Luo Li's calculation of the time was too conservative. The elite Song army that went on an expedition to the Western Region Uighur tribes and the Karakhanid Khanate invaded the enemy country with great momentum and were invincible.
Yang Yanzhao led several armies to move from east to west like a net. After three months of crushing war, he conquered the various Uighur tribes in Western Province and destroyed the Karakhanid Khanate.
Victory news came in frequently from the front lines. In the capital, as soon as the newsboys selling the "Da Song Daily" newspaper walked out of the courtyard with the ink-scented newspapers, they would be snatched away by the crowd gathered at the door, who would take out their coins to buy them.
Restaurants and teahouses are doing surprisingly good business. Eating and drinking tea are secondary. The main thing is to squeeze in and sit down to listen to the storyteller, who is excitedly gesticulating and describing every splendid battle fought by the army on the front line.
In the streets, in front of shops, and in brothels, the main topic of discussion was the arrival of the Song Dynasty's heyday, which was comparable to the Tang Dynasty's.
The country is strong and the people are stable. The people of Song, whether they are officials, merchants, peddlers, farmers or women, are all proud and confident. They respect and adore His Royal Highness the Regent, just like ordinary people believe in and worship gods. …
Empress Dowager Zhaoning held Little Hongdou in her arms and said to the Grand Empress Dowager with a smile, "Mother, my brother Cheng Haonan from my mother's family also made several remarkable achievements in this war between the Western Region Uighurs and the Karakhanid Khanate. In the end, he added a touch of glory to the Cheng family."
The Grand Empress Dowager, who knew her daughter-in-law, Empress Dowager Zhaoning's knot, reached out and patted the back of her hand to comfort her, "The great contributions your Cheng family made to the Song Dynasty in the past, are remembered by my mother and Defang!
After your father and brother did something stupid, you have been feeling upset and unhappy, and your mother and Li'er are both very distressed.
Fortunately, your second brother Cheng Haonan is a man of great righteousness. Now, he has fought hard for the Song Dynasty and made great contributions. The black mark on the Cheng family has been washed away. You should be happier in the future, take good care of yourself, and wait for the emperor to get married and choose a concubine, and then you can hold your grandson and enjoy the happiness of family life!"
Empress Dowager Zhaoning smiled with tears in her eyes, "Mother, I understand. Thank you for your love and Li'er's care. I will happily take care of myself and wait to hold my grandson and enjoy the happiness of family life."
Luo Li stepped forward and took over her daughter Xiao Hongdou who was "babbling", and said happily, "Imperial sister-in-law, you can untie your knot and be happy. Leave the recuperation of your body to Qin Yi, the divine doctor. This old disciple of mine is not as good as the Ghost Hand Poison Doctor in terms of poisoning people, but he is definitely a hundred times better than the Ghost Hand in terms of conditioning and maintaining the body!"
Empress Dowager Zhaoning laughed out loud, "Li'er, the disciples accepted by your Taiji Sect are all extraordinary people with extraordinary abilities.
What you, the Tai Chi master, have done is truly awe-inspiring and glorious."
Luo Li raised her chin proudly, "Of course! Who am I? I am the famous stupid princess Luo Naocang of the Song Dynasty. Of course, the disciples I accept are all extraordinary people with extraordinary abilities."
Little Hongdou held her mother's face with her chubby little hands and gave her two pats, "Pa, pa," to encourage and praise her proud mother.
The Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager Zhaoning covered their eyes with their hands and laughed, unable to bear to look at the proud face of the famously stupid Princess Luo Naocang of the Song Dynasty.
The Empress Dowager suppressed her laughter and put down her hand, looking at her daughter-in-law and praising her: "Our Li'er! She is such a joyful and lively girl.
When he is humorous, he makes people laugh happily; when he acts coquettishly and cutely, he makes people laugh so hard that their stomachs hurt; even when he is unruly and naughty, he can still make people laugh.
The Queen Mother spends every day with her, and lives a happy and comfortable life, with a young mind and a healthy body!"
Empress Dowager Zhaoning agreed with a smile, "Mother is absolutely right. Being with Li'er, no matter how depressed and lonely I am, I can be made happy and relieved by her."
Luo Li, who was praised by three people in succession, was so happy that she became complacent.
"Sister-in-law, I have told you many times that a woman's true happiness and joy requires the sweet nourishment of love. You are only in your thirties, in your prime and as beautiful as a flower. Finding a caring man to cherish and protect you is a happy and perfect life.
And mother, you are only in your forties, at the age when you are still charming and vigorous like a wolf..."
: "Li'er, stop talking nonsense!"
: "Shut up! Li'er, stop talking nonsense!"
Luo Li's words were interrupted by two angry rebukes. Empress Dowager Zhaoning's pretty face turned red with shame, and the Empress Dowager's old face turned red with anger and shame, and they both glared at her!
Luo Li, who was talking nonsense in a proud and complacent manner, realized that something was wrong, so she quickly turned around and ran away with her precious daughter Xiao Hongdou in her arms.
After leaving the house, he dared to utter a sentence quietly, "Alas! What two stubborn beautiful women! ..."
The maids serving inside and outside the room didn't dare to laugh but couldn't help laughing. They lowered their heads, their faces flushed red, and their bodies shook constantly.
The Empress Dowager's face flushed with embarrassment. She stood up and walked out, "I will go back to my own courtyard first. I can't come to Ning Xinyuan anymore."
Empress Dowager Zhaoning blushed with embarrassment and stood up to walk out. "I respectfully bid you farewell, mother. I have to go back to the palace. It's better not to come to Ningxin Garden in the future."
Luo Li, who had gotten into trouble, hid in the kitchen on the left wing with her precious daughter in her arms, and quietly peeked out through the window.
Tingting and Wanqiu Yingxue, who were busy in the kitchen, looked curiously at Luo Li, who was acting sneakily and with a guilty look on her face.
Tingting wiped her hands clean, stepped forward to take the little princess, and asked curiously, "Miss, what's wrong? Who are you hiding from?"
Luo Li watched through the window as the Grand Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Zhaoning walked out of Ning Xin Garden one after another with red faces, escorted by four palace maids, and breathed a sigh of relief!
Patting his chest, he replied to Tingting, "I was so scared! I just got carried away and said something rude, which pissed off the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Zhaoning. I had no choice but to hold Little Red Bean and hide away."
Tingting asked with a smile: "Miss, you pissed off the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Zhaoning, so you are going to enjoy the delicious food on the table by yourself?"
Luo Li looked back at the large table of prepared ingredients in the kitchen, thought for a moment, and said, "No! I am a filial daughter-in-law. Tingting, you guys continue to cook these dishes, send a few of her favorite dishes to the Grand Empress Dowager, and send a few of her favorite dishes to the Empress Dowager Zhaoning in the palace. Your young lady has to coax them well."
Tingting smiled and handed the little princess back to the young lady, and then tore off a roast duck leg and handed it to the little princess who was struggling to get on the table with a cry of "Ah Ah". "Miss, it's so smoky and hot. Please carry the little princess out!"
Luo Li carried her daughter, who was licking the delicious roast duck leg, back to the house. Tingting, Wanqiu Yingxue and the other three maids were busy cooking in secret.
When a food box with dishes was brought to the Empress Dowager, she wanted to be angry and not eat it, but she couldn't resist the tempting aroma and picked up the chopsticks, determined not to let down her silly daughter-in-law's filial piety!
Empress Dowager Zhaoning looked at the food box that was brought to her, her face still flustered and her heart beating fast. She picked up the chopsticks elegantly and tasted Li'er's gift.