Chapter 444: Two Hundred Eighteen: Li Su Guoer: Regrets Not Being a Son

Two Hundred Eighteen: Li Su Guoer: Regrets Not Being a Son

"I thought he took your advice and used the porridge stall to win over Qin Xiaoniangzi."

"But just now in the evening, I went to Jingyi Courtyard to chat with Qin Xiaoniangzi and subtly asked—she had no idea about the Bihan Tang porridge stall. Instead, she brought up something else."

Inside the spacious carriage, Li Su Guoer spoke slowly, her bright eyes fixed unwaveringly on Magistrate Ouyang Rong's expression.

He sat upright, swallowing slightly, and asked:

"W-what else?"

"Qin Xiaoniangzi said that the third young master of the Wei Prince's mansion and his cousin, Princess Princess Anhui, have also come to Jiangzhou, and they too are distributing porridge and clothing in Xingzi Alley."

Li Su Guoer frowned slightly:

"Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, is this true? Did you know about this before?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong could only nod: "I knew."

Li Su Guoer fell silent, studying Magistrate Ouyang Rong's expression for a moment.

She turned her gaze away, raised her jade hand, and the wide silk sleeve embroidered with gold thread slid smoothly down her slender forearm, revealing a pale stretch of skin.

The girl with plum-blossom makeup lowered her eyes and used her delicate hands to add incense to the bronze incense burner shaped like a mythical beast between them.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong watched intently.

He noticed the cinnabar on her forehead tonight was unusually vivid and bright—perhaps freshly applied before she came.

"Are there any other things you know but I don't? Things you haven't told me?"

"What haven't I told you?" Magistrate Ouyang Rong asked, puzzled.

Li Su Guoer's face hardened.

"Stop playing coy. Tell the truth."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong coughed, saying nothing.

Li Su Guoer narrowed her eyes slightly:

"When I met Qin Xiaoniangzi in the evening, she was dressed in Hu-style hunting attire, just returned from outside. I asked if Big Brother had accompanied her on her hunt—she didn't mention a word."

"Only after I pressed her did she say someone had accompanied her—but it wasn't Big Brother. It was the third young master of the Wei Prince's mansion."

Li Su Guoer pressed further:

"Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, what's going on?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong sighed:

"Don't ask me. Ask Big Brother."

"He's nowhere to be found right now—no idea where he's gone. And asking him won't help. He's usually invisible. When we finally sit down for a meal, even when Father and Mother ask him questions, he just buries his head in his food and mumbles."

"…" Magistrate Ouyang Rong.

Under Li Su Guoer's deathly glare, lips pressed tight and eyes narrowed, Magistrate Ouyang Rong turned his gaze aside and sighed:

"Last time Big Brother went to Yunshui Pavilion for tea, he ran into Qin Xiaoniangzi—and got caught red-handed…"

Unable to hide his friend's secret any longer, Magistrate Ouyang Rong recounted the events of that day in brief.

He expected Li Su Guoer to fly into a rage, but to his surprise, her expression grew calmer as she listened.

When Magistrate Ouyang Rong finished speaking, Li Su Guoer gave a slight nod:

"Hmm. That's exactly the sort of thing my elder brother would do. Fits all my preconceived notions of him."

"…"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong studied her calm face and cautiously suggested:

"Maybe we shouldn't tell Prince or Princess yet. Big Brother's been trying hard to win over Qin Xiaoniangzi."

"His idea of trying is sneaking off to her porridge stall while she's out hunting with another man, just to flirt with other young ladies?"

Li Su Guoer asked, nodding faintly.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong had no reply.

Big Brother's move was truly abstract.

He could only join in the scolding: "Big Brother is way too outrageous. He's so unreliable. Just wait till I get back—I'll give him a proper lesson. This can't be excused. He needs a real wake-up call…"

"Teach him what? What lesson?"

Li Su Guoer's face remained stern, speaking calmly:

"Teach him to be more careful next time? Not to get caught like this? Give him a lesson on how to avoid using porridge stalls as a clichéd ploy to flirt with other young ladies?"

"Better not bother."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong immediately bristled:

"Princess, do you really think so poorly of me? If you do, just say it outright. Don't beat around the bush."

Seeing his righteous expression, Li Su Guoer shifted her gaze and changed the subject:

"Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, I know you value my elder brother greatly, but don't enable him. Winning over Qin Xiaoniangzi and marrying into the Qin family is a joint strategy we've discussed."

Her tone was serious:

"Securing General Qin Qin Jingzhen, Commander-in-Chief of the Jiang Nan Theater, benefits not only our Prince's position in Jiang Nan but also aids your statue project in Prince Xunyang Grottoes."

