Chapter 748: Favored Minister

"Liang Liang Hengwei, in this sweltering heat, you sweat like rain—you ought to wash and change clothes more often. It's fine if you smell bad yourself, but stinking up others is your fault," Bai Bai Yinbin said solemnly.

"Get lost! I bathe three times a day—I'm cleaner than all of you combined!"

"Liang Ashui, don't be stubborn. You can't smell it yourself, but everyone else can tell clearly—you ought to wash. Behind the government office is our big bathhouse, built half a year ago. Go quickly."

"I'll send someone to change the water," Ran Ying raised her hand.

"Are you done yet? Are you eating or not? Freshly baked pastries can't even shut your mouths?"

"Not eating—they're all spoiled, sour and nasty, taste awful."

Xiang Fang Su stuffed several into his mouth, cheeks bulging, then shoved the empty box forward.

Liang Qu ignored them, turning to Ke Ko Wenbin, who sat stunned: "Why aren't you eating? What, now that you're betrothed, you're sour too? Staring at the pot while eating from the bowl?"

Ke Ko Wenbin sighed, holding the crystal cake: "I found a wife, alright—but how could she be a Master?"

Fine!

"Liang Ashui!"

Liang Qu looked up; light and shadow interwove, and he saw Xu Xu Yuelong leaning on the staircase railing, asking what it was.

"How old is the Elder's granddaughter this year?"

He paused to recall.

"Early thirties, maybe."

Xu Xu Yuelong gave a thumbs-up: "You kid, you've got good taste! You like the big ones, huh?"

Everyone burst into laughter.

"Dragon lives long—she's about my age!" Liang Qu stretched his neck to emphasize.

"Yes yes, about the same, about the same! Bring up a box of pastries—I want to taste if they're spoiled!"

"They're on their way!" Liang Qu scanned the crowd and spotted Chen Chen Jiechang: "Chen Jiechang! Where are Li Libo and Lin Songbao?"

"Helping out at the martial arts school."

"Forget them for now—help me." Liang Qu lifted a stack of pastry boxes. "Take one to every study on the second and third floors. Then take a few for yourself, and deliver them to their homes after work—also to Chen Chen Xianglao and Uncle Chen's households."

"Even upstairs?" Chen Chen Jiechang looked up.

The Hebo Office's Xu and Wei factions were clearly divided—left and right, everyone knew.

"Send to all!"

"Got it!"

Wei Shao, who had noticed the commotion below, hadn't expected his group to get any.

Liang Qu turned and called out to the bustling river clerks and officials: "Come, come! No need to be polite today! Everyone gets a share!"

"Don't be shy—Liang Liang Hengwei has found a bride! Come eat the wedding cakes!" Ran Seeing Ran Zhongshi moved aside and opened the boxes.

"No cooking in the government office today—eat until you're full! If there's not enough, let Lord Liang buy more!"

"Good!"

"Lord Liang is generous!"

"May Lord Liang have a son soon! May dragons and phoenixes bring fortune!"

"Soon? Soon? I don't even plan to have kids! Change it! Change it!"

"Uh… May you be eternally united! Yes, eternally united!"

The entire Hebo Office erupted in noise, crowding around, instantly lively.

Many junior clerks ran out to summon their off-duty colleagues.

As clerks, they earned barely any silver each month—some even came as laborers in debt, splitting every coin into two, never able to afford such an expensive treat.

Top floor.

Liang Qu placed the box on the table.

"Uncle! Did you hear everything downstairs?"

"Mm-hmm." Su Guishan set down his small teapot and opened the square box. "Come for the bride price and dowry? Has the date been set? If so, I'll arrange it and submit a memorial to the capital immediately!"

"No rush, no rush—just prepare it for now." Liang Qu grinned, rushing to pour tea for Su Guishan. "I don't want to marry so soon—I told Master and Mistress the same. Today I only came to share this good news with you. Such a major life event—how could a junior not consult his elders?"

Bride price. Dowry.

Dragons say they don't want it—Liang Qu won't accept that.

