Chapter 12 The Emperor's Relatives

  Wishing everyone a happy Lantern Festival! Enjoy the flower lanterns and find beautiful ladies!

  Kong Yingda sat quietly like a clock, carefully looking at the children in the house, including boys and girls, old and young, from 8 to 18 years old. It can be said that it's a combination of elementary school to high school. It can be seen how busy Kong Yingda was, having to be both a teacher and a nanny. Suddenly, a little girl with two small braids on the back of her head cried out: "Mr. Kong, you have to help me reason, my elder brother took away my cloth doll!"

  Fang Yi'ai almost burst out laughing at this scene. This little girl was only seven or eight years old, and her voice was still so childish, yet she knew how to tattle. Kong Yingda took one look and was already used to such things, furrowing his brow as he said to the little boy next to the little girl, "Li Zhi, you should know that as an older brother, you must learn to yield. Quickly return the cloth doll to Ming Da!"

  "Oh, sir, I was wrong. I'll just return the doll to Little Xuzi." Li Zhi said unwillingly with a sullen face, and Li Mingda's small face suddenly cleared up. Fang Yuyao saw this situation and felt a wave of nausea in her stomach. Is this really the future Emperor Gaozong of Tang and Princess Jin Yang? This is just too ridiculous! With Li Zhi's lecherous appearance, how can he possibly be emperor material? Fang Yuyao couldn't take it anymore and burst out laughing while leaning on the table. At that moment, a girl sitting in front of her turned around with a smile and asked: "Hey, Fang Jun, what are you laughing at?"

  "Beautiful lady, what does Mr. Kong look like now?" Fang Yiai asked in a low voice.

  The beauty looked confused, rubbed her head and thought for half a day but still couldn't figure it out, so she asked reluctantly: "What does it look like?"

  "Goodness gracious, don't you think Mr. Kong is like a nanny now?"

  The beautiful woman widened her eyes, thought for a moment, and realized that Mr. Kong was now like a nanny coaxing children, so she couldn't help but laugh out loud too, unfortunately, her laughter was a bit loud. Kong Yingda heard the laughter and shouted with a stern face: "Li Xueyan, stand up for me! Don't you know that it's not allowed to make noise in class? Look at your appearance, what kind of example are you setting?" Fang Yiai watched Li Xueyan with schadenfreude, hugging her arms and looking at her beautiful figure, thinking: "How could such a great beauty be wasted on that barbarian Song Zan?"

  "Sorry, sir. I didn't mean to do that just now. I won't dare to do it again next time, so please forgive me this once." Li Xueyan stood up and pretended to be pitiful, her two small hands still clutching at the hem of her clothes.

  Kong Yingda raised his white eyebrows, although he was a strict person, but he couldn't be too harsh on a little girl like her. He waved his hand and said: "Sit down, next time you make the same mistake, I won't let you off easily!"

  Li Xueyan stuck out her tongue and sat down obediently, making a face at Fang Yiai, who smiled. This future Princess Wencheng was quite cute, but who knows what expression she would have when she found out she had to marry Songtsen Gampo? At the age of 13, Li Xueyan was carefree and happy, with life being so beautiful for her. Fang Yiai thought that making peace through marriage was useless - if it worked, why would they need an army? If Songtsen Gampo wanted to make peace, why didn't he propose earlier instead of after his defeat? In short, Songtsen Gampo was a despicable person who only used the proposal as an excuse for a ceasefire. Fang Yiai couldn't understand why Emperor Taizong agreed to this marriage, even when the Tang Dynasty's finances were in trouble - Tibet was also struggling, so why did they need to make peace? Fang Yiai believed that without the marriage, Songtsen Gampo wouldn't have dared to attack again because behind Tibet was another powerful country, and it would be like the story of the snipe and the clam, where both sides would lose and a third party would gain.

  After class was over, Li Xueyan turned her head and lay on Fang Yu's desk, pouting and saying: "Stinky Fang Jun, it's all your fault, I almost got hit by the board."

  "I say, Miss Li, it seems like you can't help but laugh out loud, but why are you laughing so loudly!" Fang Yiai looked down on Li Xueyan with disdain. Obviously, it was her own problem, but she had to shift the blame onto others. Women were often unreasonable like that.

