Chapter 24

Su Liang immediately changed the subject and said, "Have you eaten breakfast? You rushed over so early in the morning."

"Not yet..."

Li Jing said quite awkwardly.

"It's just that the breakfast here at your place, Little Su, is delicious, so..."

Su Liang waved his hand quickly; he clearly missed his daughter but had to make up other excuses. He then said indifferently, "Alright, we'll all eat together in a moment."

Afterwards, the group went to the dining hall to have breakfast.

Lady Hongfu had not yet tasted the breakfast here at Su Liang's, and she began to eat heartily.

Nowadays, the breakfast here at Su Liang's is quite rich, not only with various side dishes and pastries, but also with modern-day specialties like xiaolongbao, pan-fried dumplings, egg-stuffed pancakes, and grain pancakes, and milk was also prepared.

These were all things Su Liang had explored and created himself during this period according to his memories from his past life.

Paired with specialties like braised dried tofu, he could open a morning tea house, which would also make full use of the restaurant. Su Liang not only wanted to open a morning tea house but also wanted to do business for late-night snacks.

It seems he will have to ask Li Er to lift the curfew in Changan City one of these days, and from then on, start the era of the Great Tang's nightlife...

Su Liang thought to himself.

Li Jing, while eating and drinking, said, "Little Su, what about the telescope you promised me? When will it be ready?"

"Go find Wang Xuance later; he has already prepared it for you and is just waiting for you to come and pick it up."

"However, the newly made telescopes can only satisfy the needs of those at the rank of Colonel and above for now."

"Hahaha..." Li Jing laughed heartily, "My son-in-law is the best!"

Just at this moment.

As Su Liang was drinking mutton soup, the system's long-absent voice sounded in his mind.

"Ding: The system has detected that the New Year is approaching and is generating the latest task..."

"Ding: The system has issued the latest task: Promote Spring Festival Couplets."

"Ding: Task completion reward: Power generation technology."

"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap!"

Su Liang was ecstatic; the power generation technology he had been longing for had finally arrived. It was not in vain that he had made so many preparations.

As early as when choosing the site for Taoyuan City, Su Liang had already considered using hydroelectric power.

For this reason, he had built Taoyuan County around the Chan River.

Su Liang then communicated with the system: "System... System, what counts as completing the task?"

The system said lazily, "At least eighty percent of the households in Taoyuan County must post Spring Festival couplets for the task to be considered complete."

Su Liang asked, "It's that simple?"

The system replied, "It's that simple!"

"This system is the Heaven's Pride System, but the host only wants to be a salted fish."

"Otherwise, the host should have had these things long ago."

Su Liang was also extremely embarrassed; it wasn't that he didn't want to live too tired!

After breakfast, Su Liang immediately called everyone to get busy.

Uncle Fu and Er Hu were very clear about this and were busy having a great time. When the Young Master was still at the Su family, the Su household was always this busy every New Year.

Ever since Su Liang left, it had been rare to have such a lively atmosphere.

Today, the two of them were also enjoying themselves, writing couplets one after another...

"Abundant fruits bid farewell to the old year, waves of songs celebrate the new."

"Good fortune descends on the whole family, spring light shines on the full hall."

"Spring comes to the earth and a hundred flowers bloom, the festival brings a new look to the world."

"Harmony brings wealth and long-lasting prosperity, smooth sailing and peace bring eternal auspiciousness."

Not only that, there were also various horizontal scrolls and inverted 'Fu' characters.

Seeing Su Liang hanging the 'Fu' character upside down, everyone was puzzled, but the answer Su Liang gave them was also refreshing to everyone.

Seeing such couplets with beautiful meanings posted all over the manor, everyone was amazed.

Su Liang just chuckled at this.

Couplets originated in the Qin and Han dynasties and flourished in the Wei and Jin dynasties. It wasn't until the prosperous Tang dynasty that commoners began to post couplets with good meanings on both sides of their doors to express their good wishes.

Su Liang had merely advanced this by a few decades.

"Little Su, why don't you come up with a couplet so everyone can join in the fun."

At this moment, Li Jing suddenly suggested to Su Liang.

"Alright."

Su Liang then looked at Li Jing for a moment and said, "Lady Hongfu, woman Hongfu, beautiful enough to topple cities and states, following day and night."

