Brother, what should I call him?
The journey back wasn't too difficult; after seven or eight days, they arrived at the academy. As soon as Tang Feng entered the gate, Zhang Mobai rushed into his arms. "Big brother! Why are you so late? I was so worried! The people who went with you have already sent letters, but you still haven't returned!" Tang Feng chuckled, hugging Zhang Mobai. "I ran into some trouble, which delayed me."
"Something happened?" Zhang Mobai pulled Tang Feng aside and asked, "What happened? Don't tell me you were attacked again."
"Hmm...hmm," Tang Feng nodded. "Don't worry too much, I'm perfectly fine! I just got a minor injury, and we found a place to rest and recuperate, which is why we were a little late."
"Oh, that's good. Just don't let it leave any lasting health problems!" Then Zhang Mobai lowered his voice and asked, "What about Zhou Ziliang? Does he know about that matter?"
"He's not blind! Of course he knows!" Tang Feng rolled his eyes at Zhang Mobai. "By the way, did you help me mail the letter?"
"I mailed it, I mailed it. You've only been gone a few days, and a letter arrived from your residence. I didn't even read what it said before sending it out." Zhang Mobai turned and went into the house, rummaging through drawers and cabinets for a while before finally finding the letter. Tang Feng opened it and saw Qin Jiujiu's handwriting: "Xiao Feng, greetings! It's been so long since you wrote back. I wonder how you're doing in Lanxi. Judging by the days, you should be back soon! When will you return? Have you decided?" Tang Feng thought, "Well, after reading Qin Jiujiu's letter to me, and then reading the letter Zhang Mobai sent for me, this is completely irrelevant!" Just as Tang Feng was about to rewrite and send another letter, he heard someone knocking on the door.
"Young Master, is my young master here?" That voice sounds so familiar! Tang Feng put down his pen and exchanged a glance with Zhang Mobai, then got up one after the other to check on the situation.
Liu Yiwan, carrying large and small bags, stood at the door, bowing to Zhou Ziliang. "Oh dear! Young Marquis, you've really worked hard, busy with your studies and still taking care of my young master. Let me tell you, my young master is good in every way, except he's not very diligent. After he marries into your household, I'll have to ask you to be more tolerant. Also! Don't take what happened the other day about the young master wanting to break off the engagement seriously. He just injured his head in a fall, and that's where he's not quite right in the head." Liu Yiwan pointed to his head and shook it, seemingly with regret, yet also with a hint of schadenfreude.
Tang Feng, suppressing his anger with his eyes closed, thought, "Why did this unlucky thing follow me here? Is it trying so hard to make me angry?" Before Tang Feng could speak, Liu Yiwan interjected, "Oh, young master, I've missed you so much! You've been at the academy for so many years, but your writing hasn't improved much! The letters you sent us were completely nonsensical, and your handwriting looked like scribbles. It took a group of us a long time to piece together what they meant. Miss Jiu thought you were going to die!"
Tang Feng gritted his teeth and forced out a few words, "Does Sister Jiu think I'm no good, or do you think I'm no good?" Tang Feng thought to himself, "No, I absolutely cannot lose my temper in front of Zhou Ziliang. I am an intellectual, I am a cultured person. Life is like a play; we meet because of fate, and it's not easy to grow old together. Shouldn't we cherish it more? Why get angry over trivial matters? Looking back, what's the point? I won't get angry when others are angry. Anger causes illness, and no one can take your place. If I get sick from anger, who benefits? It's also mentally and physically exhausting. Mind your own business, go home early and worry less. Don't compare yourself to neighbors and relatives. Let your children and grandchildren handle their own affairs; the birth of a child brings joy. Let people go when they reach old age; we've shared both hardship and joy. Even gods envy such a good couple. Men, women, young and old, pay more attention to each other. Don't get angry, don't get angry!" Tang Feng took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and heard Liu Yiwan say, "Young Master, what have you been through at the academy? You seem to have aged quite a bit."
"Liu Yiwan, you little bastard, get out of here! Damn it!" Tang Feng, hands on his hips, grabbed Liu Yiwan's ear and started to pull him towards the door. But a boy blocked their way. Tang Feng looked up and saw that the boy's features resembled Qin Jiujiu's, and he even had two small tiger teeth when he smiled. Who else could it be but Qin Liuliu? Tang Feng released Liu Yiwan's hand and looked Qin Liuliu over carefully. "Isn't this Liuliu! I didn't expect you to have grown so much in the time I've seen you."
"Brother, I missed you so much, so I came along." Qin Liuliu was now almost as tall as Tang Feng, having lost some of her childishness; her once round face had become more angular. Qin Liuliu bowed to them, "Brother Mo Bai, Brother Yang, um..." Qin Liuliu looked at Zhou Ziliang and was momentarily stunned. This was understandable; since entering the Tang residence, she had never seen Zhou Ziliang before. Qin Liuliu moved closer to Tang Feng, tugging at his sleeve, "Brother, what should I call him!"
Zhang Mobai couldn't help but laugh. "Then what do you think you should call him?" Qin Liuli shook her head, looked at Tang Feng, and waited for him to speak. Tang Feng pointed at Zhou Ziliang. "According to seniority, you should call him sister-in-law." Zhang Mobai sidled up to Tang Feng, grinned mischievously, and nudged Tang Feng's lower back. "Wow, little brother, you've finally seen the light! We couldn't persuade you the other day no matter what we said, but after going to Daze, you suddenly understood?"
Tang Feng glanced at Zhang Mobai and said, "You don't understand. Our feelings for each other have grown over time, and we have a long future ahead of us."
