Chapter 009: Let Us Drink

Good wine! Truly good wine!

It seems that the wine he just drank was cooking wine, not the ten-year aged one that was mentioned

Zhu County Magistrate cast a meaningful glance at Doctor Bai: "Doctor Bai has traveled a long way and should take some time to rest. Clerk, please see Doctor Bai off on my behalf."

Ximen Qing glanced at Zhu Zhi County, whose face was flushed, then looked at the exceptionally radiant Bai Taiyi, and continued reciting: "Do you not see the bright mirror in the high hall lamenting white hair, morning like black silk, evening turned to snow"

Zhu Zhixian sat in the center, listening to Bai Taiyi's words with a slight smile: "Ximen Xiandi's family-run herbal medicine shop is quite skilled in business, but asking him to compose poetry is somewhat challenging."

Dr. Bai spoke while intentionally glancing at Ximen Qing, his eyes filled with provocation: "It seems that the esteemed gentleman is also well-versed in the ways of wine. Today is a rare opportunity; why not share a verse as well?"

The master also refilled the cup for our Sir Ximen, and gave him an appreciative glance. It is no wonder, as for the master, he is more familiar with Ximen Qing, making it easier for him to side with him. Moreover, today Ximen Qing's performance exceeded everyone's expectations

Throughout history, all sages have been lonely, only those who drink have left their names

Ximen Qing paid him no mind, and as he recited the poem "Song of the Wine" all the way through, he felt a stirring within himself. Indeed, it is only by drinking heartily while singing such poetry that one truly grasps its essence. How could the diligent students, monotonously reciting like robots in the classroom, ever comprehend the profound meaning within the poetry?

"Ximen Daqiang, the universe is vast in wine, and the sun and moon are eternal in the pot; these two lines could serve as a signboard for a tavern, but they cannot be considered poetry..."

Haha, Brother Ximen, if you and I were to drink three hundred cups, I fear the face of the master of this grand mansion would be as unsightly as that in a picture book

I sing a song for you, please lend me your ear to listen

Ximen Qing smiled and called out from behind: "If you are tired from the journey and not feeling well, then we can discuss it in a few days; it is not urgent."

However, this is clearly a futile effort, as the vast majority of fish are unable to breathe air through their gills, and the same applies to Doctor Bai.

A good poem can truly make one feel as if they have consumed three hundred cups of wine

Daughter's red! Indeed, it is yellow wine

In life, one should enjoy to the fullest, and not let the golden cup face the moon empty

At this moment, Dr. Bai's mouth opened and closed in silence, as if he were silently reciting. This scene resembled a fish caught on a hook, desperately trying to breathe even the slightest trace of oxygen from the air.

Doctor Bai forced a smile and stopped the eager steward from offering assistance: "No need, my lord. It is better for the steward to remain here to serve you. I have family waiting downstairs, so it is not a problem."

In his eyes, Ximen Qing became heavy, as if he had already turned into an insurmountable mountain

If it were the previous Ximen Qing, that would be one thing, but now I have traveled through time. In my childhood, I memorized hundreds of Tang and Song poems, so why should I fear you? Just because the tiger does not show its power, do you take me for a sick cat? You can recite the drinking poems of Li Bai from the Tang Dynasty, and I can present you with all of Li Bai's classics. How about "Bring in the Wine"?

Imagine this: a friend invites you over for drinks, but you happen to be out of alcohol at home. Will you go downstairs to buy some alcohol or go downstairs to buy some alcohol? If you rummage through the kitchen and find a bottle of cooking wine, your friend might just cut ties with you.

Ximen Qing initially pretended to hesitate, but then he slammed the table and said: "Come here, fill the wine! How can one compose poetry without wine? As the saying goes: 'The universe is vast in wine, and the sun and moon linger in the pot'"

Never to awaken again, never to awaken again, what a harmonious - picture - book, may one remain forever intoxicated and never awaken again

Oh?

