I come to see Bai Yujing today

Chapter 69: Put on gorgeous clothes and become a demon dressed in red and purple
Midsummer is here.

The weather in May was sunny and scorching, especially in Xuantianjing in the north, where the leaves of the trees were turned white by the sun.

But the clouds in the sky became whiter and whiter.

Chen Zhian saw Li Xushi off under the white clouds.

This time, Li Xushi did not climb over the wall, but went out through the main gate.

Chen Zhian returned to the courtyard and picked up his pen in the octagonal pavilion. When his pen hit the paper, there was a rustling sound.

In a short while, a letter was written.

Chen Zhian looked at the letter on the table, his eyes becoming calmer.

To brew the Niwan Palace and condense the spiritual energy, the most important thing is to have unobstructed thoughts and let the spirit arise naturally.

The reason why he came to Xuantianjing was because of the various obsessions in his heart.

Many memories of his past life lingered in his mind, causing him to develop a temperament that Prince Duanque called "fierce."

Driven by these emotions, he wanted to have his name engraved on the Tiger Cub Monument, he wanted the Taoist magical powers that would be obtained after the name was engraved, and he wanted the Dou Ji long sword in Si Hougui's hand.

He also wanted to find Li Fushu, who intended to kill him with the help of Zhou Xiujing, and cut off his hand while he was writing a letter to Zhou Xiujing.

Besides that, he wanted to see the man in white whom he had seen countless times in his dreams.

So, on the fifth day after arriving in Xuantianjing, Chen Zhian wrote a letter to Princess Shangqiu.

"Since we are going to the Li Mansion in Xuantianjing, we cannot be completely unprepared. Let me write a letter to Princess Shangqiu first. If she disagrees or is too busy, I will write to Prince Duanque and make all the necessary preparations."

Chen Zhian thought so in his heart.

The last time he met Princess Shang Qiu, he only felt that Princess Shang Qiu had a gentle personality and had no airs of a princess. Even when he was scolded by Wei Lingyu, Princess Shang Qiu would still think of him and take the initiative to compensate him...

In this world with clear class distinctions and a clear hierarchy, such people are actually very rare.

Chen Zhian still remembers the way General Xuanzi Li Bodu, his uncle, looked at him, as if he was looking at a handful of dirt.

So Chen Zhian wrote a letter to Princess Shang Qiu, hoping to invite the very talkative Princess Shang Qiu to go to Li's house together.

He gave the letter to the doorman, who then passed it to the eunuch steward of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who naturally delivered it to Cuiwei Palace.

In Cuiwei Palace, Princess Shang Qiu was entertaining guests.

The guest coming to Cuiwei Palace today is an important figure in the current harem - Jiang Longyue, the daughter of the current imperial teacher and the only imperial concubine.

According to the rules, concubines in the harem are not allowed to leave the Xuantian Palace, but the princess is not included in this rule.

Therefore, some concubines often came to visit Cuiwei Palace and listen to Princess Shangqiu talk about her experiences outside the palace.

In fact, the Imperial Concubine didn’t come here often and usually stayed in her Mingyue Palace.

The reason why I came to visit Cuiwei Palace today was because of a few lines of poetry.

"The clouds resemble clothes, the flowers resemble beauty..."

Jiang Longyue recited the poem softly, with her brows slightly furrowed.

Her face was like the Mid-Autumn moon, fair and bright, her eyebrows were like distant ink, hazy like the smoky moon, and her lips were like red lotus blooming under the moon, delicate and beautiful.

Her hair was like black clouds, tied into a gorgeous high bun, with a moon-shaped pendant in her hair, and the hanging bamboo branches swayed gracefully.

Even though this imperial concubine was wearing a loose, moon-white silk dress, the ribbon alone revealed her amazing curves.

Jiang Longyue's beauty is evident from the fact that she was able to stand out among the many beauties in the harem and become the only imperial concubine of the dynasty.

Jiang Longyue didn't like poetry at first. She felt that poetry was useless and not as fascinating as power and force. Until she heard this short four-line poem.