  "Hmph, it's you who's wrong. Otherwise, why would I be laughing? I don't care, you must give me something special or else." Li Xueyan indeed played up her feminine strengths, nagging and pestering, not listening to reason. Towards Li Xueyan's behavior, Fang Yiai also lost his temper, and smilingly said: "In that case, I'll ask you a question then? I guarantee you've never heard this one before."

  "Hmm, then speak up quickly, I, Miss, have never been cornered before?" Li Xueyan said very confidently.

  "Hmm, then I'll ask you, what's the difference between the two characters for man and woman?" Fang Yi'ai asked with a smile. Li Xueyan furrowed her brow and thought for half a day but couldn't come up with an answer. "Fang Jun, what kind of question is this? There's no answer!" she said discontentedly. Fang Yi'ai pouted and pointed at Li Xueyan, saying: "Miss Li, the question I asked is very simple, there must be an answer! If you don't believe me, let Xiao Chuo come over, he'll definitely know the answer."

  Li Xueyan looked at Fang Yiai with a hint of doubt and called out to Li Mingda, who was playing with a doll: "Mingda, come here for a moment, Xueyan has something to ask you." Li Mingda ran over, biting his finger and asking in a soft voice: "Xueyan sister, what's the matter? Can Xiao Chuo help?" Fang Yiai saw Li Mingda's adorable expression and was delighted. He picked him up and put him on his lap, laughing as he said: "Xiao Chuo, it's like this - Brother Yiai is asking you a very simple question. What's the difference between these two characters for 'male' and 'female'?"

  "Hehe, Yí ài Gēge, are you really asking this question? Let me answer this question, but Yí ài Gēge must agree to one condition," Li Míngdá said in a soft and sweet voice, her two braids swinging back and forth. Fáng Yí ài smiled wryly, thinking that this little devil was already learning how to make demands at such a young age. He couldn't help but gently scratch Li Míngdá's small nose and laugh: "Okay, say it, what do you want? Gēge will definitely buy it for you!"

  "Brother Yai, you're not allowed to go back on your word, Xiao Chui wants a big doll, and you must get one for Xiao Chui. If you can't do it, Xiao Chui will let Father Emperor spank you!" Li Mingda said with a smile, while threatening him. Fang Yai rolled his eyes, thinking what kind of request this was, but it turned out to be something so trivial. He burst out laughing and said: "Xiao Chui, don't worry, Brother Yai will definitely get you a big doll, just as big as me, how about that?"

  "Haha, really? You can't cheat me, okay, let's make a bet." Li Mingda stretched out a small finger and hooked it with Fang Yiai, then smiled and said: "The question you asked just now was so easy, I knew the answer right away. The two words 'male' and 'female' are obviously written differently, aren't they? Brother Yiai, don't ask me such simple questions in the future, okay? Little Mingda is very smart."

  Fang Yi Ai laughed heartily after hearing Li Ming Da's words and praised: "Ah, Xiao Chuo Zi, you are really too clever! It seems that this question is not difficult for you at all, haha!" Xiao Chuo Zi smiled happily, while Li Xue Yan's face turned red like a monkey's buttocks. It turned out that the problem was indeed so simple, and she couldn't understand why she hadn't thought of it herself. Fang Yi Ai guaranteed it for half a day before Li Ming Da happily jumped down from Fang Yi Ai's leg and returned to his own seat. Seeing Li Xue Yan's embarrassed face, Fang Yi Ai smiled and said: "Xue Yan, what do you think? I told you this question was simple, right? In fact, we all easily make this mistake, often taking simple things and complicating them."

  Li Xueyan nodded after hearing Fang Yiai's words, and looked at him with a deep gaze, this guy understands quite a lot. Li Xueyan found it strange that such a reasonable person would have the title of "dandy", in Chang'an City, apart from Du He and Du Qinglian, there was only Fang Jun and Fang Yiai, plus Longsun Chong in the past, they were simply the three biggest dandies of the Tang Dynasty. However, now that Longsun Chong is married, his younger brother Longsun Ruan has taken over his title and continues to be a dandy.

