My father, Li Shimin, requests Your Majesty to become the Retired Emperor.

Just then, Li Chengan suddenly heard a noisy clattering of horses' hooves coming from outside the inn.

It seems like a lot of people have come.

Li Chenggan's expression changed slightly: "Could it be that Li Daozong and Zhang Shigui have already sent troops here so quickly?"

Xue Rengui picked up the Zhentian Bow: "Your Highness, don't worry, I'll go down and investigate."

……

night.

Changan.

Lizheng Hall.

Recently, Empress Zhangsun's health has recovered well; she looks radiant.

My energy and spirit are much better than before.

Su Wan was holding a bowl of black chicken soup, which was still steaming.

"Your Majesty, please drink this soup; it's good for your pregnancy."

For some reason, Empress Zhangsun's mood always improved whenever she saw Su Wan.

Empress Zhangsun took the soup bowl and asked, "Did you make this black chicken soup yourself?"

"Yes."

"That's really rare. It seems your cooking skills have improved a lot."

Upon hearing this, Su Wan chuckled.

"Your Majesty, you flatter me. Wan'er doesn't have much of a cooking skill, but Consort Xu's cooking is indeed quite good."

Sometimes, I would ask her for advice, and she would teach me some cooking skills.

I'm learning a little bit so I can better serve the Crown Prince in the future."

Empress Zhangsun smiled slightly upon hearing this: "Xu Hui is indeed not simple."

I heard she did well on the civil service exam, and then resigned from her position in the Bureau of Clothing and Apparel to work at the Chongwen Academy.

"Yes, Xu Jieyu is not only beautiful, but also proficient in calligraphy, poetry and prose, and her cooking skills are first-class."

Empress Zhangsun nodded slightly and smiled, "People often say that to win a man's heart, you must first win his stomach."

It seems Xu Hui is quite adept at this.

Upon hearing this, Su Wan smiled sweetly: "Empress, does that mean His Majesty is a glutton?"

After finishing her soup, Empress Zhangsun placed the bowl on the table and said slowly, "Your Majesty is different from ordinary emperors."

He was a military emperor who had fought his way through many years of military life, accustomed to the food and meals of the army, and ate and lived alongside his soldiers.

So yeah,

He couldn't get used to the delicious food prepared by the imperial chefs.

"Haha... Your Majesty is quite the oddball."

Empress Zhangsun's face was rosy, and there was a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead.

She touched her abdomen with her hand: "How should I put it? People often say that wise rulers are difficult to serve, and there is some truth to that."

Because if you're too weak, he won't be interested;

If you are too strong, he will become suspicious.

For example, Liu Bang, Emperor Wu of Han, and Cao Cao were all very capable, but they were also very suspicious.

Therefore, it is very difficult for a subject to serve under such a ruler.

"The Empress's analysis is insightful."

"Why haven't I seen Chenggan these past two days?"

Where are the others?

Upon hearing this, Su Wan's expression changed slightly: "Your Majesty, there is something I'm not sure if I should say."

"What is it? Just tell me."

Su Wan hesitated for a moment, then mustered her courage and said, "Okay, that's how it is."

Fang Xuanling led some court officials to the Zichen Hall, forcing the emperor to issue an edict to execute the crown prince.

"What did you say? Is that so?" Empress Zhangsun felt a wave of dizziness and almost fainted.

Seeing this, Su Wan quickly helped her up and made her sit on a chair by the table.

"Your Majesty, you insist on making me tell you, whether I tell you or not. You're driving me crazy! What should I do?"

Empress Zhangsun's heart pounded, and she gasped for breath.

Su Wan poured her another cup of hot tea.

Empress Zhangsun took a small sip, and her mood gradually calmed down.

"Wan'er, what exactly is going on? I have no idea about this."

"I guess the Emperor is worried about your health and is keeping the news under wraps."

Su Wan then recounted how Fang Xuanling, Cen Wenzi, and others impeached Li Chengqian.

