The carriage stopped in front of the Yang Estate. The curtain was lifted, revealing a charming face that could turn all living things upside down. It was An Le. An Le seemed to be going to some banquet. She was dressed to the nines, and her appearance seemed to have been meticulously groomed. Her already delicate face was now even more beautiful.
Li Chiying turned her head and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Big Sister An Le?"
An Le did not have a close relationship with the Prince of Xiang's family. Although she had seen these cousins before, because they had not interacted much, she only recognized Li Chiying's face. She could not remember which daughter of the Prince of Xiang's estate she was or what her name was, but she felt that Li Chiying looked familiar. Now that she heard Li Chiying call her 'Big Sister', she was convinced that she really was the daughter of Eighth Uncle's family.
An Le glanced at the gate of the Yang Estate and put on a sweet smile. In a gentle voice, she said, "Little Sister, why have you come here? Why are you looking for General Yang?"
"I …"
Li Chiying was suddenly at a loss for words. Although this girl was not very old and had a rather impetuous personality, there was one good thing about her: she kept her promise. Ever since she had promised Yang Fan in the palace that she would not tell anyone else about this matter, she had kept her promise and never mentioned it to anyone, including her sisters and her closest Third Brother.
Now that An Le had asked, Li Chiying naturally would not go back on her word. Her eyes turned as she randomly answered, "I … I was playing shuttlecock in Eldest Brother's estate. The shuttlecock kicked over the wall and fell into the Yang Estate. In the end, it was … it was broken by that brat from the Yang family. I came to find him for compensation."
How could Li Chiying's ability to lie compare to a cunning fox like Li Guo'er? With a glance, Li Guo'er could tell that she was lying. Li Guo'er had originally only been a little curious about Li Chiying's actions. She did not think that this little cousin of hers would have anything to do with Yang Fan. After all, Li Chiying was too young, and it was difficult to associate her with romantic feelings.
But as soon as Li Chiying lied, An Le couldn't help but become suspicious. She got out of the car and walked to Li Chiying's side. She held her little hand and said with a smile, "I see. General Yang's precious son is indeed a devil incarnate. Last time, he stood on top of the wall and peed on the face of the Lord of Hanoi."
Li Chiying couldn't help but laugh out loud. An Le said with a smile, "Our Li Family's sisters can't be bullied by that surnamed Yang. But what about you? After all, you're a noble lady of the Imperial Family. It's not proper for you to stand at the gate and shout. Come, Big Sister will take you to the Yang Family to seek justice from General Yang. "
"This …" Li Chiying was a little embarrassed. When she looked up, she saw An Le smiling at her carriage. Li Chiying's pretty face suddenly blushed.
She just said that she was playing shuttlecock in her eldest brother's mansion. The shuttlecock fell into the Yang Family's Young Master and was broken by the Yang Family's Young Master. But she forgot that she came from afar. The carriage and servants were all waiting on the side. Her eldest brother's mansion and Yang Fan's mansion were next to each other. If she was in her eldest brother's mansion just now, would there be a need for a carriage?
Li Chiying was a little embarrassed when her lie was exposed. An Le didn't expose her. She held her little hand and was about to break into the Yang Family's mansion. Mo Xuanfei stood at the door with an awkward expression. She had a noble identity. If she really wanted to break in, he really didn't dare to stop her.
Yang Fan's hearing was extraordinary. He stood behind the screen wall and heard the conversation between the two clearly. Seeing that he couldn't avoid it, Yang Fan hurriedly coughed and pretended to walk out. Coincidentally, he met Li Guo 'er and Li Chiying at the door. Yang Fan looked surprised and said, "I was wondering why I heard two magpies chirping for a while. So it's two noble ladies visiting. May I know what's the matter for you two? "
Li Chiying rolled her eyes at him and said snappily, "General Yang. Don't pick nice words. As long as you don't think that it's a night owl visiting, I'll be thankful. "
Yang Fan glanced at Li Guo 'er and smiled meaningfully, "You don't say. Last night, there really was a night owl that couldn't stop chirping."
Li Chiying thought that Yang Fan was talking about her, and her little face immediately turned serious, but Li Guo 'er's pretty face sank, she naturally understood that Yang Fan was saying that he did not like her coming to the Yang Family's door. Li Chiying said unhappily, "General Yang, I'm here today to collect a debt from you."
After saying that, she was afraid that Yang Fan would misunderstand. If Yang Fan thought that she had already told the matter to An Le and simply revealed the secret between them in front of An Le, then it would be bad. She hurriedly added, "My shuttlecock kicked over the wall and was broken by your child. What do you think about it?"
