Yinshan Record

Chapter 522 Fine Wine, Auspicious Time, and a Gentleman's Appointment
Yuwen Rui was right; the wine was good, and the meat was good.

The ten-year-aged Yutangchun wine was smooth and mellow on the palate, its rich aroma permeating the entire body, leaving an indescribable refreshing sensation in the chest and abdomen. The meat of the Sun-Shoveling Salamander was incredibly tender and delicate, yet still chewy, releasing its juices as you chewed. In addition to its natural aroma, it also had a subtle spiciness, making it a truly delicious flavor.

Fine wine and good meat—that's the attitude Yuwen Rui has shown.

He started cutting the meat, carefully tending to the roasting meat over the fire, while Su Che stood aside, slowly pouring wine for the two people in front of him.

The small red clay stove and wine bottle used for warming wine may look ordinary, but they weigh over a hundred pounds, which clearly shows that Grand Tutor Yuwen had some ulterior motives.

"Now that Su Gong has risen to a higher level, he finally has the opportunity to realize his ambitions. Let's toast to you first. Ache, you have made rapid progress and are now the Huangtiandao's Inspector. I often hear about your name as the reincarnation of the Azure Emperor in the north. We should also have a drink to celebrate. In these good times, I'll add another cup for myself."

Yuwen Rui had already drunk three cups in a row while he was speaking.

"If the Grand Tutor wants to drink, why come to my place? He can enjoy himself in Luoyang as well."

Old Su raised his wine cup: "Grand Tutor, you certainly had your fill of fun on this trip south, but poor us young men have to stand guard for you."

"Didn't I tell you? How many people in this world are capable of assassinating you and me? We might as well tell the men to retreat..."

Yuwen Rui was brimming with heroic spirit. This old Su from the south seemed to be no match for him, whom he had fought to the death several times, but rather an old friend he hadn't seen in a long time.

"That's a good point. They're wary of the Grand Tutor."

Su Gui, however, showed no mercy: "On such a fine day and in such beautiful scenery, Grand Tutor, you should bring out your ideas as soon as possible, otherwise you will waste this good wine, good meat and good scenery."

"That's fine."

Yuwen Rui seemed to have a thorough understanding of his old rival's character. He shook his head and said, "Lord Su is now on the throne. I wonder when he plans to abdicate, and which member of his family will succeed him."

"My career is not yet settled, so I have no such plans. As for who I will entrust these affairs to in the future..." Old Su said, glancing at Su Che, "Can't I have one myself?"

"Have one?"

Yuwen Rui glanced at Su Che and Su Gui, then suddenly clapped his hands and laughed.

“Excellent, very good. Master Su’s skill is profound, and he has long since comprehended the mysterious principles of the transformation of heaven and man and the endless cycle of life in martial arts. It is only natural that he has a good son to inherit his career.”

"When does the Grand Tutor plan to depose the emperor? If so, I will certainly send an envoy to offer my congratulations."

"I'm not as lucky as you to have a Wei Huaiwen to help me. Brother, don't be fooled by my imposing presence in the north; there are plenty of obstacles around me. The reason your Commander Wei was able to easily capture Luoyang this time was because someone in the court deliberately let me win in order to sabotage my plans, which led to his disastrous defeat."

Yuwen Rui said with a hint of worry, "Actually, I am also a loyal minister with the world in my heart."

“Well said, we are all loyal ministers.” Su Gui raised his wine cup and gently clinked it with Yuwen Rui’s: “It’s just that we are full of pure and noble sentiments but no one recognizes them.”

The two looked at each other, and it was as if Yu Boya had finally met Zhong Ziqi.

Su Che was momentarily dazed and suddenly had a strange feeling: could this Grand Tutor Yuwen really be a great loyal minister who was misunderstood by the world?
Alas, as the saying goes, "Duke Zhou feared rumors, and Wang Mang was humble and courteous to scholars." Sometimes, a loyal minister and a powerful minister are two sides of the same coin, and it is difficult to distinguish between them.

“What a fine line, ‘Full of Ice and Snow’! Let’s have another drink for that one sentence.” Yuwen Rui continued, “Brother, I have already requested to be relieved of my post as prime minister. The court is turbulent, and I need to make more preparations.”

"Oh?"

“That old bastard Yuan Ying, the Prince of Zhongshan, is using his status as an elder member of the imperial clan, his high cultivation, and his deep seniority to make things difficult for me at every turn. I plan to send him to the Xuzhou area. After some time, he will probably lead his troops south again. At that time, I would like to ask Lord Su to take action for me and get rid of that old bastard. I thank you in advance.”

Su Che quickly and secretly punished himself with a cup of wine, realizing he had been blinded by greed to believe that someone like Grand Tutor Yuwen was a loyal minister.

If he is a loyal minister, then I am also a devoted and loyal subject of the Liang Dynasty.

"Is that so? I've heard that your country's northern border is not peaceful. The Rouran, the Xianbei Duan tribe, and the Murong tribe have all made moves to the south. The King of Zhongshan has already gone north to search the border on the orders of the Grand Tutor?"

Su Guiyi's attitude was one of "keep making this up, I don't believe you at all."

"This...this is also a secret within our court. Lord Su is truly well-informed." "I dare not. After all, it is my livelihood, and I dare not neglect it in the slightest."

