area51novel Page 589
Page 589
"There are still things left to do, but I will make proper arrangements."
Xu Pingzhi wiped away his tears, and Wei Yuan slowly turned around, looking at the distant northern mountains.
The task isn't finished yet, but it should be done soon.
"Whee!"
Wei Yuan's deep thoughts were interrupted by a sudden laugh.
He looked down and saw a little girl, about five or six years old, standing in front of his small table, looking up at him.
"Uncle, I'm so hungry."
"My father just knelt down to beg for food for me."
Upon hearing these two sentences, Xu Pingzhi, who had just been filled with grief and indignation, suddenly felt a tingling sensation shoot from his tailbone straight to the top of his head.
“Father, Lord Li and Wei are of the same generation, and you are a veteran of Shanhaiguan, so it’s alright,” Xu Xinnian comforted him in a low voice.
Nangong Qianrou smiled faintly and said to Wei Yuan, "Godfather, this is Commander Xu's youngest daughter."
The group of men nodded in approval. It turned out she was Lord Li's sister-in-law. No wonder she was so bold; she was destined for greatness.
Wei Yuan picked up a piece of candied fruit and handed it to the little boy.
Xu Lingyin took it and swallowed it in a few bites.
"Candied fruit should be eaten while held in the mouth; the longer you hold it, the sweeter it tastes," Nangong Qianrou said softly.
“Pretty sister is wrong.” Xu Lingyin raised her eyebrows.
Nangong Qianrou's expression changed. She straightened up, gazed at the Star Gazing Tower, and refused to look at the little boy again.
"What's wrong with what he said?" Wei Yuan sat down and asked gently.
Xu Lingyin whispered, "Uncle, I'm telling you, you can't tell anyone else."
"If I keep one in my mouth, someone else will take the rest."
"So I have to keep eating, so my mouth is always sweet."
Wei Yuan handed a plate of candied fruit directly to Xiaodouding, who began to munch on it.
“Pingzhi, I want to see this child’s potential.”
A nervous Xu Pingzhi nodded repeatedly, "Thank you, Lord Wei."
Wei Yuan massaged the girl's joints for a long time, "What a pity."
Yang Yan asked, "Godfather, how is it?"
Wei Yuan shook his head, "Strong bones and abundant energy, with a solid foundation, but lacking in flexibility, making him unsuitable for martial arts training."
"He's just a big eater, a complete glutton," Nangong Qianrou's sarcastic voice came over.
Xu Lingyin looked up at Nangong Qianrou and said, "My brother-in-law said that this lady is very beautiful, but she has a bad temper."
Nangong Qianrou felt a chill run down her spine and froze instantly.
Li Chang'an, that man, actually coveted my looks!
But I'm a man!
Xu Lingyue whispered to Nangong Qianrou, "Lord Nangong, it's not like that."
"It was Lingyin who told you, young master, that that pretty lady has a bad temper, and you said, 'Then don't provoke her...'"
"Thank you for informing me, Madam." Nangong Qianrou breathed a long sigh of relief, thanking Xu Lingyue for clearing up her doubts.
The Xu family became anxious again, wondering what trouble this young girl would cause next.
……
Not far from the seating area of the night watchman's office, sat various princes and nobles.
Princess Pingyang and Prince Yu sat together, with a middle-aged woman beside her.
While Prince Yu was talking to the others, Princess Pingyang and her aunt were talking quietly.
"Aunt Huai, are you sure it's okay for you to come out like this?"
Although the auntie's appearance was average, she possessed a dignified and elegant demeanor.
“Pingyang, I had no trouble getting through, which means no one recognized me.”
This middle-aged woman is none other than Princess Mu Nanzhi, the wife of the Prince of Huai, who is wearing a Bodhi seed bracelet.
Mu Nanzhi loves watching a good show, and she can't miss this kind of occasion.
She glanced at the seat next to Wei Yuan every now and then, "Pingyang, where is your master? Why isn't he here yet?"
Princess Pingyang frowned slightly. "You are the Princess Consort of the Prince of Huai, why are you so concerned about my master?"
Mu Nanzhi sat next to her, glancing in that direction countless times.
"My master wanted to send someone to fight, and that was the last one to appear."
Mu Nanzhi was frozen for a period of time and hadn't seen Li Chang'an for a long time, so she missed him terribly.
As for the Prince of Huai and the Prince of Zhenbei, Mu Nanzhi had long forgotten about them.
……
Among these spectator pavilions, the most luxurious one was a resting platform covered with yellow rice paper.
Those sitting here are all dignitaries from the palace.
The Empress, Consort Chen, all the princes, and all the princesses were present.
For the royal family, this power struggle was not just a spectacle, but also a matter of the court's reputation.
"Where is Sister Lin'an?"
"Isn't Lin'an the one who loves watching a good show the most?"
"Yes, why didn't Sister Lin'an come?"
The princes and princesses all looked towards the entrance.
Princess Lin'an, who is usually the most active, did not appear.
Huaiqing sat quietly, dressed in an elegant palace gown, looking both dignified and graceful, yet also beautiful and charming.
This sudden disappearance in Lin'an was her first miscalculation.
All of Lin'an's previous actions were within her expectations.
The thirteen-year-old Third Princess said, "Who do you think Marquis Jingning will send to fight?"
The imperial edict appointing Li Chang'an has been issued, and Li Chang'an is now a legitimate first-class marquis of the Great Feng Dynasty.
The Seventh Prince said, "Who knows? Isn't Lord Li capable of everything?"
The Third Prince interjected, "His eldest disciple is Sister Pingyang, but Sister Pingyang is still sitting there."
"Could it be his second disciple? I heard his second disciple is a martial artist."
The sixth prince asked curiously, "Actually, I've always wanted to ask you, what exactly is the Buddhist sect fighting about?"
"I don't know." Several young princes and princesses shook their heads in unison.
The intellectual and beautiful Princess Huaiqing spoke slowly, and her first words captivated everyone.
“Buddhist contests emphasize enlightenment, Buddhist mind, and Zen wisdom, not the strength of one’s cultivation level.”
Conversations in the palace often went like this: as soon as Huaiqing spoke, everyone else could only stare blankly.
Because no one could keep up with what she was saying.
Just then, a sudden commotion erupted at the entrance.
Several princes and princesses also peered over there, asking, "What's going on? Have the magicians made their appearance?"
"Of course the fighters will appear at the Star Gazing Tower! What are you thinking!"
The commotion at the entrance grew louder and louder, and no one knew what shocking thing had happened.
When the two people at the entrance walked in, Huaiqing's pupils suddenly contracted and his whole body stiffened.
Li Chang'an wore a sky-blue robe, his hair was tied up with a jade crown, and he wore cloud-patterned shoes.
He was handsome, had an extraordinary temperament, and was calm and composed, like a noble royal or an immortal descended to earth.
Beside Li Chang'an was Princess Lin'an, swaying her slender waist and wearing a fiery red dress, tightly holding Li Chang'an's right arm!
It's for mounting!
Lin'an smiled broadly, her peach-blossom eyes sparkling with confidence, her chest held high like a proud little peacock.
"So, Sister Lin'an went to accompany Marquis Jingning!"
"I've long heard that Sister Lin'an and Marquis Jingning are in love!"
"Lin'an is really making a mess of things! It's outrageous!"
The princes and princesses exchanged a few words and then noticed that the temperature nearby was a bit low.
As expected, the usually aloof Prince Huaiqing's face was as cold as frost.