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

Chapter 64 Who would be so unlucky as to marry your brother?
"Do you have any evidence to support your claim?"

Empress Zhangsun's tone was somewhat cold; this was the first time she had spoken to Wen He like this.

Wen He nodded almost without hesitation.

"If you want to investigate, it's not difficult. There are many cases of cousins ​​marrying each other in rural areas. You just need to do a survey to find out."

"Furthermore, there is an island nation to the east of our Great Tang, where the royal family is mostly composed of close relatives, and most of their offspring suffer from brain diseases. Send someone to investigate this matter, and you will find out soon enough."

Seeing how serious he was, Empress Zhangsun's doubts lessened somewhat.

She had only ever done some research, and she seemed to have heard of that island nation to the east, something like Wa (倭国).

But how can we investigate when there's a vast ocean between us?

She pursed her lips and pondered for a moment: "Did His Highness send you on this mission?"

She found it strange that Wen He suddenly wanted to talk about this.

Could it be that His Highness has some other intention?
Upon hearing this, Wen He realized that she had misunderstood and quickly explained, "Your Highness is unaware that I originally intended to offer advice to Your Highness on this matter, but I was worried that Your Highness might think that I had ulterior motives."

"Your Highness is kind and benevolent, and will certainly not blame me. As for how I know about this matter, please do not ask me. I dare not speak of this matter without Your Highness's permission."

He deliberately shifted the problem to Li Shimin.

Empress Dowager Changsun will surely tell him about this, and Wen He can just wait for him to come looking for her.

"I am aware of this matter, and I will certainly relay it to Your Highness upon my arrival."

Empress Zhangsun had a headache.

Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, intermarriage between aristocratic families has long been the norm.

Throughout history, monarchs have used marriage to win over their subjects.

For example, the Dugu family of the Northern Zhou Dynasty produced three empresses.

She knew that Li Shimin wanted to marry Lizhi to the Changsun family because he wanted to maintain a harmonious relationship with Changsun Wuji, a relationship that would last from beginning to end.

But as a mother, she couldn't watch her daughter be pushed into a pit of fire.

"I am going to the East Palace today, but Your Highness intends to let Gao Ming, Qing Que and San Lang stay in the mansion... Li Zhi is still young and not easily susceptible to illness, so she will stay in the mansion for a few more days."

Judging from her words, keeping Li Lizhi behind was clearly a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Is it because of what I just said?
But what does this have to do with letting Li Lizhi stay?
Wen He didn't understand, but didn't ask any more questions. He only heard Changsun Wugou continue, "The steward of the manor will stay. If the young master has any shortages, he can ask him for them."

"Thank you, Princess."

Wen He bowed.

Empress Zhangsun did not keep him any longer. Slightly tired, she had her maid escort Wen He away from the side room.

"Alas, fortunately I haven't told my brother about this yet. It seems I'll have to choose someone else."

The marriage alliance didn't necessarily involve Li Lizhi; it was simply because she was the legitimate daughter, making her even more prestigious.

However, when Li Shimin ascended the throne, although the other concubine daughters were of lower status, they were still princesses, so it was not unfair to the Changsun family.

As for beauty...

She gazed at the door of the side room.

I remember His Highness saying that night, "If Lizhi hadn't been betrothed to Changsun Dalang, perhaps Wenhe would have been a better choice."

She thought His Highness was joking at the time, but now it seems that His Highness's words may have come true.

Wen He was unaware of Empress Zhangsun's thoughts; otherwise, he would definitely be back in bed by now.

Before dawn, I was dragged out of bed to practice standing meditation outside the Taiji Hall.

His upper eyelids and lower eyelids had been fighting each other for a long time.

But there was one more thing he had to do.

"Go back and draw a diagram first, then go find Yan Liben."

Back in the courtyard, he hadn't even had a chance to open the door.

Then they heard a burst of laughter coming from inside.

Judging from the voices, it sounds like Xiao Rou's, and there's also a girl's voice, which should be Li Lizhi's.

Pushing open the door, I saw two little girls looking up at the bamboo dragonflies flying in mid-air.

This was something Wen He made for her to play with before; I didn't expect the little girl to bring it over.

"Brother."

Seeing Wen He return, Wenrou disregarded the bamboo dragonfly still flying in the sky and rushed towards him.

She buried her face in his arms.

"Where did my brother go so early this morning?" When Wenrou woke up this morning, she was so scared that she almost cried when she saw that Wenhe was gone.

Fortunately, Li Lizhi came to keep her company.

"His Highness the King of Qin summoned me to the palace, and now that the matter is settled, I'm immediately back to find Xiaorou."

Wen He gently rubbed her little head.

Just then, the bamboo dragonfly that was flying in mid-air happened to land in front of him, and he casually grabbed it.

Li Lizhi, who was standing not far away, pursed her lips and walked over quickly.

She didn't speak, but her big eyes stared intently at him, as if she were a little aggrieved.

"You stole my things."

The little girl stood with her hands on her hips, head held high, staring intently.

Wen He chuckled: "I made this, how could it be yours?"

"But this was given to me by Sister Xiaorou, so it's mine." She pouted, a hint of anger in her eyes, and quickly walked up to Wenhe, reaching out to snatch it.

Seeing that she stumbled a few times, Wen He was worried that she would fall and that it would be troublesome if she made her cry, so she gave her the bamboo dragonfly.

"besides."

Despite receiving the bamboo dragonfly, Li Lizhi was still dissatisfied and glared at Wen He.

"What else?" Wen He asked, puzzled, as he had nothing else on him.

Li Lizhi remained silent, but hooked her arms around Wenrou's arm with both hands.

"And my older sister is mine too."

After saying that, she snatched Wenrou away, pulled her along, and ran far away. Halfway there, she didn't forget to turn back and make a face at Wenhe.

Wenrou looked bewildered and worried that she might fall, so she could only run after her.

Wen He couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Who could bear to let such a playful and adorable girl get married at the age of twelve?

Wen He shook his head and went to the woodshed to get a piece of charcoal to make a charcoal pencil.

It wasn't until lunchtime, when Li Lizhi gently called him, that he realized he was hungry.

After dinner, he buried his head in the room and began to write and draw.

Li Lizhi just leaned against the door frame, watching him paint, completely bewildered.

Curious, I asked Wenrou, but she was even more confused.

"I don't know, brother, this has never happened before."

"Hmm, just like my father, he gets so busy that he doesn't care about anything else. He only ate a pancake while he was eating."

Li Lizhi pouted and hummed twice in dissatisfaction.

Wenrou turned to look at her with some surprise.

She, as the younger sister, hadn't even noticed this.

Half an hour later, Wen He came out of the house with a happy expression.

"It's finally finished. This should look like the picture."

Looking at the things in the painting, he couldn't help but smile.

"With this thing, let alone marrying his daughter, the King of Qin will at least give my family a thousand acres of fertile land."

Wen He chuckled, completely unaware that two pairs of bright, watery eyes were heading straight out of the courtyard from around the corner.

After he left, Wenrou and Li Lizhi came out from behind the house.

The former looked completely bewildered.

"Is my brother crazy? He just said he was going to marry someone's daughter. Does that mean I'm going to have a sister-in-law? Lizhi, why are you blushing?"

"It seems so, but who would be so unlucky as to marry your brother?"

Li Lizhi tilted her head, also very curious.

At this moment, Wen He, unaware that her purpose had been exposed, was heading to the front yard to find Yan Liben.

Thank you to the following readers for their monthly tickets:

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(End of this chapter)