Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 225 Six-Fruit Wine

Zhou Yi summoned Fan Yibai and Qiu Hui from the Taifu Temple and had them connect with Li Shimin to explain in detail the scriptures lost in the library.

Erfeng's decision was not made on a whim; she had prepared horses in advance and was ready to travel west.

After speaking with him, Zhou Yi met with the Evil King and heard some surprising news from him.

"Are you also heading west?"

Shi Zhixuan gave an affirmative reply: "That's right."

"All phenomena are illusory. This is what I heard in Fule City, and you make a lot of sense."

Hearing this, Zhou Yi understood: "You're planning to go to Que Li Temple?"

Shi Zhixuan gave an affirmative answer.

Zhou Yi really wanted to tell him that he had made up all those things back then, and that the talk of exchanging Zen ideas with Que Li Temple was completely unfounded.

However, Shi Zhixuan seemed unconcerned about these things.

Therefore, no further explanation was given.

At the east gate of the Ziwei Palace, Zhou Yi turned to look at Empress Yin: "Empress Yin, are you coming along too?"

Zhu Yuyan glanced at Shi Zhixuan and nodded in agreement.

The relationship between the two is quite delicate; it seems like they've reconciled, yet there's always a sense of distance between them.

"I'm going to see what he can find at the Que Li Temple."

Her tone was teasing, then she looked at Zhou Yi seriously: "There are many quiet places with snow-capped mountains in the Western Regions. I may find a place to go into seclusion. The return date is uncertain. If Wan'er asks, please tell him for me."

"it is good."

Empress Yin was very stingy with her words; after he agreed, she didn't say a single extra word.

After the two left, Tian Dao and Yi Jian Master took their leave one after the other, one returning to Lingnan and the other returning to Goryeo.

Zhou Yi activated the cosmic energy within the He Shi Bi jade, and the illusions within it greatly benefited the cultivation of the primordial spirit.

It also incorporates Zhou Yi's pursuit of the origin of all things.

Therefore, although many martial artists practice different methods, they all arrive at the same goal and have different insights into their different training methods.

For martial arts grandmasters, the inspiration is even deeper.

But whether it can reach its peak is still hard to predict.
……

"Junior brother, do we still have a chance?"

After the five elders of the Coffin Palace thanked Zhou Yi, they set off on their way back to Champion City.

With snow covering the ground, Zhou Laofang's steps were the heaviest among the five, the large vermilion coffin on his back standing out starkly against the snow.

Jin Huanzhen, You Niaojuan, and Emperor Ding all looked at Old Man Zhou.

Their knowledge and insight are far greater than they were back then.

Therefore, I understand even more clearly that the road ahead is long and arduous.

While the group was still unsettled, they saw Old Zhou sigh with a determined look: "Opportunities are created, senior brothers and sisters. If we had been complacent and failed to make progress, how could we have achieved what we have today?"

"Several years ago, I probably couldn't have imagined things would turn out this way."

The members of the Holy Ultimate Sect deeply agreed.

Seeing this, Old Zhou sighed, his eyes flashing with ghostly fire: "So whether there is an opportunity or not is not something we should worry about. Facts have proved that the path of martial arts is like rowing against the current. The so-called raft for crossing the world is not the physical body, but the spirit and will of martial arts."

"As long as our will does not falter, we will eventually be able to embark on this path leading to our master."

A strong sense of anticipation suddenly appeared on his broad face, and he snorted, "Don't you want to meet your master again in another world?"

How could I not want to?

After You Niaojuan finished answering, Emperor Ding and Jin Huanzhen locked their gazes on Zhou Laotan: "What do you plan to do?"

“Apart from what that person told me, I went into seclusion thereafter, making the most of every moment and devoting all my limited years to practicing my skills.”

Jin Huanzhen nodded deeply: "I will do my best and have no regrets."

Upon hearing the word "regret," Old Zhou, who was walking on the far side, patted the large coffin.

He shouted, "Hey, Old Monster Zuo, you've mastered the 'Sword Qi Flow' technique. When do you plan to draw your sword?"

"Should we live with this regret forever?"

Old Zhou slapped the coffin repeatedly, but there was still no response.

Yu Niaojuan's shrill voice pierced the coffin: "Why are you calling him? He's probably already scared to death."

