Xia Ya smiled. "Look at Li Qingxian, his face is all flushed. He must have had quite a bit to drink, yet he still pushed himself to come see us. But for being late to a reunion with old classmates, he can’t go unpunished. Let’s do as Young Master Lou says—one penalty cup for now. We’ll see how he redeems himself later."
Lou Yushan laughed. "Haha, let’s do as Xia Ya says."
Li Qingxian’s gaze fell on Xia Ya. The touch of wine had her face blooming like a peach blossom, her lips a vibrant red. Her eyes shimmered as she smiled faintly, exuding a unique charm for one so young.
"I saved you a spot, right here next to me!" Du Qizhen came over, pulled Li Qingxian back with him, and positioned him between himself and Xia Ya.
"Drink this first!" Du Qizhen picked up a small, inch-high glass cup and handed it to Li Qingxian.
Li Qingxian took it, gave the crowd a cheerful smile, and raised the cup. "Well then, I’ll drain this one." He tilted his head back and downed it in one go.
"Hear, hear!" The crowd cheered before everyone sat down.
Li Qingxian tilted his head slightly and murmured, "Thanks, old classmate."
Xia Ya chuckled lightly. "Don’t mention it."
Lou Yushan shot a glance at Li Qingxian and smiled. "Young Master Li, how are things at the Night Guard? With your skills, you should have at least reached Entering Grade by now. At worst, you should’ve managed to become a deputy squad leader, right?"
Li Qingxian laughed. "You all know me. I’m no scholar and no warrior. How could I possibly be a deputy squad leader?"
Lou Yushan’s eyes were hazy with drink. "No need to rush. I’m sure you’re destined for a meteoric rise one day. Come, it’s been a while. Let me toast you!"
Li Qingxian raised his cup, and the two of them drank.
After a few pleasantries, Lou Yushan took over the conversation. "What were we talking about just now? Oh, right, the various Government Offices. Li Qingxian here is a prime example. You think the Night Guard Office is easy to get into? But one word from Mr. Gangfeng, and in he went. What are connections? *That’s* connections! I know some of you used to look down on Li Qingxian, thinking he was a good-for-nothing with nothing but a good dad. But even with Mr. Gangfeng passed away, a casual word from his network of friends and family is still worth ten thousand times more than any of you."
Li Qingxian quickly interjected, "Let’s not talk about me. By the way, Young Master Lou, your Magpie Training patch is looking very sharp."
A pleased look crossed Lou Yushan’s face, but he waved his hand dismissively. "It’s nothing special. I just reaped the benefits of my family’s influence and used a Treasure Medicine to reach Entering Grade. But let me tell you, this whole business of Entering Grade... it’s not as simple as you think."
Lou Yushan launched into a long-winded speech about himself, his gaze occasionally drifting toward Xia Ya and another female classmate, Yao Xiu.
Throughout the meal, people took turns making toasts. Lou Yushan drank more and more, his face growing redder and his tongue looser with every cup.
Li Qingxian figured it was time to go and was about to make his exit, but Lou Yushan sighed and turned to the silent Dai Tiee beside him. "Ah, Dai Tiezui, don’t think I’m picking on you. The Academy has its rules, but the world has its own. You were a top student at the Academy, proud and arrogant about your talent, and we couldn’t say a thing. But once you step into the great melting pot of society, you have to play by a whole new set of rules."
Li Qingxian and Xia Ya exchanged a look, both realizing at once that Lou Yushan was drunk.
The person next to Lou Yushan quickly asked, "Young Master Lou, should we order you a bowl of sobering soup?"
Lou Yushan waved a hand away, his eyes glazed over. "What do I need sobering soup for?" he snapped. "I’m teaching you all a lesson about the way the world works!"
The room fell silent.
"Just look at Dai Tiee. Back at the Academy, he looked down his nose at everyone. But out here in the real world, where Junior Tenth Grade cultivators are a dime a dozen, who the hell knows who Dai Tiee is? The great Government Offices of the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers—do you think a peasant’s son like him can just waltz in there?"
The thin, short Dai Tiee’s expression darkened. He lowered his gaze slightly, his right hand, resting on his lap beneath the table, clenched into a tight fist.
"We’re all former classmates here, so I’ll speak frankly. In this world, status—be it a Prince or a general—is passed from father to son. The greatest fairness in this world is that it’s fundamentally unfair. A bookworm from some backwater village... what right does he have to compete with the resources my family has built up over three generations? Dai Tiezui, don’t get mad. I’m not singling you out; I’m just telling the truth. I wouldn’t be saying this if I didn’t consider you a friend," Lou Yushan said.
