Su Mingzhe is handling the memorial with Li Chengqian.
A servant came to report, and the third prince Li Ke came to ask for an audience.
Li Ke, born of Concubine Yang, was named King of Wu and appointed governor of Anzhou and governor of Anzhou.
Anzhou was later known as Anlu City, next to Wuhan.
At the end of last year, a censor impeached Li Ke for trampling on crops while hunting.
Under pressure from the court, Li Shimin dismissed Li Ke from his official position and asked him to return to Chang'an to spend three months in isolation.
Now that the period of thinking has expired, this kid can't sit still and probably wants to find something to do.
Su Mingzhe also valued this third child very much and summoned him immediately.
Not long after, Li Ke, dressed in coarse cloth, narrow sleeves and leggings, walked into the hall with long strides.
"The sons and ministers pay homage to their father and the emperor, and the younger ministers pay homage to the emperor's elder brother."
"Get flat."
Su Mingzhe felt unhappy when he saw Li Ke's appearance.
Now is the time when spring returns to the earth and everything revives. It is not a good season for hunting.
Li Ke also saw that the emperor was unhappy, and quickly explained:
"Father, I heard someone said a few days ago that there was a ferocious tiger coming down from Zhongnan Mountain to harm people, so I specially led people to hunt it down. I just came back victorious this morning."
After hearing the explanation, Su Mingzhe was a little hesitant and said:
"Hutou, you didn't lie?"
Tiger Head is Li Ke’s nickname.
Seeing that his father was suspicious, Li Ke quickly said that the tiger's body was still outside the palace gate. He wanted to bring it into the palace to present it to his father and mother, but because the imperial guards intercepted it, he did not bring it in.
After hearing the explanation, Su Mingzhe asked Zhang Ananda to send someone to bring in the tiger's body, and then nodded with satisfaction to Li Ke:
"You are really determined to eliminate harm for the people. Since you have been out for a few days and visited your mother and concubine, you should go back and rest early. In a few days, my father will reward you again."
"Thank you, Father."
Li Ke saw that Su Mingzhe said no more and did not dare to stay any longer. He knelt down and said goodbye again.
After Li Ke left Hanyuan Hall, he went to the harem under the leadership of a eunuch to see his mother and concubine.
Concubine Yang gave birth to two sons in total, namely Li Ke, King of Wu, and Li Min, King of Shu.
Originally, there was a daughter, but she died shortly after birth.
Because Concubine Yang has the blood of the previous royal family, she has always kept a low profile in the harem.
After the death of Empress Changsun, among the concubines in the harem, except Concubine Yin who did not dare to compete for the position of queen because of her parents, Concubine Yang has always restrained herself and kept a low profile.
Last year, two sons made mistakes in the fief and were impeached by the censor.
After Concubine Yang learned the news, she began to worship the Bodhisattva Buddha every day and pray for her two sons, hoping that the two sons would be safe and not cause trouble again.
Not long after, Li Ke came to Shujing Hall, Concubine Yang's palace.
Shujing Hall was originally the place where the princess of the previous dynasty lived. It has an elegant and unique environment. This is also where Concubine Yang lived when she was a child.
Later, when Li Shimin ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, he rewarded Concubine Yang with Shujing Palace.
Concubine Yang, who was less than forty years old, was wearing the red and white phoenix robe advocated by the Sui Dynasty. She had a slender figure, elegant and calm manners, a graceful temperament, and a delicate and beautiful appearance. She was sitting next to the eucalyptus table to receive her son Li Ke.
When mother and son meet, they first talk about old times.
After Concubine Yang knew that her son had not suffered any crime, she spoke and warned:
"Your father told me a few days ago that he was going to change your title to Suzhou. You should stop messing around in the past few days, and you should work diligently and love the people when you get to the fiefdom..."
"The mother taught her a lesson, and her son remembered it."
Li Ke was still very filial and naturally nodded in agreement to Concubine Yang's words.
At the end of her speech, Concubine Yang hesitated for a moment, and then she couldn't help but reveal a piece of news:
"Your father also said that in ten years' time, we are going to implement a real vassal state. All the princes' fiefdoms will be moved again, so that the princes can move to many islands in the east and south. I asked your father, there are sparsely populated areas there, that is
It’s a barren land. If you don’t want to be the prince of the vassal, the princes will have to be demoted in the future. For example, Ren’er can only be the county prince, and Ren’er’s children can only be the Duke of the country.”
When Li Ke heard the news revealed by Concubine Yang, the muscles on his face trembled slightly.
After a long time, he pretended to be calm and laughed loudly:
"Father is indeed wise. This method is a long-term plan for our descendants."
"Yeah?"
When Concubine Yang saw her son's praise, she was originally full of sadness, but it dissipated a little at this moment:
"It's good that you can understand your father. When you go to Suzhou in the future, you must work hard and love the people. Your father has agreed that when you go to the East China Sea and South China Sea Islands, you will be allowed to move tens of thousands of people from Suzhou and follow you.
Fan."
"When my son arrives at the fiefdom, he must be diligent in his administration and love the people."
Li Ke secretly breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that he could leave with ten thousand households.
He was almost scared to death just now.
The islands in the East China Sea and the South China Sea are still a barren land, and there is no difference between the indigenous people there and the monkeys.
I heard that they are still in the stage of eating hair and drinking blood, which is worse than the Turks.
If he were really asked to become the king of a group of monkeys, he would rather stay in the land of the Tang Dynasty and accept being demoted to the nobility.
However, if you can bring 10,000 households there, then it will be no problem.
Ten thousand households could be considered a good vassal state during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.
The matter of being demoted to a noble title was quickly known to the powerful people of the Tang Dynasty due to the deliberate spread of the news by some people.
The reactions of these people vary.