Finally, an echo was heard:
"I, Zuo, have mastered the divine skill. The hatred and strife of the world are like fleeting clouds to me. From now on, you will cultivate diligently in the coffin palace, while I, Zuo, will reside in this coffin forever. In the process of approaching the end of my life, I will have like-minded people to accompany me. Isn't that wonderful?"

He didn't sound cowardly, but he was actually completely cowardly.

Zuo Youxian was in the coffin, which meant he was essentially dead.

Once he's out of the coffin, he'll probably have to pay off his outstanding debts. It's better to live a miserable life than to die, so he doesn't have the guts to do that.

They had seen through Zuo Laoguai long ago.

Therefore, he was constantly subjected to sarcastic remarks along the way.

On the way back to the champion from the coffin palace.

Inside the Ziwei Palace, Zhou Yi hosted a banquet to invite his Taoist friends.

During the gathering, they discussed Taoist scriptures and drank a lot of wine.

As for the restoration of the Daoist canon, Zhou Yi placed it in the Tianshi Temple, which is the Laozi Temple, the original site of the Daoist ancestor.

He never forgot his original aspiration, earning the deep respect and admiration of his fellow Taoists.

After the banquet ended, the wooden Taoist used his inner energy to dispel the smell of alcohol from his body and bid farewell to Zhou Yi.

Surprisingly, he also planned to travel west.

The Wood Taoist had already agreed with the Crow Taoist to forge him the finest legendary kitchen utensil, hence the use of "Heavenly Rain Iron".

They planned to go to the Kyrgyz region.

The two were determined to leave, so Zhou Yi swallowed his words of persuasion and, as usual, gave Mu Daoren travel expenses and a large gourd of wine when he left.

Of course, the Wood Taoist wouldn't refuse.

He laughed and said, "You're a good friend," before going with the Crow Taoist to the Heavenly Street to buy what they needed for their journey to the West.

The third day after the first snow in Chang'an.

A group of people heading west emerged from the eastern capital.

Their purposes differed. For example, Shan Xiongxin was worried because Lou Ruodan, a member of the Dangyang caravan, had gone to Gaochang and had not returned for a long time. His purpose in going there was to find him.

Coincidentally, these people with different motives left the city together right before Zhou Yi's eyes.

The Evil King led the way, followed by Li Shimin riding a white horse, Mu Daoren carrying a nine-toothed rake, and Shan Xiongxin carrying a bag.

Zhou Yi spotted the four people in the crowd at a glance.

He felt a sense of disorientation, as if they were truly traveling together.

After watching the people heading west disappear into the distance, he soon turned to the east of the city.

After Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling, Ba Feng Han and their group reunited in Chang'an last time, they went to the grasslands. Now that they have left Ziwei Palace, they are naturally embarking on a brand new journey.

Zhou Yi knew about their plan, so he guided them to Yancheng.

A huge ship, designed by Lu Miaozi, the greatest craftsman in the world, has been prepared there, enough to usher in the Age of Exploration.

Perhaps it was the novelty of traveling to unknown territories that made Kou Xu feel a mix of reluctance and anticipation when he said goodbye to Zhou Yi.

Old Long, who had always been with Kou Xu, left the team of the young people.

Shi Long plans to return to Jiangdu to find Tian Wen, Master Bai, and other old friends.

Separated by mountains and seas, the three dragons of Yangzhou, it is unknown when they will be able to reunite.

Before leaving, Kou Zhong finally found an opportunity to send a letter of thanks from the Yan and Zhao regions.

The person who wrote the letter was naturally Liu Heita.

His fate changed, he found his own happiness, and formed a good marriage with Susu.

"Brother Zhou, take care!"

"Go."

Shuanglong clasped his hands in a bow and, together with Ba Feng Han, Fu Junyu, and the others, headed east.

Upon returning to the Ziwei Palace, Zhou Yi encountered Hou Xibai and Fan Caiqi, who had been waiting for him for a long time.

"Brother Hou, are you also leaving me?"

The sentimental young master laughed heartily: "Brother Zhou's words sound rather sorrowful."

He joked, then explained:

"I promised Chief Fan that I would take Caiqi back to Sichuan for the New Year, and I will come to bother you again next year."

Fan Caiqi, who was standing to the side, smiled broadly, and her smile became even wider when she looked at Hou Xibai.