Hearing this, Li Jing's old face turned red immediately; this kid was clearly making fun of him.

Seeing Li Jing like this, Lady Hongfu smiled slightly.

Everyone was also savoring the meaning of Su Liang's couplet...

Lady Hongfu is famous for holding the red whisk, "toppling cities and states" describes her beauty, and "following day and night" literally means the two traveled together, but it secretly refers to the story of their elopement.

"Wonderful... wonderful... truly wonderful!"

The Bearded Guest, drinking Drunken Tang, shouted.

Everyone at this moment was also frowning, thinking about how to respond...

Just at this moment.

Empress Zhangsun, who was in a wheelchair, suddenly spoke: "Exiled Immortal, person of the exiled immortal, like poetry and painting, wife and concubines as companions."

Hearing this, Su Liang thought more highly of this mother-in-law, though there was inevitably a bit of teasing in it.

Seeing that the Empress had responded so easily.

Su Liang then said, "Then I'll add some difficulty for you."

"Carefree person, person is carefree, enjoying mountains and water, days and months are carefree."

"Taoyuan County, county of Taoyuan, like brocade and embroidery, heaven and earth are Taoyuan."

Princess Changle blurted out.

After thinking for a moment, Empress Zhangsun said, "Prosperous Tang, Tang is prosperous, self-strengthening and self-reliant, ancient and modern are prosperous."

Truly worthy of being the virtuous empress of the ages!

Su Liang couldn't help but think to himself.

Afterwards, Su Liang also came up with a few couplets, and everyone was barely able to respond.

"Mist locks the mountaintop, the mountain locks the mist."

"Heaven connects to the water's end, the water connects to heaven."

"Quiet spring on the mountain, the mountain spring is quiet."

"Clear water in the pond, the pond water is clear."

"Windy bamboo, green bamboo, wind turns the green bamboo, the bamboo turns the wind."

"White plum in the snow, snow reflects the white plum, the plum reflects the snow."

Su Liang had to use his big move now and immediately issued a couplet: "If heaven has feelings, heaven will also grow old."

For a full hour, everyone was stunned and couldn't respond.

Su Liang felt this was only natural; this was a famous line from the Tang dynasty's 'Poet Ghost' Li He, and no one had been able to respond to it for over two hundred years.

While Su Liang was busy with the Spring Festival couplets, what happened in Taoyuan Manor was also exaggerated and spread to Tianqiao Ward.

This was, of course, arranged by Su Liang!

The system's reward concerned the grand plan of development, so Su Liang would naturally take it to heart.

Not only that.

Su Liang also shared various Spring Festival couplets with good meanings for the commoners to post.

For a time, every household in Taoyuan City followed suit.

Before long, this matter spread to Changan City, and it was the same there.

At this moment.

Inside the Liangyi Hall of the Daji Palace.

Hearing about this, Li Er specially held a banquet and invited the civil and military officials to compose couplets here.

"Your Majesty, it is already nearing noon, why not invite the Imperial Son-in-law to come and compose couplets."

"So that all the ministers can appreciate the Imperial Son-in-law's literary talent."

Li Gang, who had a grudge against Su Liang, looked at Li Er and suggested.

In an instant.

Li Er frowned and ignored him.

It was obvious he was worried that Su Liang would find an excuse not to come, fearing he would lose face.

At this moment, the two had different thoughts.

Li Er, helpless because of everyone's constant suggestions, bit the bullet and asked Wang De to invite Su Liang over.

Su Liang, who was busy in the manor, knew Wang De's intention and immediately understood that this was clearly something someone had carefully prepared; appreciating literary talent was fake, and wanting to embarrass him was real; it was undoubtedly instigated by the aristocratic families.

More than an hour later.

Su Liang had already arrived at the Liangyi Hall and sat down after finding the seat prepared for him.

Afterwards, he glanced at Li Gang and sighed helplessly; how much confidence did he have to think that since he couldn't compete in poetry, he could make up for it with couplets.

This Li Gang was being used as a pawn but was completely unaware of it.

Simply ridiculous!!

He immediately looked at Li Gang and said, "I wonder what advice the old Lord Li has?"

