Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

Chapter 222 Palace Turmoil

Just as the Li family was holding a banquet, a storm was brewing in Chang'an and the imperial palace!

Inside a magnificent palace, a voluptuous young woman knelt before a table, applying makeup and blush before a bronze mirror, her cheeks flushed crimson. Her usually calm face softened, a hint of amusement creeping into her eyes, a smile that somehow held an eerie quality. If Li Xingzhi were here, he would surely cry out: "A ghost!"

Tang Dynasty makeup, with its thick, bright red base, bears a striking resemblance to the makeup styles of later Japanese artists.

Just then, a maidservant ran in, carrying a high-tied ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress).

"Oh no, oh no, Princess..."

The girl's hand, which had been applying red rouge, trembled, and her carefully applied makeup became somewhat disharmonious. Her face remained expressionless, but a flash of anger appeared in her eyes. Her hand holding the mirror loosened, and the thin, smooth, and reflective bronze mirror fell to the ground with a clatter, shattering into several pieces that scattered everywhere.

Upon hearing this, the palace maid bent her knees and knelt down, swallowing all the words she was about to say. She remained silent, trembling with fear, not daring to utter even a plea for mercy.

"Speak, what happened?" The seated girl glanced at the kneeling, trembling palace maid who dared not speak, as if nothing had happened, and said expressionlessly.

“Princess…Princess, I just heard that the Emperor has betrothed you to Fang Erlang of the Fang family…”

"Fang Erlang? Is that the brainless idiot Fang Jun?"

The palace maid was slightly startled by the girl's words. In her mind, although the princess was somewhat willful, she always maintained the noble and dignified demeanor of royalty and rarely lost her composure like this.

Gao Yang didn't need the palace maids to answer. She already knew the answer in her heart.

"No, I'm going to find my father and ask him clearly! I want to ask him why he betrothed me to such a good-for-nothing!" Gao Yang said, disregarding her makeup, and stormed out.

The palace maid watched Gao Yang walk further and further away, paused for a moment, her face turned pale, and she quickly followed after him.

Side hall inside the palace.

A middle-aged man, imposing and dignified, held a high position.

Below him sat a middle-aged scholar, his brows furrowed, his bearing dignified, his face not particularly handsome, yet his gaze held a radiant light. To the scholar's right sat a robust young man. This young man bore an uncanny resemblance to the middle-aged scholar in his features, clearly father and son.

"Minister Fang, what do you think of the tea?"

The middle-aged scholar didn't rush to answer. He brought the teacup, which was about seven or eight tenths full, to his lips and took a sip. At first, his brows furrowed slightly, but then the wrinkles slowly disappeared, and a relaxed and pleasant expression appeared on his face.

“Good tea!”

"If it's such fine tea, why are you still frowning, my dear minister?"

"I have tried drinking tea to refresh my mind like monks, but I never imagined that this tea would taste so good when you savor it carefully! It's just that I'm a bit used to it since I'm new here."

"If you like it, have someone pack a few ounces for you later! It's refreshing and invigorating, not bad!" the middle-aged man said. "My precious daughter specially got this for me."

This tea was obtained by Gao Yang from Li Xingzhi as a tribute to Li Shimin.

The young man sitting beside him, upon hearing the middle-aged scholar's words, immediately took the teacup, which still contained more than half a cup of tea, and smelled it. He frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then poured it all into his mouth like a bull drinking water.

He smacked his lips a few times and muttered to himself in what he thought was a soft voice, "It tastes about the same as plain water, but with a few strange flavors!"

The middle-aged scholar frowned, a wry smile on his face, as he watched the young man's crude and unrefined manners. "My son is ignorant of etiquette..."

Just as he was about to continue, the middle-aged man sitting in the main seat waved his sleeves and laughed loudly, "This is true character! My daughter has a free-spirited personality; the two of them are quite a good match!"

"My son is ignorant and incompetent..."

The middle-aged scholar was about to decline, but the middle-aged man in the main seat didn't give him a chance to speak, "Minister Fang, don't be modest! I think it's perfect!"

The young man sitting nearby, seeing the two talking so enthusiastically, paid no attention. Looking at the colorful fruits and pastries on the table, he grabbed five or six in one hand and stuffed them into his mouth. Little did he know, a matter of life and death was about to be decided!

With the middle-aged scholar's deliberate flattery and the young man's somewhat silly banter, the atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly lively, and all three wore happy smiles.

One goal achieved brings satisfaction; another gaining recognition brings joy; and the youngest one, with mouth agape and belly pounding, eats with delight.

Just then, the door creaked open.

The previously lively conversation suddenly fell into an eerie silence.

Li Shimin frowned and looked towards the door. He wanted to see who was so bold as to push the door open and enter the house without saying a word!

Ding Ding Deng!

A heavily made-up young woman, wearing straw boots, walked in. Upon seeing the three people seated, she first glared fiercely at the young man with thick eyebrows and large eyes beside her. Seeing that the young man was still eating happily and did not even see her glare, she became even angrier. She then glared fiercely at the middle-aged scholar beside her before stepping forward and bowing to the middle-aged man sitting in the center.

Li Shimin's expression darkened slightly. He glanced at the girl, and when he saw that the once imposing girl was now filled with trepidation, he looked at the young man beside her before bursting into laughter.

He pointed to the girl whose face was painted like a cat's and said to Fang Xuanling with a smile, "Look at my daughter, she's so naughty, only your Erlang can control her!"

Hearing this, the girl could no longer contain herself and exclaimed, "I don't want to marry this brute, this good-for-nothing!"

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall froze.

The young man came to his senses at this moment and was about to stand up and retort when the scholar next to him pulled him back, causing him to swallow his anger.

Li Shimin's face was so gloomy it looked like it could drip water.

"Oh? Then tell me, who do you want to marry?"

"I...I..." the girl mumbled a few times, several handsome and elegant figures flashing through her mind. She gritted her teeth and finally mustered up her courage, "Anyway, I don't like him being so silly!"

"I think you've been bewitched!"

Just as Li Shimin was about to erupt in anger, Fang Xuanling pulled up Fang Erlang, his face expressionless, and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty is preoccupied with family matters, so your humble servant and my son will take our leave. As for the matter of marriage..."

"My dear minister, you may step down now. We can discuss this matter later!"

After Fang Xuanling left, Li Shimin could no longer contain his anger!

"These days, you've been sneaking out of the palace every day to fool around with other people. Don't think I don't know! That lowly merchant boy, has he bewitched you?! That's it for today. As for the marriage, I'll make the decision myself. Don't mention it again!" His face was ashen. He waved his long sleeves and ignored Gao Yang, ordering her to be taken away.

Li Shimin sat alone in the hall, drank a few more sips of tea, and felt increasingly uneasy. He got up and went to his study...

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Thank you "reamaker" and "muroi" for the monthly tickets!! (To be continued.)