"Husband, you're so bold! Do you know what you just said?!" Li Ying said reproachfully while pinching my ear.
"Madam~ Madam, let go~~ It hurts! It hurts!" I grabbed Li Ying's jade hand that was pinching my ear, begging for mercy while explaining, "I also saw that Princess Changle is gentle and virtuous, and I don't want her to be ruined by external factors~~ Madam~~ Madam~~ It hurts~~"
"Hmph!" Li Ying accepted my explanation, snorted coldly, and released her hand. Then, not without concern, she said, "I just hope Princess Changle won't tell anyone what happened today."
At this moment, I suddenly remembered what Ting'er had told me. So, while rubbing my ear, I relayed Ting'er's words to my wife verbatim. What I didn't expect was that Li Ying was completely unconcerned about it, and she even told me why Ting'er had always given me the cold shoulder.
"Husband, do you still remember the day you came to my family to propose marriage, and you saved an old man of seventy or eighty at my doorstep?" Li Ying reached out and held my hand, gently caressing it.
"Of course I remember. That old man's health wasn't good to begin with, and he caught a cold. Although I gave him some medicinal herbs, I'm afraid that~~" Recalling those past events, I couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
"This old man was Ting'er's grandfather. The reason Ting'er came to live with me was because the old man, feeling his days were numbered, sent her to my family~~" As she spoke, my wife gently led my hand, walking slowly towards the inner residence.
"Ting'er's parents passed away when she was young. It was this old man who raised her. However, not long after you treated him, he passed away. My parents even paid for his burial."
"So that's it~~" I suddenly realized, but thinking that Ting'er had been alone since that day, my heart was filled with countless emotions.
"Ting'er is truly pitiful, becoming an orphan at such a young age~~"
"From then on, Ting'er held a strong liking for you, husband. I asked her before if she was willing to marry you as a concubine, and she agreed at the time, even fantasizing about living happily ever after with you~~"
Li Ying didn't respond to my sentiments, merely continued talking to herself. "Lin'er, on the other hand, is different from Ting'er. Lin'er was an abandoned infant I picked up. She's been with me since she was little; I practically watched her grow up. But when she learned she was to marry as a concubine, she cried all night. In the end, it was only after listening to Ting'er describe how benevolent, how warm-hearted, how great you are, husband, that she willingly agreed to marry as a concubine~~"
"Hahaha, Lin'er is truly innocent and adorable~~" I couldn't help but laugh, thinking of Lin'er's foodie appearance. But then, I suddenly realized something. "Wait, something's wrong! Why did Ting'er later become so cold towards me? She was even terribly tsundere. That doesn't make sense!"
"Isn't it because you, husband, are a blockhead!" Li Ying led me to the pavilion in the inner residence, gently poked my forehead with her jade finger, then leaned against the pavilion railing, looking down at the lotus pond below as she continued, "When I first married you, husband, you were also distant towards me for a while. Ting'er was taking 'revenge' for me. Actually, Ting'er cares a lot about you, husband. She remembers you love lamb stew the most, so she spent every day in the kitchen secretly learning the skill. Now, the lamb stew you eat at home is all made by Ting'er. And Ting'er's cold words towards you were actually her way of trying to get your attention! Husband, think about it, don't you often pamper Lin'er, but are serious and strict with Ting'er?"
"Oh! This girl~~" I sighed, truly not expecting that Ting'er had such an introverted personality.
"Husband, take Ting'er tonight, and take Lin'er too while you're at it. I've noticed you've always pampered, loved, and favored Lin'er!" As she spoke, Li Ying suddenly turned around, looking into my eyes and speaking word by word, her words filled with jealousy.
"Madam, you've misunderstood, misunderstood, hehe~~ hehe~~"
A woman's jealousy is truly terrifying, she can even be jealous of her own personal maid~~ Just as my wife and I were discussing what status to give Ting'er after tonight, Lin'er ran over to announce that Princess Xiangcheng had arrived~~
"I was puzzled; our house isn't the imperial palace, why do all the princesses keep running here~~" I straightened my attire and hurried towards the manor gate.
"Husband, mind your words!" My wife, hearing me speak without restraint again, quickly interjected to stop me, and even extended a soft hand, pretending to twist my ear. "Do you still want your ear?"
