Would You Like to Have a Drink

The heavy mountain that was Emperor Yuan finally moved away from everyone’s sight. The atmosphere, which had been so serious that no one dared to breathe, suddenly loosened. People breathed a sigh of relief, and there was more laughter and joy in their conversation.

 

Although he was pardoned by the emperor, Gu Ziyuan was still upset that he had spoken wrongly due to excessive nervousness.

 

As soon as Emperor Yuan left, he hurriedly went to Zong Luo in embarrassment.

 

Dressed in a moon-white robe, holding a symbol of a champion’s winter plum, Gu Ziyuan hung his head, somewhat apologetic. “Brother Luo, I’m sorry, I’ve caused you trouble again.”

 

Gu Ziyuan was not unaware of Emperor Yuan’s tyrannical behavior on weekdays. It was precisely because he was clear that he was even more frightened. It was hard to imagine whether Emperor Yuan would be angry if Zong Luo did not speak for him today.

 

In the past, there were cases where the emperor was displeased at the closing banquet of the Baijia Banquet, resulting in direct expulsion from the country.

 

Zong Luo comforted. “It’s okay, although Father Emperor has the name of a tyrant, he is definitely not a monarch who tramples on people’s lives and is unreasonable.”

 

If it were that kind of monarch, it would generally end up with the name of a country-destroying monarch.

 

After Emperor Yuan ascended the throne, the Great Yuan improved day by day, prospering, whether it was internal rectification of the dynasty or external military expansion, all were innovative, reaching the peak of Great Yuan’s history.

 

As for the tyrant, a tyrant was relative to the benevolent monarch, and a fatuous and self-indulgent ruler was relative to a wise monarch.

 

Emperor Yuan was a tyrant, but he was also a wise monarch. He was not kind, but he was definitely not incompetent.

 

Gu Ziyuan nodded hastily, somewhat uneasy.

 

But he always forgets things. When the imperial censors came forward and took them to the Luoshui River, one by one assigned the painting boats, Gu Ziyuan plucked up his courage and regained his excitement.

 

Anyhow, His Majesty actually asked Brother Luo to help him for his assignment!

 

This is a great thing!

 

Gu Ziyuan stood on the painted boat, determined to go to Brother Luo to make it clear when he got off the boat later. He just wanted to follow Brother Luo to do things, he didn’t want to go anywhere else, and he didn’t have any great ambitions.

 

He even thought that if he hadn’t met Brother Luo, he would probably want to run to the Zhaowen Pavilion to compile history as he dreamed, and be oblivious of the outside world

 

“Come on, come on, let’s all make way, let’s all make way. The new champions of the Baijia Banquet are boating!!!”

 

Just as Gu Ziyuan was rejoicing, the boatmen shouted and pushed this big vermilion boat directly into the water.

 

There were a total of three painted boats. The first one was only qualified for the champions. The second one was exclusive to the top three, and the last one was a shared boat for all students who participated in the Baijia Banquet but unfortunately did not get a ranking.

 

Today was the New Year, the entire Imperial City was decorated with lanterns and colored banners, everywhere there were red ropes hanging lanterns.

 

Early on, countless people have been waiting by the Luoshui River, looking forward to it. There were also teachers from the academy or martial arts masters waiting with their students, hoping to get some joy.

 

As it should be, the most eye-catching was the painted boat at the front, where the seven champions of the Baijia Banquet who held the cold plum branches symbols in their hands.

 

Among them were not only Gu Ziyuan, but also Gongsun You who was the champion in debate.

 

But now Gongsun You was the strategist of the Fourth Prince. In order to hide from people, Zong Luo did not communicate with him at all.

 

On the wedding night, when the golden list was titled. The champion in martial arts was in a good mood, drew his sword and danced on the deck, which brought a round of applause. The top scholar in hunting arts was not to be outdone, laughed a few times, pushed open a jar of fine wine with an empty palm, picked up the edge and poured it into his mouth.

 

(TL: On the wedding night- do not literally mean on the wedding night; it meant successfully getting into the golden list (list of top scholars in imperial examinations or in this case, the champions of the Six Arts) and earning high social status)

 

Gu Ziyuan stood in the corner of the deck, turned around and saw that there were servants holding lanterns, so he went over and held a large bunch in his arms.

