spoiled brat

Chapter 76, Section 75: Flying White (Part 5)

Xu Feng stroked his sparse, gray beard and pondered, "She's putting in so much effort, I can't just treat her casually..."

Zhao Zhao fanned the flames, saying, "Master, she has her own small courtyard in Chongrenfang, filled with things related to you. Why don't you do as Emperor Zhengde in the storybooks did, and go on a private visit, staging a 'Dragon and Phoenix Tour'? The person on paper is right in front of her, what an honor that would be for her! It would be a wonderful story if word got out."

After spending a few days together, Xu Feng discovered how clever Zhao Zhao was. He held You Ming's hand in one hand and Zhao Zhao's hand in the other, saying, "You two are truly father and daughter!"

Without further ado, Xu Feng changed into coarse clothes and had You Mingzhao change as well. He didn't bring many servants with him and left the Xu residence by carriage, heading towards Chongrenfang.

Xu Fengxin was burning with anxiety, You Ming was filled with unease, and Zhao Zhao lifted the curtain to memorize the route, looking up at the sun and praying to God for protection.

When they arrived at the place, Zhao Zhao realized that the courtyard was chosen with great care. It was nestled deep in a hutong (alleyway), and the path was very narrow, so they had to get off and walk.

The servants who had come with him were a little worried and were about to persuade him when Xu Feng had already gone inside.

He was squeezed against the wall, his fat chafing painfully. He wanted to explode in anger, but remembering that no woman had ever truly cared for him all these years, he held back. He cursed You Ming, "You have such a good girl, and you didn't even call her over sooner! You didn't even arrange a nice courtyard for her!"

"It's all the son's fault, it's all the son's fault..."

You Ming felt wronged and glanced back at Zhao Zhao. Zhao Zhao looked at him with a smile, her eyes bright, like a cat hunting its prey at night.

The path widened as we walked, and suddenly the view opened up before us. Bright sunlight bathed the small, exquisite courtyard, illuminating the lush green trees and fiery red flowers, creating a serene and beautiful scene, devoid of any hint of danger.

Zhao Zhao ran to the fence first and shouted into the closed door of the main room, "Sister Liu'er, I'm here."

No one responded; only the clothes on the rack swayed in the breeze.

The chirping of cicadas filled my ears, making a racket.

Finding her missing, You Ming, fearing Xu Feng's anger, said, "We came so suddenly, she's probably not here. Why don't you go back first, Godfather? I'll bring her into the manor another day..."

Xu Feng, despite his fiery temper, said, "Wait a minute."

This old bastard really thinks there are women in the world who appreciate him! You Ming laughed and said, "If Godfather wants to see the books she has copied over the years, I can just send them over. Why do you have to wait in this scorching sun?"

"You don't know anything!" Xu Feng glared at him. "Get lost!"

You Ming thought, "It's over, it's all over."

If Wang Liuer truly pleases Xu Feng, he'll have to fawn over that bitch from now on.

There was a rustling sound in the main room. Zhao Zhao confirmed that Wang Liuer was inside and called out again. After a while, the wooden door was gently pushed open, revealing Wang Liuer's lightly made-up face. She glanced at the three of them with smiling eyes and gently took Xu Feng's hand.

Wang Liuer remained silent, yet her silence spoke volumes. Xu Feng looked her up and down, his mouth watering, but he still managed to remain calm and asked, "Do you recognize who I am?"

Without prior notice, Zhao Zhao blurted out, "Sister Liu'er, are you out of your mind with joy? This is the Lord Xu you've been thinking about day and night!"

Wang Liuer was stunned for a moment, then immediately put on an incredulous expression, staring blankly at Xu Feng: "You..."

Xu Feng tried his best to suppress the smugness in his mouth, but it still showed. Wang Liuer appeared from behind the door, walking forward unsteadily. Her swaying figure was like a gleaming fishhook, making Xu Feng's heart itch.

He took a few quick steps forward, intending to put his arm around Wang Liuer's slender waist, but as soon as his fat hand reached out, he politely withdrew it: "I heard from them that you have admired me for a long time?"

Wang Liuer glanced at him and said shyly, "...I hope you won't blame me, sir. I have offended you in my heart." These words were cheesy and sickening, but Xu Feng was very happy to be flattered, and a smile spread across his oily white face.

