Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 307 This girl from Gaoyang County is indeed handsome.
Two days later, in Quchifang, Chang'an City.

The rare warm winter sun pierced through the clouds and shone on the plum grove along the Quchi River.

The red plum blossoms still bloom as brilliantly as the morning glow, but today, the plum grove has lost some of the elegance of scholars and gentlemen, and gained more of the rugged atmosphere of soldiers.

"You woman, don't embarrass me later. Inside are a princess and an empress!"

A man dressed in plain clothes stood outside the plum grove, his voice booming like a bell.

He stood tall and straight, with a fierce and seasoned air about him, clearly a former soldier.

The woman beside him wore a faded cloth dress, her face bearing the marks of time, but she was very easygoing. Hearing this, she rolled her eyes at him and said, "I know, I know, you've been nagging me ever since we left home, as if I'm some kind of embarrassment to you!"

She was clutching a coarse cloth bundle in her hand, inside which were needles and thread.

Those were wool thread and bamboo needles distributed in advance by the Ministry of War.

Not far away, another couple was in a completely different situation.

The woman, dressed in a worn-out ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), had her hands tightly clasped together. Her face was pale, and she could barely speak: "With the Duke, Princess, and Empress before us, what if I do something wrong?"

The man standing in front of her couldn't help but chuckle, reaching out to hold his wife's hand. The calluses on his palm tickled her wrist. "My wife, there's no need for that. You've been educated since you were young. Are you really inferior to those village women? Just relax."

"But this is a crucial moment for your promotion to brigade commander..."

The woman remained worried, her voice trembling.

"I fear I might jeopardize your future."

The man shook his head helplessly, but his eyes were warm: "Silly wife, His Majesty sent his family members to learn to knit sweaters because he cares about the soldiers. How could he be harsh on them for that? Besides, I'm already very happy that you came."

His wife's family had fallen on hard times since she was young, which made her increasingly timid. It took him a lot of coaxing before she finally agreed to come.

Further afield, a completely different scene unfolds.

In the past, it was always the wife who sent her husband to the battlefield, but today it's the other way around.

The men stood outside the plum grove, watching their wives straighten their clothes, and repeatedly instructed them: "Go inside and talk less, learn more. Weave faster so that the brothers can wear warm clothes sooner."

Two days ago, after returning to the palace from Wenhe's residence, Li Shimin instructed the Ministry of War to issue an imperial edict.

The General's Office near Chang'an was ordered to send a representative to Quchifang.

Since there were too many soldiers in need of winter clothing, and it was impossible to have 10,000 woolen sweaters made by 10,000 families, each prefecture recommended skilled women from the families of officers.

The men present today are at least seventh-rank captains, with a few lower-ranking brigade commanders.

They were all junior officers in the Tang army, most of them heroes who rose through the ranks from ordinary soldiers through their military achievements.

"Is everyone here?"

A captain of the Imperial Guard stood at the entrance to Merlin, holding a roster and counting the number of people.

Seeing that almost everyone had arrived, he raised his hand and said loudly, "Ladies, please follow me. The magistrate of Gaoyang County has already prepared the venue, and Her Highness the Princess and Her Majesty the Empress are waiting inside."

The women looked at each other; some were so nervous their palms were sweating, while others straightened their backs and tried to appear calm as they followed the captain deeper into the plum grove.

The men remained where they were, watching their wives walk into the plum grove, their hearts filled with both anticipation and a touch of inexplicable trepidation.

Who would have thought that his own wife would have the chance to see the Emperor!

That's Her Majesty the Empress; these junior officers might never even get to see her in their entire lives.

Even His Majesty only caught a glimpse of its outline once, during a grand court assembly.

When I return to the camp later, I will tell the brothers about it.

"My husband has met the Empress and the Princess!"

Just this one sentence seems to bring glory to one's ancestors.

Even if one's children are to be engaged in the future, it is a respectable matter that will earn the matchmaker's favor.

Deep within the plum grove, a plain-colored screen stands before the warm pavilion. Embroidered on the screen is a pattern of pine trees and cranes symbolizing longevity, with fine stitches. The dark green pine needles set off the crimson crane crests, creating an elegant and festive scene.

Behind the screen, two figures could be vaguely seen sitting upright; they were Empress Zhangsun and Li Lizhi.

The former remained dignified and elegant, while the latter appeared somewhat nervous.

Wen He stood by the screen and whispered to Li Lizhi beside her, "Don't be nervous. Just act like you would when you tutor Wenrou at home. They're here to learn a skill, not to test you."

Li Lizhi gripped the bamboo needle in her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly. The cool touch of the needle, however, calmed her down. She nodded vigorously: "I know!"

Today she wore a light pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with several lotus blossoms embroidered on the hem. She only wore a plain silver hairpin in her hair, which made her look less like a royal princess and more like a girl next door. She looked like a little girl learning from an adult.

Behind the screen, Empress Zhangsun sat upright on a soft couch, holding a string of Bodhi seeds in her hand. She listened to the footsteps and low conversations outside, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

She deliberately instructed the palace maids to keep the venue simple. The heated pavilion was heated by an underfloor heating system, and a faint fragrance of plum blossoms filled the air. It didn't feel like a royal occasion; it was more like the inner courtyard of an ordinary wealthy family.

