Cui Tian looked at the two kids and found them quite curious. Who would have thought that two innocent kids of just five or six years old could sneak into the area in front of the Zhaoqing Palace?
Just then, a young eunuch rushed over, pushing through the crowd and coming straight to Li Jingyun and the other girl. His face was full of eagerness. "Your Highnesses, it's really been hard for this servant to find you. Come with this servant inside. The beauty pageant is about to start."
This eunuch was called Cong Gai. He had entered the palace to serve at a very young age and was only fourteen this year. He was an old hand in the Taihe Palace.
"Did Aye (father) send you out to look for us?" Li Mingda asked.
The young eunuch nodded. "His Majesty noticed that the two Highnesses were not in the Taihe Palace, so he guessed that you had come to the Zhaoqing Palace. He ordered this servant to bring you two inside."
Only then did the young ladies of the beauty pageant realize that these two little girls, as delicate as carved jade, were actually the princesses of the current dynasty.
Judging from their ages, they should be the twin princesses, Princess Jinyang and Princess Chengyang, who had been doted on by His Majesty and the Empress. They were even personally raised by His Majesty.
"Greetings to Princess Jinyang and Princess Chengyang."
Everyone quickly bowed in salute.
Cui Tian was a bit surprised. Why did the princesses like to run around instead of staying by the sides of His Majesty and the Empress to show filial piety?
Su Rui was even more shocked. The little girl who had just held her hand and chatted with her so enthusiastically was actually Princess Chengyang?
Did the Li family like the idea of incognito visits?
His Majesty spent half of the year away from the imperial city of Chang'an. Why were the princesses the same?
"All rise." Li Mingda kept a straight face. Although she was only a five - year - old child, she insisted on looking rational and self - controlled.
Li Jingyun couldn't hold it in any longer. She hugged her sister's arm and burst into laughter, doubling over with mirth.
Elder sister always liked to put on a serious face and act like an adult, but she didn't do it well!
"Thank you, Your Highness."
After everyone got up, they started chatting again.
"Miss Cui looks extremely radiant today. Only the four lines from Cao Zhi's poem, 'Graceful as a startled swan, gentle as a swimming dragon, glorious as the autumn chrysanthemum, lush as the spring pine' can match your charm at this moment." A plump young lady in the crowd suddenly said.
Cui Tian was extremely proud and quite pleased in her heart, but she still had to put on an impatient look. "After the long and tiring journey from Boling to Chang'an, my clothes are all wrinkled. How can I look radiant?"
Li Mingda tilted her head and listened for a while. She repeated those four lines from "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River" over and over in her mind.
She still didn't quite understand.
Weren't the first two lines used to describe Wang Xizhi's calligraphy?
She often heard Aye praise Wang Xizhi's calligraphy of "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion" as something unparalleled in the world.
Li Jingyun, on the other hand, carefully examined the clothes. It should be the double - lotus damask produced in the Bashu region, the same place where the saltpeter she used for making ice came from.
She walked around Cui Tian for a circle and didn't see a single wrinkle.
There were big questions in her little head: She didn't understand. Why would she say such a thing when it was clearly not true?
Was this a lie?
"Miss Cui?" Li Mingda couldn't hold it in any longer and asked, "Aren't 'Graceful as a startled swan, gentle as a swimming dragon' used to describe good calligraphy?"
"Haha, Princess Jinyang is still young and inevitably ignorant. It seems that the imperial collection of books is not sufficient, which is why the princess is so unfamiliar with great works like Cao Zijian's 'Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River'."
Cui Tian looked extremely arrogant, looking down on Li Jingyun and Li Mingda. If an uninformed person saw this, they might think that Cui Tian was the real master here.
As soon as she said this, the scene immediately fell silent.
Everyone held their breaths and stared at Cui Tian.
They knew that Cui Tian came from a famous family, the illegitimate eldest daughter of the second branch of the Cui family of Boling. Although she was an illegitimate daughter, she had extremely high ambitions. Usually, she acted like an elder sister and was very strict with her younger siblings. Even the first - born son of the mistress of the Cui family had been scolded by her.
