ALL NOVEL Chapter 71 - Green ant
"Thank you, General Sheng!" Isla Qin smiled faintly and sat down across from Oliver Sheng.
"I heard General Sheng was looking for me. Is there anything I can help with?"
Today, Isla's voice was no longer cold. It carried a gentle charm, warming the hearts of men.
Xiao Chuyi couldn't help but think to herself, "What a demoness. No wonder Oliver Sheng wrote poems for her. Such beauty would be unrivaled even in the Capital City."
"Fairy Isla Qin, please try this wine," Oliver Sheng said with a smile, pouring a cup for her.
It was a blended wine, not too harsh.
Isla's eyes lit up at the aroma. "This wine smells wonderful."
"Thank you for the wine, General Sheng," Isla said, lifting her cup and drinking it all in one go.
The wine was rich, fragrant, warm, and sweet, with a unique taste. Isla thought it was the best wine she had ever tasted.
"Such good wine! Is this the wine General Sheng brewed?" Isla looked at Oliver, her eyes sparkling.
Zane Wang and the others were instantly captivated.
"So beautiful, like a fairy from heaven," Zane Wang muttered, feeling parched.
Magistrate Chen was slightly better off but still had the look of a simp.
"Fairy Isla Qin, this is indeed the wine brewed by General Sheng, a brand-new, unparalleled wine," Magistrate Chen interjected before Oliver could speak.
"General Sheng, you didn't come just to give me wine, did you?" Isla put down her cup and spoke softly.
"I came to ask for Fairy Isla Qin's help in promoting it," Oliver said.
"General Sheng, you're so heartless. You only come to me when you need something," Isla's eyes flashed with a pitiful charm.
Oliver was speechless. Why would I come to you if I didn't need something? I'm afraid you'd eat me alive.
"Fairy Isla Qin, please don't joke. I really need your help."
"What do you need me to do?" Isla reined in her charm.
"Just this and that, like so..."
"Alright, but I need a poem as payment," Isla nodded in agreement.
Oliver rubbed his temples. As long as it wasn't money, a poem was easy. He could just... borrow one.
"Deal," Oliver nodded.
"I want the poem first," Isla's eyes sparkled.
Xiao Chuyi also watched Oliver, curious to see if his poetic talent was as legendary as they said.
Oliver looked at the wine on the table and got an idea. Isla didn't specify what kind of poem, so anything would do.
"Green ant new wine, red clay small stove.
Evening snow about to fall, shall we drink a cup?"
"How about that?" Oliver recited.
"Green ant new wine, red clay small stove," Isla repeated, glancing around the room and smiling.
"General Sheng, you're quite the clever one."
The wine on the table, the small stove in the elegant room—it all fit perfectly.
"Evening snow about to fall, shall we drink a cup?" Xiao Chuyi recited softly, recalling their arrival in the evening snow. It was so fitting.
Such poetic talent was unparalleled. Witnessing Oliver compose a poem on the spot, Xiao Chuyi's eyes changed.
"Good poem, excellent poem!" Magistrate Chen laughed heartily.
He couldn't write poems, but he could appreciate them.
Magistrate Chen immediately poured a bowl of Western Wind Blaze and drank it.
"Ah... so strong!"
He was drinking Western Wind Blaze, not the blended wine.
"Another kind of wine?" Isla asked, smelling the stronger aroma.
"Yes, this one is stronger, not as mild as the previous one," Oliver nodded.
"Let me try," Isla said.
"Fairy Isla Qin, let me pour for you," Zane Wang quickly offered, eager to please.
Magistrate Chen cursed inwardly. He had been distracted by the poem and let this guy steal the moment.
"Thank you!"
Isla's simple thanks enchanted Zane Wang completely.
Zane Wang wore a foolish grin, his mind filled with Isla's smile. She smiled at me, how wonderful.
Isla took a sip of Western Wind Blaze.
"Indeed, it's strong."
Isla felt her throat burn, her stomach like it was on fire, then a warm sensation.
"What wine is this, so fragrant?" someone in the neighboring room asked, catching the scent.
Xiao Chuyi preferred the blended wine, mild and fragrant. She poured herself a bowl and drank quietly.
"The poem is done, the wine is drunk. Fairy Isla Qin, I'm counting on you," Oliver said, cupping his hands.
"Leave it to me," Isla smiled and left the room, heading downstairs.
Immediately, someone spotted her.
"Fairy Isla Qin, Fairy Isla Qin is coming down," a rough voice shouted.
"Where? Where?"
"Fairy Isla Qin, so beautiful!"
"Is that Fairy Isla Qin? Truly stunning."
In her red dress, Isla elegantly descended the stairs, capturing everyone's attention.
People on the second floor opened their curtains to look down.
"Her clothes are like clouds, her beauty like flowers, the spring breeze brushes the threshold, the dew is thick. Truly a goddess from the Jade Terrace, worth the trip," a scholar exclaimed, mesmerized.
Isla stepped onto the stage, her voice like a lark, "Today, I will dance for everyone present."
"Yes!"
A chorus of eager voices responded, almost drooling.
Many were ecstatic. Seeing Fairy Isla Qin's beauty today, they could die without regret.
Isla began to dance, like a goddess under the moon, her movements graceful and enchanting. A light mist rose on the stage, making her silhouette even more mesmerizing.
Even Oliver upstairs was entranced. Zane Wang and Magistrate Chen's eyes gleamed, drool at the corners of their mouths.
"Beautiful, so beautiful."
"Hmph, a bunch of men who haven't seen the world," Xiao Chuyi muttered, returning to her seat to drink, her tone sour.
She had to admit, Isla's beauty was indeed captivating.
"Green ant new wine, red clay small stove. Evening snow about to fall, shall we drink a cup?" Isla sang the poem melodiously.
"So beautiful, such a poem."
In a second-floor room, a scholar-like young man spoke.
"Totally worth it, totally worth it!" his companion's eyes sparkled.
"Wine!" Isla suddenly called out.
Oliver threw two prepared jars of wine onto the stage.
Isla caught them, opened both, and the fragrance filled the air.
She took two sips from one jar, then smashed it on the stage.
The spilled wine filled the first floor with its aroma. Isla stopped dancing and returned to the second-floor room.
"Mission accomplished!" Isla smiled faintly at Oliver.
"Thank you, Fairy!" Oliver cupped his hands.
The first floor erupted.
First, Fairy Isla Qin danced, then a poem was recited, and finally, two jars of unparalleled wine were smashed.
"So fragrant, what wine is this?"
"Such a waste, this unparalleled wine, just smashed like that."
First the beauty, then the wine. The excitement was palpable, the first floor was in an uproar.
"What is this wine called?"
"Didn't the poem mention it? Green ant new wine, it must be called Green Ant."
"Where can I buy this Green Ant wine? I want to drink it. Brothel Keeper, Brothel Keeper..."
"Yes, Brothel Keeper, bring us the unparalleled wine."
"Hurry, I want to drink the fairy wine that Fairy Isla Qin drank."
Everyone on the first floor clamored for the wine.
The Brothel Keeper hurried out to apologize, "Dear guests, we don't have this wine at Misty Willow House. It's not ours."
"Not yours? Do you dare say that?"
"Believe me, I'll tear this place down."
"It's really not our wine," the Brothel Keeper was almost in tears.
"Then tell us, where did this wine come from?"