Provocation and Questioning
Although Tang Feng had sent Li Yunyu to supervise the construction, he didn't really sit idly by. He sent Liu Yiwan to follow behind under the guise of helping and relaying messages back and forth, which was a kind of reassurance. Li Yunyu had been supervising the construction for several months, and with winter approaching, Tang Feng had to put Shen Qinghang's words to him on the table again for reconsideration. "Young Master, what are you so worried about? His Highness the Ninth Prince is doing very well. He's been working tirelessly these past few months, and it should be finished by the beginning of the year." Liu Yiwan had been assigned by Tang Feng to supervise Li Yunye, and had gone there about a dozen times. He was quite puzzled. Liu Yiwan didn't know Li Yunye's character, nor did he know what Tang Feng was worried about. After all, he was a prince, and even a child should be much more mature than children from ordinary families. Meanwhile, Tang Feng was sitting by the fireplace playing chess with Zhou Ziliang. Seeing that Zhou Ziliang was gaining the upper hand and was about to push him to the brink, he curled his lip, put the chess piece back on the table, and said unhurriedly, "Just go when I tell you to. Why not be happy working for the royal family?"
"Young Master is still the Grand Tutor, yet you don't seem particularly happy!" Liu Yiwan dared not shout, at most muttering a few words in a low voice. Tang Feng picked up the white chess piece from the table and placed it back on the board, playing a back-and-forth game with Zhou Ziliang, but ignoring Liu Yiwan. Seeing that Tang Feng didn't speak, Liu Yiwan knew she was being frivolous, so she bowed and withdrew. After making his move, Tang Feng slowly spoke, "Shen Qinghang probably wants to execute Li Yunye as soon as possible; he's been urging me repeatedly for a long time."
"What does Xiaofeng think?"
Tang Feng toyed with the chess piece in his hand, pondered for a moment, and then tossed it into the brazier. The flames instantly engulfed the piece, making a crackling sound. "Perhaps Shen Qinghang is right. Being soft-hearted... is never the best way to win the throne." Tang Feng didn't really want to kill Li Yunye through underhanded means. Compared to Li Yunheng, he was more like a clown being used by politics. But he needed Li Yunyu as a stepping stone, and Tang Feng really had no choice. After thinking for a long time, he finally made a decision. "Alright, if His Highness needs it, I'll do it. But... you must keep it a secret from him. If he finds out, he probably won't help." Zhou Ziliang didn't reply immediately but pondered for a moment before speaking. "If you want to use a self-inflicted injury, then you must tell His Highness. After all, he was the one who gave you that. No one else can do it for you. You also need to find a legitimate occasion." Zhou Ziliang put away the chess pieces on the board as he spoke. "If... we can get back before the spring hunt this year, we can probably make our move during the hunt."
"Spring Hunt?" Tang Feng had never heard of a spring hunt before. He had been an official for at least a year and had experienced the spring break, yet he knew nothing about spring hunts.
"After the Qingming Festival ancestral worship, His Majesty will go hunting at the hunting grounds with the princes around him. High-ranking officials and concubines will also go. With so many people and so much gossip, it's probably a good opportunity." Hearing this, Tang Feng tilted his head and leaned back in his chair, thinking for a while. "That makes sense. Then we must hurry back before Qingming."
After arriving in Wanliang, Han Jiuhua found the post station where Tang Feng was staying and lay in wait nearby for many days, intending to make her move when Zhou Ziliang was not around. However, Zhou Ziliang stayed close to Tang Feng, making it difficult to find an opportunity. Han Jiuhua knew she might not be able to defeat Zhou Ziliang, and a hasty assassination attempt would likely result in her capture. Tang Feng was still resentful about Qin Liuliu's death, and her presence would probably arouse his suspicion. However, her trip wasn't entirely in vain. During these days, Han Jiuhua had been gathering information and heard that the Ninth Prince of Wanliang was overseeing the construction of terraced fields and was beloved by the entire city. With the year-end approaching, he was planning a city-wide celebration with a large banquet. If everyone attended, it might be easier for her to act. With Li Yunyu and Li Yunye present, Zhou Ziliang probably wouldn't only protect Tang Feng. Seeing the bustling streets of Wanliang, she disguised herself and mingled among the dancers hired for the celebration. The dancers, likely handpicked by the Wanliang prefect, were all stunningly beautiful and tall, their dances captivating. Han Jiuhua watched their rehearsal from below the stands. "Your dance is truly graceful and elegant," Han Jiuhua remarked after the dance ended. The girl, equally mesmerized by Han Jiuhua's beauty, had her hair tied up high, her eyes sparkling with laughter. Her skin was fair and clean, her bangs partially obscuring her eyes. She wore a white, wide-sleeved robe over a light blue gauze overlay, a blue belt cinched at her waist with a jade pendant hanging from it, and a folding fan in her hand, exuding a refined and gentle air.
