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Chapter 297: Why Did You Kick Me?

The opulent Xi'an 'Eight Grand Bowls' feast was, for Zao Ying and her one hundred and twenty subordinates, a breathtaking spectacle of culinary splendor.

Their hands, clutching chopsticks, trembled ever so slightly.

"How many years has it been since we tasted anything this exquisite?"

"Three... maybe four years?"

"Oh, the taste of pork hock... I could weep."

"This Eight-Treasure Rice, it's so sweet."

The hundred and twenty men ate, tears streaming down their faces.

While Zao Ying's group had already begun, the militia on the other side wasn't in any rush. It wasn't as if they hadn't seen good food before; they'd experienced both the Heavenly Lord Sudden Whim Festival and the Heavenly Lord Hot Pot Festival.

This 'Eight Grand Bowls' feast? No rush, no rush! No need to look like country folk who'd never seen such a sight.

As they ate, some of the leaders gravitated towards a single table.

Cheng Xu, a piece of steamed pork with rice flour clutched in his chopsticks, chuckled at Zao Ying. "Chief Zao Ying," he said, "the provisions here aren't bad, are they?"

How could Zao Ying disagree? She sighed. "I haven't seen food like this in years. Even among the gentry and high officials, such a meal would be a rare privilege, yet here you serve it to your soldiers."

Cheng Xu thought to himself: *No need to overstate things. Best to be moderate, or the truth will eventually come out.*

He laughed. "Oh, we don't eat like this regularly. Perhaps a feast like this once every month or two; our everyday meals are quite normal."

Zao Ying replied, "Once every month or two is still incredibly impressive! Most ordinary people couldn't dream of such a meal in their entire lives."

Cheng Xu chuckled. "Haha, well... our training is quite rigorous. If we don't eat well, we simply can't keep up. Those are the Heavenly Lord's exact words, in fact."

Zao Ying asked, "The Heavenly Lord is who?"

Cheng Xu pointed a finger skyward. "Our superior... up there..."

Zao Ying understood then; they had a grand patron, a higher power, guiding them.

"Come, let's drink!"

"Thump!" Xing Honglang dropped heavily onto the bench next to Zao Ying, and with the swagger of a seasoned warrior, pulled out a can of liquor.

Cheng Xu shook his head. "I can't drink. Alcohol is forbidden in the barracks, a rule set by the Heavenly Lord himself."

Xing Honglang laughed. "I'm no soldier; I'm a merchant. And Chief Zao Ying is our guest. Both of us are permitted to drink."

Cheng Xu smiled. "Very well, you two enjoy. I'll take tea instead of spirits."

Zao Ying was utterly baffled. "Grain is worth its weight in gold, and you still have enough to brew liquor?"

Xing Honglang roared with laughter. "Who cares how much a measure of rice costs out there? That has nothing to do with us! Come, this is Luzhou Laojiao, a special gift from the Heavenly Lord. Fill it up... oh, wait... no, don't fill it. First-timers to this stuff often get knocked out easily. I'll just pour you a small half-cup."

"Only a small half-cup for *me*? Bring a bowl and fill it to the brim!"

Zao Ying glared at the minuscule cup before her, no bigger than a thimble. She bristled. "Who are you looking down on? What kind of ridiculous, tiny cup is this?"

Xing Honglang gave her a sidelong glance. "Don't try to show off, just try a small sip first."

Seeing Xing Honglang's peculiar expression, Zao Ying genuinely dared not act recklessly. She picked up the cup, took a tiny sip, and the moment the potent liquor touched her tongue, her face transformed into a mask of exquisite surprise.

"This liquor... it has quite a kick..."

"Hahahaha!"

Just then, Gao Chuwu and Zheng Daniu arrived. The two hulking figures made their way to the "command table" and plopped down, nearly knocking Cheng Xu off his seat.

He was utterly speechless with the two simpletons. All he could do was slide over, making room for them.

Gao Chuwu settled in right beside Xing Honglang, and as soon as he was comfortable, flashed her a simple-minded grin. "Miss Xing," he rumbled, "when can we have another match?"

Xing Honglang snorted. "You just lost to me a few days ago. Go practice some more."

Gao Chuwu sighed, "Oh!"

