A delicate fragrance wafted through the air, stirring the senses and making one’s heart race.
Feeling the soft, supple curves, it was truly hard to resist.
At seventeen, a young man is full of vigor, and a slight provocation could easily elicit a reaction.
But who was Oliver Sheng?
Having lived two lives, he was a master at the peak of the Acquired realm, cultivating the Great Sun Heart Sutra. While he might not be completely immune to temptation, such minor provocations were far from enough to move him.
“Please!”
Oliver raised his cup and clinked it with Hua Yue’s before downing it in one gulp.
The alcohol had a low proof, probably around ten to twenty percent, which was considered good here.
It tasted similar to beer from his previous life, not particularly enjoyable.
If the brewing techniques in this world were this basic, he could make a fortune by brewing high-proof spirits.
As night fell, people began to trickle into The House of Joy. Those who came were either wealthy or single men with no family to support.
Of course, there were also lonely scholars.
Seeing that the second floor was fully occupied, the latecomers either stayed on the first floor or paid extra to go to the third floor.
“Why are there so many people today? The second floor is completely packed,” a scholar remarked.
Having read a few pages of the classics at home, he couldn’t resist coming here to study some practical techniques.
“Those people are from the Peace Army. Have you heard of Colonel Oliver Sheng? He’s the one who wrote those bold lines about feasting on Hun meat and drinking Hun blood. He’s hosting a banquet for his subordinates,” someone nearby explained.
“What? That young general?” The scholar was surprised.
In Peace City, every scholar knew of Oliver Sheng’s reputation. Anyone who could compose such heroic verses was far more talented than they were.
“Exactly!”
“I wonder if the young general will complete his poem today. Half a verse always feels incomplete,” another scholar mused.
“Indeed, indeed!”
“To witness the birth of a complete poem would be a great fortune.”
Many wanted to toast Oliver, but seeing him busy entertaining his subordinates, they refrained.
Thanks to Peace City having only one brothel, The House of Joy, it was always bustling.
After all, being a border town constantly at war, few were willing to do business here.
“Hua Yue has been summoned to drink with the young general. Looks like we won’t see her mesmerizing dance tonight,” someone lamented.
On the first floor, guests drank, chatted, and watched the performances, while Oliver and his men occupied the second floor.
As for the third floor…
That was unspeakable!
“Colonel, I toast to you!” Hunter Tang raised his cup to Oliver.
“Cheers!”
Oliver, in high spirits, clinked glasses with Hunter and drank.
“Colonel, I toast to you as well!” Owen Hai raised his cup.
“Are you guys trying to get me drunk?” Oliver laughed.
“Don’t say that. Among us, you’re the most distinguished. Of course, we should toast to you first,” Owen said, grinning.
Hunter looked at Owen’s fawning expression with disdain. Was he really sucking up just for a sergeant position?
“Exactly, Colonel. You’ve led us through life and death, slaying Hun invaders. It’s only right that we toast to you first,” Hunter quickly added.
“Alright, enough flattery. We’re here to have fun tonight. Just enjoy yourselves. Even if you all team up, you can’t get me drunk,” Oliver said, shaking his head with a smile.
He saw through their little schemes; they were just aiming for a sergeant position.
Everyone toasted Oliver first. He thought to himself, it seems you can’t escape the culture of toasting anywhere. In the past, it was toasting the boss; now, it’s toasting the superior.
But now, he was no longer the one doing the toasting, no longer the small fry in the corner.
Among them, only Zane Wang was having a wild time, sitting next to Oliver. The others were somewhat reserved.
Zane, a regular here, was hugging and kissing the girl serving him, chatting and laughing.
Oliver, on the other hand, was discreetly observing The House of Joy. It was his first time in a brothel, and he found it quite novel. But with his subordinates around, he pretended to be calm and composed.
After all, in this world, visiting a brothel was legal and didn’t require sneaking around.
“Come, my lord, let me toast to you again,” Hua Yue invited Oliver with a raised cup.
She found Oliver’s aura very comforting, making her want to snuggle into his arms.
Perhaps it was due to his cultivation of the Great Sun Heart Sutra, with its intense yang energy, that made her feel a bit amorous.
Oliver accepted everyone’s toasts without hesitation.
His previous life’s workplace drinking culture had trained him to handle two and a half liters of liquor and any amount of beer.
With his martial arts cultivation now, the low-proof alcohol in this world couldn’t get him drunk unless he drank non-stop for three days and nights.
Hua Yue felt a bit disheartened that Oliver didn’t make any moves on her. Was she not attractive enough?
Little did she know, Oliver didn’t dare to act recklessly, fearing it would break his vow.
He cursed the Great Sun Heart Sutra in his heart. What kind of cultivation method was this, forbidding him from breaking his pure yang?
Having a beauty in his arms, able to look but not touch, was extremely frustrating.
“How about I perform a dance for you gentlemen?” Hua Yue decided to showcase her best skill.
“Yes, yes!”
Everyone agreed enthusiastically.
“Thank you for dancing for my brothers,” Oliver said with a smile.
Hua Yue stood up and gracefully descended to the first floor, her sheer sleeves fluttering, her skin fairer than snow, instantly drawing the attention of many.
“Miss Yue is coming down.”
“Is she going to dance?”
“Wow, we’re in for a treat.”
Hua Yue took the stage, and the musicians began to play.
Her dance, elegant and mesmerizing, captivated everyone.
