No, gentlemen also guard against

Chapter 851: Li Guoer: Empress Weiyang (Extra )
Cai Shou did not realize that her young lady's mind was attracted by that ordinary wooden hairpin.

She looked curiously at the statue covered with red cloth again and reached out to lift it.

"Don't move."

Li Guoer suddenly said.

"Oh."

Cai Shou stopped.

Li Guoer turned the wooden hairpin in her hand that had been sent from thousands of miles away, and stared at the red cloth Buddha statue in silence.

The master and servant spoke in silence along the way.

The carriage passed through Qinghuafang and returned to Ziwei City along the original route.

At the Yinglong Gate, the stern and alert soldiers of the imperial guards Yinglong Guard carefully checked the seal and slowly opened the heavy side door to let the carriage of the popular little princess pass.

Speaking of which, the only people who can enter and leave the imperial city freely at such a late hour, including princes, relatives, civil and military officials, who can enjoy such treatment, are no more than ten people in the current dynasty, and this requires the special permission of the current emperor.

Even Prince Xunyang Li Xian and Crown Prince Li Dalang did not receive such treatment.

The latest person to receive this favor is the little princess with plum blossom makeup.

On the city wall, a tall commander of the Yinglong Guard in black armor lowered his eyelids and watched the carriage slowly enter the palace.

The carriage once again passed through the inconspicuous Weiyang Palace hidden in the darkness. This time Li Guoer did not open the window.

The palace where she lived in the imperial city was called Hanliang Palace.

Located in the northwest of Taiye Lake, close to the East Palace.

My father Wang Li Xian and my elder brother Li Dalang are temporarily living in the East Palace.

The Eastern Palace was originally the residence of the Crown Prince, and the Saint placed Li Xian and his son here. This is also one of the reasons why many people in the outside world have made certain speculations recently.

It's not groundless.

Just like the origin of the Weiyang Palace, every palace in Ziwei City has its hidden meaning for living in it.

Hanliang Hall is very close to Daming Palace and Mingtang, making it convenient for participating in court banquets or meeting with saints.

Generally, only favored princesses can live here.

In addition, this palace is elegant and has a quiet environment, making it suitable for a young princess who has not yet been granted a title to live temporarily.

The carriage drove into the Hanliang Palace. The palace servants who had been waiting in front of the palace with their heads bowed for a long time came to greet it and pushed open the palace door.

Cai Shou was ordered to go and arrange something.

The little princess with plum blossom makeup returned from the night banquet. She seemed to be a little tipsy and enjoyed the quietness. She dismissed the palace maids who followed her.

She took a floor-length purple half-sleeve from the respectful female official, wrapped it around her shoulders, hugged her arms, walked into the palace alone, and walked towards the warm room in the northwest corner.

The pond in the atrium is like a bright mirror, reflecting a round white moon.

The night is cool as water, and the Mid-Autumn moon is full.

Li Guoer crossed the hall, passed by the water curtain, hugged her chest, and tightened the purple half-arm that was wrapped around her shoulders.

Speaking of which, Hanliang Palace is close to Taiye Lake and is a summer resort in Ziwei City.

There is a "water curtain" in the outer hall to reduce the temperature, making it as cool as autumn even in the hottest months.

But now that autumn has arrived, the nights are getting cooler.

Li Guoer is a little afraid of the cold, so he usually stays in the warm room, which is the core living area. It is luxuriously decorated and has a kang for heating.

Xie Lingjiang, on the other hand, was the opposite. He had a hot temper and liked this Hanliang Palace where the weather was like autumn all year round.

Li Guoer came to the warm room and kicked off her embroidered shoes in an unladylike manner at the door, letting her tender white feet step on the warm floor tiles.

He picked up a book, walked to the west window, and lay lazily on the beauty couch.

This is also the reason why she likes this warm room in the northwest corner. In addition to the warm room with floor heating, the floor of the entire Hanliang Hall is paved with imperial kiln gold bricks. The raw materials of this brick come from the cold mud deposited at the bottom of Yangcheng Lake in the southeast for thousands of years. It is very cool and refreshing.

When Li Guoer first moved into this hall, she stepped on it impromptu, and it made her arch of foot tense and her toes clenched... She never dared to walk barefoot in the outer hall again.

But when she returned to her home, she kicked off her embroidered shoes and walked on the floor to relax. This was a habit she brought from the red building in the Su Mansion in Longcheng. It was difficult to change, and she was unwilling to change it.

