Princess Huayang Wins Poetry Competition

"Saying you are uncultured is you having self-awareness, but being uncultured is indeed just being uncultured."

Li Shimin couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Don't you see who is sitting here? Earning a million a year? Aren't you cursing us in reverse? Earning a million a day is more like it."

Saying that, he also imitated Zhu Yuanzhang and raised his wine glass, toasting everyone. "Old Zhu is uncultured, so don't lower yourselves to his level. I wish everyone here can earn a million a day."

With that, he drank it all in one gulp.

"Mr. Qin, I also toast you a glass."

Ying Zheng spoke to Qin Ning. After tossing his drink back in one gulp, he continued, "Sir has helped my Great Qin so much, I really can't think of how to repay you. If you don't mind, sir, how about I marry Huayang to you?"

Princess Huayang, Ying Shiman, was Qin Shi Huang's eldest daughter and the current eldest princess of Great Qin. Fusu's older sister, she was now twenty years old, naturally beautiful, and still unmarried.

"This..."

Hearing this, Qin Ning was a bit speechless.

Before he could respond, Li Shimin beside him quickly said, "Sir, I have also had this idea for a long time. If you don't mind, I will betroth Chang'le to you. How about it?"

At this moment, Li Lizhi was walking out of the kitchen carrying a plate of appetizers. Hearing Li Shimin's words, she couldn't help but blush.

"Lizhi, are you willing?"

Li Shimin looked at her. He had to seize the initiative and couldn't let Ying Zheng get there first.

"Everything is up to Father," Li Lizhi said shyly, her voice as quiet as a mosquito.

"This..."

Qin Ning was dumbfounded. They were just drinking, so how did these two suddenly want to marry off their daughters?

"I remember in history, in the seventh year of Zhenguan, which is next year, Princess Chang'le is supposed to be married to Zhangsun Chong?" Cai Cheng suddenly said.

Zhou Ping'an slapped his forehead. "You already said it's in history, hasn't it not happened yet? Besides, Princess Chang'le and Zhangsun Chong are close relatives. In our later generations, this is simply not allowed."

"Oh?"

Hearing this, a look of curiosity appeared on Li Shimin's face.

He indeed previously had the thought of marrying Chang'le to Zhangsun Chong, but now such thoughts had long been thrown completely out the window.

After all, how could the Zhangsun family be as important as Qin Ning?

If he could marry Chang'le to Qin Ning and become in-laws, it would be hard for the Great Tang not to soar in the future.

However, what he didn't understand was Zhou Ping'an saying that Li Lizhi and Zhangsun Chong were considered close relatives?

Actually, during the Great Tang period, there were indeed laws stating that close relatives could not marry.

But it was different from later generations.

The Great Tang considered close relatives to be those within three generations of the same surname; cousins of different surnames were not included.

Looking at it now, could cousins also count?

"Sir, could it be that in your later generations, cousins are also within the scope of close relatives?" he couldn't help but ask.

Zhou Ping'an nodded. "Of course, cousins within three generations are also considered close relatives. Where we come from, they are forbidden to marry, because children born from close-relative marriages are often disabled or have congenital defects."

Not only Li Shimin, but Qin Shi Huang was equally surprised. "There is actually such a thing?"

"Heh..."

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Our Great Ming doesn't have this kind of thing. Although we are uncultured, we also know the dangers of close-relative marriages. Therefore, we specially promulgated the Great Ming Code, explicitly forbidding close relatives within five degrees of mourning from marrying. The so-called five degrees include those of the same surname, paternal cousins, and maternal cousins. Violators are punished with caning and forced divorce."

"Actually, these things are quite easy to investigate in ancient times. You just need to send people to collect statistics on people who married close relatives versus non-close relatives, and look at whether the children they gave birth to are more prone to early death to know," Zhou Ping'an said.

