A letter

"My beloved Xiaofeng, I hope you are well. It has been half a year since we parted at the border. I heard in your last letter that you opened a shop in Fuyang. Is someone helping you manage it? Shanghan is a prosperous commercial area, but it is also full of dangers. Do not let greed for immediate gains lead you astray." Tang Feng frowned. Did he really look that easy to fool? Zhou Ziliang was making a mountain out of a molehill.

Tang Feng was about to read the letter when he heard Old Bu outside the door call out to him, "Sir, these items are all top-quality. Let's put them in the middle of the shop to attract customers."

Tang Feng leaned back, looked at the antiques on the counter, and nodded. "You know more about antiques than I do, just look at them. Oh, by the way, Old Bu! Get me some paper and pen, I need to write a letter." Ever since Bu Gu started working for Tang Feng, he's managed the entire shop, inside and out. Bu Gu was a businessman in his younger days and has some connections in Shanghan. He's good at judging goods and Tang Feng trusts him deeply in business. Tang Feng now only checks the accounts in the shop; as long as each entry matches, he doesn't care about anything else.

Tang Feng laid out the paper and pen, then picked up Zhou Ziliang's letter and began to read: "I remember before we parted, you mentioned Su Zili to me. In the past six months, I've exchanged letters with my mother, and I've also asked her about Su Zili, but she always avoids answering. So I guessed that Su Zili's affairs might be related to the royal family's affairs. After making several inquiries, I learned that he did indeed go to Shanghan, but I don't know if he's still there. Since he went to Shanghan, have you found any clues?"

Tang Feng frowned upon seeing this, cursing inwardly. Even though they had clearly separated, Zhou Ziliang seemed to know him inside and out, always picking on his shortcomings. Although unhappy, he felt a pang of unease, a feeling reminiscent of being called out by the teacher for not finishing his homework as a child. Since arriving in Shanghan, aside from inquiring about Su Zili's whereabouts at the beginning, Tang Feng had been completely unrestrained after entering Fu Yang. The novelties of the journey had captivated him, and he had forgotten all about Su Zili.

However, he could perhaps ask Bugu, who had recently come to help him. Having been in Shanghan for so long, he might know something. But there was no rush. Tang Feng turned the door, watching Bugu's busy figure; he figured Bugu didn't have time to deal with him right now. He picked up the letter and continued reading: "Not only have letters from my mother arrived from Xiling, but also letters from the Crown Prince. More than a dozen letters have been sent, but most are addressed to you. I thought reading them would surely upset you, so I took the liberty of withholding them. Xiling is recently experiencing renewed turmoil, and a storm is brewing. The Crown Prince has repeatedly stated in his letters that he wants you to assist them. But don't worry, as long as I'm here, I will never let you get involved in these conspiracies."

Tang Feng rolled his eyes. He certainly didn't want to get involved in the Crown Prince's power struggle, but that didn't mean he didn't want to be a spectator! Judging from Zhou Ziliang's tone, things in Xiling must be in an uproar. By the time he got back, they would have finished fighting for what they wanted and gotten what they wanted. There wouldn't be anything left for him. Tang Feng sighed, stroking his chin, and looked out the window. He wondered how Xiao Fengzi and the others were doing in Xiling. In the past six months since he left, besides the monthly letter from his sister Jiu, Zhou Ziliang had been sending him occasional reports that were more like work reports than family letters, detailing what he had done that day, asking what Tang Feng had done, and inquiring about any dangers he might be in. Tang Feng shook his head, feeling like he was dating a blockhead. He then picked up a pen and paper from the table and wrote, "Ziliang, don't worry too much about our trip to Shanghan. We're all fine. We hired a helper a few days ago who's been helping with the business. I haven't had to worry about the shop much. He was a businessman in his younger days, so he's handling the shop with ease. There's no need to worry. As for Su Zili's matter..."

Tang Feng put down his pen and then called out to the outside, "Old Bu, are you busy? If you're not, come over here for a moment. I have something to ask you." As soon as Bu Gu saw Tang Feng calling him, he quickly put down what he was holding, got up and went into the house. "Master, what's the matter?"

"Don't be nervous, I was just asking casually. How long have you been at Shanghan?"

"It's been over ten years," Old Bu said, looking at Tang Feng as if he felt he hadn't explained things clearly enough, and added, "It's been six years since the new dynasty came to power, and now it's the twentieth year of Qingyun... This year should be the nineteenth year."

"Hiss..." Tang Feng stroked his chin, staring at Bu Gu for a long time. Bu Gu, feeling uneasy under his gaze, asked somewhat awkwardly, "Sir... just say what's on your mind. I, Old Bu, never lie! But the way you're acting now... do you think I'm not doing a good job... or..." Tang Feng, realizing his behavior had caused a misunderstanding, quickly waved his hands, "No, no, don't be afraid. You're fine, and I have no complaints about business. I just wanted to ask you about someone."

"Please ask away. I won't hide anything from anyone I know," Bugu said, straightening his posture as he saw Tang Feng's serious expression. "Hmm... Su Zili, have you heard of her?"

