Chapter 3: Desire for Wine
Jiyue Tower.

The aroma of wine, flowers and cosmetics makes the drunk people addicted.

The sounds of piano, music and charming voices make people linger.

The first and second floors are filled with lascivious music, but the third floor is much quieter.

Even the sound of the piano is different from the decadent music outside, and it is more elegant.

Su Yin's jade fingers gently plucked the strings, and a melodious and beautiful sound began to flow.

She casually glanced at the man drinking in front of her, wearing a thin blue shirt with wide sleeves. He looked three parts lonely, three parts desolate, and three parts frustrated. Even though he was leaning on the couch with his eyes closed and holding the wine, he would not make people feel that he was unruly. Looking closely at his well-defined facial features, he looked resolute and fearless with his sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes. Su Yin, who was used to seeing all kinds of men, was deeply attracted by them for no reason. Her heart was moved, and her hands slowed down by half a beat.

Xie Chengyi, who was gently stroking his forehead, frowned and slowly opened his eyes.

He slowly said, "Okay, let's stop here today."

The slightly magnetic voice stirred Su Yin's heart even more passionately. She gently pressed the strings of the zither, put her hands over her shoulders, and leaned forward, as if she had mustered up a lot of courage. She said softly, "I will help the prince wash up."

Xie Chengyi lowered his eyes and paused for a while.

Su Yin clenched her palms tightly. Looking at the whole capital, whether it was the dignitaries or the rich young men, when it came to beauties, who would not praise Su Yin from Jiyue Tower? She was good at playing the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, understood poetry and songs, was gentle and affectionate, and her talent, beauty and appearance were not inferior to those of the noble ladies. It was difficult for others to see her, but she was concerned about Xie Chengyi and would rather lower her status and be willing to accompany him. But at this moment, Su Yin felt her face was hot, and she dared not look directly into Xie Chengyi's eyes...

Just when Su Yin thought he acquiesced, she heard Xie Chengyi say coldly: "No need, it's getting late, Miss Su, go to bed."

Su Yin stood up slightly and was about to call him, but Xie Chengyi left without any reluctance, making the infatuated Su Yin feel like an abandoned woman in an instant, with a bitter heart.

The next second, Sheng Daoan, who was leaning against the window quietly, looked at Su Yin who was secretly sad, and sighed with pity: "Miss Su, why did you fall in love with him?"

Su Yin held back tears. When she looked up, she saw the new noble Sheng Daoan. The aunt of this young master Sheng was the unparalleled noble concubine Sheng. His father was also an important official in the court. He had a deep family background. In terms of nobility, it was hard to tell who was higher between him and Xie Chengyi. However, unlike Xie Chengyi, Young Master Sheng was not just drinking in Jiyue Tower.

"Mr. Sheng." As per her upbringing, Su Yin wiped her tears and bowed reluctantly.

When Sheng Daoan wanted to help her, Su Yin had already leaned forward and half stood up.

"The same is true for Chengyi. He leaves such a beautiful woman alone and prefers to be with swords. He is either unromantic or he doesn't like women. Miss Su, please don't be sad." Sheng Daoan said gently.

Although it was a consolation, Su Yin didn't feel happy. She would not allow anyone to harm Xie Chengyi. "Mr. Sheng has drunk too much. Su Yin will leave first."

Sheng Daoan's originally gentle eyes suddenly turned sinister. Now, even a prostitute was more attracted to Xie Chengyi and ignored him. He looked at Su Yin turning around with a cold face, clasped his hands, and said with anger and resentment: "Xie Chengyi, in this life, either I or you!"

Just when Xie Chengyi walked out of Jiyue Tower, he happened to be met by Su Han and Sheng Zexi.

Sheng Zexi jumped up with joy and called out, "Brother Chengyi! Brother Chengyi, wait a moment!"

Su Han looked in the direction of Sheng Zexi's excited steps and said with a smile, "Zexi has been saying that he wants to find you these past few days, but he never came across you. This time, he won't let you go easily."

Sheng Zexi said with a face full of resentment: "That's not true, Brother Chengyi, you have been shutting yourself in since you came back. Brother Su and I have come to look for you several times, but we were always disappointed. This time, you can't just leave us alone. You have to get drunk before you come back!"

Looking at these two good friends, Xie Chengyi relaxed his brows for the first time in a long time.

"Let's drink another day. I haven't been home for a long time. I'm going back to see my grandmother today." Xie Chengyi said to Sheng Zexi with a little guilt, and then looked at Su Han.

Before Su Han could say anything, Sheng Zexi was unhappy, "Brother Chengyi, this won't do. In previous years, we would get together within three days of your return. This time, you've been back for more than ten days, and we haven't had a drink together yet. No matter what you say today, this wine, we have to drink!"

Su Han joked helplessly: "Chengyi, if you ask me, you should just drink a few glasses today, otherwise, he will keep nagging me."

When Sheng Zexi heard Su Han speak up, he immediately nodded and said, "Brother Su is right. If you don't drink this glass of wine today, I will complain to my grandmother and say that you are lustful and ignore your friends."

Xie Chengyi was helpless when Sheng Zexi was nagging him, "When will you grow up?"

Sheng Zexi simply climbed up the pole, looked up and said: "Drink this glass of wine and you will grow up!"

Xie Chengyi was amused by Sheng Zexi, shook his head, and said to Zhan Li with a helpless smile: "Then wait a little longer. If I don't drink this glass of wine today, I won't be able to sleep well."

