"Do you know what the correct posture for playing a harmonica is?"

  After one tune, Zhou Xuan said: "The harmonica just needs to slide between the lips, dont shake your head back and forth."

  Lin Han Yun looked at Zhou Xuan with a hint of admiration and asked, "Whats the name of this tune? It sounds really nice, better than the one you played last time."

  "The Red Bean Song, Ill teach you later when I have time, but this treasure of a qin, I still cant sell it to you. You just play with it for now, and return it to me when youre tired of it."

  "No way, if you sell it to me, its mine and I might get tired of playing with it, but if I borrow it, Ill never get tired of playing with it."

  Zhou Xuan laughed: "Alright, play as long as you want, this should be enough."

  Lin Han Yun still wanted to force a purchase, when he heard Lin Hei Shans loud voice outside saying: "Xuan Di, the gambler has arrived."

  Zhou Xuan handed the harmonica to Lin Hanyu and led Xiao Dis hand to the second floor hall, where Wu Gongcao was leading two servants carrying a load of silver. The three thousand taels of silver weighed over 200 catties, causing the floorboards to tremble with each heavy step. This silver had been borrowed by Wu Gongcao from a large merchant nearby, which is why it arrived so quickly, as he feared his son would be bullied.

  Wu Gong Cao bowed his hands and said: "Lord Lin, this is three thousand taels of silver, please accept it."

  Lin Heishan said: "I picked up what I received, this is my sworn brother Zhou Xuans silver."

  Wu Gongcao smiled and said: "Please, Master Zhou, take it."

  Zhou Xuan waved his hand and said: "No need to bow down, cant I still trust Lord Wu?"

  Since the silver was paid clearly, Wu Gongcao led Wu Kuan away without saying another word.

  Zhou Xuan took out a silver ingot of five taels and twenty liangs from his silver basket, handed it to Old Master Feng, and said: "This time in the insect fight, Master Feng handled things impartially and gave me a lot of help. This little bit of silver is just a token of gratitude."

  Before Mr. Feng could refuse, Zhou Xuan took out another twenty taels of silver and bowed to the surrounding insect friends, saying: "Thank you all for your support, Ill treat you to a drink at noon today."

  The crowd cheered and applauded, with praise for Zhou Xuan pouring in.

  Lin Heishan stroked his beard and smiled, thinking that this bold and uninhibited sworn brother was very much to his taste.

  It was almost noon, and the insect friends of "Mufeng Building" set off towards the nearby "Zui Xiang Building" with 50 or 60 people laughing and chatting. Zhou Xuan had a deep impression of the "Yang Fang Cang Yu" in "Zui Xiang Building", and also felt that the location was relatively spacious, so he chose "Zui Xiang Building".

  Lin Han Yun, not yet having undergone the hairpinning and capping ceremony, was still considered underage, so she didnt strictly follow the "Nü Xun", playing around everywhere like a wild child. She gladly accepted her nephews sworn brothers invitation to come to the elegant private room of the "Drunken Fragrance Pavilion" and sat down with a radiant smile.

  This private room was set up with a sumptuous feast, and the guests were Zhou Xuan, Qin Xiaodi, Lin Heishan, Lin Hanyun, and Boss Feng. Originally, Zhou Xuan wanted to invite Tang Xiaosan, Hu Tonghe, and Lai Fu to sit here together, but when Lai Fu learned that Lin Heishan was a fifth-rank official, he was so shocked that he couldnt speak clearly, and pulled Tang Xiaosan and Hu Tonghe to another table, saying that sitting here made him nervous, the food wasnt delicious, the drink wasnt enjoyable, and he didnt feel at ease.

  After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became warm and friendly.

  Mr. Feng raised his cup to toast Zhou Xuan and said, "Master Zhou, Id like to offer you a drink. I, Feng, have been fascinated with insects for twenty years, but compared to Master Zhou, I am truly inferior. In the past, I also thought highly of Wu Kuans Xu Huan, but it turns out that I was blind to his true worth."

  Little Aunt Lin Han said with oily lips: "Right, tell me, how can that kid of yours win?"

  Zhou Xuan smiled and said, "My bug and Wu Kuans bug are of the same level, because they havent grown up yet, so their body shape is slightly smaller. Many people dont look good at Zhang Jiao just because he is small, but this judgment is not wrong either. If it werent for Wu Pangzis poor feeding, it would be very difficult for General Zhang Jiao to win——"

  "Wu Kuan, how can you raise them improperly? He has a special insect keeper to take care of the insects for him!" Old Feng asked.

  Zhou Xuan burst out laughing: "I can win precisely because Wu Pangzis useless and ignorant bug-raising servant, Tou Bangxian, is a swindler. The first time I saw Tou Bangxian, he was using new kiln-fired celadon to raise bugs. I knew right then that this guy was just pretending to be a bug breeder - where would he have learned how to raise bugs? New celadon has residual fire energy, and the bugs raised in it are violent and impulsive, not suitable for competition. Although they may be able to take down lower-level bugs with one bite, against equivalent-level bugs, they lack endurance and tenacity, and are easily defeated. Of course, based on this alone, even Zhang Jiao would only have a 60% chance of winning at most. The crucial point is that Tou Bangxian doesnt know how to pair up Xu Huans bugs - this is the fatal flaw."