"All the Dukes and ministers want to appreciate the Imperial Son-in-law's literary talent, so I specially asked His Majesty to invite the Imperial Son-in-law to come," Li Gang said.

Su Liang then looked at Cheng Yaojin and said, "Duke of Lu, is that so?"

"No... no... anyway, I don't want to..."

Cheng Yaojin waved his hands quickly.

In an instant, Li Gang's old face turned red.

A proper slap in the face!!

After a long while, Li Gang's expression softened slightly.

He then said slowly, "Why don't we discuss couplets with the Imperial Son-in-law today."

"Alright, Old Lord Li, please issue the couplet."

Su Liang agreed immediately.

Li Gang pondered for a moment and issued the first line: "Wind and wind, snow and snow, warm and warm, cold and cold, everywhere searching and seeking."

"Orioles and orioles, swallows and swallows, flowers and flowers, leaves and leaves, loving each other morning and night," Su Liang blurted out.

Everyone marveled, and Li Gang issued another first line: "Big trees are dense, pine, cypress, parasol, paulownia, willow, poplar."

"Fine water is vast, river, stream, creek, lake, sea."

Su Liang didn't hesitate at all.

Before long, the two were completely at odds, and Li Er was watching happily, understanding the grudge between the two; it was because of one sentence from Su Liang that this teacher of the Crown Prince lost his job.

"Alright, come again."

Li Gang was already quite embarrassed at this moment; this was a couplet he had thought about for a long time, yet Su Liang could respond to it easily.

He then issued another first line: "Lotus flower, stem, lotus root, lotus leaf, moss, lotus."

"Hibiscus, peony, stamen, fragrance," Su Liang still responded perfectly.

Seeing that Li Gang still wanted to speak, Su Liang quickly interrupted, "Old Lord Li, can it be my turn now?"

"Alright, Imperial Son-in-law, please issue the first line," Li Gang said.

Su Liang immediately looked at the crowd in the hall and said, "I wonder if you have heard the saying circulating among the people: 'If heaven has feelings, heaven will also grow old'?"

"Old Lord Li, please respond to this line first."

Li Gang blurted out, "Life is often full of resentment, life can be sorrowful."

Hearing this, Su Liang was also moved; truly worthy of being the teacher of three Crown Princes, he did have some learning, barely able to respond, and this was clearly prepared.

He then teased, "I'll barely count that as a response!"

"Then may I ask Young Master Su, what is your second line?"

Li Gang immediately expressed his dissatisfaction.

"If the moon has no hatred, the moon will always be full!"

Su Liang said immediately.

Hiss...

Everyone gasped.

The second line was not only perfectly matched in structure but also continued the artistic conception of the first line; it could be called a perfect match, precise and wonderful!

Looking at both lines, if heaven had feelings, it would also grow old with the passage of time; if the moon had no love or hatred, it could remain full for a long time.

Just as everyone was sighing with emotion.

Seeing that Li Gang still wouldn't give up, Su Liang had to release an absolute couplet from the ages.

"Green forest mouth, white blacksmith, raw red furnace, burning black charcoal, sitting south facing north, hitting east and west."

The couplet not only contained the four colors of green, white, red, and black, but also contained gold, wood, water, and fire, lacking only earth, which happened to correspond to east, west, south, and north.

Everyone was astonished...

This... how is one supposed to respond to this...

Li Gang also understood the artistic conception and immediately turned red, remaining silent for a long time.

After a full quarter of an hour, Li Gang said, "This is an absolute couplet; it is simply impossible to respond to."

"This doesn't count, otherwise, please ask the Imperial Son-in-law to provide the second line."

Su Liang was speechless; could someone be this shameless?

But it was indeed the case.

"Alright, I'll issue one that can be responded to, listen carefully!"

Su Liang paused and said, "Smoke locks the pond willows."

Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap!

This first line not only contained the five elements, but in terms of artistic conception, it also depicted a scene of a quiet pond surrounded by green willows, shrouded in layers of mist.

It was truly not easy to come up with a poem that conformed to the five elements and matched the artistic conception.

Everyone was speechless.

Su Liang was not giving Li Gang any way out.

If one didn't care about the order of the five elements, it would be slightly better, but if one did care...

This... this was simply unsolvable!

Su Liang was staring at Li Gang with a grin, watching to see what kind of waves this old thing could make...

