Is it a tiger or a cat?
Zhang Mobai put the teacup lid back on, rubbed his hands together, and said, "Look at what Brother Sima is saying. You brought us in and even made tea for us, how could we complain? It's just that it's getting late, and if we don't go take care of our business soon, Afei will probably be going home."
"Oh dear, look at my brain! I've been so busy these past few days, I completely forgot why you all wanted to come. Alright, alright, we'll get together another day." With that, Sima Ru stood up. "I'll see you out."
"No need, no need. This is fine, we can go back ourselves."
The two walked side by side out of the corridor, turned the corner at the end, and then let out a long sigh of relief. Tang Feng wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Although he didn't know what he was afraid of, the moment he met Sima Ru's gaze, though outwardly calm, he was actually terrified. Sima Ru's eyes were like a cheetah's, staring at him as if a single wrong word would kill him.
"That scared me to death!" Tang Feng looked back and, seeing that Sima Ru hadn't followed, leaned close to Zhang Mobai and said, "That Sima Ru is terrifying! She had a smiling face, but her eyes looked like she wanted to kill someone. It scared my legs so much my legs went weak."
Zhang Mobai helped Tang Feng up and sighed, "He's in a better mood today, releasing us so quickly. Before, he would have interrogated me for two or three hours."
"Hey, you little madman, that's exactly what I wanted to ask you! Why didn't you tell the truth about what happened today?"
"I wanted to keep your assassination attempt a secret from too many people. I told Sima Ru I'd take you to Yang Fei to learn martial arts, but given Sima Ru's personality, she'll definitely want to get to the bottom of it. Right now, you have no clue where those assassins came from, so who knows who they were?"
"You suspect... Sima Ru?" Tang Feng asked in a low voice.
Zhang Mobai shook his head. "Of course it wasn't him. If it had been him that day, you and I would be dead by now."
Thinking of the hundred or so people in the Prince of Andu's mansion, Tang Feng felt a chill run down his spine. The two retraced their steps back to the T-shaped building, passed through the corridor, and went up to the top floor. Zhang Mobai gestured for Tang Feng to wait for him downstairs, then climbed the stairs himself. Halfway up, Zhang Mobai turned around and came back down. "Don't go up. He's probably finished his handover and gone out on a mission." He then plopped down on the stairs and beckoned to Tang Feng, "He won't be back for a while, little brother. Come and sit for a bit."
Seeing this, Tang Feng walked over, wiped the stairs, lifted his shirt, and sat down. "How long will it take?"
"I don't know! I've waited for all sorts of times before, sometimes an hour or two, sometimes a whole day. I always sit on the cobblestone path outside to wait for him, because it's easy for him to get kicked out if he wanders around here."
Tang Feng looked up, a mischievous grin on his face. "Why are you waiting for him? Ah~ love."
"How did you know that!" Zhang Mobai exclaimed in shock. After all, Tang Feng had lost his memory to the point where he didn't even recognize his own father. How could he remember something so clearly?
"Pfft! Cough cough... Cough, really?" Tang Feng was somewhat incredulous. After all, he had only intended to tease Zhang Mobai, but his random CP pairing had unexpectedly landed him on the actual couple. Tang Feng took a breath and asked again in a low voice, afraid he had misheard, "Little madman, this... really?"
"Yes! We were betrothed as children, it was arranged a long time ago. I was a little reluctant to meet him before, because he... is a bit annoying."
How to describe Tang Feng's current feelings? It's probably like his carefully nurtured cabbage has been eaten by a pig he's never seen before and whose breed he doesn't know—a mix of sadness and distress.
Zhang Mobai leaned against the stair railing, looking at Tang Feng and laughing. "Look at you. Even though you've changed a lot since losing your memory, you still have the same expression when you hear about this." After saying that, Zhang Mobai closed his eyes and slumped on the stairs. After waiting a while and seeing that Tang Feng didn't speak, he opened one eye and looked at Tang Feng from the side. Tang Feng still had the same expression. "Oh dear, where does all this sentimentality come from? I haven't even said anything yet! And you're already lamenting the ups and downs of life. Alright, alright, it's not like you're going to die."