"Princess."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong's expression was equally serious as he shook his head gently:

"I haven't enabled the heir, nor have I shielded him as a friend. I merely… feel a sense of injustice on his behalf. Sometimes I pity his situation, which is why I've accompanied him with Liu Liu to Yunshui Pavilion—to give him some limited freedom."

"And I've kept watch on him daily. I've ensured Yunshui Pavilion's affairs don't tarnish the heir's or the Prince's reputation."

Li Su Guoer's eyebrows shot up:

"What injustice? What pity for his situation? What's wrong with his situation?"

"Born into our Li clan, carrying the blood of Emperor Taizong—it's a fortune he earned over eight lifetimes. Countless others in this world dream of it…"

Inside the carriage, the girl with plum-blossom makeup grew angrier as she spoke, nearly laughing bitterly.

She sneered:

"Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, you pity him? Why don't you pity me too? Hmm?"

"Yes, Father and Mother were once exiled to Longcheng, and so were my brother and I—we grew up in remote Jiang Nan villages, and yes, it was hard. But now, the worst is behind us. We're in Prince Xunyang, in the critical transition phase. Once we get through this, returning to the capital will open endless horizons. And now he's slacking off? Now he's letting down his guard?"

Li Su Guoer's cheeks puffed slightly as she turned her face coldly aside:

"This is his duty. He must bear it!"

"Over these past decades, the fall of the Zhou and rise of the Gan—our Li clan's blood has flooded the land. Haven't our Li sons learned their lesson yet? Must we lose again to the Wei clan's useless drunkards?"

She swept her sleeve, chin raised high and delicate:

"Besides, who in this household isn't more exhausted than he is? Father bears the pressure of the court and Grandmother's scrutiny, ever alert to open and hidden daggers. Mother manages every detail of the mansion. And I? I spend every day traveling Prince Xunyang, recruiting scholars, representing the Prince's household…"

"And what does Big Brother have to do? Just court one Qin woman! The only sacrifice required is his seven-foot male body. What's so hard about that?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong interrupted: "What if I asked you to court a man you dislike, and sacrifice your maidenhood?"

"Shut up."

Li Su Guoer flushed with anger, glaring at him:

"Can men and women be compared? Besides, I have more important matters to attend to. The marriage alliance has already been entrusted to my brother. Don't speak nonsense."

After a pause, she returned to the original topic, frowning again:

"Forget our Prince's mansion. Talk about you, Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan. If Qin Qin Jingzhen had spoken up during the Great Buddha delay, how could Grandmother have sent inspectors? Even if she had, who would dare speak ill? The Wei clan must treat the Qin family with utmost respect—they wouldn't dare meddle."

"Now look—after all this time, Big Brother hasn't even held Qin Xiaoniangzi's hand. We were the first to arrange their meeting, yet now the Wei Prince's third son has slipped in and caught up."

"If I had a son's body, Qin Xiaoniangzi would already be showing signs of pregnancy—we'd be marrying by default!"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong nodded: "Thank goodness you don't."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing."

"I heard you," Li Su Guoer said, expressionless.

Amid the curling blue smoke from the bronze incense burner, their gazes met.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head:

"Princess, you may speak of your Prince, Princess, even Emperor Taizong or Gao Zong—but don't drag me into this. As for responsibility, when the heir willingly swallowed Master Yuan's talisman water, that alone speaks volumes."

"I won't emotionally bind him or crush his personal freedom. As for the Great Buddha delay and the current inspection, it's not his fault."

"Besides, when the new Celestial Bureau's Xia Guan Guan Lord Xiaoguan Lingtai Lang first arrived in Prince Xunyang, the heir immediately brought Qin Xiaoniangzi to show support."

"As family, perhaps you feel he's done far too little. But as a friend or subordinate, I believe he's never failed us."

Li Su Guoer looked at him, displeased:

"Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, what do you mean by that?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong fell silent for a moment, then spoke more gently, soothing the cold-faced princess:

Don't worry. I know what Wei Wei Shaoqi is like. As long as Qin Xiaoniangzi isn't foolish, she won't be tricked. Besides, suppression is worse than guidance. She's angry now—let her go out and vent. There's no need to panic. Take it slow.

He stroked his chin, thought a moment, then nodded slightly:

"Wait until Qin Xiaoniangzi cools down. Next time, I'll host a meal under the pretext of investing in the Prince Xunyang Grottoes. Then, Princess, bring Big Brother along…"

"Fine, Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan. Just make sure you understand."

Li Su Guoer's chest rose and fell once, and she calmed.