Yang Fan said with a smile, "The child is not sensible. There's no need for you to lower yourself to his level. How about this, I'm about to go out. Why don't you come with me to Chang 'an City? I'll buy whatever shuttlecock you like and return it to you. What do you think? "
Li Chiying was anxious to send An Le away. She quickly agreed, "You must keep your word. Then let's go!"
Yang Fan glanced at Li Guo 'er. He was still smiling, but his smile turned cold, "May I know why Your Highness has come to visit?"
Li Guo 'er saw that the two of them were echoing each other, and it was impossible for her to have a good show. Although she couldn't let go of her doubts, she let go of Li Chiying's little hand and smiled, "Nothing. I'm here to accompany my little sister. Since you've made up, then there's nothing for me to do. General Yang, little sister, I'll take my leave. "
Li Guo 'er turned around and walked down the stairs. Suddenly, she looked back with a smile and said to Yang Fan, "General Yang, you have to fulfill your promise. If my little sister is bullied, I'll definitely seek justice for her."
Yang Fan frowned slightly and was very displeased. Li Chiying stood at the side. Seeing his expression, she couldn't help but feel perturbed. But she gently bit her lower lip and didn't speak. Until Li Guo 'er boarded the carriage and left, she couldn't wait to explain to Yang Fan, "I didn't say anything to her."
Yang Fan coldly said, "I know." He lifted the hem of his robe and walked out of the residence. Li Chiying secretly glanced at his expression and nervously followed behind him. Yang Fan held his hands behind his back. Looking at An Le's fleet of carriages leaving, he lightly said, "I really don't like this cousin of yours."
Li Chiying said, "I know. I wasn't the one who found her. I heard that at that time in Chang 'an East City … "
Yang Fan said, "I dislike this person, but it has nothing to do with that matter."
Li Chiying choked and gathered her courage to say, "I also don't like her. Sister An Le … always has some airs. And my Third Brother also told me not to have any contact with An Le. He said that she is not a good friend. I don't quite understand what Third Brother meant, but … Third Brother will not harm me. He must have his reasons for saying so. "
Yang Fan couldn't help laughing. He glanced at the little girl beside him and suddenly asked, "Do you know that you are somewhat similar to her?"
"Ah?"
Li Chiying's pair of beautiful big eyes suddenly widened. She strangely said, "How am I similar to her?"
Yang Fan's face darkened. He said, "Both of you have no sense of propriety and are willful and impulsive!"
This was the first time Li Chiying saw him getting angry at her. She couldn't help but be shocked and didn't dare to reply for a moment. Yang Fan walked towards the Long Qing Pond. The lake water in the pond had already frozen and was covered with ice and snow. There were a few withered lotus stems by the lake, struggling in the ice and snow. It was a scene of withered.
Li Chiying took small steps, slowly moving to his side. Sneaking a glance at his face, she timidly said, "You … you're angry?"
Yang Fan gazed at the snowy field in front of him and coldly said, "Although you're young, you were born in the imperial household. You should understand things better than ordinary girls. Tell me, isn't this marriage between the two countries a matter of national importance? If it is, then whether this matter succeeds or not should be left to the Imperial Court to weigh the pros and cons and make the choice that best suits the interests of the country. As for whether one of the women will be happy for the rest of her life, that's not even a consideration. And as an official of the Imperial Court, I shouldn't play any tricks.
If this is a private matter, then it's a private matter involving the women of the Prince of Xiang's household. What does it have to do with me? If I help you, doesn't that count as a favor? Why does it seem like I owe you? Why do you keep coming to my door to make a fuss and put on the face of a creditor? Do you think that just because you're an imperial daughter, you can do whatever you want? "
Li Chiying felt extremely wronged by his lecture. Her eyes brimming with tears, she said, "I … I also know that I … I'm asking for your help, General Yang. But … but I suddenly heard that the Turks also want to come to the marriage, and the entire court is against it. If this happens, I'm afraid that Imperial Grandmother will agree to the Tubo marriage, and I don't see General doing anything … "
Yang Fan said, "The Emperor also doesn't want to have a marriage between the Tubo and the Turks, but can she directly refuse? Even if it's a marriage between two ordinary families, if the two families often have business, and the family with the daughter is afraid that it will affect their own family's business, they can't rudely refuse and say that because your son eats, drinks, and gambles, that he's not a son, my daughter can't marry, right?
