Father at night

Emperor Yun's reply was ambiguous, and Tang Zhaonan dared not speak further. Tang Feng was in the wrong first, and it was already a great favor that his life was spared. How could he dare to bargain? Tang Zhaonan bowed and thanked the Emperor, "Thank you for your leniency, Your Majesty." Tang Zhaonan walked out of the main hall and saw the heavy rain outside. He was about to rush into the rain and go down the long steps when Eunuch Feng saw this and quickly stepped forward, "Lord Tang, you didn't bring an umbrella. You'll get soaked if you go back now! Let me get you an umbrella before you go." Tang Zhaonan waved his hand, looked up at the red-tinged sky, and murmured, "No need. Thank you for your kindness, Eunuch. Since things don't go as planned, I'll go with the flow. I'll get wet if I have to. Everyone has to go through this." Tang Zhaonan ignored Eunuch Feng's obstruction and walked straight into the rain, head held high and chest out. After hearing this, Eunuch Feng sighed and shook his head. "Lord Tang looked troubled this time leaving the palace!" The young apprentice, however, didn't understand the implication and quickly pressed Eunuch Feng, asking, "But there were no strange noises coming from inside the room, and His Majesty and Lord Tang both looked normal."

“Often, it’s precisely because things are too normal that they tend to go in an abnormal direction,” Eunuch Feng shook his head repeatedly. Tang Zhaonan exited the palace gates and saw his coachman waiting for him outside. He quickly went over. “Master, please get in the carriage! Why did you come out in the rain like this?” The coachman, seeing Tang Zhaonan approach, lifted the curtain to let him in. “It’s alright.” Tang Zhaonan got into the carriage and didn’t urge the coachman to go home. Instead, he instructed, “Don’t go back to the Tang residence yet, go to Xiaofeng’s.” The coachman was somewhat confused by Tang Zhaonan’s words. “Master, it’s raining heavily today, and the young master isn’t feeling well. I’m guessing he’s already asleep. You can go tomorrow!” “It’s alright, I won’t go in. Just drive the carriage to his residence gate.” Why go there if he’s not going in? The coachman, thinking Tang Feng was still arguing with Tang Zhaonan, whispered, "Although the young master can be temperamental sometimes, he's still just a child. Please don't be angry. Try to visit him at the manor when you have time." The coachman had been driving Tang's carriage for over twenty years and was considered a senior member of the Tang family. Tang Zhaonan was usually kind to the servants, so the coachman mustered his courage and offered a few words of advice. "He's still a child? Humph! He's over twenty and already married! If he doesn't grow up, who will protect him in the future?" Tang Zhaonan didn't scold the coachman for being nosy; instead, he reprimanded Tang Feng, "You are the young master's father, of course you'll protect him. Although the young master sometimes gets into trouble, he's more sensible than anything else. Now, the young master..." "His health isn't good, so please visit him more often. I've heard that people who are bedridden for a long time are prone to depression. Even this old servant can see that the young master's temperament isn't as cheerful as before." "I... How can I protect him for a lifetime? He still has to walk his own path. His mother passed away early, and I haven't really taken care of him much. I feel guilty for shaping his personality when he was young, but ultimately, it's a black-haired person burying an white-haired one. Helping him is something I'm willing to do but unable to." Seeing the coachman stop, Master Tang opened the curtain and looked up. In front of him was the Zhou residence where Tang Feng now lived. "Alright, stop here. I want to listen to the rain." The coachman sighed, looking at the tightly closed gates of the Zhou residence, and said nothing more.

