Chapter 10, Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zhi, Yu

Nangong Ting chuckled lightly, leaning casually against the soft couch, propping his forehead with one hand, and asked nonchalantly: "Speaking of you five brothers... the Fourth Young Master has stayed in the palace so late, I wonder if he knows the whereabouts of your Fifth Brother? It is cold and the dew is heavy; I fear that Princess Ya may not be able to withstand it"

Understanding? Oh, indeed, your family is famously fickle. The names that Master Tan gave to your five brothers are quite fitting! Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zhi, and Yu—on the surface, they are names of musical notes, but in reality, Gong represents the ruler, Shang the ministers, Jiao the people, Zhi the affairs, and Yu the objects. The eldest son serves the current emperor, the second son is a minister in the court, the third son gathers public sentiment among the people, while you and the fifth son assist a prince each. After all, the current emperor has only two sons; whichever ascends the throne, one of them is bound to become the esteemed imperial tutor. The eldest son serves the current emperor, the second son is a minister in the court, the third son gathers public sentiment among the people, while you and the fifth son assist a prince each. After all, the current emperor has only two sons; whichever ascends the throne, one of them is bound to become the esteemed imperial tutor. The Tan family is sure to endure, how wonderful! Truly wonderful!" Nangong Ting clapped and laughed heartily, his laughter echoing in the spacious study. Whether it was admiration or sarcasm, only the listener could discern.

Tan Yezheng showed no change in expression when he mentioned Tan Cangyu, merely responding淡淡地: "Intelligence has already been received; they have arrived in Shangzhou and will be staying at Governor Lu's residence tonight"

Nangong Ting smiled slightly and casually plucked a few clear notes, "A gentleman does not take away what others cherish. Although this guqin has been gathering dust for a long time, it is evident that the Fourth Young Master holds it in great affection. Musical instruments are to you what fine wine is to connoisseurs; otherwise, the Fifth Young Master of the Tan family would not have chosen the five characters Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zhi, and Yu as his name."

"Oh! You scared me to death. If those foolish people really hurt my dear Ya'er, I will definitely kill them all," Nangong Ting said dramatically, patting his chest and smiling. However, his gaze remained as cold as ever, making it difficult to discern whether his words were sincere or feigned.

Tan Yezheng walked to the opposite side, sat cross-legged, and upon raising his eyes, he met Nangong Ting's cold and piercing gaze, which sent a shiver down his spine. No matter how many times he locked eyes with him, he was still unaccustomed to that intimidating look, as if he were being watched by a wild beast, leaving him anxious and unsettled. Especially since Nangong Ting was exceptionally handsome, with delicate features akin to those of a woman, combined with such a sharp gaze, it was as if a pure white and adorable rabbit had the eyes of an eagle. This incongruity not only astonished but also instilled a sense of chill.

The clay statue of the Bodhisattva has a temperament akin to that of the earth, and when someone openly speaks ill of his family, Tan Yezheng's inner fury could have already ignited a prairie fire. However, he merely lowered his eyelids to conceal his true thoughts and reached out to pour tea for each other. Yet, the hand holding the teapot trembled slightly, unable to hide its agitation, causing ripples to form in the teacup.

Tan Yezheng still wanted to say something, but a few soft knocks came from the study door, and he immediately dropped the subject. The maidservants brought in several plates of snacks and a pot of freshly brewed Xiaomaojian tea, and after placing them down, they quietly left.

Tan Yezheng emerged from the sedan chair, startled by the cold wind that made him shiver, his face nearly retreating into the luxurious mink fur collar around his neck. However, thinking of his fifth brother, who was fleeing outside, a brother who had lived a life of comfort and privilege, he could not help but let out a long sigh, wondering what kind of suffering he must be enduring on this journey.

