The Leisurely Life of the Prince of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 267 Su Tan
Inside the Wude Hall, several eunuchs were waiting outside the hall in a panic; some of them were pacing back and forth, while others were whispering to each other.

"Have you informed His Majesty?"

"The person has gone and hasn't come back yet."

"What should I do?"

"How about you go in and try to persuade them?"

"Don't you want to live? You'll be thrown into Taiye Lake to feed the fish."

These eunuchs were still discussing outside the Wude Hall when they suddenly saw someone approaching. When they saw that the person was the Prince of Hejian, several eunuchs bowed their heads hurriedly.

Li Xiaogong stood outside the palace and asked, "What's wrong?"

The eunuch outside the hall looked cautiously inside and replied, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said that he wants to demolish the Wude Hall."

Li Xiaogong looked around and asked, "What's going on? Is there no one to take care of it?"

These eunuchs lowered their heads in grievance and kept silent again. Who dared to stop the prince? Even if they stopped him now... they might be remembered in the future.

Li Xiaogong did not enter the Wude Hall, but sat on the steps in front of the Wude Hall.

Inside the palace, Su Tan stopped the prince and said, "Your Highness! You can't tear it down."

Li Chengqian held up a chisel and said loudly, "Su Jiancheng, we are all family from now on, don't be afraid."

Stopping in front of the prince, Su Tan said again: "This is the Wude Hall, not some other place."

"Grandpa said that he would hand over the gold sand to the East Palace on the day I get married. Now is the time."

"No!" Su Tan shouted.

"Su Jiancheng, we should be of one mind."

"Your Highness, I am of the same mind as you." Su Tan grabbed the prince's arm and said loudly, "This blow is too late to reverse."

Li Chengqian took another step forward.

Su Tan hurriedly pulled the prince, his old face almost bursting into tears, and said, "Your Highness wants to demolish the Wude Hall, how should I live? I will not live anymore, Your Highness... Your Highness!"

However, Su Tan, who was already middle-aged, was unable to stop the young and strong prince.

Li Chengqian placed the chisel on the wall and knocked it with the hammer in his hand, and a crack immediately appeared on the wall.

"Your Highness!" Su Tan slapped his thighs with both hands and said, "It's a disaster!"

It was of course a great thing that the Wugong Su family had a crown princess, and their status became even higher from then on.

But now Su Tan was terrified. He didn't dare to think about this honor at all, not to mention that the prince was going to demolish the Wude Hall now.

It is indeed not easy to be the father-in-law of a royal family.

Li Chengqian chiseled the wall again and again, and Su Tan's expression changed from anxious to numb.

I've dug in several places but haven't seen any gold sand... So where could my grandpa be hiding?
Looking left and right, Li Chengqian came to a pillar. According to construction regulations, the number of pillars should be even and symmetrical on the left and right.

As a load-bearing column, the single column in front of us seems redundant and is not necessary for bearing weight at all.

Li Chengqian picked up the hammer and hit the pillar hard.

Su Tan was so frightened that he trembled and his face turned pale. Every time the prince hit him, his face became paler.

As the pillar began to crack, some golden sand leaked out.

Li Chengqian picked up the flowing golden sand and frowned, saying, "I thought Grandpa was just trying to trick me, but it turns out there is real golden sand hidden here."

Seeing the golden sand, Su Tan was also stunned. Why were the affairs of the emperor's family so confusing?

Suddenly, the eunuchs outside the palace saluted and shouted "Your Majesty".

Li Shimin walked into the messy Wude Hall with a dark face.

Su Tan immediately bowed to the ground and said, "Your Majesty, it is all my fault that I failed to persuade the Crown Prince. I... I really..."

Li Chengqian dropped the chisel and hammer in his hands and let the golden sand in the pillar flow down.

With the sound of quicksand, the golden sand soon formed a small pile.

Looking at his father-in-law who was as cowardly as could be, Li Chengqian quickly helped him up.

As soon as Su Tan stood up, he saw His Majesty's dark face again and bowed to the ground again.

Li Chengqian had no choice but to give up.

In front of this father and son, Su Tan could be as honest as he wanted and as scared as he wanted.

Li Shimin whispered, "All of you go out."

"Here."

Several eunuchs who followed left one after another.

Su Tan first looked at the prince beside him, and did not dare to look at His Majesty. He lowered his head and walked out of the Wude Hall quickly.

The hall fell silent, with only the father and son left.

Li Shimin looked at the golden sand falling on the ground and asked, "They said you want to demolish the Wude Hall?"

"The Wude Hall needs to be renovated. I just dismantled it and rebuilt it."

"Since when has gold sand been hidden here?"

