Drunken Ox

Eighteenth day, heavy snow.

The roads were icy, few people were out. Occasionally, a starving corpse could be seen lying on the ground.

One hundred and twenty li south of Pingyang City, by the roadside ahead, stood a small tavern. Two people tied their horses outside, shook the ice and snow from their bodies, pushed aside the curtain, and went inside.

A blast of cold air jolted awake the thin owner, who had been dozing by the stove.

He shivered, then looked up. It was a man and a woman.

The man wore a black robe and carried a long sword. His features were delicate and handsome, even more so than Third Young Master Wan's from Pingyang City. He had seen Third Young Master Wan when he paraded through town on horseback after passing the autumn imperial examinations this year; he was indeed a fine figure of a man.

The woman was tall and curvaceous, even half a head taller than the man beside her. This won't do, the thin owner thought. A woman taller than a man will suppress his luck, making it hard for her to find a husband. What a shame.

The thin owner critiqued them in his mind.

The woman said, "Boss, what are you spacing out for? Aren't you going to welcome your guests?"

"Coming right up, honored guests."

The thin owner finally remembered that business had been slow lately. To save on food and wages, he had given his two employees extended leave.

"This humble one was drowsy and confused. Please forgive me. What would you guests like to drink?"

The woman pulled out a long bench, wiped away the dust with her sleeve, and the man sat down.

The young man asked, "What kind of wine do you have?"

The thin owner noticed this, realizing the young man was someone of status.

"Replying to the honored guest, this humble establishment has three kinds of wine: 'Soft Tongue,' 'Room-Filling Fragrance,' and 'Drunken Ox.'"

"Which one is the strongest?"

"That would undoubtedly be 'Drunken Ox.'"

The young man chuckled, "Then we'll have... 'Drunken Ox.' What a name! Doesn't it insult people who drink by calling them oxen?"

The thin owner quickly apologized with a smile, "Honored guest, please forgive me. Those are just crude names given by the wineries. We country folk are unlettered, but the wine itself is good. Please be understanding."

"Alright, alright. Prepare fifty jin of 'Drunken Ox' for us."

The thin owner's eyes widened. "F-fifty jin?"

The young man laughed, "Two jin for us to have with our dishes, and the rest sealed in jars to take away."

"So, honored guest, you're here to stock up?" the thin owner understood.

The woman's brows furrowed. "Why so much nonsense! We're giving you business, and you're not happy?"

The young man took a small gold ingot from his pocket and placed it on the table. He smiled, "Stir-fry a few small dishes for us, and prepare food for fifty people, also to go."

The thin owner looked at the gold ingot, estimating it to be about five liang. He immediately felt relieved. They aren't bandits or spies looking to extort us. Those scoundrels always drink and eat without paying, and if anything isn't to their liking, they'll resort to violence.

"Honored guest, this humble establishment still has ten smoked geese, eighty jin of cured beef, and over three hundred white flour buns. I can also have my wife steam three pots of rice. Would that be acceptable?"

The young man tossed him the gold ingot. "Go prepare it."

"Thank you, honored guest! Thank you!"

The thin owner tucked the gold ingot into his pocket. After a brief calculation, he realized the profit from this single order was equivalent to two years of hard work.

Zhao Xia watched the innkeeper's retreating back and asked in a low voice, "My Lord, what are our plans next?"

"The southern part of Pingyang Prefecture is a mix of mountains and rivers, a melting pot of people and influences, with many martial arts factions and bandits lurking in the mountains, each ruling their own territory. Even though the Dragon Scale Association is the largest gang in Pingyang Prefecture, its influence is limited."

"We will first find a place to establish ourselves, settle down, get through this harsh winter, recuperate, and regroup for the coming year."

Logically, the northern part of Pingyang Prefecture was closest to Pingding Prefecture, making it convenient to receive support from the Sun Moon Divine Cult. However, with Third Young Master Tong there, that idea had to be abandoned.

So, they would have to temporarily avoid the areas around Pingyang City, where the Dragon Scale Association's influence was strongest.

