The most dissolute couple in the capital

The next day, at the crack of dawn, a group of people were already waiting outside the east gate.

Li Zhao rode on horseback, dressed in a tight-fitting, narrow-sleeved outfit, looking heroic and spirited. Behind her followed more than twenty female officials, guards, and a number of other officials.

He Li, dressed in his brand-new eighth-rank military uniform, stood at the end of the line, looking like a wilted eggplant.

"I said," he tugged at his collar, turning to Wang Chengyuan, who had come to see him off, with a pained expression, "is this official robe a size too small? It's so tight I can hardly breathe."

Wang Chengyuan looked him up and down, then wrinkled his nose in disgust: "Your physique is wasted on these clothes. I should have had the tailor enlarge your waist by three inches."

He Li: "...Are you here to see me off or to insult me?"

Wang Chengyuan took a purse from his sleeve and stuffed it into his hand: "Five hundred taels. Eat well on the road, and don't embarrass us."

He Li's eyes reddened: "Chengyuan..."

"Don't even try." Wang Chengyuan shoved his face away. "If you dare cry in front of the princess, you'll be sent back home soon. You don't think you'll survive if you're sent back, do you?"

Thinking of his parents, He Li shrank back and held it in.

Not far away, Cui Qingyi and Li Chengjing sat in the carriage, lifting a corner of the curtain to look in their direction.

Cui Qingyi commented, "After He Li put on his official robes, he did look quite convincing."

Li Chengjing tilted his head and stared at it for a long time: "What does it look like? Like a rice cake stuffed into a box?"

Cui Qingyi: "..."

You know what... He Liting is quite fair-skinned, and now that you mention it, he does look a bit like him.

Li Zhao rode over and nodded slightly to the carriage: "Uncle, Aunt, we shall depart now."

Li Chengjing waved to her, "Be careful on the road, don't tire yourself out. If you miss me, write back. Although my handwriting is a bit ugly, I'll still reply."

Li Zhao's lips twitched slightly: "...Thank you for your concern, Imperial Uncle."

Cui Qingyi leaned out halfway, smiling broadly, and said, "Your Highness, may your journey be smooth. If there is anything you are not comfortable with, Your Highness can simply send someone to inform you."

Li Zhao nodded, his gaze sweeping over the ranks. After scanning the group once, he gently spurred his horse and called out, "Let's go!"

As the bugle sounded, the convoy moved slowly forward, raising a trail of yellow dust.

Cui Qingyi lowered the carriage curtain, leaned back on the cushion, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Finally, they're gone."

Li Chengjing leaned closer: "Wife, are you relieved?"

"With He Li gone, our household will save at least twenty taels of tea and snack money every month." Cui Qingyi leaned against the carriage with her eyes closed.

Li Chengjing thought about it and felt that it made sense.

Then he thought about it again: "You know what, I actually miss him quite a bit now that he's gone."

Cui Qingyi thought for a moment and then laughed out loud: "Me too, a little."

The two exchanged a smile and headed back home.

That year, life in Chang'an seemed to be on fast-forward.

The second prince, Li Han, reluctantly married Lady Lu.

The marriage was ordained by the Emperor, and no one could object. The Second Prince's face was ashen at the wedding, while Miss Lu was dignified and poised, her demeanor impeccable.

Zheng Wenyuan also got married, marrying a legitimate daughter from a collateral branch of the Wang family. This arrangement was similar to that of Cui Qingyi before her marriage.

The newlywed had been married for less than two months when she got into a fight with her sister-in-law, Zheng Deyin, at a flower-viewing banquet. She was scolded in public by Madam Zheng, which made quite a fool of herself.

Time flies, and another year has passed in the blink of an eye.

Li Zhao was summoned back to the capital to report on his duties.

Ten months of training in the countryside honed this princess, who had once been raised in the deep palace, into a sharp sword drawn from its sheath. Her originally fair skin had become tanned, and the naivety in her eyes had faded, replaced by a more composed and shrewd demeanor.

Inside the Hall of State Affairs, several prime ministers sat together, with the report documents handed to them by Li Zhao spread out in front of them.

The emperor sat at the head of the table, a smile on his face, toying with a jade thumb ring in his hand.

"Have you all seen it?" the emperor asked.

Attendant-in-Ordinary Zhang Huai'an spoke first: "Your Majesty, Princess Zhao…" He paused, then changed his form of address, "The eldest princess's efforts in establishing orphanages in the surrounding towns have been remarkably successful. The three newly established orphanages have already taken in over a hundred orphans. Furthermore, her reforms to the local commercial tax system have significantly increased local revenue."

