The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 266 The Prince's Marriage
Li Chengqian looked at another woman.

The other party immediately saluted and said, "Su, I meet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Su looked very graceful in her gesture, but the small movement of her fingers tugging at her dress betrayed her nervousness and restraint at the moment.

Li Chengqian looked at the two of them, sat down first, and said with a smile: "No wonder Lizhi and Dongyang have been whispering behind people's backs these days, it turns out they had already made arrangements."

Su bowed his head again and said, "My father has said this before, but it has never been said before..."

Li Chengqian frowned slightly again, and Su didn't dare to say anything more. She pursed her lips nervously, and her face turned red all the way to her ears.

"I think you should understand me now. Regardless of the rumors outside or your own thoughts, since this is a marriage arranged by my father and grandfather, you should be honest with each other."

"Ning'er and my daughter both talked about His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Li Chengqian nodded, "Tell me about yourself."

Su sat down aside, facing His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. It was possible that they would become husband and wife in the future. Even though her ears were red, she remained calm.

She knew how to act according to the prince's look or smile.

"My daughter was born into the Wugong Su family, a native of Wugong County, Yongzhou. My ancestor was the Minister of Finance of the Western Wei Dynasty, and my grandfather was the Minister of the Left during the Daye period..."

"There's no need to say this." Li Chengqian interrupted her.

This was the second time His Royal Highness interrupted her. Su was a little confused, but she quickly said, "What does Your Highness want to ask?"

Li Chengqian asked: "What do you like to do on weekdays?"

Su replied, "I play the zither, read books, and also read the scrolls that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked Jingzhao Prefecture to circulate. I also practice swordplay occasionally."

Sitting in front of him was the eldest daughter of a famous family. Li Chengqian also understood the intentions of his father and grandfather. The Su family's martial arts were very clean, and their family was so clean that it had never had any connection with any force.

She is a princess consort who couldn't be more suitable.

Noticing the Crown Prince's scrutinizing gaze, Su sat very straight, wanting His Royal Highness to look at her more closely.

Su was indeed very beautiful, which was different from Ning'er's usual cold and aloof temperament.

She has a gentle temperament, and she should be like the ladies from famous families out there.

Li Chengqian gestured to Ning'er beside him and said, "I have many brothers and sisters. Ning'er, I should tell you all of them."

Su nodded and said, "I have said that, but Your Highness, don't worry about me. In fact, I admire Princess Changle and Princess Dongyang very much, and I have been visiting them frequently recently."

"So you all knew each other in advance. No wonder the Queen Mother always brings Li Zhi and Dong Yang with her when she summons the women of various families to visit." Li Chengqian said thoughtfully, "That's right. Otherwise..."

He spoke a few more words to Su and then looked at Ning'er.

I am already very familiar with Ning'er. After so many years of getting along, we can understand each other with just a glance.

Li Chengqian stood up and walked out of the hut.

Walking back into the plum forest, Li Chengqian looked at his sister who was holding their mother's arm and said, "I know everything."

Li Lizhi stepped forward and said, "I hope my brother will not be angry with me."

"No, I'll just have to trouble you and Dongyang to arrange these things."

Empress Changsun said, "This child first gave Ning'er back her status as a good husband, and then she went to see her uncle and asked him to arrange for Ning'er to be given a status in the Gao Lin family tree. Her uncle recognized Ning'er as his niece and called her Gao Ning from then on. Although it was a bit ridiculous, she has a family background. In the future, Ning'er will be a concubine in the Eastern Palace, so that she can still be by your side."

Li Chengqian listened to his mother's story and pondered secretly.

Empress Changsun said again: "Okay, go see Father."

Li Lizhi smiled and said, "If my royal brother is pleased, my daughter and I will ask the Ministry of Rites to choose a good date."

Li Chengqian said: "Well, let's pick a day and go see the emperor right away."

Not long after, Su and Ning'er also came out of the hut.

Li Lizhi stepped forward and said to the still confused Su: "You will be a good wife for my brother."

Su bowed.

She held Su's hand, and then took Ning'er with her, and said, "Master Li said that the moon will be very round tonight, let's go and enjoy the moon together."

It was almost night in Chang'an when Li Chengqian walked up to the pavilion.

My father and uncle sat opposite each other here.

"Well, here comes the grandson who won't pick on his daughter."

Li Chengqian noticed his uncle's expression of dissatisfaction and ridicule, and said, "Grandson has met Su."

Li Shimin looked at the lanterns lit by the Qujiang Pond and said, "This is the marriage arranged by your grandfather, and I have agreed to it. Su is a good martial artist."

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "He is indeed the most suitable candidate, and will have the least impact on me."