"Very well, I will follow your arrangements, my Lord."

Zhao Xia smiled at Zhang Yu. The envoy is skilled in both civil and military arts. Now that he's leading the Wild Wolf Gang, my burden has been halved. With him here, revitalizing the Wild Wolf Gang is just around the corner.

Not long after, the thin owner returned with a wooden tray, placing bowls and chopsticks before the two. A pot of warmed 'Drunken Ox' and a plate of aniseed beans were also served.

Zhao Xia poured wine for Zhang Yu, then filled his own cup. Setting down the pot, he suddenly remembered the night Zhang Yu took a heavy blow from Peng Canghu in Black Pine Forest.

"Are your injuries still bothering you, my Lord? Can you drink alcohol?"

Zhang Yu took the wine cup and downed it in one gulp, laughing, "It's precisely because my injuries haven't healed that I need to drink strong liquor. It will drive out the cold and disperse bruises."

A short while later, the owner returned with another wooden tray, setting down a plate of cured beef, a bowl of spicy stir-fried chicken, a bowl of stir-fried dried fish, a bowl of steamed winter melon, and a small dish of pickled cucumbers.

"Our village inn is simple, and the service is inadequate. I sincerely apologize," the innkeeper said with a smile.

Zhang Yu replied, "No matter. Have the other items been prepared?"

"The other items are ready. The rice is steaming in three pots simultaneously. By the time you honored guests have finished eating and drinking, it should be almost done. I've also added fodder and warm water for your horses."

"That's good."

"Please enjoy your meal, honored guests."

Just then, the sound of horses neighing suddenly came from outside the door.

"Brothers, we have some unexpected gains!"

"These two horses are good. Let's take them back to the mountain and present them to the Chieftain. He'll surely reward Third Brother Song Chang handsomely."

"I don't want anything else. That young sister-in-law from the Zhang family they dragged up the mountain at the beginning of the month, with her full bosom and alluring charm, she's been making me crave her."

"That might be difficult. Chieftain Cao has a taste for those two, and he took her into his own chambers long ago."

"If you ask me, it's not difficult. Sweet candy is nice, but there are times you get sick of it. It's been over a month, maybe the Chieftain's already tired of her. If that doesn't work, in the lovers' tent, Third Brother and the Chieftain could make a bridge. Haha..."

"Third Brother, you always come up with terrible ideas! In the dark, during these chaotic times, what if the Chieftain draws his sword and misses the sheath, stabbing Third Brother Song Chang instead?"

The thin innkeeper, overhearing the conversation outside the door, turned deathly pale. His hands trembled uncontrollably. He felt like he had encountered the embodiment of death, a harbinger of plague, and fear rooted him to the spot. He wanted to flee but dared not.

Zhang Yu looked at him with a smile. "Innkeeper, is this a den of thieves?"

Zhao Xia suddenly stood up, grabbing a stool. Her Xuanhua battle axe was too conspicuous, so she hadn't brought it with her.

The thin innkeeper's face crumpled. He said in a low voice, "You're wronging me! These are bandits from the Black Wind Stockade. They come here often to eat and drink for free. If I displease them even slightly, they beat me half to death. They even... they even force my wife to drink with them."

"In this snowy weather, they shouldn't be coming down the mountain. I don't know why they're here today. It seems I didn't offer sacrifices to the God of Wealth, and it's my bad luck."

Zhao Xia said to Zhang Yu, "Sir, it looks like these pests are planning to steal our horses."

Zhang Yu glanced at the thin innkeeper. Seeing that his expression didn't seem faked, and considering that if he were a spy for the bandits, he would have laced the food and wine with sleeping potions, Zhang Yu smiled. "A wise man doesn't fight battles he can avoid. Let's give them the horses."

Zhao Xia looked confused. "Sir, dealing with these pests won't take much effort. Why should we lose two good horses for nothing?"

Zhang Yu picked up his wine cup, tilted his head back, and drank it all. He smiled. "No rush. You and I are new here. It's best to prioritize peace. Let's play along with them for now!"