In fact, it has been a season since she entered the palace with her father and brother. They arrived in Luoyang in the summer and were assigned to the Hanliang Palace. It is already late autumn now.

The palace was not changed, because there were rumors in the palace recently that the saint was going to grant her the official title of Princess of Great Zhou. At that time, she would have to move out of this Hanliang Palace, just like her aunt Princess Changle, who left Ziwei City and set up a residence outside. So there was no need to make any more trouble and she could just live in this Hanliang Palace.

While Li Guo'er was silently flipping through a book, a palace servant knocked on the door.

Not a ribbon.

"Enter."

Two palace maids lowered their heads and walked in, brought in a red cloth statue, and at Li Guoer's signal, placed it beside the beauty bed, then slowly backed away.

Li Guoer was the only one left in the room, along with a Buddha statue in front of the bed.

The atmosphere was empty and silent.

Li Guoer lay on the couch, supporting his face with the back of his hands, and flipped through a book for a while.

An evening breeze blew in through the window gap that was deliberately left open, blowing off the red cloth on the Buddha statue.

A Vairocana stone Buddha was revealed.

The stone Buddha smiled and picked up a flower. He stretched out his palm, and there was a ginkgo leaf on the palm, which had not fallen off despite the bumpy journey.

I heard that among the four collapsed Buddha statues, in addition to the Donglin Buddha, there was also a Vairocana Buddha.

Li Guoer did not go to see the priceless ancient Buddha statue from Northern Wei Dynasty that her aunt had sent her.

She lowered her eyes and flipped through the book, as if facing the stone Buddha holding a flower and the empty house, and said lazily:

"Why does Aunt like to test you so much? Well, you are not a bad person, but you are definitely not a good person either.

"When I was impeached by Ouyang Lianghan, I didn't go to see him. It wasn't because I was afraid of being recorded in history books, but because I was shocked and angry. I couldn't figure out where this fool or hypocrite came from. I thought someone was going to deal with me, and impeachment was just a prelude.

"Now you have figured it out. You are being nice to him because you have discovered that he is not easy to mess with and you know about his close relationship with my father and brother."

Li Guoer suddenly closed the book, pressed it to his chest, tilted his head towards the smiling stone Buddha holding a flower, and said:
"As expected of my aunt, she really looks like me..."

"Puch."

As if he was amused by his own words, Li Guoer's shoulders trembled slightly, and then he regained his composure:

"In Ouyang Lianghan's words, we are all thousand-year-old foxes, why would we sing Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio... So, what exactly is Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio..."

She couldn't figure it out, shook her head, opened the book again, looked down and read it, muttering softly:

"Aunt, aunt, we are actually very similar. We are both keen on pursuing that kind of thing. But compared to you who are afraid of him as if he were your natural enemy... I'm sorry, he belongs to my father and brother, so he is also... mine.

"Besides, I'm not kidding, I'm really afraid of being scolded..."

It was quiet in the warm room.

After a while, there was a knock on the door.

"Miss, the young lady is here."

"Enter."

Cai Shou led a hooded figure into the warm room.

Although the palace maids around her all called Li Guoer "Your Highness", Cai Shou still kept the previous title. Li Guoer did not ask this silly girl to change it, and thought it was fine.

To use Ouyang Lianghan's previous mumbling words, one should not forget one's roots...

Caishou retreated.

Leaving behind a hooded figure.

Li Guoer put down the book, sat up from the couch, and walked away barefoot.

"Your Highness."

The hooded figure immediately saluted, causing the hood to slide down, revealing her lush, waist-length white hair.

It’s Ye Weilai.

Li Guoer suddenly said, "Don't move."

Ye Weilai paused, her face slightly nervous.

But she found that the little princess with plum blossom makeup walked up to her, stroked her silver hair, then came behind her and helped her to tie up her hair.

Ye Weilai was stunned for a moment, and then saw the prince pull out an expensive coral hairpin from her soft black hair without saying a word, and silently inserted it into her tied-up silver hair to fix her hairstyle.

"Your Highness..."

"Shhh."

Li Guoer put her index finger on her lips, interrupting Ye Weilai's words.

She took a step back, looked at the delicate silver-haired girl in front of her, who looked like a porcelain doll, with some satisfaction, and said with a smile:

"From now on, you don't have to call me Your Highness. You can call me... Sister Guo'er, just like calling me Sister Xie."

