Chapter 216: On the Lake

Still water, fine wind, cool moon.

On Moon-Catching Lake, light rain.

The oars had long been loosened, and the small boat drifted and turned slowly with the waves.

Several people leaned against the side of the boat, and some fine wine and fruits were placed in the middle of the cabin, but everyone was already full.

This was the late night after the poetry gathering ended. Guests who were drunk and having fun had returned to the pavilion to sleep, and Luzhou was very quiet. When Pei Ye and the others walked past the shore chatting, they saw Qi Zhaohua leaning quietly at the bow of the boat holding a small pot of wine, tilting her head toward the lake, not knowing whether she was looking at the water or the moon.

Fang Jidao did not disturb her. He didn't even get on the boat, sitting by the lake playing with small shrimp in the water with a blade of grass.

Pei Ye smiled and walked over to pull his arm, and the two stepped onto the boat first, followed by Yang Yan, Li Piaoqing, and Zhang Junxue. Qi Zhaohua came back to her senses, smiled faintly, and made room for them.

The boat was not small, and six people didn't seem crowded. Once the reins were released, it sailed to the center of the lake.

"I really haven't touched an oar." Pei Ye was sitting cross-legged at this time, leaning back, with a small cat in his arms, still talking to Li Piaoqing about the boat spinning two and a half times in place on the lake just now, "And sometimes there is wind, the force has to be different... and you guys are always moving around."

"No one moved around at all."

"The little dog moved."

"I wanted to take your oar, you paddled for half a day and the boat went backward, Laywoman Qi was about to laugh at you."

"I didn't laugh." Qi Zhaohua tilted her head slightly beside her.

"... She laughed in her heart."

"Didn't laugh in my heart either. I think Young Hero Pei is young and promising, and sincere and resolute, already a top-notch talent in Bowang. Not knowing how to row a boat is not a flaw, how can one demand that he be good at everything?"

Li Piaoqing opened her eyes wide.

Qi Zhaohua clapped her hands and laughed, and Pei Ye nodded repeatedly beside her.

Li Piaoqing "hummed" angrily: "The clothes are returned, let Laywoman Qi buy them for you!"

"That won't do, you already paid the deposit."

"I don't want it anymore."

"I can indeed make clothes." Qi Zhaohua smiled and leaned in, then her voice lowered a little, "There is... also fabric bought at home."

Pei Ye glanced at her and skipped this topic: "Night boating is indeed pleasant, no wonder there wasn't a single boat left on the shore just now—Brother Fang, what do you scholars play in the boat, just chatting like this?"

Fang Jidao was the one sitting most upright: "Many, the most common is to chant the scenery in front of you to drink."

"What drinking?" Pei Ye didn't react for a moment.

Fang Jidao pointed to the lake and smiled: "The plain moon divides the brilliance, the bright river shares the shadow, and the inside and outside are clear."

"Oh—" Pei Ye understood, and was about to reject this boring activity, when Qi Zhaohua beside him had already continued: "I think it is, the ripples are clear and motionless, coldly soaking in the stars of the day."

Then she looked at the young man with a smile.

"..." Pei Ye held back.

"Can't think of a single sentence?" Qi Zhaohua pointed with a smile, "The Young Master is laughing at you."

"Hmm? No!" Li Piaoqing's smiling face tried to restrain herself, and she straightened up, "I think Young Hero Pei is a champion in sword path, smart and agile, and a good person. Not being able to recite poetry is not ridiculous."

Pei Ye rolled his eyes.

"What do you mean? I'm praising you."

"Your corners of your mouth haven't come down yet."

So the young girl laughed openly, and after laughing, she leaned against the side of the boat, her eyes falling on the small cat in Pei Ye's arms, and she couldn't help but say again: "Is it really not letting me touch it at all?"

Qi Zhaohua was startled. She had no cultivation and her eyesight was slightly poor. Under the cover of the night, the small cat was too quiet, and she only discovered that there was a seventh creature in the cabin at this time.

