Chapter Thirty-Three: The Tragic Longsun Clash

  The Princess Changle faced the divine brush, full of pride and satisfaction, but felt that something was missing: "Right! The poem is 'The Hero's Journey'... Zhao Yun's horse neighs, Wu Hook's snowflakes shine bright. Silver saddle shines on white horse, swift as a shooting star. Ten steps kill one person, thousand miles without leaving a trace. Mission accomplished, wipe the sword and leave, deeply hiding one's name and fame. Passing by Xiling drinking, drawing the sword in front of the knees. Roasting Zhu Heyi, holding the cup to toast Hou Ying. Three cups of wine, then suddenly heroic words flow freely. Five mountains turn upside down, feeling light as a feather. After intoxication, heroic spirit is born. Saving Zhao with golden hammer, Handan city shakes first. Two heroes for a thousand autumns, brilliant and glorious in Liang City. Even if the hero dies, his bones will be fragrant, not ashamed of being a hero in the world. Who can write under the pavilion, the White-haired Taixuan Scripture?

  She whispered it once, but couldn't bring herself to write it down. The bold painting, the bold poem, should be matched with bold words, but she didn't have the confidence to put pen to paper.

  "If only he could write it in his own hand, how wonderful that would be!" Princess Chang Le sighed, but she also knew this was impossible. It wasn't that Du He was being petty, but rather that she herself had no face to ask him to write the inscription.

  "Who is this 'he'?" The beautiful young woman standing behind Princess Chang Le finally spoke up, a hint of a strange smile on her face.

  "Ah!" Princess Changle jumped up in surprise, hastily hiding the painting behind her back. When she saw who it was, she suddenly became flustered and timidly called out: "Mother!"

  The newcomer was none other than Empress Dowager Longsun, the virtuous empress who ruled with heavenly dignity.

  "Empress Dowager, when did you arrive? Why didn't you notify me in advance!" Princess Chang Le's eyes darted back and forth, her guilty conscience causing her to shift her body. In her panic, she used the method of covering her ears to steal a bell to hide the painting.

  "Don't hide it, your painting is already wrinkled. The empress dowager came in while you were painting and heard everything clearly - what 'The Knight's Journey', what that person... The empress dowager could hear it all clearly. Don't blame the empress dowager for not notifying you, just blame yourself for being too absorbed in your painting and not hearing." Empress Longsun smiled calmly, her phoenix eyes full of playful intent.

  Princess Changle was so ashamed that she wished she could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.

  "Chang Le, as you truly are. Who is he? And who created 'The Knight Errant'? Your temperament is like mine, and you can't create such grand and majestic lines."

  "You're too embarrassed to say, and the empress dowager won't force you. You went out this morning to investigate, came back and created a masterpiece, and even conceived the poem 'The Knight-Errant's Song' which will be passed down for thousands of years. You must have met someone in the palace and something happened. The empress dowager wants to investigate, and she'll definitely find out, but by that time, it might already be known to everyone!"

  Empress Zhangsun spoke slowly and softly.

  She was indeed a wise queen of the Tang Dynasty. She didn't use any coercive methods, but only rational analysis, making Princess Chang Le unable to resist her.

  "All right! Mother, I said it was!" Princess Chang Le knelt down and stamped her foot, "It's Du He!"

  Upon hearing this name, Empress Changsun's brow furrowed immediately. "Is that the Du He who saved your life?"

  Empress Changsun had a deep impression of Du He, and when Princess Yongle was making trouble, she specially found her brother Changsun Wuji to understand Du He's character. After knowing his nature, for the sake of Yongle's lifelong happiness, she opposed Li Shimin for the first time in her life.

  It can be said that Du He has a very bad impression of her in his heart.

  Even when Du Huai created the "Du Ti" font and became a master of calligraphy, Empress Changsun still lamented that no matter how well one wrote, if their character was poor, what use was it?

  Until recently, Du He rushed into the palace to save Princess Chang Le, which changed her impression of Du He. However, she has been living deep in the palace and doesn't know much about Du He.

  She's an experienced person and can tell that Princess Chang Le is just a lovesick girl at this moment, having already developed feelings for Du He.

  The complicated relationships made Empress Changsun feel a bit dizzy.

  If there were feelings, why bother canceling the engagement in the first place? If there weren't any feelings, how could Princess Chang Le reveal such a sentimental mood?

  Princess Changle understood the feelings of Empress Changsun, for she herself had once been in a similar situation. So, she reintroduced Du He to Empress Changsun in detail, including Li Shimin's appreciation for Du He and everything that happened today.

