sovbooks Chapter 9: Lizhi is saying she misses me.
Chapter 9: Lizhi is saying she misses me.
The Eastern Palace, Lizheng Hall.
Looking at the thick stack of papers, Li Chengqian felt his head was about to explode. You call this a letter?
Moreover, this letter was written on three different types of paper!?
The first twenty or so sheets were made of high-quality mulberry bark paper, but the last thirty or so sheets were replaced with lower-quality hemp paper.
They've probably run out of mulberry paper?
Finally, there is a sheet of high-quality rattan paper produced in Shanxi.
Unfortunately, although Yang Zhengdao retained the original owner's classical Chinese literacy, he was simply not used to the concise and to-the-point style of the ancients.
Or, to put it another way, what Li Chengqian received was not a letter, but rather a business plan for new tea.
After all, they're college students; when they write a proposal, it's bound to be tens of thousands of words long.
Although it covered every detail, the logical explanations were quite good, and with the addition of several illustrations, Li Chengqian finally understood it completely.
Reflecting on Yang Zhengdao's new tea plan, Li Chengqian couldn't help but admire such ingenious ideas, truly the work of a great merchant.
But this long, plain language really is a waste of paper.
However, even if one says that Yang Zhengdao was illiterate, the last piece he wrote on that top-quality rattan paper was another masterpiece.
He seems affectionate yet ultimately indifferent; I can only manage a forced smile before the wine cup.
Even a candle, with its own heart, feels sorrow at parting, shedding tears for others until dawn.
Li Chengqian knew that this was written for Azhi, and the inscription "Remembering the Encounter at Xuandu Temple" made it even more obvious.
Yang Zhengdao's blatant audacity left Li Chengqian both amused and exasperated.
He thought about it again and then took out the high-quality rattan paper.
Perhaps Grandpa is right; marrying Azhi to Changsun Chong was not a good thing.
The last time I sent a letter, it was to help Li Hui. This time, it's because Yang Zhengdao thinks of the Crown Prince first when he has a profitable business opportunity.
After carefully putting away the letter, Li Chengqian opened the brocade box that had been sent along with it with great anticipation.
A pure and mellow tea aroma wafts over, its fresh and invigorating scent of herbs and plants soothing the soul.
The yellowish-green tea leaves in the box are curled up like sparrow tongues, dark green and glossy, and look exquisite.
Li Chengqian immediately instructed the eunuch to brew the new tea according to Yang Zhengdao's instructions.
After a cup of tea, a glint of light flashed in Li Chengqian's eyes.
Yang Zhengdao was right; this kind of tea could indeed sell for three hundred coins a pound, or even more.
This new tea eliminates the need for brewing and adds no extra ingredients, leaving only the pure aroma of tea.
As Yang Zhengdao said, this new tea embodies the Confucian ideal of the gentleman, the Taoist ideal of returning to simplicity, and the Buddhist ideal of purifying the mind and seeing one's true nature.
Thus, stir-fried tea will inevitably replace compressed tea and become popular in Chang'an.
If operated properly according to Yang Zhengdao's method, this could indeed be a business that brings in a fortune every year.
……
Taiji Palace, Ganlu Hall.
Empress Zhangsun reached out and embraced Li Er: "Second Prince, perhaps this child is just young and wants to travel around Chang'an."
Li Er remained noncommittal. He listened to Changsun Wuji's suggestion and sent Li Ke over, but he did not see anything unusual about Yang Zhengdao.
Yesterday, the Hundred Cavalry Division reported that Yang Zhengdao and his party had left Kaiping County and were heading to Zhouzhi County.
This kid is really good at hiding his skills; he can even use a horse spear. He must have learned it when he was with the Turks.
Today, the Hundred Cavalry Division reported again that Yang Zhengdao has created a new type of tea.
Li Er tapped lightly on the table, on which lay a thick memorial, the contents of which was a letter written by Yang Zhengdao to Li Chengqian.
