Li Hong, who was lost in thought, didn't notice at all that the man at the door had already spoken to him several times. He was still staring at the map in front of him with concentration, imagining two water routes to attack Zhenla and other countries. picture.
Mangzhong saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was deep in thought and did not dare to disturb him loudly, so he could only turn around with a wry smile and give an apologetic smile to Concubine Xiao Shu and Princess Xincheng.
Concubine Xiao Shu and Princess Xincheng, one is His Majesty's old love, and the other is His Majesty's biological sister. How come they are so neglected by His Majesty's son? This is simply unreasonable!
What's more, the two of them were personally summoned by His Majesty's son, saying that they had important matters to discuss after going to court. It was good that they were thrown aside and completely forgotten!
Whether it was unbearable or not, the two beauties looked at each other, one of them stretched out a jade hand, with a cold smile on her face, and knocked on the door of Lord Shangshu Ling's study!
"His Royal Highness, the grand ceremony is so grand. I wonder what the purpose of summoning the two concubines to come here, and not summoning them?" Come in.
Concubine Xiao Shu followed behind her, with the same smile on her face, looking at Li Hong who was buried in his desk: "His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, is busy with state affairs. I wonder if I, waiting here, will disturb His Highness the Crown Prince's affairs? "
"No... Huh? Why are you here?" Li Hong raised his head from the map and memorial on the desk, glanced blankly at the beautiful woman with a sneer on her face, and asked blankly.
As soon as Xincheng heard the tone of His Highness the Crown Prince, he knew that this boy had forgotten the matter of summoning him and Concubine Xiao Shu yesterday. He immediately raised his eyebrows, put one hand on his hips, walked up to Li Hong, and stretched out his delicate jade fingers. He poked someone in the forehead and said, "Why are we here? Were we not summoned by you yesterday? Otherwise, this dignified study room of the Minister of the Province, wouldn't be a place where women like us can come."
"You... stop, stop poking. Your head is already very mushy. If you poke it, the mushy in your brain can be poured out and used to stick up window grilles on the first day of the year." Li Hong tilted his head to avoid it. He touched the fingers of Princess Xincheng, and then casually packed up the things in front of the desk.
Seeing this move, Concubine Xiao Shu curled her lips and said, "Oh, hurry up and cover up your military affairs, lest we see it and leak your secrets. We cannot bear this responsibility."
"Concubine, please stop making trouble..."
"Who are you talking about causing trouble, little bastard?"
"Stop." Faced with the attack from the two elders and beauties, Li Hong had no power to fight back. He had to raise his hands in surrender and said: "I really have something to do with you, and it's a good thing, but I have to ask you first. Do you have enough money?”
Xincheng curled his lips and said, "Who are you looking down on? I, Xincheng, have nothing else these years, but I do have plenty of money!"
But Concubine Xiao Shu shook her head. She had developed a calm and gentle demeanor after eating fast and chanting Buddha for many years. She already regarded money as dirt, but she couldn't resist someone sending money to the house, right
Last year, Li Zhi extorted nearly 20 million taels of silver from Li Hong, a total of five million taels. After Li Zhi didn't know how to spend it, he threw it all to Concubine Xiao Shu. So now, Concubine Xiao Shu was definitely a wealthy woman in Chang'an City.
In terms of wealth, she is not much worse than the three famous rich women in Chang'an, Xincheng, Lanling, and Chengyang.
"Okay, as long as you have money." Li Hong stood up, ran out from under the attack of the two women sideways, and then said: "Take your money and give it to your nephew to enter the palace. My nephew has something good to tell you." you."
"What the hell are you doing? What do you want to do?" Xincheng looked confused. He instinctively thought that Li Hong was going to do some business that was inconvenient for him and planned to let him work for him.
"Hehe, you will know in a moment." Li Hong gave it a try, and then instructed Mang Zhong to take the antique wooden box with the scent of agarwood, and extended his hand to invite Xincheng and Xiao Shufei to go to the palace.
Along the way, Li Hong naturally also needed to know from Xincheng whether the standards for the things used by Datang soldiers during the winter were as strict as in previous years.
Since cotton was introduced to Li Hong when he was a child, the military uniforms, tents, etc. for the soldiers to spend the winter, including all items for living expenses, were purchased by the Ministry of War from the three princesses of Xincheng, Lanling, and Chengyang.
Therefore, coupled with other transactions in the past, the three princesses are now the royal family members who regard money as money least among the royal family members, and they will also sponsor Li Zhi and Wu Mei from time to time.
The three of them walked slowly in the Daming Palace. When they reached the Xuanzheng Hall, they were stopped by Hua Ji who was standing not far away: "I have met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, I have met Concubine Xiao Shu, and I have met His Highness Princess Xincheng. Your Majesty has ordered, The Crown Prince cannot be led into the harem without His Majesty’s will.”
