Chapter 40

The heat of summer was like a furnace, making it hard to breathe, but standing at the top of a mountain was a different experience altogether.

On a solitary peak of Yushan, Ye Yu and Li Dayin sat in a pavilion, drinking wine. As the cool breeze blew, their laughter echoed through the mountains.

After finishing his business in Shouzhou, Ye Yu turned back to Qingliu County. On his way, he passed by Yushan and, at Li Dayin's enthusiastic invitation, did not refuse and stayed for a few days.

Although they had been enemies before, now that the matter was over, they had put aside their past grievances.

Moreover, with Guo Xiaotian now married to Li Dayin's sister, this relationship reduced the barriers between Ye Yu and the people of Qingfeng Fort.

Li Dayin seemed somewhat restless and sat by the pavilion railing, one leg on the rail, and took a big gulp of wine, then asked with a wry smile, "Brother, aren't you worried that I might detain you here to avenge the harm you did to my brothers that day?"

In terms of drinking capacity, Ye Yu and Li Dayin were evenly matched. However, their drinking styles were different.

Ye Yu gently poured a cup of wine, then rotated the glass between his fingers and smiled contentedly, "If you really did that, it would only mean that I misjudged you!

To be fair, although you have taken over the mountain and become a bandit, you have not bullied the weak or harmed innocent people. Just for this, you are much more genuine than those hypocritical people!"

"Common people? Ha ha ha! I increasingly find that what you say is indeed interesting, and the term 'common people' is very apt! To be honest, I can't stand those people who appear righteous on the surface but are ugly and despicable in secret!

Especially those so-called scholars, who talk about Confucianism and the governance of the country and the world! But when these common people become officials, they are more corrupt and cowardly than anyone else! Otherwise, how could our great Song lose half of its territory? Scholars have ruined the country!"

As Li Dayin spoke, his expression changed from joy to sorrow, and he finally felt a deep sadness.

Li Dayin's words made Ye Yu reveal a bitter smile, and he shook his head, muttering to himself, "The way of the state is a balance of tension and relaxation. Even we common people can see the flaws, but the small court in Lin'an is still in a fog. The foundation of the country should not be rashly changed, but if the country is no longer a country, what's the point of talking about the foundation?"

"Brother Ye, if you were to rule this world, what would you do?"

Li Dayin, listening to Ye Yu's words, showed a look of regret at not meeting earlier. He then boldly posed a hypothetical question.

Ye Yu, slightly tipsy, sipped the wine and, facing the overlapping peaks of Yushan, looked down at the mountains and said solemnly, "Living without dignity, even with great wealth, is like a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered! If that day ever comes, I will make the people of the Song stand tall, straightening the spine that has been bent for two hundred years!!"

"Good! Well said!" Li Dayin wiped the wine from his mouth and cheered for Ye Yu's passionate words.

Their conversation was shocking, one asking a bold question and the other answering with great passion.

Fortunately, they were drinking on a solitary peak, or they would have invited endless trouble. Although the Song Dynasty was relatively open to free speech, such bold words were still rare.

Li Dayin's cheers did not make Ye Yu more excited; instead, he felt a sense of loss and sighed, "But it's just empty talk. A cripple like me, how could I ever have such a day!"

"Don't talk about such depressing things. Come, let's drink together!" Seeing Ye Yu's dejected look, Li Dayin raised the wine pot to change the subject.

"Good! Let's drink together!" Perhaps influenced by his emotions, Ye Yu threw his wine glass away, grabbed the wine pot, and the two glasses clinked in the air. They then looked at each other and drank the wine in the pot.

After the intense emotions, they gradually returned to their previous calm. Unconsciously, the sun was setting. Ye Yu raised his eyes and looked into the distance for a long time, then said to himself, "It's time to go back and do what needs to be done!"

"Repay kindness and avenge grudges?"

Ye Yu glanced at Li Dayin and then said coldly, "I never let anything that threatens me exist for long, because it makes me restless and uneasy, like a thorn in my back! This thorn must be removed!"

"Why don't I send someone to infiltrate the county and take Lu Kun's life? It will remove your worries and also vent my anger!"

Ye Yu's decision did not surprise Li Dayin; this was what he admired about him.

Over the past few days, he found that Ye Yu's actions and style suited him well. Ye Yu was ruthless and decisive, without the usual scholar's pretentiousness, and in some aspects, even Li Dayin felt inferior.

Because of this growing recognition, he now considered Ye Yu a friend.

"No! Although this person deserves to die, it shouldn't be this way. In the end, you will be accused of killing an official and rebelling, while Lu Kun will be remembered as a martyr. This would be a bad deal, wouldn't it?"