Empress Zhangsun was greatly displeased upon hearing this.

Empress Zhangsun's face turned ashen with anger: "Logically speaking, Fang Xuanling and I have a fairly good personal relationship..."

but,

In his attitude toward the Crown Prince, he repeatedly challenged my bottom line.

Last time,

After Li Chengqian lifted the siege of Chang'an

Fang Xuanling not only did not request the emperor to bestow honors upon the crown prince, but instead impeached Li Chengqian, demanding that the emperor punish Li Chengqian.

This directly led to Li Chenggan being imprisoned in the Dali Temple jail.

The Emperor sent Cheng Yaojin to probe Li Chengqian's intentions.

Cheng Gan was utterly loyal to the court and the emperor.

Therefore, they didn't have any leverage over them.

If Li Chenggan said one wrong word

His head may have already been moved.

That incident was over and done with, and I didn't hold it against Fang Xuanling. I didn't expect him to take it so far.

"Yes, this time, the Crown Prince went to the Wa Kingdom and thwarted the conspiracy between the Wa Kingdom, Goguryeo, and Baekje, thus maintaining peace and stability in the east of the Tang Dynasty."

This is a great achievement, yet they turn a blind eye and nitpick.

The eldest brother of the mountain, King Wang, surrendered to Li Chenggan.

However, the prince did not accept the offer. Instead, he suggested that King Yamashiro lead the navy to capture the pirates.

Is there anything wrong with arranging the main trunk in this way?

Why do they nitpick?

This is called using barbarians to control barbarians. Without our Great Tang sending a single soldier, we can restrain the eastern countries. Isn't this a win-win situation?" Su Wan then gave a detailed explanation.

Empress Zhangsun was so angry that her hands trembled slightly: "You're right, the Emperor is becoming more and more confused. He's too easily swayed and is led by the nose by those ministers. Whatever the ministers say, he believes."

How could he issue such a foolish decree?

If anything goes wrong with Chenggan, I will fight him to the death.

"Your Majesty need not worry too much, Chengqian has already fled Chang'an."

"He escaped. How did he get out?"

"It was Master Xuanzang who instructed him to disguise himself as a monk and escape from Chang'an through the Xuanwu Gate," Su Wan had already heard Qin Ying recount the events.

Thank goodness, Master Xuanzang was truly a person of high moral character and great flexibility.

Alright, who is the general in charge of guarding Xuanwu Gate?

"I will reward him handsomely."

"That man was none other than Gongsun Wuda."

"Oh, it was him."

Gongsun Wuda was also a renowned general, skilled in warfare.

then,

He personally participated in the Xuanwu Gate Incident; he was one of the ten ministers.

Do you know where Li Chengqian has gone?

"We don't know yet," Su Wan paused, "If possible, please ask the Empress to have His Majesty rescind that decree."

Stop arresting Li Chenggan.

Empress Zhangsun nodded: "I finally understand why the Emperor hasn't come to see me these past few days. It turns out he did something wrong and is too ashamed to face me."

but,

He can't escape it even if he wants to.

Do you know where he went?

"The Emperor went to Consort Yang's palace," Su Wan said with certainty.

"Consort Yang?"

"I heard that Consort Yang is going to move to Jiucheng Palace."

Why?

If I remember correctly, Fang Xuanling made it very clear at the completion ceremony of Jiucheng Palace.

Whether they were concubines in the harem, or princes and princesses, they had to have outstanding performance in order to be allowed to move there.

What outstanding achievements did Consort Yang make?

Clearly, Empress Zhangsun did not approve of Consort Yang moving into Jiucheng Palace.

Su Wan gently stroked her temples, then pondered for a moment: "There's something I don't know if the Empress has heard about."

"What's wrong?"

"The last time, when Chang'an was besieged..."

With Chang'an on the verge of falling, and due to the extremely urgent situation...

The Emperor urgently summoned the various vassal kings to come to his aid.

