No Need for Scruples

Xi Cui: "Damn it!"

No matter how good her temper was, Xi Cui couldn't hold back the urge to curse right now.

Xia Miao's reaction was also extremely quick. "Liu Lang, you've misunderstood me. I really had no intention of forcing San Niang." Her face showed a look of apology. "However, it was indeed too abrupt of me. I will apologize to San Niang..."

She had originally found this matter quite annoying, but now it seemed much more agreeable. There had never been a shortage of noble descendants admiring her and coming to propose, Xia Miao thought with a touch of complacency, but she hadn't expected this monk to have some discernment as well.

"Lady Xia thinks too highly of me!" Xi Cui could no longer bear it and interrupted her. "I truly do not know how to compose poetry."

"If one cup is not enough, I will penalize myself with three cups. Will that suffice?"

Without waiting for Xia Miao's reaction, she picked up the small, narrow-mouthed white jade wine flask in front of her. Under Wei Dansheng's gaze, she poured three consecutive cups and drank them all.

With three cups down her throat, Xia Miao's face darkened.

She was born beautiful and possessed a lofty character; there had never been a shortage of noble descendants pursuing her.

Seeing Xia Miao's poor expression, some in the crowd grew dissatisfied, feeling that this San Niangzi was too dismissive of others. Lady Xia was also an innocent person who didn't understand the ways of the world, but her being so serious made things difficult for everyone.

Someone couldn't stand it any longer and spoke up. "Lady Xia also had good intentions. Lady Gao, you are being too disrespectful."

"Exactly. Everyone just wants to have fun. Why must things be made so serious?"

Suddenly, Chu Luoxin also stood up. "Although there are talented people like Lady Xia at this table, there are also those who are not good at literature, like me. If we are to match poems like this, I won't be able to keep up either."

Usually reading many heroic tales, seeing everyone gossiping about a girl made Chu Luoxin's heroic nature rise. Annoyed, he picked up his wine cup and also drank three cups in a row. "I will also penalize myself with three cups. How about that?"

Xi Cui: ...

With Chu Luoxin interrupting, instead of relaxing, the atmosphere became even more tense.

Everyone was suddenly struck dumb, not knowing how to respond.

At this moment, Gao Ying suddenly slapped the table, her apricot eyes wide with anger as she glared. "What do you mean by that? San Niang doesn't know, so let it be. How long are you going to argue over this?"

She had long disliked Xia Miao's temperament—arrogant and looking down on everyone. She didn't like Gao Diyu, but she was even less accustomed to Xia Miao playing dumb and acting pitiful.

Once Gao Ying spoke, the arrogance of those who had spoken up for Xia Miao suddenly withered.

They dared to speak like that because they saw that San Niang was not favored in the Gao family, and Gao Ying was cold toward her. Today, seeing Gao Ying speak up for her, they weighed the pros and cons and naturally did not dare to say more.

Although Chu Luoxin often acted on impulse, he wasn't stupid. Realizing that stepping forward so rashly would instead cause misunderstanding, he paused after Gao Ying spoke and continued, "How about this? Listen to me. Let's put this poetry business aside. Next, we should draw lots for drinking penalties. What do you think?"

Amidst the silence, Wu Huaifei was the first to agree. "Very well, we shall listen to Master Chu."

Seeing that the atmosphere had become somewhat awkward, and with Wu Huaifei raising her head, how could the rest refuse? They naturally agreed. Xia Miao's face stiffened, and she instinctively looked toward Wei Dansheng.

Yet she didn't expect him to be looking at Chu Luoxin and Gao San Niang, without giving her so much as a glance.

Her face could hardly bear it, and she sat down in resentment.

The bamboo lot container was brought to the table. There were a total of one hundred and twenty slips, with Tang poems carved on the front and penalty rules on the back.

Chu Luoxin drew first. He shook out a slip, picked it up to look, and immediately smiled. "This one should be for Gao Er Lang to drink, but since Er Lang isn't here, I'll drink it."

The front was carved with the line, "Hold the bow with arms and arrows at the waist," and the back was carved with, "The martial artist drinks one cup."

Chu Luoxin's temper came and went quickly. He cheerfully drank another cup and handed the container to the person sitting next to him.

The atmosphere at the banquet finally began to ease.

Wu Huaifei drew a slip with "Picked up and thought of, but no one to give it to," and the back was carved with "Drink one cup yourself." She immediately poured a cup of wine and drank it dry.

The container was passed to Xi Cui. She was also somewhat curious about what she would draw.

Picking up a slip, she saw the front read: "Sharing one body with both of my lord's wives," and turning it over, she couldn't help but freeze. The back read: "Drink a cup with the person sitting opposite."

Sitting opposite her, who else could it be but Wei Dansheng?

She stared at the ivory slip without saying a word, prompting everyone to urge her curiously.

"What did you draw? Tell everyone quickly."

Xi Cui glanced at Wei Dansheng. "It says... 'Sharing one body with both of my lord's wives,' and 'drink a cup with the person sitting opposite.'"

The person sitting opposite?

Wasn't the person sitting opposite Wei family's San Lang?

Everyone present looked bewildered.

Although Wei San Lang had shaved his head and entered the monastery, he was still a man after all. There was no reason for an unrelated man and woman to share a cup of wine.

"Perhaps... we should skip this rule," someone suggested.

Chu Luoxin also looked over and said warmly, "San Niang, draw another slip."

Xi Cui held the slip and looked at Wei Dansheng.

Meeting her gaze, Wei Dansheng suddenly rolled up his sleeves and picked up the crystal wine cup in front of him.

Holding the cup, he looked toward Chu Luoxin and said calmly, "There is no need for such trouble. I have already entered the Zen forest and am a disciple of the Buddha. To me, this is no different from drinking a cup of tea. There is no need for such scruples."

His kasaya draped down, his handsome features looking exceptionally ethereal.

If one were to fuss over these secular rules, it would instead seem narrow-minded.

Chu Luoxin shook his head. "That won't do. After all, San Niang has not yet married. If word of this gets out, it won't be good for her."

Xia Miao said mockingly, "What is so bad about it? Do you not trust us?"

On this point, Chu Luoxin was very stubborn.

Men and women are different. How could they let Lady Gao and Wei Dansheng share a cup?