Imperial Wine

"Pure luck, pure luck." Hong Yi smiled. "It seems you practice internal arts too, Brother Huang. May I ask which school or sect you belong to?"

Hong Yi's cultivation far surpassed Huang Xiao's, so it was only natural that he could sense the internal power within Huang Xiao.

At Hong Yi's question, Huang Xiao hesitated. He could not say he belonged to Green Ox Gate now; after all, the Huaqing Sect was still hunting him.

Seeing Huang Xiao hesitate, Hong Yi immediately caught on. He smiled and said, "That was rash of me."

"It's nothing, really. I learned my martial arts from my master, and I don't know what sect he belonged to either. He was on his own, and I was his only disciple. My master passed away not long ago, and only then did I come down from the mountain," Huang Xiao said.

"My condolences. Please take care." Hong Yi shook his head. "Let's leave everything else aside and get some food first."

"The princess is here! Princess Yunya is here!" Just then, cries of surprise rose from up ahead.

"Brother, you're in luck. Your eyes are in for a treat," Hong Yi said with a smile.

Huang Xiao grew rather curious. He too wanted to see just what this princess looked like.

Before long, a woman in a pale-green court dress emerged from the Prince's Mansion. A flicker of surprise crossed Huang Xiao's eyes. Hong Yi was right. She truly is an exquisite beauty. Recalling Zhao Xin'er from that night, Huang Xiao compared the two in his mind and found that their beauty was different—or rather, their bearing was different. That was hardly surprising, really. Everyone was different, so naturally their beauty differed too. Of course, there was no way to judge which of them was truly more beautiful.

"Well? You never saw a beauty like her while you were in the mountains with your master, did you?" Hong Yi asked with a smile.

"This is indeed the first time." Huang Xiao nodded. "Altar Master Hong, could you be one of the princess's suitors?"

At Huang Xiao's words, Hong Yi first froze, then burst out laughing. Spreading his arms, he turned in a circle before Huang Xiao and asked, "Look at me. What woman would take a fancy to a beggar like me? I'm purely admiring her, nothing more. With a woman like the princess, just looking is enough for me. How could I harbor any improper desires?"

"Altar Master Hong, you're wrong there. How can people be judged by their appearance?" Huang Xiao said, shaking his head.

Huang Xiao had barely finished speaking when a clear, pleasing voice rang out nearby. "Altar Master Hong, you're a rare guest indeed!"

"Hong Yi pays his respects to Your Highness." Hong Yi cupped his fists toward Princess Yunya as she approached.

Many beggars had been gathered in front of them, but as Princess Yunya approached, they all stepped aside to open a path.

"Altar Master Hong, how did you find the time to come today?" Princess Yunya asked as she reached him.

"Your Highness, you're mistaken there. I, Hong Yi, am an idle man to begin with. I always have time. I just happened to stroll past the Prince's Mansion and found myself craving a bite, so I'll have to trouble you again." Hong Yi smiled.

"Someone bring Altar Master Hong a jar of fine wine," Princess Yunya told a maid behind her.

"Yes, Your Highness." The maid hurried back and had the servants prepare a jar of good wine.

Before long, a household guard came before Princess Yunya carrying a jar of wine. At her slight nod, he handed it to Hong Yi.

Hong Yi stood on no ceremony. Taking the jar and breaking its seal, he inhaled deeply at its mouth, then said with an intoxicated expression, "Fine wine! What a fragrance..."

"What do you think?" Princess Yunya asked, her eyes smiling.

"Your Highness, what wine is this? I've drunk plenty of wines, but I've never encountered this one," Hong Yi asked.

"It is imperial wine from the palace," Princess Yunya answered.

"Imperial wine?" Delight filled Hong Yi's face. "Thank you, Your Highness. I've long heard that the palace's imperial wines are brewed through special processes."

"Whatever the wine, only someone who loves it can savor its flavor, and you, Altar Master Hong, are an expert." Yunya smiled.

"You flatter me, Your Highness. I'm nothing but a wine sot," Hong Yi said, hugging the jar tightly.

