Chapter Thirty-One: The Eldest Princess of Chang Le Ascends

  Du He opened his eyes and looked at the sky which was already slightly bright, stretched his waist lazily, let out a yawn, and sat up.

  Looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings, Du He remembered that he had talked with Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty too enthusiastically last night, and only realized that it was late until nearly dawn.

  So, at Li Shimin's invitation, he stayed overnight in a guest room of the imperial palace.

  The palace maid was professional, Du He had just sat up, and immediately a tall and very punctual palace maid pushed open the door, carrying washing utensils and walked in.

  "Your Majesty!" Du He asked, dipping his finger into a toothpaste-like medicine and applying it to his teeth, then brushing them with a wooden toothbrush.

  "The Emperor has already gone to court!" The palace maid's reply made Du He somewhat embarrassed.

  He gets up at about five o'clock every day to practice, and has formed a fixed biological clock, but unexpectedly Li Shimin is even earlier.

  "What's his last words?" Du He took over the wet towel handed by the palace maid and applied it to her face.

  "His Majesty said to make yourself at home and ordered us to take good care of you!"

  Du He nodded and asked about his own sword.

  Wearing a sword or dagger was a fashion in the Tang Dynasty, even on the body of his father Du Ruhui, a civil official, who would also wear a ceremonial knife. This is also a manifestation of the Tang Dynasty's emphasis on military power, which originated from the Wei River Alliance.

  In 626 AD, Emperor Taizong of Tang Li Shimin had just ascended to the throne. The Eastern Turks' Jieli Khan and Chuli Khan led an army of over 100,000 soldiers to attack Chang'an directly. The army was stationed outside the city at the Wei River Bridge in the north, only 40 miles away from Chang'an City, causing great shock and panic in the capital. Li Shimin was forced to devise a plan, personally leading six cavalrymen including Gao Shiyan and Fang Xuanling to the banks of the Wei River, where he conversed with Jieli across the river, accusing him of breaking his promise.

  At that time, the Tang Dynasty had just pacified the world and was not yet strong enough to confront the Turks. Li Shimin was forced to bow his head to Jieli and Tulie, sending gold and silver from the Tang national treasury to sign the Wei River Treaty.

  This alliance of Wei River is actually a shame of Wei River.

  Li Shimin intensified his preparations for war from then on, even personally setting an example by training soldiers himself. Every day, he ordered the troops to practice martial arts in the imperial palace. Whether they were scholars or warriors, everyone was allowed to wear swords. As a result, it's not hard to imagine that Li Jing defeated Xue Rengui and took him alive, imprisoning him in Chang'an as a high-ranking general.

  After Du He's vacation, he always carried a sword with him when going out, and it was the same when entering the imperial palace. Only when meeting Li Shimin did the guards take away his weapon.

  "Mr. Li has already sent someone to deliver the weapons, they are hanging on the wall outside the hall." The palace maid said respectfully, and took out the washbasin and towel.

  Du He found his own sword and came to the courtyard by the pool under the willow tree to practice.

  A gentle breeze stirs, the willow branch full of tender buds, lightly sways with the wind, thousands of green silk ribbons, in a carefree dance, singing freely.

  "In the midst of a scenic view, I suddenly thought of Li Bai's 'The Ballad of the Brave Knight'. Unconsciously, I loudly recited:

  'Zhao Ke's horse with a white mane, Wu Hook's frost and snow shine bright.

  A silver saddle shines on a white horse, swift as a shooting star.

  Ten steps to kill one person, a thousand miles without leaving a trail.

  The task is done, then leave, deeply hiding one's name and fame.

  Casually passing by Xinfeng to drink, drawing the sword in front of the knees.

  Roasting Zhu Hei, holding a goblet to toast Hou Ying.

  Three cups, then a promise, five mountains become light as a feather.

  After intoxication, the spirit is born, like a rainbow.

  Saving Zhao with a golden hammer, Handan was shocked first.

  Two heroes of a thousand autumns, shining brightly in the city of Liang.

  Even if a brave knight dies, his bones will be fragrant, not ashamed of being a hero in this world.