Li Shimin said, "No need to go to so much trouble. Since you have said so, sir, then it definitely can't be wrong. Why should I waste effort doing an investigation? Wouldn't that be doing something unnecessary?"

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke up, "Sir, actually we also have a daughter, whose age is exactly suitable for you right now, named Zhu Wanning..."

Seeing that Li Shimin and Ying Zheng were both about to marry their daughters to Qin Ning, how could his Great Ming fall behind others?

No matter what, he had to firmly tie the relationship between the Great Ming and Qin Ning together.

"I've drank a bit too much today, let's talk about this later."

Qin Ning was helpless, dropped this sentence, and then directly got up and went upstairs.

...

Late at night, after Li Shimin and the others had eaten and drank their fill, they dispersed.

Ying Zheng returned to the Xianyang Palace.

The first thing he did was send someone to call Princess Huayang, Ying Shiman, over.

"Father."

The eldest princess, Ying Shiman, was well-behaved and clever, naturally beautiful, and well-educated.

It was precisely because of this that she, like her tenth sister Ying Yinman, was deeply loved by Qin Shi Huang.

"Why is Father drinking? Could it be that you have some vexing matter?"

As soon as she walked close, Ying Shiman smelled the strong scent of alcohol on Qin Shi Huang, and couldn't help but frown. "Father, drinking harms the body, it is better to exercise some restraint."

Only Ying Shiman dared to speak to Qin Shi Huang like this. If it were any other prince or princess, including Fusu, who would dare to say an extra word?

"It's fine, Father is strong and healthy now, drinking a few more glasses is no big deal."

Qin Shi Huang smiled and spoke, and then had Ying Shiman sit in front of him, continuing, "Shiman, during this period of time, have you been curious as to why so many bizarre things have suddenly appeared in the palace, including those electric lights that can shine as bright as day during the night."

The matter of Great Qin connecting with later generations was only known by the true ministers in the court and a few princes.

A princess like Ying Shiman, because she lived deep within the palace boudoirs and rarely showed her face, still did not know exactly what was going on.

She only knew that in her bedchamber, during this period of time, many strange things had indeed appeared.

Like electric lights, electric fans, and the like.

These things were all sent by Ying Zheng to be installed for her. As for where they actually came from, Ying Shiman did not know.

"You haven't seen Ying Yinman for quite a long time either, right? Are you curious where she went?" Ying Zheng asked again.

Ying Shiman nodded. "If Father does not speak of it, your daughter naturally dares not ask too much."

"Tonight Father called you over, precisely to tell you these things, and at the same time, there is a very important matter that requires you to do," Ying Zheng said.

"Father only needs to give the order, your daughter will definitely not fail her father's command."

"Our Great Qin, some time ago, received the help of a gentleman. He comes from over two thousand years in the future, and is the true and only immortal in this world."

"Future generations? Immortal?"

Hearing this, Ying Shiman was surprised.

She had thought of many possibilities, but she never imagined that what her father was going to say would actually be this.

Whether it was the talk of future generations or immortals, to her ears, it was all too outrageous. It was hard to imagine that such things could really exist.

But thinking of the electric lights and fans in her bedchamber, Ying Shiman suddenly felt that this was not impossible.

Besides, her father had no reason to deceive her, right?

"It's like this, you are not young anymore. Over the past two years, Father has actually been looking for a good family for you, but unfortunately, I haven't found a suitable one."

Hearing this, Ying Shiman finally caught on. She asked in astonishment, "Father, do you mean... you intend to betroth your daughter to that immortal from the future?"

In her subconscious mind, immortals were always figures with long flowing beards and snow-white hair, countless years older than even her own father.

However, since her father had already spoken, Ying Shiman knew that as his daughter, she had no choice in the matter.

She could not help but let out a long, silent sigh in her heart.

Ying Zheng smiled. As if seeing right through her thoughts, he explained, "The gentleman is actually about the same age as your older brother. Wake up early tomorrow and come here; I shall take you to meet him then."