After Marrying a Vegetative Princess, I went crazy with joy! - Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Observing Changle’s current state, it was evident that she was doing well and could even be described as extremely content. Li Xueyan felt a mixture of joy for her close friend and a sense of relief. They continued to chat for a while.

“Li Zhi, since you’ve already recovered, why haven’t you had the urge to go out and have fun? I heard that you’ve hardly left the estate during this time.” Li Xueyan suddenly asked.

Upon hearing this, Changle’s cheeks turned red, and she couldn’t help glancing at her husband. The culture in the Tang Dynasty was quite liberal and open, not imposing strict restrictions on young women’s activities.

When the weather was good, it was common to see young women from noble families enjoying outings on the outskirts of Changan.

Even when the weather was unfavorable, unmarried women who were acquainted with each other would often invite one another for various activities. So, the lives of Tang Dynasty noblewomen were colorful and not vastly different from those of ordinary men.

Changle was still quite young and had been cherished by Li Er and his wife since childhood, giving her a lively disposition. Before falling ill, she enjoyed going out and having fun.

However, circumstances had changed. She used to feel restless and bored staying in the Princess Mansion alone, prompting her to venture out. Otherwise, prolonged isolation could lead to a sense of unease.

But now, with her husband by her side, Changle considered each day spent with him to be the happiest. She regretted not having more time to be close to him and couldn’t bear being separated from him. Gradually, she simply stopped going out altogether.

“Well, I’ve just recently recovered, and when I think about it, I don’t find anything particularly interesting outside. Staying at home is fine,” Changle blushed and spoke softly.

Li Xueyan smiled and replied, “That won’t do. Since you’ve just recovered, getting out and moving around is important. It’ll improve your mood and aid in your recovery.”

Changle nodded and thought, What could be more joyful than spending time with my husband?

At this point, Li Xueyan continued, “I just returned from Jiangxia, and many of my friends have been inactive for a while. I’m thinking of organizing a poetry gathering where we can enjoy flowers and compose poems. Changle, are you interested?”

For women from prominent families like them, one of the most common pastimes was reading and composing poetry.

Since the early days of the Tang Dynasty, it had shown remarkable momentum, affecting various aspects of society. In the literary realm alone, numerous renowned poets emerged, each with their own distinctive style.

From high-ranking officers in the court to reclusive hermits, as long as they possessed talent, their fame would inevitably spread far and wide.

For example, Yu Shinan, one of the twenty-four distinguished ministers of Lingyan Pavilion, was well-liked by the women of Changan for his graceful and refined poetry.

On the other hand, folk poets like Wang Ji often celebrated the pleasures of rural life and pastoral scenes in their verses. This held a distinct charm for the daughters of the aristocracy.

It could be said that organizing poetry gatherings and appreciating recently circulated poems were the major interests of these noble women. Nearly everyone was highly enthusiastic about it. Seeing Changle’s apparent reluctance, Li Xueyan thought she had become lazy from staying home for so long. These poetry gatherings often feature renowned scholars who showcased their poetic talents or evaluated poems. Of course, occasionally, there were also men from influential families who appeared at these gatherings. They might be potential suitors for some women or even their husbands, but that aspect doesn’t bother anyone.

So, she continued, “Knowing your nature, that you prefer not to interact with strangers, I’ve invited only familiar sisters this time, ensuring no dubious individuals. It’s been a while since we last met, so it’s perfect for exchanging literary insights and appreciating each other’s talents.”

Li Xueyan persisted in extending the invitation. However, sensing Changle’s reluctance, Li Xueyan couldn’t help but feel surprised and puzzled. In her understanding, Changle had always loved participating in such activities, rarely missing a chance. So, why was she displaying such a lack of interest?

Before encountering Su Li, Changle had quite enjoyed such games, but after a moment’s consideration, she discreetly looked at her husband again. Considering this, Changle felt that there wasn’t much appeal to it. She had engaged in these activities in the past, and sometimes, she even wrote a few poems when inspired. Although her age and experience were insufficient to craft genuine masterpieces, her poems were considered exceptional within their small social circle. Thus, in the eyes of her close friends, she was still an undisputed little literary talent.

In the past, she had relished these types of activities. However, she couldn’t muster enthusiasm for even the most interesting game if she couldn’t participate with her husband. Moreover, during this period, her husband had taken the time to write her a few poems.

After reading his poetry and recollecting the so-called masterpieces she had encountered at previous poetry gatherings, Changle found the experience rather unappealing. “Let’s just forget about it,” she decided after contemplating.

Li Xueyan was genuinely surprised at this response and couldn’t help but wonder. In her impression, Changle had a strong penchant for poetry and rarely missed out on any poetry gathering. Why this sudden lack of interest?

Just as Li Xueyan was about to inquire further, a gentle breeze blew in through the window, dislodging the paper that Changle had pinned to the desk, causing it to fall to the ground at Li Xueyan’s feet. She picked it up and casually glanced at it. Immediately, her attention was captured.

“Great handwriting!” Li Xueyan’s keen eye, as a member of the royal family, still held true. The handwriting was majestic and grand, extremely impressive. Li Xueyan asked with a smile, “Whose handwriting is this imitating?” Li Xueyan had seen her fair share of calligraphy experts, so this wasn’t uncommon.

It was now the Early Tang Dynasty and Changan City could be considered the most vibrant city in the world. Here, struggling talents could become the well-connected sons-in-law of the powerful with just one poem, propelling them to success. Countless unknown merchants unearthed their own wealth formulas here, achieving overnight riches. Whether they were talented knights-errant or wealthy elites, Changan was seen as the city of dreams and opportunities. The most talented individuals in the entire Tang Dynasty had gathered in Changan. As a result, the trends in the Changan literary world shifted rapidly.

Newly emerging calligraphy masters weren’t surprising, and Li Xueyan was used to it. She shifted her focus to the content on the paper and commented as she read, “Long and short verses… Lizhi, you know how to craft these?” Given that Su Li had been a peasant before becoming a consort, Li Xueyan couldn’t understand how he could write poetry.

At that time, the phonological formats of Tang Dynasty poetry were already quite sophisticated. Although long and short verses were permissible, those who wrote them well were often seen as lesser in the eyes of many. Li Xueyan assumed this was Changle’s playful creation, hence her casual tone.

However, as she read further, her eyes widened in surprise. “If two hearts remain intertwined for a prolonged period, can they still withstand the trials of day and night… Wow!”