With the great battle over and the border temporarily at peace, Feng Qinghe, unusually relaxed, changed into a dark-colored casual outfit.
Her black hair was loosely tied up, and she looked less like a warrior and more like a woman with a lazy charm.
The charcoal fire inside the tent was burning brightly, dispelling the chill of the border night.
The table was filled with roasted lamb legs and roasted meat, as well as several jars of strong liquor that had been sealed in mud and had not yet been opened.
There was no one else, only her, Gu Anqi, and Ah Chen.
“Let’s not talk about military affairs today; let’s just drink.” Feng Qinghe broke the clay seal on a jar of wine, and the strong, pungent aroma of the liquor instantly filled the air.
It was the strongest “shao dao zi” from the North.
She personally took the jar and filled three large bowls to the brim.
The liquor was clear, but it was so strong that it was irritating.
“This bowl is for you both.” Feng Qinghe picked up the large bowl, her gaze sweeping over Gu Anqi’s gentle face and Achen’s cold profile.
Her eyes were clear, carrying a genuine feeling as if she had shed her pretense.
“Thank you for…
your company during this time.” She emphasized the word “company,” whose meaning is complex.
Gu Anqi smiled and picked up the bowl, his tone as gentle as ever: “General Feng, you flatter me.
It was Anqi and Achen who disturbed you.” He was composed, but when he smelled the alcohol, a serious look flashed across his eyes.
Achen simply picked up his bowl in silence and clinked it against Feng Qinghe’s bowl across the table.
“Cheers.” Feng Qinghe tilted her head back, her throat bobbing as she emptied the bowl of strong liquor as if it were water, her expression unchanged.
She showed the bottom of the bowl, a slight smile playing on her lips as she looked at the two of them with a provocative air.
Gu Anqi sighed inwardly, knowing he couldn’t avoid the wine, and also raised his bowl and drank it all.
The wine went down his throat like a red-hot iron wire shooting straight to his dantian.
Even with his profound inner strength, he felt a scorching heat rush to the top of his head, and his face instantly flushed.
Achen, on the other hand, didn’t even frown, tilting his head back and gulping it down, drinking even faster and more fiercely than Feng Qinghe.
When the empty bowl fell, it made a dull thud.
“Good!
That’s great!” Feng Qinghe laughed, her voice like silver bells, carrying the boldness of a northern woman, and filled the three large bowls again.
“Again!” One bowl, two bowls, three bowls…
One wine jar after another emptied.
Feng Qinghe chatted and laughed as if nothing was wrong, her eyes growing brighter with each sip, as if the liquor wasn’t burning her throat but rather a sweet spring.
She would sometimes recount amusing anecdotes from the frontier and sometimes comment on martial arts techniques, her words sharp and insightful, a stark contrast to the decisive and ruthless commander she usually was.
Gu Anqi initially managed to maintain his composure, responding with a smile.
However, after several bowls, he felt the scenery before his eyes begin to spin.
Feng Qinghe’s words seemed to come through a layer of mist, fragmented and indistinct.
He tried hard to stay sober, his fingertips digging into his palms, but the alcohol’s power was like a raging torrent, wave after wave assaulting his senses.
Finally, he clutched his forehead, his hand reaching for the wine glass wobbling.
The glass tipped over, and he slumped limply onto the table, his breathing long and even—he was completely drunk.
His usually gentle and smiling face was now flushed, his brows slightly furrowed, as if even in his drunkenness, he carried a lingering melancholy.
Ah Chen, on the other hand, was a completely different person.
He drank the most heavily and was the “quietest” when he was drunk.
From beginning to end, he hardly uttered a word.
He would silently drink a bowl every time Feng Qinghe poured him a bowl until one moment, his arm, which was about to pick up the large bowl again, suddenly stiffened.
His whole body seemed to have been stripped of its bones, and he fell straight backward, leaning heavily against the tent wall with a muffled thud.
Feng Qinghe looked at the two people who were completely drunk in front of her and slowly put down the wine bowl in her hand.
The bold smile on her face gradually disappeared, and her eyes became deep and unfathomable.
She walked to Gu Anqi’s side, reached out a finger, and brushed away a strand of hair on his forehead that was damp with sweat.
The movement was filled with an indescribable complexity.
She then walked to Ah Chen, stared at him quietly for a moment, and sighed almost inaudibly.
“Red Pearl,” she whispered.
The bodyguard, Hongzhu, entered the tent silently.
“Send Mr.
Gu and Brother Achen back to rest, take good care of them, and make sure nothing goes wrong.” “Yes.” Hongzhu summoned two guards, who carefully helped the two unconscious men out of the tent.
The tent fell silent, filled only with leftover food and the lingering aroma of wine.