"Besides, if all else fails, you can step in. Qin Xiaoniangzi still listens to you. Sometimes during our poetry gatherings, she casually praises you so much that even Chenjun Xie Chenjun Xie Jiejie gets distracted—she even burned her tongue on her tea…"

Hearing this, Magistrate Ouyang Rong's eyes lit up, his focus oddly peculiar:

"So it seems you and Qin Xiaoniangzi are quite close. You and Little Master can help me investigate something. Big Brother's out of the question—we can't count on him."

"What are you investigating?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong's expression turned serious, and he leaned forward.

Li Su Guoer glanced at him and pulled her back away from the cushion.

Across the incense burner shaped like a mythical beast, its blue smoke curling between them, Magistrate Ouyang Rong spoke in a low, careful voice.

Li Su Guoer listened for a moment, her long, naturally beautiful brows—so fine they needed no brush to draw—lifting slightly, like drifting clouds.

"Find out if the Qin family has any eligible young men recently come to Prince Xunyang City."

"Yes, whether from Yangzhou, Shenjing Luoyang, or the front-line camps."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong nodded seriously and whispered a warning:

"I always feel Wei Wei Shaoqi bringing a direct daughter of the Liang Prince's mansion is unnecessary—Wei's clan may be wicked, but they're not foolish."

Li Su Guoer instantly understood, studied his expression, and lowered her voice:

"Magistrate Ouyang Magistrate Ouyang Lianghan, are you worried the Wei Prince's mansion and Wei Wei Shaoqi are pretending to build a wooden path while secretly crossing the Chen Valley? On the surface, Wei Wei Shaoqi is pursuing the young Qin lady to seek marriage, acting as a decoy to draw our attention?"

"But in truth, they're lowering their posture further, using Wei Princess Anhui of the Liang Prince's mansion to truly marry into the Qin family?"

Magistrate Ouyang Rong fell silent for a moment.

Li Su Guoer saw the young man before her, his teeth white as jade, slightly narrowing his eyes as he murmured:

"It might even go lower—without shame or morality—seeking to have Qin Lao take a concubine."

Li Su Guoer's eyes widened slightly: "A concubine? Qin Qin Jingqin? Eighteen to eighty—would Qin Qin Jingqin even dare marry?"

"I also think it's impossible. Based on my understanding of Qin Lao, but we must prepare for the worst."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong shook his head.

Li Su Guoer thought for a moment, then nodded:

"Fine. I'll go now—ask Sister Chenjun Xie. The young Qin lady should still be at Jingyi Ting, not asleep yet… I'll have an answer for you by tomorrow if all goes well."

"Alright, thank you."

Li Su Guoer waved her hand:

"No thanks needed—it's my own fault for taking on this burden."

Magistrate Ouyang Rong said nothing.

He exhaled slowly, unconsciously inhaling the fragrant blend of incense smoke and noblewoman's scent inside the carriage.

Under Li Su Guoer's faint gaze, Magistrate Ouyang Rong turned his head, stared out the window into the night for a while, then suddenly stepped down, retrieved the expensive wooden qin he'd taken to Xingzi Fang that afternoon as a prop, and returned it to her.

Magistrate Ouyang Rong politely took his leave.

Tomorrow morning, he had already arranged to meet Lin Cheng—to handle the final communication and stance from Lin Cheng and Hu Fu as the Imperial Inspector.

Tonight, Magistrate Ouyang Rong must still hurry to Tingzhu Meilu Xuan to meet Hu Fu in advance and discuss…

Inside the modestly luxurious carriage, Li Su Guoer lifted the curtain with her pinky, her starlit eyes silently watching the man's back—without a single wasted word—fade into the dark night.

Her pink, black-veiled lips pressed together.

After a long while…

"To Jingyi Ting," she said softly.

"Yes, Your Highness."

…

The night was deep.

Inside a study in Prince Xunyang Fang, its furniture arranged with perfect order—fitting for an obsessive-compulsive.

At a spotless desk, Lin Cheng sat alone, elbows propped on the surface, his plump, faintly bearded chin resting on his interlocked fingers.

A single lamp illuminated the inkstone, brush, letter paper, and an open memorial on the desk.

The memorial remained blank.

A faint whisper echoed in the room:

"Avoid the moon, pluck the stars… the twin peaks are the moon… Xingzi Lake's Xingzi Fang is the star…"

Moments later, a breeze drifted in through the window, painted with a thousand stars.

The blank letter paper and memorial pages fluttered and flipped with a rustling sound.

Startled from his daze, Lin Cheng suddenly raised one hand, pressing his palm flat onto the desk—the fluttering papers instantly stilled, frozen in place.

Lin Cheng picked up his brush.

He bent over, writing something.

Outside, the night remained utterly still.

(End of Chapter)