Ye Weilai couldn't help but glance at her. Li Guoer smiled and stroked Ye Weilai's forehead:
"This hairpin is for you."

"I dare not..."

"Why should I be afraid? You gave me that hairpin yesterday, and I have nothing to give you in return. If you need anything in the future, just tell me, and I will do my best to help you."

After a pause, Li Guoer took out the old wooden hairpin worn by someone from his sleeve and gestured to Ye Weilai:
"I like this hairpin very much."

As if sensing Ye Weilai's direct gaze, Li Guoer lowered his eyes and added:
"The sage said, when you see a virtuous person, you should try to emulate him. Your husband is a gentleman, and for common women like us, holding a gentleman's things is like looking in a mirror, which can wake us up. Why shouldn't we be happy?"

Ye Weilai looked at her eloquently for a while, then suddenly smiled:
"Yes, Sister Guoer."

Without the coral hairpin, Li Guoer's long black hair fell on her shoulders, floating like a fairy. She curled her fingers and lifted a strand of hair from her temples, tilted her head and asked:

"You slept well last night. You were tired from the journey, so I didn't bother you during the day."

"It's very safe, mainly because I know you sisters are here."

"Well, come and sit down."

Li Guoer pulled Ye Weilai to sit in front of the couch, and without being shy, he held her hand and asked as if nothing had happened:
"Wei Lai came to see me directly after arriving in Luoyang yesterday? Didn't you go to see Sister Xie, Ms. Rong and the others during the day?"

Ye Weilai lowered her head and said:

"Well, Eunuch Hu brought me into Luoyang City. He said... Sister Gu'er is very powerful now, with a noble status and a reputation in Luodu... I left Tan Lang and came to a new place. I feel a little indecisive, so I thought I would come to find Sister Gu'er first to ask for some advice. By the way, Sister Xie should be here too. I miss her very much. I will have to ask Sister Gu'er to help arrange for me to meet her later..."

Halfway through her speech, the silver-haired girl noticed that the little princess with plum blossom makeup was looking at her with a half-smile:
"Didn't Eunuch Hu tell me that your sister Rong Zhen is also very powerful. She is the next lamplighter of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, the niece of the saint, and the same generation as my father. Putting aside the grudges between Li Wei and me, I have to call her aunt... Why didn't you go find her immediately?"

The silver-haired girl lowered her head and said with a pleasing look:
"Isn't it all the same? I have to meet them one by one. Seeing Sister Gu'er makes me feel most at ease, so I'll be the first one."

"Same? But there does have to be an order. In terms of closeness, Sister Xie and Ms. Rong Zhen are of course closer to your husband, but Wei Lai came to me first. Could it be... Ouyang Lianghan's idea?"

Facing Li Guoer's slightly fixed gaze, Ye Weilai shook her head and said truthfully:

"No. When Tan Lang gave me the hairpin, he just told me to come find you sisters, or the prince, and ask him to take care of you."

Li Guoer seemed to understand, so he didn't ask any more questions and just muttered to himself:
"But Ouyang Lianghan probably couldn't have imagined your move."

Ye Weilai lowered her head and said nothing, as if smiling.

Li Gu'er's black hair fell on her shoulders, but she put the wooden hairpin into her sleeve and asked softly:
"Well, Wei Lai, do you want to try to be a sword master and try that night-shining pearl?"

Ye Weilai shook her head like a rattle:
"No, I know I am shallow and I don't have this blessing."

"How will you know if you don't try."

Ye Weilai said very seriously:

"I just know that this slave is not destined to have this fate."

Li Guoer looked at Ye Weilai for a while, then shook his head helplessly:
"Okay, then what do you want to do? Just tell me. I'll go discuss it with Sister Xie."

Ye Weilai raised her eyes slightly and glanced at Li Guoer:

"It was all arranged by Sister Gu'er."

Seeing the silver-haired girl being so well-behaved, Li Guoer was quiet for a moment and suddenly said:
"Tomorrow you go meet Sister Xie and Ms. Rong and tell them you just arrived. Don't mention the hairpin. Also, you can get closer to Ms. Rong."

Ye Weilai looked a little confused.

