Hearing such a coquettish voice from an old woman's mouth, Yang Fan felt goosebumps all over his body. He bowed and said in a neither servile nor overbearing manner, "I presume Old Madam sent Miss Cai Yun to visit Junior's injuries and also invited a famous doctor to treat me. Junior and Old Madam have never met before, so I am truly grateful for Old Madam's favor."
The old woman covered her mouth and chuckled, "Young Langjun is too polite. Sit down and talk."
In the early Tang Dynasty, although Hu chairs and stools had also entered the Central Plains, they were not popular, especially in the upper class, where they were even more opposed. Although the influence of Hu was severe at this time, food, clothing, culture, and other aspects had absorbed a large amount of Hu culture, when it came to living quarters, the noble families still strictly followed the customs of the Han people.
They also knew that Hu clothes and Hu furniture were more suitable. They usually liked to wear Hu clothes when they went out, but on formal occasions, they still wore deep clothes and solemn formal attire. In other words, they thought that Hu clothes were suitable, but in terms of style, they still couldn't be compared to Han clothes. On important occasions, wearing Han clothes was considered formal attire, just like how people usually wore T-shirts, jeans, or even singlets and shorts. It didn't matter, but to attend important meetings and banquets, they usually had to wear a suit and leather shoes.
It was the same in terms of furniture. As furniture, they were more resistant to Hu chairs and stools. They still followed the Han style, so the furniture in the room was low, and the bed was low.
Therefore, there was no chair next to Yang Xu, but there was a praying mat wrapped in brocade. Yang Fan lifted his robe and knelt on the praying mat. He said respectfully, "Madame, you don't have to be so polite. Please call me by my name. I'm the second in the family, so Madame can call me Beta Persei. "
The old woman laughed and said, "Then I … I'll call you Erlang. I heard about Erlang's matter. I heard that the steward of the Yang residence promised a reward of one million yuan, so Erlang risked his life to rush into the fire to save him and was injured. I don't know how you've recovered now. Come here and let me see you. "
As she spoke, she sat up and looked at Yang Fan with a burning gaze.
The thin clothes on her body faintly revealed her flesh, and as she sat up, her figure became even more obvious. Although this old woman was old, she lived like a princess, her flesh and blood were full, and her figure did not have the slightest bit of withered. Although the wrinkles on her face were obvious, her figure really seemed to be around forty years old.
How would Yang Fan dare to approach her? He merely nodded and said, "Old Madam, junior's injury has already healed."
The old woman saw that he was very respectful and frowned slightly. Then, she slowly lay back on the couch and rested her chin on her hand. With a languid expression, she said, "Erlang, you probably don't know who I am and why I invited you here, right?"
Yang Fan looked down at the shiny floor in front of him and said, "Yes! Miss Cai Yun said that Old Madam was a senior of the Yang Family, which was why she took care of this junior. Junior knows that Miss Cai Yun's words are mostly excuses and was just about to ask Old Madam why Old Madam is taking such care of Junior. "
The old woman chuckled and said, "Erlang, it seems that you have completely forgotten about this old woman. Look up and take a closer look. You and I have met before."
When Yang Fan heard this, he raised his head and carefully looked at the old woman. He shook his head and said, "I don't think I've seen Madam before."
A trace of displeasure flashed through the old woman's eyes, but she immediately laughed self-mockingly. "Haha, that's right! At that time, you had a pair of beautiful daughters of my Tang dynasty in front of you. One was as beautiful as a peony, and the other was as beautiful as a lily. How could you still remember this old woman? Erlang, you and I met once by the Luo River. Do you still remember? "
"The Luo River?"
Hearing what she said, Yang Fan suddenly remembered. As soon as he thought of it, a fiery figure immediately appeared in his mind. She was wearing a red dress, and she looked like a red mermaid playfully slapping the water on the banks of the Luo River. She also looked like Luoshen Mifei coming out of the water, tender and alluring, indescribable.
Soon after, another beautiful figure gradually appeared in his mind. From a graceful and hazy figure, it gradually became clear. That grace, that charm, was as slender as the moon, as gentle as water, like a pure white and elegant lily growing by the mermaid's side, swaying in the wind.
It was human nature for a young man to like beautiful things. For a man, especially a young man, a beautiful woman was even more unforgettable. So when the old woman mentioned the Luo River, he immediately remembered the Luo River's flower that could melt people in flames and the nameless woman who was as gentle as spring water. Only then did he vaguely remember that there was indeed such an old woman beside this pair of beauties.
Yang Fan softly made an 'ah' sound and suddenly said: "That's right, this kid remembers. That day at the Luo River … … I did see Old Madame."
The old woman smiled slightly and said: "Old Madame? Do you know who I really am? "
This old woman had already called herself 'I,' how could her identity not be obvious? A woman who called herself 'I,' but was not a person of the palace, could only be a princess who had already received a title. Yang Fan thought of Princess Taiping. Since this old woman was sitting on the same bed as her, could she also be a princess?
Yang Fan did not remember much about the matters of the imperial family. There were many princes and princesses in the imperial family. Apart from Princess Taiping who was in the limelight, how could he remember much? The old woman seemed to know that it was impossible for him to know who she was. Her tone only paused for a moment before she continued: "I am the eighteenth daughter of Emperor Gaozu of the Tang dynasty, the Noble Princess!"
