TGWM Ch. 6

Chapter 6: Meeting Yun Yan Again

Beichen Ji was left speechless by Lin Aoxue’s words. His eyes widened as if he wanted to argue, but he couldn’t find a way to refute her. He stood there in a daze for a long moment before finally gritting his teeth and snapping in frustration, “I understand your reasoning! But I just can’t stand that despicable person!”

For the first time, Lin Aoxue felt that although Beichen Ji wasn’t particularly capable, he did have some redeeming qualities. She crossed her arms and watched as Beichen Ji threw a tantrum, the corners of her lips curling into a faint smile. Suddenly, she raised an eyebrow and said, “If you think I’m so pitiful, how about buying me a drink next time we have a day off?”

She had no intention of making an unnecessary scene with Chen Er. A little trick like this was nothing—she could accept it with complete composure.

Beichen Ji was momentarily stunned by Lin Aoxue’s suggestion, but then his face lit up with joy. This was the first time Lin Aoxue had ever invited him for a drink. Any lingering frustration in his heart vanished as he cheerfully agreed, “Sure!” But after giving his response, something felt off. Only then did he belatedly ask, “Wait… why am I the one paying?”

Lin Aoxue chuckled as she walked toward the low-roofed shelter, calling back over her shoulder, “You’re a wealthy young master. If you don’t treat me, do you expect someone as poor, miserable, and bullied as I am to pay?”

Her reasoning was so sound that Beichen Ji had no way to argue.

***

A few days later, on their day off, Lin Aoxue stood outside Yanyu Tower with a gloomy expression, her face stiff and her entire presence exuding an intense, menacing aura that kept the tower’s courtesans at a distance.

Although it had been nearly three months since Lin Aoxue had caused an uproar at Yanyu Tower, the girls still vividly remembered the mysterious figure who had concealed half their face with a mask and single-handedly taken on the tower’s enforcers—leaving completely unscathed.

Now, seeing Lin Aoxue again, looking strangely familiar, and then spotting Beichen Ji beside her, the courtesans instinctively became nervous, treading carefully with their words and actions.

Lin Aoxue took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. Then, she turned to Beichen Ji with a dark expression and asked, “This is the tavern you were talking about?”

Beichen Ji laughed heartily, practically bouncing with excitement. He nudged Lin Aoxue in the back with his elbow and grinned, “Hey, we agreed that I’d treat you to a drink, right? Since I’m the one paying, I get to pick the place! Ha ha ha! Come on, let’s go up!”

Lin Aoxue almost bit her tongue, regretting ever asking Beichen Ji to treat her. Right next door was Fuyun Manor, yet he just had to choose Yanyu Tower.

She adjusted the mask covering the right side of her face, let out a long sigh of resignation, and then, with heavy steps, followed Beichen Ji inside.

This was her second time at Yanyu Tower. The interior décor hadn’t changed much from three months ago. The room was heated with charcoal, making it pleasantly warm.

A welcoming courtesan led Beichen Ji and Lin Aoxue to a private room. Beichen Ji was clearly a regular; every time he visited, the madam personally came to greet him, and this time was no different. Not long after the two entered the private room, the madam arrived, bringing along several beautiful musicians for them to choose from as drinking companions.

Beichen Ji casually asked, “Is Miss Yun Yan here?”

The madam waved the white silk in her hand with a teasing smile and replied, “Young Master Ji, you really do have our Yun Yan on your mind! You ask about her every time you come. Unfortunately, she’s not in the tower right now. She should be back later in the evening.”

Beichen Ji let out an “Oh” but didn’t seem disappointed. After all, he wasn’t the only young master who came to Yanyu Tower hoping to see Yun Yan—there were plenty of wealthy and powerful men who tried, yet none had ever succeeded in inviting her for a drink.

Rumor had it that there was someone backing Yanyu Tower, and not just anyone, but an influential noble from the capital. There had been troublemakers before, but they were all dealt with swiftly and discreetly. Beichen Ji never had high hopes, so when the madam said Yun Yan wasn’t around, he didn’t take it to heart.

Knowing Lin Aoxue wouldn’t take the initiative, he took care of everything himself—choosing three beautiful women, assigning one to accompany Lin Aoxue, another to play the guqin, and keeping the third for himself. After that, he dismissed the madam and the remaining courtesans.

Listening to Beichen Ji and the madam’s conversation, Lin Aoxue recalled the brief encounter she had with Yun Yan that day. The woman was indeed breathtaking, every movement captivating. No wonder Beichen Ji was so taken with her.

Unaccustomed to the atmosphere, Lin Aoxue sat stiffly, maintaining a formal posture. To avoid exposing her identity, she minimized physical contact with others. Beichen Ji teased her, laughing that she must have never experienced a woman’s charm before, which was why she was so uptight.

Lin Aoxue kept a straight face and didn’t dignify his remark with a response. The courtesan beside her was intimidated by the dangerous aura she exuded but dared not go against Beichen Ji’s arrangement. Carefully, she lifted a cup of wine, intending to serve Lin Aoxue.

Meanwhile, Beichen Ji poured himself a cup of sake and flirted with the guqin player before turning back to Lin Aoxue and chatting, “You really don’t know a good thing when you see it. Don’t underestimate Yanyu Tower! When it comes to wine and women in Xingbei, if Yanyu Tower claims second place, no one would dare claim first! This Qingfeng Brew is the finest wine in Xingbei—you won’t find it anywhere else…”

Just as Lin Aoxue was struggling with how to handle the courtesan’s advances, Beichen Ji’s words gave her an out. She swiftly snatched the wine cup from the woman’s hands, tilted her head back, and drank it all in one go. Then, she slammed the cup down on the table and declared, “Indeed, excellent wine!”