Feng Qinghe stood alone before the table, picked up the last unfinished jar of wine, and, gazing at the cold moonlight outside, tilted her head back and took another large gulp.
The strong liquor burned her throat, yet her eyes glistened with tears, whether from the alcohol or something else, she couldn’t tell.
Feng Qinghe gazed at the moon, lost in thought.
She had demonstrated her strength in the battle against Hou Xia, and she believed she would earn the respect of Gu Anqi and Ah Chen.
That night, Gu Xunfeng, who roamed the world, and Yan Jingchen, who was unruly, were both defeated by the strongest liquor in the North and the unfathomable drinking capacity of this female general.
The next morning, Gu Anqi woke up with a splitting headache, his memory of the previous night’s drunken stupor completely blank.
Achen, on the other hand, woke up even earlier.
He sat on the couch, rubbing his throbbing temples, his face terribly gloomy, and had no recollection of how he got back to his tent.
The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the same bewilderment and resentment at being outmaneuvered in each other’s eyes.
Feng Qinghe’s wine was indeed not so palatable.
This victory celebration banquet was perhaps itself a silent contest.
And the outcome had already been decided last night.
Gu Anqi and Ah Chen entered the command tent one after the other.
Gu Anqi’s face was still pale from the hangover, and his steps were slightly unsteady, but his expression had returned to its usual gentle and peaceful state, though there was a hint of helplessness in his eyes.
Ah Chen, on the other hand, had a cold and hard expression as usual, as if he were not the one who had passed out drunk last night.
Only his tightly pursed lips and sharper eyes than usual revealed that he was not in a good mood at the moment.
Feng Qinghe was already seated in the main seat, reviewing documents.
Hearing the sound, she looked up, her gaze sweeping over the two faces.
A mischievous smile immediately appeared on her lips.
She put down her pen, leaned back leisurely, and drawled: “Hey, you two are awake?
How’s my ‘shao dao zi’ from the North?” Her tone was light, with a clear hint of teasing.
Her gaze lingered for a moment on Gu Anqi’s still slightly furrowed brow, and she smiled.
“Mr.
Gu, your complexion…
it seems you didn’t sleep very well last night?
Here’s some hangover soup.” Gu Anqi smiled helplessly, cupped his hands, and said, “Thank you for your concern, Commander Feng.
The medicine is very good.
It’s just that I don’t usually drink strong liquor, so please forgive me.” He readily admitted it, his demeanor undiminished.
Feng Qinghe then turned her gaze to Ah Chen, who stood with his arms crossed, radiating a cold aura.
Her smile deepened, tinged with a hint of provocation: “Brother Ah Chen, you remain unfazed, but your gait…
seems a bit heavier than usual?
It seems my wine has quite a kick.” She deliberately paused before slowly concluding, “You two really need to work on your drinking capacity.
In my Thirteen Alliance, not being able to drink is unacceptable.” The last “unacceptable” was emphasized with a rising tone, full of mockery.
Ah Chen’s gaze suddenly shot towards Feng Qinghe, and a chill emanated from him, almost lowering the temperature inside the tent.
His Adam’s apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only managed to squeeze out a single syllable through clenched teeth: “snort.” Seeing this, Gu Anqi was afraid that the two would start another conflict, so he quickly smoothed things over and said with a gentle smile, “Commander Feng has a great capacity for drinking; I admire him.
If there is an opportunity in the future, I will definitely ask Commander Feng for advice on the art of drinking.
I only hope that Commander Feng will go easy on me then.” Feng Qinghe laughed heartily, ceasing her relentless pursuit, and instead said seriously, “Joking aside, let’s get down to business.
The first batch of reparations from Houxia has been delivered, and the cession document will be handed over soon.
The fact that things went so smoothly this time is largely thanks to the two of you.” Her words sounded more sincere, and her gaze swept over the two of them with an air of approval.
Gu Anqi humbly replied, “Commander Feng’s strategies are superb; Anqi and Ah Chen have only done their utmost.” Ah Chen remained silent, but his tense posture seemed to have eased somewhat.
Feng Qinghe nodded and picked up her pen again: “Alright, the wine has worn off, and the jokes are over.
The end of the year is approaching, and there’s a lot to do.” She waved her hand, indicating that they should make themselves at home, and then buried herself in her documents again.
Gu Anqi and Ah Chen bowed and then retreated to a corner of the commander’s tent.
As soon as the two men took their places, the curtain of the command tent was lifted, and an elderly man with white hair and beard, dressed in a gray robe, slowly entered.
The old man had a thin face, gentle and peaceful eyes, and a steady gait.
Although he did not have the slightest air of a martial artist, he possessed a calm demeanor that showed his understanding of the world.