The woman leaned over, and her eyes widened immediately: "... It's really beautiful."

Pei Ye held the small cat up and held it in his hand: "Right."

"So small, is it two months old?"

"Uh... one month, just right."

"It looks bigger than one month." Qi Zhaohua looked at it gently, and suddenly asked a question that no one had ever asked before, and Pei Ye had never thought of.

And it was very fatal: "Is it a little male cat or a little female cat?"

"..."

"Hmm?" Qi Zhaohua looked at him curiously.

"It—" Pei Ye choked.

He didn't know if it was a male cat or a female cat, because he knew it wasn't a cat at all.

The Immortal Hunt is the only spirit of heaven and earth in the world, there is no second one, and there is no reproduction, so of course there is no male or female.

It can speak and has a clear and pleasant voice, but that is actually neither male nor female—it is not the neutral voice of "indistinguishable male and female" that humans talk about, but you cannot use concepts like "male and female" to define it.

Because that is not a human voice at all.

If you have to say it, it is just "the sound of a Chi dragon."

But then again... cats do have male and female.

Pei Ye tentatively reached out to the black cat, and the black cat looked at him faintly with green eyes.

It should just be an appearance.

Pei Ye didn't dare to try. He looked at the black cat's face and tentatively said: "Female... uh, male, castrated."

After all, you can see two round balls on a cat that hasn't been castrated.

"Ah? So small?"

"... Right."

"Better to wait until it's bigger." Qi Zhaohua tilted her head and glanced at the small cat's butt. Pei Ye was terrified, really afraid that the small cat would suddenly turn its head and burn her hair off with a puff of fire.

"Little kitty~ let me hold it, okay." The woman looked at the small cat and reached out gently.

The black cat turned and jumped back onto Pei Ye's shoulder.

"Ah... actually, generally speaking, cats are quite close to me." Qi Zhaohua was disappointed, put down her hand, and supported her chin, "Your cat is really loyal to its master."

Li Piaoqing nodded repeatedly in agreement.

The cabin was quiet for a while, only the conversation of Yang Yan and Zhang Junxue discussing the sword continued, Li Piaoqing smiled: "Since someone can't recite poetry, let's talk about something else."

"Alright."

"Hmm, let me think... right! I don't know what ambitions everyone has?"

This sentence made the discussion of Yang Yan and Zhang Junxue stop, and several people's eyes were empty, and the boat was quiet. Until Qi Zhaohua smiled gently: "Then let's talk about our own ambitions, let me think... the most ambitious one has to drink."

Pei Ye disagreed: "I think the most ambitious one, the other five should toast him instead."

Qi Zhaohua smiled: "That would become a bragging meeting."

"It's just bragging, if everyone becomes humble, what kind of ambition is that?" Pei Ye elbowed the young girl beside him, "Li Piaoqing, what is your ambition?"

"Hmm... I want Cuiyu to be the number one in the five prefectures!"

"Too low."

"Still low? There are many powerful sects in the surrounding prefectures!"

"Low, say it again."

"Hmm... then I want Cuiyu to be... the number one in the eight prefectures!"

Pei Ye raised her arm: "Sooner or later, the name of Cuiyu will be spread in all fifty prefectures of Shaolong!"

"..." Li Piaoqing stared, "This is not called ambition, it's called wishful thinking."

"... And we won't be called Cuiyu later." The young girl looked up, "Master said, after the Cicada pulse returns, we may restore the name of Jade Jade Mountain."

"Then the name of Jade Jade Mountain will be spread in all fifty prefectures of Shaolong!"

Qi Zhaohua smiled: "This ambition is far-reaching enough—Young Master Yang, if you don't want to toast, you can't lose."

Yang Yan was stunned: "Ah? I... I have no ambition."

Qi Zhaohua smiled gently: "Then there must be something you want to do, near or far."

