Strands of her body's faint fragrance wafted over, stirring the heart and setting the mind racing.
Feeling that full, soft, delicate body truly made one unable to stop.
At seventeen, he was at the age when his blood ran hot. A little provocation was enough to cause a reaction.
But what kind of man was Sheng Huai'an?
Having lived two lives, he was also a peak Houtian master who cultivated the Great Sun Heart Sutra. He might not have been utterly unmoved with beauty in his lap, but such a minor temptation was nowhere near enough to stir his heart.
"Please!"
Sheng Huai'an clinked cups with Hua Yueru and tipped his head back, draining it in one swallow.
This wine had little strength to it. Sheng Huai'an estimated it was only around ten or twenty percent alcohol, and this was supposedly good wine.
It tasted much like beer from his previous life. Honestly, it was not very good.
If this world's brewing techniques were only at this level, he could become rich enough to rival a kingdom just by brewing and selling strong liquor.
By nightfall, people gradually began arriving at Yichun Tower. Those who could come here were either from wealthy families or single men with no family depending on them.
Of course, there were also scholars who could not endure loneliness.
Seeing that the second floor had already been entirely booked, those who arrived later either stayed on the first floor or paid to go up to the third.
"Why are there so many people here today? They've filled the whole second floor," said a man dressed like a scholar.
After reading a few pages of the Spring and Autumn Annals at home, he had been unable to bear it any longer and had come to conduct some practical research into the techniques.
"Those men are from the Anning Army. You've heard of Colonel Sheng Huai'an, right? The one who wrote, 'With heroic ambition, hungry, I feast on Hu flesh; laughing, thirsty, I drink Xiongnu blood.' He's treating his subordinates to a banquet," someone beside him said.
"What? That young general?" the scholar exclaimed in surprise.
In Anning City, there was now no scholar who did not know Sheng Huai'an's name. To compose verses so bold and unrestrained, his literary talent surpassed theirs by far.
"Precisely!"
"I wonder whether this young general will complete those verses today. They're only half-poems as they are, and that always feels somewhat lacking," another scholar said.
"Exactly, exactly!"
"If we are fortunate enough to witness a complete poem being born, it will be one of life's great blessings."
Quite a few people wanted to go offer a toast, but seeing that Sheng Huai'an was hosting his subordinates, they could only let the matter drop.
Since Anning City had only Yichun Tower as a place of pleasure, it was packed with people and exceedingly lively.
After all, this was a borderland, forever poised amid the flames of war. Few people were willing to bring their businesses here.
"Miss Hua Yueru was summoned to drink with the young general. It seems we won't get to see Miss Hua Yueru's peerless dance tonight," someone said regretfully.
The first-floor guests drank, chatted, and watched the dancing, while the second floor belonged entirely to Sheng Huai'an and his men.
As for the third floor...
That could not be spoken of!
"Come, Colonel, let me toast you!" Tang Yunshan raised his cup to Sheng Huai'an.
"Drink!"
Sheng Huai'an was also in high spirits now, raising his cup with Tang Yunshan and drinking freely.
"Colonel Sheng, I'll toast you too!" Hai Dahe also lifted his cup toward Sheng Huai'an.
"Are you trying to get me drunk?" Sheng Huai'an said with a smile.
"You can't put it that way. Among everyone here, Colonel, your status is the most esteemed. Naturally, we ought to toast you first," Hai Dahe said ingratiatingly.
Tang Yunshan looked at Hai Dahe's bootlicking manner with disdain. Was he really going to flatter him this shamelessly just for a Captain's post?
"That's right. Colonel, you led us through life and death and slew the Xiongnu invaders. Of course we should toast you first," Tang Yunshan hurriedly added.
"Enough flattery. We came out to have fun tonight, so as long as everyone enjoys themselves, that's enough. I was only joking. Even if all of you came at me together, you still couldn't drink me under the table," Sheng Huai'an said, smiling as he shook his head.
These two fellows were currying favor with him openly and covertly. Was it not all for a Captain's post? He saw through their little thoughts as clearly as daylight.
Everyone promptly toasted Sheng Huai'an first. He thought to himself that, sure enough, nowhere could one escape drinking-table culture. In the past, people toasted their leaders; now, they toasted their superiors.
Only now, he was no longer the one offering the toast, no longer some insignificant lackey in the corner.
At their table, only Wang Wu was more uninhibited. Though he sat beside Sheng Huai'an, the others were still somewhat restrained.
Wang Wu had an escort girl in his arms, kissing and hugging her as they laughed and chatted. One look was enough to tell that he was an old hand and a frequent customer.