Yuwen Rui, being a big shot who had worked hard to improve his appearance, readily agreed.

“Then let’s get serious.” Yuwen Rui suddenly became serious: “Lord Su should also know that the ancient underworld has appeared in your country. Xuandu Palace will probably hold a conference in a while to decide who can enter the ancient underworld in the future.”

"Grand Tutor is truly well-informed; he managed to find out so much about what happened at Xuandu Palace."

Su Gui smiled slightly and said, "I only know a little about this grand event."

"Master Su is quite the joker. Now that Archer is Huang Tiandao's henchman, this grand event will likely be his chance to shine. As for what's going on here, Master Su, why don't you just ask Archer?"

Yuwen Rui addressed him as "Ache" repeatedly, using an extremely affectionate tone.

“That’s the difference between you and me. I will never ask about the affairs of Archer’s sect, and even if Archer wanted to tell me, I would turn a deaf ear.” Old Su said with a smile, “I am just a poor old man with only a few nephews and nieces. Grand Tutor, you don’t need to waste your time on this.”

"You make it sound like I have a dirty heart," Yuwen Rui shook his head and said, "This time, I just want to ask you for a favor. If a grand event is held in your country, and if any cultivators from our dynasty travel south, regardless of whether they have official status, please show them mercy and give them a chance. Don't kill them. Of course, I'll also make it clear here that if they cause trouble in your country, please feel free to use your methods. I will not only not cause any trouble, but I will also send people to cooperate with them."

Grand Tutor Yuwen's face showed a distinct expression, a rare display of solemnity.

"If this grand event were held in your country, I would have the same attitude. Although you and I are in charge on both sides, we are not in a position to enforce orders. This understanding should be considered a consensus."

Su Gui responded just as solemnly.

"Very well, with Lord Su's words, I can rest easy and need not cause any more trouble. In that case, I, Yuwen Rui, would like to make another suggestion for Lord Su to consider."

"Grand Tutor, please speak."

"These past few years have seen repeated military campaigns, leading to endless conflicts and widespread warfare. From Jiankang to Luoyang, there are countless graves and ruins. Although it's not a struggle for supremacy between you and me, the situation is still one of constant turmoil. Since Lord Su has already realized that trouble is brewing in the north, I will make it clear that certain factions within the Demonic Sect are gathering various tribes from the grasslands to test our strength. Your country also has the White Deer Cave making moves in Cizhou. In these turbulent times, it is truly unwise to waste our energy on pointless competition."

Yuwen Rui looked at Su Gui as he spoke: "Therefore, I, the Prime Minister, have made a ten-year agreement with Su Gui. We will each refrain from fighting and restore peace to the border. We will each recuperate and allow the people some breathing room, quell the various internal unrest, and create a peaceful world. After ten years, I will naturally prepare my troops and await Lord Su's army in the north."

"If the Grand Tutor wishes to negotiate peace, he may send an envoy south. Matters of national importance, such as sacrifices and military affairs, are not matters for me to decide."

Su Gui, with his high-profile approach, gradually put aside Yuwen Rui's suggestion.

"These are my heartfelt words."

“I know these are the Grand Tutor’s heartfelt words. In truth, I also hope to bring some peace to the people. However, the Grand Tutor should also know that our two countries have been at odds for more than a century, and the hatred and anger we harbor cannot be suppressed by either of us alone. Therefore, this promise can only be a gentleman’s agreement.” Su Gui smiled lightly. “If the people of Liang knew that I had made such a peace agreement with the Grand Tutor, they would be in uproar, and I would just go to the East Sea to find my own way out.”

“Lord Su is of noble character. Let us then make this a gentleman’s agreement: within ten years, I will not go south, and you will not come north. We will each train our soldiers and give the people a chance to catch their breath.”

Yuwen Rui suddenly sighed: "I entered the Dao through martial arts, and I believe I have few rivals in the Central Plains. Even the path to immortality is within my sight. But upon closer reflection, the most difficult thing to control is the human heart. Even I can only go with the flow."

"When I first heard that the Grand Tutor had entered the Dao through martial arts, I knew that his ambition was not to become king or hegemon, but to achieve immortality. It seems that his current imperial ambitions are just one scene on the Grand Tutor's path to immortality."

"Master Su has climbed the ranks of martial arts step by step, steadily and surely. His unwavering resolve is something I greatly admire. The Xuandu Palace has laid a vast net across this world, so heavy that neither you nor I can breathe freely."

Su Gui looked at Yuwen Rui and thought that in the end, perhaps the one who understood him best was his old enemy and rival right in front of him.

Su Che, on the other hand, was completely bewildered by what the two were talking about.

It wasn't until later that Su Che roughly understood some of it.

Since the world shattered, Xuandu Palace has quietly accomplished a major feat while stabilizing the world with its most abundant reserves of Earth Immortals.

That is, while Xuandu Palace was restoring Yin and Yang and harmonizing the earth, water, fire and wind, it laid out a "great net" throughout the world according to the interaction between heaven and earth. After all, if the world had collapsed according to the laws of nature, the entire world should have long since crumbled into a pile of debris, turned into countless meteorite fragments, scattered in the void, and eventually reformed under the effect of the Taixu Law.

However, by then, all living beings on earth had already died once.

(End of this chapter)