Although Mu Jin was a woman full of scholarly refinement, her bones carried a certain frankness.

A drinking companion worth befriending!

A cultured friend worth befriending!

To put it more simply, this was a woman who was adept at winning favor from all sides and exceptionally tactful.

She said, “Li Liang cannot be considered my favorite talented scholar, but as you say, his poetry possesses the most spiritual essence. ‘Tasting bamboo frost beneath the moon at West Long, viewing the end times as lightly as summer dew’—what I love most are still these two lines of his poetry. However, when it comes to the Daoist meaning within poetry, Li Liang falls short of Zhu Mohan by several degrees. It is only said that Mohan is called an immortal, an immortal among immortals like the sharpest point. His poetry also consists of paired lines, each character matched perfectly without a single flaw. Whenever I recite his poetry, it always makes one’s heart soar with delight, lingering endlessly.”

Her expression carried several traces of intoxication!

Jingrong took up the conversation, “That’s right, Zhu Mohan is indeed an immortal talent. In the ‘Travel Records,’ it details in full all the poems he composed in his lifetime—every single one can be called unparalleled. But have you heard this saying: Hanmo is inferior to Dong Su, Old Su looks up to Su Gong, Gong’s talent pays homage to Qu Shen, and as for Master Qu, he resembles Shi Wen.”

“I’ve heard it, but very few people mention this saying. Actually, if we truly discuss literary talent, no one is inferior to anyone else, and no one surpasses anyone else.”

The two drank wine together in mutual toasts.

They conversed with great pleasure.

What a case of regretting they hadn’t met sooner!

As for these matters concerning the learning of literary scholars, Ji Yunshu was someone who understood only slightly—she truly couldn’t interject. If they were discussing human bones and such, she could still analyze them down to the inch.

But the woman wielding the whip showed undisguised disdain, saying, “Hey, hey, hey, are you treating us all as dead people? Talking about poetry at a drinking table? How utterly boring.”

After speaking, she poured a large mouthful of wine into her mouth.

Seeing her drink so boldly, Muruo was simply dumbfounded.

“Little miss, what’s your name?” he asked with a smile.

She squinted at him.

And tossed out two words, “Tang Si.”

“Tang Si? The name is quite refined, but you don’t seem like a cultured person.”

“This young lady enjoys horseback riding and archery, eating large portions of meat, and drinking large quantities of wine—that’s what a woman should be. Those refined and affected ways don’t suit me.”

“Your attire and drinking demeanor suggest you must be from the Far Pasture people, correct?”

Tang Si snorted coldly, “Everyone says you’re a wandering charlatan, yet though I enjoy horseback riding and archery, which part of me resembles the barbaric Far Pasture people?”

“Oh? Then what people are you from?”

Her gaze swept around in a circle, disdainfully saying, “Among all of you sitting here, the refined ones are refined, the martial ones are martial, yet there isn’t even a single clever person. This young lady truly overestimated you all.”

Wei Yi, who was holding the pumpkin lantern, suddenly blurted out, “I know—you’re a monkey from Flower Fruit Mountain. Shu’er said that those monkeys dress just like you.”

Pure and innocent!

“What did you say?” She suddenly bristled, “You dare call me a monkey?”

Ji Yunshu immediately pulled at Wei Yi, telling him not to speak carelessly, and instead responded with a kind smile, “Miss, you’ve misunderstood. He didn’t say monkey—he said Hou Liao people.”

Tang Si’s eyes widened, “How did you know?”

So she really was from the Hou Liao people.

“Actually, it’s quite simple. Looking at the young lady’s whip-wielding technique and the patterns on that whip, I could roughly guess.”

She unconsciously touched the silver whip coiled around her waist.

Surprised! Curious!

“Continue.”

