Hey bro, he's your Ziliang!

Seeing this, Zhang Mobai didn't know how to comfort him, so he changed the subject, "Little brother, we're setting off early tomorrow morning. Go back and pack your things, and get some rest."

Tang Feng propped himself up and sat up, nodding and asking, "What time do we depart tomorrow?"

"It will be around 7 AM; I'll be waiting for you at your door."

Yang Fei, sitting to one side, said, "Then I'll wait for you in the suburbs. It's crowded in the morning, and it's not good for us to all be stuck there."

"That's true, then I'll meet up with you guys in the suburbs tomorrow."

The carriage took about half an hour to bring Yang Fei back to his residence. As Yang Fei was about to enter, Zhang Mobai pulled back the curtain and leaned out, saying, "Around Chenshi (7-9 AM), don't be late." Hearing Yang Fei's response, Zhang Mobai sat back down and then said to Tang Feng, "Yang Fei has no sense of time; he'll definitely be late tomorrow if he dawdles."

Tang Feng covered his mouth and chuckled after hearing this, "Brother Yang doesn't seem to be someone who lacks a sense of time!"

Zhang Mobai rolled his eyes. "Stop it already! I asked him to go fishing with me, and he made me wait for three hours for nothing."

Tang Feng leaned his arm against the window, rested his head against it, narrowed his eyes, and slightly raised the corners of his mouth. "Perhaps it's because the person I'm going to see is you!"

After Tang Feng finished speaking, Zhang Mobai's cheeks flushed slightly. He rubbed his clothes with his hands, turned his face to the window, and after a long silence, slowly said, "Tomorrow...it'll be chilly tomorrow morning, so don't forget to wear an extra layer when you go out."

Tang Feng knew Zhang Mobai was embarrassed, but he didn't say anything and simply replied with a "hmm".

The carriage hadn't gone far when it arrived at the Tang residence. After Tang Feng alighted, he saw Zhang Mobai lift the curtain and instruct him, "The journey to the academy is long, so pack your bags carefully when you get home. Bring plenty of travel money and clothes."

"Okay! You should go home early too!"

As soon as Tang Feng returned and stepped into the backyard, Qin Jiujiu's voice came from behind him: "You said you were running errands, why are you so busy and only coming back so late?"

"Hehe, we chatted about poetry and literature at Brother Yang's residence," Tang Feng chuckled, perhaps having had too much fun at the night market by the Wei River, he almost forgot about lying to Qin Jiujiu.

Qin Jiujiu scolded, "You can't come back so late! It's only early spring, and the nights are damp. You're dressed so lightly, aren't you afraid of catching a cold?" After saying that, she pulled Tang Feng into the house. "I knew you wouldn't have time to pack. As soon as I got back this afternoon, I had the servants pack everything for you. See if you need anything?"

"Brother! Brother! Where's my candied hawthorn!" Qin Liuliu was supposed to be sleeping, but thinking about the candied hawthorn Tang Feng had promised him that afternoon, she couldn't fall asleep and tossed and turned. Just now, she heard the servant say that Tang Feng had returned, and she ran over and hugged Tang Feng's waist, starting to whine and act cute.

Qin Jiujiu frowned and said sternly, "Liu Liu, your brother is leaving tomorrow. Don't disturb him. Let him check if there's anything he hasn't packed yet."

Tang Feng put one arm around Qin Liuliu and took out two strings of candied hawthorns from his pocket with the other, saying, "I bought them, I bought them. Take them carefully. Don't forget to rinse your mouth after you eat them, or your teeth will hurt. The other string is for your sister." After saying that, he looked up at Qin Jiujiu and smiled, "Oh! It's alright. My sister is meticulous, unlike me who is so forgetful. Even if I did forget something, I wouldn't notice."

Qin Jiujiu was a little exasperated. She pointed a finger at Tang Feng's head and said fiercely, "You! You! Just keep spoiling him!" After saying that, she picked up the clothes on the table and folded them up. As if she was still angry, she added, "How can I feel at ease with you like this!"

Tang Feng felt a little embarrassed by what was said, scratched his head, and said, "I'm not that useless. Besides, Mo Bai and the others are with us on the way, so we can all look out for each other."

"Alright, alright, stop making excuses. We're going out now. You should get some rest; we have a long journey ahead tomorrow!" With that, Qin Jiujiu pulled Qin Liuliu out of the house.

Seeing that everyone had returned to their rooms, Tang Feng got up and closed the door. Looking at the seven or eight bundles of various sizes on the table, a warmth filled his heart. Years ago, the day before he left for university, his grandmother had also packed his bags late into the night and, unusually, made him his favorite fried dough sticks. Tang Feng tidied the bundles together, then washed up and went to bed.

With the arrival of spring, the days are getting longer. Just as the rooster crowed in the small kitchen, Liu Yiwan knocked on Tang Feng's door. "Young Master! Are you up? You're leaving today, so you must pay your respects to the Master this morning." Tang Feng usually avoided paying his respects at home. At first, he followed the etiquette and paid his respects twice a day, but gradually he figured out the unspoken meaning. It was just a bunch of people awkwardly chatting in the early morning. Plus, with his grandfather's peculiar personality, Tang Feng and his grandfather could only exchange three sentences before falling into a dead silence. So, Tang Feng simply stopped going. His grandfather was busy with palace affairs every day; why should he bother him? All his efforts were less effective than Qin Liuliu's sweet "godfather."

But today is different. This time I'm going to the academy and I won't be back for three years. Even if I don't talk much, I still have to be polite!

Thinking of this, Liu Yiwan knocked on the door again, "Young Master, are you up yet?"

