CH 54

Chapter 54: Not A Terrible Drinker? Who Gave You That Confidence?

Bian Zhonghua helplessly touched his forehead: “I.…this….”

Although Qi Ci was a little distressed, he still waved his hand and then said: “It’s alright. After sending my mother to the Capital, this place will be abandoned anyway.”

After the two of them finished paying their respects to Qi Rulan, they walked back to the wooden house to pack up the things they didn’t have the time to take with them last time. Qi Ci found Qi Rulan’s portrait hanging on the wall, carefully put it away, and sighed softly to Bian Zhonghua: “Why did my mother run away from the Capital that year?”

Bian Zhonghua, contrary to what one might expect, understood the situation quite well: “Either because the late Emperor wanted to kill her, or the Empress Dowager wanted her dead.”

Qi Ci couldn’t help but clench his fists: “It’s really, really….”

‘This world is indeed quite unpredictable, and it just feels as if everything is out of your control.’

“Right.” Bian Zhonghua just remembered something and asked all of a sudden: “Wasn’t your neighbor a landlord?”

“A landlord? Oh, you mean Er’Niu’s father?” Qi Ci didn’t understand why Bian Zhonghua was suddenly asking about this, and he remained a bit confused for a while.

“Yes, Er’Niu,” Bian Zhonghua said the name with a playful tone, but he wasn’t smiling at all.

“Er’Niu was my neighbor when I was still living in the town. After my mother died, I moved to this wooden house because it was easier for me to take care of her grave.”

“So, where is this Er’Niu now?”

“I heard that his family went to settle in the Central Plains1, but I’m not so sure. Why? Why are you suddenly asking about him?”

Bian Zhonghua sneered and deliberately dragged his words: “Oh, so he’s gone. Ah, he’s indeed quite lucky.”

Qi Ci: “???”

When the two of them went to the County Magistrate’s Residence, it was already late in the night, and as soon as the Magistrate saw them coming, he called the performers again. At that moment, there was a lot of noise in the Residence, with gongs and drums sounding almost everywhere. It was so noisy that Qi Ci had to cover his ears as he patiently told the County Magistrate that there was no need to be so enthusiastic with the welcoming, that a normal one was enough.

However, the County Magistrate was a bit old and his hearing wasn’t as good anymore. In the end, due to the loud sound of the firecrackers and drums, the Magistrate couldn’t hear what Qi Ci had said.

So, Qi Ci had to shout: “There’s no need for this, it will disturb the people!”

The Magistrate replied: “Yes, yes, yes. The Country is prosperous, the people are at peace, and there’s good weather!”

Qi Ci: “I meant to say, stop inviting the performers to play music!”

The County Magistrate: “For His Majesty to come here, it’s like this subordinate’s ancestral grave has emitted blue smoke2!”

Qi Ci: “Make! The Performers! Go! Bac—cough…”

Qi Ci, who had to shout so loud to be heard, felt his throat ache.

All of a sudden, a chain made out of a silver light came from Bian Zhonghua’s sleeve. Immediately after, the firecrackers were silenced, while the gongs and drums were turned into scrap iron and rotten leather. The performers who were beating the gongs and drums with enthusiasm were now scared to death.

Bian Zhonghua then threw an ingot of gold into the arms of the leader of the performers and said: “His Highness’ reward. Take it away and don’t make any more noise.”

The leader of the performers immediately changed from being scared to death to smiling from ear to ear. Then, he thanked Qi Ci and happily walked away with his group of performers.

Qi Ci breathed a long sigh of relief because his ears were no longer ringing.

At that moment, the Magistrate said: “Your Majesty, this subordinate has prepared some wine and dishes for you.”

Qi Ci said: “Thank you for the trouble, you can send them to my room.”

The Magistrate nodded and hurriedly trotted to tell the maids.

When Qi Ci arrived at the room arranged for him by the Magistrate, as soon as he changed his clothes that were covered in dust due to paying his respects to his mother’s grave, the food and wine were brought over.

Qi Ci recognized at once that the wine was a unique kind of strong wine from the Northern Border. He heard that it took 50 years to make a jar because it had to be buried in red clay. It was impressive for the Magistrate to be this kind.

‘Since there’s good wine, how can I drink it alone?’

With that thought in mind, Qi Ci immediately went to the courtyard to find Bian Zhonghua, who was arranging the Secret Servants to guard the Residence.

After hearing that it was a unique strong wine of the Northern Border, Bian Zhonghua was quite interested, so he went with Qi Ci to his wing room. However, after removing the seal on the jar, Bian Zhonghua couldn’t smell any wine, even the wine inside the jar looked like clear water.

Bian Zhonghua raised his eyebrows and said: “Could it be that the County Magistrate lied to you?”

Qi Ci, who was also doubtful, said: “There’s no way.”

At that moment, Bian Zhonghua picked up the wine jar and generously poured it on a porcelain cup. When he picked up the cup and was about to drink, Qi Ci stopped him: “Wait, I heard that this wine is extremely strong. It’s said that even three drops can knock down those who have a poor drinking capacity. If you drink this much, you will pass out immediately.”

Bian Zhonghua, unwilling to show weakness, said with a smile: “But I’m not a bad drinker.”

Qi Ci thought to himself; ‘Not a bad drinker my ass!’. Because he had seen it before, he insisted: “You have to drink it slowly!”

Bian Zhonghua nodded: “As you wish.”

As he said that, he picked up the cup and took only one sip.

Then, Qi Ci asked: “How is it? Does it taste good?”

Bian Zhonghua pursed his mouth, nodded, and said: “It’s not bad. Even though it doesn’t smell fragrant, it tastes very soft and mellow. But the wine doesn’t seem to be as strong as you said it wa—” However, at that instant, Bian Zhonghua fell down on the table.

Qi Ci hurried forward to hold his forehead.

It was a long night, but Qi Ci was now facing a table filled with good wine and food, all by himself. 

He suddenly felt quite miserable and unhappy.

BZH and QC’s interactions are as cute and funny as ever lmao I love how even tho BZH is a strong man, he’s a bad drinker hahaha such a gap moe (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)