a "potential stock" to explore and pull in, but he can't quite grasp my thoughts and stance. And now I'm very close to the Emperor, so he doesn't dare reveal too much of his intentions for fear of causing trouble. So after some probing, he stopped pursuing it aggressively. This person, on the surface seems gentle when handling matters, but is actually quite steady. If he were to ask me repeatedly about the Emperor and court affairs, I really wouldn't know how to respond.

  Not long after, Li Ke bid farewell and left first, saying that he had sneaked out in private clothes and it was not convenient to leave the Wang Mansion for too long. Now, the chief historian of the Wu King's mansion has returned from Anzhou, and by order of the emperor, he supervises him every day like a child. This historian is none other than Quan Wanji, who is famous for his iron face and impartiality, daring to offend even the emperor with his straightforward remonstrance.

  Quan Wanji was a stubborn old man who would not budge once he made up his mind, and if Li Ke committed even the slightest offense, he would dare to remonstrate with him to the death, or else report it to the Emperor, making Li Ke both respectful and fearful.

  Li Ke left, Qin Mu Bai was alone for a while to sort out her thoughts, then ran to the boudoir of Wu Mei Niang that she had been to before.

  "Meiniang, was it you who invited Li Ke?" Qin Mubai asked directly.

  Wu Mei Niang hesitated for a moment, then smiled and said: "Yes, what's wrong?"

  "Didn't he tell you that as soon as I arrived here, I would ask you to inform him and invite him over?"

  "Not bad. I rarely stay at Tianxia First Wine now, and most of the time I'm at home with my mother. Anyway, since my house is next to Wu Wangfu, after receiving the report from the servant, I informed the guards at the gate of Wu Wangfu. Those people used to be under your command, you know."

  Qin Mubai nodded, thinking that Li Ke indeed had "ulterior motives" towards him. It's no wonder, he is now probably a lonely and isolated prince, rarely having someone like me, a young friend, who also serves the emperor, how could he not want to pull strings? Actually, Li Ke is not a bad person, and has been kind to me, if I can help him in the future, I will.

  "Mei Niang, from now on you don't have to agree with others on such matters," Qin Mu Bai said, "you know the reasons and consequences."

  "Got it! —— Nagging!" Wu Mei Niang pouted and turned her head to pretend to look at an account book.

  "What's the tavern's account? How much did we make?" Qin Mu Bai asked with a smile as he walked up.

  "Heh heh, don't let you see!" Wu Mei Niang raised her hand and put away the account book, saying with a lively tone, "What's wrong, are your eyes red?"

  "Haha!" Qin Mu Bai laughed, "No need for you to say it, I already know that the number one wine in the world is definitely 'Violent Profit', and your wallet must be bulging with profits. The number one wine belongs to you, and you belong to me - what do you have to envy?"

  "Hmph!" Wu Meiniang's small, delicate nose wrinkled in distaste. "That's not necessarily true," she said coldly. "Please don't always look at me like you've got me in the palm of your hand, okay? Honestly, I don't know how many princes and young masters from noble families are vying for my attention right now. You'd better treat me well, or I can just dump you anytime and find a new husband!"

  "Haha!" Qin Mubai was amused, "Is this a threat or an enticement? Although I know what you're saying is impossible, however...you're right. I should be nicer to you. For the past half year, I've been busy with my own affairs and have neglected you, which isn't right. From now on, I'll treat you well."

  "Hmph, this is still somewhat acceptable... However, you'd better remember. Don't think that just because we have a marriage contract binding us together, you can do as you please. I've never thought that way." Wu Mei Niang said with her hands clasped behind her back and walking in strides, "You want to treat me well, move my heart, make me happy, and make me feel that marrying this man isn't so bad after all. Only then will I willingly follow you. Aren't you always boasting about being a romantic hero who knows how to make women happy? Then please, hurry up and let me see it for myself. Ever since getting to know you, I only remember you bragging in front of me and almost never making me happy."

  "Alright, I'll be waiting with bated breath." Qin Mu Bai smiled and said, "I just so happen to have a few days off, after visiting my father at home, I'll have time to come and accompany you specially. Besides, the work of the Hundred Riders has entered the right track, and I won't be that busy in the future, when I'm free, I can come out of the palace to see you."