Sheng Huai'an himself, meanwhile, kept secretly looking around Yichun Tower. It was his first time in a brothel, and he found it rather novel. But with his subordinates present, he put on a composed front and did not show it.
After all, this was a world where visiting brothels was legal. There was no need to sneak around.
"Come, my lord. Let this servant toast you another cup," Hua Yueru said, lifting her cup toward Sheng Huai'an.
She always felt that Sheng Huai'an's aura was very comfortable, making her unable to resist wanting to burrow into his embrace.
Perhaps it was because Sheng Huai'an cultivated the Great Sun Heart Sutra. That blazing, intensely yang aura made her heart flutter with springtime longing.
Sheng Huai'an never refused anyone's toast.
The drinking culture of his previous life's workplace had trained him to handle two and a half jin of baijiu and pour down beer without limit.
Now that he possessed martial cultivation, the low-proof wine of this world could only get him drunk if he drank nonstop for three days and three nights without rest.
Sheng Huai'an did not paw at her or make any moves. Hua Yueru felt somewhat discouraged inside. Was she not pretty enough? Could she not attract Sheng Huai'an?
How could she know that Sheng Huai'an did not dare act recklessly, afraid of breaking his vow?
At this moment, he hated the Great Sun Heart Sutra to death. What kind of damned cultivation technique was this? It actually forbade breaking one's pure yang!
With a beauty in his arms, able to look and touch but not eat—there was no telling how miserable that felt.
"Why don't I perform a dance for all you lords?" Hua Yueru decided to bring out one of her signature skills.
One of her specialties was an enchanting dance.
"Good, good!"
Everyone readily agreed.
"Then I must thank you for dancing a piece for my brothers," Sheng Huai'an said with a smile and a nod.
Hua Yueru rose and slowly descended from the second floor. Her gauzy sleeves were thin, her skin whiter than snow, and she immediately had many people drooling.
"Miss Yueru has come downstairs."
"Is she going to perform a dance?"
"Wow, what a feast for the mouth... no, a feast for the eyes."
Hua Yueru arrived on the stage. The dancers there coordinated with her, while the string musicians began to play.
The dance girls moved in harmony with Hua Yueru, and in an instant, those peerlessly elegant movements drew every eye in the room.
Even Sheng Huai'an was no exception. Her graceful dancing surpassed the coquettish posing of his previous life by who knew how much.
No wonder the high officials and nobles of ancient times all liked keeping singing and dancing girls. Elegant and refined, they were a delight to the eye.
When the dance ended, countless people remained entranced by those exquisite movements. What was half-hidden was most alluring.
"Not bad. No wonder she has so many people captivated," Sheng Huai'an said with a slight nod.
If she performed a dance like this in a livestream from his previous life, the viewer count would instantly surpass a hundred thousand.
After the dance ended, Hua Yueru glanced at Sheng Huai'an and saw that he was merely appreciating it. Unlike the others, he showed no look of infatuation.
That left her feeling discouraged and defeated. Even this could not seduce Sheng Huai'an?!
When she returned to the second floor and sat beside Sheng Huai'an, she stopped thinking about claiming his first time and quietly poured wine instead.
"Miss Yueru's dance was exquisite. It left these rough old men utterly bewitched," Sheng Huai'an said with a smile.
Just now, quite a few burly soldiers had been so enthralled that they drooled, looking like pigs in heat. They spent all year in the barracks and rarely had the chance to enjoy such dancing.
"You flatter me, my lord," Hua Yueru said with a shallow smile, charming enough to steal one's soul.
Yet I still couldn't bewitch you!
Sheng Huai'an secretly sighed. As expected of a beauty from a place of pleasure—every frown and smile of hers brimmed with seduction.
If he truly had been an ordinary innocent young man, he really would not have been able to hold himself back.
Watching his subordinates shout drinking games and drink merrily, Sheng Huai'an sighed inwardly. Perhaps, as soldiers guarding the border, this was the only happiness they could enjoy.
Before long, several scholars gathered their courage and came over to offer a toast.
"Are you Colonel Sheng, Lord Sheng?" asked a scholar in a blue robe.
"I am," Sheng Huai'an said with a nod.
If those damned soldiers had not forcibly dragged him into service, hauled him onto the city wall, and awakened his system cheat, perhaps he would still have been a scholar by now.
"We wish to toast Lord Sheng. Thank you, generals, for guarding Anning Pass and creating a peaceful, tranquil life for us," the leading scholar said.
Sheng Huai'an nodded. As expected of scholars—they truly knew how to speak.
"Let us drink, let us drink!" Sheng Huai'an raised his cup in return.
