Chapter 504 Li Guo'er: I Wish I Wasn't Born a Man

"I thought he was following your advice and using the soup kitchen to curry favor with Sister Qin."

"But just this evening, when I went to Jingyi Pavilion to chat with Lady Qin, I subtly inquired about her. She had no idea about the Bihantang soup kitchen at all, and instead brought up another matter with me."

Inside the spacious carriage, Li Guo'er spoke slowly and deliberately, her bright eyes fixed on Ouyang Rong's expression.

The latter sat upright, swallowed slightly, and asked:

"Wh...what is it?"

"Miss Qin said that the third young master of the Wei Prince's Mansion and his cousin Princess Anhui have also come to Jiangzhou and are also distributing porridge and clothes in Xingzifang."

Li Guo'er frowned slightly:

"Ouyang Lianghan, is this true? Did you know about it before?"

Ouyang Rong could only nod: "I know."

Li Guo'er fell silent, staring at Ouyang Rong's expression for a moment.

She looked away, raised her jade-like hand, and the wide silk sleeve embroidered with gold thread fell naturally and smoothly down her white bowl, revealing a section of her fair forearm.

The young woman with plum blossom makeup lowered her eyes and used her delicate hands to add some incense to the bronze incense burner with auspicious beast design between the two of them.

Ouyang Rong watched intently.

I noticed that the vermilion pigment on her forehead was particularly bright and vivid tonight; I wondered if it was freshly applied before she came over.

"Is there anything else, Ouyang Lianghan, that you know but I don't? Is there anything you haven't told me?"

"Didn't say anything?" Ouyang Rong asked, puzzled.

Li Guo'er's pretty face hardened.

"Stop covering for me, you two, and tell the truth."

Ouyang Rong coughed and remained silent.

Li Guo'er narrowed her eyes slightly and said:

When I met Qin Xiaoniangzi in the evening, she was dressed in Hu hunting clothes and had just returned from outside. I asked her if her eldest son had accompanied her on her hunting trip outside the city, but Qin Xiaoniangzi did not say a word.

"It was only after I pressed them that they admitted that someone was with them, but it wasn't the eldest son; it was the third young master of the Prince of Wei's mansion."

Li Guo'er pressed on:

"Ouyang Lianghan, what's going on?"

Ouyang Rong sighed:

"Don't ask me, ask Dalang."

"We can't find him anywhere now, and we don't know where he's gone. Asking him is useless. We never see him normally. When we finally manage to get together for a meal, he just keeps his head down and eats, and he doesn't say anything clearly."

“…” Ouyang Rong.

Under Li Guo'er's deathly gaze, with her lips pursed and eyes narrowed, Ouyang Rong had no choice but to look away and sigh as he spoke:

"Last time, when Da Lang went to Yunshui Pavilion for tea, he ran into Miss Qin and got caught red-handed..."

Unable to keep it a secret any longer, Ouyang Rong had no choice but to recount the events of that day.

He had expected Li Guo'er to lose her temper, but to his surprise, Li Guo'er's expression became calmer the more she listened.

After Ouyang Rong finished speaking, Li Guo'er nodded slightly.

"Yes, it's something my brother would do, and it fits all my stereotypes about him."

"..."

Ouyang Rong observed her calm expression and cautiously suggested:

"Why don't we tell the Prince and Princess yet? Da Lang has been trying hard to coax Qin Xiao Niangzi lately."

"His efforts were to take advantage of Qin Xiaoniangzi going out hunting with other men, and then sneak into his sister's soup kitchen to seduce other young ladies?"

Li Guo'er nodded slightly and asked.

Ouyang Rong was speechless.

This move by Dalang is indeed a bit abstract.

She could only join in the cursing: "Dalang is really too much! He's so unreliable. I'll teach him a lesson he won't tolerate this time. He needs to be taught a good lesson..."

"What lesson are you going to teach? What class are you going to have?"

Li Guo'er's pretty face remained taut as she calmly said:

"Teach him to be more careful next time and not to expose himself like this? Give him a lesson? A lesson on how to avoid using the old trick of flirting with other young ladies under the guise of doing charity work at a soup kitchen?"

"Then let's skip it."

Ouyang Rong immediately became dissatisfied:

"Your Highness, am I really that bad in your eyes? If so, just say so directly, don't beat around the bush."

Seeing his righteous expression, Li Guo'er shifted her gaze and changed the subject:

“Ouyang Lianghan, I know you value your brother highly, but there are some things you shouldn’t indulge him in. Winning over Lady Qin and arranging a marriage with the Qin family are important plans we should discuss together.”

She said in a very serious tone:

"Winning over Qin Jingzhen, the Left General of the Martial Guard and the Grand Commander of the Jiangnan Road Army, will not only benefit our Prince's Mansion's situation in Jiangnan Road, but will also help you with the statue-making plan at Xunyang Grottoes."

"Your Highness, little princess."

Ouyang Rong, equally serious, gently shook his head.

"I did not indulge the Crown Prince, nor did I shield or tolerate him as a friend. I just felt some injustice for the Crown Prince and sometimes sympathized with his situation. That's why I would accompany Liu Lang to Yunshui Pavilion occasionally to give him some leeway within certain limits."