Zhang Mobai was Tang Feng's first friend since arriving in this place. Unlike Liu Yiwan, who, despite his usual annoying and demanding nature, always maintained a servant's demeanor and was more of a listener than a consultant, Zhang Mobai was different. He could advise Tang Feng when he was at a loss, offering guidance while listening. Tang Feng had been here for about a year, encountering countless new things, and Zhang Mobai was always there to help him. Tang Feng suddenly understood why, in modern society, a young woman's best friends would cry their hearts out when she got married. However, Tang Feng was a man who had seen his share of ups and downs; this place was full of surprises. Compared to him having to beg the emperor for a marriage decree, Zhang Mobai's arranged marriage seemed far more legitimate.
Tang Feng also lay down down the stairs, his arm under his head, and let out a long sigh as if relieved. "I'm not upset at all. What are you imagining?"
Zhang Mobai didn't reply, and the two of them just lay there, basking in the warm midday sun, which made them want to sleep. When they woke up again, it was already dusk. Tang Feng and Zhang Mobai heard a loud shout outside, "Open the door!"
Zhang Mobai quickly got up and pulled Tang Feng to his feet, saying, "Little brother, Yang Fei might be back. Let's go, let's go!" He then dragged Tang Feng outside, not caring whether Tang Feng had opened his eyes or not. Tang Feng was pulled so hard by Zhang Mobai that he almost fell face-first to the ground. By the time he regained his balance, they were already at the front door.
Zhang Mobai pulled Tang Feng to the side, and they saw the side door slowly open. After a while, Tang Feng felt the ground shake and could vaguely hear the sound of horses' hooves. Perhaps still traumatized by the assassination attempt, Tang Feng unconsciously tightened his grip on Zhang Mobai's sleeve upon hearing the sound. The hoofbeats grew louder, and a group of people rode in. The leader wore a white cloak with a hood, and a black half-mask on his face, like Sima Ru's, with tassels hanging down on both sides, except Sima Ru's was black while his was white. He carried a halberd, and there were traces of blood on the halberd and his cloak. The man tightened the reins, forcing the horse to stop and turn to the rear, saying, "Take the prisoner back first. You two go find the clerks and records and submit them to the Registrar for approval." He seemed to see Zhang Mobai and Tang Feng standing to the side, but didn't react, continuing, "The rest of you go back and record what you saw, and submit it to the Registrar's Office for safekeeping by tomorrow morning."
Those who had accepted their tasks went about their own business. The leader dismounted, removed his mask, and rushed towards Zhang Mobai, exclaiming, "Bai Bai! You've finally come to see me! I thought I had fallen out of favor!"
Zhang Mobai pulled out his belt and slapped the man across the face. "Get away from me! Stay out of the way! Aren't you filthy covered in blood?"
"Hehe, sorry, I was in a rush when I got back and forgot to wipe it off," the person said, scratching their head and revealing two small tiger teeth. "Oh! Little crybaby's here too! Long time no see!"
"Get out of the way! Don't call him 'little brother' like that. 'Little brother,' he's Yang Fei," Zhang Mobai glared at Yang Fei, then turned to Tang Feng and introduced him.
Yang Fei was completely baffled. Why were they introducing themselves like this? After all, they had grown up together, getting along well and even raiding bird nests. Looking at Tang Feng's gaze, which seemed utterly unfamiliar, Yang Fei pulled Zhang Mobai aside and asked, "Bai Bai, come here!" He added, "Has your little brother lost his mind? Why is he acting like this towards me now?"
"Remember when that little brother fell off his horse last year? He hit his head and doesn't remember many things or a lot of things. His personality has changed a lot too." Zhang Mobai whispered in Yang Fei's ear, "You better behave yourself. If you continue to bully him like before, I'll beat you to death with my shoe sole."
"Okay! I know! I'll definitely listen to what you say." After saying that, Yang Fei walked up to Tang Feng and said, "Little cry... cough cough, um, young master Tang, I am Yang Fei," and then bowed respectfully.
