Ten Miles of Red Makeup
Zhou Ziliang got up to leave, but Tang Feng grabbed him. "No rush, no rush. Bao'er's wedding is probably not until half a month from now. You can leave early tomorrow morning. Also, don't let Cheng Yitian and Bao'er know about this. I'm afraid they won't accept it."
Zhou Ziliang poured himself a glass of water and said, "I've got this in mind. Tomorrow morning I'll go to the market again under the pretense of getting medicine. Besides the bridal sedan chair and the gongs and drums, is there anything else you want to buy?" Tang Feng stared at the papers on the table for a long time, his fingers tracing the grain of the old wooden table, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Well... also, Brother Bao'er insists on killing a chicken for me to nourish my body. Could you buy another chicken to return to them? I'll pay you back the money when we get back to the academy."
Zhou Ziliang laughed upon hearing this. He had been wondering what had made Tang Feng so embarrassed, and now he realized it was this! Zhou Ziliang ruffled Tang Feng's hair. "I thought it was something serious! It's just buying a chicken! I understand."
Tang Feng pushed Zhou Ziliang's hand away, somewhat impatiently saying, "If you know, you know, so what? Why are you hitting me!" At this moment, Li Bao'er walked in carrying a pot of chicken soup. "Brother! I was so engrossed in the moment that I forgot the firewood in the kitchen was burning brightly, and it almost burned. There's not much soup left, just enough to barely fill a bowl. Brother Ziliang, please bear with it!"
Zhou Ziliang smiled, took the pot from Li Bao'er, placed it on the table, and ladled a bowl for Tang Feng. Indeed, as Li Bao'er said, there wasn't much left after that bowl. "Brother Bao'er, what are you saying? What's there to be aggrieved about? I cherish my own wife! Why would I fight with him for a bowl of soup?" Tang Feng gripped the ladle tightly, afraid he might impulsively slap Zhou Ziliang. His wife, his wife... he wondered if Zhou Ziliang was doing it on purpose, making up such a lame excuse yesterday. Now, whenever Li Bao'er and Cheng Yitian are around, he tries to take advantage of him. If it weren't for his injury, he would have already confronted him.
Tang Feng gritted his teeth and glared fiercely at Zhou Ziliang, saying, "Husband! Actually, you can use a different term of address."
"Oh dear! Little brother's shy! Your brother's here, we're not strangers. Alright, alright, Ziliang! You start brewing the medicine first, he can drink it after he finishes eating. This medicine is most effective when drunk hot after meals." Li Bao'er got up and took out a palm-leaf fan from the box, handing it to Zhou Ziliang. "This needs to be simmered slowly over a low flame, don't be impatient."
Tang Feng was even more furious after hearing Li Bao'er's words, his eyes practically spitting fire. Shy my foot! He and Zhou Ziliang had absolutely no connection whatsoever. It was just that Zhou Ziliang had an innocent-looking face, and everyone thought he was good, but in reality, he was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Zhou Ziliang took the palm-leaf fan and nodded. "I've got it. I've brewed this medicine a few times before. If I encounter any problems, I'll have to ask Brother Bao'er."
Tang Feng pouted, raised his spoon, and was about to hit Zhou Ziliang's arm when he angrily shouted, "What can't you do to brew medicine? Go away, go away, go do what you're supposed to do, don't loiter around here, you're annoying!"
"Alright, alright, I won't bother you. You eat well, I'll go make your medicine." Zhou Ziliang said, then picked up the medicine packet and went out. Tang Feng sipped the soup spoonful by spoonful. Tang Feng had never tasted such good chicken soup before. In the real world, most chickens were either raised on hormones or fed feed and were skin and bones. The chicken soup they made was like dishwater. Even when he transmigrated to the Tang family, the chickens there were broiler chickens fed with rice and never left the coop. Li Bao'er's chickens were different. The soup was milky white with a thick layer of yellow oil on top. Except for a pinch of salt just before it was done, no other seasonings were added, but it tasted very refreshing, with a slightly sweet aftertaste. Tang Feng smacked his lips and said, "Brother, your chicken soup is so delicious! I've never tasted such good chicken soup before."
