Yang Qing slowly rose to his feet. After exchanging a few more words with him, Chu Jinghui dismissed him and Wei Sizhong from the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Yang Qing walked beside Wei Sizhong. Once they rounded a corner, he heard Wei Sizhong say, "Congratulations, Lord Yang. You have weathered the clouds and finally seen the sun."
Yang Qing returned his salute. "Thank you for your concern, Chancellor Wei. Without your kind words on my behalf, this would have been a difficult hurdle for me to clear."
"Ah, why belittle yourself, Lord Yang? To pursue a single undertaking with such meticulous care for over a decade, never wavering—your tenacity commands even my admiration!"
A flicker of unease crossed Yang Qing's face, but his expression quickly returned to normal. "Your words truly put me to shame, Chancellor Wei!"
"You are being far too modest, Lord Yang. I greatly admire capable men like you, and meeting you today has been a pleasure. Why not let me play host, and we can enjoy a few drinks together?"
"With an invitation from you, Chancellor Wei, how could I refuse?"
Wei Sizhong laughed heartily. "Excellent! Your ready acceptance delights me, Lord Yang! This time, we shall not leave until we are drunk!"
"After you, Chancellor Wei!"
Yang Qing extended a hand toward Wei Sizhong, a faint smile spreading across his face.
"After you, Lord Yang?"
Capital City, Jadeite Pavilion.
Yang Qing had been away from Capital City for several years, so naturally, Wei Sizhong had chosen the venue.
Standing outside the Jadeite Pavilion, Yang Qing looked up at its sign, then said to Wei Sizhong, "You have refined tastes, Chancellor Wei."
Wei Sizhong waved a hand. "I am only a rough fellow. I simply heard that the Jadeite Pavilion has a few dishes worth tasting.