Insufficient balance

  Xiao Ting really got a bit silly.

  The news that Taiping Gong is going to hold a literary meeting and recruit scholars has been spreading in Chang'an City for several days, almost everyone knows about it.

  He subconsciously made a swallowing motion and suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.

  "Are you stupid?" Taiping pressed her lips together and smiled, she suddenly felt that Xiao Tiao's silly appearance looked quite good, anyway it was much better than the ugly face he had in the past few days, which seemed like he owed him tens of thousands of yuan!

  Xiao Ting never thought that one day he would face such a grand scene, his eyes swept over the streets of officials and soldiers kneeling on the ground, then stared at the majestic and luxurious ceremony for a while, finally, his gaze returned to the smiling Taiping Princess in front of him, suddenly lifted his shirt, knelt down, "Humble subject Xiao Ting pays respects to Your Highness!"

  Tai Ping was stunned, subconsciously wanting to reach out and support him, but halfway through the motion, he suddenly stopped, feeling a sharp pang of pain in his heart.

  (He's... trying to distance himself from me!)

  Suddenly remembered that day his silly appearance, his calm face stiffened involuntarily.

  I'd rather see your arrogant face!

  She suddenly remembered a sentence that Qing Nu had entrusted to her before leaving, and couldn't help but laugh as she squatted down, "This is an imperial decree, if you dare not give me face, it's defying the emperor's orders!"

  After finishing speaking, she suddenly stepped forward and walked towards the unicycle, politely asking, "Old lady, are you feeling better?"

  The old lady was young and had seen the world, so she quickly smiled and pretended to make a bow, but was stopped by Tai Ping, who took a step forward.

  "Yes, thank you for your concern, Your Highness. My body has recovered a lot!"

  It didn't matter that Taiping took a quick step, but the two maidservants following behind her, holding up her skirt, were caught off guard and almost dropped it to the ground. They hastily rushed forward two steps, but the long trailing skirt happened to swing up just as they loosened their grip, covering Xiao Ting's head who was kneeling on the ground.

  Xiao Ting subconsciously raised his head, and the corner of his eye happened to see that under the thin silk gauze skirt, there seemed to be two slender and clean legs crossing and moving. His heart thumped once, and he couldn't help but quickly lower his head again.

  It's said that since he was born into this world, apart from his parents, it's the first time he's ever knelt down to someone else, but this time even if he did kneel down, it wouldn't be enough!

  As long as he wants to stay alive, he doesn't dare disobey orders! This is the Tang Dynasty of a thousand years ago in the monarchical era!

  "Old madam, I want to invite the young master to attend a literary gathering. I'd like to find a calligrapher and painter, what do you think?" Taiping asked cleverly.

  "Good, good!" The old lady smiled and nodded repeatedly. A few days ago, she said something like this: if the Xiao family hadn't declined, her good son would have been able to marry a princess from the imperial family. Now that the Xiao family has declined, what's the difference? Isn't there already a princess coming to their doorstep?

  The old lady laughed with a flushed face, as if the unpleasantness brought by the doubling of the house rent in the courtyard just now had been swept away. She beckoned to her son, "Ting'er, did you hear what Princess Gong said? After you go, be sure to paint well and don't let our old Xiao family lose face!"

  Xiao Ting hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly stood up and said: "Yes, son remembered!"

  Tai Ping heard this and suddenly burst out laughing silently.

  The sedan chair came quickly and left quickly, as if only a moment had passed. When everyone looked up, they could only see the dust raised by the soldiers' heels.

  The old lady was still sitting on her own wheelbarrow, with a smile on her face as bright as the sunshine today.

  Wei Yue was the first to get up, and without even dusting off his clothes, he hurried over. The usual "official air" he liked to put on in front of the residents of the alley had long been put away. He bowed his waist and smiled as he approached, "Old lady, why don't I help you back to your house first?"

  The old lady smiled and said, "In that case, let's trouble Lord Fang Zheng!"

  "Where, where, I wouldn't dare to be called a big shot, I'm just... " He stretched out his hand and drew a few strokes, "A small official who is not even worth mentioning, a small official!" At this moment, he had forgotten that normally when walking on the street, if someone didn't address him as "big shot", he would absolutely not let it go, always having to give them a hard time.

  As he walked over and pushed the wheelbarrow to open the Xiao family's door to push Old Madam inside, Old Madam suddenly said: "Wait!"

  He rushed to Chen Shanliang, who was standing not far from the door, and beckoned him. If he didn't go to borrow when there was a chance, it wasn't like someone like her who had experienced countless hardships and difficulties would do things in this style. "Old Uncle Chen, since you must have us pay 350 coins per month, my mother and I really can't afford to live in this house anymore. When the rent is due, we'll move out, and you can consider selling it now!"

  Ordinary villagers are nowhere near as clever as Wei Fang, and to this day they still haven't recovered from the shock of that big scene earlier. Chen Shanliang is even more so.

  Just now he was not far away, and the conversation between Xiao's mother and son and Princess Taiping was heard in his ears without a single mistake. He just couldn't figure out how it suddenly changed, as if this pair of down-and-out mother and son were different? Want to fly up to the sky all at once? What is Xiao Jiazi capable of, isn't he just good-looking, how did he suddenly have so many officials and soldiers guarding the sedan chair to pick him up? Isn't it that the sedan chair and the princess only look at people's appearance when selecting people?

