Dreams Arise in Your Land Chapter Six: The Banquet Without a Trace of the Gentleman, Zhu Sheng Discusses Heroes Over Wine

The next day, Ji Shi felt greatly surprised upon receiving an invitation from Zhu Shengzhiyin. "Why didn’t he bring Zichen along?" A flicker of unease stirred within him. "No, I must find that young master and ask what’s going on." With that, he set off toward the Longteng Inn. Unexpectedly, on the way, he encountered one of Zichen’s attendants.

“Young Master Ji, do you happen to know where my master has gone? He hasn’t returned since last night and is nowhere to be found.”

Hearing this, and recalling Zhu Shengzhiyin’s letter, Ji Shi seemed to piece something together.

“Your master is likely at Zhu Shengzhiyin’s place. The three of us are like brothers, so I suppose those two are busy with something at the Zhu residence. Don’t worry; I’ll visit the Zhu household in a few days for a drink and see what this visitor is up to.” After saying this, Ji Shi bade farewell and returned home to continue his cultivation.

On the twenty-first day of the winter month in the eighth year of Emperor Qianling’s Jianning reign, the winter solstice, gentle snow began to fall from the sky. Early that morning, Ji Shi rose ahead of time to prepare for the banquet. “Let me see what tricks this visitor intends to play.”

Stepping lightly over the delicate snowflakes, Ji Shi slowly entered the street where the Zhu mansion stood. Lanterns hung outside shops on both sides, their dim yellow glow seeping through the thin mist, casting a soft light on the world clad in silver and white. The scene before him felt almost unreal. He suddenly wondered if this journey through time might be nothing but a dream. “Never mind, I’ll take it one step at a time,” he resolved, steadying his mind and pressing forward.

People passed by hurriedly, their breath forming clouds of frost, while Ji Shi moved serenely, curiosity mingling with caution in his heart. The grand gates of the Zhu mansion stood wide open, flanked by two stone lions standing solemnly in the snow. The gatekeeper, seeing him approach, hurried forward to welcome him, guiding him through a corridor adorned with carved beams and painted rafters—each step seemingly treading upon the footprints of history.

Inside the main hall, Zhu Shengzhiyin had been waiting for some time. He wore elegant robes and greeted Ji Shi with a radiant smile—a stark contrast to his usual stern demeanor.

“Beauty Ji Shi, you’ve finally arrived! Please, take a seat!” With that, he personally poured a cup of hot wine for Ji Shi. The aroma of the wine blended with the warmth of the hearth, creating an inexplicable sense of comfort. Ji Shi accepted the cup, his gaze wandering around the hall as he tried to detect any unusual undertones behind the splendor.

“Beauty Ji Shi? Isn’t that what only Zichen would call you? How could Zhu Shengzhiyin know? And I haven’t seen Zichen anywhere in the Zhu mansion. Where could he be?”

At that moment, Zhu Shengzhiyin called out, “Master Jia, bring the broth!” A greasy, plump man appeared at the front, followed by five others carrying a large pot.

“Be careful not to spill it; don’t ruin the feast for our honored guest!” Seeing the pot, Ji Shi’s heart sank. He found it hard to believe his own suspicion.

“Eat quickly, Beauty Ji Shi, it won’t taste good once it cools,” Zhu Shengzhiyin said, summoning Master Jia to ladle a huge bowl of meat for Ji Shi. Looking at the bowl before him, Ji Shi felt his spirit plummet.

Zhu Shengzhiyin continued drinking heedlessly, while Ji Shi sipped his wine with a grave expression. Noticing his unease, Zhu Shengzhiyin asked, “Beauty Ji Shi, why the long face? And why hasn’t your bowl of meat been touched? Is it not to your liking?”

“Master Jia, if Beauty Ji Shi finds it unpalatable, what do you have to say?” Zhu Shengzhiyin challenged.

“Please spare me, my lord! I used only the finest ingredients!” the man stammered, though inwardly he thought, “With human flesh as the main ingredient, it’s no wonder if Ji Shi finds it distasteful. Perhaps he’s sensed something’s amiss.”

“It’s nothing to do with the food. I’m simply at a crucial stage in my martial cultivation and must abstain from meat.”

