Chapter 322: Fifty, Ouyang Lianghan Who Never Gets Drunk After a Thousand Cups

Fifty, Ouyang Lianghan Who Never Gets Drunk After a Thousand Cups

Fifty, Ouyang Lianghan Who Never Falls After a Thousand Cups; Fifty, Ouyang Lianghan Who Never Falls After a Thousand Cups

Before Ouyang Rong arrived at Xunyang Ferry to pick people up, he had never imagined that,

the man in the felt hat standing before him—dark-skinned, plain-looking, and short and sturdy—was the world-renowned Jiangzhou Cishi of Meizhou, Li Zhengyan.

Before approaching, he couldn't help but take two extra looks at Li Zhengyan, who was squatting on a stone pier at the Xunyang Ferry, chatting and laughing with the laborers wearing sweat towels.

He looked nothing like a former Jiangzhou Cishi, appearing more like an honest and simple farmer.

Ouyang Rong glanced at the line of followers waiting quietly behind the middle-aged man in the dark felt hat, then looked at the Yangzhou official ship docked at the pier; his identity was surely beyond doubt.

He tried calling out, "Li Gong."

Li Zhengyan, who had been chatting and laughing, turned his head with some reluctance, his eyes landing on Ouyang Rong, and he looked at him quite steadily for a moment.

"What 'Lord' this or 'Lord' that? Don't call me that; I'm just a small-time official now."

"You must be Lianghan, the one who 'studies well and improves every day,' right? I know; I used to hear Brother Xie and Brother Shen mention you often. Haha, you might not know me, but I know you very well."

Li Zhengyan stood up and greeted him with a hearty laugh.

"Many thanks for your kindness, Li Gong..."

Ouyang Rong paused. Seeing that Li Zhengyan and his group were not wearing official robes and were traveling in casual attire, he stopped using formal official address and cupped his hands in shame:

"This junior has arrived a bit late; I hope all you seniors and brothers will forgive me."

Having arrived quite late, he wore an apologetic expression, his peripheral vision sweeping seemingly unintentionally over the expressions of Li Zhengyan and Wei Shaoqi and the others behind him.

Li Zhengyan didn't ask for the reason for the delay; he waved his hand and said with a half-smile:

"No matter. Later, Lianghan, you shall be punished with three goblets of wine."

Ouyang Rong's eyes widened slightly: "Li Gong, are all the heroes of Guanzhong such hearty drinkers?"

"That they are." Li Zhengyan laughed loudly:

"I've been an official abroad for many years, and only the drinking capacity of the heroes of Shandong can barely compare to us men of Guanzhong.

"However, my experience is shallow; I haven't seen many from the Southeast, so I'm not very clear about the drinking capacity of the heroes of Jiang Nan. But this trip to Yangzhou, I've had a taste of the colorful smoke and flowers of Yangzhou; it truly is a bewitching land of gentleness.

"It's just that when the scholars of Yangzhou drink, they are overly delicate and pretentious. To drink a cup of wine, they must recite a few poems; it's somewhat lingering and sentimental. To put it bluntly, their drinking capacity is soft and weak."

A burst of good-natured laughter came from the followers behind Li Zhengyan. Li Zhengyan also laughed, turned his head to look, and then smiled at Ouyang Rong:

"I wonder how the drinking capacity is here in the western corner of Jiang Nan?"

Ouyang Rong nodded: "It is a pity, Li Gong, that you haven't met me until now; otherwise, you wouldn't be questioning the drinking capacity of us Jiang Nan folk."

Li Zhengyan raised an eyebrow, "Oh? What does Lianghan mean by that?"

Ouyang Rong pointed at himself and said modestly: "As for me, I never fall after a thousand cups; I have never met an opponent in my life."

The air in the area clearly froze for a moment.

A pause followed.

Li Zhengyan was somewhat surprised by someone's directness, and Wei Shaoqi, Du Shuqing, Wang Junzhi, and others following behind also cast sidelong glances at him.

After Li Zhengyan and his companions exchanged calm glances, he praised with a smile:

"Lianghan is straightforward, not beating around the bush. Good, then we must have a good drink later."

Ouyang Rong was dead serious:

"Since Li Gong has graced Xunyang with your presence this time, if there is a banquet, please be sure to call me."

"Easily said, easily said." Li Zhengyan chuckled.

Ouyang Rong turned sideways and gestured with his hands: "Li Gong, Mr. Wei... please this way. The carriage is ready, and the official post house has been prepared. Let's go drop off the luggage first.