After saying this, Sheng Zexi was very happy, and said to the waiter in a loud and cheerful voice: "Waiter, give me the best daughter's red wine! Tonight, I won't leave until I'm drunk!"

Sheng Daoan, who was in the private room on the third floor, paused with his hand holding the wine glass.

Then, the attendant outside the door reported: "Young Master, the Second Young Master went upstairs with Xie Chengyi and Su Han."

Sheng Daoan was quite surprised, "Oh?"

It is said that this unreliable younger brother really has a good relationship with Xie Chengyi. If so, he has a good idea. Thinking of this, Sheng Daoan sneered, waved his hand, and whispered in his follower's ear.

"Yes, I'll do it right away." Sheng Daoan shook his wine glass, squinted his eyes and smiled with interest: "Today is really a good day..."

Sheng Zexi was very excited when he entered the room. He quickly pulled Xie Chengyi to sit down, "Brother Chengyi, come and sit down."

Su Han kept observing Xie Chengyi's expression, and couldn't help but ask with concern: "Is there still no news from the border?"

In just one sentence, the atmosphere immediately dropped several degrees.

Sheng Zexi also looked at Xie Chengyi worriedly, "Brother Chengyi, maybe the emperor is taking this opportunity to test you."

Xie Chengyi couldn't help but smile bitterly. Even Zexi, who had always been a pleasure-seeker, could see that something was fishy, ​​so how could the emperor not see it?

"Don't you know what kind of person I am? Let's not talk about this anymore. Let's just drink today." Xie Chengyi said casually.

Su Han raised his glass and said, "If there is anything that Brother Su can do for you, Chengyi, just ask!"

Sheng Zexi followed closely, holding up his glass high, "I may not be able to help much, but as long as I can, I will do my best!"

Xie Chengyi smiled lightly and nodded with satisfaction, "Chengyi will remember it in his heart."

After three rounds of drinks, the three people in the room were chatting animatedly. Su Han, following his father, had a clear understanding of the political situation. Although Sheng Zexi loved to play, he knew the powerful people in the capital thoroughly. He gradually sorted out the relationships and dynamic changes between the people in the court in Beijing to Xie Chengyi.

Suddenly, the door was gently pushed open.

The maid said softly, "Prince, Miss Su Yin said that you will be happy to meet your friends today, so she specially sent you a pot of good wine, hoping that you will be happy."

Looking at the jade wine pot, Sheng Zexi couldn't help but let his imagination run wild. He said with a smug look as if he was enjoying a good show, "Oh, oh, oh, brother Chengyi, you have to drink the wine Miss Su offered you."

They both know Su Yin's feelings for Xie Chengyi better than anyone else. Beauty and hero are a perfect match.

Especially Sheng Zexi, he had never seen Brother Chengyi fall in love with any girl, and now he was wondering whether Miss Su had already won Brother Chengyi over.

Xie Chengyi had been in the army for ten years and hardly ever drank alcohol outside of his job. However, thinking of Su Yin's affection just now, he was afraid that if he returned the wine, he would hurt her feelings again. Although he was not in love with her, as a friend, Su Yin was a rare confidant.

"Let it go." When Xie Chengyi said this, Sheng Zexi was happier than if he had found a wife.

"Ahhh, Brother Chengyi's spring has arrived..."

Su Han glanced at him and said disdainfully, "Look at you, how can you behave like this? You are the second son of the Sheng family after all, so pay attention to your image!"

Sheng Zexi's eyes lit up and he said, "Brother Su, when have you ever seen Brother Chengyi drink wine sent by others, let alone a woman, how can I not be excited?"

Xie Chengyi was really speechless to Sheng Zexi, and pushed the wine, "Come on! You pour it, and let's drink together!"

Sheng Zexi's eyes suddenly widened, and he shook his head like a rattle, and pushed the wine in front of Xie Chengyi, "No, no, no, this is Miss Su's gift, we can't drink it. Let's just drink this daughter's red wine, the taste is okay, except that it's a little sour, nothing else."

Su Han was disgusted by Sheng Zexi's winking expression and couldn't help but shiver, "Sheng Zexi! Be normal, I have goose bumps all over the floor!"

No matter what they said or laughed, with Sheng Zexi's jokes and Su Han's warm company, Xie Chengyi felt much more relaxed.

He picked up the jade wine pot, filled a cup, and drank it all in one gulp...

When the wine goes down your throat, it has a rich aroma, is slightly burnt and smooth, and it really is a good wine.

After drinking three cups in a row, Xie Chengyi seemed to be a little abnormal.

He turned his head to look at the jade wine pot, and felt an uncontrollable heat rising from somewhere in his body, climbing up little by little, stirring his body and mind out of control...

Sheng Zexi thought he was just happy to meet each other and didn't pay attention to it, but Su Han noticed something unusual.

"Chengyi, what's wrong?"

Xie Chengyi clenched his hands tightly, and said calmly: "It's okay, maybe I drank too much, I'll go back first."

After saying that, he walked away without waiting for Sheng Zexi and Su Han to react.

At this moment, Sheng Daoan, who was standing at the stairs, clearly saw Xie Chengyi walking away in a panic, and curled his lips, "I want to see if you can really remain calm..."

After that, he gestured to his followers and ordered: "Send a message to Zhao Chan to go to Xie Chengyi's Songqing Courtyard and wait immediately. Also, inform Wu Biao that we can act now. I want Xie Chengyi's reputation to be completely ruined, and I want the Xie family to spend the rest of their lives in jail!"

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