Tang Feng, who had been asleep, was awakened by a cough. Looking at Zhou Ziliang, who was still fast asleep, he quietly got up, poured himself a cup of cooled tea, knelt on the couch by the window, and opened the window a crack. "Such heavy rain..." Perhaps it was the late hour that made him prone to overthinking, but Tang Feng found himself pondering Zhou Ziliang's words to him before bed. Actually, Tang Feng wasn't angry with his grandfather. After all these years, he knew his grandfather's sore spot all too well. However, he was currently mired in trouble and couldn't afford to drag his grandfather down with him. He had only spoken harshly that day, but he hadn't expected his grandfather to hold a grudge—not asking about his illness, not even coming to visit when he moved. But it didn't matter. Zhou Ziliang intended to visit his grandfather in a few days, and then they would naturally reconcile. Father and son rarely hold grudges overnight. "Cough cough cough..." Tang Feng covered his mouth, trying to keep his cough down, not wanting to disturb Zhou Ziliang. After calming down, he finished the tea in his cup and closed the window tightly. He couldn't let Zhou Ziliang know that he hadn't slept and had secretly drunk cold water with the window open, otherwise he would inevitably be nagged again the next day. He quietly sat back on the bed. Perhaps because of the noise, Zhou Ziliang turned over and looked over sleepily. He saw Tang Feng sitting on the edge of the bed and asked, "What's wrong? Can't sleep?" Tang Feng shook his head. "No, I woke up coughing in the middle of the night and got up to catch my breath. I just didn't expect to wake you up." Liang was finally awake. He got out of bed and touched the water in the kettle, frowning. "The water's cold. I'll go get someone to boil some more." "No, no!" Tang Feng quickly got up and pulled Zhou Ziliang away. "It's raining so hard, can't a person get a good night's sleep? You're not coughing anymore, you don't necessarily need to drink hot water. Go to sleep!" Tang Feng moved further into the bed and patted the pillow beside him. Zhou Ziliang went back and sighed. "If you're not feeling well, you must tell me. If you keep it to yourself, I'll feel bad too."

"I'm not feeling unwell, I can't wake you up just because you cough! Alright, alright, go to sleep! You're so nagging, even my dad isn't as nagging as you."

The rain outside was getting heavier and heavier, showing no signs of stopping. The sky was turning red, and dark clouds were pressing down overhead. "Let's go back! We can't stay any longer." Tang Zhaonan raised his hand and pulled down the curtain, patting his clothes that had been soaked by the rain. "Master..." "Let's go back! With the weather like this, he must be asleep by now. Let's go!" By the time Tang Zhaonan returned to the mansion, it was already late at night. Qin Jiujiu, wearing a robe, was changing candles in the main hall. Hearing Tang Zhaonan return, she quickly opened an umbrella and went out to check. "Father! Why are you back so late? Didn't you say you'd be back soon?" "Is your son coming back soon?" "Something came up and kept me waiting." Tang Zhaonan took the umbrella from the coachman and walked straight into the main hall. "Kept waiting? What could possibly keep you waiting this late at night, besides the Emperor looking for you?" Seeing this, the coachman took a few steps forward and said in a low voice, "Miss Jiu, Master secretly went to see the young master." Qin Jiujiu couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle. It seemed that her adoptive father also felt sorry for Xiao Feng. He had been sulking before, but now he finally couldn't hold back his temper. Otherwise, why would he have gone to see him in the pouring rain? "So late, Xiao Feng hasn't rested?"

"I've rested. The mansion is completely dark inside, but the master didn't go in either. He just stayed outside the young master's mansion for an hour," the coachman said while tidying the carriage. "The master and young master have been arguing for over half a month. You should try to persuade the master. The young master is just young and rebellious; it's normal for him to be unruly. Now he's seriously ill, so it's understandable that he's anxious. Arrange for the father and son to meet another day, talk it out, and things will be fine." "I reckon my godfather has long since forgiven Xiaofeng," Qin Jiujiu said, holding her umbrella and looking towards the main hall. Then she turned to the coachman and said, "I'll go in first. You should rest early too."