Before long, the families of the officers filed in, led by palace maids.

"Ladies, please take your seats according to the number cards you just received."

The speaker was Empress Zhangsun's personal maid, who was dignified and spoke in a clear voice.

Although the women did not recognize her identity, they could tell from her composed demeanor and exquisite clothing that she was a "noble lady".

They couldn't help but hold their breath, and following the numbers on their number plates, they found low stools covered with cotton cushions and sat down.

For a moment, only the rustling sound of fabric rubbing against each other could be heard in the warm room.

The sight of so many eyes staring intently at the screen made Li Lizhi behind it nervous.

She twisted the hem of her skirt with her small hands and whispered, "Mother..."

Empress Zhangsun smiled and patted her little head, her fingertips warm: "Don't worry, Jiaying is here with you, so don't be afraid. They are all the families of soldiers, and their hearts are the purest. Just teach them well."

She was actually happy to let Lizhi do this from the bottom of her heart.

Royal children should not be confined within palace walls to paint dragons and phoenixes. True dignity lies in contributing to the country and the nation, just like Princess Pingyang Zhao of yesteryear.

Upon hearing this, Li Lizhi secretly turned her head and looked at Wen He outside the screen. Wen He immediately raised the corners of her mouth and gave her a reassuring smile, raising her arm and quietly waving it downwards, making a "good luck" gesture.

The little girl composed herself, took a deep breath, raised her face, and followed the palace maid around the screen to the women.

"Her Majesty the Empress and Her Highness the Fifth Princess have arrived."

With a clear and melodious greeting from a palace maid, the warm pavilion instantly fell silent.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress! Greetings, Your Highness the Princess!"

The women hurriedly rose from their low stools and began to follow the etiquette and greetings they had been taught.

Most people were performing this ceremony for the first time, and they were flustered. Some bent over too quickly, and their skirts swept over the balls of yarn at their feet.

Some forgot to bend their knees and instead imitated the men's gestures, bumping their elbows into the people next to them.

The palace maids standing nearby couldn't help but lower their heads and secretly suppress their laughter at the sight.

"Ladies, please rise."

Li Lizhi's voice still had a touch of immaturity, but she tried her best to speak clearly.

The women got up as instructed, and couldn't help but quietly raise their heads to see what was in front of them.

The princess in front was actually a beautiful little girl, dressed in a light pink ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), holding two bamboo needles in her hand. She looked no older than her own daughter and was very well-behaved and adorable.

Although the empress behind the screen could not be clearly seen, her dignified features could still be vaguely discerned.

As for the only little child present, he must be the rumored prince of Gaoyang County.

He is indeed handsome.

Standing next to the princess, they looked like divine children in a temple.

"Cough cough."

Wen He felt a little uncomfortable being stared at.

These women in front of me are not like the noble ladies from high-ranking families.

Among these people are quite a few with fierce personalities.

If it weren't for the presence of the Empress and Li Lizhi today, Wen He believed that many people would have come to propose marriage to him.

"Let's begin," Wen He said calmly.

The palace maid beside her nodded and said loudly, "Please take your seats, ladies. Her Highness the Princess will personally demonstrate in a moment, and I will explain from the side. If you have any questions, please do not interrupt. Ask your questions together after the Princess's demonstration. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

The women responded in unison, and then all turned their gazes to Li Lizhi.

The latter pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and said sweetly, "Then let's begin."

That sound, like honey, made the hearts of the women present almost melt.

As Wen He watched her gradually regain her composure, the corners of her mouth unconsciously curled up.

The little girl's technique is no longer as rusty as before.

Although I was still a little nervous, I was trying my best to control myself.

Her voice was a little soft, but fortunately, she had palace maids around her to help her, so the other women could hear her clearly.

Wen He watched from the side, drinking honey water and eating pastries, looking exceptionally relaxed.

Looking at the falling plum blossoms, I couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

There were no cameras in this era; otherwise, capturing this scene would definitely have resulted in a masterpiece.

Listening to the rustling sound of weaving, Wen He couldn't help but feel her eyelids grow heavy.

I fell asleep without even realizing it.

He didn't know how much time had passed when he suddenly felt a tickle in his nose.

Suddenly sensing a figure beside him, he opened his eyes abruptly and heard a cry of "Ah!"

Li Lizhi fled in a panic, like a frightened rabbit.

Wen He touched her nose and was surprised to smell the fragrance of plum blossoms.

Looking up at Li Lizhi, he saw that the little girl had already hidden behind a palace maid.

"it's over?"

Noticing that there was no movement around her, Wen He lazily stood up.

"It's over already. You've been sleeping for two hours. Mother has already gone back to the palace." Li Lizhi made a playful face.

Wen He felt somewhat embarrassed upon hearing this.

The warm sunshine today made it especially comfortable to sleep.

"Then why don't you go back?" Wen He asked with a smile.

Li Lizhi blushed, her eyes darted around, and she said coquettishly, "Mother gave permission. I wanted to go to your residence to play with Xiaorou, not to wait for you to wake up."

This sounds like a forced explanation.
"It's getting late, let's go."

Li Lizhi urged him somewhat flusteredly.

Wen He didn't think much of it, smiled and nodded, and walked outside with her.

Just as the two of them stepped outside, a group of people suddenly approached from the front.

(End of this chapter)