"Get up, get up!" Tang Feng slowly sat up, lifting the covers. Liu Yiwan had already pushed open the door and entered. "I've put the water for you to wash up here, young master." After saying that, Liu Yiwan placed the basin on the shelf, then soaked a handkerchief in warm water, wrung it out, and handed it to Tang Feng.

Tang Feng took the handkerchief, carefully wiped his face, and then asked, "Is Father already up?"

Liu Yiwan nodded. "Get up, get up, I've been waiting for you." She then pulled the clothes off the hanger and helped Tang Feng put them on. "Young Master, think about it, you've been gone for three years. I haven't been able to stay by your side to protect you. What am I going to do? I miss you so much in the future, what am I going to do?" Liu Yiwan finished speaking and even pretended to wipe her eyes.

Tang Feng raised an eyebrow. "Miss me? That's alright, come with me!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yiwan immediately stood up straight, tilted his head back, and chuckled, "Then there's no need. I'm responsible for the safety of my entire family of over twenty people!"

Tang Feng rolled his eyes at Liu Yiwan, "You really know how to pat yourself on the back."

After dressing properly, Tang Feng went to pay his respects to Old Master Tang. Although he arrived a little late, by the time he entered, the old man had already finished a pot of tea in the main hall. Surprisingly, the old man didn't say anything, only instructing Tang Feng to be careful on the road, to study diligently with his teacher at the academy, and to write letters if he needed anything. Tang Feng knelt below, nodding in agreement. At the end of his instructions, Old Master Tang slowly rose, stood before Tang Feng, raised his hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally placed it on Tang Feng's head, whispering, "Take care on your journey, and return safely." Then he turned and left.

Tang Feng remained kneeling on the ground, unable to recover for a long time. Finally, Liu Yiwan helped him up. "Young Master, get up! Miss Jiu made dumplings for you this morning. Let's go eat."

Upon entering the backyard, Tang Feng arrived just as Qin Jiujiu was placing dumplings on the table. Qin Liuliu was standing to the side, her eyes red and swollen. Tang Feng squatted down and asked, "What happened to your eyes?"

"Sigh, she started crying and making a fuss this morning when she remembered you were leaving, insisting on going with you." Qin Jiujiu wiped her hands on her apron and handed Tang Feng a pair of chopsticks. "Sit down and eat quickly, Young Master Zhang will be looking for you soon."

Tang Feng nodded, then patted Qin Liuliu's head. "Alright, alright, it's not like you're not coming back. Why are you looking so sad? Your sister got up early this morning to make dumplings for me. I'll give you two, okay?" Hearing this, Qin Liuliu clutched her clothes tightly, unable to hold back any longer. She threw herself into Tang Feng's arms, tears welling in her eyes uncontrollably. "Brother, I... I don't want you to go, don't go... please don't go."

Tang Feng patiently listened as Qin Liuliu finished speaking, her voice choked with sobs. Then, wiping away his tears, he said, just like the day Qin Liuliu first entered the Tang family two years ago, "Liuliu, I have no choice! When I come back, I'll never leave you again, okay?"

Qin Liuliu pondered for a long time before nodding and saying in a hoarse voice, "Okay." Tang Feng, as if granted a pardon, let out a long sigh and sat down to eat. Just as he put down his chopsticks, Zhang Mobai stopped the carriage at the door. Servants from the Tang family loaded the luggage onto the carriage one after another. Qin Jiujiu stood at the door, reminding Tang Feng to be careful. Qin Liuliu, afraid of seeing Tang Feng leave, buried her face in Liu Yiwan's arms and helped Tang Feng into the carriage. The driver whipped the horse and started the horse moving. Tang Feng lifted the curtain and leaned out to look until he could no longer see the horse before getting in.

"Liu Liu cried quite sadly," Zhang Mobai said with a smile.

"That's right, his eyes were swollen like walnuts when he woke up this morning. I thought Liu Yiwan had done something to him." Tang Feng straightened his wrinkled clothes after sitting down. "Is Yang Fei waiting for us in the suburbs?"

"Yes! He put his luggage in our car this morning, insisting he wanted to ride a horse. Now he has to go back to get it."

The carriage traveled slowly for about half an hour before leaving the outskirts of the city. When they arrived at the agreed-upon place, Tang Feng didn't see Yang Fei, so he started chatting with Zhang Mobai. "See? I just told him yesterday not to be late, and today he made me wait for him. Just wait and see how I deal with him!"

Tang Feng smiled and was about to say something when he heard the approaching sound of horses' hooves from the carriage. "Here they come!" Tang Feng and Zhang Mobai got off the carriage together and saw Yang Fei riding a horse, with someone following behind him.

"Whoa!" Yang Fei tightened the reins and said, "Sorry I'm late."

Tang Feng didn't respond to Yang Fei's words; his attention was entirely on the person behind him. The man wore a light purple martial arts uniform embroidered with cranes in black and white thread, edged with gold. A black and white gradient headband fluttered in the wind behind him. Looking down at Tang Feng, his dark eyes were filled with indifference and aloofness. His nose was high and straight, and his lips were naturally downturned; it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry. His horse was a deep chestnut, its coat glossy and smooth, except for a tuft of black hair on each of its four hooves.

Tang Feng looked up for a long time but still couldn't guess who it was, so he nudged Zhang Mobai next to him and asked in a low voice, "Little madman, who is he?"

Zhang Mobai looked at Tang Feng with a puzzled expression, seemingly finding it somewhat unbelievable. But then, remembering Tang Feng's amnesia after falling from his horse, he smiled and let it go. "Little brother, he's your Ziliang!"