In the deep of night, with heavy dew, a small sedan chair swayed gently as it emerged from the palace gate. It traveled a short distance along Suzaku Avenue before turning into a deep alley, stopping in front of a large residence. On either side of the grand gate stood two stone lions, baring their fangs and claws, ominously towering in the moonlight. The lantern beside the plaque flickered in the night breeze, yet the two large characters inscribed in gold on the plaque remained visible: "Tan Residence"

"Oh? Is it only the two of them?" Nangong Ting raised his finely arched eyebrows in surprise, "So, are you saying that during the assassination attempt a few days ago, it was actually His Highness the Crown Prince who was seriously injured and died?"

The swift sound of the zither was suddenly interrupted, leaving lingering echoes that filled the room.

Under the hazy moonlight, one can clearly see that this man has a pair of well-groomed eyebrows and delicate, finely crafted features. Due to the chilly weather of early spring nights, he is wearing a precious vest made of white fox fur, which further accentuates his fair complexion like jade. The man maintains a posture as if playing the guqin, and upon hearing Tan Yezheng's voice, he chuckles softly and says: "Young Master Tan, you truly work hard! I thought for sure you would be at home this late. I couldn't bear to see this guqin gathering dust, so I played a few notes. I hope you don't mind, Young Master Tan"

The breath he exhaled transformed into a white mist in the air, gradually dissipating out of sight. Tan Yezheng was not one to lament the spring or mourn the autumn, yet on this desolate night, he could not help but lose himself for a moment.

"How could that be? Ye Zheng was unaware that the Young Prince had deigned to visit; otherwise, he would have returned earlier." Ye Zheng turned and instructed the maid outside the door to brew more tea and bring some pastries. When he turned back, he noticed Nangong Ting cherishingly caressing the guqin in his possession, and thus he smiled and said: "If the Young Prince likes it, I shall gift this Minghe guqin to you."

Walking through the long and winding corridor, Tan Yezheng arrived at the garden where he resided. From a distance, he could hear the sound of tinkling coming from the study, as if someone were playing the piano.

There is no evidence to support such a claim. However, according to the report received today, it is undoubtedly the Princess Ya who has appeared in the Lu residence

He is merely a master to the prince, and his status is worlds apart from that of the young prince of the Nangong family. Not to mention that he is the eldest son of the Nangong family, but if Empress Chang Le had passed the throne to her own son back in the day, then the one sitting on the golden throne now should be the person before him.

The capital city, Chang'an

Tan Yezheng could not help but lighten his footsteps and slowly walked over. The sound of the zither initially resembled the gentle flow of water, each note like a dragonfly skimming the surface, spreading out in ripples. Listening to it was refreshing and uplifting, akin to the warm and pleasant touch of willow branches brushing against one's face. However, it was not long before the water became turbulent, as if rushing down from a great abyss in a desolate valley, crashing against the rocks at the bottom of the pool, producing a series of resounding echoes, sharp and unmatched.

Only hetushu.com discusses the two individuals, Tan Cangyu and Princess Ya. Tan Yezheng replied calmly

The servant who had been waiting for his return at the door, seeing that the Fourth Young Master did not enter the residence, stood dazed in the cold wind. He hurried over to report: "Fourth Young Master, the young prince of the Nangong family has been waiting for you in your study for quite some time."

Oh? Nangong Ting elongated his voice with interest, "It seems that this kid Cang Yu is indeed bold, daring to openly stay in the residence of the governor while on the run. Is it the four of them?"

Haha! After Nangong Ting had the maidservants close the door properly, he shook his head and laughed, "Fourth Young Master, what are you afraid of? Are you afraid that others will find out that you are the one behind your Fifth Brother's current situation? Sooner or later, everyone in the world will know. If you had known this would happen, why did you act that way in the first place?"

What a beautiful piece of music! Tan Yezheng then pushed open the door. Although there were no lights on in the room, he immediately spotted the elegantly dressed man sitting behind the piano in the study.

A trace of annoyance flashed in Tan Yezheng's eyes, but he still replied in a calm voice: "Cang Yu will understand."

Tan Ye's heart raced as he finally arrived at the study door, yet he showed no intention of raising his hand to push it open

Tan Yezheng was taken aback, "Nangong Ting? What is he here for?" Pressing his lips tightly together, Tan Yezheng lifted his long robe and quickly walked into the residence