  "It's useless to just talk, I'm waiting to see! Wu Mei Niang slapped the account book with both hands. "And don't forget that you still owe me 100 guan of wine money from last time. With interest, it has now reached 300 guan. General Qin, as the commander-in-chief of the imperial guards, won't you be late in paying such a small amount to our humble shop? Otherwise, I'll really go ask the emperor for payment!"

  “……” Qin Mubai was speechless, his mouth twitched a few times, and he let out a dry laugh: “This isn't doing business, it's outright robbery!... Fine, I'll have someone send the money over later. Consider these past few months' salary as fully paid, just think of it as a donation to your family.”

  "Hehe, it's only right, it's necessary." Wu Mei Niang covered her face with a fan and smiled slyly, her face as lovely as a peach blossom and her eyes as charming as silk.

  "Meiniang, how can you smile so enchantingly? Isn't this forcing me to make a mistake?" Qin Mubai also smiled, but it made Wu Meiniang's slender body tremble slightly, only then did she realize that in this quiet and elegant boudoir, there were only the two of them.

  "Get out, get out quickly!" Wu Mei Niang pushed Qin Mu Bai to walk outside without giving him a chance to speak. Qin Mu Bai burst into loud laughter and didn't fool around with her anymore, it was time to go home and report back.

  She covered her mouth with her sleeve, and Wu Mei laughed secretly to herself, muttering: "Actually, when I first met him, I thought he was quite good. If the Emperor hadn't intervened and disturbed my heart, it wouldn't have been bad to follow him either. This stinky man really does have some skills, in just half a year he's managed to become like this, and with his help, opening a wine shop has also been successful. Since fate is already like this, I'm already inseparable from this stinky man... rather than that, why not let him treat me a bit better?"

  Leaving Mei Niang's fragrant boudoir, Qin Mu Bai went to look for Pang Fei. He found the little scamp lying on his back in the elegant pavilion, reeking of wine and shouting, "Three sisters, let's drink more, drink more!"

  The girl on the side covered her mouth and giggled, one of them said: "Qin Gongzi, your disciple is really interesting. He dares to drink such strong wine in large cups, and gets drunk after just a few drinks."

  Another woman said, "This young man is only eighteen years old and has never been married. He's never had a woman before. Suddenly he meets the three of us, and he's already dizzy with excitement. Ashamed to lose face, how can he not desperately try to drink himself to death? Haha!"

  "You two sisters have spoiled the young master's followers, how can this be good?"

  Qin Mubai shook his head and sighed: "Pang Fei, this kid is usually clever, but I didn't expect him to become so infatuated when he sees a woman. Alright, I won't take him away, let's leave him at the number one wine shop in the world, surrounded by flowers, and let him experience it for a few days. You guys, let the sisters in the store entertain him with all their might, but don't really... you know. If he can't hold back, let him go to the brothel - this kid, after all, is also a general and a royal guard, if he can't withstand the attack of a few women, how can he be?"

  "Hehe, young master has given an order, we will naturally obey!"

  Qin Mubai shook his head and walked away with a smile. With the help of this batch of little demons who were obsessed with the best wine in the world, he believed that Pang Fei would soon have a "female antibody". Otherwise, if he encountered women's troubles on future missions, wouldn't it be a hidden danger? Qin Mubai had been thinking about cultivating Pang Fei into his trusted confidant, and this shortcoming must be made up for.

  Having spent a lot of time in the world's number one wine house, it was getting late and it was time to go home and visit parents, otherwise dinner would be missed.

  Just as Qin Mu Bai was going downstairs, he suddenly heard a surprised cry: "Third brother? How are you here?"

  "Big Brother, Second Brother?" Qin Mu Bai looked up to find that it was actually his two elder brothers, Qin Tong and Qin Bin, calling out to him. The two were sitting in a curved railing of the wine table in the great hall, with another middle-aged man over 40 years old seated with them.

  Qin Mubai hastily went downstairs and paid his respects, Qin Tong, the eldest brother, stood up and pulled Qin Mubai to sit down, laughing loudly: "Second brother, we've forgotten that the best wine in the world is actually brewed by my third brother's wife!"

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