Entering the palace to meet the emperor
Zhou Ziliang sighed, "Xiao Feng..." He wanted to comfort him, but seeing Tang Feng looking up with a bitter smile, he said, "So be it. What can't be kept will eventually be kept. Some things truly cannot be forced."
Zhou Ziliang pursed his lips, thought for a moment, and then spoke, "Although the Empress Dowager has treated you well, we are still subjects. It's impossible for us to pay our respects before her memorial tablet. We can only observe mourning alongside commoners, and at most, we can only copy scriptures for her." Tang Feng leaned against the bedside, looking at Zhou Ziliang, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes, but quickly replaced by his usual clarity. "Sincerity is enough. Once the mourning period is over, I will enter the palace. These matters should be resolved. Li Yunye has sent people to hunt me down for so long; he deserves an explanation. As for Li Yunrui, he should be able to rest in peace after this trip to the palace."
"You've prepared for so long, so naturally there won't be any problems."
Tang Feng leaned against Zhou Ziliang's shoulder, closed his eyes, and murmured, "After this matter is over... I'll resign from my post and stay home with you, to spend more time with you."
"Indeed, you need a good rest. You're always the busiest, but can you really let go of your students?" Zhou Ziliang lifted his arm and pulled Tang Feng into his embrace to make him more comfortable. Hearing Zhou Ziliang's doting voice, Tang Feng's nose tingled, and his voice choked in his throat, almost bursting into tears. "I can let go... I can let go of everything. No one is more important than you."
Li Yunyu originally planned to apologize to Tang Feng the next day. Yunlan was right; Tang Feng, as his teacher, was far better than the indifferent Emperor Yun. Once he calmed down and thought about Tang Feng's actions, he realized they were all for his sake. Although he felt Tang Feng's actions were somewhat extreme, his words that day were indeed too hurtful. Tang Feng's words at the door were devoid of emotion, and his eyes were full of disappointment, which made Li Yunyu uneasy. However, before he could figure out how to apologize to Tang Feng, news of the Empress Dowager's passing came from the palace, and the mourning and vigil disrupted his plans.
The Empress Dowager's funeral was conducted simply according to her wishes. In contrast to the fact that the news of the Princess's death was known throughout the city, the news of the Empress Dowager's passing did not reach the palace until seven or eight days later. Officials were ordered to observe mourning, suspend court for fifteen days, and stay at home wearing black and white clothes. They were to offer personally copied scriptures to the Empress Dowager's altar every day and fast for seven days as a sign of reverence.
Listening to the pattering rain outside, Tang Feng put down his pen, leaned back on the soft pillows of the couch, and said wearily, "I wonder how things are in the palace... The Empress Dowager is the Emperor's mother, after all; why has it taken so long for news to reach us?"
Zhou Ziliang, sitting opposite Tang Feng, also put down his pen. "It's probably a big celebration in the palace. There's nothing we can do about it. Are you tired? Why don't you take a break?"
Tang Feng glanced at the thick copy of the Ksitigarbha Sutra beside him and shook his head. "Let's hurry up and copy it; they'll be coming to collect it first thing tomorrow morning."
“I’ll write it for you. You’re frail; sitting in the wind will only make you sick again.” Zhou Ziliang reached for the scriptures beside Tang Feng, but Tang Feng stopped him. “No, how can we use the methods of Lishan Academy here… The handwriting is inconsistent; someone will use it against us. I don’t want to implicate the Zhou family over something like this.”
Zhou Ziliang smiled helplessly after hearing this, "They just want a token of their appreciation. You're not feeling well, so they won't make things difficult for you. They can't really have someone watch you write stroke by stroke until dawn, can they?"
"No... they don't know, but Grandmother will know. This is written for her." Tang Feng looked down at the thick manuscript before him, picked up a pen, and wrote as he spoke. "It's already a regret that I can't be there. If you have to do all these things for me, then Grandmother has truly spoiled me for nothing." Tang Feng lowered his head, copying the Ksitigarbha Sutra stroke by stroke. Zhou Ziliang felt a pang of pity watching him, sighed, and stood up, taking Tang Feng's other hand that wasn't holding the pen. "I'll have a servant fetch you a hot water bottle. It's not even the coldest part of winter yet, and your hands are already so cold. How will you survive the New Year?"
"The end of the year... just take it one day at a time..." Tang Feng chuckled lightly. "Why are you thinking so far ahead? Hurry up and get me a hot water bottle, are you trying to freeze me to death?" Zhou Ziliang, hearing the hint of coquetry in Tang Feng's tone, didn't press further. He stood up and draped a coat over Tang Feng's shoulders. "I'll go right now, and I'll have the kitchen make you some warming medicine. We're not allowed to eat meat these next few days, so just make do for now."