"..."

"At this moment, is there anything you want to do in your heart?"

"I want..." Yang Yan looked at the lake, "I want to return to the sect and sleep on my own bed for one night."

"..."

"Of course... that's impossible." The young man said in a low voice.

Qi Zhaohua was silent for a moment, and sighed very gently: "... Yes, the most unattainable thing in the world is 'that time'."

Then she restrained her expression, looked up and smiled: "Miss Zhang, what about you?"

Zhang Junxue looked up, but looked at Pei Ye first. The young man was smiling at her.

"I want... to create a sword technique higher than Mount Tai." The woman said seriously.

Qi Zhaohua was startled, looked at Pei Ye: "I don't understand this, Young Hero Pei, how does this ambition compare to Miss Li's?"

"I think Piaoqing's seems to be harder, but Junxue's is higher and farther."

Qi Zhaohua supported her chin: "... Asking you which one is more far-reaching, not asking you to balance the water."

"... Then it's still Zhang Junxue."

Qi Zhaohua smiled, tilted her head to look at the next one: "Jidao, what about you?"

Fang Jidao smiled shyly and said in a low voice: "My ambition, Laywoman, you know."

Qi Zhaohua nodded: "Jidao wants to interpret the Five Classics and pass on the way of the saints... I'll say it for him. This ambition may not be as high as the two, but its distance is at least not inferior to Miss Zhang."

"Asking you who is the most far-reaching, not asking you to balance the water."

"... Then it's still Miss Zhang." Qi Zhaohua smiled, tilted her head to look at Fang Jidao, and said gently: "Thank you for running around these days. I will take a letter of recommendation to the Imperial College with you tomorrow, and you can set off on a good day."

"Laywoman... I want to wait until you finish the lake matter, and then together..."

Qi Zhaohua couldn't be bothered with him.

"Then it's your turn, Miss Qi." Pei Ye smiled.

"My ambition is not high, just want to go to the Divine Capital and do something I can do, and this life will be enough."

Pei Ye shook his head: "Not sincere, I say Miss Qi wants to be a prime minister."

"Hahahaha." Qi Zhaohua really laughed openly, then restrained her expression, smiled seriously, "Willing to be an arm for a good prime minister."

"Hmm... seems very powerful too, then where do you rank?"

"I have to rank below Fang Jidao."

"Well, so to speak, among us, it is still Junxue who is the most ambitious."

Zhang Junxue looked up and stared, her face still a bit dull and aggrieved—agreed to brag together, it turned out that only she really said something big.

"Young Hero Pei, haven't you said it yet?" Qi Zhaohua reminded seriously.

"My ambition is indeed very superficial, and it can't compare to Junxue's."

Zhang Junxue stared at him again.

Qi Zhaohua smiled: "I want to hear how superficial it is."

Li Piaoqing also supported her chin and tilted her head, looking at him with a smile.

"Alright." Pei Ye smiled, leaning against the side of the boat, one hand resting on the lake surface. Since he recognized this world, this was actually the first time the young man revealed his wild ambition so clearly.

He said clearly: "I want to become the number one on the Crane List."

"..."

It was indeed a superficial, simple, and powerful ambition, and it was the clearest one tonight, completely undeniable.

There was no need for anyone to explain the weight of this sentence. Qi Zhaohua had already clapped her hands slowly, and Li Piaoqing's expression was stunned, her eyes like bright stars.

"Then good, since everyone has finished speaking, who should be toasted by everyone?" Qi Zhaohua looked around, "I want to vote for Young Hero Pei."

Li Piaoqing raised her hand: "I also vote for Pei Ye."

Yang Yan hesitated: "... I vote for Zhang Junxue, the path of

Li Piaoqing raised her hand: "I also vote for Pei Ye."

Yang Yan hesitated for a moment: "I vote for Zhang Junxue. The path ahead for the saber... has not been blazed by many predecessors; it is truly very narrow."