"I was thinking of keeping you here for a few more days, but I think I'll pass. I don't want to interfere with your good time." Upon hearing this, Hou Xibai seemed to sense a change in his mood and stopped leaving, staying with Fan Caiqi for another three days.

During this time, he often drank and talked with Zhou Yi.

But all good things must come to an end, and Hou Xibai and Fan Caiqi left amidst the snow.

The absence of these people will not affect the prosperity and bustle of Luoyang.

But Zhou Yi always felt a strange sense of melancholy.

There's some truth to the saying that emperors are lonely; old friends now seem somewhat distant when they talk to each other.

Fortunately
There are still people in this world who are not alienated from him.

The little phoenix keenly sensed the change in emotion and immediately offered suggestions.

Zhou Yi accepted it.

So, in the middle of winter, after giving instructions to several capable assistants in the cabinet, he used his light-footed skills to head straight for Sichuan and Chongqing.

Hou Xibai set off early.

But Zhou Yi may have arrived in Chengdu faster than him, and his search for the person at Qingzhu Xiaozhu and Youlin Xiaozhu was unsuccessful.

He suddenly realized something, and went down the Three Gorges, heading straight for Nanjun, to the Pegasus Ranch.

really!

In the ranch mountain town, he met Shi Qingxuan, who was chatting happily with the beautiful ranch owner.

Zhou Yi's sudden appearance in the inner fortress of the mountain city caught the people in the ranch completely off guard, leaving them both surprised and delighted.

When asked why they had come, they were told...
A certain Zhou emperor, looking preoccupied and melancholy, first remained silent, then said he wanted to drink.

He poured out his bitterness over the six-fruit wine.

For example, there are few close confidants around, and there is always an invisible barrier between them and their subordinates, making it difficult to find a few people with whom they can have a heart-to-heart talk.

In short, he portrayed himself as 'a lonely and isolated person,' quite pathetic.

The world's number one martial arts master got drunk on his very first night at Pegasus Ranch.

Shang Xiuxun and Shi Qingxuan witnessed his superb performance and stayed with him, getting drunk for three days straight.

In the end, they softened and let Zhou Yi's scheme succeed.

On the sixth day at Pegasus Ranch, a piece of news caused a stir in the mountain town.

The emperor himself went to the ranch and took away the beautiful ranch owner.

Zhou Yi bid farewell to Lao Lu and led the two northwards along the Han River, entering Nanyang County.

We first stopped by the Baihe River, met with Elder Xie, and then took them to visit Wuzhuang Temple.

I had planned to visit the town first, and then go to persuade my cousin.

Unexpectedly, Aryuina not only found Wuzhuang Temple, but also brought Zhou Yi's favorite duck from the city.

As for going to the Eastern Capital, it didn't trouble him at all.

The luggage in the small courtyard in Nanyang City had been packed. Zhou Yi stayed in Nanyang for a day and then had someone send the luggage to the palace, so his cousin would not need to return to Nanyang.
The year draws to a close in the first year of open source.

After the court celebrated, Zhou Yi returned to the capital for a small banquet.

After Shi Feixuan and Wanwan finished their seclusion, they gathered with Dugu Feng, Shi Qingxuan, Shang Xiuxun, and Aruina in the brightly lit palace.

For Zhou Yi, this was a moment of pure fantasy.

We all had the chance to drink six kinds of fruit wine together.

However, perhaps there was something wrong with Lao Lu's fruit wine, because this wine tasted more sour than usual.

On this day, there was not only six kinds of fruit wine.

The imperial kitchen also housed many renowned chefs.

Prefect Duan was in charge of duck, Feng Ge was in charge of chicken soup, Wei Che was in charge of seafood, Chai Xiaohe was in charge of swallow's nest soup, Mu Li, the nephew of Jieli, was in charge of roasted lamb, and Zhao Congwen, one of the Seven Nobles of Luoyang, was in charge of Luoyang carp.

Another man surnamed Sha came from Chang'an and owned a flatbread shop. He was a distant relative of Sha Tiannan, the richest man in Luoyang, and was recommended to come here.

He prepared "Gulouzi," a type of flatbread filled with meat.

The banquet was lavish, and those who prepared the dishes were certainly no ordinary people.

It would be impossible for anyone else to get them all together and cook a delicious meal on the last day of the year.