Not only must they want it—they must want it in abundance!

Why shouldn't we use official funds for this?

Besides, Long Eying will surely give it back to him.

"Hah, you've got quite the mouth—no wonder you tricked the Dragon Princess. Demanding from the court isn't enough—you want to pinch some from me too? Poor old man, with my beard so long, teaching juniors to suck my bones dry."

"How could I? I'm not some untrustworthy Yuan Yuan Yuwen—I've preserved my primordial yang, offering a true heart for a true heart. If you'll sit down and share a cup with me someday, that's more than enough honor for this kid!"

"Enough. Your matter is serious—it concerns relations between two clans. I must submit a memorial to the court. Don't disturb me."

"Uncle, you're busy—eat the pastries while hot. Only fresh from the oven are fragrant!"

Su Guishan waved him off.

Liang Qu said no more, stepped back, closed the door, and stretched lazily, feeling cheerful and uplifted.

Perfect!

Five hundred pastries weren't cheap.

Today's grand display was partly because he was genuinely happy and wanted to tell everyone immediately—before, their relationship had been vague, but now that it was clear, he felt a strong sense of possession. But it was also meant as cover.

He was close to the Dragon people—so many of them now served under him. Though he always used "saving their lives" as an excuse, empty words were thin, with no witnesses.

This new relationship was solid now.

Once you're an official, who doesn't look for "relatives"?

From now on, many things would have clear "sources."

…

Pond: thick clouds of ink surged.

The old Tridacna shuffled aside.

The fat catfish curled its fins, tapping and pounding, widening the hole by a third, trying to squeeze in—but after many attempts, all failed.

Too big.

"Can't move" could at least extend half its body into the pond, but the fat catfish's head was a full circle larger than "Can't move"—it couldn't even squeeze half in.

If forced further, the entire pond bottom would become a gaping black hole, ruining its beauty.

Thinking he couldn't serve the Heavenly God, the fat catfish sank into gloom, flicked its fins, then turned—following the Heavenly God's orders, it continued expanding the underground river.

The little Shen dragon lay on the pavilion, poking its head out, watching the fat catfish's retreating back, worriedly clutching its dragon horns, pacing in circles.

"Oh no, oh no."

How did carrying the Heavenly God out for a trip make it grow so huge?

This fat brute—truly a favored minister! A treacherous eunuch!

Who knows what rotten luck it had!

Even before evolving, it dared mock it—now that it's evolved, what wouldn't it dare do? It couldn't even imagine.

"I hope Fatso doesn't hold a grudge."

The little Shen dragon gazed at the sky, clasping its paws together.

The days before harvest were the hardest—pure waiting.

The cocoon still brewed; Jin Hui spread further, yet the 【Sun】 itself showed no dimming—merely shining plainly, nearly becoming a complete golden cocoon.

Aside from that, Liang Qu's thrice-daily visits to the Dragon people's territory stood out—morning, noon, and night, never missed. He even built a spiral waterway between the Dragon people's land and the frog tribe's—anyone unaware would think he went daily to the canteen.

During this time, the fat catfish shuttled back and forth, and even woke-up Frog King drafted laborers—before finishing the underground river, it first dug caves for the frogs.

The fat catfish waved its long whiskers, expanding the black ink, soaking all things, while asking the frogs what they needed.

The frog pried its webbed toes, seriously saying: "Golden splendor."

The fat catfish pondered a long while, then patted its chest.

Mid-September.

The weather cooled. Liang Qu sat on the second floor; the jujubes on the tree blushed with red patches. Outside the branches lay the street—he waved slightly, and branches pierced the window, shaking down several large jujubes into a dish.

"When will Long Eying recover?"

Liang Qu munched the jujubes listlessly, feeling the chair he'd always lounged in now felt hard and uncomfortable—not soft at all.

"Boss! Boss! Don't sleep! Don't sleep!"

Liang Qu rolled over and sat up.

"What's the rush?"

"The time worm is stirring! It's been moving for a while—like it's about to break out!"

(End of Chapter)