Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 63 Find an Excuse!

Actually, they could have scraped off all the persimmon frost today. Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang exchanged a glance and understood each other perfectly.

They were all taught by Empress Zhangsun; they know each other too well.

Tomorrow I'll have a legitimate reason to bring my two little princesses to pick up the photos.

"That's all for today, we'll talk about it tomorrow." Li Lizhi put down the bamboo stick.

Cheng Tiehuan breathed a sigh of relief; it was finally over.

After chatting for a while, the group decided it was time to head back.

Xiao Ran prepared two ears of corn and asked San Niang to give them to the two little princesses.

This thing isn't expensive, but it's very special.

Even Empress Zhangsun of Li Shimin was interested in it.

"Third Sister, see you again~" The little princess held corn in one hand and waved to Xiao Ran and the others with the other.

Third Sister was a little reluctant to part with them; with the two little princesses around, life was very fulfilling.

Other girls her age don't want to play, and now San Niang has no intention of looking for other people.

I prefer the two little princesses; they're so pure.

Third Sister could sense that the two little princesses didn't dislike her.

"Let your older sister see the little corn." Li Lizhi looked at the corn in the little princess's arms.

The ones that were cooked before were broken into pieces; this one is whole.

"Here~" the little princess handed it to Li Lizhi.

“This is quite big, corn,” Li Lizhi said, examining the object in her hand closely.

It's quite tiring to carry the little princess.

Princess Yuzhang leaned closer and said, "Sister, this looks like hair."

"It also had this on the previous one, it really does look like hair. If only the Tang Dynasty could grow it like that."

"One meter is so nice~" The little princess still feels a little nostalgic when she thinks about it now.

The princesses also expressed their strong agreement.

Back at the Lizheng Hall, after getting off the carriage, the little princess, carrying corn, was the first to run inside.

"Ah Niang~Wo Fei is here~"

"Sizi, slow down," Empress Zhangsun reminded him.

"Mmm-ah, mmm-ah~" The little princess threw herself into Li Shimin's arms.

"What is this?" The corn was very large, and Li Shimin noticed it immediately.

"Oh dear, this duck is one meter tall!"

Soon, Princess Li Lizhi of Chengyang and her companions also entered the Lizheng Hall.

"One meter?" Li Shimin picked up the corn and sniffed it gently.

I know it's food, but I've never seen it before.

“Father, I have corn too.” Princess Chengyang also came up next to Li Shimin.

"Corn!" Li Shimin was both amused and exasperated.

"Mmm, mmm~ It's so nice~" the little princess said.

Without even asking, I knew it must have been given by Xiao Ran.

Li Lizhi put down the persimmon frost first, "Mother, there's still a little bit left, we can finish scraping it off tomorrow."

Empress Zhangsun nodded slightly.

When Princess Yuzhang brought up the topic of corn, Li Shimin ate a raw corn kernel.

"How come this guy has so many rare and unfamiliar things?" Li Shimin put down the corn. "I've never heard of anything like this before!"

Empress Zhangsun and Emperor Taizong of Tang were both learned and well-read, but they had no idea that corn existed.

"Ananda, go and find someone to inquire. Just like with tomatoes, the main focus is on the Western Regions. See if the Hu people have ever heard of corn."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Li Lizhi took out photos of the two little princesses, saying, "Father and Mother, take another look at this!"

Li Shimin's fingertips trembled as he touched the photographic paper. His dragon eyes widened as he stared at the smiling little princess in the picture. The little girl on the paper had curved eyebrows and eyes, and even the fur of the puppy she was holding was clearly defined. She was even more vivid than the fine brushwork of the court painter.

Li Shimin examined the photograph for a long time, then suddenly pointed at it and exclaimed, "How did you do that?"

Emperor Li Shimin began to think about supernatural powers.

Such a thing was impossible in the Tang Dynasty. Empress Zhangsun's hand trembled slightly as she held the photograph, her slender fingers gently tracing her daughter's smiling cheek. After a long while, she sighed, "Without the embellishment of ink or the use of silk as a background, you have managed to capture the essence of her daughter's face within this small space."

"This is divine skill!" Li Shimin looked at the other photos.

There was also Princess Chengyang, whom Li Shimin, the Third Prince, knew.

Dogs are no strangers to this either.

The background of the photo is near a pond, which Li Shimin could also see.

“Father, the young master said this is a photograph,” Li Lizhi said.

"It's a duck, it's a duck~"

"Father, the young master took pictures of the rest of us too, there will be photos tomorrow."

Upon hearing Li Lizhi mention taking photos, Li Shimin immediately asked, "How are photos taken? How are they taken?"

"Yay! Yay!" the little princess exclaimed enthusiastically, "I'm useless!"

"Good, good, good, our Sizi is really amazing." Li Shimin patted the little princess's head.

After listening to Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang's descriptions, Li Shimin became very interested in the small square in Xiao Ran's hand.

"Just who is this guy?!" Li Shimin had long felt that Xiao Ran was very abnormal and suspicious.

Xiao Ran posed no threat and remained friendly throughout.

In terms of cooking and giving gifts, I owe Xiao Ran a favor.

On a grander scale, the curved plow has benefited countless people.

From both a public and private perspective, Li Shimin had no reason to harm Xiao Ran.

I can sense that Xiao Ran possesses even greater value.

As a far-sighted emperor, he naturally could not do something short-sighted like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

“This is my home~” The little princess also loves the photos.

Li Shimin glanced at Empress Zhangsun and said, "If there's a chance, have this guy take pictures of me and the Empress as well."

This is far too realistic compared to a portrait.

"Alright!" Empress Zhangsun nodded.

The photos of the two little princesses were naturally kept by Empress Zhangsun.

He boiled an ear of corn and let Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun try it as well.

"What a pity!" Li Shimin said with regret after tasting the corn. "If only the Tang Dynasty could grow it."

Thinking about planting these things, Li Lizhi suddenly thought of tomatoes.

Unfortunately, this season is not suitable for planting.

It would be good to be able to grow tomatoes.

Tomatoes are delicious whether stir-fried, used in noodles, or eaten raw.

Everyone who has tried it loves it.

As night fell and everyone else went to sleep, Empress Zhangsun held the photograph in her hand and looked at it over and over again by candlelight.

"Many years later, when Sizi grows up, looking at these photos will be a very meaningful thing."

Li Shimin nodded. "Yes! Take your medicine first."

Empress Zhangsun took the medicine; these medicines all had persimmon frost added, so the effect was slightly better.

It's unrealistic to expect a cure for this chronic condition; Empress Zhangsun would be satisfied if it could be alleviated and prevented from worsening.

"The girls probably want to go again tomorrow," Empress Zhangsun said with a helpless smile.

"The persimmon frost is noticeably less. Lizhi and Liuniang wouldn't be playing around and neglecting their duties, so it can only be that Xiao Ran's persimmon cakes are also out of stock." Seeing the lack of persimmon frost, Li Shimin knew that going tomorrow would be an excuse.

Thinking that the two little princesses would be happy, and that they would get photos, Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun did not object.

"I had someone investigate before, and it turns out that someone in the Zhang family, where Xiao Ran is, is a death row inmate. I even met them before."

Because of Xiao Ran, the people of Kaolao Village have been investigated several times.

The fact that Zhang Dalang was unfilial and murdered his father could not be hidden.

Li Shimin also knew that Xiao Ran had absolutely no connection with the Zhang family, nor with anyone else in the village.

They even sent people to search along the route to the Western Regions, but found no news of Xiao Ran.

It was as if it had appeared out of thin air near Kaolao Village.

(End of this chapter)