"Grandpa arranged it." Li Chengqian sat aside and said, "Grandpa told me about it at the beginning, but I never found it at that time. I also suspected that Grandpa was coaxing me. Now Grandpa has arranged a marriage for me and also gave the East Palace five stones of gold sand, which is considered a wedding gift for me."

Li Shimin picked up some gold sand, rubbed it between his fingers, and said, "Since it was given to you by my father, I will naturally fulfill his painstaking efforts."

At this point, Li Shimin looked at Li Xiaogong and Su Tan outside the hall, then turned to look at his son, stood up and said: "Even if the Wude Hall is demolished, you must rebuild it."

"Your Majesty is right. This is exactly what I am thinking."

Li Shimin sat down and continued to watch the golden sand rustling out of the pillar. He asked again, "Is this pillar hollow?"

"Well, if we really can't find it, we'll probably have to tear it all down."

It was enough to show how dissatisfied his father was with the Wude Hall. Thinking that the old man might have wanted to demolish it a long time ago, Li Shimin thought for a moment and gave a look to the eunuch outside the hall.

The old eunuch came in with a roll of papers and placed them on your Majesty's desk.

Spreading out portraits of women on the ground, Li Shimin said, "Your mother and I are planning to find a princess for Qingque and Ke'er, our child."

Li Chengqian looked at the women in the portraits and asked, "Have you checked the identities of these women?"

"Of course." Li Shimin nodded and said, "What do you think of these women?"

"You can't tell anything just by looking at the portrait."

"Arrange the marriages of those two boys in the next two years. Your grandfather is old, and it would be a relief for him to see his grandchildren get married sooner."

Outside the Wude Hall, Su Tan stood with his head down, waiting to be punished by His Majesty. No one knew what the Crown Prince and His Majesty were talking about inside the hall.

The palace was very quiet, and it seemed that His Majesty did not reprimand Your Highness.

Li Xiaogong stepped forward and asked, "Your daughter has married into the Eastern Palace, why is your face still so sad?"

Su Tan whispered, "Fear."

"Fearful?" Li Xiaogong chuckled and said, "Why should I be afraid? As long as the prince is willing to marry your daughter, your martial arts Su family may become the most powerful family in Guanzhong."

Su Tan quickly said, "I don't deserve it."

Li Xiaogong patted his shoulder heavily and said, "This is not a lie. The prince is a very sensible child. You should be happy."

"Recently, many high-ranking families have stopped associating with my lineage."

"If you spend more time with the Eastern Palace in the future, you will realize how lucky your family is."

"Don't dare."

Seeing Su Tan's honest appearance, Li Xiaogong smiled and strode away. Half an hour later, His Majesty came out of the Wude Hall, and seemed to be in a much better mood. Su Tan bowed and said goodbye to His Majesty.

Then he looked inside the palace and saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince filling cloth bags with gold sand.

Gold sand is not grain, and a bag full of it feels very heavy.

In the city of Chang'an, the emperor's decree determined the prince's marriage, and the news quickly spread to all the markets in Chang'an.

When Li Xiaogong walked outside the Suzaku Gate, he saw Li Daozon.

"Chengfan, how many women in other families will be heartbroken today?"

"Some people say that the Eastern Palace is far away, and if you send your daughter to the Eastern Palace, she will never come back."

Li Xiaogong walked in the busy streets of Zhuque Street and said with a smile: "I went to see Su Tan."

Li Dao Zong asked curiously, "What kind of person is he?"

"Haha, very honest, but also very timid. In the future, if there is any problem in the Eastern Palace, Su Tan will use the strength of the entire clan to help the Eastern Palace."

"In that case, the martial arts lineage will be a great help to the prince."

"What kind of person is the prince? He always makes the best use of everything and everyone." Li Xiaogong stretched and continued, "As long as he is loyal enough to the prince of the East Palace, wealth, honor, and power will be given to their family."

"Besides authority..."

Li Dao Zong muttered to himself, there was no need to say who his brother was hinting at, and then said: "The prince is about to get married, the matter of Zongzheng Temple..."

"Don't worry, Chengfan, my son will take care of it."

"Brother, you can't let Chongyi do everything."

"Have you been free in Jingzhao Prefecture recently?"

Li Dao Zong hurriedly said, "I'm quite busy. There are still many things to preside over, and many people are waiting in Jingzhao Prefecture."

Li Xiaogong laughed loudly, "Let's go drink."

"Brother, Jingzhao Prefecture..."

"Someone is in a good mood today, so don't refuse."

Li Dao Zong stamped his feet and said, "Okay, only this time."

In the Eastern Palace, Li Chengqian ordered several eunuchs to bring two carts of gold sand.

Li Yuan looked at the scroll in his hand, raised his eyes and whispered, "Did Erlang embarrass you?"

"Father naturally did not embarrass his grandson. He just said that the Wude Hall should be repaired."

