Old Three, tasked by Li Yuanying to write a biography for his young niece, diligently went to meet with her to arrange a time.
Knowing that Li Yuanying had made this arrangement, Yu Yu was naturally open to discussing her experiences with Old Three. Over the past few years, she had participated in many battles, some insignificant rebellions, others large-scale wars like the conquest of Goguryeo.
Old Three listened attentively. He was different from Li Yuanying. Li Yuanying’s eyes would sparkle with excitement when listening to stories, often urging the storyteller to continue. Old Three, however, absorbed everything as it was told, and whenever he wanted a deeper understanding, he would suggest pausing to organize his thoughts and ask questions about specific details.
For example, for the book “Secrets of the Taishang Huang,” he would repeatedly ask Li Yuanying about specific points whenever he was in a good mood. He then cross-checked these details with Wei Zheng and others before finally writing the book, which proved popular among readers of all ages. Imagine a gossip book with an exciting plot and captivating details written in a way that draws you in – who could resist it?
Old Three continued his interviews with his slightly older niece Yu Yu.
Meanwhile, Old Two had also requested a task from his Emperor cousin, leading a royal delegation to Tubo to visit his sister, Wen Cheng.
He didn’t want to ask Li Yuanying for a military post, so he decided to take a different route, becoming the leader of the Chang’an dandies, fully embracing Li Yuanying’s old motto: “Use the dandies to wreak havoc on neighboring countries.”
Songtsen Gampo had a short life. Before Emperor Li ascended the throne, he had already passed away, leaving his only son, who was barely twenty, with Wen Cheng. Without any children of their own, his younger brother, who was chosen by Lu Dongzan, succeeded him as Zanpu.
The new ruler of Tubo was indeed appointed by the Tang Dynasty, but he wasn’t Wen Cheng’s own child. Their father had always been worried about her, sending gifts to Tubo every year and making sure she was well.
Old Two decided to personally check on her for Li Yuanying.
Li Yuanying naturally approved. He and Wei Jiu had often travelled with their sons, so they were not ignorant youths who had never left Chang’an. Old Two had volunteered to go to Tubo, and Li Yuanying had no reason to oppose him.
He not only approved but enthusiastically marked out destinations for Old Two, encouraging him to explore.
Over the years, Li Yuanying had been able to travel almost anywhere except the sea and Tubo, which left him with a sense of regret.
He claimed he had only casually mentioned the need for “mutual understanding between neighbors.” Who would have thought anyone would take it so seriously? In his opinion, Emperor Li was unable to visit Tubo himself and had also forbidden Chengqian from going!
Li Yuanying excitedly planned Old Two’s itinerary, emphasizing the importance of checking on Wen Cheng’s well-being, and suggesting that they invite her back to her family for a visit.
The next year, the International Expo was scheduled to be held in Taiyuan. With its abundant mineral resources, they planned a mineral and fossil exhibition. He asked Old Two to tell Lu Dongzan to prepare some unique Tubo minerals and fossils for the exhibition, and to bring Wen Cheng back to see it.
This idea was also Li Yuanying’s. The academy had nurtured a number of practical talents, and they had been studying Tang Dynasty minerals for over a decade. Various regions had also unearthed numerous dinosaur and other fossils. Fossil experts were now the idols of children and a popular career choice for many. Who wouldn’t want to discover a dinosaur that nobody else had found before? If they were the first to discover it, they might even have the right to name it!
Li Yuanying always encouraged his sons’ aspirations. He didn’t worry about Old Two feeling too much pressure, holding his hand and entrusting him with many things he wanted him to do.
Old Two set off for Tubo with the delegation, filled with ambition.
The next spring, he brought Wen Cheng back, accompanied by the current Zanpu’s son, Lu Dongzan’s second son, Qinling, and others.
Li Yuanying went out to greet them personally. Seeing Wen Cheng, from whom he had been separated for so long, he was overcome with emotion and invited her into the city to discuss the changes that had taken place over the years.
Nine years after marrying Songtsen Gampo, Wen Cheng lost him and their only son, who died young, leaving no descendants. Lu Dongzan, however, cared for her deeply and didn’t force her to follow Tubo customs and remarry the new Zanpu.
