Hello Chang’an

Chapter 663 Extra 1—(Li Rong & Chang Kuo)

 When Li Rong was young, she was the most willful princess of the Li family.

Her father is the most distinguished man in Dasheng, her mother is the most distinguished woman in Dasheng, and her brother from the same mother is the crown prince of Dasheng.

What's even more rare is that her father and mother are a pair of loving emperors and empresses of the Tian family. Li Rong has never seen any dispute or indifference between her father and empress.

However, this did not prevent her father's harem from being filled with women. Often, before Li Rong could fully recognize the old ones, a group of new ones would come in, and then the new ones would become the old ones again.

 The question is that the emperor wants to balance the situation of the court and cannot help himself.

Although Li Rong couldn't figure out how his father favored the maids in the palace and sent envoys to the people to search for beautiful women, what was the hidden and profound connection between these and the balancing of the government.

 When Li Rong was a little older, he finally figured out the connection between them—that is, there was no connection at all.

Her father loved beauty.

The queen mother told her that this was already very good. His Majesty was lustful but not cowardly and violent. He was diligent and caring for the people. What's more, the beauties he collected were really a feast for the eyes. They were not like her. A queen who lives in a harem? How many times can the emperor look at him when he is busy with everything?

The Queen Mother lamented that taking care of the harem was very tiring, and getting up early was even more torturous. Every time she saw the concubines who came to pay her respects, they were all very pleasing to the eye, and she felt much better when she got up.

 Li Rong seems to understand the biggest reason for the love between his father, the emperor and his mother: the same interests.

Li Rong, who has been influenced by her eyes and ears, has naturally developed the same interests and hobbies, as well as quite strict aesthetic standards.

The childhood life in Li Rong's memory was very lively. The beauties in the harem were all kinds of beautiful and had different temperaments. Some were bent on fawning over the queen, some were devoted to the emperor, some were bent on quarreling with other concubines, and some were unwilling to be dissatisfied with the status quo. I want to give the emperor a little color, and I usually prefer the most vibrant oily green.

There is also a kind of concubine who does nothing, speaks almost nothing, keeps her head down all the time, allows others to ridicule or stumble and never fights back - in Li Rong's impression, Liu Zhaoyi is such a submissive person.

This Liu Zhaoyi was born as a palace maid and gave birth to the youngest prince for her father.

Although Liu Zhaoyi was extremely useless, no one tried to harm her son. This had a lot to do with the fact that the prince's position was too stable. It was pointless to harm a son of Zhaoyi. Moreover, the emperor was already quite old at that time, and there were no fights in the harem. The favorite group of concubines gradually lost interest and began to think about health care. The entire harem seemed to have no interest in harming other people's children.

Liu Zhaoyi's son Li Yin grew up safely in such an environment, although he was inevitably bullied and looked down upon by the princes.

In contrast, Li Rong, who was born by the queen, grew up surrounded by beautiful flowers.

This kind of crowding once gave Li Rongsheng a little fantasy when she was twelve or thirteen years old - she read the history of Dasheng and knew that Dasheng once had an empress who was born as a princess. As a queen, she thinks her brother is just like that. If that's the case, does she also have a chance?

Li Rong's bold fantasy did not arouse the queen's emotions at all. The queen told her daughter calmly that just because Dasheng had a female emperor, all the officials of the noble family are now strictly guarded against it and dare to have such thoughts. I can’t guarantee anything else, but one thing is guaranteed—you’re guaranteed to survive.

At that time, the power of the gentry was at its peak, and the emperor was under control everywhere. It was for this reason that the prince was established early.

 The emperor must first make the nobles feel at ease, then the emperor can feel at ease.

Li Rong still quite likes to live, so the spark that just arose in his heart was extinguished early, and he can enjoy the glory and wealth with peace of mind.

Her brother, who was responsible for reassuring people, had a crown princess a year before he came to the throne. The crown princess was born in the eldest Sun family, and she and her brother were childhood sweethearts, and they had a close relationship after they got married.

 Li Rong’s marriage was not so lucky after that.

The princess of Tianjia was destined to have a marriage of her own accord, and at first, this marriage seemed very good.

 Her prince-in-law was the son of Zhongshu Ling of the current dynasty and also the son of the Pei family.

This Pei family son is very talented and good-looking, but his temperament is too sensitive and thoughtful. Whenever he gets along with Li Rong, his spine seems to be broken.

Li Rong couldn't help but reflect, was he too arrogant and self-indulgent, making this noble prince-in-law feel insulted?

Li Rong thinks it is very possible, but she has no intention of changing it - it is a political marriage, and she is not satisfied with it, but did she say anything? Likes and dislikes are destined, so work together to survive.

