The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 3 The Prince Tells Stories

After saying this, Ning'er walked out of the bedroom.

The maids of the East Palace came over and saluted, saying, "Sister Ning'er."

"Yes." Ning'er nodded first, then looked at the girls and whispered, "His Highness has gone to bed, but it's freezing cold tonight. His Highness the Crown Prince considers that there is only one heater in the East Palace, so he will let you go to the bedroom to rest."

Several palace maids in front of them were talking to each other. Ning Er reminded them again: "His Highness is worried that you will be cold, so sleep around the stove in the bedroom."

"Here."

Everyone responded in unison.

Afterwards, Ning'er led the girls to spread out the bedding and lie down beside the fireplace, occasionally looking at the prince who was sleeping on the couch.

They all went to bed, not daring to make any noise to disturb His Highness.

Ning'er was still standing by, watching the girls fall asleep peacefully.

Originally, they could only sleep in the side rooms next to the bedroom. It was very cold there, with only one oil lamp. They were lucky if they could endure it. Many palace maids caught cold and fell ill, or froze to death as punishment.

At least these girls in front of me can live a better life here with His Highness.

They kept a distance from the prince's bed. Ning'er stood between his highness's bed and these girls. There was a warm stove in the middle. She looked at the charcoal fire in the stove with a smile on her face.

Then Ning'er felt that everyone in the palace had fallen asleep, so she got up, took out pen and ink and began to write down what had happened to His Highness in the past few days, writing down every detail, to be handed over to the Queen.

Ning'er will come to take care of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, this is also arranged by the Queen.

The next day, before dawn, the palace maids woke up and tidied up the bedding while His Highness was still asleep, quickly restoring His Highness' bedroom to its original state.

Three or two hours of sleep was enough for Ning'er, as she had been accustomed to such a life since she was a child. Then she began to prepare hot water.

When Li Chengqian woke up, he saw that the basin had been placed there. The water was hot and steaming.

Seeing that the prince had finished washing, Ning'er handed him a towel to wipe his face.

Li Chengqian hung the cloth beside the basin and said, "Make a few new toothbrushes."

"I'll ask the palace to make the arrangements."

"I'll do it myself. I don't like the current style of toothbrushes."

Of course, Li Chengqian didn't want to learn from the Tang people today and chew wood in the morning to clean their teeth.

Ning'er took note of these words and said, "The hot water is ready. Your Highness can take a bath now."

Taking a hot bath in the morning is the most comfortable thing. Li Chengqian took a bath in a bucket, which was surrounded by curtains.

While His Highness was taking a bath, Ning'er was still waiting outside the curtain.

Only after His Highness had finished bathing and came out in clean clothes did she let the palace maids pack His Highness's spare clothes.

When Li Chengqian was wearing cloth shoes, Ning'er was helping to comb his hair behind him.

Looking out the window of the East Palace, one can see a group of officials in red, purple, and green robes walking towards the Taiji Hall.

These people were walking in a hurry. Some of them could be seen whispering to each other and greeting each other with tablets in their hands. It was a scene of harmony and unity.

If I hadn't learned a lot about the Tang Dynasty these days, I would have been deceived by its harmonious side.

In fact, the Tang people were very tough. It was normal for them to argue in the court and fight and curse in the Taiji Hall.

The East Palace is dilapidated, and the imperial palace in general is also depressed and empty, and you won't see many people walking around on weekdays.

Only when these court officials went to the morning court could they see this lively scene.

Ning'er brought the breakfast, a bowl of boiled bean sprouts and a pancake.

The bean sprouts are boiled in water and sprinkled with some salt.

She bought the cakes from outside.

Ning Er whispered, "Your Highness, I heard some news when I came back from outside the palace. It was all about the Eastern Palace."

Li Chengqian finished his breakfast, put his hands in his sleeves, and said, "What news?"

Ning Er replied, "The monks of Shengguang Temple persuaded people to grow bean sprouts at home and use them to make dishes. People who have stored food naturally have no shortage of beans, but they gave beans to people who did not have stored food. In addition, many people are chanting your merits, and now it is almost spreading throughout Chang'an City."

Li Chengqian was silent for a moment, picked up the bowl filled with warm water, took a sip, and said, "Write an article on the edible value of bean sprouts."

Ning Er bowed slightly and said, "I'll get ready right away."

The pen and ink were placed on the table. Li Chengqian picked up the pen and was about to write. After hesitating for a long time, he suddenly looked up and asked, "Can you write?"

"what?"

Ning Er was stunned for a while, and quickly replied: "I can write."

Li Chengqian said again: "I told you to write it."

"Here."

After thinking for a while, Li Chengqian said, "It is recorded in the Compendium of Materia Medica that soybean sprouts are five inches long and dried to make yellow rolls. They are boiled and taken as needed. Bean sprouts are often used as medicine to treat abdominal distension and poor ventilation."

