She grew up frail and sickly and couldn't even stand until she was three years old. Noble Consort Xie was also becoming more muddled as time passed. That year, feeding her medicine, Noble Consort Xie mistakenly overturned a cup of scalding tea on her. Yaoying, afraid of scaring Noble Consort Xie, did not dare to cry out, waiting for the maidservant to enter the room and help her clean up.
Later, she was left with a scar on her leg.
After Li Zhongqian knew about it, he took her to his side and took care of her personally.
At that time, Li Zhongqian was also a child himself. Obviously still rough and sloppy, but every day, he meticulously supervised and urged her to take medicine. Every day, he carried her to the courtyard to practice the Five Animal Exercises1, forcing her to eat those odd tasting tonics, and whenever the weather was cloudy, he'd give her additional clothes. He took the role of both father and mother, like a little old man.
Yaoying slowly grew up. Her health recovered a bit, and was able to leave her bed. In front of him, she was undisciplined and out of control, lively jumping and messing around. He could then relax a bit, gradually having the appearance of a teenager.
Then he went to war.
The Xie family's extermination, Noble Consort Xie's delirium; her barely nine-year-old brother with his immature shoulders had to bear all the pressure, to hold up a clear sky for her, so that she could grow up freely and without worries.
Two years later, for her, her eleven-year-old brother didn't hesitate to give up his scholarly pursuit for martial arts, picking up the pair of golden hammers he had sworn never to touch.
Her older brother treated her this well.
She couldn't watch her older brother get murdered by Li Xuanzhen.
He had never harmed anyone.
Thinking of what she saw in her dream, Yaoying's heart felt aggrieved and she gently took Li Zhongqian's arm.
Li Zhongqian was stunned then smiled.
~~~~~~~~
When Yaoying was small, she often coquettishly wrapped around Li Zhongqian in this way.
When he first brought her to his side, she was clever and quiet. Without speaking, she would blink and fixedly stare at him when was hungry or thirsty.
When he noticed her, she very cautiously called him: " Elder brother."
The voice was delicate and soft, unconsciously with a little fawning, afraid of disturbing him, afraid of annoying him.
He hadn't processed what she had said, and she kept looking at him quietly, waiting for him to ask her.
She was only three years old, and was so well behaved.
Li Zhongqian knew that Yaoying understood everything.
Her father, Li De, had never looked for her. Her mother, Xie shi, was sometimes crazy and sometimes foolish. She was sickly and fragile, and at a young age she knew how to discipline herself and not cause trouble. She could spend all day lying by herself in front of the window, looking at the garden scene.
She knew she couldn't walk, neither cried nor made a fuss. Whatever medicine you had her take, she would dutifully take, without crying that it was bitter.
Li Zhongqian didn't want his younger sister to be at home alone for the rest of her life, so he visited famous physicians all over the world to nurture her body.
Yaoying could not go out, so he taught her to read and write, so that she could idle away her time at home.
She could not get out of bed, so he ordered the servants to spread felt mats in the corridors and in the courtyard. He would carry her outside to bathe in the sun, accompany her to roll around on the mats, from one end of the corridor to the other, getting covered from head to toe with apricot flower petals.
The small smile on Yaoying's face was getting bigger and bigger, her eyes getting brighter and brighter.
Slowly daring to act coquettishly around him, she deliberately stretched her voice call him: "Elder~ brother~".
What he ordered her to do, she would do.
When she wanted to go out, she would stare at him with round eyes and stretch out her arms: "Brother, hold me."
When she was able to walk on her own without help, her temper got even bigger. He would sit cross-legged in front of his writing desk, reading, and she would directly throw herself at and shake him: "Elder brother, I want to ride a horse! I want a beautiful and obedient Wusun horse!"
He did not pay attention to her words, so she kept shaking his arm.
When she got tired of shaking, she laid down on his lap, using his thigh as a pillow, crossed her legs then boldly and confidently negotiated with him, "A pony is fine, I'll just ride around the courtyard for one lap."
"Half a lap?"
"Okay, I won't ride. I'll raise a nice horse first.... when I grow up then I'll ride...."
Not long after, she fell asleep lying in his lap. Turning over, her saliva rubbed all over his sleeve.
Li Zhongqian finished reading the scroll, bowed his head to see Yaoying clutching his sleeve tightly, sleeping in a daze.
He laughed lightly.
The next day, he took her to the stables to pick a horse. She was very conscious of herself and really picked a pony.
A couple of years ago, when Li Zhongqian attacked Jincheng, he captured a number of good horses from the West.
He picked the most beautiful Wusun horse for Yaoying to be her steed.
What she wanted, he remembered.
Yaoying pulled Li Zhongqian and wouldn't let go.
"It just so happened that I had left the palace today. When I heard the drums, I came over."
Li Zhongqian held the reins for her and said gently, "Little seventh has lost weight."
There was a warm smile in his voice.
He was not a patient man, but he was always patient with her.
Yaoying put away her melancholic look, let go of his hand, and puffed up her chest, "And grew taller!"
The children of the Li family were born tall and upright, but she had been taking medicine since birth and started walking late, and only started to grow taller at the end of the previous year.
Li Zhongqian laughed lightly: "Elder brother can't tell. Let's go home and measure to see."
Yaoying smiled and gave him a white2 look.
After entering the imperial city, they separated from the flying cavalry led by Li Xuanzhen and went straight back to the wangfu.
Yaoying asked, "Brother, you don't need to go to the Ministry of War first?"
According to etiquette, he should have gone to the Ministry of War with Li Xuanzhen first.
Li Zhongqian was unconcerned, "Don't mind them, let's go back first to show you some good treasures."
Yaoying understood, extending her head to look into the sheepskin sack hanging by his saddle, lowering her voice: "Elder brother, what good things did you rob again?"
Li Zhongqian fought in the war, not caring about his military achievements, only seeking benefits: gold, silver, treasures, rare pearls and jade, famous paintings and calligraphy.... In short, all valuable and convenient treasures.
The two siblings knew that they were living in danger and must prepare early. They started saving gold, silver, and valuable for their future escape from very early on.
From the south to the north, they have hidden a lot of valuable things.
Li Zhongqian smiled and rubbed Yaoying's hair: "Let's go back then talk."
Yaoying raised her eyebrows.
It just so happened that she wanted to ask him about Li De marrying Noble Consort Xie. He was raised by uncle Xie Wuliang's side when he was a child, and should have heard Xie Wuliang talk about that year.
It was gradually sinking to twilight.
When Li Xuanzhen came out from the Ministry of War, it was already dark.
An attendant stood by with a lantern to illuminate the road. He took a few steps up the stone steps, received the paper documents sent by Wei Ming, the chief historian of the Eastern Palace, and hurriedly turned it over under the faint light.
The palace eunuch who stayed in Chang'an also followed behind him, reporting one by one the recent big and small events in the imperial city.
Finally, after a pause, said: "Your Highness.... Recently, Princess Fukang's residence has some strange movements."
Up and down the Eastern Palace, from Crown Princess Zheng shi to the errand-running servants, no one wanted to mention Princess Fukang.
But there was nothing to be done. The crown prince had tender, protective feelings for the fairer sex. What he loved most in life was rescuing noble ladies from prominent families that had met with misfortune. If they concealed it now and didn't tell the crown prince, when Princess Fukang made it a major event, it was also for the crown prince to sort out!
Li Xuanzhen frowned lightly.