Reencounter with Hachiya
Tang Feng leaned against the bed, still very weak. Zhou Ziliang sat by the bedside and scooped a spoonful of rice porridge into Tang Feng's mouth. At this moment, thunder rumbled outside, and Tang Feng couldn't help but look outside. "Is everything taken care of?" Zhou Ziliang scooped another spoonful of rice porridge, blew on it, and handed it to him. "Don't worry, I've already made all the arrangements. You just focus on getting better and don't overthink things." Tang Feng shook his head and pushed Zhou Ziliang's hand away. "I don't want to eat anymore. I'm not overthinking anything. I just feel sorry for Xu Fengyan. It shouldn't have been me who helped with his funeral and burial." "For him, I fought for him from beginning to end..." "Only you can clean up the mess. Perhaps he won't complain if you do it," Zhou Ziliang said, standing up to close the window. But Tang Feng said, "Don't close the window. Spring thunder is rolling, rain is pattering on the banana leaves—it's a beautiful time. Leave it open." Zhou Ziliang wanted to argue, but then he thought that Tang Feng hadn't gotten out of bed for days, so it would be good for him to see the scenery. Tang Feng had been frequently lost in thought lately, lying in bed, and Zhou Ziliang didn't know what he was thinking. Every time he asked, Tang Feng would brush him off. He remembered what Wu Hezou had said that Tang Feng's heart ailment had been going on for a long time, but he hadn't even noticed.
"What are you thinking about?" Zhou Ziliang snapped out of his reverie, noticing Tang Feng tilting his head and looking at him. He smiled and shook his head. "Nothing, just worried that you're eating so little, what if you don't get better?" Tang Feng felt a pang of sadness, but didn't show it. He lowered his head and gave a slight smile. "If it's an illness, it will get better. How could it not get better?" Zhou Ziliang was about to say something when someone knocked on the door. "I'll go see. You rest well." Zhou Ziliang tucked the blanket up and went to open the door. Before the old steward could speak, a figure in red darted in, followed closely by a man who bowed slightly to Zhou Ziliang with his arms crossed over his chest—a gesture of respect from the Qiang and Hu people. "You are..." Zhou Ziliang looked at the man suspiciously, when the old steward quickly explained, "That young lady insisted she knew our young master. Before this old servant could even ask her clearly..." "She just rushed in!" Zhou Ziliang turned around and saw a girl dressed in Qiang and Hu attire. Her waist-length hair was braided with red ropes and hung down on both sides. A chain with jade rings strung on her forehead jingled as she walked. She wore a red dress with embroidered green and blue patterns on both sides, and a wide leather belt around her waist. She exuded a heroic aura. Tang Feng was stunned when he saw the girl, then smiled gently. "Princess, have you come to the manor to arrest me?" Only then did Zhou Ziliang remember that this was the Qiang and Hu princess Haqiya from back then. "What! This won't do!" Haqiya then looked at Tang Feng, who was leaning against the bed. His face was pale, his figure was thin, and his forehead was wrapped with a thin cloth. Zhou Ziliang at the door looked tired, and there were dark circles under his eyes. "Tang Feng... you... what's wrong with you?" She then sat down in front of Tang Feng's bed and looked around. The man next to her quickly went over and pulled Haqiya away. "Don't..." "Can't you tell? He's sick. Don't... don't be ridiculous." The man only realized his voice was a bit loud halfway through his sentence and lowered it. At this moment, Zhou Ziliang, seeing that it was an acquaintance, told the old steward to go back first, while he closed the door and poured water for Haqiya and the others. Haqiya took the water glass and glanced at Zhou Ziliang. "You didn't bully him, did you? He wasn't like this in Qianghu. Of course, he can't compare to my Qianghu men, but..." Haqiya grabbed Tang Feng's wrist and shook it at Zhou Ziliang. "He's not like this. What is this? Even the grasshoppers in my palace are fatter than him." After hearing this, Tang Feng removed Haqiya's hand and then explained, "I'm sick, not bullied. Don't make things difficult for Ziliang. After all these years, why are you still so aggressive?" Tang Feng's voice wasn't loud, compared to when he was in Qianghu... "That Tang Feng who fought the Confucian scholars is far inferior," Haqiya pouted. "How did you get yourself into this state? A cold? Or a flu? Or maybe a stomach ailment? Stomach ailments are like that; you can't eat much, so you lose weight easily." Tang Feng shook his head with a helpless smile, then looked at the man next to Haqiya and said, "Aren't you going to introduce us? Ziliang and I don't know each other yet." Haqiya then remembered, pulled the man to her side, took his arm, and laughed, "Oh, this is my consort Agula," then pointed to Tang Feng, "This is Tang Feng, the Tang Sicheng that Father Khan mentioned before, and Zhou Ziliang." Agula nodded to Tang Feng, whose lips curled slightly. He coughed a few times and then said, "Then congratulations! A few years ago, I remember the princess wished us, 'The phoenix's cry is melodious and its splendor is bright.' Today, I wish you, 'The phoenix and the luan bird sing in harmony, and your descendants multiply.'"