However, what I didn't expect was...

Consort Yang wrote a letter to her son, Li Ke, urging him not to bring troops back to relieve Chang'an.

"Oh, is that so?"

"I have not heard of this. So why would Consort Yang do this?" Empress Zhangsun frowned.

Su Wan crossed her arms over her chest: "Your Majesty, I have a question that I shouldn't ask."

"What's the problem?"

Do you think Consort Yang loved the Emperor?

"What do you mean? She bore the Emperor two sons, Li Ke and Li Yin. How could she not love the Emperor?"

"In Wan'er's opinion, Consort Yang hates the Emperor more than she loves him."

Consort Yang was the daughter of Emperor Yang of Sui. In her mind, she believed that the Sui Dynasty was overthrown by the Tang Dynasty.

Because of this,

That's why Consort Yang's father died.

Therefore, she blamed the emperor for all the national and personal grievances, including the fall of the Sui Dynasty and the death of her father.

therefore,

When Chang'an was besieged, she conceived the idea of ​​dying rather than surrendering.

This kind of thinking is terrifying.

When a person is not even afraid of death, what else is there to fear?

When Empress Zhangsun heard this, her heart skipped a beat, because she felt that what Su Wan said was not without reason.

"Wan'er, do you think Consort Yang really hates the Emperor that much?"

"It's not that Wan'er is exaggerating; it's probably deeper than you imagine."

This is a hidden danger that could erupt at any time.

but,

I think the Emperor doesn't seem to be aware of this.

The saying "A wise man may be foolish for a moment" probably applies here.

Empress Zhangsun's expression turned worried upon hearing this.

She also felt that Su Wan's analysis made sense. Consort Yang was not simple; she represented the entire Yang family, which was deeply rooted and very powerful.

but,

If the Emperor were to punish Consort Yang based on a single letter, he probably wouldn't be able to bring himself to do it.

"Wan'er, then tell me, in our harem, besides Consort Yang, who else is dissatisfied with the Emperor?"

"This—," Su Wan had never easily expressed her opinions on matters of the harem, because it was easy to stir up trouble and be seen by others as someone who liked to gossip.

The saying "don't let strangers interfere with relatives" applies here.

Recently, Su Wan has had a vague feeling that several powerful forces are gradually forming and threatening Li Chenggan.

This mainly includes: ministers headed by Fang Xuanling,

Of all the princes, Li Tai is naturally the first to be targeted.

There were also Li Ke, Li Zhi, and Li Yuanjing.

Although those people didn't do it as obviously as Li Tai.

However, Su Wan had already sensed it thanks to her keen insight.

Therefore,

She must win over Empress Zhangsun's support and gradually nip those potential threats in the bud.

Now that Empress Zhangsun has asked, Su Wan will no longer hide anything.

She said to Empress Zhangsun, "There is another concubine in the harem who is very beautiful and has great power behind her. I'm afraid she doesn't love the emperor that much."

"Oh, who is this concubine you're talking about?"

"She was Lady Yang, the wife of the King of Chao."

"Wasn't Lady Yang originally Li Yuanji's concubine?" Empress Zhangsun was somewhat surprised.

"Exactly."

Empress Zhangsun stood up, placed her hands on her abdomen, and paced back and forth in the hall, slowly saying, "Logically speaking, Li Yuanji committed an unforgivable crime, and after his death, Lady Yang should have been executed as well."

but,

The Emperor was kind-hearted and soft-hearted, and could not bear to harm Lady Yang.

He then pardoned her and took her into the harem.

For this, Lady Yang should be extremely grateful; how could she possibly harbor resentment towards the Emperor?

Upon hearing Empress Zhangsun's words, Su Wan pursed her lips and said, "Empress, it's not that everyone will be grateful to you just because you're nice to them."

On the contrary,

some people,

The better you treat her, the more she hates you.