"I've said before that this kid only cares about whether it's suitable, not appearance or beauty."

Li Chengqian added: "He is also very good-looking. He is from a famous family. His father Su Tan does not hold a high position in the court. He is just a secretary. He will not be the second uncle. From then on, the family lineage will be very weak and have less influence on the court."

Listening to his son's calm words, Li Shimin always felt that these words were too calm.

But I'm also used to Cheng Qian's attitude.

"My grandson has been a calm and resourceful child since he was young. Whose child can compare to him?"

Li Chengqian looked at the full moon hanging in the night sky and said, "I don't know how the arrangements for the teaching are going. Does the emperor have any news?"

Li Shimin replied: "Xu Jingzong made a decent arrangement, I trust him."

"If Your Majesty feels that Xu Jingzong's handling of the matter was inappropriate, I will reprimand him again, even if I have to punish him with a cane or even a salary deduction."

"They are your officials under the Eastern Palace. Just take care of them. I will not ask about these matters in the future."

"I'm sorry to have caused my father to worry."

A eunuch walked over quickly and whispered something in His Majesty's ear.

Li Shimin ordered: "Distribute all the woven winter clothes."

"Here."

Gao Shilian asked, "Do you still have any doubts?"

"Uncle, Ning'er..."

"Gao Lin will probably die alone if he follows me." He patted his grandson's sturdy shoulders and comforted him, "If I die in a few days, it won't be a bad thing for him to have a daughter of the crown prince's concubine. It will also allow me to rest in peace."

Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets and smiled bitterly, "Dongyang said that my uncle is in good health, so don't play cards all night in the future."

Gao Shilian said leisurely: "Gao Lin's family property is quite rich."

"Quite a lot? Is it more abundant than the several hundred acres of salt fields owned by my uncle?"

"Cough cough cough..." Li Shimin on the side suddenly started coughing.

"Gao Lin is a eunuch. He followed Yang Guang in his expedition to Guangdong. Yang was given two thousand hectares of fertile land in Liaodong and two thousand kilograms of gold and silver. Gao Lin originally wanted to have the gold and silver buried with him after he died. Now that he has someone to succeed him, he even wakes up with a smile in his sleep."

Li Chengqian thought about Gao Lin, the old man who always had a smile on his face, who had traveled all over the country with his uncle and had extraordinary knowledge.

But he was very curious and asked, "How come he has so many acres of land and gold and silver?"

Gao Shilian said in annoyance: "Don't ask, how can I know what Yang Guang was thinking back then?"

My uncle and Gao Lin became sworn brothers, and Gao Lin adopted Ning'er as his adopted daughter, making her one of Duke Xu's brothers. In this way, she had both family background and status.

Of course, not many people know that Gao Lin was the eunuch beside Yang Guang back then.

Li Zhi and Li Shen did not go to the Qujiang Lake Garden tonight. When they saw their sister coming back, her face was full of smiles.

"Brother Shen?" "Hmm?"

Li Zhi whispered, "Why is the emperor so happy today?"

Li Shen replied: "Eating zong gao outside?"

Li Zhi nodded seriously and said, "You must have eaten a lot of zong gao to make your sister so happy."

At night, the guests at Qujiang Lake had begun to leave one after another. People did not see the Queen and His Majesty, and even the Crown Prince of the East Palace only saw them briefly.

Li Chengqian personally sent his uncle home, with Ning'er by his side.

Ning'er will live here these days until the day she marries into the Eastern Palace. It's just a formality and she can take care of these two elderly people at the same time.

Gao Lin stood at the door and saluted to greet him.

Li Chengqian helped his uncle into the house and said, "Uncle hasn't drunk for a long time. He drank a few glasses of wine today and got drunk like this."

Gao Lin hurried into the room, lit the oil lamp, spread out the bedding, and helped Gao Shilian lie down.

Li Chengqian walked outside and said, "Ning'er, when the date is set, you will marry into the Eastern Palace, and you can always be by my side."

Ning Er bowed and said, "Concubine... No, slave..."

She found that no matter how she spoke, it was inappropriate.

Li Chengqian held her hand and whispered, "It's okay."

The word "it's okay" made Ning'er's eyes look a little more relieved.

When Gao Lin came out, Li Chengqian asked with a smile, "Mr. Gao?"

Gao Lin said in panic, "Your Highness, please don't call me that. I am ashamed."

Li Chengqian said: "You are Mr. Gao, and you will always be him from now on."

"Your Highness, this matter was presided over by Duke Xu."

"Well, my father and grandfather have chosen a princess consort for me, and my uncle has arranged a baby for me, Ning'er. Now I feel very lucky in my life."