 But things were not as simple as Li Rong imagined.

 Her consort has someone outside.

But she is not a promiscuous woman, nor is she a confidant, but a man, even a monk.

 Li Rong’s eyes were really opened.

Co-author The prince-consort and she do not have nothing in common. The two of them still have the same hobby: they both like men.

The prince-in-law was obsessed with Buddhism and would go to the temple to worship Buddha and stay for a while. Li Rong was once worried that the prince-in-law would fall into Buddhism, but he never thought that he would fall into Buddhism.

Li Tolerant breathed a sigh of relief, saw the opportunity, and rushed to the Zen room in the temple with the maids and guards from the princess mansion, and caught him on the spot.

 Nowadays, it is not new for powerful men to secretly keep their male favorites, but this does not mean that this matter is glorious, not to mention that it is still in the holy land of Buddhism, not to mention that it is a consort.

 This is a scandal, and for the proud princess Li Rong, it is a huge scandal.

 This year, Li Rong was only nineteen years old.

Li Rong asked the guards to **** the two men, not allowing them to dress, and asked the maid to invite Pei Linggong and his wife to come and tell for themselves whether this was their son.

While waiting for the Pei family to arrive, Li Rong didn't take another look at the troubled two people and turned around to calm down outside.

Outside this monastery, there are several dense bodhi trees planted. Under the trees, there is an urn half as tall as a person, with water lilies planted inside. The tender green round lotus leaves in early summer float obediently on the water, giving it a tranquil Zen feel.

But Li Rong couldn't calm down no matter what. She pulled out the lotus leaves several times and threw them all on the ground. Then she scrubbed her hands vigorously over and over again. Thinking of the unbearable scene in the Zen room, she couldn't help but feel sick and retched.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She tore off the shawl that was in the way and threw it away. She scrubbed her hands until the skin was torn but still found it difficult to remove the dirt. She was so angry that she couldn't vent her anger. She raised her foot and kicked the vat. However, she didn't know if it was because of the vat. The urn was old, and her only kick made a big hole. The water broke out of the urn and wet her embroidered shoes. She was frightened and raised her skirt and stepped back. She heard a surprised voice from above: "Ouch--"

Li Rong was startled and looked up, only to find a young man lying on the tall and dense bodhi tree.

The other person's "ooh" was not clear whether he was surprised by her temper or her strength.

Li Rong asked angrily: "Who are you and why are you hiding here!"

This person is probably hiding here just to watch her jokes!

The young man sat up, and his appearance appeared completely in Li Rong's sight.

It was an extremely tough face, with big and black eyes. His face was full of awe and righteousness. He raised his eyebrows and asked her instead: "I'm just waiting for my general to burn incense and take a nap here! Who are you and why?" Damage the things in the temple?”

"Ben..." Seeing that he didn't know, Li Rong didn't want to embarrass himself, so he simply didn't answer.

Just at this moment, the maid who was watching from a distance ran over and said, "Your Highness, the eldest princess, are you not hurt?"

 Li Rong clenched his fists...It's okay, she is not the only eldest princess.

"Amitabha! I hope Princess Xuan'an will calm down...it's all because of my incompetence in discipline!" The abbot and abbot came in a hurry, apologizing with shame on his face.

Li Rong gritted his teeth: "..."

At this time, a shout came from not far away: "Chang Kuo! Let's go!"

"Here comes General!" the young man on the tree responded, jumped down neatly, raised his legs and walked away without looking back at Li Rong's embarrassed expression.

People always seem to have a particularly profound memory of when they make a fool of themselves, and Li Rong remembered this name inexplicably.

 What happened after that was terrible.

 Even her imperial brother, who had always manipulated her, asked her to endure the matter and keep it quiet.

Li Rong forced to swallow this breath, but what was so lucky was that her consort couldn't swallow it.

Shortly afterwards, the news came that the monk had committed suicide by throwing himself into a well. The prince-in-law became completely ill and passed away soon after.

Li Rong came back to his senses and felt that they were lovers who finally got married.

 As for a husband and wife, this is the most righteous thing a consort can do.

 Thanks to this generosity, she became the youngest and most powerful widow in Dasheng.

 After that, Li Rong went to the fiefdom of Xuanzhou, and actually managed Xuanzhou in an orderly manner, especially the commercial business gradually flourished.

Slowly, officials began to offer male favors. Li Rong thought of the disgusting things about the consort, and saw those submissive and effeminate male favors, which made her feel disgusted. She refused again and again, until her queen mother sent someone to spread the secret. The letter reminded her that brothers and sisters should also leave a place of peace of mind.

