Chapter 74

Since the founding of the Han Dynasty, the basic work for women has been "spinning and weaving." Some wealthy merchant families who raise silkworms would even hire female workers to work for them. The so-called "weaving" is not just a single act of weaving, but the entire process of weaving cloth and making clothes, starting from sericulture: silkworms, mulberry, bleaching, spinning, dyeing, and finally making clothes.

There is also a saying among the people: "At thirteen, teach you to weave; at fourteen, you can cut clothes." From this, one can know that knowing how to spin, weave, and make clothes is a compulsory course for young girls in this era. Even as an Empress, one needs to master the ritual of personally tending to mulberry trees.

According to historical records, the Empress's personal mulberry ritual is held in the second month of spring each year. At that time, the Empress needs to lead the concubines of the harem to pick mulberry leaves and raise silkworms in the silkworm room of Weiyang Palace, and perform a ceremony to worship the silkworm god.

Clearly, ever since A Jiao and Liu Che swapped, the so-called personal mulberry ritual has not been held again. To let the dignified Han Wudi personally spin and weave—that image is too beautiful to imagine.

Liu Li came to the workshop and watched the palace maids working skillfully; she was full of admiration for them. No matter what era it is, the hardworking people are the most glorious!

Now that the down collected by Sang Hongyang is sufficient and there is plenty of cloth in the Weiyang Palace warehouse, the palace maids only need to make the cloth and silk into clothes according to the requirements.

Liu Li looked at the remaining down still drying and said: "According to my mother's figure, make another one. Keep the remaining fabric for now; tomorrow I will call people over, and you can measure their figures before rushing to make the clothes."

The palace maids responded one by one, indicating that they could finish the clothes the Princess needed before dark.

Liu Li nodded slightly and said: "Good, after you finish, send them directly to the Jiaofang Hall." Liu Li planned to give this piece of clothing to Liu Ling. As for whether she would appreciate it, Liu Li did not know yet.

Regardless, Liu Li wanted to win over Liu Ling. If such a smart person could become a friend, what a comfortable thing that would be.

As for the remaining down, Liu Li had also figured out its use: she wanted to give a warm down jacket to all the friends she had made at the Imperial Academy.

After having this idea, Liu Li turned and returned to the Jiaofang Hall. While letting Qiao grind ink for her, she spread paper on the table and began to write invitations.

First was her little cousin, Chen Ran of the Tangyi Marquis Mansion. Then Wei Yan'er from the Pingqu Marquis's family, and Han Wan, the granddaughter of the Gonggao Marquis.

Because Wei Yan'er and Han Wan were slightly older, they were both assigned to the senior class. Although they were not in the same class, they usually interacted and occasionally sent each other small items, such as sachets and silk handkerchiefs.

So Liu Li wanted to invite them into the palace and give them down jackets.

After writing the invitations for them, Liu Li thought for a moment and added another one, inviting Cheng Xin, the granddaughter of Cheng Bushi, as well.

The invitations were all written. A Jiao folded these four invitations. After A Jiao and Liu Che returned from the Xuanshi Hall in the evening, Liu Li spoke to A Jiao: "Father, can I invite my friends into the palace tomorrow?"

Upon hearing this, A Jiao smiled and nodded: "Of course you can." Seeing her daughter make friends, A Jiao was happier than if she had made friends herself.

Liu Li took out the invitations she had in her arms: "These are the invitations I wrote for my friends. Can Father help me arrange for someone to send them to their homes?"

A Jiao took the invitations from Liu Li's hand. Liu Che, who was on the side, asked curiously: "Who have you invited?"

Liu Li raised her chin, her expression quite proud: "They are all my friends. Won't Mother know when she sees them tomorrow?"

"Oh?" Liu Che raised his eyebrows with interest.

Considering that making clothes for everyone tomorrow would take some time and everyone might not have time to go home and would have to stay overnight in Weiyang Palace, Liu Li said: "Can Mother pick a palace and lend it to me to entertain my friends?"

The Teaching Hall was indeed not suitable for the daughters of marquises to stay overnight. Liu Che thought for a while and said: "Go find the Great Chief of the Palace and have him arrange for people to tidy up the Zhaoyang Hall. You can entertain your friends there tomorrow."

