r18novel Page 467
Page 467
Xu Lingyue blushed slightly, radiating happiness. "Young Master said that there's no need for a one-month trial period. He's very satisfied with me."
Li Ru's heart suddenly skipped a beat, and she carefully examined Xu Lingyue. "What methods did you use?"
Before Xu Lingyue could speak, Xu Xinnian interrupted, "Mother, don't get the wrong idea. Mr. Li is a great Confucian scholar, with the potential to become a sage!"
"To establish a moral compass for Heaven and Earth, and to secure a destiny for the people..."
Little Pudding, chewing on a steamed bun, shouted, "Let's carry on the lost arts and bring peace to all!"
Xu Xinnian has been repeating these few words to himself these past few days, and even Xiaobuding has learned them.
Li Ru rolled her eyes at her son and said, "Which of those court officials wasn't a scholar? They still went to the brothels!"
"Even your great Confucian scholar found a seventeen or eighteen-year-old concubine, and he even talked about pear blossoms..."
Xu Xinnian didn't respond, so Little Pudding Xu Lingyin continued, "Pear blossom sugar! Sugar!"
Xu Xinnian slapped Xu Lingyin on the forehead and said, "That's a pear blossom pressing down on a crabapple, it's a kind of flower, not the candy you're eating!"
Xu Lingyin's big eyes widened even more. "Hiss... It's cotton candy!"
"Mother, the young master is different from those great scholars..."
Xu Lingyin said softly as she chewed her food in small bites.
Li Ru breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's good. It seems that Lord Li is a good person. Don't be like those scholars who become high-ranking officials and then sneak off to the brothels behind their wives' backs!"
Neither Xu Pingzhi nor Xu Xinnian spoke, decisively ignoring the topic.
Unexpectedly, Xu Lingyue said urgently, "That's not what I meant... I didn't mean that they're different. What I meant was that you're younger than those great scholars..."
Looking at Xu Lingyue's face, Li Ru suddenly felt a nameless worry.
At this moment, Xu Pingzhi suddenly said to Xu Xinnian, "I heard that there has been a lot of commotion in the court recently. The Wang Party, the Qi Party, and the Liang Party are all united against you and have launched an impeachment against your academy."
At this moment, Xu Xinnian completely ignored his father's words, "If Li Chang'an had not been born, the Confucian school would have been plunged into eternal darkness!"
"After hearing Mr. Li's words, I suddenly felt that reading had become incredibly sacred... Dad, we'll just ignore all that talk about rich and powerful people you mentioned!"
"These great scholars have very strong backbones. Not a single person from Yunlu Academy betrayed us this time. They would rather remain aloof from the world than submit!"
Xu Pingzhi said worriedly, "But I heard that the charges against him are very serious, such as disrespecting the emperor, having no regard for the court, being unorthodox and disrespectful!"
Xu Xinnian suddenly lost his appetite; he had no idea that the power struggle at the top had escalated to such a serious charge.
"...Hiss, not surprising. This has broken the backbone of the Imperial Academy. It's like calling them slaves to their faces. It would be strange if they could tolerate it."
Hearing Xu Xinnian's nonchalant attitude, Li Ru panicked. "Ci Jiu, that's a capital offense! How can you be so indifferent!"
Xu Xinnian said resolutely, "This concerns the great cause; I would rather die than submit!"
At this moment, Xu Lingyue whispered, "It shouldn't be that serious. Today, the night watchman, Lord Jinluo, came to see the young master and said that Duke Wei and the Princess have vouched for Yunlu Academy."
Xu Xinnian also breathed a sigh of relief, "Unexpectedly, the academy has always regarded Wei Yuan as an enemy, but at this time, Wei Yuan is speaking up for the academy."
"But it's not surprising. The civil officials in the court hate Wei Yuan's night watchmen the most. Now Yunlu Academy has become birds of a feather with the night watchmen."
With just one sentence from Xu Lingyue, Xu Pingzhi and Li Ru immediately felt relieved. Fortunately, she had heard the news from Li Chang'an, otherwise the two of them would have been living in constant fear.
A month later, Princess Huaiqing personally visited Li Chang'an.
Chu Caiwei proudly led Princess Huaiqing into Li Chang'an's residence, pointing out the layout and feng shui of the houses and saying, "These are all houses I helped Li Chang'an choose. Look how good the feng shui is! He'll surely become a high-ranking official in the future!"
Huaiqing's usually indifferent expression revealed a rare smile. "A good house is simply one that lives next door to you."
When Li Chang'an met the Princess this time, it was completely different from when he met her at Prince Yu's residence. Last time, Huaiqing was furious, but this time she was much more amiable.
"Huaiqing greets you, sir."
Princess Huaiqing bowed again, startling Chu Caiwei so much that her mouth dropped open slightly. The aloof princess was actually being so polite.
"I really didn't expect Your Highness to come. I'm so sorry for not welcoming you properly."
Li Chang'an truly hadn't expected this, because now that he was at odds with the civil officials in the court, it was impossible for the Crown Prince and the other princes to win him over.
Therefore, Huaiqing has no need to try to win over Li Chang'an.
The princess smiled slightly, and even Li Chang'an, who had seen countless women, couldn't help but be slightly taken aback. This woman was very beautiful, with perfectly proportioned features and a graceful figure that was not at all cumbersome.
"To be honest, Mr. Li, Huaiqing has come here to seek your advice."
Upon first looking into each other's eyes, Li Chang'an suddenly realized that Huaiqing, with her flawless beauty inside and out, was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his lifetime.
Li Chang'an led Huaiqing and Chu Caiwei into the study, and the servants along the way knelt down.