"Sir, you flatter me. This is far from enough. In a few days, I will be dancing on a drum, rising and falling, so only the sound of the drum can be heard. Then you can praise me again," the dancer said, covering her mouth and giggling. She glanced at Han Jiuhua furtively before quickly lowering her head, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Then I am truly blessed. I came from Lanxi to do business, but I never expected to encounter such a good thing. May I ask your name, young lady?"
When Han Jiuhua reached out her hand, Liu Changyan hesitated for a moment before shyly placing her hand on Han Jiuhua's.
Li Yunye sat by the window, having summoned Shen Qinghang early in the morning. With Li Yunyu's project nearing completion, Li Yunye's side was also starting to stir. While Li Yunyu was overseeing the work, Li Yunye hadn't made any moves. After all, it was Tang Feng who had signed the pledge; if anything went wrong, Tang Feng would bear the blame if the Emperor held him accountable. Li Yunye didn't want to cause trouble for Tang Feng, so he could only wait until the end of the year, when the project was nearing its final stages. "The Ninth Prince's project is almost finished. If we return to the capital, it will probably be after the New Year, and then they can start planting. As for my side..." Shen Qinghang smiled slightly, picked up his teacup, and took a sip. "You, me, Tang Feng, and the Ninth Prince—the four of us live in rooms facing each other from all four cardinal directions. It doesn't matter who you call."
"But... Tang Feng... I..." Tang Feng had always avoided Li Yunye, afraid of running into him. Even though Shen Qinghang had explained the whole situation to him, Tang Feng still felt the timing wasn't right. Plus, the weather in Wanliang was much colder than in Xiling, and Tang Feng had been sick on and off several times, only recovering a couple of days ago. "Your Highness needn't worry, just do your work. After you're done, I should find some time to talk to the Ninth Prince." Seeing how easily Shen Qinghang spoke, Li Yunye didn't think much of it. Figuring Tang Feng was probably still in his room, he went out, bought some things, and knocked on Tang Feng's door. He only entered after hearing a "Come in." He saw Tang Feng sitting on the bed by the window, holding a book, covered with a mink blanket, with three or four braziers burning beside him. Li Yunye placed his things on the low table opposite Tang Feng, took off his coat, and asked, "Why are you sick again after a few days?"
"What's so strange about that?" Tang Feng didn't look up at Li Yunye, his eyes glued to the ancient book in his hands. "I've never seen you love reading this much back in school," Li Yunye said, leaning against the railing on the other side of the bed and sitting cross-legged. "Back then, you slept through class every day, driving the old teacher crazy."
"What else can I do but read? I'm just idling around anyway, I can't go out, and I've had enough sleep." Tang Feng turned the page of his book, took out a handkerchief from his pocket, covered his mouth, and coughed a few times.
"Where's Zhou Ziliang? Didn't you ask him to come with you?"
"I sent Ziliang to the street to buy dried fruit. He's been taking a lot of medicine these past few days, and his mouth tastes bitter." Seeing Tang Feng looking sickly and uninterested, Li Yunye didn't bring up the illness again. Then, noticing the chessboard on the table, he laughed, "You and Zhou Ziliang actually play chess for fun!" Tang Feng put down his book, put the chess pieces back into the chess box, and pointed at the chessboard with two fingers. "What? Your Highness wants to play a game with me?"
You didn't used to call me Your Highness.
"I've never played chess before," Tang Feng said, placing a white piece on the center point. Li Yunye was surprised and then placed a piece next to the center point. "Such an aggressive style of play? I've never seen it before. Only you could pull it off like this. Even though you're sick, your style is exactly the same as before."
Tang Feng tilted his head and took another chess piece from the chess box, placing it at the 3-3 mark. "It's not entirely unchanged," he said, then laughed. "I didn't originally play chess, but later I discovered that chess is like life, playing chess is like setting up a battle formation. Since I returned to Xiling, it's been shrouded in darkness every day, making it impossible for me to see the path ahead. Your Highness, it's your turn."