After chatting, Li Yuanying learned that he had unintentionally influenced Tubo’s situation quite a bit. He had encouraged monks to spread Buddhism in Tubo (and sell tea) which had led to the growth of Buddhist followers. Originally, most people in Tubo believed in shamanism, praying to spirits or seeking help from shamans when they were sick. The introduction of Buddhism had had some impact on shamanism.
Wen Cheng had brought a group of doctors to teach local people medical skills, letting them know that illnesses could be treated with medicine, not just through superstition. She had also brought textile techniques, teaching them that they could prepare for cold weather by making their own clothes, not just praying to the heavens.
Now, when Wen Cheng invited the monks to preach Buddhism, people were more willing to sit down and listen.
After Songtsen Gampo’s death, Wen Cheng wasn’t confined to a single palace or forced to remarry. Instead, she continued to teach Tubo people about Tang culture and technology. This was knowledge that ordinary Tang people possessed, and she believed the Tubo people should know it too.
She had a feeling that Tubo would eventually become part of the Tang Dynasty. This feeling became even stronger after the Tang Dynasty took control of the Western Regions.
After teaching the Tubo people for over a decade, Wen Cheng had become the true queen in the hearts of many Tubo people, a divine envoy who had descended to help them.
Of course, Li Yuanying had secretly played a role in this, subtly promoting her image, but Wen Cheng’s own efforts were crucial.
She said that every day had been fulfilling. The only regret she had was missing Chang’an, but now that had been resolved. After the International Expo, she would return to Tubo. She would make the Tubo people truly experience the Tang Dynasty’s strength and inclusiveness, encouraging them to willingly become Tang people.
Li Yuanying was overjoyed.
Who said women were inferior to men? What Wen Cheng had done was far more impressive than many who merely spoke about it.
After the palace banquet, Li Yuanying, slightly tipsy, returned home with Wei Jiu and slept until dawn.
This year’s International Expo also concluded successfully. After seeing off the envoys from different countries, Li Yuanying and Li Chengqian closed their doors and started marking the information they had learned from this expo on their “world map”. It already had notes on vegetation, produce, and so on. This year, they would add the mineral resources of each country.
They were steadily exploring the world they knew and the one they didn’t.
This year, Old Three’s second bestseller was also published. The book, set against the backdrop of the conquest of Goguryeo, told the story of Li Yu Yu. Within a year, the tale of this young general had become widely known.
Emperor Li even requested a performance at Cuiwei Palace depicting a female general capturing an enemy. He sat silently throughout the entire performance, only speaking to Li Yuanying after the actors had finished.
“Call your third son to me, I have something I want to ask him.”
Li Yuanying was cautious: “What do you want with our third son?”
Emperor Li responded: “What? Have I suddenly become estranged from my nephew? Didn’t someone say, ‘Once you have a son, you’re at my disposal’?”
Li Yuanying snorted and sent someone to call Old Three.
Didn’t he know he didn’t have a daughter back then? If he had a daughter, he wouldn’t mind sending his sons to serve others. Now he only had three sons, how could he bear to have them bullied? Li Yuanying said to Emperor Li, “Sanzlang is still young, don’t make him do any hard labor.”
Emperor Li retorted: “Only you would act so recklessly.”
Li Yuanying refused to admit it. He was curious about what Emperor Li wanted from his third son, refusing to leave.
Emperor Li didn’t chase him away, allowing him to listen in.
Old Three, despite his youth, inherited the best qualities of Li Yuanying and Wei Jiu: he dared to stir things up but was also calm and collected, always appearing composed.
Influenced by Li Yuanying, they feared neither Li Chengqian nor Emperor Li. He respectfully called out “Imperial Uncle.”
Emperor Li told Old Three to sit down, observing him. He thought to himself that fate was unfair: all three of Li Yuanying’s sons were handsome, inheriting the best of their parents’ features.
Old Three looked a bit frail, but his features were exceptionally beautiful. When he grew a bit older, he would likely captivate most of Chang’an’s young ladies.
