Huaisang does him the courtesy of also not judging how quickly he drinks, instead he just refills the cup as soon as Jiang Cheng puts it down again. Supportive friends let you drink as much as you like when your marriage just got called off.

He snorts at the comment, nodding his agreement.

"That's only because noone will have me," he retorts cheerfully (a little too cheerfully), sipping at his own drink - a little slower, he's more than happy to get merry, but he's also intending to stay sober enough to look after Jiang Cheng after he inevitably drinks too much.

"Are sect leaders allowed to elope, do you think?"