Gao Lin whispered, "Sometimes I feel like Your Highness has lived two lives."

"How did you tell?"

"Your Highness's composure and calmness are unmatched by ordinary people."

"So this is what you are asking." Li Chengqian smiled awkwardly.

Gao Lin looked at the night sky and said, "Duke Xu said that Your Highness needs to be courageous as a crown prince. If necessary in the future, I can help Your Highness. When I followed Duke Xu, I encountered many assassinations and ambushes. Now I am old, but my skills are still there. It is no problem for me to help Your Highness kill a few people."

"My uncle said you are very rich."

Seeing the prince looking around and talking about something else, Gao Lin stood straight with his hands behind his back, revealing the aura of a hidden master. "Who do you want to kill, Your Highness?"

"Do you enjoy killing people?"

"I hate killing people the most."

"When Emperor Yang of Sui ascended the throne, how many people did you help kill?"

"forget."

"Why did Emperor Yang of Sui give you so much land and gold and silver?"

Gao Lin scratched his head, and his previous momentum disappeared. He smiled again and said, "The gold and silver are still there, but I don't know where the land deeds are. Are the land deeds from the former Sui Dynasty still valid?"

"Maybe……"

"These are my daughter's wedding gifts to the East Palace. Your Highness, please wait a moment."

As he spoke, Gao Lin walked into a small house nearby.

After a while, the old man found a piece of cloth from the house. The cloth was a bit old.

Seeing him smoothing it out on the table, he said, "Here is the seal of the Sui Emperor."

Li Chengqian confirmed the land deed and looked at the contents of the deed. There were a total of 2,000 hectares of land, west of the Yalu River.

At this moment, that area is still an unmanaged zone, and the location of these fields is too remote. They can only be recovered by launching another Eastern Expedition in the future.

Gao Lin handed the land deed to Ning'er and said, "I have never had children in my life, but now I have one. Now everything I have belongs to my daughter."

Ning'er was still a little uncomfortable with her identity, so she had to bow again.

Li Chengqian said: "It's getting late, I will go back first."

Gao Lin stood up to say goodbye.

After sending His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to the door, Ning'er followed him for two more steps. Suddenly, she realized something and stopped where she was.

Over the years, some habits have become her subconscious behavior.

She looked back and saw Gao Lin with a smile on his face.

Then he looked at the Crown Prince's back.

"My child, when you marry into the Eastern Palace, everything will return to normal."

Ning Er wiped away the tears from her eyes and said, "Your Highness is a very good person."

Gao Lin's old voice said, "Don't cry. As the Crown Prince's concubine, you must assist the Crown Prince wholeheartedly. You will be together day and night for the rest of your life. Why bother about these few days?"

"Ah."

The next day, the emperor issued an edict to appoint Su Tan's daughter Su as the Crown Princess, and they were to get married on the Winter Solstice.

At the same time, Gao Lin's daughter was married to the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace as a concubine.

As for who Gao Lin is, few people in the court know.

It turned out that last night's garden party was for selecting a Crown Princess for the Crown Prince. The Queen had always avoided talking about arranging a Crown Princess for the Eastern Palace.

While everyone was still guessing who the Crown Princess would be, the Emperor's decree had already been issued.

The beautiful fantasies of many people who had already had hopes for the Eastern Palace were instantly shattered.

Li Chengqian met Su Tan, the Secretary-General who worked in the Secretariat, and was in charge of the confidential documents of the emperor.

"I thank Su Jiancheng for making this marriage possible."

When Su Tan saw the Crown Prince saluting, he quickly bowed and performed a deep salute. If the Crown Prince salutes again, he would have to kneel down.

"If my daughter behaves in a disorderly manner, Your Highness can tell me, and I and my wife at home will definitely scold her."

Li Chengqian waved his hand and said, "No need to be so. Your daughter is generous and graceful, and your brother Su Xu married my aunt, so the two families are even closer."

"That's really..." Su Tan had reached middle age and no longer thought about anything else. He hurriedly followed the prince, holding the tablet in one hand, and said hurriedly: "Your Highness, Your Highness, please walk slower."

Su Tan quickly followed and asked, "What are you going to do now, Your Highness?"

Li Chengqian walked to the Wude Hall and said, "Tear down the Wude Hall."

"Ah?" Su Tan's eyes widened.

In the palace, after arranging a marriage for his son, Li Shimin felt relieved. In fact, last night he not only selected a crown princess for Cheng Qian, but also a princess for Qingque.

With portraits right before his eyes, Li Shimin looked at the women that the painter had painted at Qujiang Lake last night.

(End of this chapter)