What was even more infuriating was that Li Yuanying took them everywhere, and yet they were all so accomplished. The eldest had already passed the imperial examination and become an official, while the second had inherited Li Yuanying’s talent for making friends, thriving as an envoy to surrounding countries.
The youngest, despite his age, was already showing promise, writing books that appealed to readers of all ages. Even he, Emperor Li, couldn’t put it down.
After observing him, Emperor Li finally revealed why he had summoned Old Three: he wanted him to write a biography of Princess Pingyang, similar to the story of Yu Yu, one that could be adapted into a play.
Emperor Li rarely reminisced about the past, mainly because it was filled with too much blood and tears. If he constantly thought about it, he wouldn’t be able to find peace even in his dreams. Seeing Li Yuanying paving the way for his great-niece, Emperor Li realized he should do something for Pingyang too.
Before he ascended the throne, Pingyang and her husband, Chai Shao, had provided him with great assistance. Although Pingyang was no longer alive, he wanted people to see her past glory.
In times of chaos, only extraordinary individuals could stand out.
Old Three had never met Princess Pingyang, and he was suddenly entrusted with this heavy responsibility. He paused to contemplate, then asked Emperor Li, “Can I come to you frequently to ask about Princess Pingyang?”
Emperor Li agreed.
Old Three then made many requests: he wanted to meet people who had served Princess Pingyang, generals who had followed her, and he wanted to visit the Chai family to ask about the past.
Emperor Li granted all of his requests. He increasingly felt that this child was different from Li Yuanying, that his composure and seriousness came from his mother!
After making all his requests, Old Three finally agreed.
Two years later, “The Biography of Princess Pingyang” was finally published. Many people bought it upon seeing the author’s name, and after reading it, they either gasped in amazement or sighed in contemplation, feeling transported back to those turbulent times.
The flourishing printing industry led to a new trend. Over the next few decades, many prominent women from the founding of the Tang Dynasty were immortalized in stories, both romantic and grand, written by countless scholars and writers.
During the early years of Li Chengqian’s reign, the official historians established the “Biography of Virtuous Women,” recording the remarkable women of the time. Later, it became increasingly common to include both men and women in various biographies. Outstanding women, spanning various fields, were listed in historical records under their own names.
**Author’s Note:**
The Little Prince: My son is so accomplished, except for not having a name, he’s perfect!
Update!
You guys are amazing! You propelled the Little Prince to 30,000! He’s reached the top of the romance list! Let’s see if you can make it even higher tonight!
Here’s a record of yesterday and today’s data (only showing one record):
Morning 9:00 am: 20,097
Evening 7:00 pm: 20,097
Evening 9:00 pm: 25,098
Until now: 25,099
It’s obvious, right? No changes all day, and then a 5,000 increase in the evening, which probably means two full bottles were added.
Normally, everyone reads at different times, and the time it takes to leave a comment and vote varies, so the number should change every hour.
When everyone worked hard to shower Wang Xiaopang with votes and help him climb the rankings, we saw him suddenly increase by a few thousand and overtake other books. This month, the Little Prince was a complete slacker (no updates on the first of the month), but seeing this familiar tactic, Tiantianchun sprung back to life! Double update, please vote! I hear Jinjiang doesn’t care about this, and I don’t want to be a snitch. It just seems like a serious thing to report for ordinary people like me. It’s not that bad, and Tiantianchun is actually determined to find solace in writing historical fiction (though it might not seem that way).
So, let’s ignore what others do. Whether their sudden surge in nutrient solution is begged for or bought, it’s none of our business. As long as we shower the Little Prince with love, Tiantianchun will be motivated to write, hu hu hu!
Some people asked what I’ll write next. I mentioned it before, it’s going to be “Prancing Through the Three Kingdoms”, tentatively set for July 1st, so bookmark it if you’re interested. “The Scroll of Qin” will probably have to wait until next year. After all, based on the speed of Wang Xiaopang and the Little Prince, each story takes at least half a year!
Finally, if you have extra nutrient solution, you can always shower it on the Little Prince (rubbing hands together).
Previous Chapter | TOC |