In Li Chengqian's view, Yang Zhengdao's plan for new tea was just a business that would bring in a fortune every year.
But in Li Er's view, that was the ability to plan and the wisdom to strategize.
Throughout history, the ways of commerce and the ways of political maneuvering have been interconnected.
The entire text is written in plain language, without any literary flair, yet it clearly explains the advantages and disadvantages, steps, risks, and benefits.
So, this Yang Zhengdao is no ordinary person.
If it cannot be controlled, then it must be...
Li Er's pupils contracted slightly; at this moment, he truly harbored murderous intent.
Yang Zhengdao never expected that he, a college student, could elicit such a strong reaction from Li Er.
As a proper college student, Yang Zhengdao certainly possessed the ability to plan and strategize.
But when it comes to strategic planning, he has absolutely no wisdom whatsoever.
He was simply standing on the shoulders of giants; he had 1,395 years more experience than Li Er.
Empress Zhangsun naturally saw through Li Er's thoughts. She said softly, "Second Prince, I have also read the letter that Zhengdao wrote to Qian'er. This child still has his heart set on the Crown Prince."
"He's coveting A-Zhi and bribing the Crown Prince. Do you know that Gao Ming has been delivering a letter to A-Zhi for that scoundrel?"
Empress Zhangsun smiled gently and continued to massage Li Er's temples.
……
The inner garden of Taiji Palace, Chang Le Hall.
Li Lizhi looked at the letter in her hand, her face growing increasingly red.
Even a candle, with its own heart, feels sorrow at parting, shedding tears for others until dawn.
In Li Lizhi's mind, there was an ancient temple in the mountains, a quiet meditation room, and a young boy sitting alone, facing a solitary lamp, sighing and tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
Her heart was clenched tightly.
That shameless bastard, is he thinking of me?
After she recited the poem again, her eyebrows furrowed tightly.
She thought of the Empress Dowager's hint at the Rijō-dō Palace today.
You have to choose between Fang Yi'ai and Du He.
These two guys are a complete idiot and an arrogant conceited man.
As she pondered this, Li Lizhi couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
Ugh, so annoying!
Is it because he is the grandson of the previous dynasty's emperor? But that's not something he can choose.
Li Lizhi suddenly felt extremely distressed and unable to relieve her depression.
She cannot decide her own marriage.
How could Zhengdao, my cousin, possibly decide his own origins?
She wanted to write back to her cousin Zhengdao, but she felt that she could never write such a stunning poem.
After much hesitation and deliberation, I finally made up my mind.
She picked up her pen and wrote a line on pink stationery: "Wading across the river to pick lotus blossoms, the orchid-filled marshland is full of fragrant grasses."
……
Two days later, Yang Zhengdao waited for Li Hui at Xianyou Temple.
Accompanying him were a team of guards and more than ten craftsmen, who would build a tea-frying workshop near the tea garden.
Li Hui was extremely pleased when he met Yang Zhengdao.
This was probably because it was the first time he had been officially assigned to serve the Crown Prince.
But what Li Hui didn't know was that this was actually Yang Zhengdao's suggestion.
After all, Li Hui's father, Li Xiaogong, the Prince of Hejian, was famously wealthy. Even historical records show that he had a magnificent mansion and over a hundred singing girls.
To persuade Li Chengqian, Yang Zhengdao suggested that Li Hui take the lead in this business deal.
Naturally, the initial investment was also provided by Li Hui.
Therefore, Xianyou Temple provided manpower, Li Hui provided funds, and each took 10% of the profits. Yang Zhengdao provided the technology and took 20% of the profits, while the remaining 60% of the profits went to the Crown Prince.
After finishing his business, Li Hui cheekily produced two letters.
"Ado is truly the envy of others; though he lives deep in the mountains, he has a beautiful woman longing for him. Would you like these two letters from your beloved?"
Yang Zhengdao was puzzled. Why were there two letters?