A fool like Cheng Yaojin laughed out loud when he heard that his title could be passed down to seven generations, then patted his son on the head and said with a smile:
"Let alone the seventh generation, even the fifth generation, I, Old Cheng, think it's a good deal. You should strive for fame and wealth immediately, and rely on your ancestors to calculate your skills!"
Civil servants like Fang Xuanling and Changsun Wuji were also very indifferent.
After experiencing the changes in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, they all knew that the wealth of future generations did not lie in any hereditary system, but in the heart of the emperor.
If the emperor gives you wealth, you will have wealth.
If the emperor doesn't give you wealth and honor, if you still come forward, you are seeking death.
It is a pity that there are too few understanding people like Cheng Yaojin, Fang Xuanling, and Changsun Wuji.
The vast majority of people are panicking and want to unite to put pressure on the emperor and force him to take back this 'chaotic order'.
Inside and outside the court, undercurrents surged.
After Su Mingzhe found out, he ignored it and continued to live his life at his own pace.
At night.
After leaving Hanyuan Hall, he first went to Ganlu Hall for dinner, and then refused Wang De's arrangement for his concubines to sleep with him.
"Wang De, there is no need to make arrangements tonight. You can stay here. If there is something urgent, go to Dai Ji's place in Yeting Palace to find me. I will rest at Dai Ji's place tonight."
Su Mingzhe told where he was going, and Wang De could only nod his head.
After the Xuanwu Gate Incident, Dai Ji was also favored for a while.
Unfortunately, a new generation replaced the old one, and Dai Ji unknowingly ended up living in the Yeting Palace to be with the Yin Crown Princess Zheng Guanyin.
Um?
Wang De thought of Dai Ji and Zheng Guanyin staying together, and couldn't help but take a deep breath:
"Your Majesty will not..."
Wang De wanted to catch up with Su Mingzhe and try to persuade him, but he raised his front foot, a look of struggle appeared on his face, and finally slowly lowered his foot.
Since the death of Empress Changsun, the emperor has slowly begun to let himself go.
How dare he, an emasculated sinner, try to stop the emperor.
Su Mingzhe, who was not blocked, soon arrived at Yeting Palace, the residence of Dai Ji and Zheng Guanyin.
When he pushed the door open and walked in, he saw that the furnishings in the house were simple, and three women were kneeling on the bed, doing prostitutes.
Hearing the noise, the three women looked up together.
The oldest young woman among them has a face in her thirties. Although she has a plain face and a coarse cloth barefoot, she has a beautiful face and a natural expression, without being angry or intimidating.
This is Zheng Guanyin, who is forty years old this year and the same age as Li Shimin.
Rumor has it that the Zheng family was optimistic about Li Shimin and wanted to marry Zheng Guanyin to Li Shimin.
After Li Yuan knew that the Zheng family wanted to marry the Li family, his eldest son Li Jiancheng's first wife died in childbirth, so he wanted to find a legitimate daughter from a prominent family to continue the marriage.
Li Yuan pushed Li Jiancheng out and got married to the Zheng family.
After Li Shimin heard about this, he was angry that his elder brother had robbed his woman, so he married Empress Changsun, who also had the word "Guanyin" in her name.
When Zheng Guanyin saw that the person pushing the door was Su Mingzhe, she didn't get up. She just frowned slightly and said angrily:
"Erlang, this is my residence. Aren't you afraid that people in the world will laugh at you if you come here in the middle of the night?"
"Sister-in-law, calm down, I'm here to find Dai Ji."
Su Mingzhe's playful smile made the three women in the room lower their guard a little.
Toi Ji, who was less than thirty years old, had a complexion as snow as frost, clear eyes and white teeth, and was unparalleled in beauty. After hearing the man's words, she showed a trace of struggle, but in the end she walked down from the bamboo couch and stood beside the man.
Unlike Zheng Guanyin, Dai Ji is Li Yuanji's concubine.
If Su Mingzhe had harmed Zheng Guanyin, I am afraid that some of the tough-minded courtiers would be so angry that they would throw down their crowns and leave.
However, if it were Dai Ji, no one would say anything.
After all, concubines in the Sui and Tang Dynasties were no different from slaves.
Dai Ji also knew her situation, so when faced with the emperor's threatening eyes, she could only be gentle and obedient.
Not long after, Su Mingzhe took Dai Ji's little hand and entered the house next door.
After entering the house, Su Mingzhe didn't show any signs of hunger. Instead, he said in a gentle tone:
"Daiji, that girl just now is Wanshun, right? She looks very much like my sister-in-law."
Li Wanshun, Li Jiancheng's only child left in this world, is also the daughter of Li Jiancheng and Zheng Guanyin.
After Zheng Guanyin married Li Jiancheng, they gave birth to a son and a daughter. The son was killed by Hei Yuchi that night.
Because of her young age, her daughter Li Wanshun hid in Zheng Guanyin's place and survived.
After the Xuanwumen Incident, Zheng Guanyin also exchanged a night of pleasure with a man for her daughter's chance of life.
Dai Ji didn't know what the man wanted to ask, so she could only remind her in a wary tone:
"That's Wanshun, and she's also your niece. You already spared her back then, so you won't go back on your promise now, right?"
"Where are you thinking?"
Su Mingzhe couldn't help feeling proud when he saw Dai Ji walking up to him and undressing him, taking more initiative than twelve years ago.
At the same time, he did not forget the purpose of coming here and spoke:
"Yesterday, when I was walking in the palace, I heard someone singing here. After asking, I found out that it was Wanshun. There is no need to mention the old things from back then. Now that Wanshun is older, he will continue to stay in the palace.
It's such an inconvenience. I'm going to marry her to a family, so you can ask my sister-in-law what she wants."