"Furthermore, I keep an eye on him regularly to ensure that the affairs of Yunshui Pavilion do not affect the reputation of the young master and the royal family."

Li Guo'er's eyebrows stood on end as she said:

"What injustice? What sympathy for his situation? What's wrong with his situation?"

"To be born into our Li family, to have the blood of Emperor Taizong flowing through his veins, is a blessing he has accumulated over eight lifetimes. Countless people in this world would dream of such a thing..."

Inside the carriage, the young woman with plum blossom makeup became increasingly angry as she spoke, until she even laughed in anger.

She sneered:

"Ouyang Lianghan, you still sympathize with him? Why don't you sympathize with this princess too? Hmm?"

"Admittedly, when Father and Mother were exiled to Longcheng, I, the princess, grew up with them in the remote countryside of Jiangnan, which was indeed a bit difficult. But now, the hardest and most difficult time has passed. We are currently in Xunyang City, which is a tough transition period. Once we get through this and return to the capital, everything will be much better. Is he going to let his guard down now? Is he starting to slack off?"

Li Guo'er's cheeks puffed out slightly, and she turned her cold face to the side:

"This is his responsibility, and he must bear it!"

"Over the past ten years, with the change of dynasties, the Li clan of Jugan has suffered countless bloodshed. Haven't the men of the Li clan learned their lesson yet? Why do they insist on losing to those good-for-nothing bastards of the Wei clan?"

With a flick of her sleeve and a tilt of her delicate, pointed chin, she said:

"Besides, who in the family isn't more exhausted than him right now? Father is on the front lines, constantly under pressure from the court and grandmother, wary of both open and hidden attacks. Mother has to manage the internal affairs of the entire palace. And I, the princess, am also running around Xunyang City every day, recruiting scholars and appearing on behalf of the palace..."

"As for Dalang, he wasn't asked to do anything too strenuous. He just needed to pursue a woman from the Qin family! The only thing he had to sacrifice was his seven-foot-tall manhood. What's the big deal?"

Ouyang Rong interjected, "What if you were asked to pursue a man you don't like, sacrificing your virginity?"

"Shut up."

Li Guo'er, enraged and embarrassed, glared at him with her pretty eyes and said:

"Can men and women be treated the same? Besides, I have more important things to attend to. The marriage arrangements have been entrusted to my brother. Don't talk nonsense."

She paused, then returned to the original topic, frowning and saying with displeasure:

"Let's not talk about our Prince's Mansion. Let's talk about you, Ouyang Lianghan. If Qin Jingzhen had spoken up for us regarding the postponement of the Buddha statue, why would Grandmother have sent any inspectors? Even if she had, what would these inspectors have dared to say? The Wei family would have to treat the Qin family well; how could they dare to cause trouble?"

"Now look what's happened. After all this time, Dalang hasn't even held Qin Xiaoniangzi's hand. We were the ones who planned ahead and introduced Dalang to Qin Xiaoniangzi, but it's dragged on until now, and that Third Young Master of the Wei Prince's Mansion has managed to squeeze in and even catch up with the progress."

"If I had been born a man, Miss Qin might already be showing her belly and we would have gotten married because of the pregnancy!"

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Luckily you're not one."

"What did you say?"

"nothing."

"I heard you," Li Guo'er said expressionlessly.

Amidst the wisps of smoke rising from the bronze incense burner shaped like a mythical beast, their gazes met for a moment.

Ouyang Rong shook his head and said:

"Your Highness, you may speak your mind, whether it's the Prince, the Princess, or even Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozong, but please don't drag me into it. As for the matter of responsibility, the fact that my eldest son swallowed Master Yuan's talisman water without hesitation back then speaks volumes."

"I will not emotionally blackmail Dalang or excessively restrict his personal freedom. As for the postponement of the Buddha statue and the current inspection envoy, these are not Dalang's fault."

"Moreover, when the Xia Guan Lingtai Lang of the Imperial Observatory first arrived in Xunyang City, Da Lang immediately brought Qin Xiao Niangzi over to help him express his stance and take sides."

"As a family member, Your Highness may feel that what Dalang has done is far from enough, but as for his friends or subordinates, I feel that Dalang has never wronged anyone."

Li Guo'er looked at him with displeasure:

"Ouyang Lianghan, what do you mean by that?"

Ouyang Rong remained silent for a moment, then raised his voice slightly to comfort the cold-faced little princess:

"Don't worry, I know what kind of person Wei Shaoqi is. As long as Miss Qin isn't stupid, she'll be hard to fool. Besides, it's better to guide than to block. Miss Qin is angry right now, so let's go hunting together. We don't need to worry too much, let's take it slow."

He stroked his chin, thought for a moment, nodded slightly, and offered his suggestion:

"Well, let's wait until Miss Qin calms down. Another day, I'll host a dinner for her, using the excuse of investing in the Xunyang Grottoes. At that time, Her Highness the Princess can bring her eldest son over..."

"Okay, Ouyang Lianghan, just keep that in mind."

Li Guo'er's chest heaved slightly as she calmed down.