 At that time, wars broke out frequently and the imperial court was in decline, while Jiangnan West Road headed by Xuanzhou was prospering.

Li Rong woke up and accepted the male favorites.

 At first, some officials accused her of being obsessed with men for her behavior. Not only did Li Rong not restrain herself, but she also intensified her efforts to recruit beautiful men openly.

 In a blink of an eye, her imperial brother's children were getting older, and one named Li Xiao was very promising and very pleasing to the eye.

On the birthday of the Queen Mother, Li Rong returned to Beijing and met his nephew and a general accompanying him... Li Rong recognized him almost at a glance.

 The other party also recognized Li Rong.

At the end of the banquet, Li Rong left the hall and walked to the general. The general took two steps back, raised his hand to press the non-existent knife on his waist, and told her, the eldest princess, to respect herself with a look of reluctance.

Li Rong sneered, she didn't want to do anything.

 After a long time, Li Rong couldn't help but think that this person might not have been playing hard to get and deliberately provoking the general in an attempt to attract her attention.

They met Chang Kuo many times after that, and each time they showed Chang Kuo an air of preferring death to being proud and refusing to accept people thousands of miles away. Li Rong inquired and found out that he had made many military exploits and had been promoted in official positions, but he had never gotten married.

 Another year, Li Rong encountered a group of fierce bandits on his way back to Xuanzhou. Chang Kuo, who returned home with dozens of subordinates after the war, descended from the sky, rescued Li Rong, and killed a bandit.

But many of Chang Kuo's men were also injured. This place was less than a hundred miles away from Xuanzhou. Li Rong had a villa nearby, so he took the people there for treatment.

Chang Kuo also had something to ask for, so he reluctantly agreed - while chasing down the tough bandits, he picked up a surviving baby girl who was several months old in the grass. He couldn't take it with him, so he wanted to give it to Li Rong.

Li Rong found it funny: "Leave it to me? I have no style or honor to speak of."

Chang Kuo: "What's the use of fame and honor? Being able to live freely is better than anything else."

Li Rong was startled for no reason, and then said to Chang Kuo: "Then give her a name."

Chang Kuo scratched his head, he and his highness were afraid of this.

After thinking about it, I thought of a river called Tong River in my hometown, so I said the word "Tong".

Li Rong nodded: "Let's call him Li Tong."

Chang Kuo was stunned. She wanted to raise her as her own, so she wasn't afraid of others criticizing her reputation.

This time it was Li Rong who said: "You didn't say that - what's the use of a name? Just go ahead and criticize me."

 She just wanted to have a daughter to raise, so it was fate.

Seeing that she was so carefree, Chang Kuo felt a little lost for no reason: "We are both princesses..."

Li Rong was confused when he heard this, and saw him grab the wine jar on the side and take two sips.

That was strong wine used to clean wounds. Li Rong asked someone to get some good wine.

The wine was soft, but Chang Kuo, who had a good drinker, felt drunk after drinking two bottles. Thinking of the eldest princess's style, he was suddenly startled, grabbed the unsheathed knife, and asked her: "What are you doing?" What was done in the wine!"

Li Rong leaned closer to him without fear: "Didn't you guess it all?"

Chang Kuo was very annoyed: "I'll do it next!"

Li Rong smiled and leaned closer: "I heard that General Chang has never married a wife. Is there something hidden?"

　　Shi can be killed but not humiliated.

 Under the influence of alcohol and medicine, everything seems to be logical.

Chang Kuo woke up the next day and saw Li Rong lying on his side, with black hair hanging down. He held his head with one hand and stroked his bare chest with strong and superior texture with the other hand.

Chang Kuo was shocked, pulled the quilt around himself and jumped off the bed: "Poisonous woman!"

Seeing Chang Kuo running away in a hurry, Li Rong slowly sat up and said to himself in a funny voice: "Who are you from this palace? Where did you get that low-grade thing..."

 She didn't take any medicine.

  She felt that this person most likely liked her.

At that time, Li Rong just had a fresh idea after seeing the color, but he didn't think so long-term.

 When I found out I was pregnant later, I had no intention of telling Chang Kuo.

I never thought that I could be born, but I couldn’t keep it.

Chang Kuo hugged his son who fell from the sky and left cursing. When he got into the carriage, he laughed and kissed the child several times. The child was pricked by his beard and cried loudly.

The relationship became deeper after having a child. The two always had a reason to see each other. Chang Kuo always had war wounds, so Li Rong kept a doctor in his house who was good at bone injuries.

In those years, the two of them worked together across the distance, neither one willing to give in to the other, and the money from which they passed the message suffered too much love, hate, and sadness.

