Appreciating New Tea with an Inkstone - Chapter 24

Half an hour later, Gu Xiyan emerged from the side hall with Ah Da and the others, empty-handed. Behind her, the magistrate’s expression was particularly complicated, and there was even a hint of fear in his eyes as he looked at Gu Xiyan.

He took a deep breath and ordered, “Someone, go to the prison and release Gu Ye. Take him to the back gate.”

“Yes, sir.”

Hearing this, Gu Xiyan turned and bowed again. “Lord Magistrate, please stay. I keep my word and will never harm the innocent.”

Yao Tianshun felt as if a breath was stuck in his throat, neither going up nor down. His face alternated between pale and green. As the magistrate of Danyang, he had absolute control over the region. When he allowed Gu Xiyan to enter, he had no intention of letting her leave freely.

Who would have thought that this blind woman truly had a demon aiding her? The mere memory of his throat being strangled by an invisible force made his legs go weak.

That good-for-nothing Nangong Pei had claimed to be powerful beyond measure, able to slay demons and exorcise spirits effortlessly—yet he hadn’t even managed to kill the demon by Gu Xiyan’s side!

Looking at the earthen jar and the chest full of jewels and money in the side hall, Yao Tianshun shuddered. “Bury those things immediately!”

The servants, trembling with fear, hurried forward to carry them away. They lifted the entire chest when Yao Tianshun bellowed, “Idiots! I meant the jar!”

When the constables finally brought Gu Ye out, the steward and Ah Qi’s faces changed drastically. “Master!”

“Ah Da, hurry and support the master! This… how did they beat you like this?” If it weren’t for the officials present, the steward would have cursed outright.

Gu Ye’s clothes were stained with blood, especially his back, which was covered in whip marks.

Pale-faced, he looked up and, upon seeing Gu Xiyan, mustered the strength to weakly wave his hand at the steward. “I’m fine… Yan’er, why are you here?”

Gu Xiyan had already caught the scent of blood on him, and his voice sounded incredibly weak. She hurried forward to support him. “Dad, don’t speak. Ah Da, take him home immediately.”

The group rushed Gu Ye back to the Gu residence. Xie Wan had been waiting anxiously at home, and the moment she saw Gu Ye covered in wounds, tears streamed down her face. “Those bastards! How could they beat him so cruelly? Hurry, fetch a doctor!”

Gu Ye had suffered severe injuries and was deeply shaken. The moment he got home, he fell into a deep sleep. Gu Xiyan comforted Xie Wan and, after confirming that her father was no longer in immediate danger, ordered someone to escort the doctor out.

Once Gu Xiyan left, Xie Wan immediately summoned Chen Tianci to inquire about what had happened. After piecing together the events of the past few days, she looked at her daughter with a mix of sorrow and regret.

Gu Xiyan had always been intelligent and mature beyond her years. Though only eighteen, she was the most decisive person in the Gu family, handling matters even better than Gu Ye.

Had it not been for the congenital eye disease, her daughter would undoubtedly have been an extraordinary talent. But now, not only was she blind, she was also facing dangers that ordinary people could never imagine. The mere thought of it made Xie Wan’s heart ache unbearably.

She had already made up her mind—once Gu Ye’s condition improved, they would leave Danyang immediately. The ignorant townsfolk, misled by that Daoist priest’s nonsense, accused her daughter of colluding with demons. The government was also framing the Gu family. If they stayed any longer, the consequences would be unimaginable.

After handling the necessary matters, Gu Xiyan returned to her courtyard, where the peach blossom wine she had ordered earlier had already been delivered. However, plans could never keep up with changing circumstances. Due to Gu Ye’s forced confession under torture and Ye Qinming’s assistance, she had taken a risky gamble and pressured the magistrate into releasing him.

Still, she had the wine brought into her room. The large and small jars filled the table. The entire Gu household remained tense in the aftermath of the day’s events, with everyone on edge due to Gu Ye’s injuries.

Gu Xiyan sent them all off to gather information and guard the residence. Even Ah Qi and Xiao Wu were dismissed on other tasks.

She sat at the table, and with a flash of green light at her waist, Ye Qinming leisurely appeared beside her.

Gu Xiyan sensed her presence and spoke softly, “I truly appreciate your help today. You’ve done so much for me. I’m just an ordinary person and don’t know how to repay you, so for now, let me offer you a toast.”

