Chapter 129: Drunkenness

Master Jiang stood before Liu Qin, clutching a wine jar and grinning foolishly.

Liu Qin raised an eyebrow. Judging by his expression, it was good news. Yet, he had been grinning for so long that she wondered if he’d actually lost his wits—and more importantly, was he ever going to let her taste it?

"Master Jiang?" Liu Qin prompted gently.

Master Jiang snapped out of his trance, looking somewhat sheepish. He crouched down and placed the jar on the ground with such meticulous care—more gently than he would handle his own son—that he seemed terrified of even the slightest bump. Liu Qin felt a flicker of amusement, thinking wickedly how the man might burst into tears if she were to give the jar a playful kick.

"Young Master, please, have a taste," Master Jiang said, his face beaming as he carefully pried off the lid to invite her. Only then did he realize he hadn't brought any cups.

Just as he turned to retrieve some, he heard Liu Qin say to a servant nearby, "Changxing, bring out the jade cups."

Changxing unslung a small bundle from his back and opened it to reveal a set of nine stemmed jade cups. It seemed they had come prepared.

*Grape wine in glowing cups, the pipa on horseback urges a drink.*

For the sake of this grape wine, Liu Qin had specifically commissioned this set of white jade cups. While they lacked the crystalline clarity of glass or the rare brilliance of night-glowing jade, their milky texture provided a unique charm when contrasted with the crimson wine. They were certainly better than large earthenware bowls or coarse porcelain cups.

She poured a cup, held it delicately with three fingers, swirled it gently to let it breathe, and then brought it to her lips for a slow sip.

Hmm, not bad. While the flavor couldn't compare to the dry reds of her past life, the fact that they had brewed this themselves made Master Jiang a true talent.

"Young Master, how is it?" Master Jiang asked cautiously. His heart was pounding; he was terrified she might utter a word of disapproval.

"This wine... is not..." Liu Qin wanted to tease him, dragging the words out slowly.

Master Jiang’s face turned ashen; his spirit vanished in an instant, and he wore the dejected look of a man who had just lost his parents.

Liu Qin immediately regretted her actions. She shouldn't have teased such an honest man; it was quite unkind. She quickly nodded to make amends. "This wine is nothing short of incredible. I have never tasted such delicious wine before. Come, Changxing, pour everyone a cup, and make sure Master Jiang gets his fill."

With the remaining eight cups, there were just enough for Jiang Li, Xiao Wu, Fang Nuo, Changxing, Changsheng, Chang’an, Changkang, and Master Jiang.

Changkang was impatient. As soon as he got his cup, he gulped it down in one go. Only after seeing the others savoring their drinks did he realize he hadn't tasted a thing. "Big Brother, give me another! I didn't even get to taste it!"

The others burst into laughter. Changxing curled his lip but begrudgingly poured him another.

Only then did Master Jiang realize that the Young Master had actually praised the wine—she hadn't been toying with him after all. He took the cup Changxing handed him with a daze, took a sip, and let the liquid linger on his palate, allowing his taste buds to fully register the flavor before letting it slide down his throat.

He smacked his lips. The flavor, the sensation—it was truly extraordinary. Just as the Young Master had said, it was sweet and tart, and quite delicious.

That day, they drank the first jar of wine ever produced in this world. As their spirits rose, Liu Qin had the kitchen prepare a full spread of dishes, set directly in the shade of the trees. They sat on the grass, surrounding the food and wine, enjoying the serene atmosphere.

Before they knew it, the jar was empty. Before they knew it, they were a little tipsy.

The others were fine; Master Jiang was accustomed to strong spirits, so this was nothing, and those trained in martial arts like Xiao Wu and Jiang Li could handle their drink. Only Liu Qin was truly drunk.

At first, she just giggled foolishly, smiling at everyone with a vacant expression. Then, the people before her began to sway, as did the trees and the nearby buildings. She lay flat on her back, pointing at the patches of blue sky visible through the tree canopy, and began to sing: "White clouds drift across the blue sky, horses run beneath the white clouds, waving my whip to the four winds, a hundred birds soar together; if someone should ask me where this is... this is our home..."

Jiang Li, Xiao Wu, and the others were stunned. They had never seen a drunk person before, let alone imagined that their sister (or junior sister) would behave this way. Although the song was pleasant, seeing a refined young lady lying out in the open, surrounded by men, and belting out such a tune was rather alarming.

Jiang Li’s face turned pale. He wanted to take off his outer robe to cover her, but since it was midsummer, he was only wearing an outer garment and an inner layer—he couldn't strip it off. He had no choice but to pull Liu Qin into his arms, scoop her up, and run. Xiao Wu and the others hurried after him. Changxing only remembered the jade cups after a few steps and ran back to haphazardly stuff them into his bundle before rushing to catch up.

Under the big tree, only a table of leftover food and a bewildered Master Jiang remained, standing alone in the wind.

Once they jumped into the carriage, Xiao Wu and Fang Nuo hurried to lower the curtains, and everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief. They dared not depart immediately, fearing that the jolting of the carriage might make Liu Qin sick.

They decided to rest in the carriage to let the alcohol wear off. They sent Fang Nuo to get honey water, instructed Changsheng to bring a basin of cold water and a clean cloth, and ordered the others to stand guard around the perimeter to keep strangers away. They all knew this state was not suitable for outsiders to witness.

After Fang Nuo and Changsheng left, Liu Qin stopped singing. She curled up in Jiang Li's arms like a small kitten. Her face was flushed red, and her eyes were squeezed shut; Jiang Li thought she had fallen asleep.

Unexpectedly, her eyelashes fluttered a moment later, and two lines of tears streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto her neck. Tears soaked through the fabric of Jiang Li’s chest, seeping deep into his heart.

"Sister?" Jiang Li shook her gently, his heart aching.

But the shaking only made things worse. Liu Qin suddenly began to wail. One hand gripped the fabric of Jiang Li's chest tightly, while the other flailed about aimlessly. Her face turned bright red, her brows furrowed in agony, and she struggled violently as if trying to sit up. In her agitation, she smeared tears and snot all over Jiang Li’s clothes.

"Dad, Mom... Qin’er... misses..."

Through the sobbing, only these fragmented words could be heard, their meaning unclear. Jiang Li was drenched in sweat, not caring that his clothes were ruined. He held Liu Qin with one arm and patted her back with the other. "Sister, it's alright. Brother is here. It's alright."

Xiao Wu watched with a mixture of concern and heartache. He crouched beside Jiang Li and took Liu Qin’s flailing hand, gently rubbing the web between her thumb and index finger. He remembered his foster father saying that massaging this spot could ease discomfort. He didn't know if it would help in this situation, but he wished he had a sobering pill; seeing her like this made his own heart ache.

Whether it was Jiang Li's comfort or Xiao Wu's massage, Liu Qin eventually calmed down. Aside from the occasional sob, she stopped struggling.

When Fang Nuo and Changsheng returned, Xiao Wu took the basin, wrung out a cloth, and carefully wiped the tears and snot from Liu Qin's face before placing the cool cloth on her forehead. Once her face was clean, Jiang Li propped her up slightly, and with Fang Nuo's help, fed her a cup of honey water.

After drinking, Liu Qin finally drifted into a deep sleep in Jiang Li's arms.