The Emperor and the Earl of North Border picked up their wine bowls, clinking them together. The Earl of North Border lowered the rim of his bowl, and the Emperor did the same, their bowls meeting levelly with a CLINK. Then they drained their bowls in one go and, together, ungraciously wiped their lips with their sleeves.
"On Shulan's fiftieth birthday, I couldn't let you be by her side. When you see her, who knows how she'll scold me."
"Ha, Shulan is virtuous. She would understand."
"Of course I know how virtuous she is!"
After two large bowls of wine, Ji Runhao's mood had clearly lifted, and he continued, "If it weren't for your shamelessness back then, how could Shulan have ended up with you in the north, enduring sandstorms for more than half her life?"
"Get lost! Shulan made no mistake being with me. In my entire life, Shulan is the only woman I've had. What about you?"