"After reading the Materia Medica, I discovered that bean sprouts are also a very valuable food ingredient. They can lower blood sugar and help empty stool. For example, if you often have abdominal distension and indigestion, you can eat bean sprouts with meals to help digestion, but people with weak spleen and stomach should eat less..."

After Ning Er finished writing, she read it again and said, "Your Highness, it's so unfamiliar."

Li Chengqian asked suspiciously, "Is it unfamiliar?"

"Yes." Ning'er sat in front of His Highness and pointed at the words and said, "For example, blood sugar. What is blood sugar?"

"Oh……"

Li Chengqian suddenly smiled, "It's the sugar in the blood."

Seeing that she was still confused, Li Chengqian said, "Change it to harmonizing the blood and qi in your body."

"What about digestion?"

Li Chengqian stroked his forehead and said, "Food digestion."

Ning Er suddenly smiled and said, "It looks like a very profound knowledge."

"Just give it to the people at Hongwenguan and have them circulate it. Since they have given me a good reputation, I will do my best to the end."

"My slave understands."

When Li Chengqian had nothing to do in his spare time, he had nothing to do except reading the books here, but most of the books in the Eastern Palace were related to governing the country and the people.

I am not afraid that this kind of corrupt imperial politics will corrode my three views.

At least after experiencing the baptism of knowledge from later generations and receiving a precise and systematic education, they are equipped with seamless ideological equipment from the inside out.

Li Chengqian looked at the book in front of him, which recorded interesting anecdotes from ancient times, or stories related to imperial power.

These stories are not interesting, and some of them have been more fully interpreted in later books.

This is not arrogance, but the stories of later generations are even more exquisite.

Imperial power politics?
Is it awesome?

The ultimate goal of being a crown prince is to become an emperor, so putting aside the current obstacles, one needs to consider what kind of emperor one wants to be.

For example, whether human thinking has objective truth is not a theoretical issue but a practical issue.

This is like emperors throughout history, who usually like to impose their subjective consciousness on objective facts.

Li Chengqian felt that he could use his rich knowledge to re-plan how to be an emperor, and slowly wrote down three words in front of him: Emperor Studies. If he really combined his existing cognition with the current reality and did a complex essay question, then this question would become the advanced thought of the Tang people, Emperor Studies?
Afterwards, Li Chengqian tore off the paper with the three words he had written, crumpled it up, and threw it into a basin of water beside him, letting the ink dissolve in water until it could no longer be seen.

Then a corner of the rice paper in front of me was missing.

No one knows that under this handsome appearance of this gentle and kind prince, there is actually a monster, and this monster's mind is armed to the teeth.

Ning'er whispered, "What kind of book does Your Highness want to read today?"

Li Chengqian said: "I like to read the Dream of the Red Chamber. I have read this story for many years."

"A Dream of Red Mansions?" Ning Er looked at the bookshelf beside her and frowned, "The East Palace doesn't have this book."

The Red Mansion was written by Cao Xueqin in later generations, so of course it is gone. Thinking this secretly in his heart, Li Chengqian said, "Let me tell you the story of the Red Mansion."

At this point, Ning'er called a few palace maids to listen to His Highness' story together.

From Daiyu's mother's death to Xue Baochai's move into the Jia Mansion, the story was told in a leisurely manner, leaving them mesmerized.

It seems as if there is a real person named Daiyu in this world because this story is so interesting.

Li Chengqian had only finished telling two chapters. The Tang people, who had always lacked stories, had never heard of such stories before and were very curious.

At noon, Li Chengqian still had to think of ways to take care of the daily life of the Eastern Palace, at least to make life in the Eastern Palace better.

His Highness had only just finished telling this story, and now they could only look forward to when and where His Highness would tell them the sequel to the story.

The Dream of the Red Chamber tells the story of the rise and fall of a large family.

It is also a mirror, reflecting the intermarriage and alliance among the four major feudal families.

Facing the darkness in people's hearts can make people feel like they are falling into an ice cellar.

Stories can influence people. People of all ages will have different feelings after reading them.

The Tang Dynasty needs stories. An era always needs a few stories that are deeply rooted in people's hearts to make people alert.

If people don't read stories, then their spiritual life will only be reduced to eating, drinking and gambling.

Cultivating people is a very interesting thing. Li Chengqian feels that he can cultivate three or two most loyal supporters.

The girls all walked out of the hall, where they were busy preparing for the prince's next routine.

Li Chengqian was chatting with Ning'er. The current prince was very talkative and would often make her cover her mouth and laugh, and she had to hold her waist to stand up straight.

"Your Highness cannot be a businessman."

"You are right. I cannot be a businessman, but as long as I say a word, people will rush to send money to the East Palace."

Ning Er continued, "Then why does Your Highness want to go on a business trip?"

