Ink Burns

Chapter 313 Devouring Dragon
I knew it was a joke.

However, Xu Quyan knew that Shui Guang was not joking: because just now, it was Shui Guang who pushed him up.

Xu Quyan smiled with his lips pursed, but two blushes appeared on his cheeks.

The young emperor, though of high rank and stature, had always been high above others, yet he had never truly experienced being "high above others."

Such as now.

He sat on the roof beam of the Imperial Hospital in the southeast corner of the palace, nearly three zhang high, looking up as if he could touch the sky, feeling as if the Milky Way was within his grasp. Gazing into the distance, he saw rows of palaces, lanterns dotting the sky, and solemn, pointed roof ornaments.
"The palace is really huge," Xu Quyan exclaimed unconsciously.

He grew up in the palace, was confined to an orphanage in his childhood, then lived in Empress Ji's Kunhe Palace, and later moved between the Imperial Academy and the Imperial College. After marrying the early-deceased Lady Yuan, he moved to the Prince Shou's Mansion, and after ascending the throne, he lived in the Linde Hall for a long time.

He spent most of his time in a square inner palace, which was decorated with exquisite and luxurious furnishings. The walls were covered with pepper mud and gold leaf, and gold bricks were made from Taihu mud. The incense smoke was fragrant but subtle. Everything was beautiful and expensive.

“Yes, it’s the biggest house in the world!” Shui Guang nodded affirmatively: “It’s big and beautiful.”

This was the first time Shui Guangtou had given the palace a positive evaluation.

Xu Quyan turned to look at Shui Guang and smiled, "Don't you want to go back to Fushou Mountain?"

He shook his head like a sieve: "It's just that I've been doing well lately, so I'm happy to give this place a friendly welcome."

Things have been really good lately.

It seemed that all the bad people in the palace had disappeared. The palace maids and nannies who used to make things difficult for her seemed to vanish overnight. Even her master, the Imperial Physician Lin, was kind and gentle to her.

The food is good, with meat and vegetables available every day, as well as fresh fruit and roasted melon seeds, peanuts, and broad beans.
Shui Guang laughed with her head tilted back, her legs flapping happily like a little duck swimming, looking both pleased and carefree.

Beautiful, but not rare.

A vast world is truly precious.

The warmth and vitality of the living are truly precious.

Happiness is precious.

Shuiguang suddenly turned around.

Xu Quyan was so engrossed in watching that he couldn't look away and unexpectedly bumped into her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Shui Guang laughed. "I told you to watch the fireworks!"

Xu Quyan withdrew his gaze without changing his expression, turned his head and focused his attention on the not-so-beautiful fireworks, and said calmly: "It's like this every year. Last year it was the Year of the Rooster, which happened to be the emperor's zodiac sign. The Construction Department ordered the Fireworks Department to specially make nine golden roosters of different shapes, which were set off in the sky for three days."

Shui Guang clicked her tongue: "What strange fireworks, what a boring celebration—the common people might think the emperor is craving chicken. They'd be better off showing pictures of roasted chicken, steamed chicken, chicken legs, and chicken meatballs."

As he was speaking, a "gulp" sound was heard, clearly indicating that he swallowed.

Xu Quyan laughed.

His smile was completely different from that of the peaceful and quiet emperor in the court.

Somewhat relaxed, some somewhat shy, some happy and at ease.

Fireworks were right next to his face, their shimmering light perfectly outlining the emperor's handsome, slightly thin eyebrows and eyes.

Shui Guang stared, suddenly a little stunned.

Even after becoming a father-in-law, he can still look this good?
Then I thought of my hometown, where the pigs that were slaughtered were more handsome than the breeding pigs. I understood the reason: something has to look like a woman to be beautiful.

Upon realizing this, Shui Guang felt a pang of regret: Why was it a eunuch? Even if it were a guard or a royal physician, her all-powerful sister could have gotten her her way.

It's such a pity, he's a father-in-law.

However, if it weren't for her father-in-law, she wouldn't have been able to fly around with him in the middle of the night.

Shui Guang looked around to make sure no one was there before taking out a clay jar wrapped in oil paper from his pocket. Once the oil paper was removed, the aroma of thick soy sauce wafted out, and the wine smelled somewhat like medicinal herbs.

Shui Guang pulled the stopper off the earthenware jar, and the aroma of the wine became even stronger.

"It's brewed by my master. I haven't been on duty for three days in a row, so I can have a couple of cups." Shui Guang tilted her head back and took a sip. Her eyes glistened with the wine, sparkling like two free gems. She wiped her mouth, held the cup up to Xu Quyan, and shook it, listening to the wine clink and clatter.

"Can you drink?" Shui Guang asked, adding, "Tomorrow is New Year's Day, a good time to say goodbye to the old and welcome the new, how about a couple of drinks?"

The strong smell of alcohol mixed with the aroma of medicinal herbs.