Empress Zhangsun agreed with Su Wan's point of view. For example, she had been so good to Consort Yan before, but Consort Yan hated her so much that she even cursed her behind her back, wishing her to die soon.

"There's one more thing. Have you heard that Yang's son, Li Ming, is not the emperor's son, but rather the posthumous son of Li Yuanji?"

Empress Zhangsun nodded slightly: "I have also heard about this matter."

and,

Li Ming looks exactly like Li Yuanji, as if they were made from the same mold.

Su Wan said reproachfully, "Your Majesty, you are very observant. It is indeed so."

This matter is probably known to everyone inside and outside the palace, except for the Emperor.

Perhaps it wasn't that the emperor didn't know, but rather that he was unwilling to face it.

Yang had very deep feelings for Li Yuanji.

The Emperor killed Li Yuanji.

Yang was extremely resentful of this.

She simply lacks the strength right now.

Li Tai sent many gifts to Yang.

What agreement they reached remains unknown.

What!

"Did Qingque send a generous gift to Madam Yang?"

"Yes."

Empress Zhangsun's expression was solemn: "This violates the regulations of the imperial court. Princes are not allowed to have close relationships with the concubines in the harem."

What does Qingque intend to do by sending gifts to Madam Yang?

Su Wan did not directly answer Empress Zhangsun's question: "I heard that Princess Yang of Chao often secretly wept in front of Li Yuanji's memorial tablet, and even said that one day when Li Ming grows up, she will make Li Ming avenge Li Yuanji."

"Your Majesty, please consider this: whom will Li Ming seek revenge against?"

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhangsun rubbed her clothes together incessantly: "So, it seems the Emperor has raised an ungrateful wretch."

"If you don't cut the weeds at the root, they'll grow back in the spring breeze."

"Empress,"

These are just my speculations. As for what Consort Yang and Lady Yang truly felt for the Emperor, only they themselves probably know the truth.

Outsiders have no way of knowing.

Empress Zhangsun sighed: "In the past, His Majesty would listen to whatever I said, but now the situation is different. Sometimes, even if I want to see His Majesty, it is not so easy."

During this time,

The reason I was able to see His Majesty is probably not because of any charm I possess, but because I am pregnant with His Majesty's child.

"His Majesty is only being polite to me because of the child in my womb."

Su Wan could also sense a hint of helplessness in Empress Zhangsun's words.

"This reminds me of Empress Wei Zifu."

In the later years of Emperor Wu of Han, Wei Zifu's situation was also tragic. At that time, it was not so easy for Wei Zifu to see Emperor Wu of Han.

Men are often like that; they're fickle and prefer young, beautiful women.

By then, Empress Wei Zifu had grown old and lost her beauty, and Emperor Wu of Han turned his favor to Consort Li and Consort Wang.

They had long forgotten about Wei Zifu.

General Wei Qing wielded too much power, and Emperor Wu of Han also harbored suspicions about him.

This is why Emperor Wu of Han promoted Huo Qubing to counter Wei Qing.

To avoid a situation where Wei Qing becomes the only one with a dominant position.

Before this, there was the Li Guang family, who could rival Wei Qing.

After the deaths of Li Guang, Li Cai, Li Danghu, and Li Gan, the Li family was essentially powerless to oppose Wei Qing.

In addition, as Liu Ju grew older, he disagreed with Emperor Wu of Han's arbitrary killing of meritorious officials and his aggressive military campaigns, which led to a rift between father and son.

With these factors in mind, Emperor Wu of Han had even more reservations about Wei Zifu and was even less inclined to see her.

It seems I may have to follow in Wei Zifu's footsteps.

Su Wan naturally knew about that period of history; the final result was the outbreak of the witchcraft scare.

Liu Ju was forced to commit suicide, and Wei Zifu also hanged herself.

Su Wan quickly reassured her, "Your Majesty, you are overthinking this."

How can you compare Wei Zifu and the Empress?

Empress Zhangsun looked out the window, her expression somber: "That's not entirely true. In terms of background, I might be better off than Wei Zifu."

