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Tang Feng woke up the next day, rubbing his slightly sore neck. Seeing that Zhou Ziliang had already left, he sat up to get dressed. Just then, Zhou Ziliang came in with a basin of water for washing his face. "Awake? I saw you didn't sleep well last night, so I didn't wake you." Tang Feng smiled helplessly. "I don't know why I suddenly had this dream. It's been a long time since I've had a dream like this, staying up so late and making you suffer too." Tang Feng knew that this might be the last thing his current body's previous owner experienced. He could guess the gist: perhaps he went to the palace to ask the emperor for a marriage decree, but accidentally wandered into some part of the palace and saw or heard something that dragged him into it. However, he had had this dream almost a hundred and eighty times before, and there hadn't been any progress in the matter. He had no idea who the woman and the foreign man in the dream were.
Zhou Ziliang handed Tang Feng a damp handkerchief. "What are you thinking about? So engrossed?" Tang Feng took the handkerchief, wiped his face, and shook his head. "Nothing, just spacing out." Tang Feng didn't want Zhou Ziliang to get involved, after all, it wasn't anything good, and Tang Feng didn't want Zhou Ziliang to worry about him because of it.
"Are you still thinking about yesterday's nightmare?" Zhou Ziliang's words startled Tang Feng. He hadn't even said anything yet! How could he... have guessed? "No... don't overthink it. I just didn't sleep well and my mind wandered this morning."
Seeing that Tang Feng didn't want to talk, Zhou Ziliang didn't press him and changed the subject, "Get up! I'll take you back. Chen Ke's wife just came to apologize to you! She said she didn't know what she said yesterday and that she accepted your gifts. She said she must invite you to her house another day. You're very popular; there's no one in my camp who doesn't like you."
"Of course, who do you think I am!" Tang Feng said, getting up to put on his clothes. He then added, "I haven't been to a pawnshop since returning from the Qiang and Hu tribes. I should make time to go sometime; after all, I am an official."
"Most of the people in your delegation are also missing you terribly."
"Tch! Stop it already! They're all traitors," Tang Feng said, tugging at his slightly wrinkled clothes. "I saw it in Qianghu; they're all good for nothing but playing around. And they want me... they probably just want me gone from the pawnshop."
"Stop talking nonsense, let's go eat! You're always overthinking things," Zhou Ziliang ruffled Tang Feng's hair. "Come on, sit down, I'll tie your hair up, then we'll go out." Tang Feng obediently found a stool and sat down, handing Zhou Ziliang his hairband and saying, "Then hurry up, I'm starving."
"Of course, you won't go hungry," Zhou Ziliang said, tying Tang Feng's long hair up with a black ribbon. "I heard from Chen Ke that there's a place in Nancheng that makes really delicious osmanthus cake. Let's go there today." Tang Feng nodded at the mention of food. "Should we invite Brother Chen and his wife too? I was thinking yesterday that his birthday probably wasn't celebrated well; we didn't even get to eat longevity noodles."
Zhou Ziliang was stumped by this question, as he hadn't thought of this himself. "How about this? I'll go talk to Chen Ke. His wife has a strong personality, and there are very few people in the village who can get along with her. Since you get along with her, you should talk to her more."
"Of course, although my sister-in-law has a bit of a temper, she's kind-hearted. I find it very comfortable to be around her." Tang Feng wasn't lying. He didn't need to play tricks or have many hidden agendas when chatting with A-Su. Tang Feng genuinely liked A-Su. Zhou Ziliang finished arranging things around him and went to call Chen Ke. Chen Ke lifted the tent flap, flattered and surprised, "Young Marquis, you...you've come! This is so inappropriate!"
"Xiao Feng said he had a very pleasant chat with your wife yesterday and invited you to go to the south of the city to eat osmanthus cake."
Ah Su was inside the tent. Hearing this, she came out and waved her hand, "Isn't that inappropriate? Yesterday... I haven't apologized to Xiao Feng yet! My husband followed my advice when we got back, it was really embarrassing..." Zhou Ziliang smiled, "If Madam really cares so much, Xiao Feng is right here in the tent, you can go there."
Asu didn't hesitate; she left as soon as she heard the message. After Asu had gone far away, Chen Ke said, "My wife was rude yesterday, but my young mistress is very magnanimous. Not only did she forgive Asu, but she also gave her a jade pendant symbolizing love. I..."
"Don't talk to me about these things," Zhou Ziliang said, patting Chen Ke on the shoulder. "You and I are brothers who grew up together, and we've always been inseparable. Xiao Feng is also close to your wife, so it's like family members marrying into the family. Isn't that great? Don't worry about their business; we'll just keep them company."
At first, A-Su was a little embarrassed when she found Tang Feng, but A-Su wasn't a reserved person to begin with. Once the matter was brought up, the two started chatting. When Zhou Ziliang and the others went in, A-Su was holding Tang Feng's hand and saying, "Your Brother Chen, that idiot, secretly hid his own money to buy a piece of roast pork, probably to go with his drinks, but he forgot. By the time I cleaned it up, the meat had gone bad."
Chen Ke blushed, but dared not lash out, so he lowered his voice and said, "My wife talks about everything, she has no sense of propriety." But Chen Ke was also happy. Since marrying him, his wife rarely went out and had no chance to chat with other women. It was good for her to have Tang Feng as company.
