His prayer was heard by the heavens.
Before long, the tender cries of a baby came. A midwife rushed over to offer congratulations. "Congratulations, Your Highness the Crown Prince. It's a healthy baby girl!"
" A girl?"
Li Chengqian was taken aback for a moment. A girl would do. There was no tradition of favoring sons over daughters in the Li family.
Just look at Princess Pingyangzhao and younger sister Hongxuan. Weren't they both doing well?
"How is the Crown Princess?"
"The Crown Princess is fine. She's just a bit tired. Wait a while. After they finish tidying up inside, you can go in and see her and the baby." The midwife replied in a hurry.
"Good, that's good!" Li Chengqian's face was beaming with the joy of becoming a father for the first time. He was so happy that he didn't know what to do.
It was Chen Xin who was thoughtful. He sent someone to the villa to report to the Emperor and the Empress that the Crown Princess had successfully given birth to a county princess and both mother and daughter were safe.
Before long, Li Chengqian was holding his five - jin - and - seven - liang little girl. He and Su Rui were discussing whether to give their daughter a name.
Li Shimin had long prepared names for his grandchildren, but they were all for boys. No one had expected that a girl would be born.
More than an hour later, Li Shimin and Li Jingyun came back. Empress Zhangsun was still in the villa taking care of Princess Changle and her son.
Looking at the healthy and fair - skinned little niece, Li Jingyun stared into her big eyes.
As Li Shimin examined the baby's appearance, he asked, "Have you given her a name?"
"Not yet, Father. Why don't you name her?"
"Alright. Tao Yuanming said, 'I'm glad to spend mornings and evenings with kind - hearted people.' Let's name her Li Lechen. There's nothing more important in the world than peace and happiness." Li Shimin smiled.
Li Jingyun didn't really care about those verses. She only remembered the name.
"Father, do you think Lechen looks a bit like me?"
She leaned close to her little niece and asked Li Shimin.
"She does look a bit like you. You're aunt and niece. Who else would she look like?" Li Shimin said.
Then, he issued an imperial edict, conferring the title of County Princess Yanyi on Li Lechen. Her food, clothing, and daily expenses would be the same as those of a princess. He didn't want his eldest granddaughter to suffer any hardships.
As the eldest legitimate granddaughter, she carried a lot of weight in the Tang royal family.
Li Jingyun imitated her elder brother and picked up little Lechen, extremely happy.
Before her joy had faded for two days, Li Shimin told her that it was time for her to go to school.
"Why? Father, I don't want to go to school." Li Jingyun said directly, relying on the fact that she was the most beloved.
Of course, even if she didn't say it, Li Shimin already knew that she didn't like studying.
"Your reputation has spread far and wide. Kong Yingda and the others are all curious about you."
"What's there to be curious about? He was also there when we were competing for a place in the Library Pavilion. I often see him in the Political Affairs Hall."
Li Jingyun shrugged. She wasn't going to be fooled.
"You're so smart. Why don't you want to go? Just think about it. When those people don't understand those poems and songs, but you can recite them, isn't that great?"
Seeing that his daughter wasn't convinced, Li Shimin changed his tactic.
You had to coax children.
"No. I don't want to recite."
Li Jingyun shook her head repeatedly. She could lie leisurely in her own villa, feeling the sunlight filtering through the leaves, eating snacks and drinking milk tea. Wasn't that enjoyable?
Wasn't it more comfortable than being cooped up in a small room listening to all those moral teachings?
"Hongxuan, everyone else is going. How can you not go?"
Facing his most caring little daughter, Li Shimin found it hard to be strict.
Li Jingyun propped her chin on one hand, leaned on the soft pillow and yawned. She was thinking about whether to send some gifts to little Lechen and little He'an, refusing to go to Hongwen Academy.
Among her good friends, was there anyone studying in Hongwen Academy?
"I don't want to go, Father. I can understand those moral teachings even if I'm not in Hongwen Academy." Li Jingyun said.
"Alright. You can choose a few companions to study with you. If you do well, Father will give you a reward. How about that?" Li Shimin continued to persuade.
Normally, the companions were selected by Li Shimin or Empress Zhangsun and directly assigned. But special people deserved special treatment. If she wasn't allowed to choose someone she was satisfied with, she would be even less willing to go.
"Reward? What kind of reward?"
Li Jingyun was more curious about this.
"Let Father think about it. It will definitely surprise you." Li Shimin said.
Well, actually he wasn't sure what it would be. After all, Hongxuan lacked nothing. It was really difficult to give her something unique.
"Alright. Then I'll choose three companions. Father, you must think of a good reward for me." Li Jingyun skipped away.
Li Shimin let out a sigh of relief.
This child was easy to coax at times and really difficult at others. He had to wait for her to figure it out on her own.
In just one day, the news that Princess Chengyang was looking for companions to study with spread like wildfire in Chang'an.
Many people wanted to take this opportunity to get in touch with Li Jingyun.
Look at Su Gui. He was already a fifth - rank official in the capital at the age of ten, with a bright future. Then look at Di Renjie. He was doing a great job in the Supreme Court. And finally, look at Hao Chujun. He was the pillar of the Ministry of Works and had a great relationship with Minister Yan.
Wasn't there the shadow of that little princess behind all of them?
Give her a few more years, and her protégés would really fill the court.
Among them, the most eager one was Wu Meiniang. She thought she had some acquaintance with Li Jingyun. Her family background was good enough to enter the palace as a companion. She was a bit older, but that didn't matter.
Acting on her "do it when you think of it" principle, Wu Meiniang soon came to Princess Chengyang's mansion to find her.
"Princess, I'm willing to be your companion and serve you."
"Meiniang?"
Li Jingyun was both surprised and not surprised to see her.
She had thought that with Wu Meiniang's proud personality, how could she come to be her companion?
Now that she thought about it, it was actually a good way out. It was better than staying at home and marrying someone unknown according to her mother's wishes.
With the status of being her companion, her words would carry more weight.
"I hope the Princess will fulfill my wish."
"Sure. Apart from my brothers and sisters, there aren't many people I can talk to. It will be good to have you around." Li Jingyun readily agreed.
This blocked all the words Wu Meiniang had prepared.
Was it that easy? Just agree like that? Weren't there only three spots and wasn't it really hard to get one?
"Come and help me choose. Who should I choose for the other two companions?"
Li Jingyun took out a list of names and handed it to Wu Meiniang.
The list contained the daughters of high - ranking officials, recording their birth dates, appearances, hobbies, personalities, etc. It didn't matter whether they were legitimate or illegitimate. They were all eligible to be chosen.
Wu Meiniang looked through the list. It didn't matter who she liked. What was important was to figure out Li Jingyun's thoughts and see who Li Jingyun would like.
Finally, she saw the two younger sisters of a new official in the Ministry of Works. Their brother was a newly - appointed Jinshi this year and one of the first group of scholars to visit the Library Pavilion.
"How about the sisters Liu Xiang and Liu Ying? What does the Princess think?"