Chapter 1041: Just short of granting Brother Lang a marriage

The eunuchs and palace maids stepped forward and respectfully helped Li Zhi and Empress Wu get off the electric tricycle.

Empress Wu gently flicked her wide sleeves, her eyes flickering as she smiled, "My dear brother, these ladies are all wearing casual Tang Dynasty attire. I find it difficult to distinguish the rank of the Empress and the concubines. Please introduce them carefully so that we can treat them with courtesy when we meet in the future."

Lin Lang straightened his clothes and looked solemn. He took Chu Yiren's wrist and took a half step forward. "My Royal Highness, please understand. This is my Empress, Chu Yiren. She comes from a prominent family in Shanghai and is the most virtuous and kind woman in the harem."

Chu Yiren nodded slightly: "I am the Queen of Shanghai, Chu, and I greet Your Majesty, the Queen."

Empress Wu gazed at the cinnabar between Chu Yiren's eyebrows, a smile on her lips: "You are indeed as dignified as jade, worthy of being the mother of a country. These bright eyes are like pearls from the Luo River. You are truly beautiful."

Lin Lang embraced Li Moli again and said softly: "This is my Imperial Noble Consort Li Moli. She has been with me since she was a little girl. We are childhood sweethearts."

Li Moli's cheeks flushed crimson as she bowed and said, "I am the Imperial Consort Li of Shanghai. I wish your Majesty and your Majesty good health and a long-lasting prosperity for the country."

Empress Wu picked up the imperial green jade bracelet on Li Moli's wrist and looked at it carefully, secretly marveling: Brother Lin's imperial concubine is wearing such a fine jade bracelet. If it were not for the royal family, how could an ordinary family afford such a stunning beauty?

After reading it, Empress Wu looked at Li Moli and exclaimed: "The Imperial Noble Consort is so charming and lively, just like a crabapple blossoming on a branch. No wonder my dear brother regards her as a treasure."

Li Moli smiled shyly after hearing this. She never dreamed that she would meet Wu Zetian again in this life, and even receive her praise.

Lin Lang raised his hand and gestured to the remaining three beauties: "These three are all my beloved concubines - Concubine Mu Xueman, who is quick-witted and good at cooking; Concubine Zhou Mengyao, who is elegant and good at music, and whose guzheng music can even amaze Liang Yan; Concubine Pan Xiaoting, who is the queen of nine-ball in Shanghai and unrivaled in billiards."

The three beauties submitted to the review at the same time. Zhou Mengyao spoke first: "I, the Imperial Concubine Zhou of Shanghai, respectfully welcome the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty. I have met the Empress. I wish the Tang Dynasty prosperity."

Empress Wu nodded with a smile: "Shanghai is indeed a land of talent and beauty. To have such a beautiful and talented partner, my dear brother, is truly blessed."

Upon hearing this, Lin Lang spread his sleeves and bowed, his posture as pine-like as a pine tree, leaning forward slightly: "You are too kind, sister-in-law. Shanghai is just a collection of the best ingenuity in the world, but it cannot compare to the splendor of the Tang Dynasty."

"My dear brother, since you are curious about table tennis, it is a popular gambling technique in Shanghai. It uses clever force to hit the ball into the pocket, and it pays attention to the appropriate force and overall planning. It is similar to the way my dear brother deploys troops."

Li Zhi took a half step forward with his hands behind his back, the black crown tassel swaying slightly with his movements: "Using a ball to describe soldiers? I've never heard of it before! How can table tennis be compared to marching and deploying troops?"

Lin Lang replied with a smile: "In table tennis, the cue is used to hit the cue ball against the colored balls. The angle of the cue and the direction of the force are very particular. If the colored balls are compared to enemy troops, hitting them into the pocket is like breaking through the enemy's formation and killing the general. It seems light but actually contains hidden mysteries."

Li Zhi's eyes were blazing, and he suddenly clapped his hands and laughed: "Excellent! Excellent! My dear brother, please send me the billiard ball as soon as possible. I wonder if this shot is easy to learn?"

Lin Lang replied cheerfully, "Okay, my dear brother, you only need a little practice to master this little table tennis. I will bring the table tennis table to the palace tomorrow and compete with you in table tennis."

"That's great!" Li Zhi was very pleased.

Empress Wu gently waved her round fan to hide her smile, her eyes full of understanding: "Your Majesty and my brother really hit it off right away."

Before she finished speaking, she looked at Lin Lang, the gold hairpin between her eyebrows trembling with her eyes, "Brother, can you show me the new things you brought from Shanghai on the street stall?"

