Living leisurely in Tang Dynasty

r even once asked Hou Junji the leader of the current expedition to Gaochang, to learn the art of war from him!

What Li Yuanying likes the most about Li Jing is his legendary stories.

I heard that Li Jing has many tricks up his sleeves when fighting.
There was a story about how he thought about a rather deadly method to deal with his opponents.
It was said that there was a kind of bird that likes to rest on thatched cottages and so he tied a string of explosive onto the birds and allowed them to fly off.
This made the houses of his enemies turn into flames, damaging large areas! This is really amazing and Li Yuanying feels that he wants to follow him to war to experience this!

Li Yuanying blabbered on in excitement to Sun Simiao who was listening attentively.
He finally agreed to made a trip to Duke Wei’s mansion.

Li Yuanying no longer thinks of himself as an outsider.
He discussed the timing with Li Dejian and the next day shamelessly followed Sun Simiao to the mansion.

In recent years, Li Jing has been suffering from foot problems and rarely receives guests.
He has a good relationship with his wife and ever since she fell ill has been how accompanying her while writing a military book.

Hearing that Li Yuanying and Sun Simiao is here, Li Jing came out to greet them in person and led them inside.

There were many rules and etiquette within the noble class but Li Jing is rather casual about it.
His mind is occupied with his wife’s condition and after a simple greeting, he requested Sun Simiao to visit his wife to examine her pulse.

The madam is already 60 and this is a delicate age when people are the weakest to illnesses.
Even if it’s just a common cold, it’ll take much longer than younger people to recover.

The doctor took Hongfu’s (Li Jing’s wife) pulse and asked about her recent diet.
He concluded that the situation is not ideal.
After thinking, he wrote down a few suitable prescriptions and told Li Jing to ensure treatment is carried out at the right pace.
You’ll need to first properly condition the body and never rush it by overdosing on medicine.

Li Jing who was sitting by his wife’s side held her hand tightly.
With his other hand, he gently patted the back of  her hand: “I’m afraid you’ll have to suffer a little more and stay with me for a few more years.”

Hong Fu smiled at him, even though her face was haggard and her breathing weak, her smile still shows a hint of the beauty she once was.

Li Yuanying watched ignorantly from the side since he didn’t quite understand the love and relationship between a couple yet.

His mother was only 20 when she gave birth to him but his father was already in his early 60s.
Mother was very obedient and didn’t dare say a word to father, it didn’t feel like they were a real couple.
Later when he witness how his older brother and sister-in-law got along, he thought that an ordinary couple should live by helping and respecting each other but always with proper etiquette.

But now seeing Li Jing and Hong Fu’s relationship, he felt that this was way better; without much formalities or etiquette, just accompaniment and intimacy until old age!

Both guests stayed to have a meal and after that they boy didn’t want to leave yet.
He then strolled around to see the birds and animals that Li Jing raised at home.

Li Jing was a master in domesticating birds and beasts in his early years.
Since he no longer likes going out, he has quite a lot of them at home.
Seeing Li Yuanying’s interest, Li Jing personally brought him around and introduced each species to him one by one.

Strolling in the garden where the birds and beasts were kept, Li Yuanying discovered an elephant.
It’s rumored that someone from the south gave it to him when he was on a mission in Ling Nan region to appease the mountainous people.

Elephants are big with ears the size of a fan and a long trunk.
In some places, elephants were trained to carry things and some were trained as an “elephant army” to fight in wars!

Li Yuanying imagined a thousand elephants fighting with their soldiers on their backs.
He felt that the sound of their footsteps might be as loud as thunder from the sky and there would be billowing waves of dust on the ground!

His eyes lit up and he was not afraid of the huge creature in front of him.
He asked Li Jing, “Can I ride the elephant?”

Li Jing knew that Li Yuanying was bold but he didn’t expect him to be so daring.
He likes children with this personality the most.
He nodded his head and summoned the servant in charge of the elephant to carefully carry Li Yuanying onto the back of it.

Li Yuanying was excited that he successfully climbed onto the elephant’s back with the help of the servants.
He was a tiny child and compared to the elephant, was not even as thick as the diameter of its leg but the child was not afraid.
He told the handler to direct the elephant to walk around.

The accompanying guards saw Prince Teng sitting on an elephant and beckoned to Li Jing and Sun Simiao in panic.
If Li Yuanying fell and was injured, their heads will roll!

Li Yuanying was fearless and rode on the back of the elephant for a long time.
He soon lost interest and happily followed Sun Simiao to bid goodbye to Li Jing.

After returning to the palace, the boy went to play with his friends and again boasted about his adventure riding an elephant.

The elephant has thick legs, big ears, a big nose, and a long trunk and its back is wide making it completely different from a horse’s back.
It’s very stable! He went on to tell his friends about the “Elephant army” story he’s heard about from Li Jing.
Anyway, all very fun and exciting!

Sizi and the others didn’t like exciting things and so they just found it fun listening to the story.
Gao Yang was different, she loves excitement and lively playtime and learned how to ride since she was a young child, and played polo very well.
All her royal brothers liked bringing her out to play.

After listening to the story, Gao Yang wanted to visit Li Jing’s mansion but the Emperor had given strict orders not to allow Li Yuanying to bring his girls out of the palace again.

When you say No to a child, it makes them want to attempt it even more.
The more Gao Yang thought about it, the more she wanted to experience riding an elephant.
She found an opportunity and visited His Majesty to show her affection saying that her young uncle was going to Duke Wei’s mansion to ride an elephant and she wants to do it too!

Li Er listened to the whole story.
Seriously? Not only is his b*stard brother playing with fire by indulging in such risky activity but he even instigated Gao Yang to join him!

Their small body wouldn’t even cover half the surface area that an elephant can step on!

His Majesty immediately summoned Li Yuanying to him for a scolding.
He ordered him to re-copy the <> which he had not finished from the start again.
Do not even miss a single word! Gao Yang is also to carry out the same punishment with him and no one was allowed to go out until they are done.
He even instructed people to observe them at all times!

After punishing the two brats, Li Er was still angry so he asked someone to visit Li Jing and instructed that Li Yuanying is not to be allowed visitation rights to his residence ever.
Just kick him out if he visits again in the future.

Li Yuanying and Gao Yang were escorted back to carry out their punishment.

Li Yuanying is unhappy about Gao Yang’s good deeds and had a lot to say about it: “Are you stupid? How can you just bluntly ask your father the Emperor something like this?  to let you ride, Even if you just think with your toes you would know that he’ll never allow you to do something like this, okay? And I get dragged in for nothing!”

Gao Yang feel that she was being wronged: “Who ask you to say it was so FUN! I didn’t manage to experience the fun but now I’m being punished with you.
Ain’t I much worse off than you?!”

The two of them sighed and reluctantly sat side by side and started their punishment copying books.

The author has something to say:

Little Prince: Pig teammate!

Little Gao Yang: No, I am not!