  Wei Yue Wei Fang suddenly coughed and said, "Old Chen, the old lady is talking to you!"

  "What? What?" Chen Shanliang suddenly came to his senses, Wei Fangzheng's voice was like thunder in the sky. Living in Changshou Tang, who dares to offend Wei Fangzheng? This is called a parental official, as the saying goes, "County officials are not as good as current managers!"

  "What? I remember that Old Lady Xiao and Young Master Xiao rented your courtyard for only 150 coins a month. When did it become 350 coins? Your heart is too black!"

  "Hmm..." Chen Shanliang looked wronged, he wasn't a fool, and naturally, he could also sense the change in Wei Fang's attitude and the meaning behind Xiao Jia's old lady's words. So, he had to explain tactfully, "Didn't you say you wanted to buy this courtyard from me? And said you'd give me three taels of silver? I thought I'd open a price to drive them away..."

  "You fart!" Wei Fang Zheng was so anxious that his veins burst out, and he rushed to Chen Shanliang with a fierce look, "When did I say I wanted to buy this broken house?!"

  Chen Shanliang didn't dare to argue with Fang Zheng, so he could only look embarrassed, lowering his head under the gaze of the people around him, as if he had indeed become a black-hearted old scoundrel who had fallen into the abyss of money.

  At this time, Wei Fang turned around and slapped himself in the face, licking his face and laughing: "I'm a scoundrel, I'm a scoundrel, actually scolding in front of the old lady, polluting the old lady's ears, really deserving of death..."

  The main gate of Princess Taiping's mansion. Hundreds of scholars who did not have the opportunity to attend the literary meeting were still gathered here and had not left, they were still waiting to see who would come next.

  At 9:30 (author's note), from a distance, it seemed that the procession was starting to appear at the corner of the street. As the procession turned halfway around the corner, people couldn't help but jump in surprise - it really was an imperial carriage!

  At this time, everyone knelt down in a flurry, and the reverence of the people of Tang Dynasty and scholars for imperial power was absolutely heartfelt.

  Of course, the sedan chair stopped in front of the princess's mansion, and it was inevitable that some sly people would lift their heads to take a sneak peek. When they saw clearly that the person who got out of the sedan chair was actually a shabbily dressed scholar, they almost cried out in surprise.

  Xiao Ting got off the carriage after Taiping Princess, and heard the doorman at the gate loudly shouting "Greetings", as if he was afraid that those onlookers wouldn't hear him. He couldn't help but shake his head, thinking to himself that after today's incident, he would definitely become an enemy of the Princess of Chang'an!

  When he got off the carriage with Taiping, he naturally had to wait for the imperial sedan chair to enter the mansion first. At this time, those onlookers who were still kneeling on the ground and didn't dare to get up couldn't help but scratch their hearts, looking at each other in dismay. Finally, someone couldn't bear it anymore and shouted loudly, "Hey, Mr. Xiao, what are you doing? You actually want the princess to use the imperial sedan chair to come and pick him up?"

  The Great Tang Dynasty was open and tolerant, especially to scholars, who were treated with double courtesy. Therefore, the scholars' loud shouts were not out of line. Instead, Taiping couldn't help but sneak a glance at Xiao Ting after hearing this, then smiled while biting her lip.

  Xiao Teng was naturally embarrassed, although he had already considered the possibility of encountering such situations on his way here, but when someone really asked him, he still felt speechless, mainly because he didn't want to cause trouble.

  "I was just a student at the Long'an County School, and I didn't think I'd come nor did I have the qualifications to come. But Princess, you insisted that I come, even using this imperial carriage to pressure me into coming, so..."

  What he said was of course the truth, and even meant to use these people's mouths to explain to those who might be hostile to him because of this matter. However, it is clear that he has never seen such a big scene in his life, so he has no experience at all, and before he finished speaking, those scholars were already indignantly shouting:

  "Wow, this kid really knows how to put on an act! Who do you think you are? Does Her Highness Princess have the right to force you to come?"

  "Exactly! From his tone, it seems like he's really reluctant to come, but humph, who knows if he's actually thrilled to death inside!"

  "Think of a small Long'an County School, what outstanding figures can it produce? Don't be ridiculous! Are you really Xiao Ting, a student of Long'an County School?"

  "I don't think so, look at that kid's clothes..."

  "Hey Xiao, if you don't want to go in, then let me take your place! I'll give you 10 taels of silver!"

  "Good grief, Second Ice, you're really shameless! You dare say that for just 10 taels of silver? I'll give you 50!"

  Xiao Zimei patted his forehead, if it weren't for the etiquette that had to be followed and waiting for the imperial carriage to enter the mansion first, he really wanted to flee immediately. What's all this!

  Turning her head, she saw Tai Ping smiling with an innocent face, and he couldn't help but glare at her fiercely.

  Why does she still seem like a little girl who likes playing pranks?

  It wasn't easy to get in, but finally they made it. Taiping's ghost grinned mischievously and said with a tilted head, "Xiao, shall we go in? There are still hundreds of people waiting for you inside!"