Li Guoer chuckled:
"Since you call me sister, I will make arrangements for you without hesitation. You can stay in the palace. As for how to stay... first follow your sister Rong. It happens that she wants to teach you how to practice Qi. Then you can start as a female official in the Imperial Astronomical Bureau... This will also be of great benefit to your husband."

The little girl with plum blossom makeup speaks every word with gems.

The two girls whispered for a while on the couch.

Ye Weilai's little face looked thoughtful.

……

Three days later, late at night.

The moonlight is like water, sprinkling on the steps of the temple.

Li Guoer stepped down from the carriage and walked up the steps into the Hanliang Palace.

Another social banquet ended, and after Li Guoer came back, he did not go to the warm room again.

She went directly into the bedroom.

The lights in the bedroom were off, and inside there was a scented couch. It was pitch black, and there seemed to be a figure sleeping on the couch.

Li Guoer passed by, took a look, and went to take a bath in the warm pool next door.

About half an hour later, she came back to the couch in a blue skirt and bare feet, with her head tilted and wiping her wet hair.

After bathing, the plum blossom makeup on Li Guoer's forehead faded a lot. She got on the bed, smiled gently, snuggled into the quilt, and hugged the tall girl on the bed from behind.

The latter did not move, and the dark bed was quiet for a while.

"Not sleeping?"

Li Guoer suddenly asked.

"Ah."

Xie Lingjiang spoke in a low voice.

"Why are you unhappy?"

"No."

"Sister Xie said no, but she didn't sleep so late. Is it Wei Lai's fault?"

"Not counting."

"quibble."

Xie Lingjiang was silent for a moment, then spoke:
"The palace is dangerous. She was entrusted by Tan Lang to follow Rong Zhen. I am a little worried."

"What's there to worry about?"

Li Guoer shook her head, and suddenly grasped Xie Lingjiang's full breasts from behind, laughing softly:

"Did your eldest brother also experience this?"

Xie Lingjiang's face suddenly turned red.

"Snap!" The little girl's paw was slapped away.

She glared angrily, "Don't touch my little hoof."

Li Guoer not only did not let go, but held her even tighter.

Xie Lingjiang held back her disruptive hand, and after a while, he whispered absentmindedly:
"Have you heard about your title? It's being spread around the palace. I heard Dalang say during the day that it seemed to be... Anle."

"Uh-huh."

"You knew already?"

Li Guoer ignored Xie Lingjiang's objection and grabbed the richness from behind.

She closed her eyes and felt Sister Xie's uncomfortable retreat, but still plump enough to be grasped with one hand, and said casually:
"Because it was me who suggested it, and the Empress Dowager asked me to choose that day."

Xie Lingjiang asked with some doubt:

"Adding the word 'le' is a custom for this generation of princesses of the Great Zhou Dynasty. It is fixed and unchanging. But why is the word 'an' the only word that can be chosen?"

Li Guoer tilted his head and asked back:
"Anle means peace and happiness. Am I not peaceful by nature? Father and my brother both like this word very much. Mother also said that peace and stability are good."

Xie Lingjiang immediately shook his head: "It's just abrupt. Besides...how can you feel at peace?" He suddenly said with a stern face: "Take your hand away, it's itchy, don't touch it, you, you are not at peace at all."

"Men can touch it, but I can't?"

Li Guoer smiled and said, "That is also a beautiful implication. Please separate the word '安'."

"What's the meaning."

“Take the words apart.”

Xie Lingjiang looked back in confusion: "What do you mean by open it?"

A silver-haired girl's casual suggestion rang in her ears. Li Guoer didn't know who she was imitating, and said seriously:
"Look at the character '安'. Doesn't it look like a house with a woman in it? It means that a family will be safe if it has a daughter.

"Yeah, I heard it from others."

Xie Lingjiang was quiet for a moment. As a female gentleman of Bailudong Academy, she immediately drew inferences from her experience:

"Who said that a family will be at peace if it has a daughter? The word 'peace' is like a woman sitting in a palace, like a saint of the time... Do you feel at peace, sister Guo'er?"

After Xie Lingjiang finished speaking, she felt that the little girl holding her from behind seemed to be quiet for a moment, and suddenly she used some force on her palm holding Jade.

Li Guoer smiled and whispered:

"I'm really not as good as your senior brother. He feels safe to have you, especially here."

"...??"

Lady Xie blushed and covered her collar tightly.

On the bed in the boudoir, the two girls started to play around and forgot about the topic.

(End of this chapter)