Zhang Junxue said in a muffled voice: "I vote for myself."

This was something everyone hadn't expected, and for a moment, laughter erupted.

The young woman even explained seriously: "My ambition is for a lifetime. If he takes first place on the Crane List, perhaps he'll be done with it after ten years or so. He can't compare to me."

Then everyone looked at Fang Jidao. Fang Jidao raised his hand, not at all unexpectedly: "I vote for the Qi Qi Jushi."

Pei Ye watched as Qi Zhaohua rolled her eyes.

Pei Ye raised his hand: "Then I vote for Fang Jidao."

Thus, Pei Ye and Zhang Junxue each had two votes, while Fang Jidao and Qi Zhaohua each had one. Li Piaoqing, who had been the first choice, actually received no votes.

Realizing this, Pei Ye immediately tilted his head and raised his hand: "I'll change it; I want to vote for Li Piaoqing."

The young girl "humphed" and reminded him: "You said Zhang Junxue at the beginning."

"I changed it."

But it didn't affect the "big picture" anyway.

Qi Zhaohua then smiled and said: "Since we can't choose the most ambitious one, let's wish each other well. I hope that twenty years from now, the friends on this boat today will all have fulfilled their wishes."

The young woman divided a small pot of wine into six small cups and handed them to everyone.

Pei Ye took one and looked at it: "Why is there so little?"

"It's just for fun. How can we drink excessively on a boat? What if we fall off?"

"Pour me some more."

Qi Zhaohua then poured the dregs of the pot for him.

The few of them drank it with a laugh. Pei Ye had some left over, so he tilted his head and handed the cup to the kitten on his shoulder.

The green eyes lifted and met the boy's bright gaze. There was no need for any words between them, nor a second cup of wine, because their goal was the same.

The black cat looked at him with some boredom, but still lowered its head and took a sip.

Pei Ye put down the wine cup with satisfaction. The night wind was cool with rain, and the autumn lake was quiet and cold. The group set down their cups and leaned back against the side of the boat, quietly enjoying the pleasant and joyful atmosphere. For a time, there was only the sound of clear waves lapping against the boat.

Qi Zhaohua's eyes were half-closed, her thoughts seemingly having drifted to twenty years later, and she murmured softly: "Recalling the drinking on the Lu Lake in the past, those sitting were mostly heroic..."

Before she finished changing the lyrics, she pursed her lips and smiled.

Pei Ye also had a smile on his lips, leaning back lazily. After a long while, he spoke softly: "Qi Qi Jushi Qi, people say the poem you wrote today has no emotion."

"That is true."

"Can you write one with emotion?"

"..."

"Can't you do it?"

"It would be a bit of a mood-killer."

"With such beautiful scenery, where could it be killed?"

"... Alright then."

The boat became quiet again, just like the deep night.

Pei Ye tilted his head. The young woman's cheeks were beautiful and pale, her eyes half-closed. Under the bright moon, her soft, slow voice flowed from the bow of the boat, like a dream in the drizzling rain.

"Who remembers the little flute player of that year, the sky was overcast and just enough to dampen the clothes. Riding the ox, he called me to cross the little creek. Seeing the fish, we laughed and pointed; lifting the lotus, we saw the rainbow."

"..."

"..."

It became even quieter on the night boat. Finally, Fang Jidao couldn't help but whisper: "Qi Qi Jushi, what about the second half?"

"... The jade promise of ten years is now a dream, looking again at the blurred letters. After autumn, the Xiao River is always indefinite. The wind comes and the sleeves are cold, the rain reaches the bones and the spirit is miserable."

Qi Zhaohua opened her eyes, looked at the lake, and smiled softly: "Let's call this 'Lin Jiang Xian' 'The Dream of That Year'."

The boat remained as quiet as sleep, and everyone thought of different things.

(End of chapter)