Even Oliver couldn’t help but be entranced. Her graceful movements were far superior to the coquettish dances of his previous life.
No wonder ancient nobles loved to keep song and dance girls; they were refined and pleasing to the eye.
After the dance, many were still lost in the enchanting performance.
“Impressive. No wonder so many are captivated,” Oliver nodded slightly.
If this were in his previous life, a dance like this on a live stream would instantly attract over a hundred thousand viewers.
After the dance, Hua Yue glanced at Oliver, seeing that he was merely appreciating the performance without showing any signs of infatuation like the others.
This made her feel a bit disheartened and defeated. Even this couldn’t entice Oliver?
Returning to sit beside Oliver on the second floor, she no longer thought of winning his first time but quietly poured wine.
“Miss Yue, your dance was enchanting, mesmerizing these rough men,” Oliver said with a smile.
Many of the soldiers had been drooling, looking like pigs. They rarely had the chance to see such a dance.
“You flatter me, my lord!” Hua Yue smiled charmingly.
She thought, yet I still couldn’t captivate you!
Oliver sighed inwardly. As expected, women in brothels were truly enchanting, every smile and gesture filled with allure.
If he were an ordinary, innocent young man, he might not have been able to resist.
Watching his subordinates drink and play happily, Oliver sighed inwardly. Perhaps, as soldiers guarding the border, this was their only source of joy.
Before long, a few scholars mustered the courage to come and toast.
“Is this Colonel Oliver Sheng?” a scholar in green robes asked.
“That’s me!” Oliver nodded.
If he hadn’t been forcibly conscripted by those damn soldiers and dragged to the city wall, activating his System, he might still be a scholar.
“We toast to you, Colonel Sheng, for defending Peace Pass and creating a peaceful life for us,” the leading scholar said.
Oliver nodded. As expected of a scholar, he knew how to speak well.
“Let’s drink together!” Oliver raised his cup in return.
After downing their drinks, the scholars showed no sign of leaving.
“My lord, your verses about feasting on Hun meat and drinking Hun blood, and the one about the flying general, are truly admirable. We wish we could read them every night, but it’s a pity they’re incomplete. Could you grant us the complete poems?” the leading scholar asked sincerely.
As scholars, they admired those with literary talent and respected Oliver greatly.
“Yes, Colonel, even we rough soldiers feel our blood boil when we read those lines. Please complete them,” Cameron Guo added.
“Do you have pen and ink?” Seeing everyone’s expectant faces, Oliver asked.
“I’ll get them!” Hua Yue personally went to fetch them.
She returned with pen, ink, paper, and inkstone, and personally ground the ink for Oliver.
Hearing that Oliver was going to complete his battlefield poems, everyone on the first floor perked up, full of anticipation.
Fortunately, his predecessor had good handwriting. Though he hadn’t passed the scholar exams, his writing was decent.
“Under the moon of Qin, at the pass of Han, a thousand miles of expedition, yet no one returns.
If only the flying general were here, no Huns would cross An Mountain!”
After some thought, Oliver completed the poem. The other one wasn’t suitable to reveal now.
Seeing him write the complete poem, the scholars were ecstatic.
“Under the moon of Qin, at the pass of Han, a thousand miles of expedition, yet no one returns.
If only the flying general were here, no Huns would cross An Mountain!”
These were timeless verses, destined to be passed down through the ages. They couldn’t believe they were witnessing the birth of such a poem.
Though they didn’t know which dynasty the moon of Qin and the pass of Han referred to, it didn’t hinder their appreciation of this timeless masterpiece.
Hua Yue looked at Oliver, her eyes sparkling. This young man was not only handsome and poetic but also skilled in martial arts—a dream lover. Unfortunately, she was trapped in this brothel.
“What about the other poem, Colonel Sheng?” the scholars eagerly asked.
“The other one isn’t complete yet. I only have one line,” Oliver replied.
The crowd was disappointed.
“But!”
Hearing the word “but,” everyone perked up again, looking at Oliver with anticipation.
“I have another poem.”
Immediately, Oliver wrote on another sheet of paper:
“Sworn to sweep the Huns without regard for life, five thousand minks lost in Hun dust.
Pity the bones by the Unfixed River, still the people in dreams of spring boudoirs!”
This poem was originally from the Tang Dynasty poet Chen Tao’s “Song of Liangzhou,” but Oliver didn’t give it a title.
Reading the poem, Cameron Guo, Wesley Hu, Zane Wang, and Hunter Tang fell silent.
It reminded them of the Battle of Drink Horse River, where over seven hundred comrades’ bones lay by the river, waiting for their return, only to meet in dreams.
“Sworn to sweep the Huns without regard for life, five thousand minks lost in Hun dust.
Pity the bones by the Unfixed River, still the people in dreams of spring boudoirs!”
The poem left everyone in silence, conveying the harshness and cruelty of war.
Pity those countless bones by the Unfixed River, for they were the ones deeply missed by the women in their boudoirs!
Cameron and the others looked at Oliver, realizing he hadn’t let go of the past.
So many comrades’ bodies were left in the wild, and they hadn’t been able to give their fallen brothers a proper burial.
That night, everyone drank heavily.
The residents of Peace City, having just survived a Hun invasion, were deeply moved.
These two poems quickly spread within the pass and across the land.
The line “Pity the bones by the Unfixed River, still the people in dreams of spring boudoirs” resonated deeply, expressing endless longing and sorrow.
It depicted the cruelty of war, striking a chord with many.
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