Qin Liuli glanced at Tang Feng, then obediently addressed Zhou Ziliang as "sister-in-law." Zhou Ziliang was both amused and exasperated by this address. "Your brother is talking nonsense, but you're so obedient. You call me your brother's contemporary, so you should call me brother too!" Qin Liuli looked at Tang Feng, as if seeking his opinion. Tang Feng nodded. "Just call him Brother Ziliang!" Then he looked at Liu Yiwan. "Tell me! What are you doing here? Don't tell me you're just bored and came here to mess with me."
"No, that won't do." Liu Yiwan unloaded her bags one by one, opening each one. "Miss Jiu was thinking of you and insisted that I bring you some food or something." Liu Yiwan took out many things from her bags, such as rice candy and rose cakes! She also brought a box of ox-tongue biscuits for Zhang Mobai. "Miss Jiu brought something?" Yang Fei looked around. "Is there anything for me?"
"Miss Jiu specially bought these walnut pastries for you. To prevent them from getting oily, she wrapped them in oil paper," Liu Yiwan said, handing a box of walnut pastries to Yang Fei. "Miss Jiu said to tell you to take good care of yourself, young master, and to be careful in your daily life."
"Safe?" Tang Feng mumbled, a rose cake dangling from his mouth. "I'm much safer at the academy than at home. Tell Sister Jiu not to worry. Alright, the things have been delivered, and the message has been given. You can go now. Liu Liu, stay here with me for a few more days."
"Hey? My dear young master, I've worked hard all this way, even if I haven't done anything special! And you're just kicking me out without saying a word!"
"It's not that I'm kicking you out," Tang Feng said, hands on his hips. "Take a look yourself. There are two rooms in total. Which one is more suitable for you?" Liu Yiwan looked at the four people in front of her. Weren't they all young masters and noblemen? Liu Yiwan pouted. "Can't you just give me a place to stay?"
Zhou Ziliang pointed to the side room. "The side room is small, and there are a lot of mosquitoes. If you don't mind, you can take a look first." Liu Yiwan slung her bundle over her shoulder and went to the room. Tang Feng sat on a stool with some pastries and handed Zhou Ziliang a piece. "Try this. This rose cake was made by Sister Jiu herself. She's very skilled; her pastries are sweet but not greasy." Zhou Ziliang took the pastry, walked forward, and looked down at Tang Feng, his face getting closer and closer. Tang Feng felt uncomfortable under his gaze and kept looking away. Zhou Ziliang's hand brushed against Tang Feng's lips before he pulled away. "What were you doing just now!" Tang Feng patted his chest and let out a long breath.
"You have crumbs of pastry on your lips, why are you so nervous?" Zhou Ziliang took a small bite of the rose cake and sat down on the stone table. "Or is it that, Xiaofeng, you're thinking something else?"
"Who's thinking the wrong thing?" Tang Feng kicked Zhou Ziliang. Qin Liuliu moved a small stool and sat down next to Tang Feng. "Brother, isn't Ziliang the one you cried, made a scene, and even threatened to hang yourself a few years ago to break off the engagement?"
Tang Feng tugged at Qin Liuliu's arm, rubbing salt in the wound! Thinking about all the stupid things he'd done back then, Tang Feng felt like biting his tongue and committing suicide. "Brother Ziliang, my brother even called you heartless and crazy before!" Tang Feng rolled his eyes in anger. It must be that little bastard Liu Yiwan who corrupted Qin Liuliu; her speaking style was becoming more and more like his. Thinking of this, Tang Feng's anger flared. He gave Zhou Ziliang an awkward smile, "Don't listen to his nonsense, Liuliu is just a child."
Zhou Ziliang chuckled and patted Qin Liuliu's head. "It's alright. Your brother scolded me quite a bit afterward. Go find your brother Mo Bai! He might need some help making tea." After Qin Liuliu left, Zhou Ziliang bent down and squinted at Tang Feng. "So, Xiao Feng scolded me quite a bit before, huh?"
"So what! You're an irresponsible, heartless, and unfaithful man. You were engaged and still ran off with someone else." Tang Feng pointed at Zhou Ziliang's shoulder and pushed him back. "Let me tell you, don't think you're right just because you're sitting higher than me. In this matter, I'm much more in the right than you."
Zhang Mobai came out carrying tea. "What are you chatting about? It's quite lively. Let me tell you, the Prince Duan came again a few days ago."
"What's he doing here?" Zhou Ziliang picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea, and handed it to Tang Feng.
"What else could it be about?" Zhang Mobai took a sip of tea and placed the cup on the stone table. "Seeing you weren't there, he didn't rush to leave. He chatted with me for a bit. You said, 'Prince Duan is so popular with the court officials, yet he's still so eager for the position of Crown Prince.'"
"Perhaps he feels threatened! The Fourth Prince is eyeing the Crown Prince's position covetously. Even with the support of many court officials, he still has some designs on it!" Zhou Ziliang didn't care about such things. As far as he was concerned, he only listened to the Emperor of Yanyun. As for who would be emperor and who would be prince if the princes fought over it later, he didn't care.
Tang Feng, holding his teacup, listened intently to the stories. Watching Qin Liuliu playing happily with Yang Fei in the courtyard, he couldn't help but sigh, "Being born into an imperial family isn't all that great! From birth, you might just be a tool for vying for favor in the palace, the towering palace walls like a cage." Tang Feng shook his head. "How tragic."
"Misery? I think they're enjoying themselves quite a bit, with so many ministers fawning over them," Zhang Mobai said, propping his head up as he looked at Tang Feng. "Countless treasures of gold and silver, endless riches and glory."
"Really? I think it's lonely at the top."
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