He has to find all sorts of reasons to tactfully refuse. This way, he won't offend anyone, but he can also protect his daughter. If he wants to find someone to mediate, this person has to use even more tricks. I've been running around for this matter all this time, but do you think that I've done everything in the open? Or do you think that I have to tell a silly girl like you everything I've done, no matter how big or small? "
Li Chiying lowered her head and fell silent at his lecture. Yang Fan emphasized, "Don't just listen to the wind and think it's rain. You do whatever you think. To put it nicely, this is called being straightforward and naive, but don't forget that you're a princess, and this matter has even greater implications, so you need to be especially cautious. Do you understand? "
Li Chiying felt wronged and said, "I understand …" As she spoke, two teardrops fell from her eyes and fell onto her lapel. Li Chiying couldn't help but softly sob.
In the distance, the maids and servants of the Prince of Xiang's estate seemed to notice something. They stood on their tiptoes and looked over, whispering to each other. Yang Fan noticed their strangeness and couldn't help but curse. He had spoken too harshly and made this girl cry. If the people of the Prince of Xiang's estate went back and told the Prince of Xiang, it would be difficult for him to explain himself.
Yang Fan smiled and suddenly became amiable. He said to her, "But I've realized that you're better than An Le in at least two areas."
A child's attention was truly easy to divert. Li Chiying, who had been scolded to the point of tears, immediately blinked her eyes, her eyelashes still glistening with tears. She curiously asked, "Is that so? How am I better than Big Sister An Le? "
Yang Fan replied, "One is that you're willing to listen to advice and not so arrogant as to believe yourself infallible. That kind of woman is the most loathsome. Another is that you take your promises very seriously. Although you're still young, once you make a promise to someone, you'll definitely keep it. You're a good girl. "
Li Chiying's tears broke into a smile. Yang Fan continued to encourage her, continuing to praise, "I've now discovered yet another area in which you're better than her."
Li Chiying's eyes glowed. "Is that so?"
Yang Fan nodded. "Of course! You look very good when you smile. I suddenly realized that you're a beauty in the making. When you grow up, you'll definitely be more beautiful than An Le. "
Li Chiying's pretty face blushed from his praise. She bashfully said, "How can I be as beautiful as Big Sister An Le, you're talking nonsense …"
An Le's happiness was famous in the upper circles of the capital. Princess Taiping was once hailed as the flower of Luoyang. Now that she was middle-aged and had established her own government, she began to display the image of a strong woman in the political arena in front of everyone. She was no longer as famous as she was when she was younger. But even when she was in the prime of her youth, she had never received such an evaluation from An Le.
Li Chiying's few elder sisters were still in their youth. Usually, when they gathered together, they would often evaluate the beauty of the noble ladies in the capital. Li Guo 'er would always be the well-deserved first place. Naturally Li Chiying was aware of this. She simply did not dare to think that she could be more beautiful than An Le.
But regardless of age, once a girl became sensible, they would like others to praise her beauty. Although Li Chiying felt that Yang Fan was exaggerating, she was still extremely happy. Her mouth said that Yang Fan was talking nonsense. But in her heart, she wished that what Yang Fan said was true.
Yang Fan said, "Women are like flowers. Some are as light as chrysanthemum. Some are as clear as lotus. Some are as cold plum blossoms proudly in the snow. Some are like orchids in a deep valley. They are all colorful and different. Beauty is beauty, there's no difference."
Li Chiying had never heard of such words. For a moment, she was fascinated. She tilted her head and thought for a while. She innocently asked, "Is that so? Then … what kind of flower do I look like?"
Yang Fan was secretly amused. He made up some nonsense and this little girl actually took it seriously. Yang Fan pretended to look at her seriously. Li Chiying actually shyly avoided his gaze. Yang Fan said, "The reflection of the lotus in the spring, the peak of the Yang Mountain. Compared to the ability of the lotus pod, the fragrance of the flower is drawn. As for Miss, you are comparable to a lily! "
Li Chiying was overjoyed. Yang Fan did not know that because of his casual words, this little girl would henceforth love lilies among hundreds of flowers. Not only did the flowers arranged in the house become lilies, the embroidery on her clothes became lilies. She even went around collecting lilies. It was to the extent that on her birthday, her sisters were proud to give her a pot of a different kind of lily.
Yang Fan gave her a slap on the face and gave her a sweet date. He successfully coaxed this little girl to leave happily. Yang Fan stood on the same spot with a deep frown on his face. He had already started his plan earlier but he did not expect the Tu Jue to come so quickly. If the Empress could not hold on until the Tubo and Tu Jue were in trouble, the situation would be very bad.
At this time, a rider suddenly galloped over. Ren Wei went up to greet him. After exchanging a few words, he suddenly turned around and ran excitedly towards Yang Fan. From afar, he shouted, "General! General! Victory at Maozhou! "
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