"You've certainly impressed me. Back at Lishan Academy, if it weren't for Li Yunrui, you probably wouldn't have been able to graduate. Now you've become my ninth brother's tutor. Is this a kind of repayment?"
Upon hearing this, Tang Feng's face immediately turned cold. He placed a chess piece on the board and looked up at Li Yunye. "Li Yunrui and I only had a transaction. It's true that he helped me graduate from Lishan Academy, but I also took the risk of helping him sign with Ayi Harbor. We're even now, Your Highness. Please don't overinterpret our relationship."
At this moment, Li Yunyu pushed open the door and entered, carrying a plate of fruit. He saw Li Yunye and Tang Feng playing chess. He was about to put down the fruit and leave without disturbing them when he heard Tang Feng say, "Ninth Prince, if you have nothing else, would you like to sit down and warm up?" Li Yunyu placed the fruit next to Tang Feng. "I just bought some pears. I tasted them and they're quite sweet. I brought them over for you to try, sir." Before Tang Feng could reply, Li Yunye spoke up, "Your tutor likes grapes. Why didn't you buy some?" This question left Li Yunyu speechless. "I..." He truly didn't know what Tang Feng liked or disliked. Compared to Li Yunye, who had been Tang Feng's classmate at Lishan Academy for three years, he was merely Tang Feng's student. Tang Feng had never mentioned his past to him, and he had never asked. Their conversations mostly revolved around the struggle for the throne. How could he possibly know Tang Feng's preferences? "Third Brother... you know the Grand Tutor very well?" Tang Feng kept kneading a pair of white chess pieces in his hands, the jade pieces clattering as they collided. Tang Feng lowered his eyes, not looking at either of them, while Li Yunye beside him laughed. "It was many years ago. Your Grand Tutor and I were classmates for three years, and we even recited poems together at the academy. My elder sister was there too. Your Grand Tutor, to avoid your eldest brother, often came to find me, and we would admire the flowers together at the lotus pond. Ah, those were good times... you, me, and my elder sister, Zhou Ziliang, Zhang Mobai, and the others... Ah, those days are gone."
Tang Feng, who had been silent until now, suddenly laughed. It was a laugh that Li Yunyu couldn't understand—a laugh filled with relief, joy, and even a hint of nostalgia. Li Yunyu didn't know what Tang Feng's past was like, but he knew that at this moment, Tang Feng truly wanted to go back. "Don't play the nostalgia card here. It's been so many years, no need to bring it up again," Tang Feng said, tilting his head back and laughing out loud. "Back then... well... Your Highness doesn't know about these things. Let's talk about something else." Tang Feng glanced at Li Yunyu, only to see him still completely stunned, unaware of how much of his conversation with Li Yunye he had overheard.
Li Yunyu didn't know how to answer. He had never imagined that Tang Feng could be so relaxed and at ease in front of Li Yunye, as if they were old friends reminiscing about the past. In contrast, Tang Feng not only got angry whenever he saw him, but also seemed to worry about him. If he had gone to Lishan Academy, if he had been born a few years earlier, would things have been different?
Zhou Ziliang pushed open the door and saw Li Yunye and Li Yunyu were both there. He bowed and said, "Your Highnesses are both here." Li Yunye nodded. "Tang Feng has fallen ill several times since he came to Wanliang. The doctors here are naturally not as good as those in Xiling, so I came to check on him. You know, he used to be so healthy, and he was fine even after going to the Qiang and Hu tribes for so many years. How did he suddenly become so ill?"
Tang Feng accepted the candied fruit Zhou Ziliang offered and laughed, "Who could have imagined? This is probably what they mean by being destined for good fortune but lacking luck!" At this moment, Li Yunyu stood up and said, "Sir, Yunyu will go back first. You should also get some rest." Li Yunyu emphasized getting some rest, and then, ignoring what the people behind him were saying, he turned and left without looking back. Tang Feng slowly placed the chess piece on the table, then coughed twice, covering his mouth. Zhou Ziliang quickly stepped forward to help him catch his breath. Seeing this, Li Yunye stood up and said, "I'll be going now. Young Marquis, please take good care of him!"
