Chapter 428
**Chapter 426: [Extra] Li Qingxun (4)**
Li Qingxun turned back out of curiosity, wanting to catch a glimpse of the renowned Zhang He'an, the esteemed official.
In her eyes, life in ancient times was generally harsh, and with no good skincare products, how handsome could the men really be? At best, they were just the tallest among a group of short men, standing out like a crane among chickens.
Anyway, Li Qingxun didn’t believe that this feudal land could produce many truly handsome men.
The palace maid, Yuan'er, tugged nervously at Li Qingxun's arm, her voice trembling, “Princess, shouldn’t we leave quickly? The Seventh Princess has just been released from confinement. If she sees you meeting with Lord Zhang, she definitely won’t let you off easily.”
Li Qingxun pressed down on Yuan'er’s hand, stretching her neck to catch a better look at Zhang He'an.
The early summer sunlight was sharp, and the scarlet peonies in the courtyard bloomed brilliantly. Li Qingxun caught sight of a figure in a red official robe. A tall silhouette glided through the flowers, approaching this way.
Her gaze fell upon his face.
In that instant, it was as if she were gazing at the moon in a cold night sky—unreachable and breathtaking.
Li Qingxun was mesmerized.
She couldn’t help but swallow hard, murmuring to herself, “Oh my, what a handsome man.”
He was far more attractive than the men at the research institute; Li Qingxun had never seen anyone so striking.
His features were exquisitely refined, with a pale complexion and perfect bone structure. The bright red robe was impeccably fastened, leaving no room for error; he was so handsome it was almost captivating.
Li Qingxun couldn’t tear her eyes away.
Who would have thought that in such a backward era, such a beautiful flower could bloom? Li Qingxun felt a surge of excitement, as if she had stumbled upon a challenging new research topic.
“Third Prince,” Zhang He'an’s voice was cool and clear, “The meeting at the Guangwen Pavilion is about to begin.”
The Third Prince, Li Ang, chuckled, “Oh dear, I was so busy chatting with my Sixth Sister that I forgot the important matters—Sixth Sister, I’ll take my leave first. I’ll visit you another day.”
Li Qingxun’s attention was entirely on Zhang He'an.
The more she looked, the more she liked him.
She felt a spark of attraction.
Zhang He'an turned to her, cupping his hands in a respectful greeting, “I pay my respects to the Sixth Princess.”
Li Qingxun’s gaze dropped to the embroidered pattern of a crane on his robe. Even through the thin fabric, she could imagine his well-defined physique.
He must have abs!
With a bright smile, Li Qingxun leaned closer, her words bold and playful, “Lord Zhang, can I see your abs?”
Zhang He'an: ...
Li Ang: ...
Yuan'er’s face flushed crimson as she gripped Li Qingxun’s arm tightly, “Princess! It’s time for your medicine! We need to return to Qiuliang Palace, or it will get cold!”
With all her strength, Yuan'er dragged the dazed Li Qingxun away. Even as she was pulled along, Li Qingxun’s gaze lingered on Zhang He'an, as if she wanted to peel away his layers.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and a carp forgotten on the ground flopped desperately. Li Ang laughed heartily, “Lord Zhang, my Sixth Sister seems to have deep feelings for you, haha!”
Zhang He'an’s expression remained inscrutable.
He bent down to pick up a fishnet left by the water’s edge. It was a simple design, yet cleverly constructed with basic mortise and lever mechanics.
With just a few cuts from a small knife, the simplest sticks and ragged cloth had been fashioned into a labor-saving fishnet.
Even the most experienced craftsman from the Bureau of Creation would struggle to make such an effective net from such rudimentary materials. Zhang He'an pondered for a moment before returning the flopping carp to the water.
...
...
In Qiuliang Palace,
Li Qingxun finished a large bowl of bitter herbal medicine, feeling bored. She asked Yuan'er to bring her some wood and hemp rope. She was not one to sit idle; being cooped up like a refined lady, embroidering and learning etiquette, was pure torture.
With practiced skill, Li Qingxun fashioned a slingshot and a simple wooden bow, then used stones to create a box of projectiles.
She picked up the slingshot and began to take aim at the sparrows flying overhead. One by one, the birds fell with a thud, and Yuan'er gasped, covering her face, “Your Highness, why are you playing with a slingshot?”
Li Qingxun replied lazily, “If I’m not playing with a slingshot, then I might as well ask for a few thousand tons of uranium ore and build a centrifuge to separate the minerals. The extracted material could be heated to high temperatures, triggering nuclear fission, and I could set off an ancient version of a nuclear firework.”
Yuan'er looked utterly bewildered.
What’s a centrifuge?
What’s fission?
She couldn’t understand what her princess was talking about.
After an afternoon of slingshot practice, Li Qingxun gradually lost interest in shooting birds.
Bored, she sat in the courtyard, feeling the endless stretch of time until she could return to the modern world. Life in the palace was dull. Li Qingxun rested her head on the stone table, and suddenly, Zhang He'an’s cool, moon-like face floated into her mind.
The more she thought about it, the more she became infatuated: “How can a man be this handsome? And wearing a red official robe—doesn’t that just invite me in?”
Life in ancient times was stifling, and Zhang He'an was the first interesting thing she had found.
He was like the bright moon in the sky, like the peonies blooming in the garden. Li Qingxun wanted to savor him, to explore every facet.
As for whether Zhang He'an would let her play, that was beyond her consideration.
Whatever caught her eye—be it top-notch experimental materials, cutting-edge equipment, or stunning beauties—she had to have it.
“Princess, the head eunuch is here to deliver a decree!” Yuan'er rushed in to inform her.
Li Qingxun set down her slingshot and went to receive the decree.
Qiuliang Palace was usually quiet and rarely visited by outsiders. The head eunuch personally delivering a decree surely meant it was something significant.
Li Qingxun knelt awkwardly on the ground, straining to hear the eunuch announce the decree. The gist of it was that, starting today, the Sixth Princess was to attend classes at the Guangwen Pavilion, studying alongside several princes and princesses under twenty.
Li Qingxun accepted the decree.
She rubbed her sore knees, still unaccustomed to kneeling before others.
She silently gritted her teeth, vowing that one day, she would no longer need to humbly kneel, even in this feudal era; everyone would bow before her.
“Why does the emperor want me to attend classes at the Guangwen Pavilion?” Li Qingxun didn’t understand the deeper meaning of the decree.
Yuan'er explained, “The princess is growing up and will soon be discussing marriage. They want you to learn more poetry and etiquette, so you won’t be laughed at when you become a wife.”
Li Qingxun nodded, somewhat understanding. It made sense.
As a princess born into royalty, she had been pampered since childhood, mastering the arts and etiquette. But Li Qingxun had been raised freely, unable to read, and was a complete novice in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.
The emperor intended to use Li Qingxun for a political marriage to win over the court officials, but she was hardly presentable. They could only make a last-minute effort to have her learn some knowledge and etiquette to enhance her image.
Yuan'er said, “Princess, this is a rare opportunity. You’re exceptionally bright; you’ll surely learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting quickly.”
Li Qingxun, however, was most annoyed by those subjects: “From today on, I’ll pretend to be sick and won’t go to the Guangwen Pavilion.”
Yuan'er replied, “But Lord Zhang He'an is the one teaching.”
Li Qingxun immediately changed her tune: “Knowledge is the ladder of human progress; even a science student shouldn’t look down on the arts and humanities!”
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