So that meant Shixi had suddenly closed the window because he didn’t want him to know they were acquainted with Miss Li? Just as Zizhe said, he was afraid that if news of their southern journey spread, it would damage Miss Li’s reputation?

Shao Mingyuan vaguely felt it wasn’t that simple, but his wine-addled brain wasn’t as sharp as usual, and he couldn’t think deeper for the moment. He raised his cup and smiled at Chi Can: “Don’t worry, I’m not one to gossip.”

Chi Can twisted his lips: “What do I have to worry about? She’s nothing to me—am I supposed to be responsible if her reputation is damaged?”

“Miss Li definitely wouldn’t hold you responsible.” The tipsy Yang Houcheng patted Chi Can’s shoulder and said with a thick tongue: “You already knew early on—”

Chi Can’s face darkened.

Would this bastard die if he didn’t cause trouble?

Yang Houcheng had indeed drunk too much. He rubbed his eyes and asked Shao Mingyuan: “Tingquan, are you going back to the north?”

Shao Mingyuan set down his wine cup and said flatly: “Hard to say, depends on the situation.”

“Don’t depend on the situation! If you go north, you must remember to take me with you!” Yang Houcheng leaned over and grabbed Shao Mingyuan’s arm. “This time don’t leave me behind again…”

Shao Mingyuan’s gaze fell on the large hand gripping his arm. He patiently raised an eyebrow and looked questioningly at his other two friends.

After so many years apart, how was this fellow still acting like this?

Back then, this kid was only thirteen, so clinging to his leg was tolerable, but now he was big and burly—what was he trying to do?

Chi Can and Zhu Yàn exchanged glances and both turned their heads away.

We don’t know this guy!

“I want to achieve merit and glory, I want to fight on the battlefield, I don’t want to marry a wife—” Yang Houcheng muttered, grabbing Shao Mingyuan’s sleeve to wipe his drool.

Shao Mingyuan: “…”

Zhu Yàn, being kind-hearted, quickly pulled Yang Houcheng before he got beaten up: “Yang Er, let go quickly.”

Yang Houcheng gripped Shao Mingyuan’s sleeve tightly and wouldn’t let go: “I won’t! That year, I didn’t keep up, and when I opened my eyes, Tingquan was gone! This time I absolutely won’t let go—I’ll follow him—”

“Would you follow him to the washroom too?” The incomparably handsome Young Master Chi raised his eyebrows and asked with ill intent.

Hmph, little punk, trying to expose him earlier?

“Yes, this time not only would I follow him to the washroom, but even if he goes to the bridal chamber, I’ll follow—”

Zhu Yàn covered his forehead, unable to bear watching his friend’s fate.

Commendable courage—he had tried his best!

Chi Can’s expression twisted momentarily.

He had wanted to get a little revenge, but he hadn’t expected this fool to dig his own grave.

Shao Mingyuan had already stood up.

He was tall with long legs and an upright bearing. Due to years of campaigning, he carried an aura that the other three didn’t possess. Even the burly Yang Houcheng seemed inexplicably shorter standing before him.

Shao Mingyuan grabbed Yang Houcheng and smiled at his two friends: “Please sit for a moment. I’ll take Chongshan out to sober up.”

Not until the sound of the door closing rang out, with the wind it stirred, making the two remaining men involuntarily shiver.

“Yang Er should be able to come back alive, right?” Zhu Yàn asked uncertainly.

He couldn’t forget the suddenly cold look in Shao Mingyuan’s eyes when Yang Houcheng had mentioned “bridal chamber.”

“Probably. Tingquan is soft-hearted.” Chi Can rubbed his chin, poured his wine onto the ground, and sighed: “Drinking harms people!”

When the four parted ways, the moon was already high in the treetops.

Yang Houcheng, who had been disciplined, cried until his eyes were red and was kindly escorted home by his companion Zhu Yàn.

Chi Can asked Shao Mingyuan, “Should I escort you?”

“No need, I’m fine.”

“Then forget it, it-it’s not on my way anyway.” Chi Can’s feet were a bit unsteady as he looked around and called: “Taosheng, where’s Taosheng?”

That damned kid was nowhere to be found when needed!

Shao Mingyuan rubbed his temples and instructed his two personal guards to escort Chi Can home.

“General, you’ve also been drinking—” one guard ventured courageously.

Shao Mingyuan’s expression was indifferent: “Escort Young Master Chi home properly. His safety cannot be compromised.”

“Yes, sir!” The two guards dared not say more and escorted Chi Can away.

In front of Chunfeng Tavern, only Shao Mingyuan remained alone.

Behind him was the brightly lit tavern, ahead was the street where pedestrians had grown sparse.

Shao Mingyuan didn’t mount his horse but held the reins and walked slowly forward. This aimless feeling, even emptying his thoughts, was something he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

In the Northern Territories, such luxury was unthinkable.

But today, when the investigation pointed toward the marquis’ residence as he had previously suspected, Shao Mingyuan still felt oppressed, only hoping the road home would be longer, much longer.

The white horse had followed Shao Mingyuan for a long time and was very intelligent, occasionally nuzzling his hand affectionately with its face and snorting.

“Oh my, that white horse is so interesting. Young master, would you like to come in and sit for a while?” A woman waved her handkerchief at the approaching young man.

As the handkerchief fluttered, wisps of fragrance entered Shao Mingyuan’s nose.

His clear gaze clouded with a thin mist as he looked up.

A brilliantly lit tall building, with laughter faintly audible.

How was this place even livelier than Chunfeng Tavern?

Shao Mingyuan’s head throbbed painfully as he closed his eyes.

Perhaps he had drunk too much and was seeing things.

“Oh my, what a handsome young master!” The woman saw clearly, and her eyes immediately brightened. She reached out to grab Shao Mingyuan’s arm.

The vigilance developed over many years immediately activated when facing a stranger. Despite being deeply intoxicated, Shao Mingyuan was still quick as lightning, grasping the approaching wrist.

A piercing scream rang out, the pitch so high it made Shao Mingyuan’s ears ache.

A group of thugs immediately rushed out from the tall building, with the leader shouting: “What happened, what happened? Someone causing trouble?”

“It hurts, it hurts, it’s killing me—” The woman shrieked like a slaughtered pig.

Shao Mingyuan released his grip, ignoring the rushing thugs, and looked up at the building’s signboard.

“Bichun Tower—” He pronounced each character slowly, his thick, dark eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

What tavern was this? A new establishment?

“You punk, looking for trouble? How dare you touch our Bichun Tower’s people!” Several thugs surrounded him, with the leader swinging a club at Shao Mingyuan.

Not until the club reached his eyes did Shao Mingyuan raise his hand to catch it, then with slight force, the club immediately broke into two pieces—one half remained in the leader’s hand while the front section fell directly onto the man’s toes.

“Ouch!” The lead thug cried out, looking at the clean break of the club and regarding the young man before him with suspicion and uncertainty.

Those who worked long in pleasure quarters naturally developed sharp eyes, and now they could see this ordinarily dressed young man was not to be trifled with.

The lead thug changed his tone: “Friend, if you want to come in and play, we welcome you. If you’re not interested, you can just leave. But injuring people is wrong.”

Soft words came first—if real trouble started, Bichun Tower wasn’t easy to mess with either.

The young man in white robes spoke indifferently: “Why does your tavern use women to welcome guests?”

He hadn’t used much force—if it were a man, would he scream like that?