New Year's Eve has passed, and this year's New Year's Eve is much calmer.
The daughter-in-law's body still needs to rest, and Li Yue is looking at her husband's new clothes. The clothes were made as early as autumn, and the black robe has some blue embellishments.
The couple's robes are of the same style.
Since she started learning to make clothes, the clothes have been couple clothes for the past four years. Xiao Wu and Xu Hui's new clothes are also cut by her, which are more like parent-child clothes.
In her opinion, it is best for the whole family to dress the same.
"The weather is still so cold. My husband should stay out of the wind when he goes to Chang'an." Li Yue warned.
Auntie has prepared the carriage and parked it in front of the house.
Li Yue said again: "Take Xiao Wu with you."
Zhang Yang looked at Xiao Wu who was holding a bowl and eating breakfast. The bowl was bigger than her face, and her little face looked bulging while chewing rice.
"I can just go by myself."
"If my husband goes alone, it will appear that our family does not value him."
Li Yue arranged her luggage and handed over a bunch of money, "Come back and buy some meat and vegetables. The chickens and ducks in the village are almost all killed."
Glancing at Xiao Wu, Zhang Yang sighed and turned into a cloud of white mist in the cold air, "I'm going to Chang'an right now."
"Husband, leave early and come back early."
With my daughter-in-law's current condition, it is difficult for her to leave home, let alone go to Chang'an City.
Xu Hui has to stay at home to do the questions. She is trying to make up for her study progress and keep up with her knowledge level.
Seeing that Xiao Wu wanted to get on the carriage, but was afraid of soiling his new clothes, he was in a dilemma.
Zhang Yang put his hands on her waist and lifted her up to the carriage.
Zhang Yang sat on the shaft of the carriage, and the horse walked slowly towards the outside of the village.
There are many children playing in the village on the roadside. Some are fighting, some are bullying puppies, and a few are playing in the mud.
The carriage walked out of the village and went faster now.
"Master, won't the teacher go to the palace?"
"Your teacher needs to recuperate now. Let's go to the palace to pay New Year's greetings to His Majesty and the Queen, and to meet someone on the way."
Xiao Wu said: "Who are you going to meet?"
"I heard he is a stubborn old man."
There were many carriages on the official road. Zhang Yang stepped on the shaft of the carriage and leaned against the carriage. "I asked you to calculate the longitude and latitude before. How did you do?"
"The teacher said we need to do a few more days of calculations to verify it." Xiao Wu rested his chin with both hands and sat aside looking at the scenery in front of him, "Master, calculating longitude and latitude is so complicated."
Calculating longitude and latitude is very difficult for Xiao Wu and Xu Hui's level, so they can train them to use formulas flexibly.
Zhang Yang explained: "If you are marching to an unfamiliar place, you can calculate the longitude and latitude coordinates to determine your position, and calculate the distance from your destination based on the map, which is very useful."
The carriage stopped at the city wall, and Xiao Wu got off the carriage with a kneel.
Zhuque Street was very lively. Zhang Yang took her into an alley, passed by the door of his house, and then walked towards Dongshi, bypassing the most crowded place on Zhuque Street, and successfully arrived in front of Chengtian Gate.
Seeing that it was Li Daoyan who was guarding Chengtian Gate, Zhang Yang stepped forward to greet him: "Brother Daoyan, do you still have to be on duty during the New Year?"
"It happens to be the last general's turn."
Zhang Yang explained: "I'm here to pay New Year greetings to His Majesty and the Queen. These are salted duck eggs. You can also take a few home for your brothers and sisters to try."
Li Daoyan stood up straight, "No need, Chao Zhong has been keeping a close eye on me recently and I don't dare to collect anything."
"I'll send you home another day."
Li Daoyan looked at the guards behind him again, "Arrange someone to report it."
The guard replied: "Here."
Zhang Yang put the basket aside and looked at the people passing by on Zhuque Street, waiting for the person who had gone to report the matter to come back.
Xiao Wu also put his hands in his sleeves, leaning against the city wall and looking towards the street.
"What happened last time between Tang Jian and Tang Guan and his son? Did they still think about it in front of the wall at home?"
Li Daoyan replied: "I heard that His Majesty asked Tang Jian and his family to return home, leaving Tang Shanshi, the Prince Consort, in Chang'an City."
"So that's it."
Li Daoyan whispered: "Don't plead for them in front of His Majesty."
Zhang Yang grinned and said, "I don't think I will plead for mercy because I am dealing with the problem rather than the person."
Li Daoyan still nodded.
After waiting for a long time, the person who went to report it still didn't come back.
Xiao Wu got a little tired from standing, so he bent down and sat down, holding a small stone and writing calculations on the ground.
"Does Brother Daoyan know Wang Gui?"