Because my father and uncle both serve as officials in the court.

Our Longxi Group still has some foundation.

But Wei Zifu was originally just a singing girl in Princess Pingyang's household, of lowly status and with no background whatsoever.

She attracted Emperor Wu of Han with her beauty, singing voice, and intelligence, thus completing her transformation from a commoner to an empress—a true miracle in history.

so,

Wei Zifu was also very remarkable.

but,

Even a woman of such wisdom could not escape the fate of suicide.

As for what will happen to me in the future, it's hard to say.

Moreover, my health is not as good as Wei Zifu's.

Upon hearing this, Su Wan advised from the side, "Your Majesty, don't be so pessimistic. In my opinion, you are more outstanding than any empress in history. There are almost no flaws in you."

Empress Zhangsun laughed when she heard Su Wan say this: "You little girl, you're getting better and better at talking. How could I dare to compare myself to those empresses in history?"

For example, Empress Dowager Dou, Empress Wang, and Yin Lihua were all remarkable figures.

"No, no, no, in Wan'er's eyes, none of them can compare to you."

Empress Zhangsun waved her hand: "Let's not talk about that now. The most important thing is to ensure Chengqian's safety."

Where is your younger brother, Su Gui?

He was tasked with leading the Imperial Guards to find and protect Chengqian's safety.

Su Wan looked troubled: "I'm afraid that won't work, because the Emperor's decree for Chang He is to lead the Imperial Guards to arrest the Crown Prince."

If Su Gui did that, wouldn't she be disobeying the Emperor's decree?

"Just do what I tell you to do. Don't worry about anything else. Take my token." Empress Zhangsun said, taking out the token from her bosom and handing it to Su Wan.

"promise!"

Su Wan accepted Empress Zhangsun's token with both hands and happily agreed.

Su Wan thought to herself, "That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

It was the third watch of the night.

Yang Shufei's bedroom.

Consort Yang's face was very unpleasant; she had just reprimanded Li Ke.

Because Li Ke's performance in this civil service examination was not outstanding, and he did not even make it into the top three, Consort Yang felt very embarrassed.

Consort Yang was a woman with a strong sense of self-respect.

This may have a lot to do with her noble birth.

From a young age, she was a princess, always high and mighty. No matter who it was, they had to grovel before her.

However, this time, Li Chengan stole the spotlight.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became; she was truly disappointed in him.

In terms of strength, Li Ke is no match for Li Tai.

Under Li Tai's rule, there were 22 prefectures. Adding the surrendered Tanguts, that makes a total of 23 prefectures.

but,

Li Ke only had eight prefectures, how could he compare to others?

That's a huge difference.

and,

The land in Shu is barren and the roads are rugged. The places Li Tai allocated, such as Yangzhou, are prosperous lands, fertile fields of fish and rice.

Thinking of this, Consort Yang felt even more resentful.

On what grounds?

Just because Li Tai is the son of Guanyinbi?

It seems the Emperor is truly biased.

Li Shimin is truly hateful; he actually took our Yang family's property and distributed it to others.

If Li Ke could rule over 22 states like Li Tai...

Consort Yang will also have more confidence.

Therefore, it seems that Guanyin's maid was two-faced, saying one thing to her face and another behind her back.

On the surface, he declined everything.

For example, she declined Changsun Wuji's position as prime minister.

Actually,

Changsun Wuji would attend any important matters concerning the imperial court as usual.

and,

This is why his words carried more weight in front of Li Shimin.

This time,

Didn't Changsun Wuji also participate in the completion of Jiucheng Palace and the civil service examination?

Moreover, Changsun Wuji was also an examiner.

Chu Suiliang was imprisoned in the Dali Temple jail, but he jumped out to rescue him.

Without saying a word, the emperor immediately agreed.

Changsun Wuji could see that Chu Suiliang was about to rise to prominence; by winning Chu Suiliang over, he would gain another partner.