Grand Chancellor Wang Si stroked his beard and nodded noncommittally: "His achievements are undeniable; there's nothing to discuss about that."

The emperor smiled: "Since you've seen it all, I have something else to say."

He pushed a stack of memorials onto the table: "The princes are getting older, and the matter of bestowing titles upon them has been pending for a long time. Quite a few memorials have been submitted. What do you all think?"

The hall fell silent for a moment.

The prime ministers exchanged glances.

Zhang Huai'an broke the silence first: "Your Majesty, according to ancestral rules, princes should be granted titles upon reaching adulthood. The Second Prince, Li Han, is already married, the Third Prince, Li Ye, is nearing adulthood, and although the Fifth Prince, Li Yu, is frail, he is also of age. This matter should indeed not be delayed any longer."

"And what about Zhao'er?" the emperor asked casually.

Wang Si paused for a moment, then continued stroking his beard as if nothing had happened.

Another prime minister, Zhao Chuanxi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, chimed in: "Your Majesty, although there are precedents for bestowing titles upon princesses in our dynasty, they are ultimately rare. If this were to be done, I fear the court..."

"How is the situation in the court?" the emperor asked in a flat tone.

Zhao Chuanxi wisely kept quiet.

Wang Si sighed inwardly.

The emperor wasn't asking for their opinions at all.

The chancellors exchanged glances, and after a brief exchange of looks, Shen Xie, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, spoke up: "In terms of political achievements, Princess Zhao is indeed outstanding, far surpassing all the princes. I believe that if she is to be granted a title, it would be fitting to bestow upon her a substantial one."

The other three exchanged a glance.

Of the four, Shen Xie was the youngest, and he was promoted by the current emperor himself.

Shen Xie continued, "The Second Prince, Li Han... has accomplished nothing since his marriage, and his past indiscretions are known throughout the court and the public. The Third Prince, Li Ye, has spent many years in the army and is quite well-behaved. The Fifth Prince is frail, so let's not mention him."

For a subject, it is basic to understand the emperor's meaning from the sound of a stringed instrument. Since this statement was made by Shen Xie, it is basically the emperor's intention.

Zhang Huai'an frowned slightly, carefully choosing his words: "Your Majesty's love for your daughter is well known to us. I only fear that the opinions of the court officials will be overwhelming, and the princess will be unfairly attacked."

"The dignity of the imperial family is earned through the solid foundation of the nation, not through hiding away in the deep palace with ears covered." The Emperor stood up, hands clasped behind his back, and strode down the jade steps. "Zhao'er's mission is to settle orphans and educate the local people. If those upright officials have the ability to manage and pacify, I will immediately assign them this task! If they fail, they'd better keep their mouths shut!"

The Emperor snorted coldly: "They dare not take this hot potato, so they can only use rules and etiquette as an excuse. Under the pretext of attacking Zhao'er, aren't they actually just trying to suppress imperial power by accusing me of acting out of line as emperor?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huai'an and the others broke out in a cold sweat, hurriedly kneeling and kowtowing: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! We would never have such an intention, even if it meant death!"

The prime ministers knew that the emperor was determined to make Li Zhao a king.

In fact, if it really came down to a direct confrontation, they could have brought up quite a few rules and regulations. But the problem is, Li Zhao's political achievements speak for themselves.

In this pragmatic court, if you can get things done, bring money to the court, and appease the people, then your words will carry weight.

In contrast, the second prince has made a series of blunders in the past two years, and the noble families have also expressed their dissatisfaction with him.

not to mention……

The prime ministers exchanged glances out of the corner of their eyes.

The Emperor is in his prime; if we really anger him, none of us will fare well. Moreover, the honor of bestowing the title of princess upon a princess was once granted by the founding emperor, and it is not too excessive to bestow it upon the only legitimate princess who has also achieved political success.

After weighing the pros and cons, the Grand Chancellor spoke again, his tone now more conciliatory: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Princess Zhao is exceptionally talented and has achieved remarkable political success, truly a blessing to Da Ning. In my opinion, if we are to award her a title, Princess Zhao should be the one to receive the greatest credit."

The emperor's expression softened: "Draft an edict. My eldest daughter, Li Zhao, is exceptionally intelligent, respectful, frugal, kind, compassionate, and has made outstanding political achievements. She is hereby granted the title of Prince of Yan. My second son, Li Han, is granted the title of Prince of An. My third son, Li Ye, is granted the title of Prince of Hui. Furthermore, my eldest son, who died young, is posthumously granted the title of Prince of Ying, and my fourth son, Prince of Yi, to honor my late father."