"Alright! Madam is mighty! Madam, you're truly a tough one, I admire you~~" I quickly cupped my hands and begged for mercy.
"If I can't provoke, can't I at least hide~~"
"Madam Wu, your husband's words are truly amusing. This princess is rather envious, hehe hehe~~" Just then, a mature, delicate female voice sounded behind me.
I quickly turned to look, and saw a voluptuous, elegantly robed palace beauty standing not far from my wife and me, smiling. Although her palace dress was simple and serene, it couldn't hide her voluptuous, curvaceous figure.
Her stunning oval face was fair and delicate, her eyebrows exquisite, eyes filled with seductive ripples, and her red lips slightly full. According to face-reading books, women with such features are naturally licentious and wantonly charming.
This seductive beauty was precisely the current Emperor's eldest daughter—Princess Xiangcheng — Li Lanxin!
However, what surprised me was that according to historical records, Princess Xiangcheng was a Tang Dynasty princess renowned for her filial piety and propriety! Could the historical records be wrong? Was this infinitely charming woman before me truly Princess Xiangcheng?
"Your humble commoner, Wu Tao Wu Xuanjing, greets Princess Xiangcheng." Without time to think, I quickly bowed in greeting.
"Your humble commoner, Li, greets Princess Xiangcheng." My wife also followed with a curtsy.
"Mister Wu, Madam Wu, there's no need for such ceremony, please rise quickly!" Princess Xiangcheng raised her hand in a gesture of support, signaling for my wife and me to rise.
"This princess came today simply because I wish for Madam Wu to help me make a cloud cloak. Every time I see Imperial Sister Changle's cloud cloak, I feel an itch in my heart."
"This humble commoner obeys!" Li Ying curtsied again, then said, "Please give the design pattern to this humble commoner, Princess Xiangcheng."
"Madam Wu, don't be a stranger~~" As she spoke, Princess Xiangcheng walked to Li Ying's side, reached out and took her arm, saying with a smile, "You and I are of similar age. Why don't we address each other as sisters from now on?"
"This..." Li Ying hesitated for a moment, then agreed, "This humble commoner~~ no, younger sister respectfully obeys older sister's command."
"Alright, younger sister Ying, let's talk inside~~" Princess Xiangcheng didn't act like a stranger; as she spoke, she actively took Li Ying's arm and walked towards the rear garden of the manor.
Just as Princess Xiangcheng and Li Ying entered the inner residence's entrance hall, the two little black slaves suddenly ran into the inner residence, laughing and chasing each other. Their movements startled Princess Xiangcheng.
However, the moment Princess Xiangcheng turned her head to look, her body visibly stiffened, as if an immobilization spell had been cast on her. She stood there motionless like wood, her beautiful eyes staring blankly at the two little black slaves running towards her.
"Presumptuous! What are you doing! Retreat at once!" At this moment, the female official accompanying Princess Xiangcheng shouted, loudly ordering the two little black slaves to leave.
"Wait!" Princess Xiangcheng quickly interjected to stop her, then, with a pale face, pointed at the two little black slaves and said tremblingly, "You~~ you two, come here~~ let this princess see~~"
The two little fellows weren't scared; they walked directly in front of Princess Xiangcheng and stood still, looking up at her.
Princess Xiangcheng, however, walked behind the two little black slaves, directly flipping open the hair on the back of their heads.
Immediately after, Princess Xiangcheng stood dumbfounded, her formerly seductive eyes now shimmering with a hint of tears. Seeing Princess Xiangcheng's state, I couldn't help but carefully examine the two little black slaves.
Unexpectedly, upon closer inspection, I immediately felt as if I had stumbled into something big, a major incident!
I saw that the two little black slaves' eyebrows and eyes somewhat resembled Princess Xiangcheng's, especially their eyes and lips; they were practically replicas of Princess Xiangcheng! Immediately, my mind was filled with suspicion.
I thought, could these two little black slaves be related to Princess Xiangcheng? If not, why would Princess Xiangcheng react this way? Moreover, these two little black slaves weren't as dark-skinned as other Kunlun slaves; their skin color was more like mixed-race black people in later generations. Coupled with what Zaha said to me when I first met them, I instantly understood something.