Tang Feng looked at Yang Fei. Perhaps because he hadn't fully grown in, his jawline wasn't very defined yet, and his face was a bit round. When he smiled, his two little tiger teeth were visible, like a little sun. He had single eyelids, but his eyes were a bit small, somewhat like... a narrow slit? Seeing Yang Fei bow to him, Tang Feng quickly returned the greeting, "Squinty eyes... cough cough, no, Brother Yang."
Yang Fei glanced at the sky and said, "You came here specifically to wait for me today. Is there something you need?"
Zhang Mobai nodded. "This matter is a bit complicated, so we might need to find a more secluded place to discuss it."
"Once we're inside the Protectorate, where will we find a place to hide? Here's what we'll do: wait for me a little while, I need to go and settle some things. We can talk at my place." With Zhang Mobai's permission, Yang Fei picked up his halberd, grabbed the saddle with one hand, and leaped onto his horse. "Wait for me at the back gate! I'll be right back." He then whipped his horse and rode off.
"Tsk tsk tsk, impressive skill," Tang Feng shook his head, a hint of envy in his eyes, then turned to Zhang Mobai with a look of disdain, "This is much better than that person's amateurish horse stance."
"Hey, hey, hey! Who are you implying? Little brother, you can't be so ungrateful! My kung fu may not be great, but didn't I save you from dire straits that day? I'm your savior, can't you show me some respect?" Zhang Mobai poked Tang Feng's lower back a few times, making Tang Feng so ticklish that he begged for mercy.
By the time Yang Fei emerged, it was already late. He had removed his white cloak and changed into his everyday clothes: a white martial arts uniform underneath, with tight ties at the cuffs, and a light blue gauze jacket over it. He looked even more youthful than before. The three of them boarded the carriage Liu Yiwan had brought. Yang Fei pulled back the curtain and watched the carriage gradually move further and further away from the governor's mansion. He then lowered the curtain, turned around, and asked, "Bai Bai, what's the matter? Tell me now."
"Forehead..."
"I plan to learn martial arts from you," Tang Feng interrupted before Zhang Mobai could even speak.
Yang Fei stared at Tang Feng in disbelief, as if he were hearing some earth-shattering secret. A moment of silence followed, so quiet that only the creaking of a cart could be heard. Suddenly, Yang Fei burst out laughing. "Pfft! Hahahaha! You little crybaby, you want to learn martial arts?" He then grabbed Tang Feng's wrist and said, "Look at your skinny arms, you can't even lift a brick, and you want to learn martial arts?" After laughing for a while, Yang Fei noticed Tang Feng looking at him with unusual seriousness. Zhang Mobai, standing beside him, glared at him irritably. Yang Fei chuckled awkwardly and said, "Hehe, it's not that I don't want to teach you, it's just... you have to give me a reason! You, a frail scholar, suddenly wanting to learn martial arts, did you really fall off a horse and your personality change drastically?"
"That's exactly what I wanted to tell you," Tang Feng said, crossing his arms and leaning back.
Tang Feng told Yang Fei about his unprovoked assassination attempt. He had investigated for a long time but found nothing, and in desperation, he had no choice but to learn martial arts to save his life. After listening, Yang Fei glanced at Zhang Mobai, who nodded in confirmation that it was indeed as Tang Feng had said. After thinking for a long time, Yang Fei finally spoke, "In my opinion, getting clues isn't actually that difficult. We can just catch that person directly. You might not be able to do it, but I can try. However, we should discuss this matter carefully." After saying that, Yang Fei leaned out the window and said to Liu Yiwan, "Your young master will be staying at my house tonight. You should go back and inform Uncle Tang!"
Liu Yiwan was naturally overjoyed. After all, he had waited for Tang Feng and Zhang Mobai from morning till night, his back was almost broken from sitting so long. Now, being allowed to return home felt like a pardon. Besides, with Yang Fei and Zhang Mobai accompanying him, he was completely at ease about Tang Feng's safety. Having received his orders, Liu Yiwan stopped and watched the carriage drive away before returning home to report back.
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