Chapter 61: Could It Be That the Marquis of Weinan Likes Me?

Another onlooker watched.

The three Cheng Chumo brothers simultaneously had a thought flash in their minds.

In tacit understanding, they set down their chopsticks and sat silently without a word.

Li Lizhi couldn't help but speak, urging, "Marquis of Weinan, Princess Gao Yang, stop quarreling. Whatever the matter is, sit down and discuss it properly."

You two are about to get married soon; how can you still be quarreling over trivial matters like children?

Princess Gao Yang forced down her embarrassment and retorted angrily, "Imperial sister, it's not that I want to argue with him; he is truly overstepping."

"Last time, both he and I were at fault, yet how could he claim I was being unreasonable?"

"Moreover, he even compared me to Chang Sun Chong; am I not far better than Chang Sun Chong?"

"At least I'm not hypocritical, making a visit to a brothel sound so lofty."

Li Lizhi's face stiffened, changing the subject, "Alright, Chang Sun Chong is our cousin after all; let's not mention him again."

"By the way, the 'last time' you mentioned—was that the incident at the Imperial Palace?"

Upon hearing that, Princess Gao Yang and Chen Yan's expressions instantly turned uneasy.

Chen Yan was speechless inside.

How dare you still say that.

If she hadn't blindly clung to that poem, the 'last time' wouldn't have occurred.

A hint of delight flashed in Princess Gao Yang's eyes.

Since the last time Li Lizhi was entranced by the poem Chen Yan wrote, she has feared that Li Lizhi might develop feelings for Chen Yan.

People, sometimes they're just that strange.

In the past, Princess Gao Yang didn't favor Chen Yan and wished she could immediately call off the marriage.

But after a few encounters with Chen Yan, he displayed talents beyond others' reach, and after what happened at the Marquis of Weinan's mansion, Princess Gao Yang began to worry that someone else might snatch Chen Yan away.

Moreover, the person who might compete with her for Chen Yan is Li Lizhi.

That imperial sister, who is even more beautiful and far gentler than she is.

Logically, the Tang dynasty has never had two princesses marry the same man.

And with Emperor Li Shimin's edict already issued, she truly has no reason to worry.

But as the saying goes, it's not fearing ten thousand, but fearing the one in a million.

Considering Li Shimin's favor toward Li Lizhi and Chen Yan's attitude toward her.

If Li Lizhi tries to compete with her, she truly fears Chen Yan will be taken away.

Of course, Princess Gao Yang also understands that the odds of Li Lizhi competing for Chen Yan are very slim.

Nevertheless, even a sliver of possibility must be nipped in the bud.

Thus, today she heard that the restaurant is opening; after Li Lizhi is with Chen Yan, she will disregard Xiang Lan's counsel and insist on coming over.

Now that Li Lizhi brings up the previous incident, if she recites the poem Chen Yan wrote for her the day before yesterday, wouldn't that precisely show that Chen Yan also favors her?

Princess Gao Yang lifted her small hand, eyes smiling, "Last time there was nothing special, Lord Chen just wrote me a line of poetry. Imperial sister, would you like to hear it?"

Chen Yan's face turned as if he had seen a ghost upon hearing that.

Well, look at that, he's been upgraded to Lord Chen?

Cheng Chumo and the other two also didn't quite understand—Princess Gao Yang had just seemed so angry, how did Chen Yan suddenly become Lord Chen?

Li Lizhi's focus differed from theirs; she knew Chen Yan's poetic talent was outstanding, whether it was "Invitation to Wine" or the compliment "beauty that eclipses the ages", both made her adore him.

Now, hearing Gao Yang's words, her entire attention was drawn to the poem.

"Sister Gao Yang, what poem did the Marquis of Weinan write for you? Could you read it to me?"

"Of course," Gao Yang nodded slightly, a smug smile at the corner of her mouth, ruby lips parting, "Among the crowd, a charming glance meets my eye; the colors of the world are like dust."

As the poem left her lips, Li Lizhi's beautiful eyes momentarily glazed.

Having been steeped in poetry since childhood, she easily grasped its meaning.

The line "Among the crowd, a charming glance meets my eye" describes "in the vast sea of people, she smiles charmingly, and our gazes meet."

The following "the colors of the world are like dust" means that compared to her, all other beauties in the world appear as mediocre as dust.

Obviously, this is unquestionably a poem praising a beauty.

Compared with the previous compliment "beauty that eclipses the ages", the two differ in style, artistic conception, and technique, each having its merits.

For some reason, Li Lizhi subconsciously began comparing this poem with the one Chen Yan had previously praised her with.

"Among the crowd, a charming glance meets my eye" focuses on the instant of a charming smile and a meeting of gazes, rendering a vivid, dynamic scene with strong dramatic tension.

The latter line, "the colors of the world are like dust", uses hyperbole to elevate Gao Yang's beauty to the extreme, creating a stark contrast.

Overall, it resembles the effect of a "stunning fleeting glance".

Whereas the poem Chen Yan used to praise her last time summarized her beauty with the three characters "covering past and present", indicating a grandeur that spans ages.

Chen Yan placed her within the river of history, granting her eternity, letting references like "lotus shy of jade complexion" and "sinking fish, falling goose" echo.

This poem aligns more with the Tang dynasty's spirit, reflecting confidence without any burden, purely praising her unparalleled beauty.

The poem written for Gao Yang emphasizes the "instantaneous infectiousness of beauty", subtly implying a transcendence over mundane worldliness, carrying metaphorical meaning.

It writes about "striking my beauty", making it easier to evoke empathy.

Chen Yan's poem about her is more distinctive, describing "the universally acknowledged beauty".

Overall, the two poems are evenly matched; if forced to pick a winner, "beauty that eclipses the ages, lotus shy of jade complexion" has a slight edge.

"Imperial sister, what do you think of the poem Lord Chen wrote for me?"

Gao Yang asked with a smiling tone.

She has also read many books, but not as deeply as Li Lizhi.

Her understanding of the two lines of poetry was not deep enough.

She only felt that Chen Yan's poem "Human beauty is like dust," written for her, compared other beauties to dust, naturally including Li Lizhi.

So, she naturally felt that her own was better.

Li Lizhi was originally in a daze; hearing Gao Yang's words, she came to her senses and quickly said: "The Marquis of Weinan has talent as great as eight dou; the poem he wrote for Miss Gao Yang is naturally exquisite."

After saying that, she also revealed a faint smile.

But that faint smile, when it fell in Gao Yang's eyes, turned into a forced smile.

Seeing Li Lizhi's absent-minded look, she thought her purpose had been achieved.

Gao Yang's mood immediately improved.

But she did not know that Li Lizhi's heart at that moment had already become a tangled mess.

Why is the poem the Marquis of Weinan wrote for Gao Yang not as good as the one he wrote for her?

Clearly Gao Yang is his fiancée.

He... why is he like this?

Various thoughts flitted through her mind; Li Lizhi recalled Chen Yan's resistance to the marriage and his attitude toward Gao Yang.

Her slender jade fingers unconsciously stirred the skirt of the Sizi in her arms.

A guess quietly surfaced in her heart.

Could it be... that the Marquis of Weinan... likes me?!

「....... 」