"Brother Ye, you are indeed a businessman. What do you suggest?"

Ye Yu's analysis made sense to Li Dayin, who had not considered it in his moment of impulse.

Ye Yu's lips curled into a cold smile. He gently stroked his chin and said meaningfully, "First, let him lose his reputation, then take his life. By then, he will die a fitting death!"

Seeing Ye Yu's signature gesture of stroking his chin, Li Dayin knew that this young man, ten years his junior, had come up with another deadly plan.

Thinking of Lu Kun being targeted by Ye Yu, Li Dayin shook his head and silently mourned for him.

"But this plan needs to be carried out in three steps. The first step requires the use of the mountain flowers on Yushan. The second step involves Brother Li and me going to the underworld together..."

"This..."

...

Qingliu County was still bustling, but in recent days, Magistrate Lu Kun had rarely gone out. When he learned that the four prisoners he had relied on had returned to Yushan and that Ye Yu was still safe, Lu Kun became very cautious.

It wasn't that Lu Kun was worried about Ye Yu taking revenge, but he was concerned that Li Dayin might secretly make things difficult for him.

In Lu Kun's eyes, Ye Yu was just a clever young man, while Li Dayin was his real concern.

During this time, he was very cautious and rarely went out, but his son, Lu Zheng, continued to enjoy himself, still spending his time in the Drunken Spring Pavilion.

Especially when he learned that Ye Yu was safe, the long-suppressed anger he had could only be vented on the girls in the brothel. In recent days, Lu Zheng had been indulging in nightly revelry at the Drunken Spring Pavilion.

The night was quiet, and the noise in the Drunken Spring Pavilion gradually subsided. Many lanterns were hung, and besides the red ones, there were also purple, blue, pink, and green ones, each with a unique shape, making the atmosphere particularly enchanting.

In a luxurious and extravagant room, Lu Zheng sat at the table, holding a wine glass and watching the dancers, completely entranced.

A lute player played a soul-stirring tune, with a strange and seductive rhythm, unlike anything he had heard before, making his heart race.

The four dancers, led by Mei Qin, made seductive movements around Lu Zheng, their dance under the colorful lanterns and the flickering lights, their heads and feet moving, their waists twisting, exuding a fiery heat.

Lu Zheng, unable to resist, took advantage of the wine and pulled Mei Qin into his arms, searching her body. Her skin was smooth and elastic.

When he eagerly moved downward, Mei Qin suddenly let out a soft "oh."

Lu Zheng, an expert in such matters, explored Mei Qin's waist with his large hand, making her breathe heavily. Lu Zheng, excited, picked up Mei Qin and carried her to the bed...

In bed, the passion was intense. Lu Zheng had intended to spend the night only with Mei Qin, as she was the most beautiful in the Drunken Spring Pavilion, and he was particularly fond of her.

However, the other three women did not want to leave and, as Lu Zheng and Mei Qin embraced, they also undressed and climbed onto the large bed.

Lu Zheng, not caring about much, met them with his body, thrusting fiercely, making a sound like fish chewing water.

Mei Qin, out of breath, her waist moving wildly, her legs entwined, was completely satisfied. Finally, she let Lu Zheng thrust and grind, reaching a state of extreme pleasure.

But when Lu Zheng was about to take a break, the other three women had already climbed onto him. Their kisses and caresses made Lu Zheng go wild again.

Although Lu Zheng was an expert in the bedroom, he could not withstand the four women's continuous assault and was defeated after one round.

"Enough! Let's stop here. I can't take it anymore..." Lu Zheng, proud of his strength, had to surrender to the four fierce women.

Mei Qin, like a water snake, moved from Lu Zheng's thigh to his ear, blew a gentle breath, and pouted, "Sir, you boasted that you were invincible and could do it seven times a night. But you've already given up after just one round. Mei Qin is so disappointed..."

At the same time, the other three women continued to caress Lu Zheng, making him feel extremely itchy.

But when he looked at his own body, he sighed, "Even iron can't withstand this kind of torture..."

"Sir, this bottle contains a powerful aphrodisiac. One pill will have an immediate effect. Would you like to try it?" Mei Qin suddenly held a small bottle in her hand.

Lu Zheng knew it was an aphrodisiac, but he was already inflamed by the women's provocations and did not hesitate. He flipped over, pressed Mei Qin down, and swallowed a pill from the bottle.

Sure enough, it had an effect in no time. Not only did he feel a fiery heat, but also a dreamlike state in his mind...

(End of the page)