After emptying the cup, those scholars showed no intention of leaving.
"My lord, the two verses you composed—'With heroic ambition, hungry, I feast on Hu flesh; laughing, thirsty, I drink Xiongnu blood,' and 'If only the Flying General of Dragon City remained, he would not let the enemy steeds cross Anshan'—have filled us with boundless admiration. We long to read them every night, yet the poems are incomplete, which leaves us with regret. Might you bestow the complete poems upon us scholars, so that we may study them day and night?" the leading scholar asked sincerely.
They were all scholars and greatly admired those with learning and literary talent. They were also deeply respectful toward Sheng Huai'an.
"That's right, Colonel. Those two verses make even rough men like us feel our blood boil when we read them. Why not complete them?" Guo Xiaoping said from the side.
"Is there brush and ink?" Sheng Huai'an asked, seeing everyone looking at him expectantly.
"I'll get them at once!" Hua Yueru personally rose to fetch them.
When the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone arrived, Hua Yueru personally ground the ink for Sheng Huai'an.
When the people on the first floor heard that Sheng Huai'an was going to complete the two poems he had composed on the battlefield, they immediately perked up, all filled with anticipation.
Fortunately, the former owner of this body had written an excellent hand. Though he had failed to pass the xiucai examination, his calligraphy was quite good.
"Qin's moon, Han's pass; through ten thousand li of campaigns, the men have not returned.
"If only the Flying General of Dragon City remained, he would not let the enemy steeds cross Anshan!"
After giving it some thought, Sheng Huai'an chose to complete this poem. The other one was not suitable to bring out yet.
As everyone watched him write out the entire poem, the eyes of those scholars burned with excitement.
"Qin's moon, Han's pass; through ten thousand li of campaigns, the men have not returned.
"If only the Flying General of Dragon City remained, he would not let the enemy steeds cross Anshan!"
These were lines that would endure for a thousand ages. A poem could be passed down for a thousand ages, and they had never imagined they would personally witness such an immortal poem come into being. What incomparable fortune that was.
Though they did not know what dynasty Qin's moon and Han's pass referred to, that did not hinder their appreciation of a masterpiece worthy of lasting through the ages.
Hua Yueru looked at Sheng Huai'an, her eyes sparkling with little stars. This young man was handsome, could compose poetry, and possessed high martial cultivation. He was the perfect dream lover without equal. It was only a pity that she was trapped in this place of flowers and willows.
"What about the other poem, Lord Sheng? What about the other one?" several scholars urged impatiently.
"The other one has not been completed yet. I only have one line," Sheng Huai'an said.
Everyone was filled with disappointment upon hearing this.
"However!"
The moment they heard those two words, everyone instantly brightened again and looked at Sheng Huai'an with anticipation.
"I have another poem here."
At once, Sheng Huai'an took up his brush and wrote on another sheet of xuan paper:
"I swore to sweep away the Xiongnu, heedless of my life; five thousand men in sable brocade fell amid Hu dust.
"Pitiful, the bones beside the Wuding River are still the men in spring chambers' dreams!"
This poem had originally been the second of Chen Tao's Four Poems of Longxi from the Tang Dynasty of his previous life. Sheng Huai'an did not give it a title.
Looking at this poem, Guo Xiaoping, Hu Bing, Wang Wu, Tang Yunshan, and the others all fell silent.
It reminded them of the battle at Yinma River. The corpses of more than seven hundred brothers-in-arms had been scattered along the riverbank. Those waiting for the men who never returned could only meet them in dreams.
"I swore to sweep away the Xiongnu, heedless of my life; five thousand men in sable brocade fell amid Hu dust.
"Pitiful, the bones beside the Wuding River are still the men in spring chambers' dreams!"
Once this poem emerged, everyone fell silent. It held no heroic ambition or boiling blood, only the cruelty and mercilessness of war.
Pitiful, those bones piled high beside the Wuding River—how many women in secluded chambers were thinking of them day and night!
Guo Xiaoping and the others looked at Sheng Huai'an. Only then did they understand that Sheng Huai'an had still not let the matter go.
So many brothers-in-arms had been left dead in the wilderness, yet they had been unable to lay their former brothers to rest in the earth.
That night, everyone drank themselves senseless.
The residents of Anning City, who had just endured the Xiongnu army battering at the pass, felt it most deeply.
At the same time, these two poems swiftly spread beyond the pass, traveling north and south across the land.
The line, "Pitiful, the bones beside the Wuding River are still the men in spring chambers' dreams," spoke of endless longing and heartbreak.
It laid bare the cruelty and mercilessness of war, stirring resonance in many hearts.
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