  Fang Yi'ai and Li Xueyan were chatting happily when they heard a sarcastic voice from beside them: "Haha, Fang the second, how did you learn to read? Not climbing on rooftops anymore? I heard that you fell off the rooftop but didn't get hurt at all. It seems your face is really thick."

  Fang Yi'ai didn't even lift his head, and asked Li Xueyan: "Xueyan, whose beast is this that's so rude? Is it your little dog? I'm not blaming you, but how can you let the dog come out and bite people at will?"

  "Fang Jun, what nonsense are you talking about? My dog is very obedient. If I tell it to go east, it will never go west." Li Xueyan almost burst out laughing when she heard Fang Yiai's words. This guy was really talented, he could even scold people without using dirty words. However, Li Xueyan still managed to hold back her laughter and continued to play along.

  "Fang Jun, watch yourself, do you know who I am?" a man said angrily.

  "Oh, brother, it seems you also know my name? Then why were you so lacking in demeanor just now?" Fang Yiai stood up and said to the guy in front of him, who was quite majestic with several younger brothers behind him. Before the main person could speak, a handsome young man wearing a white robe stepped out and pointed at Fang Yiai with disdain: "Fang Jun, listen well, this is the second son of the Longsun family, Longsun Ruan."

  "Oh, so he's Zhang Sun Mo. And who are you?" Fang Yi Ai asked with a smile, really not expecting that on the first day of school, someone from the Zhang Sun family would show up. It seems that the Zhang Sun family is really taking care of the Fang family, not even letting off their own spoiled son.

  "Hmph, Fang Jun, I am Chai Lingwu, the son of Duke Huo." Upon hearing Chai Lingwu's words, Fang Yiai was filled with puzzlement. How did she manage to offend so many members of the royal family on her first day at the Imperial Academy? Fortunately, Princess Pingyang had passed away early, or else who knows how arrogant this Chai Lingwu would have become?

  The house wants to be quiet but the wind won't stop, and there are always things that come looking for it!

  "Master Changsun, I don't know what business you have with me. If it's nothing important, please leave. I'm very busy." Fang Yiai said to Changsun Ruan with a smirk, just a second-generation rich kid, no need to be afraid of him.

  "Fang Yi'ai, how dare you speak like this! The Second Master can talk to you, that's already giving you face. How can you be so ungrateful and arrogant?" Chai Lingwu was now very displeased with Fang Yi'ai, who was being so presumptuous.

  "Chai Lingwu, do you know how stupid you are now? You've disgraced the face of Princess Pingyang. Remember that you're the son of Princess Pingyang, not someone's dog. If I were you, I would kneel in front of Princess Pingyang's grave and repent." Fang Yiai coldly scolded Chai Lingwu, and she wasn't lying. How could Princess Li Xiu Ning give birth to such an incompetent son? If it weren't for the reputation of Princess Pingyang holding him up, what would Chai Shao amount to?"

  "You... you... Fang Yuai, I will make you pay the price!" Chai Lingwu said as he turned and walked away. Although he hated Fang Yuai, he didn't want to deal with Zhang Sunyan anymore either. What Fang Yuai said was right - Chai Lingwu had the blood of Princess Pingyang flowing through his veins, he had the noble royal bloodline, how could he be a slave to Zhang Sunyan?

  Chang Sun Bian took one look at Fang Yi's residence and suddenly, with just two sentences, squeezed out Chai Lingwu. Frowning, he coldly said: "Fang Lao Er, let's wait and see!"

  Chang Sun Ran led a group of younger brothers and walked away in a huff. Li Xueyan thought for a moment, furrowed her brow and said: "Fang Jun, you'd better be more careful from now on. This Chang Sun Ran is just like his brother, notorious for seeking revenge. He may not dare to do anything at the academy, but outside, he'll definitely cause trouble for you." Fang Yi'ai nodded in agreement, and from the look in Chang Sun Ran's eyes when he left, it was clear that this guy was absolutely not a good person, and probably his own days would be difficult from now on.

  The ancient years can't bury the long song, coming to the Tang Dynasty must live out a few points of style.