Old people are cunning, and horses are shrewd. It seems that Changsun Wuji is a cunning and shrewd old man with deep foresight.

and,

Consort Yang also sensed that Changsun Wuji did not have a good impression of his son Li Ke, but instead favored Li Zhi.

This incident left Consort Yang with a deep-seated resentment.

She often thought, what if one day Changsun Wuji were to turn against Li Ke?

Who can rival them?

And then there's Guanyinbi; her eldest son, Li Chengqian, became the crown prince, yet she's still not satisfied.

She used her seductive arts to persuade the emperor to bestow upon her son, Li Tai, the title of Prince of Yue, granting him numerous privileges.

In this harem where a mother's status was determined by her son,

With her two sons in the court, her position in the harem was very secure.

What's even more infuriating is that Guanyinbi has recently become pregnant again.

I really can't understand how that woman can have so many children, one after another.

And that Xu Hui, she's really annoying too.

Since Xu Hui entered the palace, Li Shimin has almost never visited her.

She had also heard that she had written a letter to Li Ke last time, telling him not to return to rescue Chang'an.

Unexpectedly, the letter ended up in Xu Hui's hands.

Xu Hui actually handed the letter to Li Shimin.

In Consort Yang's eyes, Xu Hui was the most alluring woman imaginable; outwardly innocent, she was actually incredibly seductive, and her skills in bed were top-notch.

Otherwise, how could Li Shimin have been so infatuated with her?

Could it be that,

Does she really like those poems and songs?

If that were the case, there would be plenty of people in the court who could compose poems and write essays.

Men are driven by their lower instincts, and Li Shimin was no exception. When he saw that Xu Hui was young and beautiful, he would go to her place every day.

He claims he was attracted to Xu Hui's talent? Nobody would believe him.

Consort Yang thought of Li Shimin again.

If it weren't for Li Shimin, how could his father have died?

of course,

His own father was killed by Yuwen Huaji, who in turn was killed by Dou Jiande.

Dou Jiande was captured by Li Shimin again and taken to Chang'an where he was killed by Li Yuan.

But no matter what,

If Li Yuan and his son Li Shimin hadn't occupied Chang'an, how could things have ended up like that?

They were subjects of the Sui Dynasty, and therefore should have been loyal to the court.

but,

However, under various pretexts and pretexts, they unexpectedly captured Chang'an.

On the surface, they supported a member of the Yang family as emperor, but not long after, they overthrew him and became emperor themselves.

If such a trick can escape the eyes of others, how can it escape the eyes of oneself?

Consort Yang thought for a moment,

Although he had already formed an alliance with Consort Yan

but,

Firstly, one cannot rely on others. Although Consort Yan's youngest son, Li Xiao, has died, she still has another son, Li Zhen.

Li Zhen is no pushover either;

Secondly, Consort Yan was far too naive. She actually went to the Lizheng Hall and had a huge argument with Empress Zhangsun, which angered Empress Zhangsun so much that she vomited blood.

Is there anyone who does things like her?

They have absolutely no sense of propriety.

Also, I wonder what's going on between Consort Yan and that old hag, the Blue Rakshasa.

The original intention was to steal the imperial seal and frame Su Wan.

Unexpectedly, in the end, they shot themselves in the foot.

The imperial seal was discovered in his own palace!

If Li Shimin hadn't considered that she had just lost her beloved son and was somewhat mentally unstable, he probably would have imprisoned her in the Dali Temple prison, and she might even have lost her head.

This made Consort Yang realize that she couldn't rely on anyone.

Therefore, it is a foolish idea to place your hopes on others.

Consort Yang deeply felt that it was not easy to survive in the harem.

at this time,

A pair of large hands wrapped around her waist from behind.

She turned her head and saw that it was Li Shimin.

Consort Yang's expression changed slightly, but she did not smile.

She pushed Li Shimin away and asked, "Your Majesty, when did you arrive?"