Tang Feng watched Li Yunye close the door before collapsing into Zhou Ziliang's arms. "His Highness the Ninth Prince seems... to have sensed something."
Why do you say that?
"He actually...didn't say anything." Tang Feng picked up the candied fruit and ate it. "Given His Highness's personality, if he were really fooled, he would probably be shouting and yelling, or saying cold things, but definitely not like this." Tang Feng looked at the candied fruit in his hand and smiled. "Has His Highness finally come to his senses?"
Zhou Ziliang laughed and pulled the blanket over Tang Feng up a bit more. "Probably so. After going through so much, Your Highness should have learned something."
Back in his room, Li Yunyu stared at the handwritten drawings by Tang Feng on the table, lost in thought. This prompted Ning Wan to ask, "Your Highness, is something troubling you?" Li Yunyu shook his head. "I can't quite put my finger on it. I don't know why, but today, Master and Third Brother were unusually close. And Third Brother seemed to be boasting about their past." Ning Wan, fearing Li Yunyu might suspect Tang Feng of betrayal, asked softly, "Are you afraid... that the Grand Tutor and the Third Prince are communicating privately?"
"No," Li Yunyu shook her head. "If Mr. Tang was doing these things behind my back, he wouldn't have asked me to stay there today. It's as if he's deliberately trying to tell me something." Ning Wan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, relieved that there hadn't been a misunderstanding. However, Li Yunyu didn't understand why Tang Feng was suddenly getting so close to Li Yunye. Just then, someone knocked on the door. Li Yunyu and Ning Wan exchanged a glance, and Ning Wan asked, "Should we go open the door?"
"Go ahead, let whoever it is in." Li Yunyu had guessed Tang Feng, Li Yunye, and even Zhou Ziliang, but he never expected that Shen Qinghang would be standing in front of him. Li Yunyu frowned as he looked at his brother's former subordinate. He didn't care about Shen Qinghang's departure; everyone has their own destiny, and he couldn't control his path. However, he really didn't understand why Shen Qinghang had gone to join Li Yunye, but he didn't say anything. "What do you want with me?"
Shen Qinghang sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, and said unhurriedly, "You don't even call me Brother Shen anymore? What did Tang Feng teach you? You don't even have the most basic respect?"
"You're no longer my elder brother's subordinate, so I don't need to bother with you anymore. Also... the teacher is very good; don't speak ill of him."
"Your Highness thinks Tang Feng and you have a good relationship?" Shen Qinghang looked up at Li Yunyu, noticing his momentary panic, and seized the opportunity to say, "Are you aware that Tang Feng and the former Crown Prince don't get along?" Li Yunyu was clearly taken aback for a moment, then slowly asked, "What do you mean?"
“The literal meaning,” Shen Qinghang chuckled. “The two of them didn’t get along at Lishan Academy. It was just that Tang Feng made a deal with your elder brother and was forced into working at the pawnshop. Later, he was sent as an envoy to the Qiang and Hu tribes, which brought him fame and fortune. But Tang Feng’s true intentions weren’t about the country, about deceit and treachery, or about high office and power. None of what your elder brother gave him was what he wanted. So he fled to Shanghan. After he returned, your elder brother begged him to assist you, but he refused. If Qin Liuliu hadn’t died, he wouldn’t have gotten involved. What do you think he went to such lengths to assist you for? It was just for Qin Liuliu.”
Li Yunyu was surprised that Shen Qinghang had told him so much. Although his mind was blank, he calmed down a bit after hearing the last sentence. Tang Feng indeed disliked officialdom, something Tang Feng had told him the first time he approached him, along with news of his strained relationship with Li Yunrui. As for using him for Qin Liuliu, Li Yunyu naturally knew. He was well aware of Tang Feng's purpose; he had made it clear to Tang Feng that day at the Tang residence. So, when Shen Qinghang told him all this, Li Yunyu initially wanted to retort, but then he thought, Shen Qinghang was helping Li Yunye, and Li Yunye had been showing goodwill towards Tang Feng today. And Shen Qinghang had come to see him right after he left Tang Feng's place—this was clearly a carefully orchestrated scheme. Thinking about Tang Feng's actions today, deliberately showing him his close relationship with Li Yunye, he was probably trying to hint at something. So, what should he do now? Did Tang Feng want him to take the bait? "You mean, sir, you're less sincere to me than a dead man?"