  Lin Han Yun also likes fighting insects and asked at this time: "What does it mean, are fighting insects going to be paired?"

  Zhou Xuan glanced at Old Man Feng, who also looked puzzled. Haha, it seems that people from the Southern Tang didnt know that giving insects a mate is a common phenomenon. My unique skills are better left unrevealed for now. The study of choosing mates for crickets is quite extensive. He vaguely said: "Its about finding a mate, otherwise the insect cant exert its full combat strength. My cricket is still young and doesnt need a mate for now."

  Lin Han Yun was about to ask again when Zhou Xuan glared at her and said, "Youre a girl, arent you ashamed of always asking about spouses?"

  Lin Han Yun drank two more cups, her face was already red, and she said calmly: "What girl, I am your aunt, Hei Shan, teaching you a lesson, let this younger brother know that there is an order between the old and the young."

  Lin Heishan let out a hearty "hahaha" laugh, raised his cup and said: "Nephew respects Aunt with a cup." He drank it himself first, then refilled it.

  Mr. Feng knew that Zhou Xuan couldnt possibly reveal his insect-raising secrets, so he flattered him by saying: "Young Master Zhous insect skills are unmatched, I reckon theres no one in the entire Jiangzhou City who surpasses you, truly awe-inspiring!"

  Zhou Xuan bowed his hands and said: "Too kind, too kind." What a sweat in his heart! This is what the insect said, its not worth mentioning!

  "The Drunken Fragrance Pavilion"s amber liquor was quite strong, and Lin Huan had only drunk two small cups before she started to feel a bit tipsy. Her face flushed red, and with slurred speech, she said: "Dont be so smug, Zhou Xuans nephew! My household has many skilled insect trainers, I can easily find one to scare you to death. Next time I come, well have an insect-fighting contest, and I have the Green-Backed General, I wont let you win until youre penniless!"

  Zhou Xuan smiled and said: "Since you want to be the elder, that is the senior. When the junior loses money, he will ask you for it, right, Shan Ge?"

  Lin Heishan grinned with a big smile: "Thats right, Little Aunt is very kind and never petty."

  Zhou Xuan had Old Man Feng accompany him, holding a wine cup to toast at each table and get to know the insect friends. Playing with insects requires both leisure and wealth, so these insect friends all have some status, including scholars, warriors, officials, merchants, Taoist priests, and originally there was also a Buddhist monk who had placed a bet during the insect fight but didnt come to the banquet, after all, one must still observe the precept of abstinence from wine. Even if he didnt drink wine, a shaven-headed monk would be too conspicuous in the midst of the drinking party.

  The wine table is the easiest to bond with, after a round of wine, Zhou Xuans popularity came out, and everyone had a very good impression of him, being generous and open-minded, not being particular about trifles, speaking eloquently, having an astonishing capacity for liquor, and for his insect-loving friends, Zhou Xuans insect skills were even more impressive.

  After the toast, Zhou Xuan returned to the private room of Ya Zuo, but saw Lin Hanyun lying on the table, sweeping the cups and plates in front of her into a mess. This little girl was drunk and crazy, while Lin Heishan beside her couldnt stop scratching his head, unable to deal with this little lady.

  Zhou Xuan said: "Miss Lin is drunk, Shan Ge will send her back."

  Lin Heishan stretched out his hand, but then withdrew it and said: "Let Xuan brother support her instead, Ill go call the carriage driver."

  It seems that Lin Heishan is quite intimidated by this little girl, and doesnt dare to move her. Zhou Xuan couldnt care less, so he simply scooped one hand under her knee and the other under her back, picked her up horizontally, and strode downstairs.

  Lin Hans body is very light, about 1.5 meters tall and weighs less than 80 pounds, with thin arms and legs that are not well-developed.

  Lin Han Yun closed her eyes and hummed, her head swaying back and forth. Her maids hat fell to the ground, and a lock of black hair cascaded down, giving Zhou Xuan a completely different impression - she was indeed a young girl. Her eyebrows were fine and long, her closed eyelids also fine and long, her eyelashes fluttering occasionally as if about to open but then closing again. A faint scent of wine wafted from her cherry-red lips, her face flushed with an alluring glow.

  Xiao Di picked up Lin Huans family hat and chased after him shouting: "Brother-in-law, sister-in-laws hat fell off."

  Zhou Xuan stretched out his hand to take the household servants hat handed over by Xiao Di, and as they exited the "Drunken Fragrance Building", a delicate rickshaw was already parked downstairs. Lin Heishan was waiting beside the vehicle and, seeing Zhou Xuan carrying Lin Hanyin out, quickly lifted the curtain.

  Zhou Xuan stepped onto the carriage with his left foot, placed the drunken girl inside, and covered her face with a servants hat. He turned around and said: "Shan Ge, take her back first, then well have another good drink together, my drinking capacity is not bad, haha."

  Lin Heishan turned over and mounted the yellow horse, shouting: "Alright, tomorrow Ill come find you to drink until were drunk and then we can part ways."

  Zhou Xuan watched as the carriage and horse turned a corner and disappeared from view, then patted his hand, feeling that it still retained the softness of Lin Huans body. Earlier, when he had put Lin Huan in the carriage and withdrawn his hand, he had also pinched her buttocks, as a way of punishing her for being too forward as an elder. Ha! This was what you called righteous molestation of a young girl.