Liu Li beamed: "Good, thank you, Mother!"

This was the first time in Liu Li's life that she had invited friends to her home as guests, and she attached great importance to it. After getting A Jiao and Liu Che's

nod, she excitedly went to find the Great Chief of the Palace and asked him to arrange for people to clean the Zhaoyang Hall.

Afterward, she returned to her room and brought all the snacks she had stored previously to the Zhaoyang Hall.

Seeing that Princess Jianling attached such importance to this matter, the Great Chief of the Palace did not dare to be negligent and hurriedly arranged for palace servants to go to the Zhaoyang Hall to tidy up.

Liu Li followed and went to the Zhaoyang Hall herself.

The Zhaoyang Hall was located in the southern part of Weiyang Palace, quite close to the Xuanshi Hall. Although the decorations in the Zhaoyang Hall were not as solemn and majestic as those in the Teaching Hall, they also looked very luxurious.

Liu Li was very satisfied with the Zhaoyang Hall.

After simply decorating the Zhaoyang Hall, the palace maids from the workshop sent over the newly made down jackets. Liu Li folded the clothes and asked A Jiao for a wooden box to hold things, then packed the clothes inside.

It was already late. Tomorrow morning, she would personally go to Changle Palace to give this down jacket to Liu Ling.

The next morning, Liu Li got up early; the sky was just beginning to brighten. The horizon was tinged with a whitish glow, and the sun was slowly rising from the edge of the sky, shining on the earth.

Since traveling through time, every time Liu Li stood on the pavilion of the Jiaofang Hall watching the sunrise and sunset, her heart would be shocked by the beautiful scenery before her; this was a landscape she had never seen in modern times.

After enjoying the sunrise, Liu Li took a deep breath and performed a breathing exercise. Then she turned back to her room to wash up and eat breakfast. Finally, she hugged the wooden box and prepared to go to Changle Palace.

The temperature in the morning was still a bit cold. After Liu Li got into the carriage, she rubbed her cold hands, regretting not wearing her tiger-skin gloves.

This time, because it was an official visit to Changle Palace, the driver did not take a detour, but went directly through the east gate of Changle Palace, passed in front of the Prime Minister's office, and entered the west gate of Changle Palace.

Who would have thought that just as the carriage left the east gate of Weiyang Palace, it would encounter the carriage of Prime Minister Dou Ying, which was moving slowly.

Liu Li was using the Empress's imperial carriage. When Dou Ying's driver saw it, he naturally thought the Empress was inside and hurriedly stopped to give way.

Dou Ying also stepped out of his carriage and bowed to the Empress's carriage.

The carriage curtain was slightly lifted. Liu Li saw this scene through the gap and felt quite uncomfortable. According to seniority, Liu Li should call Dou Ying "Great-Uncle." She felt quite uneasy having an elder of her grandfather's generation bow to her.

"Stop." Liu Li hurriedly told the driver to stop.

After the carriage stopped, Liu Li stepped out of the carriage cabin and stood on the carriage step to look at Dou Ying: "Greetings, Prime Minister Dou." As she spoke, Liu Li bowed back to Dou Ying earnestly.

Only then did Dou Ying see clearly that the person on the carriage was not the Empress but Princess Jianling. Dou Ying, whose beard was already gray, smiled slightly and said kindly: "So it is the Eldest Princess."

The cold wind blew Dou Ying's beard, and Liu Li noticed that Dou Ying's clothes seemed a bit thin. She hurriedly asked: "Is the Prime Minister going to handle official business?"

Dou Ying nodded: "Indeed."

"Then please go quickly. The cold wind outside is strong; Prime Minister, do not catch a cold." Liu Li said with concern: "Your health is important."

"Thank you, Princess, for your concern." Facing Liu Li's concern, the smile on Dou Ying's face deepened. He knew that half of the credit for him being able to become Prime Minister again belonged to Princess Jianling.

Liu Li turned and returned to the carriage cabin, calculating Dou Ying's age in her heart; he was about... During the reign of Emperor Wen of Han, the teenage Dou Ying had already entered the court as a Lang official. Now, he was a veteran of three reigns.

No wonder his hair had turned so white.

She remembered that the Great Han seemed to have another elderly Prime Minister, seemingly named Gongsun Hong, who was over seventy years old when he was appointed Prime Minister by Emperor Wu of Han!