After finishing speaking, the expression on Hua Ji's face turned into a flattering and wry smile because of Li Hong's round eyes.
But what made Hua Ji feel at ease was that this time His Highness the Crown Prince did not kick him. Instead, his anger turned into a sneer, and he asked calmly: "Where is your father? Is there someone who bypassed the court and entered the palace directly? Are you looking for the emperor here? Otherwise, why won’t I be allowed in the harem?”
"Back to Your Highness, Your Majesty and the Queen are in the Xuanzheng Hall. They are not... uh..." Hua Ji quickly stopped. No wonder Your Highness didn't kick him. This made him involuntarily relax his vigilance and tell the truth without noticing.
"Okay, let's just go into the harem. Tell me, who is looking for my father in the Xuanzheng Hall?" Li Hong put his arms around Hua Ji's shoulders, but Hua Ji's legs were weak from nervousness.
Fortunately, His Highness the Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty, who was looking down on him, Xincheng, who was holding the eunuch's shoulders, raised his foot and kicked Li Hong on the butt, which helped Hua Ji resolve the embarrassment and tension.
"I dare not say that." Huaji hurriedly bowed, took the opportunity to avoid Li Hong's arm, and said respectfully.
Li Hong chuckled, then ignored the nervous Hua Ji, and continued to lead Xincheng and Xiao Shufei to the banquet of Xuanzheng Hall.
This is the place where I just went to court today. Before the courtiers came down, they seemed to have heard about it. Some people quietly rushed to the palace and asked to see His Majesty.
Ignoring Hua Ji's obstruction, Li Hong generously took the wooden box from Mang Zhong, carried it in his own hand, and walked into the toilet hall.
As soon as he stepped into the door, he saw several white-haired old people in their sixties or even seventies, with sad faces, talking to their father.
"My son, I will meet my father." Li Hong's voice interrupted the words of the old men. The old men trembled in shock and hurriedly shut up and looked at Li Hong.
"Common people Xiao and my sister Xincheng have met Your Majesty." Xincheng and Xiao followed Li Hong closely and saluted.
When Li Zhi and Wu Mei saw Li Hong walking in with a wooden box, they frowned involuntarily. When they saw Concubine Xiao Shu and Xincheng behind them, doubts appeared in their eyes again. They looked at each other and didn't know. What kind of medicine is Li Hong selling in this gourd today
After the ceremony, Li Hong conveniently placed the wooden box on the table between Wu Mei and Li Zhi, then turned around and looked at the six old men in front of him, letting out a chuckle and looking them back and forth. .
"It's useless. Let me tell you, it's useless to look for anyone. Only I have the final say on this matter! No matter what conditions you put forward, there is no room for negotiation on this matter. Stop wasting your efforts and go back. "Li Hong ignored Father Long and Mother Long behind him, started to look a little twitchy, and directly issued an eviction order.
"Your Highness... I came here to marry the royal family. At that time, our five surnames were trapped by the ancestral training and were unable to marry the royal family. But now, after our discussions..." An old man tremblingly handed over to Li Hong. , said with a trembling gray beard.
"It's useless. It's useless to say it. No conditions are possible. Your five surnames and Qi Wang are from a high family and are extremely noble. It doesn't matter if you don't want to marry the royal family. We don't ask you. Who do you want to marry? Just marry whoever you want, don’t you like to marry each other within your Qi Wang family? It doesn’t matter, just continue your internal marriage. Don’t let us tarnish your dignity. Go back, don’t leave any traces, and leave quickly, Huaji. See you off, if they dare to come again in the future, just ask the Jinwu Guards to beat them out." Li Hong waved his hand impatiently and swatted the six old men out like flies.
Li Zhi sat on the chair behind Li Hong and looked at Li Hong looking resolutely at the head of the family. Knowing that once Li Hong came, nothing could be done, so he could only say expressionlessly: "You guys go down, I need to think about this matter again and then discuss it."
"This..." The six old men looked at each other and suddenly lost their opinions.
Seeing that His Majesty's attitude suddenly became ambiguous, and seeing His Highness the Crown Prince's resolute and aggressive attitude, I could only retreat and wait until next time to seek His Majesty's mercy.
Looking at the six "question marks" with their backs hunched and trembling steps, and reluctantly turning back one by one, Li Hong said easily: "This guy actually learned the roundabout tactics. I am How could you defeat this wonderful idea that I came up with after living in the wilderness for nearly two months?"
Someone turned around and looked at his dragon mother. She had opened the wooden box she had brought, and was taking out delicate small squares and looking through them. She was still muttering: "Ten thousand, twenty thousand,... Thirty thousand, forty thousand... What are these? It doesn't look like it? What is it for?" Wu Mei raised her head and looked at Li Hong, who was flattering His Majesty.
(End of chapter)