Since the Noble Princess had already revealed her identity, Yang Fan could not continue to play dumb. Therefore, he bowed his head deeply and said in a deep voice: "I have seen Your Highness the Princess!"
The Noble Princess laughed lightly and waved her hand: "In a private examination, there is no need to stand on ceremony."
If these words were said by a thousand delicate and charming women, the screen would be like fog, the candlelight would be like the sun, the brocade robe would be like a beast's fragrance, the jade-like body would be lying on the ground. Adding this kind of flirtatious words, it would be very charming and gentle. But coming from this old woman's mouth, Yang Fan's heart turned cold; he just stopped and did not say anything.
The Noble Princess said: "Erlang, do you know why I sent people to treat your injury, and why I sent Caiyun to often visit and take care of you?"
"I do not know," Yang Fan said.
The Noble Princess said: "You, this young man, look smart, how can you be so blind? That day Princess Taiping wanted you to go to her mansion to practice polo. Such an opportunity, why did you not agree?"
"If I agreed," Yang Fan said, "Even though I am Princess Taiping's disciple, I will only be a servant to be ordered around. Playing polo, receiving the Princess' favor, I can be rich and powerful for a while, but how can it be a long-term plan? Therefore, I would rather be a free commoner on the streets than enter a rich and powerful family and become a servant. "
The Noble Princess said, "How do you know that entering Taiping's school means becoming a servant? Do you know that there are many high-ranking officials in the imperial court, even the current prime minister, who were recommended by Taiping to be put in an important position by the Empress? If you can enter Taiping's discerning eyes, how do you know that you will not have a chance to become famous? "
Yang Fan smiled indifferently and said, "Those officials, even the high-ranking ministers who have become the Xianggong, have their own talent and learning to stabilize the country and bring peace to the country. The Princess's recommendation is only to let the Empress know of their talent. I am only a commoner on the streets, ignorant and incompetent. Even if I can play polo very well, what future can I have? "
The Noble Princess saw that the two of them had been talking in circles; if this layer of window paper was not pierced through, in the end they would not be able to talk any further. She had no choice but to get straight to the point and speak her true intention.
This Noble Princess was Li Shimin's half-sister, the eighteenth of the nineteen daughters of the founding emperor of the Tang dynasty, Li Yuan. She was Princess Taiping's grandaunt, one generation older than Wu Zetian.
When Wu Zetian wantonly massacred Li Tang's imperial family, some of the princesses resisted with all their might, some swallowed their anger, but very few of them bowed and bent their knees to curry favor with Empress Wu. Only this Noble Princess was different. In order to curry favor with Empress Wu, it could be said that she was unscrupulous.
A few days ago, Yang Fan saw Feng Xiaobao selling medicine on the street, it was this Noble Princess who presented him to Wu Zetian. When this Feng Xiaobao was selling medicine on the street, he first flirted with a maid in the Noble Princess's residence. This maid was Caiyun.
The two of them had a passionate affair, Caiyun even secretly brought him into the Noble Princess's residence to be lovey-dovey. In the end, they were reported to the Noble Princess and were caught red-handed by her. The Noble Princess originally wanted to punish the two of them severely, but when she saw that Feng Xiaobao was strong and handsome, she couldn't help but fall in love with him.
In the end, after catching the adulterer, this Noble Princess turned Feng Xiaobao into her guest. When Wu Zetian was overbearing towards Li Tang's imperial family, the Noble Princess was worried that she would also be purged by Empress Wu, so she spent a lot of money to bribe the maids by Empress Wu's side to inquire about Empress Wu's news.
When she found out that Empress Wu was gradually yearning for love, she offered her gigolo, Feng Xiaobao, to Wu Zetian. Because of this great merit, Wu Zetian doted on the Noble Princess and became the Empress Dowager's favorite person. In the past few years, the princes and princesses of Li Tang's imperial family were constantly suffering, but the Noble Princess remained unmoved.
The Noble Princess tasted the sweetness. Because she saw that Princess Taiping seemed to have a good impression of Yang Fan, she hardened her heart and wanted to imitate Wu Zetian as a gigolo. She also wanted to make Princess Taiping a gigolo. If she could please both mother and daughter, her position as the Noble Princess would be as stable as Mount Tai.
It must be said that this Princess Taiping was very dignified compared to many of the Tang dynasty's princesses who were dissolute and had illicit affairs. Princess Taiping married Xue Shao at the age of sixteen. The two of them were husband and wife for seven years. From beginning to end, they were deeply in love and never had any scandals. However, last year, Xue Shao was murdered for treason.
Last year, when the Prince of Yue, Li Zhen, rebelled against Wu, the Prince's son-in-law, Xue Shao's two elder brothers were also involved. Li Zhen's rebellion failed, Xue Shao's two elder brothers, Xue Liang and Xue Xu, were beheaded. Originally, Xue Shao did not participate in this matter, but he was also imprisoned. It was only because he was Princess Taiping's husband that the Empress Dowager showed mercy and did not behead him, she ordered him to leave his corpse intact. As a result, this Prince's son-in-law was starved to death in prison.
Princess Taiping was currently a widow, her mood was very gloomy. This Noble Princess, who had obtained a great benefit from being a pimp for the Empress Dowager, wanted to act as a matchmaker for Yang Fan. She wanted to recommend him to be the man of the Tang dynasty's princesses, the Flower of Luoyang, Li Lingyue.
The Noble Princess sweetly said, "I want to introduce you to be Taiping's guest. I wonder what Langjun thinks?"
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