Now I really have to marry the princess.

Taiji Palace, Lizheng Hall.

Li Er frowned as he recalled the astronomical divination text submitted by Li Chunfeng.

Empress Zhangsun brought out a small bowl of sesame porridge.

"Erlang, the will of Heaven is too elusive. Wasting your energy on this matter will ultimately be of no use."

Li Er sighed and accepted the sesame porridge, but the worry between his brows remained.

He had just taken a sip of porridge when he put down the spoon: "Guanyinbi, Director Li said that the star Ketu might be on Yang Zhengdao."

Empress Zhangsun was startled and bowed deeply to Emperor Taizong, saying, "This is a prophecy of destiny, which only Your Majesty may hear. It should not have been told to me."

Li Er quickly pulled Empress Zhangsun to his side: "Guanyinbi, we are husband and wife, there's no need for this."

Just then, Li Chengqian arrived in high spirits.

Perhaps it was because he was making money for the first time that he was so excited that he completely ignored the atmosphere inside the hall.

After performing the proper rites, he couldn't wait to share his joy with Li Er and Empress Zhangsun, just like a child waiting for his parents' praise.

"Father, Mother, the shop in the East Market opened today. Following Yang Zhengdao's method, the first batch of pre-Qingming tea sold for 9,800 cash per tael. The first batch of pre-Qingming tea gift boxes is now available for pre-order."

Li Er raised an eyebrow: "For whom was this bid?"

"The Lu family and the Cui family each won three hundred taels of silver."

"Lu of Fanyang, Cui of Qinghe," Li Er sneered.

Empress Zhangsun knew that Erlang had recently become dissatisfied with the powerful families in Shandong, but this matter could not be changed overnight.

She smiled and looked at Li Chengqian, changing the subject.

"My son, governing a country is just like running a business. If you listen to good advice and trust the wise and capable, you will achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Li Chengqian responded and took a bowl of sesame porridge from the maid.

Empress Zhangsun looked at Li Chengqian, who was drinking porridge, with doting eyes.

Since starting his tea business, Qian'er has exuded a confidence and vitality he had never shown before.

She was no longer as reserved as before in front of Erlang.

Li Er also smiled with satisfaction at Li Chengqian: "Fang Yizhi is calm and steady, and Li Hui is quick-witted and resourceful. In this matter, your arrangement for these two is quite appropriate."

Li Chengqian's eyes lit up. Li Er's approval was a great encouragement to him, so he tentatively asked, "Your subject actually wants to recruit Yang Zhengdao to serve in the Eastern Palace..."

Upon hearing this, Li Er immediately flew into a rage: "You and Li Yuanjia delivered a letter to Azhi on behalf of that scoundrel, do you think I didn't know?"

Li Chengqian was surprised by Li Er's strong reaction. He awkwardly put down his soup spoon and secretly glanced at Empress Zhangsun.

Empress Zhangsun shook her head with a wry smile, then said to Li Chengqian, "When selecting officials, one should only consider their talent. If someone is incompetent, even a relative should not be employed; if someone is talented, even an enemy should not be abandoned. This is what your father said, so you should listen to him."

Li Chengqian naturally understood the Empress Dowager's teasing tone towards his father, so he suppressed his laughter and bowed in agreement.

Li Er was speechless after being choked by Empress Zhangsun's words, and he also realized that he had lost his composure.

But the thought of that bastard making a move on Ah Zhi made him furious.

However, it was impossible for Li Er to admit that he had lost his composure.

He stubbornly replied, "Although Yang Zhengdao is talented, he has flawed personal morality, and we need to observe his future conduct."

After Li Chengqian left, Empress Zhangsun advised Li Er, "Qian'er is sometimes too upright. Placing Yang Zhengdao in the Eastern Palace would be a good way to assist him."

Li Er was somewhat absent-minded and replied perfunctorily, "Let's talk about it when he gets back to Chang'an."

He then recalled Li Chunfeng's secret memorial.

The great road is fifty, the sky is four and nine, and people are one of them.