One of these letters must have been written by Yingluo Niangzi, the original owner's confidante in Pingkangfang.
The other letter... could it have been written by Li Lizhi?
Although curious, seeing Li Hui's attitude, Yang Zhengdao deliberately replied in an annoyed tone, "I am devoted to cultivation and praying for the Emperor Emeritus. How could I have the mind to linger on matters of love and affection?"
"Oh my! Our Adao has changed his ways? Who would believe that? Only our simple-minded Princess Chang Le would believe it."
Sure enough, the other letter was written by Li Lizhi!
Yang Zhengdao was secretly pleased, but his expression remained calm: "I will definitely not write you a poem this time. You can change your terms."
Although Yang Zhengdao possessed the "Complete Tang Poems," he couldn't be too shameless; he should leave something for future generations.
"Ah Dao, I just want to know how you obtained this tea-frying secret recipe. I've inquired and found that the secret recipe you gave as medicine last time came from an ancient book."
Oh, that's what you wanted to ask!
Yang Zhengdao originally intended to use this explanation as well, since tea and medicine are interconnected, and it seems quite normal for an ancient book that records penicillin solution to also record a method of making tea.
Now that Li Hui has asked, it's best to admit it.
"This method of tea making also comes from that miscellaneous book from the Later Han Dynasty."
"Is that really the case?"
"Oh, what a pity it's lost!"
"Do you remember the title of the book?"
"It should be called 'Complete Treatise on Agriculture'."
"Oh? This is truly unheard of; it is indeed a remarkable book."
Seeing Li Hui deep in thought, Yang Zhengdao shook his head with a wry smile.
This is a book from a thousand years in the future. You'd be lucky to have even heard of it.
Yang Zhengdao was unaware that Li Hui had already decided to offer a reward of a thousand strings of cash to find the book.
"What you wanted to know has been told to you. Bring the letter here immediately."
Li Hui quickly handed over the two letters with a smile.
Yang Zhengdao opened the first letter, which began: "My dear Yang, I miss you terribly..."
The calligraphy was delicate and elegant, the paper fragrant and colorful, followed by several more sheets of paper.
Yang Zhengdao felt a headache coming on, so he quickly put the letter aside and opened another letter.
It consists of only one line of text, but it is written in the flowing, elegant style of Fei Bai calligraphy. Apart from having a touch of feminine gentleness, it seems to have inherited a great deal of Li Erqi's true skills.
But what does this mean?
"Wading across the river to pick lotus blossoms, the orchid-filled marshland is full of fragrant grasses."
After all, the "Complete Tang Poems" for college students is provided by the system, and they haven't seen this particular poem before!
Moreover, the original owner had been wandering around since birth and had not received much formal education.
Although I can understand the literal meaning, I really can't guess what it means.
At this moment, Li Hui, who had been peeking in, exclaimed in surprise, "My God! Adao, you're amazing!"
Huh?! How come you're so amazing?!
Yang Zhengdao said earnestly, "Ahui, if you want to win the heart of a young lady, you must have some poetic talent."
Li Huishen agreed and nodded emphatically.
Yang Zhengdao coughed lightly: "So, let me test you. Do you know the meaning of His Highness Chang Le's poem?"
Li Hui looked suspicious and asked with great uncertainty, "Isn't this a hint for the next line, 'Whom do I wish to give these to? My thoughts are with someone far away'?"
Is your heart set on a distant place?
Yang Zhengdao was stunned. Was this little princess saying that she missed him?
What should I do?
Must we really rise to the challenge and marry Princess Shang?
Actually, there are two more lines in this Yuefu poem.
I still look back at my old hometown, the long road stretches endlessly ahead.
Though we share the same heart, we live apart, and we will grow old in sorrow.
What Li Lizhi wanted to say was probably the last two sentences, lamenting that they were destined to be apart.
But Li Hui didn't say so, so Yang Zhengdao naturally didn't know either.