"What do you think? The late Crown Prince offered him so much—silver, official positions, even demanding he stay by his side—and he refused. What do you have to offer him?" Shen Qinghang pressed his advantage, seeing Li Yunyu take the bait. "Tang Feng is just assisting whoever he wants. He only wants to know who killed Qin Liuliu. Among the princes, you are neither as favored by His Majesty as the Fourth Prince, nor as close to Tang Feng as the Third Prince. All things considered, do you think you're still important to Tang Feng?" Li Yunyu picked up the teacup on the table and smashed it violently. The sound was so loud that Tang Feng in the opposite room jumped. Zhou Ziliang stood up. "I'll go check."
Tang Feng waved his hand, "Ahem... no need." Then he closed his eyes and slowly said, "It seems... Shen Qinghang has already started taking action. Our Prince is probably quite angry. You tell me, I'm the one who caused the trouble, and I'm the one who's trying to appease him. I've been caught in the middle, playing both the good and the bad guys." Seeing Tang Feng's aggrieved look, Zhou Ziliang quickly comforted him, "You are, after all, His Highness's tutor. Teaching and nurturing students is naturally your responsibility. Xiao Feng, you should think about how to explain this to His Highness later and get him to cooperate in a 'Zhou Yu beats Huang Gai' scenario."
Seeing Li Yunyu's strong reaction, Shen Qinghang knew he had probably succeeded. He stood up and said softly, "Your Highness thinks you have a good relationship with Grand Tutor Tang, but Grand Tutor Tang may not think so. I still think it's better to be safe than sorry." Then he turned and left the room. Li Yunyu sat down and immediately stood up to leave again, but Ning Wan quickly stopped him, "Where is Your Highness going?"
"I'll go find the Grand Tutor!" But Ning Wan stopped her again. "Your Highness, if you're going to ask the Grand Tutor for clarification, you should probably just forget it. You finally managed to deceive Lord Shen; if you go out now, all your efforts will be wasted. Besides, the Grand Tutor was ill for so many days and has only just recovered today; you shouldn't bother him."
"But...but if I don't ask clearly, how will I know if what I'm doing is right or wrong...The Master has always been intelligent; I'm afraid I won't understand his true intentions." Ning Wan shook her head. "Since the Grand Tutor summoned you to his room and let you see him with the Third Prince, it means the Grand Tutor has already made thorough preparations."
Wanliang's work was nearing completion. These past few days, Li Yunyu had been busy with various tasks and rarely returned to the post station. This relieved Tang Feng, who figured he could leave once the rainy season started after the New Year. He wanted to return before the spring hunt, otherwise he'd have to find another opportunity. Zhou Ziliang sat beside him, peeling grapes and placing them in Tang Feng's hand, saying, "His Highness has been busy wrapping things up lately, so it's good he hasn't bothered you. But isn't it a bit too quiet?" Tang Feng was flipping through his book, but hadn't really absorbed much. Hearing this, he irritably put the book aside. "Sigh... I'm uncomfortable whether he bothers me or not. There's just no way I can handle this prince."
On the eve of New Year's Eve, Tang Feng, listening to the sound of firecrackers outside, said, "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve." Li Yunye took out a bag of pastries from his pocket. "Tomorrow, the Prefect of Wanliang is hosting a banquet. Let's go and take a look."
Ever since Li Yunyu saw Tang Feng and Li Yunye together that day, he hasn't approached Tang Feng again. Even when they meet on ordinary days, Li Yunyu avoids him before Tang Feng can even speak. However, this is exactly the effect Tang Feng wanted, so he can only sigh inwardly and explain properly when he returns to Xiling, hoping Ning Wan can persuade His Highness. Seeing the change in Li Yunyu's attitude towards Tang Feng, Li Yunye became even more brazen, bothering Tang Feng for several days and giving him a headache. He could only force himself to chat with him casually, saying, "I won't go. I've been feeling a bit lethargic and weak these past few days. You two go ahead."
Seeing Tang Feng's refusal, Li Yunye was not discouraged. Instead, he continued to persuade him, "Don't say that. Go and join in the fun. Everyone knows how to do it..."
“Xiao Feng needs to rest,” Zhou Ziliang suddenly spoke up, silencing Li Yunye. “Ever since he came to Wanliang, his illness hasn’t fully healed. Your Highness shouldn’t trouble him.” Tang Feng, however, thought for a moment and said, “That’s fine… After all, he hasn’t been out for a long time. Going out and seeing the world will surely improve his health.” Li Yunye nodded. “Sigh, I heard they hired dancers from outside. They not only dance on drums, but the lead dancer can also play the flute.”