Seeing Tang Feng nod, Zhou Ziliang opened his umbrella and went out. Reaching the front courtyard, he saw Madam Zhou standing there with a worried expression. Upon seeing Zhou Ziliang, she quickly beckoned to him. Only after Zhou Ziliang approached did she lower her voice and say, "This Ninth Prince seems to be possessed. He's kneeling in the courtyard. We tried to help him up, but he wouldn't let us. We asked him if he needed to call Xiao Feng out, but he wouldn't allow it either… He is, after all, a prince; we mustn't offend him."
Zhou Ziliang looked up at Li Yunyu, who was kneeling on the ground with her head bowed in the rain. He knew she had come to apologize to Tang Feng. This wasn't the first time; Li Yunyu had apologized to Tang Feng once before, back at the Luohe Bridge. Zhou Ziliang was all too familiar with this scene. He patted Madam Zhou's hand and comforted her, "Mother, it's alright, I'll handle it. You go back inside first, I'll go find Xiaofeng."
Zhou Ziliang didn't rush to deal with it. Instead, he methodically asked a servant for a hot water bottle before returning to the room. Standing at the door, he shook the water droplets off his clothes, then placed the hot water bottle in Tang Feng's arms, saying, "Hold on tight. It's been raining heavily these past two days, and you're always cold. I told you to rest on the bed, but you wouldn't listen."
Tang Feng noticed that Zhou Ziliang looked upset after he went out, so he looked up and asked with a smile, "Who tripped you up? Why are you so angry?"
Seeing that Zhou Ziliang remained silent, Tang Feng continued, "Don't say no, you're always like this when you're angry. Do you think I don't know you? Let me guess... It's because the Ninth Prince came to apologize, which made you feel uneasy, right?"
Zhou Ziliang sighed, sat down next to Tang Feng, took his hand, and whispered, "I consider his young age and prominent status, and know that many things shouldn't be taken to heart. But what he said that day went too far. I know you don't care, but I can't help but care."
"His Highness the Ninth Prince is a bit impulsive, but compared to his brothers, he's worth befriending," Tang Feng said, putting down his brush and taking a sip of the hot tea on the table. "Whether you feel wronged or not... loyal ministers rarely meet a good end. I'm already grateful he's kept me around until now. You don't need to offend him because of me."
Zhou Ziliang gave a bitter smile. "The Ninth Prince is kneeling in the front courtyard, probably wanting to see you. I understand what you said, and it's not that I'm unreasonable. It's just that this time, Your Highness was wrong first, and the misunderstanding came later. Your words that day were piercing to the heart."
Tang Feng lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, "Indeed, every word is a stab to the heart, a knife to the bone. Everyone has their youthful arrogance. I'll go see him. If he really falls ill at the Marquis's mansion, you, my parents, and I will all be held responsible. You wouldn't want me to spend the dead of winter in the palace prison, would you?"
Zhou Ziliang stood up, finally relenting and handing his coat to Tang Feng. "What are you talking about? How could I let Xiao Feng stay in prison? I understand, I'll go get you an umbrella."
Upon hearing this, Tang Feng took Zhou Ziliang's hand and shook his head. "No need, Ziliang... I can go by myself. He's my own student; he can go by himself. If you were there, he probably wouldn't have the nerve to apologize to me."
Li Yunyu had been kneeling in front of the Zhou family's main hall for two hours. The rain wasn't heavy, but it had soaked him completely, and his vision was obscured by the water. He knew he had spoken too harshly that day, and it was understandable that Tang Feng was unwilling to forgive him. Just as Li Yunyu was considering how to apologize to Tang Feng, the rain suddenly stopped. Looking up, he saw Tang Feng, dressed in plain clothes, standing beside him, holding an umbrella to shield him from the rain. "Grand Tutor..."
"Get up," Tang Feng said, extending his hand to Li Yunyu. His expression was blank, making Li Yunyu hesitant to guess whether Tang Feng was still angry.
Li Yunyu didn't reach for Tang Feng's hand. Instead, with tears welling in her eyes, she asked softly, "Does the Grand Tutor mean he has forgiven me, or is it because of my status?"
Tang Feng sighed and said softly, "Yes... Your Highness, please get up. I'm not feeling well. It's already the greatest leniency I can show you." Li Yunyu quickly stood up upon hearing this, but his knees were numb from kneeling for so long. Tang Feng pulled him up by the arm to prevent him from falling. Once Li Yunyu was steady, Tang Feng spoke, "Don't kneel so casually next time. As a prince, kneeling so easily is unbecoming. The people kneel for their faith, but you cannot. Beneath your knees lies the land of Yan Yun. If you kneel, Yan Yun will never stand tall." Li Yunyu looked into Tang Feng's serious eyes, nodded, and didn't reply until Tang Feng called a maid to boil water. "Your Highness is soaked. Change your clothes. Let's talk in the study."
Li Yunyu followed quietly behind Tang Feng. Compared to before, she was even thinner, which made her feel a little guilty and ashamed. She whispered, "Grand Tutor... why are you helping me?"
"Didn't you beg me?" Tang Feng walked ahead, without turning back or stopping.