Upon hearing Tang Feng's praise, Li Bao'er became somewhat proud. "Of course! My chickens eat millet, and I have to go out every day to herd them. Of course, they're different from the chickens you have. I'm not bragging, but even the most famous chef in Xiling might not make chicken soup as good as mine." Li Bao'er tore a chicken leg off the chicken and handed it to Tang Feng. "Here, have a chicken leg. You need to nourish yourself. I'm still waiting for you to help me into the family."
Watching Tang Feng finish eating, Li Bao'er cleared away the dishes while urging him to go to bed and rest. "Oh dear! You need to rest more after being injured. What are you afraid of with me outside? I'll go check your medicine in the kitchen. Wait a moment." After saying that, Li Bao'er took the pot out and went into the kitchen. She saw Zhou Ziliang sitting on a stool, fanning himself with a palm leaf fan, carefully watching the heat. "Brother Ziliang! You're so thoughtful. My brother is so lucky to have a husband like you."
Zhou Ziliang put the palm-leaf fan aside and watched Li Bao'er fetch water to wash the pot, muttering, "It's not that I'm being thoughtful; it's just that I've always felt indebted to him."
"What you're saying is ridiculous. How can a husband and wife owe each other anything?"
“It’s not what you think. Xiaofeng has liked me since we were little. He used to be timid and cried a lot, always sticking to me. But I didn’t like him then. Later, I heard that he went to my father to beg me to marry him. I was so angry that I ran away to the border and stayed away for three or four years. When I came back, I heard that he had fallen from his horse and had forgotten many things from before. He had forgotten me, and I should have been happy.” Zhou Ziliang looked at Li Bao’er. “He even went to my father to break off the engagement, but I couldn’t be happy at all. Not long after, I realized that I had started to like him. I could finally understand how he felt before, that loneliness, humility, and the feeling of not getting a response. Maybe this is retribution!”
Li Bao'er held the spatula, unsure whether to feel sorry for the former Tang Feng or pity the current Zhou Ziliang. Finally, she sighed, put the spatula in the dishwater, and wiped her hands on her apron. "I don't know what to say, but I think my brother still likes you, really! I'm telling you, he told me this morning that you're doing very well!"
Zhou Ziliang smiled but didn't reply. After a long while, he looked up and asked Li Bao'er, "Brother Bao'er, the medicine should be ready now. Could you hand me a bowl?" Li Bao'er quickly grabbed a bowl and handed it to Zhou Ziliang. "Pour it out and take it over while it's still hot. It won't be effective if it gets cold."
Zhou Ziliang carried the bowl into the room and saw Tang Feng sitting on the bed. A slight smile played on his lips. "Xiao Feng, come on, the medicine is ready. Let's drink it while it's hot." He lifted his robe slightly, sat down on the edge of the bed, stirred the medicine with a spoon to cool it down, and then took a sip, saying, "I tasted it, and it's not too hot anymore. Come on, drink it quickly."
Tang Feng frowned as he looked at the dark liquid in front of him. "Do I really have to drink this medicine?" Seeing Zhou Ziliang holding the bowl without speaking, Tang Feng pouted. He was just showing off; Zhou Ziliang had been so talkative before, but now he ignored him as soon as he mentioned not taking the medicine. Tang Feng took the bowl, endured the nauseating taste, and took a sip. His face contorted with bitterness. "How much bitter medicine did this old man add? I sprained my ankle, not have a sore throat!" He then shoved the bowl into Zhou Ziliang's hands, crossed his arms awkwardly, and said, "Drink it if you want. Who drinks this and expects their bones to set?"
Zhou Ziliang held the medicine, scooped up a spoonful, and held it up to Tang Feng. "Alright, alright, I know you're upset and think it's bitter, but good medicine tastes bitter! At least we'll drink half a bowl, okay? Be a good boy!"
"Fine! As you wish! As you wish!" Tang Feng took the medicine bowl and gulped it down. He frowned, enduring the discomfort in his stomach; bitterness filled his mouth. He closed his eyes to catch his breath, and when he opened them again, Zhou Ziliang was holding a piece of candy. "Here, your reward."
Tang Feng took the candy and popped it into his mouth. "Could you please not buy ginger candy next time? I don't like ginger."