But why did she still act like this in the imperial city?
The girls in front of her were not her younger siblings. They were the princesses whom His Majesty and the Empress held in their palms for fear of dropping them and kept in their mouths for fear of melting them!
The eunuch was even more speechless. What was all this?
Not to mention that she was an illegitimate daughter, ridiculing the royal family and Princess Jinyang in the imperial city was definitely an act of disrespect.
They just didn't know if she would be punished for her words.
The Cui family was very powerful. It was said that outside the palace, some people had already ranked the Cui family of Boling as the top - tier noble family.
"Miss Cui's words are a bit exaggerated. If the imperial collection of books is not sufficient, then there may be no place in the world with a sufficient collection of books." Su Rui stepped forward, trying to break the current deadlock.
In the imperial city, if this matter was not handled well, they might also be implicated.
The two little princesses were only a few years old. From the conversation with Li Jingyun just now, she knew that they hadn't even started their education yet. "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River" was so obscure. It was already good that they knew about Wang Xizhi's calligraphy. Why were the requirements so high?
Cui Tian was just feeling proud when she was suddenly interrupted. She couldn't help but feel annoyed. Seeing that it was the legitimate eldest daughter of the Su family from Wugong County, she didn't look happy either.
The Su family had indeed been an official family for generations, but it had nothing to do with Su Rui. Su Rui's father was only a fifth - rank official.
"If you don't even read books, let alone understand etiquette, in my opinion, Miss Su of the Su family should also know her place. I'm talking to the princesses. How dare you interrupt casually? Is this the rule of the Su family?" Cui Tian was as proud as a peacock.
In her eyes, relying on the Cui family, even the Li - Tang royal family had to give some face.
Li Jingyun finally understood. Not only had her elder sister been criticized, but the young lady who had just chatted so happily with her had also been called unruly.
Wasn't it just a collection of books?
What was so difficult about it?
Was it worth her talking about it over and over again?
Li Jingyun stood out resolutely, her little face puffed up like a bun. "How about we play a game? Within half a year, the royal family will become the family with the largest collection of books. We will also build a great hall in Chang'an City to store all the books, and everyone can read them!"
Half a year should be enough!
It shouldn't take long to build a great hall, right?
If not, she could ask Aye to send more craftsmen.
Uncle had given a large enough place. What did it matter to support a few more craftsmen?
As soon as she said this, the whole place was in an uproar.
It was even more shocking than when they heard Cui Tian blatantly ridiculing the imperial collection of books and the lack of etiquette of the royal family.
Building a great hall to store all the books for ordinary people to read. What a grand vision!
But they were even more skeptical. Did the little princess really understand the meaning of these words?
This was not just a simple act of benefiting the common people. Once she took this step, she would destroy the foundation of the noble families!
The reason why the noble families could produce talented people and hold high - ranking official positions for generations was that all the precious ancient books were in their hands. Ordinary people could hardly even see them, let alone know the titles of the books.
When these words reached Cui Tian's ears, she couldn't help but scoff.
Making the imperial collection of books the largest and building a great hall for the common people to read books?
Wasn't this just a fantasy?
It was obvious that a child didn't know better and was just talking nonsense.
Make a bet? What bet? If she made a bet with a five - year - old child, people would laugh at her!
"You're afraid to bet with me! You're scared!" Li Jingyun seized the opportunity and didn't let go.
She remembered what the system immortal had told her. In later generations, there were such places filled with all kinds of books, and people could go in and read at any time.
If later generations could do it, there was no reason she couldn't.
As for the paper and printing techniques needed, the immortal had just told her that there were ways.
Cui Tian's face didn't look good. If she made a bet with Li Jingyun, wouldn't people say that she was bullying a child?
But if she didn't bet, so many people were watching. If she didn't accept the challenge, people might really think that she was timid.
Thinking of this, Cui Tian gritted her teeth and stamped her foot, and agreed. "Fine, I'll bet. Your Highness must remember your words today."