Meanwhile, at another residence in the capital.
"Master, you mustn't drink any more."
Inside the reception hall, a man kept pouring wine into the cup before him.
The richly fragrant wine had already overflowed the rim and spilled onto the table, yet he remained utterly unaware.
A beautiful middle-aged woman stood beside him, anxiety written all over her face. She wanted to step forward and dissuade him, but hesitated.
Suddenly, a light breeze swept past. The woman's cheeks flushed as though she were drunk, and her eyes grew hazy with intoxication. Before she could react, her body went limp, and she collapsed to the floor.
The man seated at the table glanced back and scoffed. "You told me not to indulge in drink, yet you were the first to fall drunk. What is the meaning of this?"
But when he turned back, he saw a figure standing beside him.
The shock frightened away most of his drunkenness.
His hand trembled as he pointed at the stranger. "Y-you, who are you?"
"Lord Qin, you certainly know how to enjoy yourself."
The newcomer did not reveal his identity. He merely addressed the man, who was already drunk as a puddle of mud, with a hint of mockery.
"H-how do you know who I am?"
These successive shocks left Qin Weide drenched in cold sweat, and his mind instantly cleared.
"I had thought Lord Qin a man who applied himself and strove to advance. Yet now that I have met you, I find you as timid as a mouse. How utterly disappointing."
The newcomer's voice was cold enough to pierce the bones, making Qin Weide shudder involuntarily.
"What do you mean by that?"
Although Qin Weide ordinarily adhered strictly to the middle road, he could not tolerate someone insulting him again and again.