After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 21
Descendant of the dragon…?
This statement is not difficult to understand. The emperor is the true dragon emperor, naturally the descendant of the dragon. But what about the successor in socialist terms… what does that mean?
Zhou Xun stared blankly at the emperor.
The emperor’s breath touched Zhou Xun’s eyelashes, trembling, their faces inches apart due to the emperor’s posture.
Zhou Xun had never seen the emperor’s face from such a close distance before.
Features as sharp as carved with knives and axes, long and thick eyebrows, slightly raised at the end of the eyes, and thin lips.
—This should have been a handsome face with a hint of eccentricity.
Outside the palace, Zhou Xun had heard many things related to the current emperor.
The previous emperor ascended the throne at the age of over twenty, known for his strict rule and diligent governance during his ten years in power. During his reign, he eliminated factions, cleaned up corrupt officials, and established the intelligence organization “Jiang Wei” to monitor officials. Later, the previous emperor passed away early due to illness at just over thirty years old, and the current emperor who ascended the throne was Rong Xuan, a mere thirteen years old.
Rong Xuan, a young emperor, seized great power before his mental maturity. He was capricious, almost to the point of tyranny, indulging in art and antiques, occasionally making astonishing moves. As a commoner, Zhou Xun had never glimpsed the emperor’s appearance, so he naturally didn’t know what the previous emperor, beyond the rumors, was like in private.
However, the current emperor is not as ruthless as rumored…
Zhou Xun looked at the emperor’s face, and a ridiculous thought arose in his heart.
Could it be that the emperor… after that assassination attempt and falling into a coma…
Received some kind of divine intervention from above… or perhaps a call from a certain deity?
Zhou Xun bit his lip.
Throughout history, there has always been the saying that the emperor is the son of heaven, mandated by heaven. The classics also recorded miraculous events seemingly related to “heaven’s will,” such as “a white rainbow piercing the sun,” “Emperor Gaozu slaying a white snake,” and “a comet striking the moon.”
So… is the emperor’s change really related to heavenly gods?
Zhou Xun didn’t believe in heaven or fate. When he went to the temple with his family in his youth, Zhou’s mother often donated money for incense, offering dozens of taels of silver at a time.
“Heaven has the virtue of giving life.” Zhou’s mother often said to the idol with a compassionate expression. “I pray to all the gods to bless my son’s rise to success and prosperity for our Zhou family.”
Zhou Cai also closed her eyes, her expression gentle and devout. Only Zhou Xun looked at the towering idol in silence.
If heaven really has the virtue of giving life, why are there still starving people everywhere during times of war?
If heaven really has the virtue of giving life, when his mother suffered injustice and humiliation… why was there no one standing up for her?
Zhou Xun didn’t believe in heaven, didn’t believe in fate, because heaven and fate had never been kind to him.
Yet, at this moment, as he looked at the emperor in front of him, his curiosity and desire to explore became increasingly profound.
“Could it be that you…” he looked into the emperor’s eyes in the moonlight and whispered, “are truly a deity?”
“Achoo!”
Zhou Xun:…
He was sprayed by the “deity’s” sneeze.
He struggled to wipe his face with his sleeve. The handsome face of the emperor instantly turned into a grimace.
“Sorry, couldn’t hold it in…” The emperor sneezed again. “Achoo!”
Zhou Xun:…
Zhou Xun’s body lifted off again, and he exclaimed, grabbing the emperor’s sleeve subconsciously, but the emperor threw him onto the soft bed.
“Wait a moment,” the emperor said, propping himself up on both sides. “I’ll get some Banlangen.”
Zhou Xun:…
Banlangen*? Zhou Xun was slightly puzzled.
Then, the emperor bent down, intoxicated by alcohol, and fumbled under the bed. “Where’s the Banlangen? Where did the Banlangen go?”
Zhou Xun looked at his carefree figure, his expression becoming even more puzzled.
Banlangen… he thought, that’s a type of traditional Chinese medicine.
Could it be that Banlangen is a celestial medicine, and celestial beings in the heavens also consume Banlangen?
He thought for a moment, watching the emperor’s figure, and suddenly found it amusing. Unable to hold back, he bit his lip and burst into laughter.
Well, no matter how you look at it, this emperor doesn’t seem like a heavenly deity. Even if the emperor is a heavenly deity, there’s nothing to fear from such a “deity.”
This emperor… is much more adorable than those towering idols in the temple.
Adorable?
Zhou Xun hesitated at the word he came up with.
Could he really find the emperor… adorable?