Zao Ying felt a sudden oddness. "You two have sparred? And you couldn't beat *her*?"

Gao Chuwu sighed. "That's right, I can't beat Miss Xing."

Zao Ying eyed Gao Chuwu's burly frame and imposing presence, thinking: *No matter how skilled Chief Xing Honglang is, she couldn't possibly defeat a powerhouse like him. In the army, he'd be a vanguard general at the very least. Clad in heavy armor and wielding a long spear, a dozen ordinary men wouldn't even be able to get near him.*

Just as the thought crossed her mind, Xing Honglang leaned in and whispered in her ear: "This fellow, when he spars with me, only uses Red Fist, never any other moves. That's why he always loses. If he were to use everything he knows, I wouldn't stand a chance against him."

Zao Ying's eyes widened in understanding. "You two..."

Xing Honglang hushed her. "Shh!"

Zao Ying understood; she grasped the unspoken meaning.

Having roamed the wilds for so long, she was particularly susceptible to stories like this. For a moment, she felt a pang of unexpected emotion, and her eyes welled up. *Even a woman like Xing Honglang, a formidable figure from Yongji, can find love... Maybe I, too, will have a chance?*

No, no, no, what am I thinking?!

*I'm a horse bandit, a fiercely notorious one. I have no time for such soft sentiments.*

By then, Gao Chuwu and Zheng Daniu were already making a ruckus as they drank.

Hearing Zheng Daniu's voice, Zao Ying finally recognized him. This simple-minded giant was the same 'Iron Man' who had pulled her away, helping her dodge a Great Red Wolf's arrow. *Wasn't he nicknamed 'Guyuan Wild Ox'?*

Zao Ying clasped her hands in a respectful salute. "Wild Ox, thank you for saving me back there."

Zheng Daniu chuckled heartily. "A trifle, a mere trifle. Not worth mentioning."

He immediately lowered his head, his focus entirely on the Eight-Treasure Rice. He picked up his spoon, scooped in half a bowl, and devoured it in one gulp, grinning foolishly. "This rice is so sweet! From now on, whenever I earn merit, I'll just ask the Heavenly Lord to reward me with this very rice!"

Gao Chuwu chuckled. "Daniu, remember when you used to beg the Heavenly Lord for 'Happy Fat Water' and drank it all the time? The Heavenly Lord said it wasn't healthy to drink so much, so he specifically cut you off. Now you've found a new favorite?"

Zheng Daniu pondered, "This... this should be healthy, right? It's rice, after all."

Cheng Xu laughed, scolding him teasingly. "This is made of glutinous rice. Eat too much glutinous rice, and you'll get bloating and stomach pains! How could the Heavenly Lord possibly give you a lot of this? You, of all people, have no self-control; you'd definitely eat yourself sick."

Zheng Daniu blinked. "Huh? Wait, wait, wait!"

Seeing his bewildered expression, Zao Ying couldn't help but secretly chuckle. *This 'Wild Ox' seems to possess not a shred of cunning; his simple mind is quite endearing.*

Zheng Daniu grabbed Gao Chuwu's arm. "Have your wife help us go to Xi'an and buy some glutinous rice. We have sugar; we can make Eight-Treasure Rice ourselves, right?"

Xing Honglang interjected, "I'm certainly not helping with that! Glutinous rice is hard to find, and even if you do, it's a pain to transport. Besides, once it arrives, you'll just eat too much and get a stomach ache."

Cheng Xu chimed in, "He only asked Gao Chuwu's wife for help, he didn't mention you! How come as soon as you heard 'Gao Chuwu's wife'..."

...you jumped out yourself?

Xing Honglang gasped, "!!!"

After a brief, mortifying silence, Xing Honglang sprang to her feet, kicked Gao Chuwu to the ground with one swift motion, and then, head down, bolted and fled.

Gao Chuwu picked himself up from the ground, a look of utter bewilderment on his face. "Why did she suddenly kick me?"

Zao Ying burst into peals of laughter, "Hahahaha!" She snatched the wine cup from the table and poured it straight down her throat. Only after it was gone did she remember: *Damn, this isn't my usual brew. This liquor has a serious kick; I shouldn't have chugged it like that.*

But it was too late. Moments later, with a soft 'thud,' Zao Ying flopped to the ground, utterly drunk.