Union

Chapter 74, Chapter 073: It can be called good wine.

After moving into the estate of the Marquis of Chang'an, life became much better.

The rules in the village were strict, but they treated these beautiful girls very well.

They were never deprived of their daily meals, and even during the Lunar New Year, they were given a sumptuous feast.

"However, the matrons usually have the girls perform on this night."

It sounds nice to call it a performance, but it's actually more like an annual performance review.

If the girl's performance is outstanding, she will be rewarded. If it is not outstanding, although the nannies will not say anything, she will feel unhappy if she loses face during the New Year. Then she will develop a competitive spirit and strive to improve in the future.

Because everyone wanted to perform well and receive the reward from the matron, the young ladies had no interest in having New Year's Eve dinner.

Even with those delicious-looking dishes right in front of them, it's hard for anyone to be so carefree as to eat at this moment, considering that they're about to be served.

By the time their performance ended, the food at the banquet was basically cold.

Yunying said, "As far as I can remember, I never ate a proper meal on New Year's Eve. I would just go back to my room, have some snacks to fill my stomach, and then go to sleep."

"Where is Second Master? How did Second Master usually spend the New Year at the manor?"

Yunying said she was thirsty and picked up her cup to pour herself some tea. Unexpectedly, the Second Master picked up a crystal-clear glass bottle next to him and poured her a cup of pale purple liquid.

Yunying smelled the fragrant fruity aroma and asked in surprise, "Second Master, is this a fruit wine? Didn't you say I wasn't allowed to drink?"

The second master handed her the small glass.

This glass is a matching bottle for the fruit wine; it's small but very exquisite.

With the pale purple liquid inside, it truly evokes the feeling of fine wine in a luminous cup.

Unfortunately, Yunying dared not drink, as her previous experience of getting drunk was still fresh in her mind.

She declined, saying, "Second Master, I won't drink. I can't hold my liquor. Last time I drank fruit wine, I was drunk until the next morning. Didn't you also tell me not to drink anymore?"

“I also said that you can have a little drink in front of me. Go ahead and drink it. Today’s fruit wine isn’t very strong. Even if you finish the whole bottle, you won’t get drunk.”

Upon hearing this, Yunying showed an eager expression, "Are you telling the truth?"

"Of course it's true."

Since the Second Master has said so, Yunying will not stand on ceremony. She picked up the glass and took a sip. The fruit wine had a light fragrance and a rich aroma, with a mellow taste. If it didn't have too much of a kick, it could become one of her must-have drinks before bed from now on.

Yunying sipped her fruit wine slowly, while the Second Master recounted his experiences of spending the New Year in the capital in previous years.

In fact, they are no different from many noble families.

Most families would have a New Year's Eve dinner together, then stay up late and chat.

When midnight arrived, they went together to the ancestral temple, where they offered seasonal fruits and various meats on the altar, then burned incense and lit candles to begin the ancestral worship.

However, after the Second Master became the top scholar in the imperial examination, he gained the right to enter and leave the palace. At that time, he was ranked as a sixth-rank official, and he was also able to enter the palace to attend the banquet on New Year's Eve.

"You've also attended palace banquets?" Yunying asked curiously, moving closer. "Second Master, what are palace banquets like?"

The second master turned his head to look at the beautiful face so close to his, and his voice became a little softer.

In fact, palace banquets are not as good as family banquets. At least at family banquets, you can eat something hot, but at palace banquets, you mostly eat cold food.

"Cold food? That shouldn't be the case, right? This is an occasion where nobles, high-ranking officials, and imperial relatives are all present. Do the people in the imperial kitchen want to quit? Otherwise, why would they serve only cold food?"

"The imperial kitchen staff naturally wouldn't serve only cold food, but as you know, winters in the capital are so cold that water freezes instantly. Even boiling water cools down quickly, let alone food."

"Let's not even talk about the distance from the Imperial Kitchen to Qingping Palace, where the food is only still warm by the time it arrives. Before the banquet, His Majesty has to perform a sacrifice to Heaven and Earth, and the officials and their wives have to kowtow three times to thank Heaven for its grace. With all that going on, by the time the meal actually begins, the food is already cold."

The second uncle also made a funny remark, "Some of the cold dishes even had ice crystals, and the grease in the hot dishes had all solidified into white lumps."

Then... how are we supposed to eat this?

Yun Ying trembled, "You didn't all come out of the palace on empty stomachs, did you?"

"That won't happen, at least I still have a belly full of imperial wine. But it's not good to go back to the mansion on an empty stomach and ask the kitchen to serve hot food... His Majesty has many eyes and ears, and I'm afraid it will reach the emperor's ears and cause trouble again."

"So you all slept on an empty stomach?"

"Aren't there some snacks? Just make sure you have some good snacks."

Second Master watched as Yunying drew ever closer.

She seemed to be truly unable to hold her liquor; even though the fruit wine had little alcohol content and no aftereffects, she only managed to drink one glass. Yet, her cheeks still flushed, and her eyes shone with a captivating spring-like allure.

Then look at her rosy lips, moist and glistening in the candlelight, so full and luscious, like cherries hanging on a branch, swaying in the wind, tempting one to taste their deliciousness and sweetness.