 

Champions lighting and releasing lanterns was also a tradition every year at the closing banquet of the Baijia Banquet when boating on the lake.

 

After lighting the lantern, put the lantern into the water, and wait for the rolling waves to bring each lantern to the shore. It was said that getting the lantern was equivalent to getting a year of good luck, many people have been waiting on both sides early, hoping to get the lantern personally lit by the champions.

 

Gu Ziyuan was busy for a long time, put down a few, just wanting to look up to see where Zong Luo was, but found that the shore was full of crowds, and he could not see the tall black figure at all.

 

He felt an unspeakable loss in his heart, silently put down the most beautiful lantern, and carried it in his arms.

 

The enthusiasm of the people was really too high, from the Lanting Water Pavilion to the edge of the Luoshui River, a short distance was actually walked by Zong Luo into the meaning of a ten-mile long street.

 

In desperation, looking at the painted boat that had already gone far away in the distance, Zong Luo could only slow down and follow the crowd slowly.

 

In the past, there were many things, he rarely saw such a lively and noisy scene in the Imperial City.

 

Both sides were full of small vendors, selling goldfish, selling tofu water, and many had put together a few tables and pulled a curtain to sell tea soup porridge. In addition, there were constant shouts from the teahouses and restaurants on both sides, and one could hear the New Year’s greetings wherever one went.

 

Everyone’s face was filled with joyful smiles, and the vendors were also happy. They didn’t have to pay taxes before and after the New Year, they came here early.

 

Zong Luo looked left and right with great interest, occasionally seeing novel items or stalls that no one was interested in, he would also go up and patronize the business.

 

He was casual and generous in his shots, throwing out silver without needing to find it again. He changed his almost iconic white clothes on weekdays, and wore a veil of the same color on his head. Although there was no guard beside him, just looking at the color of the clothes, one could tell that he was either rich or noble. Ordinary people would only guess which young master or son he was, and did not think about the famous Third Prince.

 

Soon, Zong Luo’s arm was filled with a bunch of messy things, and he stopped in front of an old man’s sugar painting stall at the corner of the street.

 

Now the time had come to the evening, and the setting sun finally appeared, leaving a bloodline on the horizon.

 

Listening to the sound, it seemed that the painted boat cruise had also ended, and the people began to go against the current to the Witch Temple to pray. The night market had just begun. The noise, the sound of children running, and the bustling footsteps and voices.

 

Gu Ziyuan should come to find him soon.

 

The old man handed over the sugar painting he had made. “Young Master, the sugar painting is done.”

 

Zong Luo stretched out a hand with difficulty, just about to take it, but unexpectedly it was snatched by another hand out of thin air.

 

Yu Beizhou looked at this miniature version of Zong Luo’s sugar painting with interest, and with a flick of his fingertips, a piece of golden yellow gold accurately fell into the old man’s arms.

 

“Ga Bang.” (TL: It means the food is crispy and makes a crunching sound when you bite it.)

 

His gaze swept over the pile of things held in Zong Luo’s arms, and he mercilessly bit off the head of the sugar painting, and frowned at the sweet taste the next second.

 

“Senior brother, you are really in a good mood.”

 

Zong Luo ignored him.

 

Although Yu Beizhou gave money, Zong Luo still put a piece of broken silver on the stall. “Thank you.”

 

There were many people on the main street, and there were more voices coming and going. Zong Luo couldn’t pay attention to every abnormal person. In addition, this guy Yu Beizhou had always been unpredictable, grabbing things from his hands again, simply hitting him with one blow.

 

The most important thing was that it was not suitable to fight on the street.

 

He turned around and left, but he couldn’t stop someone from harassing him all the way.

 

The general in red and white fur was holding a string of sugar paintings that were completely inconsistent with his identity, and just swaggeringly followed Zong Luo in the  market.

 

Perhaps it was because Yu Beizhou had always been so violent and arbitrary in the past, but now it didn’t seem abrupt.

 

Everyone knew the characteristics of the King of Beining, and now when they see it, they all avoid it from a distance, which had affected Zong Luo as well.

 

“Senior brother, today is the New Year. Why are you so cold and indifferent, why not chat with this junior brother?”