If Li Chunfeng's divination is true, then Yang Zhengdao is the only variable outside of the forty-nine of the Heavenly Evolution.

Perhaps we should heed Guanyinbi's advice and not waste our energy on the uncertainties of fate.

Li Er sighed, lay down, and rested his head on Empress Zhangsun's lap.

Empress Zhangsun pressed on Li Er's temples and said softly:

"Actually, Zhengdao is a good person. His background is not something he could choose. He doesn't have the self-pity of a former dynasty's remnant, nor the gloom and resentment of a country's orphan..."

Upon hearing this, Li Er frowned, his face full of displeasure: "You're not really considering marrying A-Zhi to him, are you?"

Seeing Li Er's reluctant expression, Empress Zhangsun sighed, "We should wait and see, after all, what Ah Zhi is thinking..."

"Ah Zhi... Ah Zhi was deceived by that scoundrel." Li Er was somewhat exasperated.

Empress Zhangsun smiled. She also wanted to join Erlang in scolding Yang Zhengdao, but thinking of her eldest daughter, she decided to wait and see.

So she sent Eunuch Jian over, wanting to get to know this young man who had been quiet for a year but had suddenly emerged as a rising star.

Empress Zhangsun continued to press on Li Er's temples, as if trying to persuade Li Er, and also as if trying to persuade herself.

"Second Brother, test his heart regularly, and it will become clear in time."

Li Er grasped Empress Zhangsun's small hand, and a smile suddenly appeared on his lips.

Wasn't the motto "We will not return until we have conquered Loulan"?

Once you get back to Chang'an, I'll see what you're made of.

……

On the other side, after leaving Baojian Temple in Huayuan County, Yang Zhengdao and his group continued westward into Sanyuan County, heading towards Longhua Temple.

Longhua Temple is located at the mouth of Qingshui Valley, with steep mountain walls to the north and rushing blue waters to the south, making it a scenic spot.

In addition, the temple had just been renovated in the third year of the Zhenguan era, and the halls and meditation rooms were all new.

This place became an excellent resting place for Yang Zhengdao and his party during their journey.

Therefore, Li Ke sent two guards ahead of time to prepare the way.

On the way, after collecting three chances to win the lottery, Yang Zhengdao finally couldn't resist and made a triple draw.

Movable type printing, traditional cement firing techniques, and basic horsemanship.

I was lucky; at least it wasn't a completely useless skill like the complete interpretation of oracle bone script.

After all, oracle bone script was unheard of in history before the discovery of Yin Ruins.

When the group arrived at Longhua Temple, the guest monk was already waiting outside the mountain gate.

After entering the mountain gate and offering incense and paying homage to Buddha in the main hall, the guest monk suggested visiting the most treasured artifacts of Longhua Temple.

Yang Zhengdao and Li Ke were both very curious.

The monk in charge of receiving guests proudly introduced it, saying, "This is an authentic work by Zhong Yao, the Grand Tutor of the Later Han Dynasty, known as the 'An Guan Zhong Stele'."

Zhong Yao is someone that college students who have read Romance of the Three Kingdoms will know.

However, college students only knew Zhong Yao, who was no match for Ma Chao in martial arts and no match for Pang De in strategy.

But when Li Ke heard Zhong Yao's name, his eyes widened and his face lit up with ecstatic joy: "Is this truly an authentic work by Zhong Yao, the ancestor of regular script?"

Hmm! ? The ancestor of regular script! ?

Yang Zhengdao thought to himself, "This is way beyond the curriculum! For regular script, college students only know Wang Xizhi."

However, this cannot be blamed on Yang Zhengdao's ignorance.

After all, no original works by Zhong Yao have survived.

His fame in later generations is far less than that of Wang Xizhi, Yan Zhenqing, Liu Gongquan, and even less than that of Ouyang Xun and Yu Shinan.

But this did not stop Yang Zhengdao from following suit.

He grabbed the monk's sleeve, his voice trembling slightly: "Master, please take us to admire the calligraphy of Grand Tutor Zhong."