"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..."