Dai Tiee gave a slight nod.
Li Qingxian glanced at Lou Yushan. Many of their former classmates were aware of his family’s status.
The men of his father’s generation all held positions in the Ministry of Works. Before his grandfather retired, he had reached the rank of Junior Fifth Grade and was the third-in-command of a whole department. In the Divine Capital, that was no small official, and on a national scale, he was a genuine dignitary.
His father was a Senior Sixth Grade official, placing him in the Middle-Third Grade, while his uncles were all Seventh Grade.
Although the Ministry of Works was dominated by Puppet Cultivators, it still required many from Literature Cultivation to manage its affairs. With several generations serving there, his family’s roots in the Ministry were deep and secure.
’It’s just that we were all young back then,’ Li Qingxian thought. ’Aside from a few, most people didn’t pay him much mind. They only respected the top students. Even I, the son of Gangfeng, didn’t get any special treatment at the Academy.’
Lou Yushan glanced at Xia Ya and Yao Xiu again, then said with a grin, "Putting that aside, my mother recently bought me a large residence in the Inner City. Guess who my next-door neighbor is?"
He scanned the room with a self-satisfied smile as everyone shook their heads.
"My mother told me in secret... it’s the private residence of Liuu Changhe, the Magistrate of Mingyuan Prefecture."
"Now that’s prime real estate!" Du Qizhen exclaimed in admiration.
"The other large mansions nearby belong to several major officials, but I can’t possibly name them," Lou Yushan said conspiratorially.
A chorus of impressed murmurs went through the group.
’But Li Qingxian was puzzled. He had indeed heard of Liuu Changhe. Just two days ago, he had been talking about him with Liu Muwa and Luo Jing. The man had fallen from power, been stripped of his post, and exiled to the northern borders to fight for his redemption.’
Lou Yushan then went on and on, recounting various tales of his "high-born and noble" life, his eyes frequently drifting toward the only two women present.
Xia Ya remained completely impassive, but Yao Xiu showered Lou Yushan with constant praise.
Every so often, Lou Yushan would take another jab at Dai Tiee.
’Li Qingxian remembered a time years ago when he’d gotten into a conflict with another group of students and was falsely accused. It was Dai Tiee who had stood up and spoken a few fair words on his behalf, saving him from a paddling from their teacher.’
Li Qingxian was already looking for a way out, and he also wanted to create a diversion for Dai Tiee. He filled his cup, waited for a lull, and then rose to his feet. "I’m so happy to see all of you today," he said. "Come, let me toast everyone. I’ll drain my cup; the rest of you, feel free to drink as you wish."
With that, he tilted his head back and drained the cup.
Du Qizhen, Dai Tiee, and Xia Ya also drained their cups in response. Lou Yushan just laughed heartily and said, "I’ve really had too much to drink today. I’ll just have half a cup."
The others followed Lou Yushan’s lead, drinking only half their cups.
Li Qingxian smiled. "I’ve been here for a while now, and my friends at my own table are probably getting impatient. Next time, have Du Qizhen give me a call, and we can all get properly drunk together. Everyone, until next time."
Lou Yushan said with a sly smile, "Who’s the ranking official over at your table? If it’s someone I know, I can go over and pay my respects with a toast."
Li Qingxian laughed. "They’re just my Martial Artist brothers from the Night Guard. No officials there."
Lou Yushan nodded. "You’re not staying a bit longer?"
Du Qizhen was about to urge him to stay, but he shut his mouth when he heard the tone in Lou Yushan’s voice.
"Can’t stay, I’ll see you all around."
Li Qingxian scanned the faces of the group one last time, gave a customary farewell salute, and turned to leave.
Everyone rose to watch him go.
Li Qingxian left the room and, accompanied by Han Anbo, went back downstairs to the Mingxuan Room.
Li Qingxian had never been one for socializing and had wanted to return to the Night Guard Office early, but his companions were in high spirits and wouldn’t hear of him leaving. They insisted he stay and continue the festivities.
Before long, his bladder was full again. Li Qingxian decided to use the bathroom as an excuse to get away. He stepped out of the room and was walking along the second-floor corridor toward the stairs when he glanced down into the dark courtyard. There, in a lantern-lit pavilion, sat Dai Tiee in a corner, quietly wiping his eyes.