Li Chengqian nodded and said, "I don't have to be a businessman, but I have to understand businessmen. What do you think, Sister Ning'er?"

Although she was very happy to hear His Highness call her sister, Ning Er still had to bow and said respectfully: "I am not worthy of Your Highness calling me sister. I hope Your Highness will not say that again in the future."

Li Chengqian looked around and said, "There are no outsiders here."

Ning Er is a more experienced maid in the palace, but facing His Highness' words, she couldn't help but blush and said, "I don't deserve it."

The palace maid outside the palace walked quickly. She first looked at Sister Ning'er timidly, fearing that her arrival would disturb the pleasure of His Highness and Sister Ning'er.

Li Chengqian said, "What's the matter? Just tell me directly."

She replied, "Your Highness, Zhao Jie wants to see you. He is outside the East Palace."

Hearing this, Li Chengqian looked at Ning'er beside him and frowned again, "What is he doing here?"

It is recorded in history books that Li Chengqian was planning a rebellion in the 16th year of Zhenguan, and Zhao Jie was on the list of rebels.

I just glanced at it in the history books and still remember it.

Ning Er reminded him, "At first, Zhao Jie came to see Your Highness, saying that he wanted to join the army, but the Wei Mansion was unwilling to accept him because he did not have enough qualifications. He was not qualified to study literature, and he had not read much. He wanted to find a way out. Later, Princess Changguang also came to see Your Highness and talked about this matter. Your Highness agreed."

Li Chengqian asked in confusion: "Why did I agree to this in the first place?"

Ning Er recalled and said, "His Highness said that Zhao Jie was the descendant of a meritorious official, so he should help. Then he agreed and also established the Right Commander of the Eastern Palace and appointed Zhao Jie as the commander. This will be in autumn."

"I almost forgot."

Of course I forgot. This was something my “ex” promised me, so how could I remember?
Ning Er asked again: "Do you want to invite Zhao Jie in?"

Li Chengqian suddenly had a stern face again and said slowly, "No need, just say I regret it."

"But..." Ning'er reminded intentionally: "Zhao Jie's biological mother is the current Princess Changguang."

"That is, my aunt?"

"Ah."

"So what?" Li Chengqian said simply, "Just because he is my aunt's son, I will let him off the hook. Besides, the position of the Right Commander of the Eastern Palace is so important, and it has not been established yet, so I cannot appoint a relative like this."

Seeing His Highness speak so decisively, Ning'er said to the palace maid in front of her: "Did you hear everything His Highness said?"

"I heard it."

"Then go and answer the call."

"Here."

Zhao Jie, who was in his early twenties, was waiting outside the Eastern Palace in a blue shirt. He had even imagined in his mind how he would appear as the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Palace in the future, and a happy smile was on his face.

Du He, who was standing next to Zhao Jie and was two years younger than Zhao Jie, asked in a low voice: "Did His Highness really agree to it?"

Seeing that he was still somewhat suspicious, Zhao Jie put his hands behind his back and raised his chin and said, "Your Highness has always been generous and kind to others. He had already agreed to this in September this year. I am here to take up the post today."

Du He said sternly: "This matter needs to be discussed. The Right Commander of the Eastern Palace is so important, how can we..."

As she was speaking, the palace maid came over quickly.

Zhao Jie straightened his collar and stood up again.

"His Highness has replied. Please go back. His Highness cannot use relatives without authorization. His Highness regrets what happened to Young Master Zhao."

Zhao Jie's smile froze on his face, and he asked again, "Did Your Highness really say that?"

The maid said in a calm tone, with an air of authority that could not be refuted, "That's right."

"I want to ask His Highness in person."

"Your Highness said he would not see visitors."

Zhao Jie wanted to say something but stopped himself. He waved his sleeves heavily, turned around and left quickly.

Du He did not forget to bow and apologize to the East Palace, and then left.

Because of the bean sprout incident, rumors spread that the Prince of the Eastern Palace had recovered from his illness, and that he had made friends with the monks of Shengguang Temple by using bean sprouts. Because of Zhao Jie, he had offended the Prince's own aunt, Princess Changguang.

Outsiders may not know, but the people in the Eastern Palace know that His Highness also hates the monks in Shengguang Temple.

Who made those monks take the initiative to make bean sprouts public?

A few more days of peace passed. Every time the Crown Prince finished telling the story of the Red Mansion, Ning'er would write it down and have someone send it to Lizheng Hall and give it to the current Queen.

I heard that the Queen also liked this story.

Originally, Ning'er was supposed to report the prince's daily life to the queen every day, and recording the story was just a side job.

Note: The term "Red Mansion" has no other meaning. It is only used in the plot of the book to warn and enlighten the characters in the book, such as "Who is like Wang Xifeng, who is Xue Baochai?" and other negative teaching materials
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(End of this chapter)