"That's true. If all else fails, you'll have to step in. Miss Qin listens to you quite a bit. Sometimes when we're chatting during breaks in our poetry gatherings, Miss Qin casually praises you so much that Sister Xie gets a little distracted and even burns her mouth while drinking tea..."

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong's eyes lit up, and he focused on something rather unusual:

"Judging from this, it seems that Her Highness the Princess and Miss Qin have a good relationship. You and Junior Sister can help inquire about something these next two days. We can't count on the eldest brother for now."

"What do you want to know?"

Ouyang Rong's expression turned serious, and he leaned forward.

Li Guo'er glanced at him, then lifted her back off the cushion.

Separated by the auspicious beast incense burner with swirling blue smoke, Ouyang Rong spoke softly for a long time.

Li Guo'er listened intently for a moment, noticing that the long, beautiful eyebrows, so delicate they seemed to need no artificial drawing, were slightly upturned, like fluttering clouds:

"Go and check if any eligible young men from the Qin family have come to Xunyang City recently?"

"Yes, whether it's Yangzhou, Luoyang, or the frontline military camps."

Ouyang Rong nodded solemnly and whispered his instructions:

"I always felt that it was a bit unnecessary for Wei Shaoqi to bring a legitimate daughter of the Liang Prince's Mansion. The Wei family is bad, but they are not stupid."

Li Guo'er immediately understood, glanced at his expression, and asked in a low voice:

“Ouyang Lianghan, are you worried that the Wei Prince’s Mansion and Wei Shaoqi are using a feint to secretly advance their own plans? On the surface, it’s Wei Shaoqi pursuing Qin Xiaoniangzi and seeking a marriage alliance, but it’s just a smokescreen to attract our attention.”

"In reality, they lowered their stance even further, using Wei Anhui from the Liang Prince's Mansion to truly form a marriage alliance, marrying her to a member of the Qin family?"

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Rong remained silent for a short while.

Li Guo'er narrowed his eyes slightly as he saw the young man before him, whose teeth were as white as jade, and said softly:

"They might even be more shameless and devoid of any moral or ethical standards, plotting to take Qin Lao as a concubine."

Li Guo'er's eyes widened slightly: "A concubine? Qin Jingzhen? Eighteen-year-olds marrying eighty-year-olds, does Qin Jingzhen have the nerve to marry one?"

"I also think it's impossible, based on my understanding of Elder Qin, but let's prepare for the worst."

Ouyang Rong shook his head.

After a moment's thought, Li Guo'er nodded in agreement:

"Alright, I'll go now and ask Sister Xie together. Miss Qin should be in Jingyi Courtyard right now, still awake... If things go smoothly, I'll give you an answer tomorrow."

"Okay, thank you for your hard work."

Li Guo'er waved her hand:

"It's not hard work, it's my own fault for taking on this responsibility and obligation."

Ouyang Rong didn't respond.

He exhaled a long breath and subconsciously sniffed the intoxicating fragrance inside the carriage, a blend of incense smoke and the noblewoman's natural scent.

Under Li Guo'er's seemingly unobtrusive gaze, Ouyang Rong turned his head and stared at the night outside the window for a while. Suddenly, he got out of the car, retrieved the expensive wooden zither he had taken to Xingzifang that afternoon to put on a show, and returned it to her.

Ouyang Rong politely took his leave.

He has already made an appointment with Lin Cheng tomorrow morning. He needs to deal with the final communication and statements from Lin Cheng and Hu Fu, who are acting as the inspection envoys.

Tonight, Ouyang Rong still needs to rush to Tingzhu Pavilion to have a pre-meeting with Hu Fu and discuss things...

Inside the understated yet luxurious carriage, Li Guo'er lifted the curtain with her little finger, her starry eyes silently watching someone's back disappear into the dark night without lingering or uttering a word.

Her pink lips, hidden behind the black veil, pursed slightly.

A while later.

"Go to Jingyiting," she said softly.

"Yes, Your Highness."

...

The night is deep.

Inside Xunyangfang, in a study with perfectly arranged furniture, a space that seems designed for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Lin Cheng sat alone at a desk that was spotless, his elbows propped on the table, his interlaced fingers supporting his slightly chubby chin with a bit of stubble.

A single lamp illuminated the inkstone, brush, letter paper, and an open memorial on the table in front of him.

The memorial remains blank.

A barely audible murmur could be heard inside the room:

"Avoiding the moon and plucking stars...Avoiding the moon and plucking stars...Twin peaks are the moon...Xingzifang, with Xingzi Lake, is the star..."

A moment later, a gentle breeze blew in through a window in front of the slightly chubby young man, which was filled with a sky full of stars.

The blank letter paper and memorials on the table fluttered and turned with a "rustling" sound.

Lin Cheng, who was somewhat lost in thought, suddenly raised his hand and pressed down on the table with one palm. The fluttering papers on the table suddenly stopped and remained motionless.

Lin Cheng began to write.

He was engrossed in writing something.

The night outside the window is quiet.

I recommend a young author's book, "Even After Rebirth, They Still Dare to Seduce Me."

(End of this chapter)