The courtesan beside her was startled out of her wits, while Beichen Ji was left completely dumbfounded. He stared blankly for a long moment before his lips twitched. Struggling to suppress his laughter, he took a small sip from his own cup and continued, “This wine is smooth and fragrant, but it has quite a strong aftereffect. You, my friend, are a man of passion!”

At first, Lin Aoxue didn’t feel anything after drinking the strong wine, but soon, a burning heat surged through her body. Her head felt light, and even the exposed half of her face grew slightly flushed. 

She clenched her jaw, realizing she had miscalculated. She made a mental note to be more cautious in the future—this was the last time she would go drinking with Beichen Ji.

Lin Aoxue could usually hold her liquor well, and given her unique circumstances, she never allowed herself to get drunk. However, she was unfamiliar with Xingbei’s wines, and coming to Yanyu Tower had been an unexpected detour. She hadn’t anticipated that Beichen Ji would order the finest Qingfeng Brew, nearly trapping her in her own scheme.

After three rounds of drinks, Beichen Ji was completely wasted, slumped over and muttering nonsense. Lin Aoxue, having been urged to drink a few more cups by him and the courtesan, also felt dizzy and uncomfortable.

She stood up, no longer interested in listening to the music, and dismissed the guqin player. Then, grabbing Beichen Ji by the collar, she prepared to drag him out of Yanyu Tower.

Qingfeng Brew was even stronger than she had expected, but thanks to a decade of martial arts training, she had a solid foundation. Even in her current state, she barely managed to stay conscious.

Dragging Beichen Ji out of the room, Lin Aoxue was just about to descend the stairs when he suddenly struggled. Caught off guard, she stepped forward with one foot, but the other was tripped up. Losing her balance, she stumbled forward, on the verge of falling.

Fortunately, she reacted quickly and anticipated her landing point. After sliding down two steps, she managed to grab hold of the railing just in time.

However, the momentum was too strong—Beichen Ji nearly slipped from her grasp, and in the process, the stair railing dug painfully into her arm.

Steadying herself with effort, Lin Aoxue exhaled deeply, frowning as she considered how she was going to drag this deadweight of a man back to the military camp.

Just then, a familiar hem of fabric entered her field of vision. She looked up and saw Yun Yan, dressed in the same attire she had worn the day they first crossed paths months ago. With a few young maidservants following behind her, Yun Yan ascended the stairs gracefully.

Their gazes met, and a flicker of surprise crossed Yun Yan’s face before she smiled and said, “Did my girls not take good care of you? Our two esteemed officers are so drunk yet unwilling to stay the night at Yanyu Tower?”

Recalling everything that had just happened, Lin Aoxue felt a tinge of awkwardness. She hadn’t expected to run into Yun Yan again right as she was leaving, let alone be caught in such an embarrassing situation. She deliberately maintained a stoic expression, suppressing any sign of her inner turmoil. Exuding an air of cold indifference, she replied, “Thank you for your kindness, Miss Yun Yan, but we have important matters to attend to tomorrow. It wouldn’t be appropriate to linger here any longer, so we’ll take our leave.”

As she spoke, she gave Beichen Ji a firm tug, trying to wake him up.

However, Beichen Ji, groggy from intoxication, was irritated by the disturbance. Being pulled by the collar only made him more uncomfortable. Fueled by drunken frustration, he struggled violently, kicked his legs, and broke free from Lin Aoxue’s grip—only to tumble straight down the stairs.

Lin Aoxue’s eyelids twitched. This wasn’t a particularly tall staircase, but if Beichen Ji hit his head or injured himself, she would inevitably get dragged into the mess as well.

She didn’t have time to think. Immediately, she let go of the railing and reached out to grab him.

Her reflexes were swift, and she managed to seize his belt. But the abrupt movement caused the alcohol to rush to her head, sending a wave of dizziness through her. Unable to steady herself, she lost her footing—and with a loud thud, she and Beichen Ji tumbled down the stairs together.

Yun Yan was so stunned that she instinctively took a step back. The two of them landed right at her feet with a heavy thump, shaking the wooden floor and making the small tower tremble slightly.

Having crashed to the ground, Beichen Ji simply passed out on the spot, snoring away. Lin Aoxue, on the other hand, had scraped her elbow and banged her shoulder against the steps. The soreness was unbearable as she tried to get up.

It took Yun Yan a moment to recover from the shock. She quickly turned to her maidservants, instructing them to help Lin Aoxue and Beichen Ji up and arrange a guest room for them to stay the night.

This time, Lin Aoxue didn’t refuse. Her lips were pressed into a firm line, her face expressionless—but the tips of her ears were burning red, seething with embarrassment.

As the two of them were helped back upstairs, just as Lin Aoxue stepped onto the final wooden stair, she suddenly lifted her foot and kicked Beichen Ji hard in the thigh, sending him stumbling forward and face-planting onto the floor.

The maidservants gasped in alarm, and Yun Yan, who had been watching from behind, was momentarily stunned. Then, as Lin Aoxue and Beichen Ji each entered their respective rooms, she couldn’t hold it in any longer—she let out a soft chuckle.

This Lin Aoxue was truly amusing.