Xu Quyan stared down at the spout of the pot, not raising his hand for a long time. Shui Guang slapped his forehead and, as if by magic, pulled out another small cup from his pocket. Then he grabbed a bowl, a handful of peanuts, and another small pot. He opened the pot, and the smell of vinegar overpowered the smell of alcohol, filling his nostrils.

Xu Quyan stared in astonishment.

Shui Guang poured vinegar into a bowl, soaked the peanuts in it, placed it on the wooden beam, popped one into the bowl, chewed it, and thought it tasted good. Then she pushed it in front of Xu Quyan: "Peanuts soaked in vinegar are great with alcohol."

Xu Quyan was about to pick up his cup when Shui Guang suddenly stopped him: "Have you been feeling unwell lately?"

People with asthma should be cautious about drinking alcohol.

Xu Quyan shook his head, appearing somewhat obedient and compliant: "I'm fine as long as I'm taking the medicine."

The water light reached out and touched her hand.

The pulse was smooth, like a low mountain range stretching out. Although it did not have the vastness of mountains and rivers, it was still a steady, continuous flow—much better than the pulse I felt in early winter last time.

Shui Guang withdrew her hand: "It's alright. If you want to drink, drink only a little, just enough to taste it."

Xu Quyan slowly lowered his sleeves, gathered his cuffs, picked up a vinegar-soaked peanut and put it in his mouth. He then took a cup with only a thin bottom, took a small sip, and found the medicinal wine to be sweet and refreshing, without causing headaches or heartburn. It was far superior to the cold liquor served at banquets in the palace.

Xu Quyan felt a tranquility he had never experienced before.

Shui Guang told him to take a few sips, but he couldn't easily give up. Shui Guang drank most of the medicinal wine, and the remaining four or five cups went into Xu Quyan's stomach. They chatted about many things, and the fireworks outside burst into a lively atmosphere with the sound of the midnight watchman's drum. The tension gradually dissipated, and from outside the imperial city to inside the palace, things gradually returned to calm.

The wooden beam couldn't be left overnight, so Shui Guang let out a hiccup. His eyes were clear, but his voice was noticeably louder as he pointed to the pillar outside the beam: "I can fly over there—"

Xu Quyan unconsciously clutched the hem of Shui Guang's clothes: Ancestors, don't fly away.

As soon as Shui Guang finished speaking, she leaned against Xu Quyan's back and chuckled, "Just kidding! I'm not a moth! I don't have wings, do I? Hehehe."

He sat up straight again: "But I'm a fish, I can slide down the pillar."

Xu Quyan: Ancestors, don't slip, bricks are harder than bones.

"Wu—" Xu Quyan opened his mouth to call Wu Min, but stopped halfway through, unsure if Shui Guang was too drunk to remember anything.

"I'll go down first, you follow. If you accidentally slip, you'll just land on me, it won't hurt."

As Xu Quyan bent down to tidy up, he asked Shui Guang in an extremely gentle voice, "Is this feasible?"

Shui Guang grinned and chuckled, "Okay!—" He paused, "If I slip down, I'll kick you like a football, sending you flying! I'll shove you into the ground and plant you as a peanut vine!"

Xu Quyan: It would be better to call Wu Min; that girl is sure to forget things.

Xu Quyan carefully gathered the corners of his robe, and used both hands to hug the pillar and slide down little by little. Shui Guang was in a drunken state and a little dazed, but she could still hear what he was saying and follow along. Seeing Xu Quyan hugging the pillar and sliding down, she followed him down.

At the very end, Shui Guang stumbled and nearly twisted her ankle when she landed. Xu Quyan quickly opened his arms and hugged her protectively.

Shui Guang was a straightforward young girl who lunged forward, causing Xu Quyan to fall flat on his back.

There was a "ding" sound.

The jade pendant with a carved mythical beast, hanging from a faded red cord, fell to the ground from her waist.

"What is this?" Shui Guangmeng propped herself up and reached out to take it.

These are the emperor's private property and are not included in the treasury. Even if others find out, as long as the people of Linde Hall don't talk too much, no one will tell Shuiguang whose property it is.

Xu Quyan rubbed his sore elbow and indulgently watched as Shui Guang picked up the jade pendant he always carried with him and examined it carefully in the light.

"A bird. A wolf?" Shui Guang asked, puzzled.

Xu Quyan said in a very soft voice, "It is the Golden Roc and the ancient ferocious beast, the Great Hou."

Shui Guang handed the jade pendant back to Xu Quyan, frowning: "What? What? Huh?"

Xu Quyan took it with one hand, his handsome and peaceful face revealing a gentle expression of indulgence and pampering. He didn't mind breaking it down and telling it to Shui Guang.

"Both the Golden Roc and the ancient ferocious beast Dahou are legends. One is an auspicious bird under the Buddha's seat, and the other is a notorious ferocious beast. The two are worlds apart, but they have something in common."

Xu Quyan blinked gently: "That is, they are all, dragon devourers."

(End of this chapter)