Gu Shiliu quietly thought to himself that this doesn’t look good.

This Yelv Xianyong was really courting disaster without waiting for nightfall, his words were practically poking at Marquis Gu’s sore points.

Seeing Marquis Gu about to lose his temper, Qin Yuan hurriedly shook the little dog in her arms.

The little dog let out a "woof woof" sound.

Yelv Xianyong, drunkenly squinting, shouted: "What sound is that? An assassin!"

Before he finished speaking, the wine bowl was already flying towards the direction of the screen, but was casually knocked down by the chopsticks Marquis Gu threw.

The wine bowl and chopsticks fell to the ground with a crisp shattering sound.

"Where’s the assassin?" Marquis Gu said, "Don’t scare my beloved pet."

"Beloved pet?" Yelv Xianyong looked around, "Where is it?"

Marquis Gu said, "Sit tight, don’t move, I’ll show you in a moment."

Gu Shiliu had already called someone to clean up.

Once the fragments were picked up, the floor wiped clean, and the tableware reset, Marquis Gu whistled and called out: "Howling Celestial Dog, come out."

"Howling Celestial Dog?"

Yelv Xianyong inexplicably found the name somewhat familiar.

It seemed like he had heard it somewhere before.

But at the moment, his mind wasn’t working, and he couldn’t remember.

"It must be a big dog, is it the Marquis’s beloved dog? Does he often take it hunting?"

Northern people love their horses and dogs.

Dogs are their most loyal friends, guarding the house, hunting, herding... capable of everything and everywhere.

Yelv Xianyong strained to lift his drooping eyelids, watched for a long time, and finally saw a well-groomed, pampered, palm-sized white fluffy little dog timidly, softly sauntering out from behind the screen.

Yelv Xianyong: "..."

In fact, Marquis Gu didn’t even know the name of this little dog of his mother’s.

He just blurted out a name.

Whistling, he said, "Come here."

Howling Celestial Dog was not cooperative at all, after taking two steps, it stopped, looked up at Yelv Xianyong, and barked twice.

It was not intimidating at all, and even had a bit of a pampered feel.

Yelv Xianyong sighed: "You Central Plains people are truly strange, giving such a majestic and domineering name to something so delicate-looking. My family’s Big Black and Big Yellow, roughly raised, even dare to fight wolves."

Marquis Gu simply pushed the wine jug towards him, saying, "Do you dare to drink more?"

"Dare? What’s there not to dare?"

Yelv Xianyong, in high spirits from drinking, had completely forgotten he was a prisoner, and boldly took it, boasting: "What’s this? Even if there were ten more jugs, I could still drink them."

Marquis Gu laughed: "Ten jugs? I’d be reluctant to let you drink that much, don’t just focus on drinking, isn’t it a waste not to eat some of these good dishes? At least pad your stomach with a few pieces of lamb, so you don’t get drunk."

"What’s there to fear in getting drunk? We drink till we drop."

Yelv Xianyong directly drank from the jug, gulping it down.

In high spirits from drinking, he reached out to grab a piece of lamb rib, put it in his mouth and chewed hard, causing the bone to crack.

Behind the screen, Qin Yuan got goosebumps just from listening.

These Northern people certainly have good teeth.

One has to admit that a husband and wife are of one mind; Marquis Gu thought the same when he saw Yelv Xianyong’s stark white teeth.

The Yelv Clan people grew up jostling on horseback, eating beef and mutton, drinking cow and sheep milk, with teeth as strong as iron; if they bit into a stone, they might be able to break it.

"This lamb isn’t bad, but it lacks some flavor. We Northern people like to dip lamb in wild leek flower sauce. If not, then cumin and garlic paste would do."

"Try this sauce."

Marquis Gu pushed the sauce dish in front of him over, "Sesame oil mixed with chili oil, sesame, and garlic paste, taste isn’t inferior to the ones you mentioned."

Yelv Xianyong sucked on his finger, grabbed another piece, dipped it in the sauce dish, and stuffed it in his mouth.

"Delicious. Really delicious."

He then ate a few more big pieces of lamb and drank two jugs of wine.

Finally, Marquis Gu said, "You have a straightforward personality, probably don’t have many people you connect with in your clan. I feel a natural affinity with you, it’s a pity we can’t become sworn brothers."

Yelv Xianyong laughed heartily: "Aren’t the storytellers in the Capital City’s theaters fond of telling the tales from Romance of the Three Kingdoms? I also like to listen to them in my free time. Do you know who my favorite is?"

Marquis Gu thought for a moment and said, "Could it be Lord Guan?"

"Right!" Yelv Xianyong slapped the table and said, "Like Guan Yunchang going alone to the banquet, doesn’t it look like me?"

"It does!"

Receiving Marquis Gu’s affirmation, Yelv Xianyong became even more enthusiastic, giving a thumbs up and earnestly said, "Marquis Gu, you really match my temperament. I, Yelv Xianyong, am ugly, have been looked down upon since childhood, yet I excel in riding and archery, inviting jealousy. My life has been a series of ups and downs due to this face and my skills. Only you understand my heart."

"It’s a pity we were each loyal to our own lord back then," Marquis Gu replied, taking over the conversation: "I’m not someone who judges others by appearance, I admire capable and courageous heroes. The Peach Garden Oath isn’t possible for us, but mutual respect like Guan Yu and Xu Huang is achievable."

These words were sincerely spoken.

They moved Yelv Xianyong to tears, who sobbed, "It’s just a pity I was born a Yelv Clan person, and I once pledged to forever be loyal to the Young Master."

Marquis Gu sighed: "Your Young Master is ambitious, ruthless, and acts despicably, not worthy of such loyal and devoted followers like you. In Daxing, we have a saying that good birds choose the right tree to nest in, with your skills, you’d surely be well-used under a different master."

"I can’t, I broke three feathered arrows in front of the gods and swore to follow the Young Master forever. The Young Master’s actions aren’t honorable, I’ve felt it wasn’t right to target women and children. But it’s all for the Yelv Clan, my personal honor or disgrace doesn’t matter. However, I feel sorry for Marquis Gu’s sincerity."

Yelv Xianyong drank another half jug of wine.

Marquis Gu patted the table and sighed: "I really didn’t misjudge you, you’re truly a stalwart, upright man, but others may not treat you the same way. What I’ve said isn’t for myself, now that you’re in the mansion, Yelv Guza is wary of me, moving against an alien hostage like him is extremely easy. I’m saying this for your own good, as heroes are bound to appreciate each other. Seeing you throw away your talents like this is truly a waste."

These words made Yelv Xianyong bow his head in silence for a long time.

Marquis Gu ordered two more jugs of shaodaozi, and after they drank heartily, Marquis Gu said: "It’s late, I must return to accompany my wife to rest. Yelv Xianyong, today has been exhilarating drinking with you."

"I too, have never had such good wine in my life."

Yelv Xianyong was reluctantly sent back to the dungeon by Gu Shiliu.

He lay down in the haystack, reeking of alcohol, mumbling: "Marquis Gu, let us not part until drunk."

The two persons locked in the neighboring cell stared in shocked anger, wide-eyed.