“Su Zili…” Bu Gu rested his chin on his hand, pondering the name. “This name sounds familiar… tsk, sir, wait a minute, let me think… Eh? The Su Zili you’re talking about, could it be Prime Minister Su?” Tang Feng’s eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes, yes, have you ever seen him in all your years in Shanghan?”

"No... but I know him in Xiling." After listening to Bu Gu's words, Tang Feng thought for a moment. It was possible; Bu Gu was about the same age as his grandfather. He must have heard something about him, so he leaned forward slightly. "Um... I'm just curious. I heard that when Yan Yun was still Da Ruan, Prime Minister Su was already serving the Emperor, but I don't know why he suddenly resigned. Don't be nervous, I'm just being nosy."

Bugu glanced around to make sure no one was watching before whispering, "Master, it's best not to pry into things we shouldn't. Luckily we're in Shanghan. If we were in Yanyun, I wouldn't dare say a word even if you gave me ten heads!"

"Oh, what's the big deal?" Tang Feng had heard some things about Su Zili before, and she was perfectly fine here now! So he was somewhat dismissive. "What's there to be afraid of? Besides, this is Shanghan, not Yanyun. You can't behead people here! Stop dawdling and just tell me."

"That's now. You probably don't know, but back then, the imperial court killed thousands of people for Su Zili, just to silence others. I heard... I heard that His Majesty and that Prime Minister Su were... a homosexual couple."

This startled Tang Feng. He had considered countless possibilities regarding their relationship, but never this one. Then, Bu Gu explained, "Su Zili was just a fortune teller in his early years. No one knows how he got into the Prince's mansion. When the Emperor was still a young prince, he was greatly favored. Later, when the young prince rebelled, Su Zili, despite being a fortune teller, became the strategist, leading the army northward. They were invincible, practically unstoppable. But halfway through the campaign, Su Zili stopped the northward advance, saying... he didn't want to see the people forced to leave their homes, rivers of blood flowing. From then on, the Emperor established the Yan Yun Northern Expedition." Ruan established the current Puyuan. After the establishment of Yanyun, the Emperor appointed him as Prime Minister. The two were inseparable, and later, Prime Minister Su even spent the night in the Xuanwu Hall. When the Empress Dowager found out, she wanted to execute Su Zili, but Su Zili was on good terms with the founding heroes, and the court had just undergone a major reshuffle, making his position unstable. It took several attempts to persuade the Empress Dowager to calm down. However, after this incident, Su Zili may have become more open-minded and repeatedly requested to resign. The Emperor had no choice but to agree, and now it is unknown whether he is alive or dead. Oh? By the way, didn't Yanyun say that two men can now marry? This rule was specifically established by the Emperor for Su Zili.

"How come I remember... His Majesty's most beloved wife in this life was the late Empress? And he also doted on the Eldest Princess immensely?" Back at Lishan Academy, Zhou Ziliang had said that His Majesty and the late Empress were deeply in love, and after the late Empress's death, His Majesty doted on the Eldest Princess in every way, which was well-known in Yanyun.

"Alas! You wouldn't know this! The late Empress was Su Zili's own sister, chosen by the Empress Dowager specifically for the Emperor to marry. Where was the deep affection between them? It was merely a case of 'Wanwan resembles Qing,' and he doted on the Eldest Princess, but that was because the Eldest Princess's name was given to her by Su Zili. Alas, after Su Zili left, rumors spread that the Emperor had homosexual tendencies. To quell the rumors, he didn't hesitate to kill thousands of commoners and high-ranking officials. Those who knew the truth died, and those who didn't dare to inquire. With so much time passed since the change of dynasties, who knows the truth anymore? Who can know whether Su Zili ultimately left or died?"

Tang Feng sighed after hearing the story. He hadn't expected that Su Zili and the current emperor had such a tragic love story. No wonder Su Zili resigned from her official post; no wonder Yan Yun had a rule that love transcends gender; no wonder no one mentioned Su Zili. He had only wanted to inquire to report back to Zhou Ziliang, at least to avoid Zhou Ziliang thinking he was idle and lazy. He had made a heartfelt farewell, full of reluctance. He hadn't done a single proper task here, and now, in a fit of anger, he'd come to Shanghan to arrest him. But what he found was shocking—he'd stumbled upon the emperor's personal life! What a tragic couple, cruelly separated by the Empress Dowager. Looking back, all that remained was a memory, a regret already lost.

After recounting the events, Tang Feng hesitated for a long time, unsure how to continue writing. Although he had learned in Shanghan that Su Zili had indeed visited, that was several years ago. Time had passed, and who knew what had become of him? If Su Zili was alive, then so be it; finding him was only a matter of time. But what if he was dead? After much deliberation, he finally wrote: "As for Su Zili's matter, after careful consideration, I'll wait until we meet to discuss it further. The matter is complicated, and I don't know where to begin. Be careful at the border, and I'm doing well in Shanghan. Don't worry. The mountains and rivers are vast, the stars in the sky are numerous, yet everything is you. Tang Feng finished writing."