Huang Xiao was completely ignored at the side. That was only natural. To Princess Yunya, Huang Xiao was merely a beggar, or at most a disciple of the Beggar Gang. Hong Yi alone mattered to her. After all, as a branch leader of the Beggar Gang, he held considerable rank and authority within it. More importantly, Hong Yi was a personal disciple of the current leader of the Beggar Gang, and despite his youth, his cultivation was unfathomable. Befriending someone like him could only benefit her.

Hong Yi did not introduce Huang Xiao, but Huang Xiao thought nothing of it. After all, he was only a stranger to Hong Yi, and it was already remarkable that Hong Yi had brought him over earlier. Besides, the princess was of noble standing. Without knowing Huang Xiao's background, Hong Yi naturally dared not introduce him casually.

"My respects, Your Highness!" At some point, a middle-aged man in brocade robes had come up beside them. Huang Xiao had not noticed him; his cultivation was still low, after all. A dozen or so people followed behind the middle-aged man. Though their clothing was not as fine as his, it was neat and clean. Yet each still carried a bamboo staff, little different from those held by the other beggars. If there was any difference, it was merely that their bamboo staffs were very clean.

Huang Xiao could also faintly sense the aura emanating from the middle-aged man-the aura of an expert.

"Ah, Branch Leader Liu." Seeing the newcomer, Princess Yunya smiled, then beckoned to the maid behind her.

The maid hurried forward, took a brocade pouch from her sleeve, and presented it to Branch Leader Liu with both hands.

Branch Leader Liu smiled. Taking the pouch in one hand, he hefted it, and his smile deepened. "Your Highness, you are far too kind. I had no wish to trouble you, but our gang has so many disciples. For the sake of their livelihood, I can only swallow my pride."

"You're too polite, Branch Leader Liu. The Beggar Gang's disciples are found throughout the land, and they often uphold chivalry and justice. I am but a woman and cannot roam the martial world as you great heroes do, rescuing people from peril. I can only do what little lies within my power," Princess Yunya said.

Altar Master Liu smiled, then cupped his fists toward Hong Yi. "Liu Xia pays his respects to Altar Master Hong. I didn't expect you to be here as well. Had I known, I wouldn't have come. Aren't you going to pay your respects to the altar master?"

The people behind Liu Xia hurriedly saluted Hong Yi.

"You jest, Deputy Branch Leader Liu. You shoulder a heavy responsibility, with so many mouths waiting for you to feed them. I'm only begging a meal for myself and cannot look after so many disciples. I'm truly ashamed," Hong Yi said, shaking his head with a sigh.

"Altar Master, I merely do what I can," Liu Xia said.

"Hmph, shameless..." The beggars nearby voiced their disdain.

Liu Xia and the disciples behind him merely sneered upon hearing this and said nothing.

"Altar Master, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Liu Xia said, cupping his fists.

Hong Yi waved a hand. "Go on, go on..."

Liu Xia stood on no ceremony either. He turned and left with his dozen or so disciples. They had only walked a few dozen yards when Huang Xiao heard their voices. "Altar Master, how much silver did the princess give you? That pouch must hold quite a bit, right?"

"Ten taels of loose silver, and some banknotes. Judging by past experience, no less than fifty taels!" Liu Xia answered.

"That much? Altar Master, I know a restaurant that just opened in the south of the city. They say its food and wine are excellent. Shall we go try it?"

"Who cares about eating? I heard that Miss Chunhua, the reigning courtesan of the Embroidered Spring House, is choosing a guest for her private chamber today. Altar Master, aren't you going to take a look?"

"Your Highness, you really needn't do this," Hong Yi sighed after Liu Xia and the others had left.

"Whether it's the Poor Beggar Faction or the Rich Beggar Faction, that is an internal matter of your Beggar Gang. They belong to the Rich Beggar Faction, so naturally they wouldn't want my steamed buns," Yunya said, shaking her head.

Only upon hearing Princess Yunya's words did Huang Xiao come to a realization. So that Deputy Branch Leader Liu belonged to the Beggar Gang's Rich Beggar Faction. He had heard of it before.