Thinking as she went, the carriage arrived at the palace where Liu Ling lived. Liu Li hugged the box, got off the carriage, and walked in under the guidance of the guards.

"The Wengzhu has not risen yet. Princess, please wait a moment here; this servant will go call the Wengzhu." The receiving palace maid invited Liu Li into the hall.

Liu Li raised her eyebrows and asked: "Can I go directly to Aunt Liu Ling's bedroom?"

Upon hearing this, the palace maid's expression was a bit difficult: "This..."

"Never mind, I'll just wait here." Liu Li said: "You go quickly and call Aunt Liu Ling."

"Understood."

After the palace maid left, Liu Li sat down next to the heater in the room and closed her eyes to check her system interface.

As for the event to be witnessed, "Southwest Silk Road," she probably shouldn't expect to see it completed in these few years; after all, historically, this road took decades to build. Moreover, Tang Meng and Sima Xiangru's trip was not just about building roads, but also had the task of winning over the Western Barbarians.

As for the other event to be witnessed, "Witchcraft Deposition of the Empress," Liu Li had even less idea how to complete it. Could it be that she had to follow the historical process again and let A Jiao depose Liu Che as Empress? Thinking about it, that wouldn't work either.

So she shouldn't think about the points for these two things for now. As for favorability, those that should be full were already full.

The favorability of A Jiao, Dou Taizhu, Sang Hongyang, and Dong Zhongshu toward her was already maxed out. Dou Ying's favorability toward her had also risen to 80 points; as long as she had a few more contacts with Dou Ying later, it should reach full marks soon.

The favorability of others toward her had also risen more or less. For example, Wei Qing's favorability value had become 40 points, Huo Qubing's favorability value was 60 points, and Pingyang Princess's favorability value was 10 points.

The only thing that puzzled Liu Li was that Cao Xiang's favorability value toward her had inexplicably become 50 points. From -5 to 50, this span was a bit large, but Liu Li had always been one to welcome all comers.

Cao Xiang's favorability value was at least double the points; even mosquito meat is meat!

Liu Ling's favorability value toward her was currently 15 points. She didn't know how many points she could gain from her act of giving a down jacket.

"It really shouldn't be; to think I let A Li wait so long." Before Liu Ling even entered, her voice had already reached her ears.

Liu Li turned her head and saw Liu Ling step over the threshold and walk toward her gracefully.

"Aunt A Ling." Liu Li gave her an innocent smile.

Liu Ling raised her eyebrows and said: "A Li came to Changle Palace to find me early in the morning; is there something important?"

Liu Li didn't beat around the bush and handed her the prepared wooden box: "This is a gift I prepared especially for Aunt."

"A gift?" Liu Ling's expression was surprised, but she still took the box Liu Li handed over: "For no reason, why would A Li want to give me a gift?"

"Does giving Aunt a gift need a reason?" Liu Li pursed her lips and said: "The weather is turning cold now, and Aunt must not have brought too many clothes to Chang'an, so I am giving this very warm down jacket to Aunt, so Aunt won't be afraid of the cold anymore."

As she spoke, Liu Ling had already reached out to open the wooden box and took out the down jacket inside. Her eyes showed surprise: "I have never seen this kind of clothing."

After all, it was drawn by Liu Li based on modern clothing, so it was normal for Liu Ling not to have seen it. Liu Li said with a smile: "This is a piece of clothing made of goose down; it is very warm to wear. Aunt, would you like to try it on?"

"How do I wear it?" Liu Ling compared the clothes in front of herself.

Liu Li taught her to wear the clothes inside her skirt. Liu Ling followed suit and said with a smile: "This clothing is really convenient and warm. Thank you, A Li; I like it very much."

"If Aunt A Ling likes it, then I am relieved." Liu Li also said with a smile: "Then I will go back first. I have an appointment with friends to come to Weiyang Palace today; calculating the time, they should be here soon."

Liu Ling raised her eyebrows, her eyes full of joy: "Since A Li still has things to do, I won't keep you. I will personally go to Weiyang Palace to thank you another day."

Liu Li got back into the carriage to return to Weiyang Palace. She closed her eyes to check the changes in favorability.