“We’re here to renew the contract. Dahexi was sent by my father, so we came along. We were hoping to have some fun in Xiling and see how you were doing, but you’ve gotten yourself into this state.” Haqiya glanced at Zhou Ziliang and then looked at Tang Feng. “You really didn’t protect him?” Tang Feng shook his head and said, “Things are complicated, and I can’t explain them in a short time. Besides, people change.” At this moment, Haqiya puffed out her cheeks as if she was sulking. She crossed her arms, plopped down on the bed, and stared at Tang Feng, saying, “But I don’t like you now. How can you talk like this?” "You've gone around in circles. I prefer the old Tang Feng." Tang Feng glanced coldly at Haqiya, then smiled. "Well... if you still like me, what about him?" Tang Feng pointed at Agula, but Haqiya was a little angry, feeling that Tang Feng was just making excuses for her. Her voice rose a few decibels. "Tang Feng! You know that's not what I meant. You were bold and straightforward in Qianghu, you... you shouldn't be like this now..." Seeing the atmosphere becoming tense, Tang Feng looked up at Zhou Ziliang. "Ziliang, go and have the kitchen prepare some Xiling specialties, or you can take them to Taibai Tower."
"Taibai Tower?" Haqiya's temper flared up quickly but subsided just as fast. Upon hearing they were going to a restaurant, she stood up to leave, but then stopped and looked at Tang Feng. "Aren't you going?" Tang Feng shook his head. "I was seriously ill a few days ago. The doctor told me to rest in bed. You guys go ahead." Haqiya then asked, "Then... I'll go find Liu Yiwan and Qin Liuliu. I haven't seen them in a long time. Have Zhou Ziliang take me!" Hearing Haqiya mention Qin Liuliu, Zhou Ziliang nervously looked at Tang Feng. After all, Xu Fengyan's matter had just been resolved a few days ago, and he was afraid Tang Feng would overthink things. Agula, standing nearby, also sensed something was wrong and tugged at Haqiya's arm, but Haqiya shook off his hand and asked, "What! Why are you pulling me! These are all my friends. What's wrong with me going to see them?"
"Liu Liu... he's gone." Tang Feng smiled at Haqiya. Zhou Ziliang knew Tang Feng was trying his best to hold back, but he didn't expect him to tell Haqiya directly, "Gone?" Haqiya's smile froze on her face. Not understanding Tang Feng's meaning, Tang Feng lowered his head and explained softly, "Gone means... dead."
Haqiya was stunned for three seconds before she understood why Tang Feng had said people change and that things were complicated and difficult to explain in detail. Her eyes welled up with tears, and she whispered, "I'm sorry... I didn't know." Tang Feng hadn't expected Haqiya to cry. He looked helplessly at Zhou Ziliang, then at Agula, and smiled wryly. "I'm sorry, please comfort her. I didn't mean to." Agula sighed, took a handkerchief from his pocket, and pulled Haqiya into his arms, wiping her tears. "I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to touch a sore spot."