After the emperor “found” the Banlangen, he returned to the bedside. Sitting next to Zhou Xun, he grabbed his shoulders with both hands and earnestly said, “I didn’t finish what I was saying earlier.”
His focused eyes sparkled in the moonlight. Zhou Xun nodded, “I’m listening.”
The emperor was satisfied.
“In fact…” the emperor lowered his voice, “you are not an ordinary person, and neither am I.”
The emperor is truly not an ordinary person?
Surprisingly, Zhou Xun was not shocked. He said, “I know, you are the descendant of the dragon.”
The emperor was delighted, “Yes! I am the descendant of the dragon! I am also a descendant of Yan and Huang!”
Emperor Yan…
…and the descendant of Huang?
Zhou Xun was stunned, and after a long time, he asked, “So, what are you here for?”
The emperor looked at him and cleared his throat.
“I want to fly to the sky and stand shoulder to shoulder with the sun—the world is waiting for me to change it—”
“In the forgetting, there is reluctance—intoxicated awakenings—youth is probably as you said—”
“Where is the world full of flowers, after all—”
Zhou Xun:…
The emperor started singing.
Zhou Xun:…
“A new storm has appeared—how can it stand still—crossing through time and space—doing my best—I will come to your side—”
The emperor started another song, “Love even in death—not happy without being thorough—”
Zhou Xun:…
“Sorry, I apologize to you, I’ve wronged you before!” The emperor continued howling. “I’ll treat you even better in the future!”
The sounds from their room seemed to disturb the eunuchs in the courtyard. Zhou Xun heard the faint voice of Xiao Dengzi, “Little Li Gonggong, the unbearable wails inside… seems to be the emperor’s voice?”
“Little Li Gonggong,” a voice that seemed to be a palace maid said next to him, “although the emperor said not to be disturbed, should we go in and check?”
After a long silence outside, Little Li’s resolute voice came, “No need, the emperor is probably just too happy, singing to lift his spirits.”
“But the emperor…” Xiao Dengzi worried, “it sounds very painful!”
Zhou Xun:…
At this rate, he’s likely to be mistaken for an assassin again.
He covered the emperor’s mouth with his hand, and as soon as his cool palm touched those lips still wailing, the lips fell silent.
The owner of the lips blinked, looking at him in horror.
“Don’t make a fuss,” Zhou Xun sighed, “we have to get up early tomorrow.”
The emperor, convinced by his words, nodded vigorously, “Hmm!”
Seeing him obedient like this, seemingly wholeheartedly believing him, Zhou Xun felt like he was dealing with a child.
For some reason, his heart felt as if it had blossomed like newly sprouted willows in the spring breeze.
“Okay, we’ll get up early tomorrow,” the emperor happily declared, and suddenly, he stood up from the bed.
Zhou Xun:?
He watched as the emperor rummaged through boxes and finally pulled out a…
A small knife adorned with gold and jade?
The emperor unsheathed the knife, and the sound of the blade coming out made Zhou Xun shudder.
Before he could react, the emperor, holding the knife, took steps toward him.
Zhou Xun:…
He leaned back, and the emperor, holding the knife, revealed a mysterious smile on his face again.
Then…
“Come!” he exclaimed cheerfully, “Let’s carve the character ‘morning’ at the head of the bed!”
Zhou Xun:…
The emperor said, “Do you know this? Oh, you don’t know, it’s among your brothers.”
Zhou Xun:… What is the emperor talking about in his drunken state?
The emperor haphazardly carved a character, threw the knife back into the cabinet, and joyfully sprawled on Zhou Xun’s bed. Zhou Xun felt overwhelmed and had to coax him for a long time before covering the emperor with a blanket.
After all this, the emperor fell asleep first. Zhou Xun felt somewhat drained and sat beside the emperor.
Watching the emperor’s sleeping face, for some reason, he placed his fingers on it.
From his forehead, gradually sliding down to his nose.
“Are you truly a deity?” he whispered softly to the sleeping figure.
A serene silence filled the palace, and Zhou Xun gazed at the emperor’s face, never feeling such tranquility before.
Little did he know, outside the Forbidden City in the capital, the Zhou family estate was anything but tranquil due to his newfound peace.
*Banlangen – Banlangen is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine made from the roots of Isatis tinctoria, commonly known as woad or dyer’s woad. It is often used in traditional Chinese medicine to clear heat, detoxify the body, and relieve symptoms associated with colds, flu, and sore throat. Banlangen is known for its antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a popular remedy during times of illness. It is commonly consumed as a tea or in granule/powder form.
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