【Liu Ling favorability value: 15.】

Was there really no change at all? Liu Li looked at the value that hadn't changed at all and began to doubt life. A normal person encountering such a situation, even if not particularly moved, could at least gain 5 points.

Is the favorability of those surnamed Liu very difficult to increase?

After Liu Li returned to Weiyang Palace from Changle Palace, she did not go to the Music Conservatory, but went directly to the Zhaoyang Hall.

Just after getting off the carriage, Zhuqing, who was waiting at the entrance of the Zhaoyang Hall, said: "Princess, the young lady from the Tangyi Marquis Mansion has already arrived, and Qiao has brought her in."

Liu Li nodded hurriedly: "Good, I'm coming now. You stay here; if other young ladies arrive,

bring them in."

Zhuqing: "Understood."

After receiving Liu Li's invitation yesterday, Chen Ran was so happy that she didn't sleep all night. Waking up early in the morning, after bidding farewell to her grandmother, Dou Taizhu, she followed the carriage sent by Weiyang Palace to pick her up and entered the palace.

When she was still in Tangyi, Chen Yu always showed off the luxury of Weiyang Palace to her, saying that even a small palace was more beautiful than the Tangyi Mansion.

She really couldn't stand Chen Yu's smug face.

However, Chen Yu was truly stupid to have offended Princess Jianling; no wonder her grandmother drove her back to Tangyi. When it was Chen Ran's turn to be summoned to Chang'an by Dou Taizhu, Chen Ran's mother specifically urged her to serve Princess Jianling well after arriving in Chang'an.

Only in this way would she not be bullied by others in Chang'an. At first, Chen Ran was worried that Princess Jianling would be difficult to get along with, but after interacting, Chen Ran truly liked this cousin, Liu Li.

She had no airs of a princess and was very approachable, not at all as majestic as her grandmother. And because of Princess Jianling's invitation, Dou Taizhu Liu Piao was very satisfied with Chen Ran.

After being brought into the Zhaoyang Hall by the palace maid, Chen Ran sat properly on the soft cushion waiting for Liu Li to come. Qiao took out snacks to entertain Chen Ran: "Young lady, have some snacks; the Princess will be here soon."

Chen Ran nodded reservedly and quietly reached out to take a candy in her hand.

Qiao directed other palace maids to bring over pastries and hot drinks, and placed a cup in front of Chen Ran: "This is the hot milk tea the Princess specially ordered people to prepare. Young lady, drink it first to warm your body."

Chen Ran had always known that Liu Li had many strange things. She curiously picked up the cup and took a sip of this milk tea, only feeling that it was fragrant, sweet, and very delicious.

Looking at the pile of food already placed in front of her, Chen Ran suddenly had the illusion that she was an honored guest.

Liu Li walked in from outside the hall and called out with a smile: "Cousin A Ran."

Chen Ran looked up at Liu Li. Remembering the rules her grandmother taught her, she hurriedly stood up to salute Liu Li. Liu Li raised her hand to stop her: "Today you are a guest I invited, no need for formalities."

"Princess, where did you just go?" Chen Ran asked curiously.

"Just went to handle some things." Liu Li said with curved eyes. Looking down at the half-drunk milk tea in front of Chen Ran, she asked: "How is it? Is the milk tea delicious?"

Chen Ran nodded: "Delicious, fragrant and sweet. I have never drunk anything so delicious."

Liu Li was happy: "As long as you like it." In fact, the milk tea here was the bagged milk tea powder that Liu Li had previously exchanged from the system mall, which only needed to be brewed with hot water.

On such a cold day, a cup of hot milk tea is the best.

As she spoke, there was some movement outside again. Before long, Zhuqing brought Wei Yan'er and Cheng Xin in together.

That Wei Yan'er and Cheng Xin came together surprised Liu Li a little.

Wei Yan'er whispered an explanation: "I met Young Lady Cheng at the palace gate, so I shared a carriage with her."

In Liu Li's eyes, Cheng Xin was a cool girl. Liu Li didn't have much contact with her at the Imperial Academy, but Liu Li wanted to contact the military general Cheng Bushi through Cheng Xin's identity, so she specifically wrote her an invitation.

Unexpectedly, she really came.

"Princess." Cheng Xin's way of saluting Liu Li was by cupping her hands.