Knowing the whole story, Haqiya stopped insisting on going to Taibai Tower. While Zhou Ziliang went to instruct the small kitchen, she sent Agula away and sat down to wrap an orange. "Can your illness be cured?" Tang Feng nodded. "You don't need to worry about me; I won't die anytime soon. It's just that neither of us expected to find such a good consort." Haqiya snorted and went over to shove the orange into Tang Feng's hand. "Then we should thank certain people. They looked down on me in the Qiang and Hu regions, but so many people begged..." "You're no good, you insisted on going back to Xiling with Zhou Ziliang. Look at you now, your body is so weak." Tang Feng was clearly exhausted, leaning against the bed without speaking for a long time. After a while, he finally spoke, "Then thank me. You won't be happy with me. I think Agula is quite good." Haqiya was silent for a moment, then asked again, "Are you still a driver? Don't lie to me!" Tang Feng smiled helplessly when he saw Haqiya pointing at his nose. "There's no need to lie to you about that. I'm not a driver anymore."
"So your whole family relies on Zhou Ziliang's salary?" Tang Feng shook his head. "Not really. I'm not that useless. I'm teaching princes in the palace now, but I broke up with my prince a while ago, so I'm probably unemployed now." Haqiya became interested. When she was a child, she loved hearing about the messy things in the palace, so when she heard Tang Feng say this, she quickly asked, "Tell me quickly, why did you break up? Did he think you were unwell? Or did he think you weren't good at flattery? Ah... Tang Feng, did you develop this roundabout way of speaking in the palace?" Tang Feng sighed. After a day of this, he finally understood why Wu Hezou wanted him to rest. Haqiya's nagging made him feel even worse than before. He was about to refuse, but then he thought of something, tilted his head and looked at Haqiya, and said, "You really want to hear it?"
"Of course!"
Tang Feng handed the orange back to Hachia. "Then you have to do me a favor." Hachia narrowed her eyes. "Fine, I won't tell you then. Why are you threatening me? I'm not listening!" Seeing Hachia about to leave, Tang Feng wasn't in a hurry. He closed his eyes and said softly, "Anyway, I'm not the one who's curious. What have I been through all these years? Does the princess really not want to hear?" Hachia, with her back to Tang Feng, her teeth chattering, turned around and started pointing at Tang Feng's nose, yelling, "I told you I hated your nonchalant attitude! Which bastard taught you that! Tang Feng, you've changed!"
"I told you long ago, people can change, but you didn't believe me, Princess," Tang Feng nodded and chuckled, which made Haqiya even angrier. She paced around the room for a while before finally yelling, "Even my father has never threatened me!" "Even my father has never threatened me. You only realize how cruel the outside world is after you've been out there... cough cough cough." Tang Feng coughed a few times, then said again, "Princess, aren't you going to ask me what I want you to do for me?" "What do I need you to do for me?" Haqiya was clearly still angry, sitting down on the stool with a huff, not wanting to look Tang Feng in the eye. Tang Feng propped himself up and sat up a little higher, saying, "You said Dahexi came to renew the contract, but unfortunately, this was a tactic used by the late Crown Prince to seize the throne. Back then, it was just to please His Majesty. If the terms aren't generous this time, it will be difficult to reach an agreement." Haqiya, upon hearing this, became angry and slammed her hand on the table, making the teaware clatter. Her reaction was exactly what Tang Feng had expected. "What do you mean! It was Yanyun that showed us goodwill, and now it's you Yanyun demanding terms! You!" Tang... "Feng, are all the people of Yanyun like this? Insidious, cunning, and full of tricks!" Tang Feng wasn't angry after hearing this, and nodded repeatedly to indicate that he understood. "Don't be angry, let me finish. The conditions can be balanced, but who will balance them? Naturally, it won't be His Majesty. I think it will be a prince. It's highly likely that a prince will be the one negotiating with Dahexi. Considering the current hierarchy, His Majesty should go back and ask the Third Prince first. And the Third Prince will readily agree because of the matter of establishing an heir. When he goes to negotiate, Dahexi will definitely make exorbitant demands and set the bar too high."
"But your emperor won't agree, will he?" Hachia frowned. Tang Feng was indeed her friend, but this concerned both countries, so Hachia couldn't just agree casually.
"Of course he won't agree, so other princes will go to negotiate again. When they go again, as long as Dahexi agrees to the terms with Yan Yun, these terms will be much more reasonable compared to the previous exorbitant ones, and His Majesty will be more likely to accept them. So are you willing to help me with this?"
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