"The Imperial Son-in-law is bullying people by relying on his literary talent..."

Feng Deyi, the Right Minister of the Secretariat, also stepped forward at this moment.

"Could it be that the Imperial Son-in-law can provide the second line?"

"Hehe... Minister Feng is joking. Since I said I could respond to it earlier, I definitely can!"

"Could it be that I would deceive His Majesty?" Su Liang asked rhetorically.

He then looked at Feng Deyi and said, "Why don't I issue a simple couplet for Minister Feng to hear?"

Feng Deyi said, "Alright, Imperial Son-in-law, please issue the first line!"

"Sleazy man, man is sleazy, neither three nor four, horizontal and vertical sleazy."

"Pfft..."

As soon as Su Liang's first line came out, Feng Deyi immediately spat out a mouthful of old blood.

"Imperial physician, imperial physician..." Seeing this, Li Er quickly called for the imperial physician.

A moment later.

Feng Deyi was carried out by several guards.

Li Gang was completely cowed at this moment and dared not look directly at Su Liang.

To ease the embarrassment, Li Er looked at Su Liang and said, "Son-in-law, you should provide the second line."

Su Liang also took the opportunity to accept: "Alright, although it's a bit lacking in artistic conception, it can be considered very clever."

"Civil matches the autumn singing in the mountain ravines, martial matches the cannon guarding the sea city tower."

Everyone gasped upon hearing this.

Wonderful! Wonderful!

An hour later.

Su Liang had already returned to Taoyuan Manor.

During the banquet, no one dared to make things difficult for him, and Su Liang only chatted with the ministers he was familiar with.

As for those sycophantic ministers, he didn't give them a good look either.

Just as Su Liang stepped into the main hall, little Sizi threw herself into Su Liang's arms, and Su Liang picked her up. When little Sizi first came, her body was still very weak and her face was a bit pale; these past few days, Su Liang had been feeding her well, and every morning and evening she had a cup of milk.

After a few days of recuperation, her complexion had clearly improved.

Seeing this, Empress Zhangsun shook her head slightly; last night, little Sizi actually said she wanted to marry Su Liang when she grew up. Empress Zhangsun hadn't told Li Er about this yet, and now she didn't know what to do.

Empress Zhangsun looked at Su Liang and said, "I heard that you made Feng Deyi vomit blood today, Son-in-law?"

"I just issued a couplet, I didn't intend to anger him."

Su Liang, holding little Sizi, quickly denied it.

"Hehe... it's already spread to Taoyuan County, and you're still denying it," Empress Zhangsun said.

"Cough, cough..."

Su Liang just coughed twice to ease the embarrassment.

"Alright, I didn't mean to blame you. In two days, the Crown Prince and I will return to the palace, so little Sizi will stay here with you."

Empress Zhangsun continued.

"Are you not used to living here?" Su Liang asked.

"That's not it, I just can't stop worrying about things in the palace," Empress Zhangsun said.

"In the palace, there are Consort Wei, Consort Yang, Consort Yin, and Consort Zheng to take care of things, so Mother Empress can rest assured and stay," Su Liang quickly comforted her.

Su Liang was truly worried about Empress Zhangsun returning before she had fully recovered.

"The Crown Prince can also stay here; it won't be too late to go back after he has recovered."

"By the way, let Qingque come over often one of these days too."

"It's good for the two brothers to be together and have things to talk about."

After Su Liang finished speaking, he accompanied little Sizi to practice calligraphy.

Nowadays, the women in the manor are each busy with their own affairs; Ruyan helps manage the household chores, Zhangsun Yue enjoys the path of the zither, Changle focuses on Su Liang's painting skills, and Xiao Xian'er concentrates on sword practice.

Everyone has things they like, and Su Liang is happy to see it; it's best if there's no trouble.

I don't know how much time passed...

Empress Zhangsun suddenly spoke: "Su Liang, do you think the two brothers will..."

"No!!"

Su Liang, who was accompanying little Sizi in calligraphy, said immediately. Su Liang naturally knew what the Empress meant; she must have been keeping it in her heart for a long time.

"Why is the Son-in-law so certain?" Empress Zhangsun asked.

"Because I am here!!"

Su Liang said in a firm tone.