"Mister Wu, where did you get these two little ones from…" After a long time, Princess Xiangcheng turned around and softly spoke to me, her eyes red.
"Reporting to Your Highness, I bought these two little ones from a slave dealer in the West Market. They once showed kindness to my head guard, and my head guard couldn't bear to see them wander the world, so I bought them on the way."
I bowed respectfully with a half-believing, half-doubting expression, informing Princess Xiangcheng of the two little ones' origins.
"Mister Wu is benevolent and sincere. This princess thanks Mister Wu." Princess Xiangcheng finished speaking and actually gave me a respectful bow!
"Ah!? Princess, no! How can this commoner accept your thanks!" I quickly dodged Princess Xiangcheng's bow, then tentatively asked, "This commoner~~ has a question~~"
"I know what you're going to ask. Actually, even if you didn't ask, I would tell you. You two, follow me~~"
After Princess Xiangcheng finished speaking, she turned and loudly ordered the female officials behind her, "All of you, retreat from the garden. You are not allowed to step a single pace into the garden without my command!"
After dismissing her attendants, Princess Xiangcheng glanced at the two little black slaves who stood bewildered in place.
Then, with light lotus steps, she slowly walked into the garden pavilion. Princess Xiangcheng was quietly silent, simply staring at the lotus pond beside the pavilion.
After a long while, she finally turned around, her eyes filled with tears, and spoke of the two little ones' origins.
"Mister Wu, Madam Wu, what I am about to tell you, for the imperial family, the nice term for it is 'secret history,' and the unpleasant one is 'scandal'~~"
Princess Xiangcheng looked at my wife and me, and said faintly, "I never wanted to recall this matter, but I never expected to encounter these two children again in this life. Perhaps this is fate~~"
"I am the eldest daughter of the current Emperor. I was born during the chaos at the end of the Sui Dynasty. My imperial father was campaigning everywhere then, unable to care for my mother and me. So, from a young age, I was strict with myself, always dutiful to my parents, loving to my siblings, and adhering to all rites and laws, daring not to overstep in the slightest. Later, when the Great Tang was newly established, my imperial father was promoted to Prince of Qin, and he betrothed me to Xiao Rui, the eldest son of Xiao Yu. I knew this was a decision my imperial father made to win over Xiao Yu. I did not resist; as the eldest daughter of the Prince of Qin at that time, I could not resist~~"
As Princess Xiangcheng spoke, she turned her head to look in the direction of the Imperial City, her words filled with endless lament. "According to custom, by then I had already moved into the princess's mansion. Although it was luxurious, after nightfall, it was cold and dim. Loneliness and solitude were my true portrayal then, until the father of these two children appeared~~"
"It was a rainy night. I was preparing to undress for bed when suddenly, gongs resounded loudly in the princess's mansion, and the guards were on high alert, surveying everywhere as if facing a formidable enemy. I didn't know what had happened, and felt it was worth sending a personal female official to inquire. But unexpectedly, after the official left, a man covered in wounds and with skin like charcoal suddenly burst into my room. For some reason, I didn't make a sound; instead, I hid him. Perhaps it was pity, or perhaps curiosity, who knows, hehe~~"
Princess Xiangcheng turned back, smiling helplessly, but her smile was incomparably desolate. "Later, I found out that this charcoal-skinned man was what people called a Kunlun slave. I was ignorant then and had never seen a Kunlun slave before, only finding it very curious that there were people so dark in this world. But gradually, I began to feel something strange towards this Kunlun slave, because he cared for me diligently and was very attentive. Unknowingly, that thing which should not have happened, happened. From that moment on, I never felt lonely or solitary again. However, the consequences of this ill-fated connection quickly arrived: I was pregnant~~"
"Ah!" Li Ying let out a cry of surprise upon hearing that Princess Xiangcheng had actually become pregnant with a Kunlun slave's child.
"As time went on, my figure could no longer be hidden. Ultimately, paper cannot wrap fire. My imperial father learned of this matter, and he was incomparably enraged. He secretly executed that Kunlun slave and all the female officials around me. My imperial father also intended to remove the children in my womb, but an old palace medical expert, skilled in medicine, discovered I was carrying twins and that they were already full-term. A forced abortion would also cause my demise. Unable to bear this, my imperial father had no choice but to order people to abandon them in the West Market to fend for themselves after I gave birth to these two children."
