Chapter 56 - Accept It Humbly and Never Repent!
The carriage came to a halt outside the State Duke Heng's Mansion. Tang Yue leaped out and surveyed the imposing entrance of the mansion with a discerning gaze. It was rumored that among the seven dukes of South Jin, State Duke Heng held a higher position than State Duke Ann.
As Tang Yue led the guards towards the entrance, they were halted by a servant guarding the door. Perplexed, Tang Yue looked at the impatient servant, who extended his hand towards him.
A sudden realization dawned upon Tang Yue. He asked the accompanying guards to pass over a token. A wealthy family like this one would likely require identity verification before granting entry.
To his surprise, the servant actually examined the token with a mere glance, and the corners of his eyes lifted as he continued to hold out his hand.
Frowning at the servant, Tang Yue inquired, “Is there something else you need?”
Seeing Tang Yue's annoyance, the servant snorted coldly and withdrew his hand, making way for their entry.
Was this okay again? What the fuck!
Tang Yue noticed someone approaching from behind and shifted to the side, curious to see what this person wanted.
“Ah, Young Master Tang!” A young man skillfully made his way through the crowd, walking confidently towards Tang Yue.
Tang Yue smiled. It was a relief to spot a familiar face in the midst of everything. Moreover, Zhao Sanlang was always an amusing character.
“Zhao Sanlang, you arrived quite early.” Tang Yue had come earlier than usual, intending to have a heart-to-heart conversation with his future brother-in-law in a less crowded setting.
“Today's event seemed dull, so I knew you'd come early. Let's find some fun later.” Zhao Sanlang's playful nature was evident.
Tang Yue found it a bit immature, but he didn't decline. He regarded it as engaging with a group of children.
“At least I wasn't the one who lost.” Tang Yue casually greeted Zhao Sanlang from behind and then turned to address Young Master Xu, saying, “Long time no see, Young Master Xu. How have you been?”
The man glanced at him. He snorted and finished the job.
Tang Yue didn't mind. He understood that this sort of delicate-looking guy was probably acting tsundere. At least he didn't seem like a bad person.
However, what surprised Tang Yue was the presence of another young man standing next to Zhao Sanlang. He appeared to be around twelve or thirteen years old and looked somewhat familiar.
The young man had a gloomy expression, and despite his luxurious attire, he didn't give the impression of a good-natured boy. Tang Yue felt an urge to step back.
“Oh, it's the County Prince,” Tang Yue chuckled as he recalled their past playtime together. He wondered if there was any lingering grudge.
The answer was soon apparent. The young man glanced at Tang Yue a few times with a cold expression and said sharply, “So, you are Tang Xiaolang.”
In those few brief words, the meaning ran deep. It implied that Tang Yue was well-known, even catching the attention of the County Prince. It also suggested that he knew about Zhao Sanlang's scheming behind his mother's back.
Tang Yue couldn't shake the feeling that the gaze directed at him was quite unfriendly.
He was remarkably composed for someone so young. What kind of person would he become in the future? Moreover, he seemed influential and privileged. It was disconcerting!
“Nice to meet you.” Tang Yue took out a cloth bag from his backpack and offered it to Tang Yue in a soft voice, “This is our homemade candy. It's delicious.”
The room fell silent, and Zhao Sanlang stared at Tang Yue, seemingly astounded.
Nonetheless, the sweet aroma of the crispy candy was undeniably enticing. It wasn't a product of this era, yet the scent permeated through the fabric.
The County Prince's expression remained stern, though the tip of his nose twitched ever so slightly. He then roughly snatched the cloth bag from Tang Yue's hands.
“Cough… Why are you all staring at me like that?” Tang Yue glanced around, teasingly remarking, “You guys are way too old for candy. There's none for you!”
What the hell! Who cares about your candy?
Eyeballs rolled as some people decided to leave, while others remained to spectate the unfolding drama.
Many speculated that the County Prince would snatch other people's food, and they eagerly anticipated what would transpire next.
Tang Yue's identity became a subject of discussion among the crowd. Although they had heard his name before, very few had actually seen him in person. His close association with Zhao Sanlang, someone even the County Prince could intimidate, hinted that he was no ordinary person.