She reached for a small jar of peach blossom wine, poured herself a cup, and was about to pour one for Ye Qinming when the latter stopped her. “If you really want to thank me, don’t be so stingy with just one cup. How about letting me have an entire jar?”

Gu Xiyan was momentarily stunned before she chuckled. “I was being stingy, wasn’t I? Drink as much as you like. I recall that Jiang’s Winery makes excellent peach blossom wine. You should give it a try.”

Ye Qinming scanned the jars, found the one from Jiang’s Winery, and broke the seal. She lowered her head to take a sniff and sighed, “It’s been nearly a thousand years since I last drank to my heart’s content.”

Gu Xiyan frowned slightly but didn’t ask further. Setting down her cup, she picked up the small jar she had opened earlier. “A toast to you.”

Ye Qinming was slightly surprised before breaking into a carefree smile. “Cheers.”

Gu Xiyan preferred tea over alcohol. Though she had tried many types of wine and could hold her liquor reasonably well, she had always sipped in moderation. This was the first time she drank straight from a jar.

The peach blossom wine was sweet, rich, and mellow. Gu Xiyan drank with an air of refinement—despite holding the jar, her movements remained elegant and reserved.

Ye Qinming, in contrast, was bold and uninhibited. She lifted the jar with one hand and let the wine flow straight into her mouth. Some of the clear liquid trickled down the corner of her lips and slid down her neck. Her throat moved as she swallowed, producing a deep, hearty sound, yet she didn’t seem crude in the slightest.

Gu Xiyan paused, listening intently. A small smile appeared on her lips. “Do you love drinking that much?”

Having downed half a jar, Ye Qinming placed it on the table and lazily wiped the corner of her mouth. She leaned back in her chair, looking satisfied. “Wine is a wonderful thing. It’s exhilarating when you’re in high spirits, and when you’re down, it’s just as comforting. Don’t you think?” As she spoke, she recalled the way Gu Xiyan had been drinking earlier—her expression softened, and her voice carried a hint of warmth. “But you seem more suited to tea—something refined and cultured. Watching you drink is especially pleasing to the eye. Still, a little wine, sipped slowly, isn’t bad either.”

Gu Xiyan smiled. “You probably think I’m not free-spirited enough. Though I can’t see, I imagine you must drink with absolute ease and unrestrained joy.”

For some reason, Ye Qinming’s heart skipped a beat. Her expression grew complex and dazed. “Strangely enough, it feels like I’ve heard those words before, long ago.”

Gu Xiyan didn’t respond immediately. She lowered her head slightly before saying, “Perhaps we were destined to meet.” It wasn’t just Ye Qinming—Gu Xiyan, too, felt a strange, inexplicable familiarity with her.

“Perhaps,” Ye Qinming said, unwilling to dwell on the topic. She quickly changed the subject. “After what happened today, what’s your plan?”

Right now, both the common folk and the authorities believed Gu Xiyan had colluded with a demon. Staying in Danyang peacefully was no longer an option.

Hearing this, Gu Xiyan’s expression grew more solemn, but she didn’t seem anxious—she had already made up her mind.

“Danyang is no longer a place we can stay. Given the current situation, there’s no need to hesitate anymore. We’ll leave as soon as my father recovers. The real concern is Nangong Pei—if he’s gravely injured, the magistrate will have no support. Given his cowardice, he likely won’t stop the Gu family from leaving. But if Nangong Pei recovers and the Yang family intervenes, things will be much more difficult.”

Ye Qinming stared at her for a long time before speaking in a deep voice. “Gu Xiyan, you never actually planned to leave, did you?”

Gu Xiyan lowered her gaze for a moment, then turned and smiled. “As long as they can leave, that’s enough.”

A wave of anger surged in Ye Qinming’s chest. Her aura darkened. “If I had known you were this reckless with your own life, I should’ve just killed you from the start. At the very least, I wouldn’t have needed to reveal myself to scare that wretched magistrate.”

Gu Xiyan let out a quiet laugh. “But you didn’t.”

Ye Qinming was nearly fuming. She leaned in and coldly pinched Gu Xiyan’s chin. “It’s not too late.”

Gu Xiyan didn’t say a word, merely allowing Ye Qinming’s actions. Her delicate and elegant face still carried a gentle smile, but her dark eyes remained unfocused as they gazed at Ye Qinming.