When Qin Jiujiu returned to the main hall, she saw Tang Zhaonan, who had changed out of his court robes and into ordinary clothes, sitting there waiting for her. "Father, I heard you took a detour to the Zhou residence to see Xiaofeng today?" Tang Zhaonan snorted coldly. "That old coachman, he tells you everything." Qin Jiujiu carried the teapot over to refill Tang Zhaonan's cup and handed it to him. "You're all bark and no bite. I'll have Xiaofeng come back and apologize to you another day, that'll be enough. Xiaofeng is your son, don't you know his temperament? Although he's sometimes a bit muddle-headed, he's also very measured and knows his limits." "How would I know his temperament?" Tang Zhaonan put down the teacup in his hand, beckoned to Qin Jiujiu, and gestured for her to sit down. The warm candlelight on the table shone on Tang Zhaonan's face, flickering. "This child lost his mother right after birth. My wife and I were deeply in love, always hoping to grow old together in harmony. But unexpectedly, she passed away less than three days after giving birth. I lived in a daze, neglecting to discipline Xiao Feng. When my life finally returned to normal, I was able to calm down and look at the child; he was already twelve or thirteen years old. Due to my neglect in his early years, Xiao Feng developed a timid and fearful personality, even speaking hesitantly. Now, I deeply regret it." Qin Jiujiu held her teacup without interrupting. Tang Zhaonan rarely mentioned Tang Feng. In recent years, Tang Feng had been frequently away from home, going to school in Lanxi years ago and recently returning from Shanghan. Tang Zhaonan had never talked about him much; today was an unprecedented exception. Qin Jiujiu knew nothing of Tang Feng's past, only a few words mentioned by the servants in the manor. That was back when Tang Feng resisted an arranged marriage. Now, with the passage of time, the timid and fearful Tang Feng had long been erased from people's minds, replaced by the eloquent and talented Tang Feng. Qin Jiujiu was somewhat shocked that Tang Zhaonan brought it up again. Tang Zhaonan continued, "I originally didn't want Xiao Feng to participate in the struggle for the throne, but because of past examples, serving a ruler is like walking on thin ice. He doesn't understand the pros and cons; he's just blinded by his current hatred."

"But... Xiao Feng, he..."

"I know he'll always have people helping him, and with his talent, I, Tang Zhaonan, don't think my son will lose on this path to the throne. I'm just afraid—afraid that he might appear victorious on the surface, but secretly feel utterly defeated. Afraid that after winning, he'll suffer a crushing defeat." Seeing Qin Jiujiu's bewildered expression, Tang Zhaonan's expression softened slightly. "Alright, you don't understand. Go back! I should rest too. I've worked diligently my whole life; it's time to relax." Qin Jiujiu helped Tang Zhaonan up and smiled. "You're right. In a few days, I'll try to persuade Xiaofeng to come back. We haven't eaten together in a long time. But let's make it clear, you can't give Xiaofeng a hard time then." Tang Zhaonan smiled and nodded repeatedly. "Of course, of course not. Go ahead! I want to eat your cooking tomorrow morning! Wait! Jiujiu... whether I'm here or not, don't leave! I don't want Xiaofeng to turn back and find his home gone."

Qin Jiujiu turned back and smiled, thinking that Tang Zhaonan was afraid that Tang Feng wouldn't come back. "What are you saying! As long as you are here, home is here. Tang Mansion is ultimately Xiao Feng's final destination. He will come back to see you, don't worry!" Watching Qin Jiujiu's figure leave, Tang Zhaonan touched the teacup that had already cooled down, picked it up and drank it all in one gulp. "Truly, people leave and tea grows cold! Zili, although I don't know if you are alive or dead now, I just want to ask if you regret helping him back then! I only hope that my son will not follow your old path." After returning to the room, Tang Zhaonan neatly placed his official robes on the table, with a letter left for Tang Feng next to them. After doing all this, Tang Zhaonan let out a couple of maniacal laughs, then picked up a three-foot-long white silk ribbon and began chanting, "Truly, it's so liberating to be free of all this trouble! Silian! Xiaofeng has grown up, and I can no longer control him. I've helped him as much as I could, which can be considered an atonement for my past neglect of raising him. Now that he has the young marquis of the Zhou family to take care of him, I can go with you in peace." Tang Zhaonan knew that no matter how much he tried to persuade him, Tang Feng would still participate in the struggle for the throne. All he could do was use his death to appease Emperor Yun and also to warn Tang Feng not to get involved in this mess. He only hoped that Emperor Yun would spare Tang Feng because of his death.