Chapter 331: He Does It Because He Wants To

“I hate… hate my own helplessness…”

Tang Xiaotong lifted his head, tear-stricken face crisscrossing.

“If I were a noble or minister, perhaps I could… but I’m just a merchant, not even qualified to guard her from afar…”

“Ah! Even nobles and ministers cannot!” Yang Haibo sighed deeply, poured him a cup of tea: “Drink some tea to sober up. How will you do business tomorrow looking like this?”

“Tomorrow? Haha!”

Tang Xiaotong laughed bitterly, “Today I’m not returning to the Brocade Workshop. I want to… drink here until dawn. When the first sunlight spills through the window, I want to look towards the Imperial Palace, listen to the bell tolling from the palace… as if… I personally send her… marry into the palace…”

As he spoke, he reached for the wine pot again, but Yang Haibo stopped him: “Don’t drink any more! You’ll cause trouble if you keep drinking!”

“Just let me drink, brother.” Tang Xiaotong pleaded, “Only when I’m drunk does this heart not ache so much…”

Yang Haibo, looking at his state, couldn’t bear it and let go of his hand.

He got up, walked to the door, instructed the waiting waiter, and came back with two more pots of newly fetched Drunken Immortal Brew.

“Enough, tonight I’ll drink with you. We won’t stop until we’re drunk.” Yang Haibo sat down, poured himself a cup as well, “But you must promise me, after tonight, never speak of this matter again!”

Tang Xiaotong nodded heavily, raising his wine cup: “This cup… is for the whims of fate.”

The two downed their drinks in one go. After three rounds, Tang Xiaotong’s drunkenness grew, and he began to speak more.

“Brother, have you ever truly loved someone?”

Tang Xiaotong’s eyes were unfocused, yet a dreamy smile hung at the corner of his lips.

“Loved so much… that seeing her smile felt like all flowers blooming; hearing her sigh, you wished you could bear all her suffering…”

Yang Haibo shook his head: “We rough men, how could we know about romance and idyllic love? Marrying a wife who can keep the family running is already a blessing.”

“You don’t understand… you don’t understand…” Tang Xiaotong murmured, “That day it rained, she didn’t have an umbrella, and I gathered the courage… handed her an oil-paper umbrella… when she took it, her fingertips brushed against my hand, just for that instant, I felt… my life was complete…”

Yang Haibo listened, his heart racing: “Tong! These words must never be spoken again! If someone hears them… you’d lose your head!”

“Ah! I know… I know…” Tang Xiaotong waved his hand, “I only dare speak such madness before you… after tomorrow, these words, these thoughts, will vanish with the alcohol vapor.”

Outside the window, the night was deep.

Yang Haibo went downstairs to take a look around. The patrons in the tavern had gradually left, leaving just a few drunkards loudly playing games in the corner.

The waiter began tidying up the tables and chairs, preparing to close.

Back in the private room, Yang Haibo glanced at the bright moon outside the window, then at the drunken Tang Xiaotong opposite him, feeling a myriad of emotions.

He walked over, patted Tang Xiaotong’s shoulder: “Rest here tonight, I’ll have a guest room prepared.”

Tang Xiaotong shook his head, stubbornly pointed towards the direction of the Imperial Palace.

“No, I want to wait here… until dawn… I want to watch her… walk towards that gilded cage…”

Yang Haibo, helpless, had no choice but to let him be.

He had the waiter bring a few small dishes and two pots of milder wine, accompanying Tang Xiaotong to continue drinking.

“Brother… tell me…” Tang Xiaotong suddenly lowered his voice, eyes flickering with a peculiar light, “If I were to dash into the palace now, whisk her away…”

“Shut up!” Yang Haibo sternly stopped him, already pale with fright, “You’re really muddled from drunkenness! Dare to say such a rebellious thing! Not to mention whisking away a princess, even approaching the palace gates would cost you your head!”

Tang Xiaotong, sobered by the shout, slumped back in his chair, smiled wryly: “Yes… what am I but a mere silk trader, how could I possibly contend with His Majesty…”

“Tong.”

Yang Haibo spoke earnestly, “In this world, some fates are destined to be unrequited. Princess Yujia is here for marriage diplomacy, burdened with her responsibilities. You… you’re merely a tradesman. The distance between you is more than just thousands of mountains and rivers.”

Tang Xiaotong was silent for a long time before softly saying: “I understand… I understand it all…”

In the Drunken Immortal Brew’s room, two bachelors were drinking sullenly, waiting for tomorrow’s sunrise.

Meanwhile, the June night breeze with Capital City’s unique warmth swept gently into Honglu Temple’s courtyard.

Princess Yujia sat alone on a stone bench, her elegant pink gauze dress shimmering like pearls in the moonlight.

She looked up, her gaze passing through the blooming crepe myrtle in the courtyard, directly towards the sky’s nearly full moon.