Perhaps it was the delicious food, or perhaps it was the festive atmosphere of the year-end.

Zhou Yi observed secretly that the six people around him were all smiling at each other, and on the surface they seemed to be getting along quite well.

Triangles are stable, and there are exactly two triangles.

During the Sui Dynasty, in addition to the Empress, there were three other consorts in the imperial harem: the Noble Consort, the Virtuous Consort, and the Virtuous Consort.

It's not enough now.

Zhou Yi then added Consort Xian and Consort Hui.

He didn't distinguish between high and low in his heart, but to outsiders, they were all of the first rank.

During the morning court ceremony, he had already announced the matter of bestowing the title of imperial concubine upon her.

For now, everything seems calm.

However, Eunuch Li, who was directing the imperial kitchen to serve dishes near the Imperial Garden, was quite nervous and earnestly instructed everyone to act cautiously.

I felt this was the most dangerous day in the Ziwei Palace.

Although the number of concubines in the imperial harem was extremely small.

But each of them is someone you can't afford to mess with.

This is quite different from the palace intrigues during the Sui Dynasty. If these women in the Ziwei Palace were to start fighting now, they might very well tear down the main hall.

After the meal, Shi Feixuan and Wanwan left first, citing the need to practice their martial arts.

Then, my cousin said she wanted to go to the library.

Shi Qingxuan and Shang Xiuxun, who had been traveling with her, followed.

Zhou Yi went along with them and did not stop them, leaving only Dugu Feng by his side.

The atmosphere was a bit more serious when there were more people.

At this moment, Little Phoenix came over, pouring him wine while teasing him with a smile: "We're all very natural, so why are you the one who's acting strange?"

"Only then did I realize that I was indeed a bit sentimental."

Zhou Yi finished his drink, looked at her, and said, "Xiao Feng, do you believe me if I say I feel a little ashamed?"

"Believe, but why feel ashamed?"

"The most beautiful girls in the world are all here, yet I've made everyone suffer."

"Yes, you are right. However, considering the emperor's position, Zhou Lang is still forgivable."

Dugu Feng pointed around and said, "I quite like that the harem is so empty."

"Even after you became emperor, you still treat people the same way you did before, and your original intentions remain unchanged. This is very commendable. Otherwise, why would the most beautiful girl in your memory be willing to suffer grievances and gather together? This shows that Zhou Yu's attractiveness has not diminished in the slightest."

Zhou Yi pulled her into his arms and kissed her hard:
"Xiaofeng is so good at comforting people. I feel like I can do it again."

Dugu Feng crawled out of his arms and pointed in the east and west directions.

Zhou Yi understood what she meant.

On this New Year's Eve, after drinking several cups with Little Phoenix, he went to find the demoness and saintess, only to find that they were indeed practicing their skills.

One cultivates towards the ultimate yin, the other towards the ultimate yang.

They seem to complement each other, but in reality, they are both unwilling to admit defeat.

Zhou Yi's arrival finally allowed them to stop and rest.

He chatted with the two until late at night, then, keeping track of the time and timing it perfectly, he used his light-footed skills to suddenly appear in the library after the first year of Open Source.

This time, he not only painted, but also showed off his flute skills.

Although it was hard work, I managed to take care of everyone's feelings.

On January 1st, a grand court assembly officially commenced.

This is the grandest ceremony held at the beginning of the year, symbolizing bidding farewell to the old year and ushering in a new one.

Zhou Yi led six people to participate, all dressed in their finest attire.

With the sound of bells and drums, the official in charge of rites from the Court of State Ceremonies led all the officials into the palace, where they played soothing music, performed grand ceremonies, and offered birthday greetings.
The grander the festival, the more rules there are.

Fortunately, there's no need to worry about trivial matters; just follow the procedures.

Zhou Yi's first public appearance before the court officials with Little Phoenix and others was of great significance.

As the ceremony proceeded, he observed the expressions of Qingxuan and Xiuxun, and his heart gradually calmed down.

Everything was developing in the direction he had hoped for.

Following the celebration at the beginning of the second year of Open Source, Bu Tianzhi of the Giant Kun Gang urgently sent a message. Upon receiving the message, Zhou Yi could no longer sit still; his master, who had been missing for so long, had finally shown up.
……

(End of this chapter)