Chapter 294: Viewing Paintings at the Tavern

The night was dark as ink.

As Gu Ning’an made his way through the mountain forest, a rich aroma drifted through the air and caught his attention.

Following the scent, he soon came across a tavern.

A bright red banner stood outside the entrance, fluttering in the wind. The glow of two red lanterns illuminated it, making the crimson fabric seem as if it were ablaze.

The tavern was situated beside an ancient path, flanked by trees and barren land. Hidden within that desolate terrain were several concealed presences. Two guards, dressed as warriors, stood at the entrance, their stance alert.

It was clear that a “distinguished guest” must have entered the tavern; otherwise, there would be no reason for such a strong presence in this remote wilderness.

Leaping down from a small slope, Gu Ning’an’s figure was immediately noticed by the two guards at the entrance.

They exchanged a glance, their right hands instinctively moving to the hilts of their swords.

Yet Gu Ning’an acted as though he hadn’t seen them, continuing forward at his own pace.

When he was about five steps from the entrance, one of the guards partially unsheathed his blade and spoke in a low voice, “Who goes there?”

Gu Ning’an chuckled and replied, “I’m here at a tavern—naturally, I’ve come to drink.”

The guard responded, “The tavern isn’t taking customers tonight. You should leave.”

“Oh?” Gu Ning’an smiled. “Are you two the tavern’s staff?”

The guard frowned. “No.”

“Then what gives you the right to say the tavern isn’t accepting guests?” With that, Gu Ning’an stepped forward again, heading for the entrance.

Clang!

Both guards immediately drew their swords.

Before they could issue another warning, a calm voice called out from inside the tavern, “Let him in.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

The two guards sheathed their blades at once. Bowing respectfully toward the interior, they then stepped aside.

Gu Ning’an gave them a brief glance and let out a faint chuckle before stepping into the tavern.

The interior was simply furnished. The counter stood right by the entrance, and behind it was a wooden shelf filled with wine jars of various sizes.

Further inside, the space was small, with only two tables—one empty and the other occupied by three men.

Among them, two were young, while the third was middle-aged. Though their styles of dress varied, all bore an air of nobility.

Behind them stood two more guards, each holding a sheathed sword. Since the moment Gu Ning’an had entered, their eyes had remained fixed on him, never once looking away.

Taking a seat at the empty table, Gu Ning’an glanced around but saw no sign of the tavernkeeper.

“The proprietor went to the cellar to fetch wine,” came a voice from the occupied table.

The speaker was a young man in a light purple brocade robe, with neatly trimmed facial hair. His voice made it clear—he was the one who had told the guards to stand down earlier.

Gu Ning’an cupped his hands in thanks. “Much appreciated.”

“No need,” the man in purple replied with a faint smile. “This is quite a remote place. What brings you here alone, sir?”

Gu Ning’an replied, “I’m used to traveling alone.”

“Oh…” The man in purple nodded thoughtfully, as if he had more to say.

Just then, the tavern door opened again, and a middle-aged man carrying a large wine jar stepped inside.

The jar was covered in soft clay, likely freshly unearthed.

Noticing the unexpected guest in white, in addition to the three noblemen, the tavernkeeper appeared slightly surprised. Setting the wine jar down, he gave Gu Ning’an a brief nod and grinned. “Sir, just a moment. I’ll serve these gentlemen first.”

“No rush,” Gu Ning’an replied.

The tavernkeeper quickly fetched a small wooden mallet and tapped around the jar’s sealed opening. After loosening the clay seal with his hands, he removed the red cloth stopper and took out a bamboo ladle.

With practiced ease, he filled three bowls of wine and placed them on the table before the three guests.

There was no denying it—this specially retrieved wine was extraordinary. The moment the clay seal was broken, its rich aroma instantly overpowered all the other scents of wine in the tavern.

Seeing the tavernkeeper pour a bowl for each guest before moving to reseal the jar with the red cloth stopper, Gu Ning’an couldn’t help but ask, “Shopkeeper, how much is a bowl of this wine? Could I buy one as well?”

The tavernkeeper paused briefly before smiling. “Sir, this wine costs nothing. However, you must first solve a riddle. If you answer correctly, you may drink a bowl for free. If not, I’m afraid this wine is not fated to be yours.”

Hearing this, Gu Ning’an became intrigued. “Please, pose the riddle.”

“Ah!” The middle-aged shopkeeper quickly waved his hands. “I am not the one who set this challenge, nor am I the one who brewed this wine…”

With that, he retrieved a scroll from behind the counter. Slowly unfurling it before Gu Ning’an, he said, “Please tell me—what do you see in this painting?”

Noticing yet another person attempting to decipher the painting, the three noble guests turned their attention toward Gu Ning’an, curious to see what he would perceive.

However, Gu Ning’an remained silent, staring at the painting for a long while without speaking. The others assumed he had been captivated by the “moving” scenery within the scroll—after all, they had also lost themselves in it earlier.

The young man in the purple robe withdrew his gaze from the painting and remarked calmly, “This painting is truly extraordinary. As I look again, the mountains and rivers I saw before have now become a gently flowing stream.”

“Fifth Brother, what do you see?”

Hearing himself addressed, the young man in blue robes, his hair adorned with a jade coronet, turned back and smiled. “This time, I see an endless grassland, with herds of cattle and sheep roaming across it. The breeze is light, and I can almost feel the scent of fresh grass and earth against my face.”

“Hah, as expected of my literate and poetic Fifth Brother. The way you describe it, I can almost see it myself.”

With that, the man in the purple robe turned to the middle-aged man beside him, who had remained silent. “Uncle, what do you see?”

At this, the scholarly dressed middle-aged man adjusted his robes and chuckled. “I see rain sweeping across the wild mountains—arriving swiftly, departing just as quickly. It comes with great momentum, yet leaves behind silent nourishment. Beautiful, simply beautiful!”

The young man in purple nodded with a smile. “Such a painting could only exist in the heavens…”

“Sir? Sir?”

“Have you finished looking?”

The tavernkeeper called out softly, rolling up the edges of the scroll slightly. The mesmerizing scenery within the painting could easily enrapture its viewers, so upon seeing Gu Ning’an lost in thought for so long, the shopkeeper took the initiative to withdraw part of the scroll.

Seeming to snap back to reality, Gu Ning’an smiled at the tavernkeeper.

The latter then asked, “Sir, what did you see in the painting?”

Gu Ning’an shook his head and replied, “Forgive my poor eyesight—I see nothing at all. The scroll is completely empty.”