Liu Li invited them to take their seats: "You must be very cold coming from outside. Drink a cup of hot drink first to warm your body."

The palace maid came over to pour hot milk tea for Cheng Xin and Wei Yan'er. Liu Li pushed the pastries to them: "Eat some snacks. We will wait for Sister Han Wan to come before we go to the workshop together."

Wei Yan'er was a bit expectant: "Can we really go to the workshop?" Han women take pride in knowing how to weave, even noble daughters are no exception.

Liu Li nodded: "Of course. Take you to measure your figures so that the weavers can help you make clothes."

"What kind of clothes is the Princess going to give us?" Chen Ran was very curious.

Liu Li blinked and pretended to be mysterious: "That's a secret for now; you'll know when the time comes."

Han Wan was the last to arrive. Several young girls warmed themselves in the Zhaoyang Hall first, and then

set off together in the carriage to the workshop.

Half of the palace maids in the workshop had already returned to their original posts and started weaving silk and cloth, while the other half were busy organizing the fabric.

Wei Yan'er widened her eyes and looked at the palace maids who were weaving, then whispered: "My mother is also good at weaving; she can weave very exquisite Jiangqi brocade."

This Jiangqi brocade touched on Liu Li's blind spot of knowledge. She asked: "What is Jiangqi brocade?"

Han Wan, who was on the side, chuckled: "To think there are things our Princess doesn't know."

"I don't know much about weaving, so it's normal not to know," Liu Li admitted generously.

Han Wan said: "Jiangqi is a weaving technique as famous as Shu brocade. It is rumored that in the pre-Qin period, Jiangqi brocade was for imperial clothing."

"So that's it." After listening, Liu Li praised: "Sister Yan'er, your mother is amazing."

Wei Yan'er smiled shyly.

Liu Li said: "I invited everyone into the palace today because I want to give you a piece of clothing. This clothing is very warm and cold-resistant when worn. Later, a palace maid will come to measure your figures, and the clothes will be made according to your figures."

Hearing Liu Li say this, several girls were very curious about what kind of clothes the Princess was going to give them.

After the measurements were taken, both Han Wan and Wei Yan'er were very interested in weaving. Liu Li heard Han Wan say that the women in their senior class had already been arranged to take weaving classes. And their weaving teacher had also assigned them winter vacation homework; when school starts next spring, every female student in the senior class must submit a piece of silk they wove themselves.

Liu Li: "???"

No one ever told her that the Imperial Academy also taught handicrafts! No wonder Han Wan and Wei Yan'er were watching so seriously when they saw the palace maids weaving.

Seeing that Liu Li didn't know, Wei Yan'er kindly said: "Princess, when you enter the senior class, you will also learn these."

Thanks, I don't want to learn.

Liu Li would not deny the value of women learning to weave; after all, in the background of this era, this is a compulsory course for women. She could not change anything overnight either. But Liu Li was really not interested in weaving silk, so she could choose not to learn it just the same.

However, there were still three or four years before she would be promoted to the senior class, so she didn't need to panic about the future at this time.

Because it would take some time for the down jackets to be made, Liu Li suggested returning to the Zhaoyang Hall to wait; when the clothes were ready, someone would naturally send them over.

Chen Ran said softly: "I am a little looking forward to the clothes the Princess is going to give us."

Wei Yan'er also nodded: "I am looking forward to it too."

Han Wan looked at those feathers and thought of the feather collection that had been making a big stir in Chang'an City recently, as if remembering something: "The feathers collected in the government offices, could it be that they are what you, Princess Jianling, wanted?"

Liu Li smiled and nodded: "Yes, otherwise who else would have such great ability to let the government offices collect feathers?"

"Feathers to make clothes?" Han Wan muttered: "I am starting to look forward to it too."

The group took the carriage back to the Zhaoyang Hall, passing other palaces in the palace. The few "unsophisticated" young girls lay at the carriage window looking, their eyes full of envy. Liu Li thought of her own appearance when she first toured Weiyang Palace, which was no better than theirs.

When the carriage passed the Pixiang Hall, Wei Zifu, who was standing on the pavilion, inadvertently saw the carriage passing by downstairs. Looking at a certain face that appeared at the carriage window, her expression changed slightly, and her hands gripped tightly unconsciously.