Upon seeing this, Li Shimin appeared somewhat uneasy.

Because he could tell from Consort Yang's expression that she didn't seem very enthusiastic towards him.

If he were to go to Xu Hui's palace and treat her in this way,

Xu Hui would definitely snuggle in his arms and whisper sweet nothings to him.

A fleeting look of displeasure crossed Li Shimin's face, but he quickly regained his composure.

He stood with his hands behind his back: "My beloved consort, I've been here for a while now."

Seeing that you seemed lost in thought, I didn't want to disturb you.

"Oh, Your Majesty, I didn't mean anything by it. I should congratulate you."

Li Shimin smiled slightly, not knowing what Consort Yang meant by those words, and asked, "My beloved consort, what do you wish to congratulate me on?"

"Your Majesty, I must congratulate you on the arrival of another child. Wasn't it said that Guanyinbi is pregnant with another little princess?"

Li Shimin laughed and said, "Sun Simiao diagnosed the Empress's pregnancy with a princess by 'suspending a thread' and said that she is pregnant with a princess. I wonder if his diagnosis was accurate."

"Whether it's a prince or a princess, I'm happy for Your Majesty," Consort Yang said insincerely.

Li Shimin's expression softened slightly: "Congratulations!"

"Secondly, Your Majesty, I wish to congratulate you on the successful completion of the Jiucheng Palace and the complete success of the civil service examination."

Li Shimin nodded slightly: "Indeed, the completion of Jiucheng Palace is a major event. Many ministers have said..."

Since I ascended the throne, I have not built any grand or imposing palaces, which are insufficient to display the majesty and grandeur of our Great Tang Dynasty.

Now, with Jiucheng Palace,

They should have nothing more to say then.

Consort Yang walked to the table, poured Li Shimin a cup of hot tea, and then handed it to him with both hands: "So far, has anyone been staying at Jiucheng Palace?"

Li Shimin reached out and took the teacup, took a sip, and said, "Not yet."

"It's not good to leave such a large palace empty with no one living there," Consort Yang said, forcing a smile.

You're right.

"Your Majesty, what kind of people are allowed to live in Jiucheng Palace?"

"Does this concubine meet the standards?" Consort Yang asked this question intentionally, testing the waters.

Li Shimin looked troubled: "On the day Jiucheng Palace was completed, Grand Secretary Fang Xuanling issued the standards for living in Jiucheng Palace."

All concubines, princes, princesses, and other members of the imperial harem who wished to reside in Jiucheng Palace had to make outstanding contributions and demonstrate exceptional performance.

"Your Majesty, then, what exactly constitutes an outstanding contribution and excellent performance?"

Li Shimin felt a bit of a dilemma. If he granted Consort Yang's request and allowed her to move into Jiucheng Palace, he would probably offend a large number of people.

but,

It seems a bit unreasonable to not allow her to reside in Jiucheng Palace, after all, Consort Yang was the daughter of Emperor Yang of Sui, and was different from ordinary concubines.

Consort Yang said half-jokingly, "Your Majesty, I'm not here to settle scores with you later."

but,

There are a few things I feel I need to say to you.

"Go ahead and say it." Li Shimin felt that Consort Yang was much more difficult to deal with than Consort Yan.

"Your Majesty, I ask you, on what palace was Jiucheng Palace built upon?"

"Uh, Jiucheng Palace was formerly Renshou Palace."

"Very well, then let me ask you again: who lived in Renshou Palace back then?"

"this--."

Li Shimin was speechless.

Because it was originally where Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, and Empress Dugu lived, Li Shimin, being so intelligent, naturally understood that Consort Yang's words were a reminder not to forget that Renshou Palace originally belonged to their Yang family.

Consort Yang continued, "Since my grandparents used to live in Renshou Palace, and now the entire palace belongs to your Great Tang Dynasty..."

Would you consider this an outstanding contribution?