"When Wang Gui was serving as a servant, after Gao Shilian retired, he no longer interfered with the affairs of the court. He had heard of him, but didn't know him."
"Do you know where he lives?" Zhang Yang asked again.
"The sixth house on the right side of Zhuque Street will be replaced in an hour. If you want to see him, I can take you there."
While he was talking, the person who went to the palace to report ran back, "Your Majesty summoned the county prince and went to Xuanwu Gate with his humble position."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yang took Xiao Wu into Chengtian Gate and warned, "Brother Daoyan will wait for me here for a while."
Li Daoyan had a straight face.
This guy is still as serious as ever. He is like this, and so is Li Ke.
Xiao Wu was already very familiar with the palace, so she followed him one step behind, "Master, are you tired carrying a basket of duck eggs? Do you want Xiao Wu to help?"
Zhang Yang looked at the basket and then at her height. The basket was taller than her.
It's better to let this little girl know what it means to act within one's ability.
She picked up the basket and tried to pick it up. She pursed her lips and tried to pick it up. Her face turned red for a moment, and her hands began to tremble after taking two steps forward.
Zhang Yang took the basket back again and said, "You have to do things according to your ability. It's obvious that you don't have the strength to pick up this basket."
"Auntie said that Master's strength is extremely strong."
"I used to have no money to eat, so I worked hard to make ends meet."
"I also want to strengthen my body." Xiao Wu vowed.
From Chengtian Gate to Xuanwu Gate, you have to go straight through the Imperial Palace.
When we walked to Xuanwu Gate, there were obviously more guards guarding the place.
General Niu Jinda was guarding the door. Zhang Yang smiled and said, "General Niu, I'm here to see your Majesty."
He looked at Xiao Wu who was following him quickly, "I'm here to see His Majesty and I'm bringing a little girl with me."
"This is my wife's disciple. It would be more serious to bring a family member with you."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! "I know you just had a daughter." Niu Jinda made way to indicate that he could go in.
"General Niu is really well informed."
"What's more, I know it, and both the government and the public know it. The Supreme Emperor gave all the seals of martial virtue to the newly born little princess. It's hard to figure out whether the court is talking about it or not."
"Really?" Zhang Yang smiled bitterly for a while.
"go in."
"Why."
Walking in from Xuanwu Gate, this is equivalent to the back door of the palace. When you walk out, you will suddenly see a wasteland...
Looking around, I saw Li Lizhi and Li Zhi playing in the southeast direction.
"Xiao Wu!" Li Lizhi ran over quickly, pulled her up and wanted to play together.
"Go." Zhang Yang nodded.
Xiao Wu laughed playfully and ran quickly towards Li Zhi following Li Lizhi. Princess Gao Yang and the others were still there.
"Dongyang! Kick the polo ball to me."
"Zhinu, why are you so stupid!"
"Gao Yang, don't be stunned, your ball has been robbed!"
…
Away from the noise of the children, Zhang Yang walked to Li Shimin. Not far away, the queen was picking wild vegetables that had just sprouted with several ladies in noble clothes.
They were all concubines in the palace, because Concubine Yang was also seen in the crowd.
"Your Majesty, what is there to see in this desolate land?" Zhang Yang said, passing a basket of salted duck eggs to the eunuch standing aside.
Clearing his throat again, he added: "Please, father-in-law, please take out the salted duck eggs. I will take this basket back."
The old eunuch laughed and said, "I know that the county prince is frugal, so I went to find a box to put it in."
Li Shimin frowned and said, "You are not that frugal."
"Your Majesty, weaving a basket is quite tiring. It's not like you can't use it when you take it back."
"With your family fortune, you still care about a basket?"
"This is not a matter of one basket. Developing the habit of frugality is the right path and a long-term solution."
Li Shimin took a sip of tea and said, "If it weren't for you and Wei Zheng's obstruction, Taiye Pond would have been built in this area, instead of being so dilapidated and desolate now."
"It is also the duty of ministers to advise."
"You mean I deserve it?"
Zhang Yang smiled awkwardly, "Actually, I'm here to pay New Year's greetings to His Majesty today."
Li Shimin put down his tea bowl, picked up a piece of dried meat and ate it, "Do you want to try the dried beef sent as tribute by Tubo?"
Zhang Yang picked up a piece and tasted it carefully, "It took a lot of effort to bite it, it's just right for the child to grind his teeth."
At this scene, the eunuchs were deeply worried. This concubine really dared to eat the food given by His Majesty. Ordinary ministers would have to shirk it several times.
"Okay, you can take some home later and give it to your two little maids."
"Your Majesty, Xiao Wu and Xu Hui are not maids, they are my wife's disciples."
The eunuch handed over a box, which was filled with dried beef. Li Shimin took it and handed it to Zhang Yang, "In previous years, you came to see me after New Year's Eve. I should also give you some good things. Keep these dried meats.