"Is it because of Qin Liuliu?"
Hearing this, Tang Feng slowly stopped, and Li Yunyu, who wasn't paying attention, almost bumped into Tang Feng's shoulder. "Yes...no," Tang Feng turned around, looked at Li Yunyu, and smiled. "It was probably before, but not now. Does Your Highness feel relieved with this answer?"
Tang Feng had never directly answered so many of his questions before. Now that he had finally gotten the answers he'd hoped to get from Tang Feng, Li Yunyu felt uneasy, fidgeting nervously. But Tang Feng's expression had softened; he wasn't angry about his earlier questions. "Stand tall! What are you afraid of when you see me? A clear conscience fears no accusation. When you ascend the throne, countless eyes will be on you. You can't afford to be hesitant and indecisive. Come to think of it, it's not your fault that day. It was my fault for not informing you beforehand. I taught you not to trust others too easily, so your suspicion of me is understandable. All things considered, it's also because I haven't been a competent tutor."
"Grand Tutor! That's not what I meant... I was indeed reckless that day! I... couldn't distinguish right from wrong... and wronged you." Looking at Li Yunyu, who was about to bow down and admit his mistake, Tang Feng sighed and shook his head, helping him up with one hand. "There's no need for further words, Your Highness. Please, come with me to the study."
Li Yunyu rarely visited Tang Feng's study; most of the time, Tang Feng would go to the palace to see him. The study was filled with Zhou Ziliang's military treatises and books Tang Feng liked to browse. Li Yunyu often couldn't understand his tutor; he didn't understand why there was always a hint of sorrow and difficulty in Tang Feng's eyes. Seeing Tang Feng kneeling on the couch, Li Yunyu went over. On the table was a stack of handwritten Ksitigarbha Sutras. "This is..."
Tang Feng put the copied scriptures aside and took a new piece of paper to write. "It's a request from the court. I heard it will be burned for the Empress Dowager for blessings." Seeing Li Yunyu sitting opposite him, staring blankly at the scriptures, he lowered his eyes and smiled, "Your Highness, once you become a monarch, it's best to avoid daydreaming too much."
Li Yunyu was taken aback by what he said, then nodded, "With you by my side to guide me, Yunyu will naturally not slack off."
“I’m quite a bit older than you, so I can tell when someone’s lying. This isn’t a joke; it’s a request.” Seeing Tang Feng’s serious expression, Li Yunyu sat up straighter. “Your elder brother asked me to help you simply because he thinks the other princes are unscrupulous and unfit to inherit the throne. Although you’re not particularly talented, you’re upright, which is probably what your brother appreciates about you. I know that becoming emperor wasn’t your original intention, but since you’ve come this far, don’t run away. As a ruler, you must be diligent and prioritize the affairs of state. The courtiers around you are a mixed bag, and there’s a chance that some treacherous officials might infiltrate. I hope Your Highness can distinguish right from wrong and not let such villains take advantage of the situation. Although I don’t like some of your elder brother’s actions towards me, I don’t want to owe him anything. Since I promised to send you to the highest heavens, I can’t go back on my word. Don’t disappoint me.”
Li Yunyu was somewhat confused by Tang Feng's words and wanted to ask why he was suddenly saying these things to her today. However, after thinking about it, she figured Tang Feng probably had his own reasons. Li Yunyu pursed her lips, looked down at Tang Feng's hand that was still writing, and then said, "Two days ago, my father agreed to my marriage with Ning Wan. However, it's currently the mourning period for my grandmother, so the wedding will probably take place in three years. I've been thinking about it, and you are also my elder, so..."
Tang Feng paused for a moment, then nodded. "This is a good thing. After the marriage, Your Highness will be an adult, and you can't always be so capricious. Ning Wan is a good girl, and you two are a match made in heaven. May you and Ning Wan be like wild geese reflected in the bright moon and plum blossoms standing side by side in the frost."
Upon hearing this, Li Yunyu scratched his head sheepishly and chuckled, "What the Grand Tutor said is a bit too early. We won't get married for three years. You must come to my wedding banquet then."
Tang Feng smiled, put the pen aside, and said in a low voice, "It's not too late. Plans can't keep up with changes, it's always better to do things sooner rather than later." He then pushed the paper in his hand in front of Li Yunyu. "This is the indictment of your fourth brother, along with all the ministers who colluded with him, and... your third brother's testimony."
Seeing Li Yunyu open the testimony he had Li Yunye write, Tang Feng, clutching the clothes draped over his shoulders, said, "Your third brother, if he hadn't been blinded by hatred and gone astray, perhaps we would have become friends. The Eldest Princess, Consort Xiao, and even your eldest brother were all killed by Li Yunheng."
Li Yunyu frowned, placed the papers on the table, and asked in a low voice, "Sir... when will we enter the palace to overturn my elder brother's case?"
"After these few days of mourning, I must not do anything disrespectful to the Empress Dowager, who has been kind to me during her mourning period."
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