Jiang Longyue felt that almost every sentence was quite consistent with herself.

But this verse seemed to have come from the Yufu Palace, and Jiang Longyue, who had always been at odds with Princess Linglong, felt that this verse was really wonderful.

She also needs a poem like this to praise her beauty.

Women are like this, their minds seem to contain thousands of changes that are hard to guess.

Princess Shang Qiu was a little sad. She naturally knew that this poem came from Chen Zhian's painting.

Princess Linglong also asked her to find the poet who wrote this poem, but to no avail.

Today, Jiang Longyue, who seldom came to her Cuiwei Palace, came in person to ask for the origin of this poem, which really made her feel a little embarrassed.

"Aunt Longyue, Shang Qiu really doesn't know who wrote this poem. I only know that this poem first appeared in a painting handed over by the Ministry of Internal Affairs."

Princess Shang Qiu said: "The painting is still in Sister Linglong's hands."

Jiang Longyue's long eyelashes twitched slightly, and she asked, "Who painted this picture?"

"He is a painter from Sunan Prefecture named Chen Zhian." Princess Shang Qiu answered honestly.

Jiang Longyue had a great reputation in the harem. Someone secretly described Jiang Longyue as "a peacock with a heart of a snake and a scorpion", but she found out. The secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs then disappeared. No one knew where he went, but everyone knew what happened to him.

Princess Shang Qiu naturally understood that Jiang Longyue attached great importance to this matter, otherwise she would not have come to her Cuiwei Palace in person, but would have summoned her to Mingyue Palace. So she did not hide it, after all, it was not a secret.

"Is that the painter who will paint Linglong's portrait during the imperial ceremony?" Jiang Longyue opened her red lips slightly, her voice as sweet as a nightingale's. There was an indescribable charm in the corners of her eyebrows and eyes, revealing her peerless beauty.

Princess Shang Qiu nodded obediently.

Fortunately, Jiang Longyue did not stay in Cuiwei Palace for long. After asking the name, he went straight back.

Princess Shang Qiu breathed a sigh of relief. Jiang Longyue was indeed the most majestic person in the harem. Even the favored Princess Shang Qiu had to serve her carefully.

Just at this moment, a palace maid brought a few letters and placed them carefully on the table.

Princess Shang Qiu didn't want to look at it, but she happened to catch a glimpse of Chen Zhian's name.

"Chen Zhian has just arrived in Xuan Tianjing, and with just one poem and one painting, he has already made so many people come to look for him..."

Princess Shang Qiu suddenly became more curious about Chen Zhian, so she picked out his letter.

A secretary and maid came forward, opened the letter and read it carefully.

Princess Shang Qiu immediately laughed: "This Chen Zhian dare not accept the invitations from many noble families in Xuan Tianjing, is it because he has never seen the world and is timid? This is interesting. He is not timid in front of me and Sister Linglong, or even in front of the notorious Wei Lingyu."

"What is this young painter doing?"

She thought so in her heart, but shook her head: "It's not bad to go out and relax... I can also go to Li's house to see Sister Yinxi, that's fine... I'll go with you to see it."

Chen Zhian thought that it would take at least one or two hours for the letter to be sent back and forth. However, he did not expect that in just one hour, the eunuch steward came hurriedly and told him that the carriage was ready and Princess Shangqiu had already left Cuiwei Palace and was going to Li Mansion.

Chen Zhian was writing a letter to Prince Duanque. When he heard what the eunuch said, he stopped writing, left the yard and got on the carriage.

-

The Li family is a family with a history of three centuries. It was once a large family in Beiyunzhou. It has been more than a hundred years since they moved from Beiyunzhou to Xuantianjing.

Although a century-old family, it cannot be said that they have a deep foundation in Dayu, but the Li family is the residence of the Shangshu and the home of the general.

The family has a Minister of Revenue like Li Zhuqiu, and the master of the second mansion is General Xuanzi who commands 90,000 troops. When it comes to officials and generals, ordinary aristocratic families with hundreds of years of history cannot compare with the Li family at all.

