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墨書 Inktalez
In the fourteenth year of the Tang Dynasty (640 AD), the Tubo ambassador Lu Dongzan brought lavish gifts of five thousand taels of gold and hundreds of precious items to Chang'an, seeking permission from Emperor Taizong of Tang to marry.
The long embassy procession stretched for miles along Zhuque Street.
Among the crowd of onlookers, Li Zhenyao fixed her gaze on the leading man in the embassy: "Qin Zhu, is this guy the elephant or the horse sent by Tubo?"
"He's a Great Minister, but of the kind that belongs to the Prime Minister!"
Qin Zhu couldn't help but chuckle. "My lady, we should return to the residence. If Consort finds out you sneaked out, she might use it as an excuse to make things difficult for us again!"
Qin Zhu glanced at the sky; it was nearly noon.
If they didn't return before lunch, they would surely be caught in trouble.
But Li Zhenyao continued to stare intently at the large crimson lacquered chests adorned with gold edges, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Qin Zhu, do you think if we took ten or eight pieces of jewelry from those chests, it would be enough for us to make a run for it?"
"Cough!" Qin Zhu accidentally choked on her own saliva, but Li Zhenyao didn't turn back to check on her.
Because the man sitting high on his horse had actually turned to look at her.
It wasn't the woman to her left, nor the man to her right, and certainly not Qin Zhu behind her; that fellow was clearly fixated on Li Zhenyao's face.
With a slight curl of his lips, a smile hidden beneath his beard appeared. His eyebrows arched slightly, and his gaze held seven parts disdain and three parts provocation, clearly having overheard Li Zhenyao's words.
"Well, well, this big bearded man has quite the sharp ears!" Li Zhenyao rolled up her sleeves, and a casual jest was suddenly transformed into a firm resolve by that smile.
Qin Zhu's expression darkened. "My lord, are you having thoughts you shouldn't be having?"
"Not at all! Why would I?" Li Zhenyao grinned like a mischievous little cat, completely unfazed by the probing gaze from a distance.
"Great Minister, is something amiss?" Lu Dongzan's attendant asked with concern after noticing his unusual demeanor.
Lu Dongzan, sitting on his horse, shook his head and gazed at Li Zhenyao for a long moment before turning his attention elsewhere.
Everyone said that women from the Central Plains were gentle and demure, timid and delicate. Yet here was a girl who dared to covet the treasures of the Embassy in broad daylight, revealing such cunning smiles right under his nose—he found her truly surprising!
Li Zhenyao's original plan was to find an opportunity to sneak into the Post House for some fun.
Of course, she didn't have the courage to steal the Embassy's tributes. However, if she could casually swipe something small, it was unlikely anyone would report it to the Emperor.
Unfortunately, that night, not only did she fail to go to the Post House, but she was also pulled into the palace by the Consort.
The Empress summoned all the noblewomen and unmarried princesses from the royal family this time.
Logically speaking, the Princess should have brought Second Young Lady and Fourth Young Lady into the palace. Yet not only did she let Second Young Lady feign illness to avoid it, but she also dragged me in instead.
It seems this visit to the palace might not be so simple after all!" Li Zhenyao twirled the tassel on her belt between her fingers, still smiling as she turned to the elegantly dressed woman beside her.
Consort Wen let out a cold snort and said, "Are you doubting me or the Empress? In our Jiangxia County Prince's Mansion, who doesn't know that you are the legitimate daughter of Former Consort Fang? As the Princess, I have never heard you call me 'mother' even once. In the ancestral hall, you have always treated your mother with the courtesy due to a concubine. The Empress's decree clearly states that I, as a legitimate wife, must bring my legitimate daughter into the palace. How could I dare to disobey?"
Li Zhenyao smiled but did not respond.
A few years ago, her biological mother, Consort Fang, passed away. With her clever tactics, Zeng managed to win over the Prince of the County and became the rightful head of Jiangxia County Prince's Mansion.
However, everyone in Jiangxia Prince's Residence knew that she regarded Li Zhenyao as a thorn in her side and had bestowed the title of Princess, granted by the Emperor, upon her own daughter, Second Young Lady Zhen Li.
Since then, Li Zhenyao had never been polite to her.
Aside from the palace, there was truly no other place where these two mismatched mother and daughter could walk towards each other with smiles on their faces.
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