"Dinner will be at my humble home in Chaisang Ward. My aunt heard that you seniors were coming and decided to cook herself to welcome you all."

"Your aunt is too kind."

"Li Gong, please don't be a stranger. My aunt made some simple farm dishes; I don't know if you'll be used to them, but I've entrusted Xunyang Tower to send over some Daughter Red wine. I guarantee there will be enough to drink; tonight, we won't return until we're drunk."

"Lianghan is truly enthusiastic and straightforward. Good, we won't return until we're drunk."

That night, the welcoming banquet was held at the residence in Huaiye Lane.

Before this banquet began, the female servants in the Huaiye Lane residence prepared with extra care, and Ouyang Rong also appeared very solemn.

Even Xie Lingjiang came over to act as a co-host.

Seeing this, in the gap while waiting for the maids to serve dishes and pour wine, Li Zhengyan and the others exchanged glances, their expressions showing quite a bit of surprise.

The welcoming banquet began.

Ouyang Rong didn't say a word; he stood up, asked Xie Lingjiang to help pour the wine, and punished himself with three goblets first.

One goblet was equivalent to half a catty of wine, so three goblets were one and a half catties, even though the old wine wasn't very strong.

But those who couldn't hold their liquor would basically fall halfway through such a punishment.

"Li Gong, Mr. Wei, Brother Wang... no more words; I will punish myself with a cup first."

Seeing Ouyang Rong's heroic enthusiasm, he drank first, gulping it down without spilling a drop from the corners of his mouth, very straightforwardly.

Among Li Zhengyan's followers, some who had felt a bit dissatisfied because this Jiangzhou Senior Secretary hadn't arrived until late in the afternoon—appearing somewhat arrogant—immediately felt that dissatisfaction dissipate.

"Lord Ouyang has a massive capacity; today you have changed the style of Jiang Nan scholars in my heart."

Li Zhengyan sighed with emotion. Taking advantage of the moment Ouyang Rong finished drinking the first cup, he shifted the topic slightly:

"However, Lianghan, drink slowly. The night is long, and I and the others have long admired Lianghan's name. Meeting like old friends today, we must have a good chat..."

"No matter, let's finish the punishment wine first."

Ouyang Rong waved his hand grandly. Xie Lingjiang lowered her eyes, knowingly and tacitly pouring wine into his empty cup.

Li Zhengyan thought about it and felt it was only three goblets after all, so he nodded in agreement:

"Very well, Lianghan is heroic."

Watching him drink the second and third cups in high spirits.

Wei Shaoqi, who had been taciturn and spoke little, suddenly spoke up:

"Is Lianghan's face alright?"

Li Zhengyan looked up and also noticed his young friend's face was flushed in an unusual way, so he worriedly suggested:

"Why doesn't Lianghan have a bite to eat? That... Xie, my niece, hurry and pick some food for him."

"I'm... I'm fine, I can drink."

Someone gripped the table, swayed while raising his cup, and said with a bit of a slur:

"Wanwan, move aside. Seeing a senior today makes me happy. The wine... the wine must be finished. I... I can drink, move aside."

After saying this, he drank half of the fourth cup.

He collapsed, face red, face-down on the table.

He blacked out.

Li Zhengyan and the others: "..."

"Senior Brother."

"Tanlang."

Xie Lingjiang and Zhen Shuyuan stepped forward, frowning as they supported him, and offered an apology to the guests, which Li Zhengyan hurriedly waved off to reassure them.

Immediately, the two women sent the drunken master of the house back to his room.

In the main hall, only a table of fine wine and delicacies remained, along with a crowd of guests.

The air was deathly silent.

Li Zhengyan, Wei Shaoqi, Du Shuqing, and Wang Junzhi could not help but look at each other.

This... wasn't even half a jin.

Du Shuqing asked skeptically: "A thousand cups without getting drunk?"

The corners of everyone's mouths twitched in unison.

Wei Shaoqi turned his head and glanced at Li Zhengyan, who was at the head: "Lord Yan, that matter..."

Li Zhengyan waved his hand: "It's fine, we'll talk when he wakes up."

As he spoke, he picked up the wine pot Ouyang Rong had been using, poured himself a cup, and tasted it alone.

After tasting the wine, Li Zhengyan lowered his eyes, set down the cup, nodded, and then shook his head.

He was the first to pick up his chopsticks to eat, and the others followed.