They are all family members."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"My father gave the Seal of Martial Arts to his newborn granddaughter. Naturally, I regard you as one of my own. There are so many heroes in this world. I have seen many of them. This is the first time I have seen you so knowledgeable.
Anyone who dares to accept it.”
Zhang Yang cleared his throat again, "Is Your Majesty blaming me?"
Li Shimin snorted coldly, with some resentment in his eyes.
"May I ask your majesty, do you dare not accept it?" Zhang Yang stood up straight and waved his sleeves and said: "If your majesty feels that I have offended you, there are hundreds of kilograms of flesh on my body, and you can kill me any way you want."
Li Shimin chewed the dried meat and swallowed it, "It's a pity to kill such an important minister. The lake salt from Tubo has been delivered, which is five stones. I will ask someone to send one stone to Lishan and give my son-in-law a seat."
The little eunuch brought a bar stool.
Zhang Yang was about to bend down and sit down, holding his back, "My wife just gave birth to a baby, which is less than half a month old. She has to sleep alone these days. I sleep on the board every day and my back has been bad recently."
Li Shimin glared at the eunuch holding the stool again.
The eunuch frightened and brought another chair.
Zhang Yang then sat down comfortably and said, "Lishan's production has reached its bottleneck. Your Majesty needs your help as my son-in-law."
It's very rare to hear from Zhang Yang that he wants my help. I wonder if you have this day too?
The emperor's mood improved a lot. He blew the tea leaves floating on the tea bowl and asked, "How can I help you?"
"Lishan needs hematite."
As soon as the tea was in his mouth, Li Shimin looked embarrassed, "What do you want the hematite for?"
"Ordinary limonite casting is not strong enough. Technology needs to be researched and resources are needed. If there is no breakthrough, production will stagnate. Your Majesty does not want to see such a situation."
The laughter of children came again from behind.
The eunuchs have closed their eyes and held their breath. How dare Zhang Yang threaten His Majesty? He is so smart...
Li Shimin clenched his fist in one hand and held the tea bowl in the other hand, even trembling a little.
"It's related to the production plan. If Your Majesty doesn't agree, I will have to find another way."
"I'm sure."
Li Shimin finally put down the tea bowl.
The eunuchs who originally held their breath and closed their eyes suspected that they had heard wrongly, but they actually agreed?
Zhang Yang stood up again and took the dried meat with him. "I will leave now. I will send someone to Master Yan from the Ministry of Works to discuss it later."
Li Shimin wanted to say something else, but when he turned around, he saw that the person had already walked away.
"Your Majesty, do you need to call someone back?" the eunuch who knew how to read people's words whispered.
"No need, go and call Li Junxian."
"Here."
When Xiao Wu saw her master coming back, she also hurried back and brushed the weeds off her clothes.
Zhang Yang handed the box to her, "There is dried meat in it, you can eat it while walking."
Xiao Wu opened the box, looked at it, and quickly covered it, "Take it back and eat it with Xu Hui."
Returning the same way, Zhang Yang thought about what to say when he saw Wang Gui.
While walking, Xiao Wu opened the box from time to time to look at it. The quality of the beef jerky was very good. Finally he couldn't help but take out another one and chew it in his mouth.
After eating one, she took out another, and while walking, she ate all the way.
Returning to Chengtianmen again, Li Daoyan was waiting here as agreed.
Looking up to see that it was already noon, Zhang Yang cupped his hands and said, "Brother Daoyan, please wait for a long time."
"It's okay, I went to ask about it. Wang Gui is at home right now."
"Brother Daoyan, please lead the way."
The gate of Wang Gui's house was smaller than that of other houses in Zhuque. Zhang Yang said to the concierge, "Please let me know and come to see Duke Yongning."
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard voices in the courtyard, "One of you, the master and the apprentice, is half-dead and has all your conspiracies, and the other one is young and ignorant!"
Hearing this, Zhang Yang took a step back unconsciously, "We haven't even met each other yet. Why is the Duke scolding people?"
"Don't let me come in yet!"
Words came from the courtyard. First, they thanked Li Daoyan, and then Zhang Yang and Xiao Wu walked into the courtyard.
Wang Gui, whose beard and hair are all white, is standing with his back to him, holding a plum blossom in one hand, which is in full bloom.
"I've read Zhang Gongjin's letter, why isn't this old guy dead?"
"The teacher's condition is stable and has not deteriorated yet."
Wang Gui turned his back to the person, still holding the plum blossom in his hand, shaking his head and saying: "If he doesn't die, I will die soon."
"No matter how heavy the wind and snow are, the plum blossoms can bloom alone in the cold weather." Zhang Yang bowed and said, "How can anyone not admire such arrogance?"
Wang Gui finally turned around and said, "You are right, flowers are for women. Such pride is what a man should have."