"Playing the flute? That's something to look forward to!" Tang Feng tossed the shells of the nuts he was holding into the brazier. "Yes..." Li Yunye suddenly looked up at Tang Feng and asked softly, "Have you seen a doctor these past few days?"
"You're almost fully recovered, why bother calling a doctor? Just have Ziliang get the medicine and brew it yourself." Then, as if remembering something, Tang Feng tugged at Zhou Ziliang's sleeve. "Ziliang, the medicine's still on the stove, go check on it and let it simmer a little longer."
"You're taking your time getting sick now, all unhurried."
"It's just that long-term illness makes one a doctor, what's so praiseworthy about that?" Tang Feng gave a wry smile, knowing that Li Yunye was already getting impatient, so he spoke up first, "Sigh... Your Li family is truly cold-hearted by nature!" Li Yunye didn't quite catch Tang Feng's words, and after a long pause, he asked, "Grand Tutor's words are strange, they've left me a little confused."
"I'm your brother's tutor, after all. He hasn't even come to see you while you've been ill for so long. It's disheartening," Li Yunye said, glancing at Tang Feng's expression as he served tea. Tang Feng remained calm, as if it were just a casual remark. "Yunyu is still young, so naturally, many things can't be perfect." Hearing Li Yunye's words, Tang Feng frowned but quickly regained his composure. "Sigh, perhaps my expectations were too high. But it's alright, it's expected that the Ninth Prince and I aren't close." Li Yunye secretly rejoiced, knowing that the relationship between Tang Feng and Li Yunyu could be shaken, and quickly added, "With your health, staying in Wanliang isn't good. You should go back as soon as the rainy season is over. I've noticed your cough has gotten worse these past few days."
"I'm much better now," Tang Feng said, bringing his hand to the fire. "When we return to Xiling, Your Highness, would you be so kind as to join me for a meal at Taibai Tower? After all, you've been a great help to Wanliang." Hearing this, Li Yunye was overjoyed and quickly nodded. "Of course, we'll arrange a time later." Tang Feng, having received the answer he wanted, was about to send him away. "Your Highness, please go back first. I'm a little sleepy. I'll take my medicine after Ziliang returns and go to sleep." Li Yunye, no longer hesitant, readily agreed. Not long after Li Yunye left, Zhou Ziliang climbed in through the window, closed it, and sat down next to Tang Feng. "Third Prince, you've taken the bait?"
"It's hard to say. He's not Li Yunyu after all; it's unlikely he'll take the bait immediately," Tang Feng said, leaning against Zhou Ziliang and rubbing his forehead. "Ziliang... my head hurts." Zhou Ziliang sighed. Ever since Tang Feng arrived in Wanliang, he'd been on and off sick, whether from the change in environment or the arrival of winter. They'd seen doctors, but none could figure out what was wrong, leaving Zhou Ziliang extremely anxious. "I already told you not to go to the banquet tomorrow. Just stay home and get some sleep."
"It's not that I want to join in the fun," Tang Feng shook his head. "It's that I care about His Highness the Ninth Prince, and I want to take this opportunity to see Shen Qinghang again." Because of the recent deterioration in Tang Feng's relationship with Li Yunyu, a strange sense of balance arose among the four of them, and Tang Feng didn't dare to rashly ask Shen Qinghang to come to him. As a result, many things remained unresolved.
The next day was New Year's Eve. At the invitation of the prefect of Wanliang, the group went to the Mosha Pavilion in Wanliang after dark. Li Yunyu and Li Yunye sat in the main seats, with the other guests on either side, leaving an open space in the middle for the dancers' performance. There were quite a few people present, including Wanliang officials of all ranks and wealthy merchants. Zhou Ziliang sat to Tang Feng's left, and Shen Qinghang to his right, with Liu Yiwan kneeling behind them. Tang Feng turned his head and whispered to Shen Qinghang, "As you requested, I've been in close contact with the Third Prince recently. How is the Ninth Prince?" Shen Qinghang sat up straight, trying to remain calm, and picked up his teacup to cover his mouth, whispering, "The Ninth Prince seems to believe it. He was so angry that day, didn't he come looking for you?" Tang Feng shook his head, then added, "The Third Prince's situation isn't quite right yet. I need to add fuel to the fire for the spring hunt after Qingming."