It seems to be yellow wine, and it is warm yellow wine. Although the physical form of Ximen Qing appears to accept this yellow wine, psychologically, there is still some difficulty in accepting it

Brother Yaozu, do not forget to visit my herbal medicine shop tomorrow; I will introduce a few things to you

Brother Ximen, I truly did not expect this

When an adult speaks, do you dare not to obey

After reciting the poem "Bring in the Wine," Ximen Qing found himself deeply immersed in its ambiance, his right hand subconsciously playing with a jade pendant. Meanwhile, Zhu Zhi Xian even slightly closed his eyes, his beard trembling, clearly also experiencing that profound atmosphere. Only the physician Bai, sitting opposite, released his hands that had been tightly gripping the table, leaning back in a state of helplessness.

The first line of "Pouring Wine" was uttered spontaneously, and with Ximen Qing deliberately elongating his tone, Zhu Zhi County first let out a cheer, seemingly holding this "Brother Ximen" in even higher regard.

Dr. Bai feigned modesty, yet his words revealed a sense of pride: "You flatter me, sir! Although I studied medicine in my youth, I also immersed myself in poetry, particularly fond of the immortal poet Li Bai. In Tokyo, I often frequented the entertainment quarters with a few close friends, indulging in wine and composing poetry; it is truly one of life's great pleasures"

Dr. Bai had no interest in drinking; instead, he supported himself on the Eight Immortals table, seemingly about to rise. His pale face was struggling to turn a bit red, and his two eyes were fixed intently on Ximen Qing, with his ears standing straight up, fearing he might miss a single word.

Five-flower horse, a thousand-gold fur coat, call the boy to exchange for fine wine, to share with you the eternal sorrow

Before the crossing, Ge was not particularly fond of alcohol, but he was aware that in the south, the mainstream was yellow wine, while in the north, it was white liquor. As for the book, Qinghe County is located in Shandong, which is naturally in the north

Ximen Qing smiled and raised his wine cup: "You flatter me, my lord. To speak frankly, it is all thanks to this 'Daughter's Red' wine. Without this 'Daughter's Red', I would indeed be embarrassing myself today"

Doctor Bai's mouth remained tight-lipped

The physician Bai, sitting opposite, twitched his facial muscles a couple of times, as if he were making a great effort to suppress his astonishment

In ancient times, King Chen feasted at Ping Le, indulging in ten thousand cups of wine and reveling in merriment

Ximen Qing smiled knowingly, glanced at the increasingly prominent veins on the forehead of the white physician, and happily downed a cup. This time, he seemed to have less aversion to yellow wine; indeed, one must enjoy life to the fullest when in good fortune, lest the golden goblet be left empty facing the moon

Having inexplicably traversed to this world, I was initially bewildered and ignorant. However, through this poem "Song of the Wine", it seems that Ximen Qing has faintly glimpsed the infinite opportunities that await him ahead.

The master speaks of having little money; he must directly procure it to share a drink with you

I was born with talents that must be of use, even if I spend a fortune, it will return again

The sound of bells and drums, and the delicacies of jade are not worth cherishing; I only wish to remain inebriated and never awaken again

Dr. Bai weakly nodded, as a form of farewell, and then withdrew.

No, this is not true! This person will definitely make mistakes, even if it is just one character, it counts as being uneducated! One can criticize harshly and turn the situation around.

The poetry of Li Bai, the poet immortal of the previous dynasty

The utterly devastated Dr. Bai, in immense pain, drank from the cup of his daughter's red wine, casually tossing the cup onto the table. He cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the county magistrate and said, "My lord, I am unable to handle my liquor; I must take my leave first."

Zhu Zhixian continued along the topic

Immediately raising his glass, he gestured to Doctor Bai: "Brother Yaozu, what do you say? With such a fine wine aged for ten years, how can we not drink at least three hundred cups?"

Zhu Zhixian also took a drink, continuing to shake his head and sway, looking somewhat like the young people dancing energetically in a disco: "Truly worthy of the Poet Immortal, this poem 'Bring in the Wine' is indeed a classic! Brother Ximen, keep it going, this county is waiting!"