Seeing Li Zhi and Empress Wu frequently looking at the dazzling array of modern small commodities on the stalls, Lin Lang smiled and said, "My beloved concubines, why don't you quickly show your brother and sister-in-law some of the new and unique things from Shanghai."

He turned to look at Chu Yiren, a hint of mischief in his eyes, "I heard that the Emperor's sister-in-law is in charge of the Phoenix Seal and is very busy with affairs. She must be in great need of these beauty-enhancing methods."

Chu Yiren understood what he meant, raised her jade fingers slightly, and gave a wink to Zhou Mengyao and Mu Xuelan.

The three of them walked lightly to the front of the stall, and deftly picked up the carved lipstick tubes, the mother-of-pearl eyebrow pencils, and the eyelash curler that was as delicate as a butterfly wing.

"I'd like to borrow the personal maidservant of the Emperor's sister-in-law."

Zhou Mengyao called over a palace maid. A silver bell rang softly on her wrist as her fingertips unscrewed the vermilion cream. "This lip balm from Shanghai doesn't require grinding or mixing. Just a light touch gives it a rich, lustrous color that won't fade all day."

She skillfully outlined the palace maid's lips, and the bright crimson color instantly stained her lips.

Empress Wu's eyes suddenly lit up. She leaned forward to take a closer look at the maid's makeup, her fingertips hovering in the air before barely withdrawing: "It's actually three times brighter than the cinnabar rouge of our dynasty!"

"This is lipstick." Chu Yiren picked up the lacquer box. Twelve different shades shimmered in the sunlight. "From spring peach blossoms to late autumn maple leaves, there are many shades."

"If the Empress does not mind, you may accept all the colors on the stall. In the future, I will order people to collect a hundred new colors to beautify the Empress's face."

Empress Wu smiled slightly, her demeanor dignified, and her phoenix eyes swept over Chu Yiren with a smile: "I am flattered by your kindness, sister-in-law."

"Our Great Tang has always practiced the exchange of courtesies as a principle of diplomatic relations. This palace will present you with Tang Dynasty state gifts. When your sister-in-law and brother come to the palace for a family dinner tonight, I will have someone present you with a set of state-gift Yue Kiln porcelain, as well as calligraphy and paintings personally written by Your Majesty, and one hundred bolts of silk and brocade."

Upon hearing this, Chu Yiren thought to herself: I've made a fortune! I traded that cheap lipstick from a street stall for a set of Tang Dynasty porcelain with Wu Zetian, which was already a huge profit. And now, she even gave back Tang Emperor Li Zhi's handwritten calligraphy and paintings, as well as a hundred pieces of silk and brocade. At least two billion yuan has been earned!

After reading it, Chu Yiren pretended to be intimate and took Empress Wu's hand, saying sweetly: "The Empress's sister-in-law's generous gift makes me feel overwhelmed. The things in Shanghai are just some novelties, how can they compare to the treasures of the Tang Dynasty? It is a great honor to be favored by the Empress's sister-in-law, how dare I accept such a heavy gift?"

"What are you talking about, sister-in-law!" Empress Wu placed her other hand on Chu Yiren's hand, and the warm touch of her fingertips was transmitted through the shark silk.

"I am in charge of the Tang Dynasty's harem and I love collecting rare treasures from all over the world. My sister gave me such a wonderful gift today, and I should return the favor."

Empress Wu glanced at the neatly arranged nail polishes on the stall, and a meaningful smile appeared on the corner of her lips. "Besides, when my sister's Baise lipstick arrives, I'm looking forward to working with her on a makeup look that will surpass all the rouge and powder in Chang'an!"

Chu Yiren looked at Empress Wu's eyes, which were filled with anticipation, and replied with a smile, "I will treasure the Empress's kindness. I will live up to her trust and search for the most exquisite cosmetics in the country to enhance her beauty!"

Wu Zetian felt so happy after hearing this!

Mu Xueman raised her eyelash curler at the right moment. The thin metal clip shone coldly in the sunlight. "Please look, Your Majesty. This is called an eyelash curler."

With a light "click" sound, the palace maid's long eyelashes suddenly curled up, like a butterfly about to fly.

Empress Wu couldn't help but take the clip and examine it again and again. The gilded armor scraped against the metal edge, making a light sound. "Excellent! Wonderful! I usually have my maids curl my eyelashes with charcoal sticks, which is time-consuming and laborious. It's nowhere near as exquisite as this!"

Chu Yiren immediately ordered: "Xiaoting, find a few more eyelash curlers for the emperor's sister-in-law. If one breaks, she can have a replacement when she uses it."

