binnovel Chapter 1281 Zhang Song visits Liu Feng, who is shaken
Chapter 1281 Zhang Song visits Liu Feng, who is shaken
Liu Feng waited until the meeting ended, his mind heavy with worries, before returning to his residence alone.
When he was first adopted by Liu Bei, he lived in the general's mansion and could often see his father and relatives. But everything quietly changed after Liu Bei conquered Xichuan and A Dou was born. At that time, Guan Yu was in charge of Jingzhou and specially chose another mansion in the city for him to move to, the reason being that "the young master has grown up, and living with the women of the inner quarters may cause gossip." Liu Feng knew in his heart that this was only because his father had a biological son, and his status as an adopted son had become increasingly less important.
Back in the somewhat deserted mansion, just as he sat down and took a sip of tea, a servant came to report: "Young master, there is a Mr. Zhang outside requesting an audience. He says he is... an envoy from Xiliang."
Liu Feng was taken aback: "The envoy from Xiliang? Mr. Zhang Song?" He was somewhat surprised. Why would Zhang Song come to his door at this hour? But he still ordered, "Please invite him in."
A short while later, Zhang Song entered with a servant, his face still bearing the same composed smile he had during the day. Liu Feng rose to greet him, his brows slightly furrowed: "Mr. Zhang Song, what brings you here so late?"
Zhang Song cupped his hands and smiled, "During the day at the City Lord's Mansion, I saw that although you are young and handsome, there was always a hint of worry between your brows, which made me think of something. Although we have only just met and have not talked much, I feel an inexplicable affinity with you. Therefore, I have taken the liberty of coming here to say a few words to you, hoping to relieve your worries."
A slight alarm bell rang in Liu Feng's heart, but he remained calm on the surface and said indifferently, "It's just some trivial matter, I'm sorry to have made you laugh, sir." He had always maintained a certain distance from Zhang Song's sudden enthusiasm, after all, the two had different positions, and the other party was an envoy from Xiliang. His visit at this late hour could not be ruled out as having other intentions.
Zhang Song, however, seemed oblivious to his aloofness. He found a seat, picked up the tea offered by a servant, and slowly said, "What you consider trivial matters, young master, may not be so to me. When people are caught up in something, they often fail to see their own situation clearly. For example, during the day's discussions, General Guan and Mr. Shiyuan repeatedly mentioned the matter of Runan. Did you really feel nothing at all, young master?"
These words struck a nerve with Liu Feng. His fingers tightened around the teacup, but he remained defiant: "Victory and defeat on the battlefield are common occurrences. Even Father has not reprimanded me severely. Why should I care?"
“Young Master doesn’t care about punishment,” Zhang Song put down his teacup and looked directly at him. “You’re just worried about the feeling of being ostracized, aren’t you? Your residence in the General’s Mansion has changed, the way the people around you are looking at you has changed, and you have to watch your words when you speak… This feeling must be unpleasant.”
Liu Feng suddenly looked up, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes. He had never spoken of these hidden grievances to anyone, yet Zhang Song seemed to see right through him.
Seeing this, Zhang Song smiled slightly, his tone becoming even gentler: "Young master, there's no need to be on guard. I'm not here today to speak on behalf of Xiliang, but rather because I see that you are so young, you should be making great achievements, yet you are troubled by these worries, which is truly a pity. You defended Runan for several months, resisting the strong with the weak, which is commendable; you also relieved the siege of Guiyang, which was also commendable. But these achievements seem as insignificant as a feather in the face of the title 'adopted son'."
He paused, then lowered his voice even further: "Is the young master truly content with this? To watch his path be blocked step by step?"
These words completely shattered Liu Feng's defenses. The pent-up grievances, resentment, and confusion of the past few days seemed to find an outlet. He gulped down a mouthful of tea, spilling a little, but he didn't notice. Finally, he couldn't help but sigh deeply, his voice trembling with emotion: "Sir...sir, do you know, sometimes I really feel like a superfluous person..."
Once the words were spoken, they flowed like a river bursting its banks, impossible to stop. Looking out at the deep night, Liu Feng simply poured out all the pent-up emotions that had been building up in his heart for years.
"Sir, do you know that when I first met my lord, he was living in Jingzhou and had no power base yet?" Liu Feng's voice was filled with reminiscence and bitterness. "At that time, I saw that his benevolence was known throughout the land and that his soldiers were willing to die for him. I secretly made up my mind to follow him and achieve great things. My lord has indeed treated me well. Seeing that I still have some courage and strength, he has repeatedly entrusted me with important tasks."
He paused, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the edge of the table: "Back then, my lord was over forty and had no children. He once thought of taking me in as his adopted son, saying that he would record me in the family genealogy and carry on the family line. At that time, I truly believed that I could fight for him like his own son and protect this family business."
“But…” Liu Feng’s voice lowered, “At that time, General Yun Chang and Master Kongming both advised that I was originally the son of the Kou family, and that adopting me might disrupt the family line. So the lord changed his mind and only took me as his adopted son. Although I had regrets at the time, I also thought that as long as I served him wholeheartedly, what difference was there between an adopted son and a foster son?”
