Now I really have to marry the princess.

That day, Yang Zhengdao got up with the help of Ah Wu and Ah Liu.

Yang Zhengdao pondered that tomorrow was the day he would enter the Wude Hall to practice martial arts, so the imperial decree should be sent today.

Sure enough, before he could even take a sip of porridge, a palace eunuch arrived at his door.

A young eunuch arrived.

Yang Zhengdao opened the central gate and received the imperial edict in the central courtyard.

The young eunuch stood facing south and unfolded the imperial edict:

"Your Excellency: Prince Zhengdao of Sui is respectful and filial to his parents, and earnestly prays for their well-being. He has renounced worldly life to cultivate himself and pray for the blessings of my late father, which greatly pleases me. However, with the affairs of state at their peak, it is more appropriate to uphold military discipline, and the matter of cultivation should be postponed for now. He is now being summoned to the North Gate Garrison to participate in the selection of palace guards. Be respectful and attentive in your duties, and do not deviate from the prescribed rules."

You bastard Li Erfeng!

He hasn't forgotten about being ordered to cultivate!

Should we postpone it?

Does that mean that even after I lose my position, I'll still be ordered to continue my spiritual practice?!

Yang Zhengdao was so angry he almost laughed!

He managed to control his expression and respectfully accepted the imperial edict.

At this moment, the young eunuch handed over a military order for the next day's martial arts training at the Wude Hall and a talisman for the garrison at the North Gate.

As usual, Yang Zhengdao placed a few gold beans in the young eunuch's hand when he received the military order and talisman.

After accepting the money with a strange expression, the young eunuch stood there without saying anything about leaving, and kept winking at Yang Zhengdao.

Yang Zhengdao was stunned. He tentatively asked, "Angel, is there anything else you wanted to say?"

The young eunuch scratched his head and gave an awkward smile: "Why didn't you ask me my name, Young Master Yang?"

Yang Zhengdao was even more bewildered.

Judging from that tone! What's going on?

Was the wedding gift too small? But this is just a summons, not an official appointment.

Could it be that this young eunuch has some kind of background?

No way, this little eunuch doesn't even have a blue robe, he's clearly no official rank. The eunuchs Cao and Jian, on the other hand, are all wearing dark green robes.

It's absolutely not true that Yang Zhengdao discriminated against people and gave them the same amount of money.

He looked at the young eunuch with suspicion, and the young eunuch actually became shy.

Unable to understand, Yang Zhengdao could only smile apologetically and ask, "May I ask how the angel is addressed?"

The young eunuch scratched his head sheepishly: "His Majesty instructed me to tell Young Master Yang that my surname is Cao."

After saying this, the young eunuch bowed and turned to leave.

Yang Zhengdao was left standing there, stunned.

Li Er is targeting him!

Old Cao collected gold beans earlier, then turned around and sold them to Li Er.

Yang Zhengdao couldn't help but complain in his heart, "It's not like I asked you to do the weather forecast, I was just being polite!"

In the morning, Yang Zhengdao went to Empress Xiao's place to report that he was safe and sound, and also to tell her about his plans to learn martial arts at the Wude Hall.

After hearing this, Empress Xiao sighed and once again urged him to keep a low profile.

Yang Zhengdao agreed to all of them and then chatted with the old lady for a while.

Before parting, Empress Xiao instructed him to visit the Pei family after the Wude Hall incident was over.

On the way back, Yang Zhengdao was filled with confusion.

The Pei family that Empress Xiao mentioned was Pei Xuanji, the son of Pei Ju, a family of former officials of the previous dynasty.

Pei Ju followed Emperor Yang, who was then the Prince of Jin, in the war to destroy Chen. Later, he pacified Lingnan, attacked the Turks, and managed the Western Regions, making outstanding contributions.

Afterwards, he followed Emperor Yang on his campaigns to Liaodong and Jiangdu, and can be considered Emperor Yang's trusted general and key minister.

It wasn't until the fourth year of the Wude era, when Dou Jiande was defeated, that Pei Ju finally returned to the Tang Dynasty and died in the first year of the Zhenguan era.

Since the original owner followed Empress Xiao to Chang'an, Empress Xiao had always instructed the original owner to avoid former officials like the Pei family.