Pan Xiaoting smiled and found a few brand new eyelash curlers from a street stall and handed them to the palace maid beside her.

After Zhou Mengyao used eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, and eyeshadow to create a rosy glow for the palace maid's eyes, Empress Wu's eyes suddenly lit up: "This color is even brighter than rouge made from crushed hundreds of peonies! The powder is as fine as mist, and the smudged color is so natural. How can the rouge and powder of our dynasty compare?"

Chu Yiren immediately ordered Pan Xiaoting: "Quickly pack up the brightest eyeshadow palettes and eyebrow pencils on the stall, and add some eyeliners, and give them to the emperor's sister-in-law!" Pan Xiaoting quickly presented a large pile of makeup products.

Empress Wu lightly touched the eyeshadow palette with her fingertips and said with a smile, "I've taken note of your kindness, sister. Next time you visit the palace, you can choose from the treasured hairpins, rings, gold and jade jewelry in the Fengzao Palace storehouse!"

Chu Yiren's smile was very charming.

When Mu Xueman used nail polish to paint the maid's fingertips a brilliant red, Empress Wu's eyes widened and she exclaimed in amazement: "In our dynasty, we use Impatiens flower juice to dye nails, and it takes three days to build up layer after layer. How can there be such a magic method that can be done in an instant!"

She held the maid's fingertips, which were stained with agate red, and glanced at Chu Yiren, "Sister-in-law, everything in this country of Shanghai really has a hidden mystery!"

Chu Yiren smiled and replied, "As long as the Empress Dowager likes it. Xiaoting, give the Empress Dowager all the nail polish and nail polish remover, nail polish rubs, nail stickers, and rhinestones from the stall. When she goes to the palace for the banquet tonight, make her a manicure with sparkling rhinestones."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Pan Xiaoting couldn't help but smile, pursed her lips and hurriedly did as she was told.

Empress Wu raised her eyebrows upon hearing this, the gold hairpin between her eyebrows reflecting the color of rouge: "In that case, I will wait for my younger sister-in-law to enter the palace earlier. While they are dressing up, I can also chat with the sisters about interesting things in Shanghai."

Chu Yiren replied elegantly with one word: "Okay."

At the same time, when Li Zhi unfolded the folding telescope and looked at the distant palace wall, his pupils contracted sharply due to the sudden expansion of his field of vision.

"Wow... Brother, what is this thing? It can actually see things hundreds of meters away so clearly?"

Lin Lang stepped forward to adjust the focus of the telescope for Li Zhi at the right time, and replied with a smile: "This telescope is called 'Thousand-mile Vision', and it can take in the feathers of flying geese hundreds of meters away."

Before he finished speaking, Li Zhi excitedly grasped the telescope tube and said, "My dear brother, if this thing is used in marching and deploying troops, it will be very useful for observing the enemy!"

After hearing this, Lin Lang said, "If my royal brother wants to equip the military with the 'Thousand-Mile Eyes', Shanghai State can provide us with full assistance and produce 34 'Thousand-Mile Eyes' for my royal brother and send them to the Ministry of War to equip the entire army."

Li Zhi was overjoyed and patted Lin Lang's shoulder heavily: "My dear brother, you are truly a god-given friend! With the help of this magical weapon, the military might of the Tang Dynasty will surely shock the world!"

Lin Lang's eyes were firm: "From now on, Shanghai and the Tang Dynasty are of the same blood. The strength of the Tang Dynasty means the strength of Shanghai. I am willing to work with my brother to expand the vast mountains and rivers!"

Li Zhi laughed loudly, and his eyes suddenly fell on the Patek Philippe mechanical watch on Lin Lang's wrist, which was shining with a cold light. He tapped the exquisite dial with his fingertips, and frowned when he heard the light sound of the gears meshing.

"Brother, it's really strange to see you wearing this. This piece of metal can actually move by itself?"

Lin Lang was also very generous. He took out a Rolex watch from his personal space and put it on Li Zhi himself, sliding his fingertips across the sapphire mirror.

"My Royal Highness, this room is an exquisite artifact from our country of Shanghai, called the 'Mechanical Time Box'. Every second is engraved with the laws of nature. My Royal Highness can tell the time by just raising his hand, which is a hundred times more convenient than a sundial."

Li Zhi stroked the luminous hands dancing on the dial, his wrist unconsciously raised under his dragon robe, and exclaimed in amazement: "My dear brother, this 'mechanical time box' can actually condense time in a small space. Could it be hiding a profound secret?"