"What do you mean?" Shen Qinghang noticed Li Yunyu looking in their direction. He lowered his head and ate a bite of food. Just then, the Prefect of Wanliang stood up, raised his wine cup, and said, "Your Highnesses have worked tirelessly for Wanliang, which shows the court's high regard for the area. Ten thousand acres of fertile land have sprung up from the ground. This is a blessing from Heaven. On behalf of the people of Wanliang, I thank Your Highnesses." After toasting, the Prefect of Wanliang waved his hand, and a group of dancers came up. He raised his hand and introduced, "This is Wanliang's famous Sand Drum Dance. Please enjoy it."
Tang Feng watched as a dozen or so girls, their faces veiled in purple gauze, dressed in low-cut ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), and draped with Wu-style sashes, danced on sand drums. Bells adorned their ankles, and the rhythmic drumbeats were accompanied by the clear, crisp sound of the silver bells. Tang Feng couldn't help but rub his forehead in admiration. Just then, he heard the melodious sound of a xiao (a type of vertical bamboo flute). As the music began, Tang Feng gradually felt a sense of familiarity. "This piece... it sounds so familiar."
“It’s ‘Guan Shan Yue’,” Zhou Ziliang put down his wine cup and smiled. “I loved listening to it when I was young. Listening to this piece is like being on the frontier, feeling a surge of noble spirit and a thousand miles of exhilarating wind.” Tang Feng lowered his eyes, looking at the wine cup in front of him, listening to the stirring drumbeats and the lonely sound of the flute. He reached out to grab the orange on the table, but it rolled away. Tang Feng sighed, tugged at Zhou Ziliang’s sleeve, and whispered, “I want an orange.” Zhou Ziliang took a new orange from his table, wrapped it up, and handed it to him. Just as Tang Feng swallowed the last segment of orange, he saw the girl who had been playing the flute walking towards him, holding the orange he had just dropped. Tang Feng quickly stood up and smiled, "Sorry, miss, I didn't hold it properly and disturbed your performance." The girl shook her head and handed the orange to Tang Feng. At that moment, a gust of evening breeze blew, lifting a corner of the girl's veil, revealing Tang Feng's words, "Miss, your flute playing is excellent, and your beauty is truly breathtaking."
"Young master, you jest. I am merely a performer; whether I am male or female, ugly or beautiful, is unimportant." Tang Feng frowned upon hearing this. "Miss... haven't we met somewhere before?" Suddenly, the girl drew a short sword hidden in her flute and thrust it at Tang Feng. Zhou Ziliang, standing beside her, kicked over a table, blocking Han Jiuhua's view. He then grabbed Tang Feng and shielded him behind him, turning to Liu Yiwan and saying, "Go protect the Ninth Prince and the others!" At this moment, Han Jiuhua drew her soft sword from her waist, slashed through the table Zhou Ziliang had kicked, and charged towards him. The audience erupted in chaos at Han Jiuhua's actions. Li Yunyu, standing on the platform, looked anxiously at Liu Yiwan, who was protecting him. The prefect was even more bewildered. How could a carefully selected dancer suddenly attempt to assassinate the prince's tutor? If this were to happen, even ten heads wouldn't be enough to pay for it. With a powerful jerk, Han Jiuhua's soft sword pierced through Zhou Ziliang's waist like a ribbon, curving towards Tang Feng. Zhou Ziliang pulled Tang Feng behind him, causing him to stumble. He then turned and raised his hand, channeling his inner strength to his fingertips, pinching the sword between two fingers and pulling it backward. Han Jiuhua, far weaker than Zhou Ziliang, was thrown into a sideways roll by Zhou Ziliang's momentum, her sword twisting in her hand. Seizing the opportunity, Zhou Ziliang kicked away the long flute tucked at Han Jiuhua's waist, using it as a club to strike her knee. Han Jiuhua cried out in pain and knelt on the ground, but the sword in her hand broke free with a clever twist. She leaned back, braced herself with her hands, and launched the sword at Zhou Ziliang. Zhou Ziliang caught the oncoming sword with his flute and kicked Han Jiuhua in the stomach. Han Jiuhua staggered back two steps in pain, but Zhou Ziliang snatched the soft sword and thrust it towards his chest. At this moment, Tang Feng quickly shouted, "Ziliang! Don't kill him! I have questions to ask!"