Second Master swallowed hard for a few moments before finally looking away and taking two sips of his wine.

When he spoke again, his deep voice had become somewhat hoarse. Even the color in his eyes had darkened.

"I wasn't really hungry, since I always had something to eat at home before going to the banquet. But at the palace banquet, there was a lot of socializing, and if I drank too much, I would inevitably experience heartburn, headache, and dizziness. Especially since I had to go to the palace to pay homage the next day, there was no rest for several days in a row..."

Yunying nodded repeatedly, a sigh on her face. "How come celebrating the New Year feels like undergoing a tribulation?"

The description is somewhat funny, but it's also quite apt.

"But this year is alright. There's no palace banquet or need for court greetings, so we can have a peaceful New Year."

"But your family and friends aren't around..." Yunying murmured, her voice tinged with a hint of drunkenness, "You must have many regrets in your heart, right?"

Is it a regret?
Of course there is.

Unable to serve his parents and causing his mother worry, he naturally felt guilty and regretful.

But if she hadn't come to Yun Gui County, she wouldn't have come to his side. The Second Master looked at Yun Ying; her almond-shaped eyes were hazy, and she was limp and lazy, about to lean on the table.

He laughed and asked, "Are you drunk?"

Upon hearing this, Yunying quickly straightened up, shook her head, and said, "I didn't. I only drank three small cups, how could I be drunk?"

Despite saying that, she felt weak all over. When she shook her head, her whole body swayed, and she looked like she was about to fall onto the table.

Before her head hit the table, the second master quickly stopped her and pulled her soft body into his arms.

Her soft, supple body exuded a delicate fragrance mingled with the rich aroma of fine wine.

Overwhelmed with emotion, the second master couldn't help but tighten his grip on her hand.

She was truly drunk; she didn't react at all to his inappropriate behavior.

Nestled in his arms, she was still restless, craning her neck to peek out and stammering, "Second Master, don't shake me."

She cupped his face in her hands to help him sit up, but he kept swaying back and forth, so she swayed along with him.

Seeing that she was really drunk, the second master couldn't help but look at the glass wine bottle.

Sure enough, one-third of the fruit wine had been lost.

While he was speaking, she had unknowingly drunk three cups.

Despite having little alcohol tolerance, he acted like a little drunkard, grabbing any drink he could and drinking it all.

As a result, he got so drunk that he was completely unconscious and could only be at the mercy of others.

As Yunying spoke, her strength gradually dissipated.

She found herself sitting on the Second Master's lap without him noticing, and he held her tightly in his arms.

She murmured, her lips pressed against the Second Master's ear, her words muffled, "I'm going to sleep for a while. You stay up all night by yourself. Call me again when it's time to worship our ancestors."

Second Master responded with a "Okay".

The word "good" carried a distinct smile.

His gaze was gentle as he looked at the soft, delicate bundle in his arms.

Even though she was so drunk she couldn't tell which way was which, she still remembered to stay up all night and to pay respects to her ancestors. It was quite a feat for her.

She's asleep, but she barely touched her New Year's Eve dinner. I wonder if she'll wake up hungry in the middle of the night.

Second Master sat on the stool, holding Yunying in his arms.

He sipped his wine, and before he knew it, he had drunk too much, and his phoenix eyes were tinged with intoxication.

Even though he was drunk, his mind remained clear.

Even though he was conscious, he could no longer suppress his instinct to get closer to her.

He moved closer and closer to her red lips.

Finally, their lips were so close that they were only a few strands of hair apart, but just as they were about to touch, the Second Master suddenly leaned back, pulling his thoughts away.

The flower hall was as bright as day.

The flower hall was extremely quiet.

The only sound in the flower hall was the occasional crackling of candles.

But even in this extreme silence, the Second Master was lost in thought and did not want the dawn to break.

Sui Yun entered the flower hall without anyone noticing, and saw the Second Master holding Yun Ying in his arms. Judging from Yun Ying's appearance, she was clearly quite drunk.

Suiyun said, "Second Master, would you like to send Miss Yunying back?"

The second master looked at the flushed cheeks of the person in his arms.

She slept soundly, without moving an inch. Her body was soft and supple, exuding an alluring fragrance.

Second Master doesn't want to let go.

I don't know when I'll be able to hold her in my arms again.

He said, "Let her sleep like this. She asked me to wake her up later for the ancestral worship ceremony."

Suiyun didn't know how to react, and just blankly hummed in response.

The second master then asked a different question, "Who exactly bought this fruit wine?"

Sui Yu had followed us unnoticed. Hearing the Second Master's question, she jumped out from behind Sui Yun and said innocently, "I bought it, Second Master. I just thought it was for you to drink, so naturally I couldn't buy you any wine without alcohol. I didn't expect that this wine was for Miss Yun Ying, and that it would get her drunk."

Sui Yu said insincerely, "I'm sorry, Second Master."

"On another note, whether the wine I bought is good or not, Second Master, please give me the truth."

Second Master: "...It's barely passable as good wine."

Sui Yun: "..."

Sui Yu: "Hahahaha!"

Monthly passes, favorites, recommendations—my darlings, please use your lucky hands to give me a few taps! Thank you everyone!

(End of this chapter)