Chapter 5#

Fireworks: Watching Fireworks with His Majesty#

This one is too ugly, this one is too stupid.

This one is both ugly and stupid.

Of the children of the close ministers attending the banquet tonight, Xiao Cuan found every single one of them an eyesore.

He retracted his gaze and looked at Yanzhi.

Yanzhi sat right beside him, head lowered, eyes downcast, seriously cutting the venison.

This large piece of venison had been hunted casually by Xiao Cuan on the road when the army returned to court.

Xiao Cuan was not like the emperors of other countries who preferred delicate snacks. The kitchen cut off the sturdy and powerful front leg of the deer, roasted it over a fire until cooked, seasoned it with a few spices, and served it.

The remaining belly and back of the deer were distributed among the ministers at the banquet.

The heroes pursue the deer, the deer dies at the hands of the Liang Emperor, and the Liang ministers share it.

It was a very good omen.

However, this was quite a struggle for Yanzhi.

The front leg of the deer was sturdy, with tendons, and roasted hard; cutting it was truly exhausting.

Yanzhi pressed down on the venison with one hand and held the dagger with the other, almost standing up.

“Ya…”

“I asked you to divide the meat, not to kill someone. Do you really need to cheer yourself up?”

Xiao Cuan frowned, grabbed Yanzhi’s hand, and pressed down firmly, splitting the sinewy venison in two.

“That’s enough.”

Xiao Cuan took the dagger from his hand and, with a casual thrust, poked the larger piece of meat.

Yanzhi hurriedly said: “Your Majesty, I haven’t finished dividing it…”

“How else do you want to divide it?” Xiao Cuan countered. “You want the big one? Your eyes are big but your stomach is small; can you finish it?”

“No…”

Before Yanzhi could finish, Xiao Cuan was already eating with the dagger.

Forget it.

Yanzhi picked up a piece of venison, gripped it with his teeth, and struggled to tear off a piece.

He had just managed to eat some when he turned and saw that the Emperor had already finished.

Xiao Cuan reached out, reached into Yanzhi’s lapel, pulled out his handkerchief, and finally leaned against the bolster, slowly wiping his hands.

Yanzhi stared blankly at the Emperor, an incredibly terrifying thought involuntarily emerging in his heart—

The Emperor is a transformed wild beast.

A tiger, or a vicious wolf.

Otherwise, how could there be anyone in the world who could eat meat like this, have such strength, and be so skilled at killing?

Thinking this, Yanzhi suddenly felt a chill on the back of his neck.

When the Emperor was on the couch, he also often liked to pinch the back of his neck and bite it with his teeth.

Just like a beast hunting.

Could it be… the Emperor really is…

Xiao Cuan raised his eyes: “What are you staring at me so intently for? Planning to assassinate the monarch?”

Yanzhi snapped out of it and hurriedly shook his head: “I wouldn’t dare.”

After saying this, he hurriedly turned back and continued gnawing on that tough piece of venison.

Xiao Cuan saw this and couldn’t help but let out a laugh: “A mosquito bite is bigger than the bite you’re taking.”

He reached out and pinched Yanzhi’s thin cheek: “It’s lucky you’re a little dog I raised. If you were wild, you would have been caught and eaten by wild beasts long ago. Where would you still get the chance to eat venison here?”

Yanzhi looked up, wanting to protest that he wasn’t a little dog, but was silenced by the Emperor’s certain gaze.

Forget it, there was no point in arguing against what the Emperor had already decided.

It would only make the Emperor angry.

Better to say nothing.

At the victory banquet, the atmosphere was joyous, with toasts being exchanged.

After several rounds of wine, the moon approached the zenith, and the palace banquet neared its end.

Every time there was a palace banquet, this was the moment Yanzhi looked forward to the most.

According to custom, before the banquet ended, fireworks would be set off in the palace to seek prosperity and to share joy with the people.

Yanzhi loved watching fireworks!

With several “swoosh” sounds, several streaks of fire shot into the night sky.

Followed by several “bang” sounds, bright red fireworks bloomed in the air.

Bright and brilliant, dazzling and eye-catching, visible to everyone regardless of wealth or status.

Moreover, in this conquest of the Qing State, he heard from others that the soldiers found fireworks of different colors developed by Qing craftsmen in the warehouse.

When the Emperor heard this, he only said, “The Qing Emperor was incredibly stupid, indulging in pleasure even at the brink of death,” but he still ordered the fireworks to be brought back as spoils of war.

Presumably, they were to be set off at tonight’s victory banquet.

Yanzhi had never seen fireworks of different colors before.

Thinking this, he couldn’t help but look forward to it even more.

Xiao Cuan only glanced at him and saw through his thoughts.

An idiot like Yanzhi had everything written on his face, never hiding a thing.

Xiao Cuan tossed aside the dagger used for cutting meat; the dagger stuck into the desk and wobbled from side to side.

He supported himself on the desk and stood up.

Seeing his movement, Yanzhi reacted fastest, being the first to stand up with him.

Only then did the ministers below follow.

The palace servant understood and shouted: “Prepare the carriage for the city tower!”

Thus, the ministers in the hall bowed and kowtowed, respectfully inviting the Emperor to go first.

Xiao Cuan walked down the jade steps of the high platform with his hands behind his back, passed through the ministers, and crossed the threshold of the palace.

Yanzhi followed behind him, his steps much lighter.