"Then, even if I were to ask for a room or two with a couch, so I could sometimes go there to escape the summer heat and cool off, that doesn't seem like too much to ask, does it?"

This is like forcibly occupying someone's big house. Now they just want a small house to live in, not to sell it. The principle is almost the same.

finally,

Li Shimin nodded: "Alright, my beloved concubine, if you like, you may choose any two rooms to stay in."

"Your Majesty, when did you become so stingy?"

How can two rooms accommodate everyone?

Besides me, there are also Li Ke and Li Yin.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's face darkened: "That won't do. Li Ke and Li Yin haven't made any outstanding contributions yet. Besides, Li Ke is a prince and is going to live in Shu. How can he stay in Chang'an for a long time?"

Consort Yang, though displeased, could not refute: "Your Majesty, you said it yourself. Words are meaningless; you must issue me an imperial edict, otherwise..."

Ministers like Fang Xuanling wanted to impeach me, but I had no answer.

"Alright." Li Shimin had no choice but to write an imperial edict for Consort Yang, which essentially allowed her to reside in Jiucheng Palace.

"A palace alone is probably not enough. You must also grant me an imperial garden so that I can go there to relax when I have free time."

Li Shimin added to her fortune by gifting her an imperial garden, which was priceless.

After Li Shimin finished dealing with this matter, he reached out and embraced Consort Yang.

but,

Consort Yang pushed his hand away again: "Your Majesty, the night is still long, what's the rush?"

"I have something else to tell you."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin had no choice but to patiently ask, "My beloved concubine, is there anything else you wish to say?"

"Your Majesty, was the examination this time fair?"

Li Shimin cleared his throat: "This civil service examination is different from the past. I attach great importance to it because Chu Suiliang pointed out that the civil service examination is unfair."

Therefore, we established a review panel.

It's not up to one or two examiners to decide.

Multiple examiners conduct the evaluation, ensuring absolute fairness.

"Really? Then why did Li Chenggan get second place?"

"Could it be that his skill level is really that high?" Consort Yang expressed her doubts.

Li Shimin explained to her: "I have read both Li Chengan's and Chu Suiliang's works this time, and they are equally good."

but,

Su Dan gave Li Chenggan a relatively low score, therefore, Li Chenggan came in second place.

Consort Yang originally thought that Su Dan, being Li Chengqian's father-in-law, would definitely favor Li Chengqian. However, Su Dan gave Li Chengqian a very low score, which surprised Consort Yang. Therefore, she couldn't find any fault with him.

"So, it's a bit unfair that Li Chengqian got second place?"

Li Shimin seemed to have understood the unspoken meaning in Consort Yang's words: "My dear consort, what do you mean by that?"

Do you think Li Ke's score is too low?

Li Shimin's words hit the nail on the head.

but,

Consort Yang did not directly state her opinion.

Instead, he asked in return, "Your Majesty, what do you think?"

"I have read Li Ke's poem."

I think he wrote a lot, but he didn't grasp the main points. He's still a bit inexperienced and needs to study more.

Consort Yang sneered: "According to you, all the sons born to Guanyinbi are outstanding."

"Whether it's Li Tai or Li Chenggan, they're both better than the two sons I bore, aren't they?"

Judging from Consort Yang's tone, Li Shimin could clearly sense that she was quite unconvinced: "That's not how it works. No one is born with the ability to write well. It all comes down to learning and accumulating knowledge gradually. As long as Li Ke and Li Yin adopt the right attitude and study diligently, they will have no trouble writing good articles in the future."

"Your Majesty, they are all your sons, so why do you favor one over the other?"

You gave Li Tai 22 prefectures, and recently, you also placed the surrendered Tangut people under Li Tai's rule.

But you only gave Li Ke 8 states.

Moreover, the prefectures under Li Tai's rule were all prosperous lands, fertile fields of fish and rice.

"The Shu region where Li Ke is located is mostly mountainous and barren land with poor soil and inadequate water resources. Do you think this is fair?"