“Everything changed when Lady Gan became pregnant.” He gave a bitter laugh, his eyes reddening. “General Yun Chang’s gaze toward me gradually turned cold. Whenever I spoke during meetings, he would always scold me, saying, ‘What does a little brat like you know?’ Later, news came from Xichuan that Lady Gan had given birth to A Dou. The whole mansion was overjoyed and sent a fast horse to Yizhou to report the good news… From that day on, my residence in the general’s mansion was changed…”
“I defended Runan, risking my life to hold onto that territory, both for my lord and to prove I was still useful. But when the city fell, looking at the fleeing remnants, my first thought was, now they have another reason to say I'm useless.” Liu Feng clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. “On the way back to Xiangyang, I kept thinking that perhaps from the day A Dou was born, I was already superfluous in Jingzhou.”
A night breeze blew in through the window, carrying the chill of early autumn, and ruffled the stray hairs on Liu Feng's forehead. After speaking, he seemed to have all his strength drained away, slumping into his chair, his eyes filled with blankness. The grievances that had been hidden in his heart for many years, never spoken to anyone, were now poured out to this envoy from Xiliang as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
Zhang Song listened quietly, his smile long gone, replaced by a deep understanding. He picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and said softly, "I understand your difficulties today, young master. But... in this vast world, is Jingzhou truly the only place you can find refuge?"
Liu Feng suddenly looked up and met Zhang Song's meaningful gaze, and his heart skipped a beat.
Liu Feng's expression changed drastically. He stood up abruptly, placed his hands on the table, and said in a deep voice, "Sir, are you trying to persuade me to betray my father? If so, please leave! Although I am not talented, I know the meaning of loyalty and righteousness. I respect you as a renowned scholar and will not make things difficult for you, but please do not mention our friendship again in the future!"
Zhang Song clapped his hands and laughed heartily, showing no sign of panic: "Young General, why get angry? When did I ever say I wanted to sow discord between you and your son?"
He suppressed his smile, his gaze becoming earnest: "But young general, you might want to think this through. Liu Jingzhou may have indeed intended to have an heir when he adopted you as his son, but now he already has his own son, A Dou, and your status has plummeted. Isn't that obvious?"
Seeing Liu Feng's lips pressed tightly together and a struggle flash in his eyes, Zhang Song continued, "To be honest, my lord, King Liang, Ma Chao, also has three adopted sons, all of whom he genuinely favored and took in. Previously, everyone thought that since the heir apparent had returned, the three adopted sons' status would probably plummet. However, since the heir apparent, Ma Yue, was brought back from Jiangdong, the three adopted sons have been treated the same as the heir apparent. My lord has never shown favoritism. Even if one of them makes a mistake, my lord will first hold the heir apparent accountable, for fear that the adopted sons will feel mistreated."
"He adopted a son because he admired his talent and cherished his character; he had no ulterior motives whatsoever." Zhang Song looked into Liu Feng's eyes and said, word by word, "Isn't this situation vastly different from the young general's predicament in Jingzhou?"
Liu Feng staggered back half a step, slumping back into his chair. Zhang Song's words were like a key, unlocking the most hidden corner of his heart. Yes, they were both adopted sons, so why did Ma Chao's sons enjoy such a favorable situation, while he himself faced constant difficulties in Jingzhou? His father's protection was genuine, but weren't the ostracism from Guan Yu and others, and the cold stares from others, also caused by the title of "adopted son"?
He gazed at the deep night outside the window, his heart churning. Zhang Song's words were like a pebble thrown into still water, creating ripples that made it impossible for him to deceive himself as before.
Seeing the ripples in Liu Feng's expression, Zhang Song's smile deepened, and his tone became even more earnest: "Young General, I really don't mean to sow discord between you and the lord. I just feel that with your talent, you don't need to be bound by the identity of 'adopted son'."
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp yet tinged with "sincerity": "Others may look at you differently because of your status, some with admiration, others with disdain, but none of that matters. What matters is how you see yourself—whether you're content with this status or determined to make your own way in the world?"
“It’s late,” Zhang Song stood up and straightened his robes. “These words were just something I mentioned casually. Young General, there’s no need to rush to respond. If there’s an opportunity another day, we can have a good drink and a long talk.”
After saying that, he turned and left with a composed gait.
Liu Feng sat there, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the table. Zhang Song's words were like a fine thorn, gently pricking his heart, not causing sharp pain, but always making him uneasy. He knew the other man might have ulterior motives, but the words "make a living on your own" kept echoing in his mind.
As Zhang Song stepped out of the mansion, he glanced back at the brightly lit inner courtyard, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. This seemingly insignificant move might not show its effects immediately, but who knew if the seeds sown would take root and sprout in the future? Stirring up the waters of Jingzhou was one of the very purposes of his trip.
Zhang Song stayed at the embassy for three days. Every day, he either drank wine alone in the courtyard or strolled around the city with his entourage. He paid no attention to the discussions in Jingzhou and acted like a carefree tourist.
One day, while strolling through the city, he suddenly heard a few snickers coming from afar, accompanied by vague comments about someone with "strange appearance." His attendant, enraged, was about to confront him, but Zhang Song raised his hand and stopped him.
"Why bother arguing with them?" Zhang Song took a sip of wine, his tone indifferent. "What our lord values is my knowledge and insight, not my appearance. Let others say what they want. Can a few words from them change my standing in our lord's eyes?"
Having said that, he downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, casually placed the empty cup on the table, and glanced at the pavilions and towers in the distance. A smile appeared on his lips: "The scenery of Jingzhou is more interesting than I imagined. Staying a few more days won't hurt."
Seeing his unwavering confidence, his attendant said no more. In truth, everyone could see clearly that although Zhang Song appeared relaxed, his eyes never stopped observing, and he silently memorized everything about the city. It was just that this thoughtfulness was not easily discerned by others.