Ji Yunshu said, “Although the Hou Liao people are a nomadic tribe on the borders of Great Lin, over a decade ago, they were also included within the Central Plains territory. Regardless of their customs, they retained most of the Central Plains people’s characteristics, which is why they have customs of dragon worship and heaven sacrifice. However, dragon worship and heaven sacrifice must avoid fire—the incense offered must be solid incense. Moreover, they use the crack of a whip striking the ground to replace the firecrackers of heaven sacrifice. But the whip cannot be cracked randomly. Before cracking it, whether for heaven sacrifice or like the young lady using it to strike people, the first crack must always strike the ground. Earlier, the young lady’s first crack was clearly deliberately angled, which is why it struck the ground. This custom has been passed down through generations of Hou Liao ancestors. Also, the silver thread wrapped around your whip is made from twisted silver—what’s commonly called round silver thread. This type of round silver thread is currently only produced in Hou Liao. Of course, the most important point is still the young lady’s method of coiling the whip—only Hou Liao people coil their whips around their waists.”

Word by word, all extremely certain.

And as she spoke, several pairs of eyes also looked toward the silver whip at Tang Si’s waist.

Indeed, it was exactly as described!

Tang Si was stunned for several seconds!

She couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, “You’re truly amazing! Within the borders of Great Lin, talented people really do emerge in abundance!”

As she spoke, she had already circled around the table in front of her and plopped down beside Ji Yunshu, immediately pouring two bowls of wine.

She directly stuffed one of the bowls into Ji Yunshu’s hand.

“Come, I toast you.”

Ji Yunshu smiled and pushed it back, “I don’t drink wine.”

“You’re really no fun.”

“Wine not only easily harms the body but also easily harms the brain. The heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and brain are all one family—I still want to live a few more years.”

Tang Si didn’t make things difficult for her. If she wouldn’t drink, then she wouldn’t. Instead, she simply pushed that bowl of wine toward Muruo.

“If she won’t drink, then you drink.”

Regarding wine, Muruo refused nothing.

He directly picked it up and drank it.

Tang Si stared eagerly at Ji Yunshu, her eyes full of admiration.

She bit her lip, “The men of Great Lin are quite beautiful, and moreover, they’re so clever.”

After speaking, her slender fingers actually hooked the lower edge of Ji Yunshu’s wide sleeve.

Yes, she had been flirted with by a woman!

However, both Jingrong and Muruo were secretly laughing to themselves!

She was utterly speechless, extremely awkward, and shifted her body aside.

At this moment, Mu Jin spoke up, “Master Jing’s friends are all extraordinary talents—capable in both literature and martial arts, intelligent beyond measure. To think they could even guess Hou Liao people.”

Ji Yunshu said self-deprecatingly, “Miss, you’re mistaken. I don’t understand martial arts—I’m merely a poor scholar without the strength to truss a chicken, who just happens to prefer reading obscure books.”

She slightly raised both sleeves!

“You’re too modest, sir.”

“I’m truly not being modest. Compared to you, miss, I fall far short. Not only are you learned and well-read, but you also know martial arts. At most, I’m just showing off my slight skills before an expert.”

Hearing this, Mu Jin smiled with pressed lips, “You jest, sir. I merely know how to throw a few pebbles. In past years, I hired several masters and learned this slingshot technique for self-defense.”

Wei Yi suddenly asked, “What is slingshot technique?”

“It means using a slingshot to shoot birds.”

The one speaking was Jingrong.

With a completely serious expression, without even lifting his eyes, he was drinking wine with Muruo, enjoying himself thoroughly.

Everyone almost believed it.

Wei Yi then excitedly asked Mu Jin, “Can you teach me?”

Actually, Mu Jin had long since noticed Wei Yi’s peculiarity, though she didn’t mention it outwardly.

She said gently, “Of course.”

Tang Si was a straightforward person who couldn’t hide her thoughts. She glanced over and said, “So he’s a fool.”

Most feared was when the atmosphere suddenly grew cold!

Ji Yunshu’s expression immediately darkened. She grasped Wei Yi’s hand, “Don’t you like lanterns? Let’s go release river lanterns.”

Though Wei Yi felt wronged in his heart, he still nodded heavily.

Thus, the two left the table!