"Okay, I'll buy you sesame seeds next time, okay?" Zhou Ziliang took the empty bowl from Tang Feng's hand, and with his other hand, he squeezed Tang Feng's ankle. "It's bad enough that the ankle bone is injured, but why is the swelling still so bad? Does it still hurt when I squeeze it like this?"
Tang Feng shook his head. "It doesn't hurt as much as yesterday, but it's still a bit sore. Oh, and could you bring me the paper and pen on the table?"
Zhou Ziliang didn't know what Tang Feng was going to do, but he did as he was told. Tang Feng took the paper and pen and carefully drew a few lines, creating a square with small holes in the middle of each of its six sides. Tang Feng handed the paper to Zhou Ziliang, saying, "Tomorrow morning, find a skilled craftsman and have him make two identical ones according to this drawing. The material should be jade, and you should stuff red beans inside and attach red tassels. I want to give them to Yitian and Bao'er."
Zhou Ziliang glanced at the blueprints and put them in his pocket. "Okay, I got it! I can keep an eye on the stuff for you, but don't you need to tell me something?"
Tang Feng stared wide-eyed, completely bewildered as to what Zhou Ziliang wanted him to say. He racked his brains for a long time but couldn't come up with anything. "Explain what?! Explain yourself clearly! I'm not a mind reader!"
"You were assassinated yesterday, aren't you going to explain that to me?" Zhou Ziliang squinted at Tang Feng. "Don't tell me it was a coincidence." Tang Feng smiled. "You mean that? I'm used to it. I've been assassinated by them about a dozen times."
"Them? More than ten times?" Zhou Ziliang frowned. He had initially thought Tang Feng had just messed with some random people, but upon hearing that Tang Feng had been assassinated more than ten times, he realized this was not a simple matter. "Who are they?"
Tang Feng, one of the "Sixteen Riders of Yanshan," lowered his head and fumbled with the hem of his robe. "I suspect they were the ones who caused my falls from my horse. It happened more than ten times, but thankfully I'm still alive. This time... this time it's much worse, but before that it was alright, I barely escaped death."
Zhou Ziliang listened to Tang Feng's words with a frown. He was clearly shaken, but Tang Feng spoke of it with such nonchalance. He felt a pang of self-reproach; if Tang Feng were truly gone, would he also be indifferent, unmoved, perhaps even giving his funeral a perfunctory affair? "How did you get involved with them?"
"Do you think I wanted this? How was I supposed to know? To be used as a target for no reason!" Tang Feng said, noticing Zhou Ziliang's displeasure, and pushed him. "I'm a little tired, I want to sleep. Get out of my way."
Zhou Ziliang was thinking about this when he was pushed and fell. He stood up, pulled the blanket over himself, and said, "If you're tired, get some sleep. I won't bother you anymore." Then he turned and left.
Time flies, and more than a month has passed in the blink of an eye. Tang Feng's foot injury has almost healed. Li Bao'er held Tang Feng's hand and said, "Brother, your injury is almost healed, so I won't postpone my wedding. I've discussed it with Yitian, and we'll get married the day after tomorrow."
Tang Feng smiled and nodded. "Alright! Sit down and wait for me while I get something." After saying that, Tang Feng took out a small wooden box from under the pillow and handed it to Li Bao'er. "I don't have anything to give my brother. I asked Ziliang to order this from the market a few days ago. The craftsmanship there is not as good as that of Xiling. If you don't mind, please accept it!"
Li Bao'er picked up the wooden box and saw two white jade dice containing red beans, with red tassels and silver bells hanging below. Li Bao'er suddenly remembered the phrase Tang Feng had taught him a few days ago: "Exquisite dice inlaid with red beans." "Look," she said, "I'm troubling you with this gift. I really like it. Thank you, brother." Tang Feng shook his head. "You're getting married in a few days. There's no rule against giving a gift. Go and take the other one to your family for a day to see." Li Bao'er nodded. Seeing Li Bao'er leave, Tang Feng got up and waved to Zhou Ziliang outside the door.
"Bao'er is getting married soon, how are you doing on your end?"
"Of course, no problem. The bridal sedan chair, the white horse, the gongs and drums, everything is ready." Zhou Ziliang didn't lie to Tang Feng. He was as thorough in his preparations as if it were his own wedding. After all, Tang Feng had asked him to do it, so how could he mess it up?
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