Princess Xiangcheng's eyes welled up with tears, and she continued with a choked voice, "When these two children were born, in my weakened state, all I remembered was that both of them had a round red birthmark on the back of their heads. Then, they were carried away by the palace eunuchs sent by my imperial father. After I married Xiao Rui, I also secretly sent people to search for these two children, but there was never any news. I knew I shouldn't search for them, but they were, after all, flesh and blood from my own body. As a mother, how could I remain indifferent~~"
By the end, Princess Xiangcheng was weeping uncontrollably, sobbing. Li Ying, seeing this, also had tears in her eyes, but still took out her scented handkerchief and handed it to Princess Xiangcheng.
"Thank you..."
Princess Xiangcheng took the scented handkerchief from Li Ying, thanked her, then sighed softly, exclaiming, "Ah~~ I never expected it! My two children actually appeared in Mister Wu's manor. It truly is destiny, hidden in the shadows~~"
"This..." After hearing Princess Xiangcheng's past, I no longer knew what to say.
"This princess thanks Mister Wu! Thanks Madam Wu!" As Princess Xiangcheng spoke, she bowed to my wife and me again. "This princess will surely repay you handsomely in the future!"
"Princess, please rise quickly!" I immediately dodged aside, while Li Ying reached out and supported Princess Xiangcheng's arm, helping her up.
"I have one more impolite request, and I hope Mister Wu and Madam Wu will grant it~~" Princess Xiangcheng looked into my eyes after rising, asking hesitantly.
"This commoner understands. From today onwards, these two little ones will certainly live in luxury in my manor, and they will never be mistreated! Regarding this matter, my wife and I will absolutely not reveal a single word! Please rest assured, Princess!"
Of course I understood what Princess Xiangcheng's request was, and I agreed without hesitation. However, I then voiced my concern. "This commoner must also remind the princess, by no means let these two children know their true parentage, otherwise, these two children may face danger to their lives~~"
"Understood!~~" Princess Xiangcheng nodded, then looked at her two mixed-race children still standing in place. "That~~ today, can I~~ can I spend more time with these two children?"
"Princess, please feel free. This commoner's manor is not large, but this rear garden is quite a secluded spot. This commoner will take his leave first. However, my wife will remain with you, Princess. If you have any needs, you can instruct my wife to inform this commoner." I expressed my agreement, indicating that Princess Xiangcheng could do as she pleased.
"Many thanks, Mister Wu! Many thanks, Madam Wu!" Princess Xiangcheng was about to bow to my wife and me again, but Li Ying stopped her first.
After I exited the garden, I couldn't help but sigh with emotion. I never imagined those two little black slaves had such a background. I also never imagined Li Shimin could be so decisive, casually ordering dozens of executions for secrecy, turning them into lonely ghosts. What's more, I never imagined that Princess Xiangcheng, renowned in history for her filial piety, kindness, and humility, actually had such a scandalous~~ uh, unspeakable story~~
But what surprised me the most was that Princess Xiangcheng actually spent the entire day playing with her two long-lost children in my manor! Even lunch and dinner were ordered from the Yunshan Building, and the amount of food was immense, benefiting all the servants in my manor.
Finally, only when the evening drum sounded did she leave my manor with her attendants, turning back three times with every step~~
"Alas~~ I never imagined Princess Xiangcheng was so pitiful." Li Ying looked at the departing Princess Xiangcheng and sighed with emotion, "Husband, Princess Xiangcheng told me so many things today. She said her marriage with Xiao Rui wasn't happy. Xiao Rui even kept an outer mistress in Pingkang Ward, and Princess Xiangcheng always knew, but~~"
"Madam, imperial secrets are just for listening. Once they enter your ear, they shouldn't leave your mouth~~" I interrupted my wife and then told her what I was thinking.
"However, I'm quite interested in the matter of Princess Xiangcheng being impregnated by that Kunlun slave and giving birth to black slave offspring~~"
"Husband, you're still lecturing me, aren't you just as curious?~~" Li Ying complained, somewhat displeased.
"Wrong, wrong, wrong!" I pulled Li Ying into my embrace, kissed her forehead lightly, then whispered into her ear, "What I'm thinking about is what this husband would do if my wife were also impregnated by a Kunlun slave and gave birth to black slave offspring, hahahaha!!!"