It’s just… the status of a family is not determined by official positions. The family’s heritage, generations of merit, and the number of powerful practitioners are all related to the status of the family.

Therefore, the century-old Li family is not out of reach in Xuantianjing.

Perhaps because of this, the Li Mansion was built rather luxuriously, in an attempt to show off its reputation.

The Li Mansion stands on Longmen Street in the south city. The glazed tiles on the roof shine with colorful light under the sun, just like neon lights lying on the roof.

Entering the ceremonial gate, the courtyard suddenly opens up. In the center is a huge white jade platform with a carving of a carp leaping out of the water.

The gurgling water gushed out from the fish's mouth and fell into the lotus pond below the stage, splashing pearls and jade. The pool was surrounded by hollow jade railings, and the koi in the pond were as red as flames and as golden as the sun.

Then came the east hall of the main hall, where columns were made of thousand-year-old wood from Hebao, painted vermilion, the floor was covered with brocade carpets, and the ebony tables and chairs were extremely valuable, glowing faintly under the candlelight even in the daytime.

There are several magnificent towers among them, each housing different people.

In a jade tower in the middle, Old Lady Li was wearing a forehead band with a gem inlaid in the center.

She had gray hair and was lying on a recliner with her eyes closed, holding a rosary in her hand.

Li Qingran returned from Mingyuetai today, a rare occasion, so he carefully massaged the temples and the top of the head for the old lady of the Li family.

Lines of white true energy wrapped around her hands, which made the old lady of the Li family feel quite useful.

"Have you ever gone to see your aunt?" Old Lady Li closed her eyes and asked, "Has your aunt ever tried on those red dresses? Which one does she like?"

Li Qingran fell silent, still pressing Old Lady Li's head meticulously.

Old Lady Li seemed to be suddenly annoyed. She sat up and snorted, "Yinxi really disappoints me. She disappointed me when she was eighteen or nineteen, and she also disappointed me when she was twenty-eight or twenty-nine. Now she is in her thirties, but she is still so stupid. She doesn't even care about me and her father."

Li Qingran said nothing.

Old Lady Li waved her hand and said, "Then just prepare a red dress for her. If she doesn't want to choose, then don't choose."

Li Qingran listened to the cold words of Old Lady Li and couldn't help but pursed her lips; "Grandma...Auntie really wants to marry into the Si family?"

Old Lady Li said, "How can we change what has been decided?"

Li Qingran was very puzzled: "Grandma, my aunt is the legitimate daughter of you and grandpa. Even if she is older, she won't go to the Si family to be a concubine. If she really goes, she will be laughed at and become the laughing stock of others..."

"What do you know?" Old Lady Li opened her eyes and glanced at Li Qingran: "How much do you know about the ravines and gullies in Xuantianjing?
Although the Si family is not one of the six families of Dayu, it is in its heyday. The current head of the family married the eldest daughter of the Xie family. Si Yuanzhen is expected to ascend to the throne. The Minister of War has even been awarded the title of [Grand Minister], a second-rank noble. The saint personally granted the Si family the third-rank heavenly merit and the third-rank supernatural power! "

"My Li family may seem to be on par with the Si family, but in fact, we are far behind them. Your uncle has been unable to refine the dragon vein opportunity for a long time, and his military skills have not made any breakthroughs. He is still far from the realm of creation. How can we compare with the Si family that married into the Xie family?"

Li Qingran showed some stubbornness on his face, and said: "But Uncle Qi has already been enrolled in Yanglong Temple, which is the eighth row on the Xuanmen Monument. Isn't this background noble enough?"

Old Lady Li frowned, becoming more and more angry: "Your seventh uncle only comes back to Xuan Tianjing once every three to five years. Everyone in the world knows that your seventh uncle is not close to my Li family. What can my Li family rely on him for?"

"What's more, although the Grand Master and the Imperial Master criticize each other, they are both very wary of the top sects in the world. Your seventh uncle is from an aristocratic family, but after entering the Yanglong Temple, he is destined to be further and further away from Dayu..."