  Who can write under the pavilion, the white-haired Taixuan Scripture?'"

  By the side of the lotus pond, she hummed and danced, her long sword in hand. In an instant, a flash of sword light burst forth, and the extremely cold air flow condensed into snowflake-like sparks as it gushed out from the sword body. It was as if countless pear blossoms suddenly bloomed, opening and closing, with killing intent swirling about.

  Du He couldn't help but let out a long whistle, the sound full of joy: Li Bai's poem was filled with the heroic spirit of a knight-errant, coinciding with the "Iron Blood Thirteen Styles" of the Iron Blood Gate, mutually verifying each other, and suddenly his swordsmanship made a new breakthrough in terms of atmosphere.

  Du He suddenly felt someone was peeking at her, turned around and saw Princess Chang Le standing in the courtyard with a shocked face.

  Princess Changle was still dressed in white, with only her black hair standing out against her snowy complexion. Her face was exquisitely beautiful and otherworldly, like a celestial maiden from the heavenly palace.

  Princess Changle has been feeling depressed lately, and her mind is filled with thoughts of Du He and Li Xueyan.

  She was born in the fourth year of Wu De, fifth among all her sisters, and named Lizzie.

  This is a name that inspires imagination. When Princess Li grew up, Emperor Taizong of Tang couldn't help but feel proud of his daughter's name, because the princess was indeed as beautiful as her name suggested, born with a natural beauty and was a stunning beauty. Zhifen praised: "The princess has a noble spirit in the palace, and inherits the teachings of her parents and teachers... She is as bright as the moon shining on the jade forest, and as radiant as the morning clouds reflecting on the pearl bay."

  The words are beautiful and elegant, with careful consideration for the writing. When read aloud, they flow smoothly off the tongue, vividly depicting the appearance of Princess Changle.

  Tang Taizong was deeply in love with calligraphy throughout his life, and his children were also skilled at writing. Princess Yonghe was renowned for her beauty and elegance, as well as her mastery of painting and poetry. There is a verse that praises her: "Unfurl the jade scroll from the silk brocade, and the hanging mirror is ashamed of its dullness; display the silver characters on the colored paper, and even the spring flowers are overshadowed by their beauty."

  Such a person can be said to have received the favor of heaven and earth, and also received the doting love of the Emperor and Empress of the Great Tang Dynasty, gathering all the favors and love in one body. What's even more rare is that Princess Changle received such honors, but she didn't have any of the spoiled and arrogant air of a princess, just like Empress Changsun, she was virtuous and gentle, a standard good wife and mother.

  It is also because of her personality that today's situation has been created.

  Princess Changle was virtuous and kind, so she did not refuse the marriage arranged by Emperor Taizong of Tang. In her heart, she had already accepted Du He as her future husband, but since he was only twelve years old at that time, they did not rush to get married.

  Facing her fiancé Du He, Princess Changle secretly observed him for three years and had a very deep impression of him, but all the impressions were bad. Thinking that her fiancé was so unvirtuous, she finally couldn't help but make trouble.

  The engagement was smoothly dissolved, but Princess Chang Le's breath had not been let out yet.

  Du He changed, his loss of soul made him become another person.

  A master of calligraphy who could make the greatest Confucian scholar of the Tang Dynasty, Kong Yingda, bow down to him, turned into a skilled fighter who could defeat the Little Overlord Luo Tong, turned into an excellent student whose grades were always at the top, and turned into a charming young man with a witty tongue who won the hearts of many women. Even his father, the Emperor, had recently praised him saying that he would become like Du Ruhui, one of the founding pillars of the Tang Dynasty.

  Such an earth-shattering change left Princess Changle completely stunned.

  Today's Du He is not the ideal husband of a young girl, but also belongs to the ideal husband of Princess Chang Le.

  Talented, able in both literature and martial arts, and making contributions to the Tang Dynasty, becoming a powerful assistant to his father.

  Facing the brand new Du He, Princess Chang Le's mindset gradually changed. The resentment accumulated over the past three years, the deep impression that existed for three years, gradually became a new emotion. This emotional accumulation of many years, once it erupts, is like the Yellow River bursting its banks, unstoppable.