"Husband, you! Hmph! All you think about is debasing me every day~~" Li Ying lay bashfully in my arms, her soft hands continuously patting my back. "I'm not talking to you anymore!"
"Hahaha, don't be angry, Madam, don't be angry~~" I laughed heartily, holding Li Ying tightly to prevent her from moving.
Then, "Honestly, if Madam were also like Princess Xiangcheng and gave birth to several black slave offspring, this husband would also help Madam raise them to adulthood~~"
"Husband, you're still talking! It's mortifying!" Li Ying forcefully pushed away my embrace, turned around, and feigned anger, saying, "Hmph! I'm going back to the room. Husband, you'd better think about how to take Ting'er and Lin'er tonight!"
Hearing my wife say that, I was helpless. Yes, how could I retract it? With this body of mine, I truly have no confidence. Should I delay it for a while? But I was afraid Ting'er would overthink it. As for Lin'er, that little lass is innocent and cute, making her easier to fool. Alas~~ it's hard~~ Just as I was lost in thought, suddenly there was a clamor of voices from the direction of the mansion gate, and even bursts of cursing.
Li Ying also returned at this time, asking me with a fearful expression what had happened. I quickly comforted her, saying it was nothing, then I hurried towards the mansion gate, thinking that the quiet street drums had already finished beating, yet someone still dared to go out on the street, and even trespass into private residences. They certainly had some nerve.
But when I reached the entrance, I was stunned~~ I saw an elegant young man, bruised and swollen, pinned beneath a Kunlun slave who was a mountain of flesh. No matter how the young man struggled, it was useless. The corpulent Kunlun slave sat firmly on him. Just from that fleshy figure, without needing a closer look, I knew this Kunlun slave, like a mountain of flesh, was precisely the fellow Zaha had mentioned, named Abu, who used to serve noble guests with him in the brothel.
And at the mansion's entrance hall, there were over a dozen other fellows, similarly bruised and swollen, dressed as house servants and wielding clubs, surrounded by the guards led by Zaha. They were continuously cursing, their language so vulgar it was unbearable. If these words could turn into fertilizer, it would definitely be enough for two mu of land~~
"All of you, shut the fuck up!" I arrived at the crowd by the mansion gate, took a deep breath, then shouted loudly, "Audacious fellows! The quiet street drums have already finished beating, yet you still dare to go out on the street! And you even carried clubs and trespassed into a private residence! Did you eat leopard gall!?"
"Cough cough~~ Wu Tao! Wu Xuanjing! Cough cough~~ This young master is irreconcilable with you!" The elegant young man, pinned beneath Abu, struggled desperately while coughing.
"Oh? There's another one here?" I looked at the young man with disdain, then turned to Abu, who was sitting on him, and said, "Abu, pull him up. I want to see who this fellow is, daring to challenge the law!"
"Yes! My master!" Abu said, then suddenly stood up, grabbed the young man's collar, and directly lifted him into mid-air.
"What's your name?" I asked the young man held in Abu's hand.
"Listen carefully, this young master doesn't change his name when he walks or sits~~" The young man stopped struggling, staring at me with eyes full of hatred~~
"Slap!" I suddenly raised my hand and vigorously gave this self-proclaimed young master a slap across the face, then stared into his eyes and said, "Clean up your mouth! If you dare to call yourself 'some dog-shit young master' again, I don't mind having Abu beat you until your own mother won't recognize you!"
"You..." The young man instantly deflated, only shouting loudly, "Listen carefully, my name is Zhangsun Chong! My father is~~"
"Your father is Zhao Guogong Zhangsun Wuji, the current Chancellor!" The moment he announced his family background, I knew that this time I wouldn't be able to avoid attracting the imperial family's attention.
"Good that you know! Why don't you quickly release this little..."
Zhangsun Chong's words were cut short when he saw my face turn cold, and he immediately shut up.
"This is interesting. Your father, despite his high position and great power, dares not violate Tang law, yet you, a Minor Minister of the Court of the Imperial Clan, dare to disregard the law and brazenly smash private residences, and within the capital city at that. Who gave you the guts? Just because of your status as an imperial son-in-law? Furthermore, you and I have no old grievances, no recent enmity, and have never met before, so why did you brazenly come to my mansion today to smash things?"