A short while later, after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, they departed...

Five days passed in the blink of an eye since the welcome banquet at the Huaiye Lane residence.

Li Zhengyan and the others gradually discovered that this young, handsome, and hospitable Jiangzhou Senior Secretary seemed to be very fond of wine.

Although he would go to his head after only a few cups, and could almost be considered drunk the moment he touched alcohol.

During these five days, Li Zhengyan and his group attended wine banquets every single day in Xunyang City.

Unlike other demoted officials who were dejected and sorrowful in a foreign land, Li Zhengyan's group was highly sought after by the scholars of Xunyang.

Having just arrived in Jiangzhou, they were warmly welcomed by all parties in Xunyang City, especially the scholars.

Of course, excluding Wang Lengran's group.

As former extreme supporters of the Li faction in the imperial court, Li Zhengyan and his group were at odds with the Wei clan.

Every evening banquet these past few days, Li Zhengyan would call Ouyang Rong along.

And this Senior Secretary in his early twenties, who rarely attended Xunyang scholar banquets,

was very giving of face and came every single time.

It was just that... he got drunk every single time.

Not long after the banquet started, he would be done for; even if it was only a few cups, he couldn't hold his liquor, and would be supported back by Yan the Commandant and others, completely intoxicated.

Hmm, in the eyes of Li Zhengyan and the others, he belonged to the type who was bad at drinking but loved to drink, and also loved to make tough talk—it was a bit absurd.

But wine was something that couldn't be absent from a scholar's banquet.

Li Zhengyan and the others found it speechless that if the purpose of urging others to drink at banquets before was to get them drunk, then this Ouyang Lianghan was different; he was greedy for the cup himself, found an excuse, and got himself drunk.

In the end, every time a banquet started, whenever Ouyang Rong made a move to stand up, everyone's eyelids would twitch, and they would hurriedly urge him to stop...

On this day, the evening banquet was held at the residence of a retired former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites in Xiushui Ward.

Li Zhengyan, Wei Shaoqi, and the others arrived upon invitation.

Ouyang Rong was also invited to the banquet.

Not long after the banquet began, taking advantage of the host suddenly having an urgent matter and leaving temporarily,

Li Zhengyan intercepted Ouyang Rong, who had just sat down and was preparing to drink, and turned to ask:

"I've been forgetting to ask, us idlers traveling through Xunyang, seeking pleasure and drinking, shouldn't have disturbed Lianghan's official business during the day, right?"

Ouyang Rong smiled and replied: "I'm just a small Senior Secretary, what official business could I have? Come, let's drink."

Li Zhengyan waved his hand to stop him and asked sincerely: "I heard that Lianghan has a very close private friendship with the Xunyang Prince's family."

Ouyang Rong was puzzled: "Where did that rumor come from? The Xunyang Prince's residence has seemingly never invited me to their evening banquets, so where does this talk of a private friendship come from? Though we do have frequent contact regarding official business."

Speaking of this, he shook his head, blinked his eyes, and said:

"Come to think of it, in terms of private friendship, I should have a better relationship with you, Li Gong. Recently, I've been drinking to my heart's content; hey, I've finally met my match in drinking capacity."

After saying this, without another word, he tilted his head and drank a cup.

Beside him, Wei Shaoqi, Wang Junzhi, and others, who were picking at their food without looking sideways, had the corners of their mouths twitch.

"Is that so?"

Li Zhengyan carefully and earnestly scrutinized the subtle expressions on Ouyang Rong's slightly tipsy face and continued to press:

"But when I was in Luoyang previously, I heard that when Lianghan was the Magistrate of Longcheng, the Xunyang Prince's family was also demoted and living in Longcheng, and I heard that Lianghan was their neighbor, and the residence was even generously gifted by the Xunyang Prince's family...

"Now that you are both in Xunyang City, this private friendship should be quite good, right?"

"Hmm, there are quite a lot of little rumors outside, and they're quite smooth." Ouyang Rong smiled tipsily, pointed his finger at his official uniform and the floor of the hall beneath his feet, and said:

"What a coincidence, my official uniform was also bestowed by Her Majesty the Empress, and the residence of the retired Elder Vice Minister He who is hosting tonight was also rewarded by Her Majesty the Empress. Our private friendship with Her Majesty should be even better."

Once these words were spoken, Du Shuqing at the table frowned slightly, and Wei Shaoqi and Wang Junzhi exchanged silent glances.