Tang Feng treated it as a bit of fun, since he had to go to the pawnshop early the next morning, so relaxing a little beforehand wouldn't hurt. Tang Feng had a good time that day, and as evening approached, Zhou Ziliang escorted Tang Feng back to the Tang residence. "Be careful when you go to the pawnshop tomorrow."
"I'm not a child. Besides, what's there to be careful about in broad daylight?" Tang Feng laughed uncontrollably, clutching his stomach and unable to straighten up. Zhou Ziliang, however, had a stern face and didn't seem to be joking. "I'm not saying be careful on the road, I'm saying be careful once you're in the pawnshop. To be honest, even with all the careful calculations, you haven't been in the pawnshop for three or four hours. From tomorrow onwards, you'll be going there all the time. Pawnshops are not like other places. Listen less, ask less, and inquire less. Pawnshops are secret agencies with too many hidden agents."
This was the first time Tang Feng had heard of pawnshops; no wonder Li Yunrui wanted him to work there. "I understand. Don't worry too much. I know exactly what I should and shouldn't do," Tang Feng said after Zhou Ziliang left. He had been inside a pawnshop before, and it was indeed mysterious. Although Tang Feng wasn't exactly a busybody, he was genuinely interested in the doors of those pawnshops.
That day, Tang Feng went to the pawnshop. The old manager repeatedly told him not to inquire or go through that door, but the more he was told, the more curious Tang Feng became. The next morning, Tang Feng didn't take a carriage and went to the pawnshop on his own. Tang Feng hadn't been there for a long time, and the old manager stared at him for a long time without recognizing him. Just as Tang Feng was about to take out his waist token, he saw a small sign on the table: "My brother is the Chief of the Imperial Guard, and I am his subordinate." Tang Feng turned around and saw Qin Liuliu following behind him. Tang Feng frowned. "Who told you to come along? Does Sister Jiu know?"
"Of course my sister knew I was out," Qin Liuli puffed out her chest. "She told me to come along, saying that you don't travel by sedan chair or take Liu Yiwan with you, and she's worried something might happen to you."
"I bet your sister's just bored with you doing nothing at home!" Tang Feng then handed the plaque to the old shopkeeper for registration. Turning to Qin Liuliu, he said, "Come with me, but you'd better keep your temper in check. This place isn't like home." Qin Liuliu followed Tang Feng inside. Once in the tunnel, she gripped Tang Feng's arm tightly. "Brother...why is it so dark?"
"What are you afraid of with candlelight on?" Tang Feng pulled Qin Liuliu forward, then said to the two guards, "Tang Feng, the Chief of the Imperial Guard, and my attendants are behind me." The soldier looked at Tang Feng's waist badge carefully. "Chief Tang, please."
Once inside, Tang Feng led Qin Liuliu through the several-meter-high shelves to the central platform. "I'll be here. You can find somewhere to sit. This is the guard area. And don't wander around anywhere else, understand?" Qin Liuliu nodded. "Brother, don't worry, I won't cause you any trouble."
Tang Feng, bored after giving his instructions, slumped onto the table and fell asleep. He vaguely heard someone calling him. Opening one eye, he stared for a while before recognizing the person from the Qiang-Hu delegation who had accompanied him. The man patted Tang Feng's shoulder and said, "Sir...sir, wake up! Qin Liuliu is missing!" Tang Feng didn't immediately understand, but after a moment, he sat bolt upright. "What did you say?! Who's missing?"
"Qin Liuliu, young master Qin! I was keeping an eye on young master Qin while I was organizing the files. I turned around to hand him something, and he just disappeared!" Tang Feng felt a headache coming on. He had repeatedly warned him, but Qin Liuliu still hadn't listened.
"Sir, it's best to find him sooner rather than later. This pawnshop already hides many things that cannot be revealed. If the young master gets lost again and is found elsewhere, even if you have ten mouths, you won't be able to explain yourself." Even without the man saying it, Tang Feng understood perfectly well. However, there was no sign of Qin Liuliu in the Protectorate's territory. Where could he have gone? Those gates were so tightly closed; if he went in, whether he found her or not was another matter, but if someone discovered him, wouldn't that only make things worse? Tang Feng waved his hand impatiently. "You go ahead and do your work! I'll look again myself."
Tang Feng had considered those doors, but frankly, he was still a little scared. His mind kept replaying Zhou Ziliang's instructions from the previous night, but without Qin Liuliu, he wouldn't be able to explain himself back home. Then he heard the golden bell on the bronze door ring. "Sir... we should go now, we can go home. Look at young Master Qin..."
"Ah? Ah! Let's go first! I reckon he's gone back too, don't worry." Tang Feng pretended to tidy up the books on the table, then said to the man, "You go back first! I'll take a look at your registration; I haven't reported the trip to the Qiang and Hu tribes a few days ago." After everyone left, Tang Feng heard the two soldiers guarding the door come to check. Tang Feng climbed onto the iron frame and lay down, managing not to be discovered. After a while, he heard the sound of the lock being closed outside. Tang Feng cursed inwardly, "That brat Qin Liuliu, if he's home, that's fine, but if we catch him here, I'll definitely give him a good scolding today."
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