Unfazed by the curious gazes, Tang Yue casually slung his arm around Zhao Sanlang's shoulder, drawing him close, and inquired softly, “Why did you come with this kid? Did you end up getting beaten at the Prefecture again?”
Zhao Sanlang smiled, still a bit apprehensive. “Not exactly. Your method worked like a charm. I believe there's hope on the horizon.”
Tang Yue was shocked. “Is it really useful?”
He believed that even if Zhao Sanlang pursued County Princess Huizhu for his entire life, he wouldn't be able to win her heart.
Glancing around, Zhao Sanlang whispered into Tang Yue's ear, “I followed your advice and delivered flowers every day. Who would've thought that County Prince likes these little girls' toys? He didn't even lay a finger on me. Haha!”
Tang Yue's expression changed, and he looked at Zhao Sanlang strangely. “So… you gave all the flowers to County Prince?”
As Zhao Sanlang nodded, Tang Yue felt thunderstruck. Did this boy not understand the significance of giving flowers?
Although using flowers to express love wasn't popular in this era, the meaning of giving flowers between young men and women was quite apparent. At the very least, Tang Yue hadn't witnessed any normal man giving flowers to another man.
This joker gave flowers to his future stepson just like that?
“Didn't I tell you that red flowers are used to express love?”
“I understand, but it's rare for County Prince to like them. Don't you think these flowers are more effective?” County Prince asked. Zhao Sanlang felt elated, thinking that he could win County Prince over with such a simple gesture.
Perhaps he was traumatized by the earlier beating, which made him appreciate the newfound camaraderie with County Prince.
As for County Princess Huizhu, he could always think of a way.
Tang Yue stole a glance at the child who was quietly munching on candy and breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she was just a child; otherwise, Zhao Sanlang might have committed a serious offense.
“Oh, right, I almost forgot why we came here. The guard was gesturing for something. What did he want?” Tang Yue pointed to the servant and inquired.
Zhao Sanlang glanced at the servant and sneered, “Was he asking for an entrance fee?”
“What's an entrance fee?” It wasn't what he thought, but he noticed a few young men entering without paying.
“If I hadn't known that you were coming today, I wouldn't have set foot inside State Duke Heng's Mansion! Except for the State Duke, who deserves respect, the rest are all scum!”
So harsh! Tang Yue was aware that this child had a sharp tongue, but she didn't expect him to condemn the entire family so brazenly.
Should she remind him that, no matter how bad the State Duke Heng's Mansion was, it was still his future brother-in-law's family?
Recalling the time when Zhao Sanlang had deceived the Noble Heir of State Duke Heng with flushed cheeks and a racing heart, she realized that his words were indeed insincere.
“Let's go! Let's see how I teach that watchdog a lesson!” Zhao Sanlang grabbed Tang Yue's hand and rushed over. With a few powerful slaps, he struck the servant multiple times, leaving Tang Yue in shock.
“What's wrong with you? Don't you know who this young master is? Are you blind?” Zhao Sanlang didn't wait for his opponent to react and delivered a swift kick.
“Ah…” The servant rolled backward, hitting the pillar of the gate, and let out a painful scream.
“Humph! That's how you deal with a blind, servile dog. Understand?” Zhao Sanlang raised his chin, showing off to Tang Yue.
Tang Yue couldn't help but realize that this kid was trying to impress him. He was indeed quite naive.
Tang Yue thought that even if he were reborn as a slave or a commoner, he might be bullied by others, despite living a peaceful life.
In modern society, people sympathize with the weak, and Tang Yue was no exception. However, he didn't feel any pity for the person who was being beaten today.
Perhaps it was true what they say: ‘The poor always have something to resent.'
It was time for him to learn how to be a human being in such a clear age.
The values and worldviews from his past life were far too naive to be applicable in this era. Failure to conform to the prevailing customs meant certain elimination in this unforgiving time.
Xu Ziheng strode forward and delivered a kick to the stomach of the servant, exclaiming, “This despicable servant from State Duke Heng's Mansion deserves a lesson!”
Observing Xu Ziheng clean the soles of his shoes with a handkerchief after stepping on the servant, Tang Yue cursed inwardly. While he acknowledged the necessity of altering his values and worldview, he resolved to retain his original aesthetic sense.
Even if he faced interrogation, he would accept it with humility. He would never regret his decision!
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