Yang Ge looked up blankly and realized that standing in front of him were Xiao Baoqi, the rascal, fleas, and the four brothers known as Dog Shit.
He forced a smile and made a "please" gesture towards the outdoor waterside feast, "I know, I’m fine, since everyone’s here, have a quick meal before you leave, ah..."
The four brothers, seeing Yang Ge’s listless appearance, wanted to say something but didn’t know what, so they could only nod and say, "You don’t need to worry about us. We know our place. Since there’s nothing pressing, we’ll stay here and see if we can be of any help to Big Brother Liu Family. If you need anything, just call on us..."
Yang Ge smiled gratefully and bowed his hands, "Thank you."
The four men looked at each other and, with a unanimous, silent sigh, turned and left.
Yang Ge watched the four leave and caught sight of the white expanse of snow in the courtyard. Suddenly, he remembered the day he had walked into Luting County wearing the ragged clothes of an old fisherman.
It had snowed softly that day, too.
The fisherman was a widower with no children, subsisting on fishing. The two acres of thin farmland he owned were barely enough to sustain him. Having one more mouth to feed would have meant no livelihood at all.
To avoid being a burden on the old fisherman, he had pretended to go visit relatives in the city. Alone, he wandered along the unfamiliar riverbank, walking and walking... He didn’t remember how he entered Luting County, nor how long he wandered its streets, and he couldn’t even recall what crossed his mind then...
All he remembered was the smiling shopkeeper standing on the steps of the inn’s doorway, beckoning him over, offering him a bowl of hot rice, and asking him where he was headed.
From that day on, he saw the world in a light different from that of the vast sea.
He was no longer a lone skiff in the open sea.
Oh, how time flies.
In the blink of an eye, it had already been seven years...
"Second Brother."
Zhao Miao, dressed in mourning clothes, knelt by his side, handing him a white steamed bun, "Take a bite, you’ve almost gone a day and a night without eating."
"Mm, I will eat."
Yang Ge came back to his senses, took the bun with a forced smile, and began to devour it vigorously.
Zhao Miao, seeing the dimness in his eyes, felt an unbearable pain and, not knowing what to say, simply stayed by his side in silence, so he wasn’t alone.
When dawn broke the next day, Tang Xiong, dressed in a vermilion python robe, led a group of brightly dressed imperial bodyguards into the mourning hall, announcing, "The Imperial Edict is here!"
The guests who had stayed the night outside the hall, either friends or family of the Liu Family or of Yang Ge, had anticipated that the shopkeeper’s funeral would receive an imperial decree, but they hadn’t expected it to arrive so soon...
"Long live the Emperor, long live, long long live!"
Tang Xiong read, "By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor hereby decrees: Yang Erlang of Marquis Luting, bestowed the title of Grand Tutor at the rank of First Class, has demonstrated loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, and bravery. In supporting the state and protecting the people, he has established extraordinary achievements. In recognition of his loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness, his uncle Liu Degui is posthumously conferred the title of Second Class, added among the hereditary nobles as Feng Dengzi, with perpetual inheritance rights. Granted a full burial ceremony, sacrifices at three altars, and a silver burial allotment of five thousand taels, along with three families of tomb guardians... This is Our Will!"
Yang Ge extended a hand, responding lightly, "Commoner Yang Erlang thanks His Majesty for his immense grace. Long live the Emperor, long live, long long live!"
The guests outside the hall responded in unison, "Long live the Emperor, long live, long long live..."
Tang Xiong glanced at the palm of Yang Ge and then at the imperial edict in his own hand, embroidered with a five-clawed golden dragon, his eye twitching slightly.
Yang Ge stared at him expressionlessly.
Tang Xiong turned his head and handed the edict to Yang Ge with both hands.
Yang Ge took the edict, without even glancing at it, and casually stuffed it into Liu Mang, who was behind him, "Does the Imperial Horse Supervisor now also take care of announcing edicts?"
Tang Xiong was silent, thinking to himself that he had not willingly taken on such a task.
Who would have known he’d be the one closely acquainted with Yang Ge in the Imperial Horse Supervisor? Given Yang Ge’s current martial prowess and his formidable military record, the senior officers in the Imperial Horse Supervisor trembled at the sight of him. Wherever possible, they would avoid dealing with him.
Thus, all tasks involving interactions with Yang Ge were undertaken solely by Tang Xiong.
Tang Xiong, without saying a word, knew that Yang Ge must have traveled alone overnight to get there... Those imperial guards maintaining appearances outside were all from the upper right bureau.
"Brother, go and attend to the cooks, light the fires and prepare food, entertain the envoys."
Hearing this, Liu Mang hurriedly bowed and said, holding the edict, "We can only offer humble food and drink, please forgive our inadequate hospitality, dear envoys..."
Tang Xiong returned the bow politely, "Feng Dengzi, there’s no need for such courtesy. In matters like this, who could attend to everything? Go and take care of the guests for now, I have matters to discuss with Marquis Luting."
"Yes, yes, the envoy should make himself comfortable, and please be informal," Liu Mang said, bowing and quickly leaving with the edict.
Tang Xiong watched Liu Mang leave, clicked his tongue mockingly, "Feng Dengzi seems to know his manners better than you."
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Yang Ge, already kneeling again in front of the mourning hall, cast a glance at him.
With no perceptible aura of intimidation escaping from him, Tang Xiong nonetheless suddenly felt an unease taking his breath away, and hurriedly spoke in a low voice, "I have quick feet, and the imperial household’s people are in pursuit; I expect they will arrive before nightfall."
Yang Ge lowered his eyelids, speaking wearily, "Tell him to go back, to do what he ought to be doing. His presence is not needed here to add prestige."
Tang Xiong wanted to respond, but feeling it improper to stand while Yang Ge knelt, quickly crouched down and tried to persuade, "It is his filial piety as a disciple. Why be so harsh in rejection? Don’t worry about the capital. Those sly foxes aren’t fools. Yesterday, just as the news reached the capital, those cunning folks at the Ministry of Revenue ’discovered’ 180,000 bushels of old grain..."