What few people know is that in the year when Chang Kuo returned from Beidi's victory but was punished by military law, Princess Xuan'an went to Beijing privately.

At that time, Chang Kuo was so depressed that he seemed to be a different person. Li Rong did not understand why he would rather disobey military orders and kill Beidi Khan who surrendered. Others said that he was murderous, but she did not believe it.

There must be a reason for this, but he refused to say anything.

Li Rong stayed in Beijing for several months until Chang Kuo's injury healed. As the new year was approaching, she had to leave.

 The day we left Changfu, it snowed heavily.

 Just like today.

Today is the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month in the first year of Changhua.

Li Rong, wearing a cloak, stood on the porch and looked at the snowy scene in the courtyard. She felt that it was exactly the same as when she left that year. Only many years later did she know what Chang Kuo had gone through.

 It turned out that his lord died not in the year Li Xiao passed away, but in the year he won a great victory in Beidi.

 Fortunately, my old friend is back and there is no need to mention this matter again.

Li Rong pointed to the yard next door: "Your yard is really uncomfortable. Go back and open up that yard too, so that I can live here..."

Chang Kuo, who was wrapped in a thick black fox fur cloak and leaning on a tiger-headed staff, turned to look at her: "Why, you really won't go back to Xuanzhou?"

 “I’ve given it all to Li Tong, and it’s time for me to enjoy peace and happiness... In all these years, the general public has never spent more than a few days with Sui’an.”

Chang Kuo raised his eyebrows: "Then Xuanzhou, you guys..."

Li Rong interrupted him angrily: "We were dismissed a long time ago, why are you still mentioning this?"

Chang Kuo snorted, but raised his eyebrows: "I'm afraid my small temple can't accommodate a big Buddha like yours."

"Who can't rely on you here every day? I'll come over when I want to have a good year. I live in the Marquis's Mansion and the Grand Princess's Mansion at opposite ends."

"I'm afraid of being laughed at..." Chang Kuo folded his cloak: "I have no name or status."

Li Rong: "You and I are at this age, and our son is about to get married. Do you really want to hold another wedding banquet and be an old consort?"

Chang Kuo imagined himself wearing wedding clothes and toasting to a group of juniors. He thought it was ridiculous and couldn't help laughing.

 He has no such obsession.

 The so-called status is only for people who have no confidence in their hearts.

Now that Li Rong is staying in the capital, he has made up his mind.

The experiences of the two of them are different from others, and they don’t need to explain it to anyone. It’s good to just stay together like this.

My hair has grown gray, and I still have a few years to live.

Chang Kuo said seriously: "You can skip the wedding banquet...but you can't skip the betrothal gift."

 Li Rong: “Who gives the betrothal gift to whom?”

Chang Kuo’s face was straight: “Of course you gave it to me!”

“…” Li Rong looked at him: “Are you short of money?”

Chang Kuo's tone was very glorious: "I will give it to your majesty to marry you!"

Nowadays, everything is in ruins. Your Majesty is concerned about the country's business, but all the officials do not agree with the emperor's simple wedding. Therefore, the wedding date has not been set yet, and he has to wait for the Ministry of Household Affairs to save more money.

Chang Kuo was extremely impatient, so he came up with the idea of ​​"selling himself in exchange for dowry money to finance the emperor's wedding."

Li Rong was also very generous, and said leisurely: "Let me give you a few."

Chang Kuo had already planned it and stretched out three fingers at this moment.

“—Three million dollars?” Li Rong rolled his eyes: “You dare to ask this price even at your age!”

Chan Kuo felt secretly happy even though he was scolded. He wanted to say 300,000 yuan, but this woman's reaction was obviously that 3 million yuan was also something! Hey, she is indeed rich!

"I always want to leave some wealth for Li Tong and Sui'an! Sui'an is still planning to get married!" Li Rong thought it was ridiculous. Which princess would go bankrupt when she marries an old consort at such a young age?

 The two of them were haggling on the porch.

 “Auntie! Auntie!”

Chang Sui'an came back from outside in the snow.

Li Rong turned around when he heard the sound, and immediately smiled: "Come on, I'm telling your father about your marriage!"

Chang Sui'an walked over, Li Rong raised his hand to brush away the snowflakes on his head, Chang Kuo turned his head and asked the servant to warm a pot of wine.

 There was heavy snowfall between the sky and the earth. The three of them were talking, then turned and walked into the warm house.

 Extras that drop from time to time +1

(The characters will be marked in the extras, and they are all trivial matters. You can choose whether to click on them according to your preference)

 Good night Good night.