Ye Qinming looked at her, and for a moment, she almost couldn’t resist the urge to touch her eyes. A sharp, constricting pain clenched at her heart.

In the end, she held herself back and gritted her teeth. “I already told you—you have to provide me with spiritual power, and in return, I will protect you to the best of my ability.”

The smile on Gu Xiyan’s face slowly faded. “I know you treat me well, but they’re not wrong—I am a disaster in itself. As long as I exist, those demons won’t stop. Even if we escape today, there will always be another tomorrow. Even if my parents are willing to abandon everything and leave, as long as I am with them, the Yang family and that fox spirit will never let it rest. They may not even allow my parents to leave. My parents will never truly be safe.”

Ye Qinming frowned deeply, remaining silent.

“I remember you were in a hurry to obtain spiritual power before. You must have been injured and unable to recover to your former state. That fox spirit is already formidable, and the forces behind him are even more mysterious. Fighting them head-on because of me—it’s not worth it.”

This little girl was actually thinking about others. Ye Qinming felt both frustrated and stifled, but reason told her that Gu Xiyan was right. The Mortal Realm was scarce in spiritual energy. Unless she resorted to forbidden methods or devoured other demons’ demon cores, her injuries would never fully heal. Not to mention the lingering ailment from the Abyssal Prison—returning to the Demon Realm would be nothing more than a distant dream. Worse still, if the Immortal Realm discovered her whereabouts, she would face endless pursuit and assassination.

Ye Qinming’s silence was enough to confirm the truth. A bitter smile appeared on Gu Xiyan’s lips. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to live, but she couldn’t think only of herself. She couldn’t ignore the Gu family, her parents, or even this sharp-tongued yet soft-hearted little tea spirit in front of her.

Exhaling a deep breath, Gu Xiyan’s voice carried a note of pleading. “In the end, I’ll still have to trouble you to ensure my parents’ safe departure from Danyang City. After that, you may take my spiritual power and go about your own business.”

Ye Qinming was already furious. Even though she knew Gu Xiyan was right, she couldn’t help but feel irritated. Throwing down a cold remark, she snapped, “Suit yourself,” and then disappeared without a trace.

Gu Xiyan remained seated, unmoving, before shaking her head with a quiet laugh. She finished the wine in her cup and sighed softly, “It really is Jiang’s peach blossom brew. A pity that with her around, you don’t even get a chance to shine.”

***

That evening, Gu Ye finally regained consciousness. Gu Xiyan went to see him. His injuries were severe, and his energy was weak, but when he saw her, his face still lit up with a smile. “Yan’er, come here and let your dad take a look at you.”

Gu Xiyan sat beside him and gently touched his hand. “Dad, how are you feeling?”

Gu Ye patted his daughter’s hand reassuringly. “Much better, don’t worry. You must be exhausted these past few days. It’s my fault for being useless, making my daughter worry so much.”

Gu Xiyan slowly shook her head. “You’re the one who has suffered. I’m fine. But, Dad, I brought you back this time by force, which has offended the magistrate. And now, in the eyes of the people of Danyang City, I am already branded as someone who colludes with demons. We can’t stay here much longer.”

Hearing this, Gu Ye’s eyes filled with anger. “Those ignorant fools spouting nonsense!” After venting his frustration, he fell silent for a moment before speaking again, his tone resolute. “It’s alright, Yan’er. Whatever decision you make, your mother and I will support you. The Gu family’s businesses mean nothing. As long as I have the strength, I can always build a new one. As long as our family is safe and together, that is enough for me.”

The Gu family had built their legacy in Danyang over three generations. Gu Xiyan knew all too well how much courage and determination it took to abandon this foundation. It wasn’t just about money—it was about their ancestral heritage. Her heart ached bitterly, filled with guilt and helplessness. All she could hope for was that, in the future, they would live peacefully and never suffer because of her.

Author’s Note:

Green Tea: You’re the little tea demon, you little blind girl, you’re driving me crazy.

White Lotus: Fine, I’m the little blind girl. Don’t be mad.

Green Tea: If I had known you were rushing to your death, I wouldn’t have been so kind. I would’ve just…

White Lotus: Just what? Dual cultivation with me?

Green Tea: Dream on.