Romans PaiPai - Chapitre 12
Tang Qiefang suddenly slammed her fist on the pillow. "Tang Congrong, what exactly are you trying to do?"
Chapter Twenty-Five
"We have to travel tomorrow, so get some sleep," Tang Congrong's voice came softly. "I'm sleepy."
Tang Qiefang stared wide-eyed, unable to believe his questioning had been dismissed so easily. His first thought was to drag Tang Congrong out of bed and give him a good scolding, but he stopped himself as he stepped off the bed—Tang Congrong had already taken off his coat, and if he pulled someone who was so afraid of the cold out of bed now, he would surely be freezing.
With that sudden change of heart, he pulled his foot back.
We can talk about it tomorrow.
The two got up early the next day. While eating breakfast, Tang Qiefang said to Tang Congrong, "I have a few things I want to ask you."
"you say."
"When you were seven years old, you secretly practiced the Flower Rain Needle technique and fainted from the cold. Who saved you?"
"you."
"When you ran away from home at the age of ten, you were punished by being forced to kneel in the rain for three days and three nights. Who stayed with you then?"
"you."
"When you were thirteen, you caused a scene at the ancestral hall and smashed the ancestral tablets. Who took half of the family punishment for you?"
"you."
"Okay." Tang Qiefang's eyes gleamed as she looked at him. "Then I'll ask you for a favor. Will you agree?"
Tang Congrong glanced at him indifferently, "Before that, I'd like to ask you a few things, is that alright?"
"Go ahead and ask."
"When you were fifteen, you made a mistake while refining medicine and almost poisoned more than twenty people in the pharmacy. Who was it that knelt before the patriarch to plead for you and prevent him from expelling you from the Tang Clan?"
Upon hearing this question, Tang Qiefang's smile became somewhat strained. "You."
"When you were sixteen, you hid Tang Yuchang's youngest daughter, who was not yet a year old, in Fuxiaoxuan for half a month, almost driving Tang Yuchang's wife insane. Who suppressed this matter?"
“Naturally, it was you, as the future head of the family at that time.” Tang Qiefang’s smile grew even more bleak.
"When you were twenty—"
"Alright, alright," Tang Qiefang interrupted him. "We're even, okay? I won't make any more demands, okay?"
Tang Congrong took a sip of tea. "Of course, you can make requests."
Tang Qiefang's face lit up with joy.
Tang Congrong continued, "...Whether I agree or not is another matter."
Tang Qiefang fainted.
Tang Congrong looked at him seriously, "Qiefang, how about we exchange requests?"
"How so?"
"You promise me one thing, and I'll promise you one thing."
"Very well. Tell me the reason behind what you said yesterday, and why you won't be the head of the family for long?"
Tang Congrong gave a wry smile. "Is this the request you wanted to make earlier?"
"Yes," Tang Qiefang admitted, "In exchange for this answer, I can also grant you one request."
"After I stabilize the Tang Clan, help me take charge." Tang Congrong looked into his eyes. "That's my request."
Their eyes met.
Tang Qiefang scoffed, "Never mind what I said."
The two originally intended to go directly to Suoding City, but they didn't expect that a nearby Tang Clan medicinal garden had already received a message from the Elders' Council. As soon as they stepped out of the inn, Tang Clan disciples came to greet them.
Even Tang Qiefang, who was full of clever ideas, couldn't think of any way to make excuses—after all, they had gone out under the pretense of checking the herb garden.
Tang Qiefang was highly suspicious; this was clearly a scheme devised by the elders to prevent him from causing trouble with the family head. They had sent people along the way to meet them, and now they were forced to follow through on their fabricated excuse.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Suan Town is located on the road leading to Suoding City. Ten miles to the south is Hanyang Mountain, which has hot springs and a spring-like climate all year round. It is an excellent place to grow poisonous plants and breed poisonous animals.
The local leader was a disciple of the Yu generation named Tang Yuxi, who led the disciples to welcome the family head and his seventh uncle at the foot of the mountain gate.
Tang Yuxi had only seen the two of them once two years ago when the head of the family took office; he hadn't seen them even once before. He craned his neck, waiting. A carriage approached from afar, stopped in front of him, and two people got out.
The two people were dressed very differently from others; one was covered in jewels, and the other was wearing a fox fur coat—the disciples couldn't help but stare in astonishment, and at the same time, they looked at the sky.
Tang Yuxi quickly led his disciples to bow, and Tang Congrong said, "Let's go straight to the herb garden."
Tang Yuxi obeyed and led the two towards the herb garden. As they entered the mountains, the weather gradually warmed up, as if it were late spring. Tang Qiefang patted Tang Congrong on the shoulder, and Tang Congrong took off his fox fur coat and handed it to him.
Tang Congrong's hands had been tucked into her sleeves, but now, as she loosened her clothes, her skin was as smooth as jade, and her tattoos were vibrant. Tang Yuxi's gaze fell on the lotus flower, and he was startled.
The hot springs were divided into dozens of branches that flowed down from the mountaintop, and the medicinal herbs covering the mountain were growing exceptionally well. They looked no different from other plants, and no ordinary person would know that they were the origins of various poisons used by the Tang Clan.
As the group walked through a patch of nine-tailed grass, the grass suddenly rustled, and a long, jet-black snake slithered out, passing right by Tang Yuxi's feet. Tang Yuxi remained calm, as if the snake that had just passed by was nothing more than an ant. He didn't even blink and continued to lead the way, explaining as he went.
Although he was the head of the Tang Clan, Tang Congrong had never seen a live poisonous creature before. As the top expert of the Tang Clan, the most basic poisons he used for refining were all extracted from various medicinal gardens and delivered to the Tang Clan in whole bottles for his use. Upon seeing it, his face paled. If he hadn't been mindful of maintaining his status as the head of the clan in front of his subordinates, he would have already fled far away.