"But my aunt doesn't want to get married." Li Qingran suddenly interrupted your old lady: "I heard from my seventh uncle that Chen Shuijun and my aunt had an extraordinary chance. The two of them once got a ninth-grade purple fungus. Grandfather promised them that if they could find an alchemist who could refine the ninth-grade purple fungus and turn it into an elixir to extend Grandfather's life, my Li family would help Chen Shuijun and my aunt get together."

"But later, my great grandfather passed away...but this matter..."

"Qingran." Old Lady Li's eyes suddenly became much colder: "It's just hearsay, don't bring it up.

Chen Shuijun has no luck, no talent, and no background, so she is not worthy of being the daughter of the Li family."

"Your aunt has wasted more than ten years because of Chen Shuijun. She could have married the eldest son of the Xie family, but now she can only be a concubine of the Si family. This is her own fault. It was Chen Shuijun who did this. She can't blame anyone else."

Li Qingran lowered her head, and after a few breaths, she raised her head and said, "But my aunt doesn't want to marry into the Xie family, and even less into the Si family."

"It's not up to her." The old lady of the Li family slowly lay down and closed her eyes: "She is the blood of the Li family, so she naturally has to consider the Li family."

At this point, her tone became even more severe: "From now on, don't send her those inexplicable letters.

For example, the letter from Sunan Prefecture! What did the Chen family say in the letter that we would meet someday? He really overestimated his own abilities. There is a huge gap between ordinary people and noble families. The Chen family has become an ordinary citizen. Don't try to get involved with our Li family."

Li Qingran wondered if Li Yinxi had reminded her of her future fate, and she felt even more resentful. She frowned and said, "But Chen Shuijun pulled out the sword from the rockery, proving that he wasn't just wasting time in depression for the past 18 years. Maybe next time he comes, he'll be able to defeat General Si Jiarongtian."

"And the son of the Chen family, he is my aunt's bloodline. Even if he lives an ordinary life, how can he stop the blood relationship?"

Old Madam Li laughed and didn't even answer.

Li Qingran felt a mixture of emotions in his heart, and he suddenly remembered what Li Zhoubai had said to her.

——"Xuantianjing may seem to be a place full of nobles and dignitaries, but it is just like the capitals of the other six kingdoms, a place full of demons and monsters. If a weak-minded person sits in a high position and puts on fine clothes, he will inevitably become a demon in red and purple, severing the kinship in his heart and only wanting to sit in a higher position."

At this moment, a maid came to report.

Old Lady Li immediately sat up with a smile on her face.

"Princess Shang Qiu still misses me?"

The maid respectfully reported: "Princess Shang Qiu also brought a painter with her. She said she was the court painter who painted Princess Linglong's portrait."

Old Lady Li was immediately flattered and smiled with joy.

Old Lady Li had been a guest at the residence of the governor of Xuantian before, and heard Mrs. Zhao from the residence talk about this painter, the wonders of the colorful painting, and that Princess Linglong had decided to have this painter paint her portrait during the court ceremony.

This gave Old Lady Li something to think about.

However, Mrs. Zhao said that this painter was quite difficult to invite, and all those who went to invite him were advised to go back, and even the old lady of the Si family was not invited.

Mrs. Zhao sighed deeply when she talked about this.

"The Imperial Court Festival is approaching, and this young painter has become famous in Tianjing because of Princess Linglong. Many people have invited this painter. In fact, they are inviting him because of Princess Linglong's fame and the same 'specialness' as Princess Linglong. But now it seems that I can't invite this painter during the Imperial Court Festival. I can only wait until after the Imperial Court Festival, when his fame has faded, and then ask him to paint my portrait."

Old Madam Li returned home and wrote a letter to Princess Shang Qiu just like Madam Zhao did. In fact, she did not hold much hope, she just wanted to give it a try.

But I never thought that Princess Shang Qiu actually brought this painter with her?

It was a great thing that other wealthy families and noble families couldn't invite them, but her Li family did.

(End of this chapter)