I looked at Zhangsun Chong with a scornful gaze, asking slowly and unhurriedly.
"Pah! You know perfectly well what you said to my wife today!"
Zhangsun Chong seemed to be provoked by my scornful gaze and started to struggle again, finally bringing out the imperial family's big banner to threaten me, "Slandering the imperial family, just wait for your head to be chopped off! Hahahaha!"
"Alas! Everyone says a tiger father has no dog son, but I see you as a dog, and a stupid dog at that. Your father is a founding duke, and also the current Chancellor. Can't he even go to the Ministry of Revenue and check? You don't have to check far, just check the number of mentally challenged children in the Guanzhong region, and see how many of their parents are close relatives who married, won't that be clear?!"
I looked at Zhangsun Chong's cowardly appearance and sighed, thinking that Zhangsun Wuji was at least a formidable hero, so how could he have such an unbearable son, completely lacking his father's wisdom.
"Slandering the imperial family? Heh, I am a physician. I merely said what those imperial physicians dare not say. If even a medical practitioner cannot tell the truth to those seeking medical help and use effective remedies, then how can they face the word 'physician'! As for chopping off heads? Then you'll have to have the Chang'an county magistrate send people to arrest me, and you, you don't have that qualification yet!"
"You~~ you~~ you~~" Zhangsun Chong was rendered speechless by my words, finally only able to shout loudly, "You're presumptuous! I won't let you off! If you have guts, let me go! I want to duel you!"
"Heh, I'm not interested in messing around with you. Your father might spoil you, but I won't! However, if you say I'm presumptuous..."
I smiled disdainfully, thinking that this time I must teach Zhangsun Chong a lesson, otherwise, this guy will definitely come to ruin my important matters later. So I stepped closer, staring fiercely at Zhangsun Chong and speaking each word distinctly, "That proves you still don't understand the meaning of the word 'presumptuous'! Abu! Strip this stupid dog naked and throw him out of the mansion!"
"Yes! My master!" Abu said, then faithfully carried out my order~~ He threw Zhangsun Chong to the ground, ignored Zhangsun Chong's resistance and cursing, grabbed Zhangsun Chong's collar and waistband with his two large hands, and then, with only a "rip" sound, Zhangsun Chong became a naked man. The moment Zhangsun Chong's pants were torn open, I noticed that his penis wasn't even big, couldn't even compare to mine~~
"Zaha! Throw these fellows out too!" I no longer paid attention to Zhangsun Chong, turning to give Zaha the order.
"Yes!" Zaha bowed to me, then waved his big hand, and his guards immediately swarmed forward, kicking all the house servants Zhangsun Chong had brought out of the mansion gate.
Watching Zhangsun Chong, naked like a pig, and his subordinates all being thrown out, I then ordered Zaha to close the mansion gate and gather his subordinates~~
"Abu, well done! In a few days, I'll give you some special rewards!"
I walked up to Abu, raised my hand and hammered his fleshy body. "Go ask Zaha for the specific details of the reward. Don't disappoint me then!"
"Thank you, master! Abu~~ Abu kneels to thank master! Abu wishes master a long life!" Abu said, then his mountain-of-flesh-like body suddenly knelt to the ground, continuously kowtowing.
"Get up, I said, if you do well, there'll be rewards!" As I spoke, I patted Abu's head, then I turned around and looked at the Kunlun slaves who had already gathered.
"And all of you! You performed quite well tonight! Your master is very satisfied! So, tomorrow, everyone gets meat! Unlimited!"
Amidst the loud expressions of gratitude from these Kunlun slaves, I returned to the inner residence. Seeing my wife, accompanied by Ting'er and Lin'er, continuously pacing in the courtyard, my heart warmed.
I told her everything that had just happened, not missing a single word. Li Ying's fear on her face intensified after listening to me, and it took me a long time and a lot of effort to calm her down. However, thanks to Zhangsun Chong's trespassing and causing trouble at the mansion, the plan to take Ting'er and Lin'er tonight was naturally postponed.
Finally, enduring Ting'er's murderous gaze, I pulled my wife, Li Ying, back to the bedroom~~