“Is that so? Are there such restrictions in martial arts training?” Zhu Shengzhiyin asked, puzzled.

“My technique is unique,” Ji Shi replied.

“Very well. Then, Master Jia, you may leave for now.”

“Thank you, my lord, and thank you, Young Master Ji. I shall take my leave.” Yet as he turned away, Zhu Shengzhiyin made a throat-slitting gesture toward him. Ji Shi noticed but remained silent.

The banquet continued. When the wine had loosened their tongues, Zhu Shengzhiyin asked, “Beauty Ji Shi, do you know about the transformations of dragons?”

“I’m eager to hear,” Ji Shi responded.

Zhu Shengzhiyin said, “Dragons can grow large or small, ascend or conceal themselves. When large, they stir clouds and release mist; when small, they hide and change their form. When ascending, they soar through the cosmos; when hidden, they lurk beneath the waves. Now, in late spring, dragons seize the moment to transform, much like a man who attains success and roams freely across the seas. Dragons, in essence, are akin to heroes of the world. In your opinion, who among the living deserves the title of hero?”

Ji Shi answered humbly, “My knowledge is shallow; how could I know who the true heroes are?”

“Beauty Ji Shi, don’t be so modest!”

“I have never left Ruzhou, nor have I seen heroes of the world,” Ji Shi insisted.

“Even if you haven’t seen them, you must have heard of some! Just name two at random!”

Ji Shi thought for a moment and said, “King Chen Shui of Jiangnan commands great strength, with two hundred thousand troops. Could he be called a hero?”

“Though powerful in all respects, he desires no conquest, only to rule his own realm quietly. That hardly makes him a hero.”

“Then what of King Xiang Hui of Chu? Young and fierce, he led a hundred thousand soldiers to seize over ten cities from our Great Qian. Isn’t he a hero?”

“A bunch of barbarians. They won’t last long.”

“How about Li Kangjia of Jingzhou?”

“Though a member of the royal clan, Li Kangjia is merely a loyalist guarding his inheritance, hardly a hero.”

“And what of Ji Weifan, Luo Ji, Yang Zhisheng, and others?” Zhu Shengzhiyin laughed heartily. “Those mediocre men are not worth mentioning!”

“Beyond these, I cannot think of any other heroes.”

“In my view, a hero is one with grand ambition, a brilliant mind, who harbors the mysteries of the universe and carries the will to embrace heaven and earth.”

“Then who can be called a hero?”

Zhu Shengzhiyin looked at Ji Shi, pointed at him and then at himself. “In today’s world, the only heroes are the two of us: you, Beauty Ji Shi, and I, Zhu Shengzhiyin.”

Hearing this, Ji Shi sensed something amiss. “Isn’t this what Cao Cao said to Liu Bei? Could Zhu Shengzhiyin be testing me? Given his intelligence, he wouldn’t devise such a scheme himself; it must be the work of his strategist, Ji Fanwei. If only Zhu Shengzhiyin were Xiang Yu, Zichen wouldn’t be acting this way. Alas…”

After a moment’s thought, Ji Shi deliberately let his chopsticks drop. “Liu Bei’s move is flawless! Heh heh heh! I am truly clever!” Zhu Shengzhiyin looked at Ji Shi upon hearing the sound, and Ji Shi met his gaze. “Once the thunder sounds, I’ll explain everything; only then will he lower his guard, and I can leave.”

But the two stared at each other for a long while, and no thunder came. Ji Shi felt terribly awkward and uncertain whether he would be able to leave that day. “Am I to follow in Zichen’s footsteps? I’m not a king yet! I knew he intentionally omitted that we died on the same year, month, and day during our oath ceremony! Argh, how infuriating!” Yet he had evidently misunderstood Zhu Shengzhiyin’s meaning, for the latter suddenly said something that shocked him.

“Beauty Ji Shi, are you unwell? If so, I shall send a few men to escort you home.”

Ji Shi, though wary of Zhu Shengzhiyin’s intentions, rose to leave.

“My dear little Zichen, my only kin in this strange world, I’m not strong yet. Once I reach the Void Realm, with my talent, I will be invincible among peers. Then, I shall avenge you!” Ji Shi thought as he walked home.

Suddenly, he saw several men in black emerging from the Zhu mansion, dragging a large sack. He hurried after them.