Xiao Cuan glanced at him and asked indifferently: “Are you that happy?”

“Yes.” Yanzhi nodded. “As long as I can see fireworks, I’m happy.”

Xiao Cuan snorted, his tone still indifferent: “Don’t be happy too soon.”

“Hmm?” Yanzhi thought for a moment. “Even though fireworks are fleeting, as long as I can watch them with Your Majesty, I’m happy. I won’t be happy too soon; I will be happy for a long, long time.”

Xiao Cuan gave him one last look and said nothing.

It was the same palace wall tower where they had overlooked the army during the day.

Yanzhi followed behind the Emperor, ascending the stone steps one by one, and finally stood in his original position.

During the day, he had stood here and heard the Emperor say there would be a selection, and that he would be the one to manage it.

He also heard the Emperor… say he was ugly and stupid.

At that time, Yanzhi felt so sad, so sad that his heart was about to break.

But now, as the cool night breeze blew against his face, all of Yanzhi’s broken thoughts were blown away.

He thought that the Emperor indeed wasn’t wrong; he was indeed average-looking and clumsy.

As the Son of Heaven, it was only a matter of time before the Emperor held a selection.

He had already had the Emperor all to himself for so many years; he should be satisfied.

After all…

The Emperor had saved his life and given him snacks.

Even though the Emperor always scared and bullied him, he had already made a vow to the gods to serve, protect, and love the Emperor for a lifetime.

Except for being by the Emperor’s side, he couldn’t think of any other place he could go.

Life must go on, and he must live.

Being by the Emperor’s side was much better than being with his fierce father and cruel stepmother.

The Emperor’s army was perfect, and the Emperor’s court was perfect.

But for someone like him, how could anything be perfect?

Now, having food and clothes, and not having to be beaten… occasionally taking a few hits on the couch, the life of serving his savior was already very good!

There was no better place than by the Emperor’s side.

His mother had said that one must learn to be content to live a better life.

Thinking this, Yanzhi’s eyes curved, and he looked up at the dark night sky, the smile in his eyes deepening.

He thought that he would make a wish to the fireworks later, hoping that the concubines the Emperor chose would all be gentle and polite, and wouldn’t punish him.

Hoping that the Empress the Emperor chose would be gentle, generous, and very kind to him.

Below the tower, the soldiers lighting the fireworks were ready, just waiting for the Emperor’s command.

Xiao Cuan raised his hand slightly, and the soldiers immediately understood, lighting the fuses.

Yanzhi couldn’t help but widen his eyes, staring unblinkingly at the bottom of the tower.

After the soldiers lit the fuses, they quickly stepped back.

A spark ignited from the very end of the fuse, moving rapidly forward until it ignited the bamboo tubes.

With a “swoosh,” a streak of yellow fire rose into the night sky.

Following it was a loud bang, different from ordinary fireworks, and a pale yellow firework bloomed.

This firework dispersed and disappeared into the night, and immediately there were three “swoosh-swoosh-swoosh” sounds as three fireworks bloomed together.

All were of different colors.

“Wow—”

Yanzhi covered his ears and couldn’t help but exclaim in wonder.

The officials on the tower and the citizens of the capital below had never seen such fireworks, and their reactions were identical to his.

Yanzhi’s eyes curved, and he wagged his non-existent kitten tail gently.

He told himself it was better to be by the Emperor’s side; even the fireworks he saw were the largest and most beautiful.

Suddenly, someone reached out and pinched his cheek.

Yanzhi turned his head and met the Emperor’s playful gaze.

The Emperor opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the midst of the loud noise, Yanzhi couldn’t hear clearly.

So he leaned closer and asked: “Your Majesty…”

“I said—”

The Emperor said it again, but Yanzhi still couldn’t hear.

Until the third time—

Xiao Cuan pressed down on his head, ruffled his hair, and covered his eyes.

“I said—”

“Skip.”

In the next instant, everything fell into silence.

Yanzhi brushed aside the Emperor’s hand in front of him and stared blankly at the sky that had been so lively just a moment ago.

What happened? Where are the fireworks?

Weren’t they just…

Yanzhi was completely stunned.

Until the Emperor called him: “Let’s go, what are you dazing for?”

“But…”

He had only just seen a few fireworks.

Yanzhi looked at the other servants in confusion; their expressions were normal, looking as if they were still savoring the moment.

Yanzhi was about to ask when he was interrupted by Xiao Cuan.

“You’ve been watching for half an hour; you still want more? It’s over.”

“I…”

Yanzhi followed Xiao Cuan down the tower, rubbing his eyes, for the second time tonight doubting whether he was dreaming.

The fireworks lasted for half an hour?

But he… clearly had only just arrived at the tower.

“Didn’t you just say that as long as you watch fireworks with me, you’re happy? Why are you unhappy now?”

“I’m not unhappy…”

“I told you not to be happy too soon.”

Yanzhi couldn’t explain it either.

He lowered his head, and suddenly, two drops of bright red blood fell onto his lapel, quickly spreading and turning dark.

Did the fireworks fall on him? Were the red fireworks actually red droplets of water?

Yanzhi looked up in bewilderment, gazing at the sky.

“Why have you stopped again? You want to live on the tower?”

Xiao Cuan looked back at him, suddenly realized something, stepped forward in one stride, and pinched his nose.

“Idiot, you ate too much venison!”