Her name was Tao Tanxiang. She wasn't trying to please the King of Beiliang. In fact, she had been paying attention to Hsu Fengnian for a long time. At that time, he was still the infamous good-for-nothing His Royal Highness. Tao Tanxiang's father, Tao Xuanlong, had spent a lot of money to buy a famous painting from Beiliang Palace. It was "Ladies of the Dragon Palace" from the Western Shu Kingdom of the previous dynasty. When she saw the two huge "fakes", she was stunned. How could there be such a bastard in the world who would waste natural resources so recklessly? Every time these celebrities and refined scholars opened a scroll, they would look at it with a pilgrimage mentality. It would definitely be passed down from generation to generation. As long as it was well preserved, it might even be placed on a table to be admired 500 or even 1,000 years later. Wasn't this guy afraid that he would go down in history because of those two words? Later, she was a little angry. As long as it was a painting with His Royal Highness's seal, she would ask her father to buy it back at a high price. It was funny. At that time, Tao Xuanlong, who was only a secondary seventh-rank official, spent a lot of money to buy "fakes". Because of this, the governor of Yanzhi County, Hong Shandong, who was "a righteous official", thought that this person was a talent. Especially when His Royal Highness became the King of Beiliang, Tao Xuanlong was promoted again. Over time, Tao Tanxiang collected no less than 30 paintings with Hsu Fengnian's seal. Not all of them were fakes. For example, Hsu Fengnian's "Hastily Written Calligraphy" was privately praised by collectors in the capital for being witty and interesting. There was also a concise and vivid phoenix portrait seal with rough words. The mother-son seal on "Loquat" was even more memorable.
So Tao Tanxiang slowly felt that she had known this man for a long time.
She knew every news he had received from Liyang Lake, from the capital's imperial court, and from Beiliang's officialdom over the years.
She gently placed her hands on her knees and raised her head to look at the man who had never been domineering. Every time he frowned and every time he smiled warmly, she would carefully observe it as if she was collecting a treasure.
After another two hours, Hsu Fengnian smiled and let the old Tao Jinzao go to bed first. He continued to chat with Tao Wenhai by the light. Their topics were broader, and they were no longer limited to Youzhou or even Beiliang. Instead, they included the politics and military of Liyang and Beimang, as well as the local customs of the two dynasties. When the Tao Family Patriarch left, he went to his granddaughter, Tao Yanxiang, and asked her to make tea and prepare some pastries. Therefore, when they moved to the couch by the window to chat, she sat between the King of Beiliang and Uncle Tao Wenhai. It was a bit humorous.
When the sky began to brighten, Tao Wenhai, who was in high spirits and didn't feel sleepy at all, still got up and bid farewell. He asked the King of Beiliang to allow Tao Tanxiang to stroll around the Tao Residence with him. Hsu Fengnian smiled and nodded in agreement.
The two of them strolled toward the Tao Library. From beginning to end, the two of them were shoulder to shoulder apart and didn't give off the feeling of being neither close nor distant.
Hsu Fengnian said apologetically, "Miss Tao, you've worked hard."
She shook her head and said with a smile, "It's not hard at all. It's just that grandfather might be a bit disappointed, but I'm not disappointed. I'm very content."
Hsu Fengnian smiled knowingly and didn't mince his words. "You don't have to worry about not being able to find a husband. Nowadays, there are a lot of handsome scholars who want to become officials, and there are also many who are talented and learned."
Tao Tanxiang made a sound of acknowledgment and walked closer to the building. She said, "People of the world value editions and complete order when it comes to collecting books. For example, there is a saying that one page is worth 100 taels of silver and a set is worth 1,000 taels of gold. However, our library doesn't care about this. Grandfather feels that nothing is as important as the words of the sages in the books. Rather than spending 1,000 taels of silver to buy a set, it's better to buy 100 sets of normal books. Therefore, the number of books in this library is no less than those in the Central Plains. Furthermore, if scholars come to borrow books to read, they will be able to do so without obstruction."
Hsu Fengnian nodded and said, "I've heard that your Tao Family is also fully responsible for the food and lodging of the scholars who come to study. That's very rare. The scholars of Beiliang don't travel as much as the Central Plains, but because of your Tao Family, Yanzhi County doesn't lose to Jiangnan. "
Tao Tanxiang said gently, "My father once said that a prosperous and prosperous family is like a person with plump skin. However, if the Yang energy is too strong and isn't adjusted, there will be a day when the internal organs will be damaged. Thus, our Tao Family's year after year of disaster relief, borrowing books, and kindness to our neighbors are all necessary treatments. We can't wait until the illness is beyond cure to mend the pen after the sheep is lost."
Hsu Fengnian joked, "Just based on these words, your father is more than qualified to be a governor."
Hsu Fengnian walked toward the door of the Tao Manor. As he crossed the threshold, he said to Tao Tanxiang, "You should go back first. It's very hurtful for a woman to stay up late. I still have to go to the memorial arch to wait for someone."
She narrowed her eyes and smiled brilliantly. She said mischievously, "It's fine. I really want to know who in the world can make the King of Beiliang wait."
Hsu Fengnian dismissed it with a smile.
The two of them stood under a memorial arch.
After waiting for a long time, a carriage and a group of more than a hundred white horses finally appeared at the end of their vision.
Tao Tanxiang turned her head and happened to see him smile.
She saw him quickly walk over to greet them. She did not follow. She stood where she was and watched his figure gradually disappear into the distance.
The carriage and the group of riders neatly stopped. Tao Tanxiang saw a young woman whose face could not be seen clearly walk down from the carriage.
Hsu Fengnian looked at the woman who had come all the way from the Prince's Mansion in Liang Province. He asked gently, "Are you cold?"
She shook her head.
One of the riders who had come with the White Horse Righteous Attendant did not dismount from his horse. He only exchanged glances with Hsu Fengnian and nodded. Then, he turned his horse around and rode away.
This rider did not carry a saber or a crossbow.
He only carried a heavy iron spear.
But with this rider and spear.
The entire Youzhou would not fall into chaos.
Hsu Fengnian asked for a war horse from the White Horse Righteous Attendant. He first carried her onto the horse. Then, he mounted the horse himself. The two of them rode together.
Hsu Fengnian said apologetically, "I promised you before that I would see the scenery of Beiliang."
She leaned into his warm embrace and did not say anything.
Hsu Fengnian squeezed the horse's belly and galloped along the path the White Horse Righteous Attendant had taken.
Other than the two of them and the horse, there was no one else around. Her face glowing, she raised her hands to her mouth and said with a childish smile, "Hsu Fengnian takes Lu Chengyan and the White Horse Righteous Attendant to Beiliang!"
The White Horse Righteous Attendant to Beiliang.
A Thousand Li Swift Wind!
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