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The Willow Tree and the Drunken Promise

  The market was shining brightly in the moonlight. The lanterns, burning and hanging all along the market path, brought the entire market to life. Although it was the first watch of the night, there was no reduction in the crowd, nor in the hall of the Gongyin Winery. Beautiful women were serving wine and food to the guests.

  Standing against a wall, Han Wuang Shi was keeping an eye on every movement in the market. And then he saw someone: tall and handsome, wearing beautiful red and purple robes and holding his small, empty wine jug, he looked completely distinct in the entire crowd.Han Wuang Shi saw him, and for a moment, his eyes stopped, as if he were seeing Gu Zong for the first time. But this was their daily routine coming to meet each other, hidden from the eyes of the world.

  Gu Zong also saw Han Wuang Shi standing there as he approached. He walked past him and went inside. As soon as he entered, he was welcomed, as every guest was. And Han Wuang Shi remained standing outside.Han Wuang Shi bought some spicy peanuts from a shop outside not for himself, but for Gu Zong, because he knew Gu Zong liked them. A faint smile remained on his face throughout this time, and after getting the peanuts, he glanced at the shop and left.

  Han Wuang Shi was quietly making his way to the path where he and Gu Zong met almost every day. And this place was none other than the clean water lake, beside which stood a huge, beautiful willow tree. This tree was also not his choice; Gu Zong liked it too.He looked at the tree, and as always, it looked incredibly beautiful. Its long, drooping branches touched the ground, covering the tree trunk like curtains. Han Wuang Shi moved the branches aside, entered, and sat down near the tree. As always, he had brought his Guqin today, whose music Gu Zong loved to hear very, very much. He placed the Guqin in front of him, sitting cross-legged, and began to play it while waiting for Gu Zong.The lake water was making soft sounds with the gentle breeze.

  The long, drooping branches also made a rustling sound as they swayed. The night became even more beautiful, and Han Wuang Shi's sweet music made this beauty even more melodious.

  Then he stopped the music and looked around, and suddenly he was startled because Gu Zong had been listening to his music for a long time, leaning against the tree. Then Gu Zong spoke, looking very lovingly at Han Wuang Shi, his eyes fixed on Han Wuang Shi's eyes:"There is no doubt that your Guqin plays the best music in the Han Clan. You are truly a master of music, Wuang."

  Gu Zong came and sat down beside Han Wuang Shi, close to him. Then Han Wuang Shi placed his Guqin next to him and took out the victor's seal from his belt, the one he had won today. He extended his hand towards Gu Zong, showing the seal. Gu Zong, who was drinking wine, was startled; the wine almost got stuck in his throat. He said with surprise:"Wuang Shi, why did you bring this!? When did you pick it up from there?"

  Gu Zong wanted to ask many more questions, but Han Wuang Shi's beaming face and his smile, full of shining eyes, silenced him. Han Wuang Shi smiled and said:"I want to hand over everything you have won to you, whatever it may be. That's why I brought this victor's seal, because you won it."

  Then Gu Zong made a face, took a sip of wine, took the seal from Han Wuang Shi's hands, and put it in his belt. But along with this, he also spoke with slight annoyance:"Look, Wuang Shi! You do the same things I do, you believe the things I believe, you like the things I like. Because of this, you will never know your own likes and dislikes. That's why, from now on, you will do what you like, okay?"

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  Han Wuang Shi smiled at Gu Zong's words and said, "As you wish, Zao!"

  But this further infuriated Gu Zong. He placed the wine jug on the ground and started getting angry at Han Wuang Shi."Huh! You agreed so quickly? Won't you argue, like you always do? Like you always lecture me, telling me not to do this, not to go there, don't teach me! Huh!!"

  Gu Zong chuckled a little after saying this and said, taking a sip of wine, becoming slightly loving and serious, "Han Wuang Shi, you have changed a lot."

  But to this, Han Wuang Shi gave his old reply again, but this time there was something else in his eyes a feeling, a yearning, a passion. He leaned slightly towards Gu Zong and said,"I like what you like."

  For a moment, Gu Zong also drowned in his eyes, melting. He could feel his breath on his face, and there was a strange uneasiness, a different feeling in his stomach and chest. Then he moved back and spoke, faking anger. He opened the second wine jug tied to his waist and placed it in front, looking at Han Wuang Shi and saying:"Then fine, let's have it. I will now tell you my favorite things. I am sure you won't like them."Gu Zong looked around and said, "I... I like the moon!"

  To this, Han Wuang Shi replied, looking at the moon, "I like the moon too."

  Gu Zong was surprised, his eyes wide, but he still continued, "Oh, so that's how it is. Then I like the lotus pond."

  Han Wuang Shi replied to this too, "I like it too."

  Now Gu Zong ground his teeth and spoke to Han Wuang Shi, but this anger was just an act:"Wuang Shi, what I am about to say now, you will absolutely not like, and it is also against the policies of your clan."

  Gu Zong said, smiling and leaning forward, "Do you want to know what it is?"

  Han Wuang Shi nodded yes, and then Gu Zong picked up the jug in his hand and waved it in the air, saying mischievously:"I like wine, and I like it the most!"

  Han Wuang Shi became silent at this. He thought for a moment. His gaze moved away from Gu Zong and settled on the lake in front. Taking advantage of this, Gu Zong started teasing him:"I knew it! How could the great Prince Han Wuang Shi like wine? Do you admit now that you don't like everything that I like?"

  A little while later....

  Gu Zong had also finished his wine; he was now completely intoxicated. He picked up another jug of wine and started drinking. He stood up and looked at the lake and said to Han Wuang Shi, speaking in a drunken state:

  "Wuang Shi, there is one more thing I like very much."

  Han Wuang Shi also came and stood beside him, asking, "What?"

  Gu Zong said, looking at his Guqin,"I really like white fish, and your white Guqin is exactly like a white fish, Wuang Shi. I truly want to keep a white fish as a pet, but our clan does not allow it. That's why I call your Guqin a white fish. That's why I named it Bai Yu (White Jade)."

  Saying this, he laughed softly, and then he stumbled and fell down drunkenly. Han Wuang Shi also sat down beside him, steadying him. But Han Wuang Shi was still thinking about the wine remark.Just as Gu Zong finished this sentence, Han Wuang Shi lightly shoved him onto the ground, forcefully snatched the wine jug from his hand, and right in front of him, he gulped down the entire jug of wine. He threw the jug into the lake far away. He came over Gu Zong, pinned his two hands down with one hand, and grabbed the collar of his robe with the other. His eyes were filled with a strange restlessness. He leaned close to him and said; his voice was low but heavy:"I like it. Wine too, and..."Gu Zong was completely stunned by this sudden action. His breath and heart rate were fast. He couldn't believe that Han Wuang Shi had drunk the wine, and that he would go to such lengths to imitate his likes. Han Wuang Shi leaned in even closer, so much that his long hair fell onto Gu Zong's face. He himself did not know what he was feeling.

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