Ximen Qing cleared his throat and continued reciting: "Roasting lamb and slaughtering cattle for joy, one must drink three hundred cups in one go"

Before he could finish speaking, Ximen Qing's expression changed suddenly. Frowning, he downed the freshly poured wine in one gulp. This was partly genuine, as Ximen Qing truly found it difficult to drink yellow wine, especially when it was warm; and partly affected, intended to highlight the comedic effect of the wine inspiring poetry.

Master Cen, Dan Qiu, let us pour the wine, and let the cups not cease.

After speaking, he walked out of the elegant room with a somewhat dragging gait, as if his entire body had lost its strength

Zhu County Magistrate said with slight surprise: "I did not expect that Doctor Bai not only possesses exceptional medical skills, but can also recite poetry and prose, which is truly astonishing. This poem is quite fitting for the occasion, and Doctor Bai's literary accomplishments must also be considerable"

After a long time, County Magistrate Zhu finally opened his eyes and looked at Ximen Qing with an expression of immense admiration: "I have always thought that Brother Ximen was only skilled in the ways of business. I did not expect that not only are you well-versed in this poem, but you also have a profound understanding of its artistic conception. This poem 'Song of the Wine' has been recited by countless people, and you, Brother Ximen, can be considered among the best, truly grasping the essence of the poet's spirit. This has truly astonished me greatly."

After reciting these three lines, County Magistrate Zhu was already nodding his head, softly reciting along. Then, with poetic flair, he raised his cup and tilted his neck, downing that glass of "Daughter's Red" wine, while the assistant hurriedly stepped forward to refill it.

Ximen Qing realized that starting today, his image in the eyes of Magistrate Zhu had completely changed, and he responded with joy and delight

While Ximen Qing was still in a state of indecision, Zhu Zhi County beside him took a slight sniff, then drank it all in one go, stroking his beard and laughing, "Ten years of Hetushu.com com Daughter's Red, there are hardly a few jars in Qinghe County. This time, the host has truly invested a considerable amount."

In the era from which I come, with the exception of a few regions in the south, most yellow wine was used as cooking wine for preparing exquisite dishes rather than for drinking

Ximen Qing, in pain, turned his face to the side and happened to see Doctor Bai also gulping down a drink, savoring it carefully. He smacked his lips a couple of times and flirtatiously recited two lines of poetry: "The beautiful wine of Lanling and the fragrant tulip, served in a jade bowl, glimmers like amber. As long as the host can get the guests drunk, who knows where their homeland is!"

Ximen Qing is known for his extravagant lifestyle and promiscuity in Qinghe County. However, asking Ximen Qing to recite poetry and literature is indeed a deliberate challenge. There is no need to ask; it is clear that Doctor Bai is using this matter to embarrass Ximen Qing

Do you not see the waters of the Yellow River coming from the heavens, rushing to the sea and never returning

If it weren't for the fact that the owner of the luxurious building had stepped back, at this moment, Ximen Qing would have very much wanted to grab his clothes and question him: "Buddy, did you pick the wrong jar? We are in Shandong, not Zhejiang. This jar is for cooking in the kitchen, so please exchange it for Erguotou!"

Isn't Ximen Qing a scoundrel who neglects his proper duties and bullies both men and women? How could he recite the poem "Bring in the Wine" by the immortal poet Li Bai so fluently? How is this possible?

Until the very last word, there were no errors at all. This completely plunged Doctor Bai, who had held onto a glimmer of hope, into an endless abyss

The physician Bai on the opposite side was almost leaning over the Eight Immortals table, his voice unexpectedly a bit hoarse: "Sir Ximen speaks quite fluently, which is truly unexpected..."

Zhu Zhixian raised his eyebrows in surprise, not expecting Ximen Qing to come up with such lines, and it seemed that there were more verses to follow. Today, Ximen Qing truly was full of surprises: "Good, good, good, fill them all up!"