After Huaiqing was seated, Xu Lingyue nervously served her tea, her small hands trembling.
“Mr. Li, your maid is truly beautiful.”
Huaiqing stared at Xu Lingyue and sighed sincerely.
Xu Lingyue is indeed beautiful, but her delicate beauty and stunning elegance cannot compare.
After all, cuteness is worthless in the face of sexiness, not to mention that Huaiqing has no weaknesses.
Chu Caiwei ran over warily, staring at Xu Lingyue for a while, "Li Chang'an, it's only been a few days, and you've already found such a beautiful maid."
Xu Lingyue also noticed the curiosity and subtle hostility in Chu Caiwei's eyes, and intentionally or unintentionally puffed out her chest, subtly highlighting her advantages.
However, the oblivious Chu Caiwei didn't notice anything. She just pursed her lips and her eyes started rolling around, as if she was thinking about something.
Li Chang'an said, "These past few days, students from the Imperial Academy have been causing trouble at my doorstep. Thanks to the Princess's intervention, otherwise my home would have been ransacked as soon as I moved to the capital."
Hearing Li Chang'an's words, Chu Caiwei said angrily, "With Li Chang'an's strength, he could kill a lot of people with one palm, but he's a good person and didn't make a move!"
Huaiqing's face turned slightly cold as he said, "The Imperial Academy is too domineering. They can label students with such serious accusations and even incite them to cause trouble. It's outrageous."
“They were adamant. Although my father eventually listened to my advice, he still wouldn’t allow Yunlu Academy and you to write down your theories.”
Li Chang'an smiled without saying a word. Emperor Yuanjing was so selfish and didn't care about the lives of the people. How could he possibly agree to such ideas spreading among the people?
Huaiqing continued, "However, Dean Zhao and his colleagues have already started lecturing at Yunlu Academy. This kind of thinking will still need to be spread in the future. Whether Father Emperor will agree or not at that time remains to be seen."
Huaiqing's words revealed deep sorrow, clearly indicating that he did not have much confidence in Emperor Yuanjing.
"Your Highness, do you also agree with the four lines I wrote?"
Huaiqing's eyes flashed and he said, "I only know that the doctrine of 'preserving heavenly principles and eliminating human desires' arose from Emperor Renzong's selfishness. There was no such doctrine before that."
"The emperors before Emperor Renzong of the Great Feng Dynasty did not need scholars to flatter them, which is why the Great Feng Dynasty has been able to continue to this day. The Great Zhou Dynasty before the Great Feng Dynasty never had this kind of mentality of flattering the emperor."
"Is my Great Feng Dynasty inferior to the previous dynasty?"
Li Chang'an nodded in agreement. With such a magnanimous spirit, it was no wonder she could become an empress.
Huaiqing changed the subject and talked about the Thirty-Six Chapters on Military and Political Affairs, which Li Chang'an had been writing in installments over the past few days.
"Mr. Li, actually, Huaiqing came here this time to ask for advice on military strategy and tactics."
She had prepared for over a month, fearing that her words would make her seem unlearned and lacking in experience. While Huaiqing was full of confidence in front of others, she felt apprehensive in front of Li Chang'an.
Then, Princess Huaiqing began to voice her questions, and Li Chang'an provided answers based on his experience as emperor in two lifetimes.
Although there were no immortals in the previous two lives, they were still high-level martial dynasties, and many things were similar.
As Huaiqing and Li Chang'an discussed the Dao, the more they talked, the more alarmed they became, because Li Chang'an was not just talking on paper; his arguments were logical and well-founded, without any loopholes.
Huaiqing himself couldn't believe that more than three hours had passed, and it was already close to evening. It wouldn't be appropriate to leave anytime soon.
But she still had many questions in her mind, which she wouldn't have the chance to discuss today.
Huaiqing regrets that he is not a man. If he were a man, he would sleep side by side with his teacher, discussing the Dao all night long without rest!
Hearing Huaiqing's words, Li Chang'an thought to himself, "You are a woman, so it is acceptable for you to think this way."
It would be such a pity if such a peerless woman were a man.
Li Chang'an smiled slightly and noticed that Huaiqing was tidying his sideburns with a slightly embarrassed expression, clearly also feeling that his words had been somewhat impolite.
"Huaiqing has been rude. Sir, you are a genius. I admire you greatly and am completely in awe of you."
"It's alright. I only realized today that Her Highness the Eldest Princess is truly an extraordinary person."
Huaiqing's eyelashes fluttered, and her autumn eyes stared at Li Chang'an with a smile. Apart from the royal family, no one dared to comment on the princess to her face.
But the look in her eyes was calm and showed no fear whatsoever.
Li Chang'an is quite something. He seems to have no fear of the imperial family at all. No wonder he dares to say that he will bring peace to the world for all generations.
"Sir, what kind of extraordinary person is Huaiqing?"
Li Chang'an said, "He has a broad mind, is humble and unfathomable."
"To be able to tolerate challenges to loyalty, filial piety, and integrity shows a broad mind; to be humble and cautious despite being a princess shows a modest heart. Today's discussion is still not over. Your Highness's learning is extensive and your thoughts are profound, which is unfathomable."
The princess smiled, her expression one of smug pride, indicating that she had not been looked down upon by Mr. Li today.
"You flatter me, sir. If Huaiqing has the time in the future, I will definitely pay you a visit."
Li Chang'an smiled and said, "The gates of the Li residence will always be open to Her Highness the Princess."
Chapter 280 The Bride: Li Chang'an has some nerve!
"And what about me? How am I?"
Upon hearing Li Chang'an mention the Princess, Chu Caiwei patted her chest and asked eagerly.