Jiaqing was utterly bewildered!
He had merely seen the people surnamed Zhao and Zhu placing orders, and couldn't help but ask casually. He had never expected such a result.
Soon, Kang Mazi, standing nearby, joined the fray.
"What's this? Hearing them say it, your grandson seems quite wealthy!"
"Come, come, lend your great-grandfather some cash."
Yongzheng chimed in, "Don't forget about your grandpa here!"
Jiaqing: .........
Damn it!
But before he could react, Kang Mazi and Yongzheng rushed towards Deng Dengjie.
"Give me ten thousand rods too, and I'll settle the bill with that grandson Jiaqing later!"
Li Shimin sat there, gleefully watching the scene unfold, seemingly contemplating how to spend the money he'd earned.
What had started as a pleasant banquet had ultimately devolved into an arms promotion event.
Li Yuan and Li Jiancheng, father and son, felt more sour than if they had eaten lemons. Damn it, how could this second son be so adept at making money?
Meanwhile, Dou Jiande, Wang Shichong, Liu Wuzhou, and others sat with ashen faces in a corner. They could already guess why Li Shimin had sent someone to abduct them.
It was simply because this world would develop far better under the Li family's rule than under theirs.
There would be no other reason.
And the facts were precisely as they had assumed.
Watching the busy Deng Dengjie, Li Shimin, holding a wine cup, approached them at some point.
"Esteemed sirs, heed my advice!"
"When you return, proactively seek out your counterparts in your respective worlds and obediently hand over your military power. You can then live the rest of your lives in peace."
"I'm sure you are aware of the fate of your counterparts in this world. This is the general trend of the times, something you cannot alter."
"Therefore, make the best of your situations!"
These were just two pieces of advice, without excessive mockery.
When he had initially instructed Fang Er to abduct these individuals, he had already planned how to ridicule and taunt them.
But upon seeing them, those thoughts vanished in an instant.
Heh.
They weren't worthy!
The banquet finally concluded at sunset. The emperors were escorted to the Honglu Temple for accommodation, but there was one exception.
That was Wu Zetian, who had performed a dance at the banquet!
Fang Er personally witnessed Li Shimin taking that woman into the imperial harem!
New capital, new city, new imperial palace!
What was this?
Was this old Li planning...
Damn it, why did this feel so awkward?
And he was not the only one who felt this awkwardness!
Li Zhi, who left last, also noticed this matter, and his expression immediately turned darker than the bottom of a pot!
Returning to the imperial harem, Li Shimin, examining Wu Zetian before him, asked with great curiosity.
"Wu Kong, can you tell me about some of your past with me in your world?"
Wu Zetian shed the noble and dignified demeanor she displayed during the banquet. In private, facing Li Shimin, she surprisingly revealed a girlish posture.
"If Er Lang wishes to hear, then allow this humble consort to tell you slowly..."
——Happy New Year——
The next morning, Li Shimin emerged from the new Ganlu Hall, stretching his arms towards the rising sun.
Satisfied, extremely satisfied!
But at that moment, the voice of Empress Dowager Changsun suddenly came from the side.
"Oh! Er Lang is up quite early!"
Li Shimin shivered involuntarily and quickly turned to greet her.
"Hahaha, isn't Guanyinbi also up early?"
"How is it, aren't the palaces that I had Anzhi build more comfortable to live in than the original ones?"
Empress Dowager Changsun looked at him meaningfully, "They are a bit more comfortable, but this consort feels something is missing."
"Therefore, this consort plans to have Anzhi go to another parallel world and bring back some younger versions of you."
"What does the Grand Emperor think of this idea?"
Li Shimin's smile instantly froze on his face: "Guanyinbi, why do you say such a thing!"
"Could it be that I am not yet..."
Empress Dowager Changsun's gaze shifted to Ganlu Hall behind Li Shimin: "Heh! Er Lang's taste has changed, you've started to like older women!"
Li Shimin finally reacted and quickly explained, "Guanyinbi, please don't misunderstand!"
"I had nothing with that Wu Kong yesterday!"
"At the second watch of the night, I had her sent back!"
"To be honest, being with her always made me feel like I was stealing... "
"And, stealing from my own grandson..."
"Looking at her, a voice in my heart constantly reminds me that she is Fang Xin's wife, and I have no relation to her whatsoever!"
The old man's expression appeared sincere and wronged, not feigning at all.
Empress Dowager Changsun was not an overly jealous woman, otherwise, she wouldn't have earned the title of a virtuous empress for all time.
The reason she said those words earlier was merely for marital amusement.
However, Li Shimin's answer clearly exceeded her expectations.
"Are you telling the truth?"
"Truer than gold!"
"Tch! Why doesn't this consort believe it?"
"Don't believe me? If you don't believe me, I'll prove it to you!"
Li Shimin looked wronged like a little wife. After his eyes darted around a few times, he directly hoisted Empress Dowager Changsun onto his shoulder and turned towards Ganlu Hall behind him.
"Er Lang, what are you doing!"
Empress Dowager Changsun, carried on his shoulder, was somewhat panicked. She struggled and shouted.
"Hahahaha, what am I doing? Of course, it's morning exercise!"
Li Shimin laughed triumphantly, kicked open the hall door, and strode in.
The attending eunuchs exchanged glances and quickly and cleverly closed the hall door.
"Inform everyone that the Grand Emperor was drunk yesterday, all matters will be discussed this afternoon!"
After instructing the guards, the two eunuchs huddled together and started gossiping.
"Alas, you say, the Grand Emperor earned so much money yesterday, will our bonus increase this month?"
"You ask me, who should I ask?"
"Alas... I bought a few prisoners from the death row, and I'm waiting for the bonus to get my little dingdong transplanted!"
"What? You don't want to work in the palace anymore?"
"Isn't that a no-brainer? Now that Physician Sun's medical skills are so superb, who wouldn't want to be a man again if given the chance? Moreover, the common people outside the palace are living much better than us now. If I can become a commoner again, I'd be smiling in my dreams..."