Chapter 33 - The Little Cotton-Padded Jacket Starts Leaking Air!

It was evident that Li Er didn't believe that Su Li's hand could have created such calligraphy. With Li Er's discerning eye, it was clear that this was a pioneering and distinctive calligraphy style.

As Li Er had mentioned earlier, Zhu Suiliang had been immersed in the art of calligraphy for many years, fully grasping the essence of the calligraphic masters. With his own style, he had the potential to establish a new school of calligraphy. However, there was still a gap in the level of calligraphy displayed in the two lines of residual poetry by Su Li.

And who was Su Li? A peasant! Li Er thought.

Su Li's calligraphy was unique, yet it also carried the influence of Cai Yong, Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi, and Chu Suiliang. It was the kind of calligraphy that made sense.

But how could a peasant acquire these masterpieces of ink from renowned artists to observe and learn from?

Moreover, how old was Su Li?

According to Li Er's investigation, Su Li was only twenty-three years old when he was brought in for the wedding.

And according to the investigation, Su Li's family moved to Longyou in the sixth year of the Wu De period, and Su Li himself did not receive any formal education. So the question arises… How did an uneducated peasant like Su Li learn to read and write?

Setting aside reading and literacy, how could an uneducated peasant possess calligraphy skills that even Zhu Suiliang, who had immersed himself in calligraphy for many years, could not match? How could Su Li even create his own style?

Furthermore, it was worth considering that before this, Su Li was a simple peasant. However, he was able to convince the imperial physician to change the way Princess Changle was cared for. The physician even acknowledged Su Li's limited knowledge of medicine.

Initially, Li Er didn't pay much attention to this, as in this era, it was quite common for peasants and common people to have some knowledge of medical books and prescriptions, especially given the difficulty and expense of seeking medical treatment.

Indeed, the situation was quite different now. Su Li had mastered a unique and powerful calligraphy style that was enough to establish his own school.

And it was a unique calligraphy that Li Er had never seen before, clearly not belonging to anyone else. Truly, it was highly unlikely for an ordinary peasant to master such a unique skill as calligraphy. He couldn't achieve that even if he were wealthy. Copying so many ancient works of art required more than just money.

It was worth noting that under Su Li's care for a month, Princess Changle's complexion improved significantly, even surpassing her previous condition before she fainted.

Li Er was overcome with suspicion and confusion as he hastily walked out of the palace gate but suddenly halted in his tracks.

"Summon the imperial physician at once!" he commanded.

Following that, he departed from the palace accompanied by the imperial physician.

...

The Princess's residence… At this moment, Su Li had finished the daily massage and care for Princess Changle and was holding her as usual, telling her stories to earn extra points.

Suddenly, a female court attendant hurriedly arrived. "Your Highness has arrived, Lord Husband…"

Su Li couldn't help but display a hint of helplessness on his face. Today was turning out to be quite peculiar—first, Princess Changle's mother paid a visit, and now the Emperor.

The Empress's visit wasn't an issue since it wouldn't affect Su Li's accumulation of points. Plus, he could gain a deeper understanding of the politics of the Tang Dynasty through her presence.

But what about Li Er?

Upon arrival, he immediately wanted to dismiss Su Li and have a private conversation with Princess Changle. This had no benefits for Su Li and even delayed his point-gathering activities. What bothered Su Li the most was that Li Er didn't even spare him a proper glance, making Su Li naturally dislike him.

However, whether he liked it or not, Su Li had no right to refuse… Well, it's more appropriate to say, "After all, he is Princess Changle's biological father, Su Li's father-in-law, and the chairman and CEO of the Tang Dynasty Corporation."

"Greetings, Your Majesty…" Su Li respectfully stood up while still holding Princess Changle.

Li Er didn't hesitate and took Princess Changle from Su Li's arms, just as before.

Su Li had no choice but to bow respectfully.

"For now, step back…" Li Er glanced at Su Li and spoke.

Su Li had no option but to leave…

Whenever Li Er came, he wanted to have a private conversation with Princess Changle. Su Li had grown accustomed to it. After all, Li Er was known in history for being a person with direct and passionate emotions.

According to historical records, this is how Li Er wrote to his daughter Li Zhi in two letters that were posted within the palace.

"I have received two imperial decrees but have not seen your letter. Your father is worried, sick and feels like dying. I have received news from Liaodong, and I am sending a letter in response. I recall that you once expressed a desire to die but did not know how. Your father gives you his command."

During his expedition to Goguryeo, Li Er and his daughter Li Zhi lived apart and corresponded through letters. As a result, there were two occasions when Li Er received the internal memorials but did not see Li Zhi's letter. Li Er wrote down his thoughts twice.

Well, it was somewhat like this:

"My daughter, I have received two copies of the big internal memorial, yet I still have not received a letter from you. Your father is deeply worried. However, just now, I unexpectedly received a letter from you, written in your own hand, informing me about your mother's illness. Instantly, my worries and fears vanished. It felt as if I had been brought back from the dead. Henceforth, if you experience headaches or fall ill, immediately write and inform me. Similarly, I shall do the same for you if I become unwell. Today, I received news from Liaodong, and I am sharing it with you. I miss you greatly and long for the day we can be reunited. That is all I have to say, Father."

Interesting! It appeared that in a previous life, Su Li had the opportunity to read the original text of "Li Er's Two Letters" and found it amusing, particularly the part where he expressed, "Thinking of you makes me want to die," which was rather cheesy.

From this, it could be deduced that when Li Er had private conversations with Changle, he probably wanted to express some cheesy words but felt embarrassed to let his son-in-law hear them.

Alright, let's set aside Li Er's terrible deeds, such as killing his brothers and forcing his father to abdicate the throne. However, on the other hand he seemed to possess a down-to-earth nature.

In terms of his personality, Li Er was known for being both romantic and vulgar in his language, as well as having a tendency to show off. Nevertheless, compared to other emperors, he was considered to have a relatively decent personality.

"Beautiful maiden…" Li Er embraced Princess Changle and began his unique expression of affection for her, which was exclusive to him as the Phoenix.

"Yeye is occupied with state affairs and has been visiting less frequently lately, but Yeye still holds Lizi dear in his heart…"

(ED Note: The term "Yeye" is used by Li Er to refer to himself as the father or grandfather, expressing affection and familiarity.)

Li Er's expressions were filled with purity and sincerity. One of his famous lines was, "I miss you so much that I'm dying to see you."

There were numerous emotional expressions from Li Er, ranging from happiness upon seeing Changle's improved complexion to sadness when she remained in a coma. His expressions often conveyed extreme distress.

Compared to Changsun Wu Fei, Li Er seemed to display more resentment, resembling a woman overwhelmed by emotions. Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes as he spoke, reflecting his profound emotions and a strong sense of duty.

Initially, Changle was deeply moved by Li Er's genuine feelings. After all, she was in a state of panic and easily swayed by the affection of her beloved father. However, when Su Li came into her world, he instilled inner peace within her and granted her the courage to face everything. Su Li also stirred a newfound desire within her.

Although she couldn't see or touch him, she began to develop feelings for Su Li's presence and found herself unable to extricate herself from his influence.

"Now we come to this…"

If Princess Changle could make a facial expression, it would be happening right now. Changle preferred being held in Su Li's arms and listening to his stories rather than experiencing the discomfort caused by her father's actions. She wished Su Li would just stay by her side without saying anything, providing her comfort.

Unfortunately, every time her father came, he would drive Su Li away. At this moment, Li Er's rich emotional expressions did not realize that his little secret had begun to leak.