Zhao Zhao seized the opportunity to remind him, "Sister Liu'er, Lord Xu is very busy with official duties. He took time out of his busy schedule today to come and see the poems you copied in your room. You have been infatuated with him for many years, so please lead Lord Xu in to take a look."

Xu Feng served in the capital in his early years and was often ridiculed by his colleagues for his vulgar and unbearable poetry. He felt that he was a talented person who was not appreciated and had just not met someone who understood him.

Now that the wait was finally over, he stared at Wang Liuer with a clingy gaze, as eager as a starving dog: "It's too sunny outside, let's go inside, let's go inside..."

Wang Liuer led him into the house. You Ming was worried and wanted to follow, but after taking only two steps forward, Xu Feng stopped him: "Stay away! Don't dirty the young lady's place!"

Helpless, You Ming had no choice but to retreat and sit with Zhao Zhao in the courtyard, watching Wang Liuer help a lump of fat into the house.

"You sure know how to talk," You Ming scolded, pointing at Zhao Zhao's nose. "If the old man really falls for Wang Liuer, where will you find a place by his side in the future?"

Zhao Zhao, cracking sunflower seeds, glanced towards the alley entrance and said with a smile, "Lord You, you might as well worry about yourself first."

The door closed, and the room darkened.

Wang Liuer felt nauseous from the smell of old man on Xu Feng, but she still smiled and helped this old pig to sit down at the tea table: "Lord Xu, please sit for a while, I'll go to the bookshelf to find some books."

Such a thing actually exists.

Xu Feng was initially worried that those nice words were just empty rhetoric to inflate the price, but after hearing Wang Liuer say that, his anxiety subsided.

A slender, graceful figure stood before the bookshelf, her skin as white as jade, radiating youthful beauty that reminded Xu Feng of his own frustrated youth: "So many adults write poems, why do you only copy mine?"

Wang Liuer pretended to look for a book, turned her head slightly, and chuckled: "How can those people compare to you? They are just ordinary people, while you are an extraordinary person who appears once in a thousand years."

Having served as an official for many years, Xu Feng had heard countless flattering words and could distinguish between truth and falsehood. However, when words struck a chord, even the most falsehood seemed genuine. Xu Feng feigned modesty and said, "Actually, I know that my poems are not very good. But in officialdom, one must write a few pretentious and clichéd lines to get by."

Whenever he felt inferior, Wang Liuer would flatter him: "You're too modest, sir. With just a few words, you could crush all those scholars in the Hanlin Academy."

Xu Feng chuckled twice, then suddenly stopped laughing as if he remembered something.

Wang Liuer felt a chill run down her neck. Was this old pig going to test her?

To everyone's surprise, Xu Feng just sighed and said quietly, "You don't need to coax me about this. When I was a child, I read books that landlords didn't want. How can you raise a good piglet from coarse chaff? I don't even have a few drops of ink if you cut me open."

"You're underestimating yourself again." Wang Liuer squatted down, her body completely hidden by the desk. She concealed the knife in her sleeve and, hearing Xu Feng pour tea to soothe his throat, sneered, "If you're truly ignorant, how could you have entered officialdom and become a high-ranking official?"

Xu Feng sipped his tea and said self-deprecatingly, "I was just a commoner. It took me twenty years to earn fame and fortune, and another twenty years to go from a poor and remote place to the capital. At first, I thought I was someone important... but later I realized that there are always people more capable than me, and there is always a higher level to reach. I am nothing."

Older men who have made it big often love to reminisce about their past hardships, only talking about the bitter experiences and avoiding mentioning the ugly ones.

Wang Liuer turned her back, twirled the hemp rope in her hand, and casually offered a few words of comfort.

Xu Feng was coaxed again: "You copied my poems, so you should know the birthday poem I wrote for His Majesty six years ago, right? Alas... I have never had such a bold and awe-inspiring writing style in my life. I wrote it, presented it, thinking His Majesty would be overjoyed, but His Majesty just scoffed and said that this old fool had hired a ghostwriter from who-knows-where. Hey, haven't you found one yet?"

Xu Feng was about to continue speaking when the sun made him dizzy. He shook his head and blinked, but he was still dizzy.