Li Zhengyan was not annoyed and smiled: "How can you compare it like that? Lianghan has had too much to drink again. Come, eat more food."

As he spoke, he placed a piece of steamed lion's head meat into Ouyang Rong's bowl.

Ouyang Rong's face flushed with wine, and he smiled and drank another mouthful of wine.

Li Zhengyan also drank a mouthful of wine, set down his chopsticks, and sighed deeply:

"Is it really like that? Hey, then I might have been too abrupt."

Finding that Ouyang Rong was only picking at his food and not answering while drunk, Li Zhengyan continued:

"Lianghan might not know, but the situation is like this: when the Xunyang Prince was still in Luoyang, he did me and Brother Wei a favor. We haven't seen each other for many years and miss him dearly.

"It's a pity that we are now demoted and in the limelight, so it's not easy to visit too ostentatiously. It would be great if there were someone familiar to introduce us.

"Therefore, hearing people say that Lianghan has a very close private friendship with the Xunyang Prince's residence, I came here a bit presumptuously and entrusted your teacher and Brother Shen."

He paused and asked nonchalantly: "They should have mentioned it to Lianghan in their letters, right?"

Ouyang Rong nodded and admitted it generously:

"They did mention it, but I haven't been in contact with my teacher or Lord Shen for quite a while. They probably aren't clear about it either, and I have already sent a letter to explain.

"However, since Li Gong is a good friend of my teacher and Lord Shen, I will naturally do my best to receive you."

He frowned slightly, as if thinking from Li Zhengyan's perspective, and said with some difficulty:

"Actually, because of the construction of the Buddha statue, I have been frequently coordinating with the Prince on official business during the day. Hmm, I should be able to put in a word. If Li Gong has anything you want to say or send, I can bring it."

Li Zhengyan glanced at Ouyang Rong, who had a drunken expression but a very sincere attitude, pursed his lips, and shook his head without speaking.

Ouyang Rong raised his cup, drank a cup with Wei Shaoqi and the others around him, and turned his head to ask in realization:

"By the way, Li Gong, you've been in Xunyang City for so long, haven't you submitted any calling cards or anything?"

Li Zhengyan's dark face looked somewhat dejected and sighing: "I submitted one, but there was no response."

Ouyang Rong comforted him:

"The Prince has taken on the position of Jiang Nan Supervisor of Construction and is wholeheartedly dedicated to Her Majesty the Empress. He has been very busy with affairs recently, so he probably didn't see the calling card. Li Gong, don't overthink it, you can wait a bit longer."

Listening to these words, which seemed to carry deep meaning, Wei Shaoqi said out of the blue: "I'm just afraid the Prince has already seen it."

He didn't say the rest of his words.

The atmosphere at the table quieted down.

"If he saw it, why didn't he reply?"

Ouyang Rong's tone was puzzled, and his words were a bit presumptuous:

"I understand, the Prince is actually pretending not to have seen it. How could he do that? After all, there was once the friendship between sovereign and subject."

After a moment of silence, everyone, who couldn't help but open their eyes slightly, saw him waving his hand heroically with a drunken face:

"How about this, Li Gong, if you have anything you want to say, tell me, and I will pass the message on your behalf, how about that?"

Li Zhengyan remained silent.

Yet the drunken man felt no embarrassment at all.

A short while later, this former Jiangzhou Cishi of Meizhou who had come to Jiangzhou specifically for a trip suddenly raised his cup and laughed loudly:

"Come, Lianghan, let's drink."

"Good, good, good."

About an hour later.

The host and guests were satisfied, the banquet ended, and everyone dispersed.

Ouyang the Senior Secretary, who could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, was sent out the door by Elder Vice Minister He, Li Zhengyan, and others with smiles of helpless amusement. Supported by Yan the Commandant and others who accompanied him to the banquet, he left the banquet residence with drunken, swaying steps.

The two passed by a dim little alley on the side of the street.

Ouyang Rong, who had been as drunk as a fallen jade mountain, suddenly brushed away the arm supporting him, turned into the dim alley nearby, and nimbly climbed into a quiet carriage that had been waiting for a long time. He immediately spoke to the beautiful figure in red inside the carriage, who was resting her chin on her hand and waiting patiently and gently:

"They finally asked. It seems they've been holding it in all these days. The matter they are plotting on their trip to Jiangzhou is definitely not as simple as just pledging loyalty and aligning themselves."

(End of chapter)