But the sword was already out of control; it barely managed to pierce Han Jiuhua's shoulder before Zhou Ziliang pinned her to the ground. Tang Feng stood up, frowning, and asked, "Are you one of the Sixteen Riders of Yanshan?"
Han Jiuhua said "no" after a while.
"That's it... Yes, why did you want to kill me?"
Seeing that Han Jiuhua didn't speak, he continued, "Did you kill Qin Liuliu?" When Han Jiuhua still didn't answer, he couldn't contain his anger, squatted down, and said sternly, "I don't care who you are or why you killed me, but you must answer this last question!" Perhaps because his health hadn't fully recovered, Tang Feng suddenly became emotionally volatile and coughed again. Zhou Ziliang, also concerned for Tang Feng, loosened his grip on Han Jiuhua slightly, but Han Jiuhua seized the opportunity, throwing several darts to distract Zhou Ziliang. Yi Li then took advantage of the chaos to climb onto the roof. Seeing that the man had run away, Zhou Ziliang quickly called out to Liu Yiwan, "Go after him! See which way he ran!" He then quickly checked on Tang Feng's condition. Tang Feng was coughing violently, and it took him a while to recover. Tang Feng slowly lowered his hand covering his mouth, revealing a patch of scarlet blood on his palm. Before Zhou Ziliang could speak, Tang Feng murmured to himself, "It's him... He killed Liu Liu. When I questioned him, he didn't even dare to look me in the eye." Then Tang Feng collapsed into Zhou Ziliang's arms and fainted.
When Tang Feng woke up again, several doctors were standing beside him. One of the older doctors removed the acupuncture needles from Tang Feng's hand and turned to Zhou Ziliang, saying, "Grand Tutor, this was a case of anger attacking your heart. Your previous illness hasn't fully healed yet; just take good care of yourself." After the doctors left, Zhou Ziliang stepped forward and touched Tang Feng's forehead. "Thankfully, the fever has gone down."
"Ahem... Ninth Prince and the others..."
Seeing Tang Feng's hoarse voice, Zhou Ziliang got up and poured a glass of water. "I sent them away, knowing it would bother you if you saw them when you woke up." He gently helped Tang Feng into his arms and carefully fed him water. Tang Feng drank slowly, sip by sip, his brow furrowed. "She said... I'm just a performer, whether I'm male or female, ugly or beautiful, doesn't matter... She also... played Guan Shanyue." Tang Feng clutched the blanket tightly in his hands. "What's wrong?" Zhou Ziliang didn't know why Tang Feng was reacting so strongly. Tang Feng shook his head, closed his eyes, and said... "Ziliang, could you leave for a while? I'm sleepy." Knowing Tang Feng had just woken up and was naturally drowsy, she covered him with the blanket, got up, and left. Tang Feng, in the darkness, lay awake, his brow furrowed. He thought back to his meeting with Han Jiuhua years ago. She had said the same thing: 'Since I am a performer, whether I am male or female, ugly or beautiful, it doesn't matter. No matter what, it won't affect the sound of this zither. Why should you care about my appearance, young master? Why not sit down and listen to a piece of music to cleanse your mind?'
Back then... Mo Bai had also asked her to play "Guan Shan Yue" for him, but Tang Feng shook his head vigorously. Impossible, it couldn't be her; she was just the most beautiful courtesan of Qinghui Fang. But... why did the Sixteen Riders of Yanshan always know... always know where he was? The first time was when he disembarked from Han Jiu Hua's flower boat, then after sending a letter to Han Jiu Hua in Da Ze, and finally, when he got married, he told Han Jiu Hua that he would personally come to collect his wedding dress. The first time they met, he played "Ambush from Ten Sides" for him, the music filled with murderous intent, and before he disembarked from the flower boat, he said he would play a requiem for him. Tang Feng dared not think any further. He pressed his forehead against his chest, trying to calm himself down, gasping for breath. He had revealed his location to Han Jiuhua, and he had indirectly caused Qin Liuliu's death. Tang Feng clutched his shirt to his chest, pressing it tightly. "Ha... Han Jiuhua... Is it really you? For so many years, I've wanted to skin this person alive, tear them apart, eat their flesh, and sleep on their skin, but why did it have to be you?"
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