"Don't repair it, just tear it down." Li Yuan said, lying on the recliner, turned over and continued reading.

Li Zhi and Li Shen were asked to push a small cart each to deliver the gold sand to the warehouse of the Eastern Palace.

My royal brother is about to get married, so grandpa gave him so much gold sand.

Li Zhi pushed his grandfather who was lying down.

Li Yuan's eyes were still on the book, and he asked, "Zhi Nu, are you hungry?"

Li Zhi said: "Grandpa, will my grandson also have gold sand after getting married?"

"It's gone. Ask your father for it."

Ignoring Li Zhi's aggrieved expression, Li Yuan simply put down the book and closed his eyes to rest.

In the next few days, many people sent gifts to the East Palace.

Li Chengqian was just getting used to the time when Ning'er was away from the Eastern Palace. He received many gifts. General Li Ji gave him a jade pen, his uncle gave him a cup made of gold, his teacher gave him a pair of jade bracelets, and even Lord Zheng gave him a piece of gold foil.

It has to be said that Donggong made a fortune just by getting married. When his uncle sent the news, he didn't give anything. Gao Lin's two thousand kilograms of gold and silver had been sent to Chang'an City and became Ning'er's dowry.

In order to maintain his daughter's status as the principal wife and the crown prince's consort in the Eastern Palace, Su Tan even bet his family's mine, which was an iron mine.

The iron mine of Su Tan's family was left by their ancestor Su Wei. In the third year of Daye of the Sui Dynasty, Su Wei was appointed as the first person under the emperor.

It can be seen that although Su Tan is an honest man, his family background is also quite solid.

I wonder if my father had already done background checks?

Li Chengqian walked out of the East Palace suspiciously and sat next to his grandfather.

Li Yuan carved a piece of wood and then put the leaf fan on the wood. A windmill was made and he gave it to little Sizi to play with.

"grandfather?"

"I've been very upset lately, just speak up."

"Has Grandpa been eyeing Su Tan's family property for a long time?"

Li Yuan shook his head and said, "I have never coveted other people's property. Our Li family's property is the whole world. Theirs is nothing."

Li Chengqian put his hands in his pockets and said, "Grandpa has great courage and a long-term vision. I admire you."

Ning'er has not been in the East Palace these days, and Xiaofu's shouting was heard again in the East Palace. She was arranging the palace maids to do things and was shouting at the moment.

This was her style, as Ning'er was the one who usually arranged the daily lives of her younger brothers and sisters. Now that the burden fell on Xiaofu, she was so busy that she could only shout and yell.

At this moment, everyone is adapting to the days when Ning'er is away.

"It's snowing!" Li Zhi shouted.

Looking up, I saw snowflakes falling from the gloomy sky.

Li Yuan also looked up and said, "The snow came early this year."

"Well, Taoist Priest Li has already calculated that this year's winter will come earlier than usual."

Li Chengqian is not willing to care about his two younger brothers now. As long as they dare not return to the East Palace after dark, they will be punished by Li Zhi.

After tidying up his clothes, Li Chengqian poured a bowl of tea and drank the hot tea while looking at the snow scene.

Soon, teams of palace maids came with bedding, clothes, and a lot of cloth.

Li Lizhi was leading them.

These were all prepared for the wedding day. As the eldest sister in the family, she naturally took on the responsibility of arranging the prince's marriage.

She is in charge of everything.

Therefore, the golden carriage was wiped every day. In order to keep the Eastern Palace clean, Li Lizhi even allowed Li Zhi and Li Shen to go out and play, and did not let them stay in the Eastern Palace for a long time, so as to avoid making a mess of the decorated Eastern Palace.

A eunuch came hurriedly to report, "Your Highness, the King of Wei and the King of Wu are here."

Li Chengqian didn't say anything, but nodded and asked him to bring the person over.

Li Yuan was still lying on his side under the eaves of the Chongwen Hall, letting a few snowflakes fall on his body.

When Li Tai and Li Ke arrived, Li Chengqian exhaled a breath of hot air and said, "Sit down."

The two younger brothers sat down and took the hot tea prepared by their brother.

"It's almost the winter solstice, Qingque congratulates my brother."

"Congratulations, my brother."

Li Chengqian said in distress, "Now everyone in Chang'an wants to congratulate me. The front of the Zongzheng Temple and the Ministry of Rites are full of gifts for the Eastern Palace."

Li Ke took out a wooden box from his sleeve, inside which were nine oriental pearls.

Li Tai also took out a jade disk.

Li Chengqian put all of this aside and said, "In fact, Father has already mentioned your marriage. The Crown Princess of the Eastern Palace was arranged by Grandfather. The garden tour half a month ago was originally arranged for you to choose a princess."

(End of this chapter)