Chapter 8

"Truly a fine wine, a fine wine!"

After a long while, the two of them finally recovered, savoring the lingering taste of the wine with a faint fragrance of bamboo. They couldn't help but praise it together.

Compared to the wine in the imperial palace, this Erguotou was on a whole different level.

"What kind of wine is this, why is it so strong! It's even more intense than the firewater on the grasslands. I—have never seen such a fierce liquor!"

After downing a large bowl of Erguotou, Li Shimin's cheeks instantly turned red.

You just haven't had Lao Bai Gan!

Wang Zian thought to himself, and casually picked up the wine jar to refill their bowls.

"You two have great capacity! Real men! You look like someone who can drink heartily. Come, let's drink to our heart's content, and not stop until we're drunk!"

Looking at the full bowl of Erguotou, Li Shimin couldn't help but draw in a breath. If he drank like this today, he would most likely end up drunk. Just as he was about to find an excuse to decline, he heard Cheng Yaojin, full of enthusiasm, slap his chest.

"Come—fill—fill up, fill up—today we won't stop until we're drunk—"

After saying that, he snatched the wine jar.

"Come—come—Erlang—let's not stop until we're drunk, who tries to be clever—will be a fool—"

He quickly filled his own and Li Shimin's bowls.

Li Shimin: ...

I forgot this old rascal gets drunk and starts pouring.

...

Dusk fell.

The three people in the yard were already leaning on each other, almost drunk.

Cheng Yaojin, with a red face, held a wine cup in one hand and a water celery in the other. He didn't even cook it, just dipped it in the spicy soup and started munching, crunching like he was eating a big onion. In comparison, Li Shimin was much more reserved.

Holding a wine cup, he sang aloud.

"Let us drink, let us drink, and never stop. I will sing a song for you, and you must listen. The sounds of bells and jade are not precious, I only wish to be drunk and never wake. Ancient sages were all lonely, only drinkers leave their names, only drinkers leave their names..."

After singing, Li Shimin burped, and with blurry eyes, he glanced at Wang Zian.

"Truly a fine poem, a fine poem—"

"Fine, fine poem—"

Cheng Yaojin took a bite of the water celery and drunkenly echoed. Li Shimin glanced at him with disdain and ignored him.

This crude fellow, what does he know about poetry? My only soulmate is Wang Xiaoxiong!

Ancient sages were all lonely!

Those commoners, those petty people, only see me killing for the throne, where do they understand my inner pain!

Life, so lonely!

Fortunately, there is the "Let Us Drink" and this young brother!

"Young brother, not only are you strong and skilled in farming, but you also have such remarkable talent. Isn't it a waste to stay here? Why not come out and serve as an official, achieve great things, and bring honor to your wife and children..."

Although Li Shimin was already quite drunk, the habit of being an emperor still made him try to recruit him.

"Serve as an official? What for? Following that fool Li Er, what good would it do? Here, I can eat whatever I want, play whatever I want, sleep whenever I want, and marry as many wives as I want, living freely and easily. Isn't this better..."

Wang Zian, seeing this fellow trying to persuade him again, replied with a bad temper.

This fellow eats my food, drinks my wine, and still wants to trick me. What a heartless dog!

"You, you, you said who is a fool—how, how dare you call His Majesty a fool—"

Cheng Yaojin, with a thick tongue, struggled to stand up and argue with Wang Zian.

"Get lost, this has nothing to do with you—Young brother, I want to hear your opinion. Why do you say that—our Emperor is a fool—"

Although he was quite drunk, calling himself a fool still made him a bit embarrassed.

"What's so good about being a lousy emperor? Look at him, is he as free and easy as us? He's cooped up in that lousy palace like a caged bird, and he's always busy, tired like a dog. He actually competes to be that—what the hell is he if not a fool..."

After saying that, Wang Zian lazily leaned back in his chair, adding with a sigh.

"Moreover, to become this lousy emperor, he even killed his brothers, forced his father to abdicate, making it so that father is not father, son is not son, brother is not brother, and younger brother is not younger brother, leaving him alone and isolated. If it were me, I would rather die than be this lousy emperor—"

"Bold!"

Cheng Yaojin was so shocked by Wang Zian's words that he shivered, his back instantly drenched in cold sweat, and he was half sober.

"The emperor isn't here, who are you showing loyalty to? I hate you people who are just sycophants. You're just a small merchant, you don't even have the right to speak to the emperor, yet you act like his brain-dead fan—Did I say something wrong? Even if the emperor were here, I would still say it..."

With the influence of the Erguotou, Wang Zian patted his chest boldly.

Killing brothers, forcing his father to abdicate.

These few years, it has become a thorn in his heart, a taboo no one dares to touch.

This kid...

Li Shimin's face turned ashen, his voice cold.

"Is the emperor so unworthy in your eyes?"

Li Shimin's voice was steady, without any fluctuation.

Cheng Yaojin, who knew the emperor's temper, was frantically giving him secret signals. Wang Zian, still in the midst of his rant, lazily leaned back in his chair and shook his head in dissatisfaction.

"Unworthy? Old Li, you're going too far—"

I'm going too far?

Li Shimin suppressed his anger, his eyebrows raised, a mocking smile on his lips, and he looked at this unguarded young man.

"Tell me, how am I going too far—"

"Frankly speaking, although Li Er has some flaws in character, he is a truly excellent emperor, far better than his father and brother."

Li Shimin's expression eased slightly.

This kid finally said something sensible!

"You listen, Old Li, this Li Er is extraordinary. He is a man of great talent and vision, broad-minded, good at recognizing and using people, decisive and resolute. Throughout history, no emperor can match him except for Qin Shi Huang and Han Wu Di!"

This brat actually has such a high opinion of me!

If Li Shimin didn't know that this kid really didn't know his identity, he would have thought the kid was trying to flatter him.

But it feels so good to hear.

Li Shimin's face couldn't help but show a smile, and he looked at the admiring Wang Zian, waving his hand awkwardly.

"This—ahem, Wang Xiaoge, this is too much, too much—"

Cheng Yaojin, seeing Li Shimin's high-curled lips and his feigned modesty, secretly sneered, thinking, I wonder who was just so angry.

"Too much? Old Li, let me tell you, you, a small merchant, know nothing—"

PS: Thank you for the support and encouragement from all the readers! Here is the second chapter! Thanks!