Now that he's taking the initiative to suggest that he visit the Pei family, there must be some deeper meaning behind it.

Back home, Ah Wu and Ah Liu still prepared lunch for Yang Zhengdao separately.

Before Yang Zhengdao could even take a bite, more people from the palace arrived.

This time, it was once again a young eunuch who carried an imperial edict: "The Emperor asked Zhengdao: Have your policy proposals been written yet?"

So it was a reminder to submit homework, but why didn't you ask that when you delivered the order this morning?

Yang Zhengdao went to the study, retrieved the policy essay, and handed it to the young eunuch.

The young eunuch looked at the thick stack of papers and twitched the corner of his mouth.

Indeed, Yang Zhengdao wrote a full 15,000 words to explain "work relief" clearly this time.

When handing in his assignment, he still didn't forget to slip a few gold beans to the young eunuch.

After the young eunuch received the money, he stood still, just like the one from this morning.

No way?! Here we go again!

Yang Zhengdao tentatively asked, "May I ask how the angel is addressed?"

The young eunuch gave an embarrassed smile and said awkwardly, "His Majesty instructed me to tell Young Master Yang that my surname is Cao."

Sure enough, this is Li Erfeng's perverse sense of humor!

Why take two summons when one would have been enough? Is it because of those few coins?

Seeing the young eunuch turn to leave, Yang Zhengdao quickly stopped him, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

"Angel, there are no outsiders here. Tell me the truth, should this golden bean be given to the saint when we return?"

"Ah!" The young eunuch was shocked, then said in a panic, "This servant dares not speak of such a matter!"

Having said that, the young eunuch practically fled.

Yang Zhengdao was speechless!

He knew that Emperor Taizong of Tang had historically cheated people out of the Lanting Preface.

So, Li Erfeng is really capable of making money off him!

In the afternoon, Yang Zhengdao went to Da'an Palace again to pay his respects to Li Yuan.

Li Yuan's health has indeed greatly improved.

When Yang Zhengdao arrived, Li Yuan was in the courtyard drawing his bow and shooting arrows. Although he could not shoot seventy arrows in a row as he used to, he hit the target with every arrow and was in good spirits.

Upon seeing Yang Zhengdao arrive, Li Yuan smiled apologetically and said, "It was not my wish for those ten acres of permanent land to be allocated to the mountain."

Yang Zhengdao couldn't accept the old man's apology, so he quickly bowed:

"The Emperor Emeritus's words have caused me great anxiety and unease. As far as I am concerned, the mountains, rocks, grass, and trees are all gifts from the elder."

Li Yuan said nothing more, let out a long sigh, and put away his bow, revealing the decline of a hero.

Yang Zhengdao felt a pang of sympathy and stepped forward to comfort him: "Your Majesty, as the saying goes, what is lost on one front may be gained on another. If Yongye Field had not been allocated to the mountain, I would not have been able to obtain that tea garden."

Li Yuan understood Yang Zhengdao's words of comfort and waved his hand with a smile.

Then, following Yang Zhengdao's words, he said gently, "Your approach of using the new tea business to align yourself with Gaoming is good. As long as you stand with the Crown Prince, Erlang will not be suspicious of you."

Upon hearing this, Yang Zhengdao's heart skipped a beat.

You can say that, but is it something I can listen to?

Yang Zhengdao quickly bowed again, then put on an innocent expression.

"Your Majesty, please don't overthink it. Your uncle is very kind to the government."

Li Yuan was taken aback at first, then burst into laughter, raising his hand to tap Yang Zhengdao a few times: "You little rascal! You're quite clever."

After laughing, he glanced at the eunuch with scissors serving him and showed a look of disgust.

The eunuch scissors twitched at the corner of his mouth, inwardly groaning. "Your Majesty, why do you always act recklessly whenever you see that brat Yang Zhengdao? How am I supposed to report this?"

After leaving Da'an Palace and returning to Xingdaofang, it was nearly dusk.

As soon as Yang Zhengdao entered the courtyard, A-Wu came up to him with a strange expression: "Eldest brother, people from the palace have come again. They've been waiting for you for almost half an hour."