  Empress Changsun was stunned and couldn't believe that a strange case of losing one's soul could cause such a change in someone.

  "Isn't there something behind this!"

  Princess Changle nodded seriously and said, "I think so too, it must be Changsun Cheong. He's been slandering Duhe with his small-mindedness!" As soon as she mentioned Changsun Cheong, the gentle and kind-hearted Princess Changle became furious, her face also turned unpleasant.

  "Chong'er?" Empress Changsun immediately frowned and scolded, "That's your older cousin, don't you dare speak nonsense! Chong'er is clever and quick-witted, a true dragon among men. He is one of the rare pillars of our great Tang dynasty."

  Empress Changsun still cared about her natal family, especially Changsun Chong.

  Chang Sun was clever and resourceful, and Empress Changsun had a particularly good impression of him. After the engagement was dissolved, she repeatedly tried to arrange his marriage with Princess Changle.

  "Empress Dowager, that's just your own opinion. Changsun Cheol is indeed a small-minded person, don't you believe me? Ask the Emperor himself." Princess Chang Le said discontentedly with her mouth pouted.

  Empress Changsun hastily asked for the reason.

  Princess Changle asked if she knew Luo Tong?

  The Empress Dowager nodded and replied, "Is he not the only son of General Luo Yixing? I remember that he was called Little Overlord, brave and fierce in battle. He once beat up the son of General Wei Chi. Your father, the Emperor, knew that General Wei Chi was a proud man with a bad temper, so he transferred Luo Tong to the Hongwen Academy as a student to avoid trouble."

  "Lu Tong couldn't stand Changsun Chong's behavior, and called him a 'mouse'. As a result, Changsun Chong was furious, gathered some people to teach Lu Tong a lesson, and even used his brother-in-law's power to transfer the patrol soldiers out of Chang'an City. In the end, it was caught by Father Emperor, who specially summoned Brother-in-law to scold him, saying that he had taught his son poorly!" Princess Changle said with some disdain.

  "Is this really happening? Is it just a rumor?" The Empress Changsun's face was filled with shock, in his eyes, Changsun Chong had always been the obedient and well-behaved type of person, so he couldn't believe that he would do something like this.

  "I went to see Father Emperor the other day, and it just so happened that he was scolding Eldest Uncle. He told me all this himself, could it be false?"

  Empress Changsun let out a deep sigh, and Emperor Taizong of Tang told Princess Yongan about this matter. It was as if he had already made up his mind to marry her off to the Changsun family, but just hadn't said so explicitly.

  "This child..." Li Shimin had made up his mind, and Empress Zhangsun was powerless to intervene, let alone with the attitude of Princess Changle right in front of her.

  "Hum! The child now even suspects that the news Longsun Chong gave me is all false, from start to finish it's a scam he set up. He said Duhe was useless, his writing looked like a dog scratching chicken feet, but now he's become a famous calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty, and his handwriting is so good that even the Emperor praises him without end. Without years of foundation, how could he possibly write like this? He also said Duhe's poems weren't even as good as those written by children, but he wrote 'The Knight-Errant's Song' which even the Empress said was a masterpiece that could be passed down for thousands of years. Is this also the level of a child? He said Duhe was no good at literature or martial arts, but Duhe can write 'The Knight-Errant's Song', and his martial arts can defeat Xiao Bawang Luo Tong, is this also called being no good at literature or martial arts?" Princess Chang Le became more and more angry as she spoke, and finally burst into tears.

  Originally, Princess Changle rarely left the palace, and everything about Du He's affairs came from Zhangsun Chong.

  So when Du He showed another side of himself, Princess Chang Le's heart began to suspect and eventually detest Chang Sun.

  If it weren't for Chang Sun Hong, she wouldn't have been so disappointed in Du He; if it weren't for Chang Sun Hong, she wouldn't have made a big fuss about the broken engagement; if it weren't for Chang Sun Hong, she would still be Du He's fiancée now; if it weren't for Chang Sun Hong, she wouldn't be feeling this painful now.

  It's all Zhangsun Chong's fault.

  A woman's reason is a thing of no account, even in the most prudent it is unaccountable.

  If Zhangsun Chong knew the true thoughts of Princess Chang Le, it would be unbearable to turn a blind eye to it. Compared to Dou E's grievances, can this still be called a grievance?

  Although Zhangsun Chong may have added some embellishments when reporting to Princess Changle, he absolutely told her the true and actual situation about Du He.

  The actual Du He was indeed a hopeless dandy, but everything changed because of Du Chang Tian's time-travel.

  Changsun Wuji thus became the most tragic figure, and in the heart of Princess Yongle, he had become a hateful big cheat.

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