Outside the Tai Chi Palace, Eunuch Gao was so anxious that he was rubbing his hands. The sound of smashing things could be heard in the palace for half an hour. Counting the porcelain in the palace, almost all of them should have been killed. With Li Shimin's stingy character, he could smash things.
With so many things, he was obviously very angry.
Li Shimin never expected that Li Mu would dare to resist the decree. Didn't he know that this was a great kindness? Look at the letter he replied, what did he say? He might as well say he won't marry!
"The queen has arrived."
Eunuch Gao heard the fairy voice and hurriedly greeted him: "Is the queen feeling better?"
Yesterday, the queen was so angry that she fainted, but she woke up thanks to Liu Shenwei's acupuncture. Unexpectedly, she was still worried about this matter today, and Eunuch Gao felt a little sorry. Just as Empress Changsun was about to speak, she suddenly heard another loud noise in the palace.
He frowned and asked, "What's going on? Is there a reply from Li Mu?"
"Yes, there is a reply." Eunuch Gao opened his mouth, as if it was difficult to explain. Queen Changsun is such a smart person. He immediately guessed that Li Mu must have disagreed. Somehow, after learning this result, Changsun
The queen actually felt like she breathed a sigh of relief. In any case, it was not a big mistake.
"Why did you reply to the letter?"
"I really don't know." Eunuch Gao didn't lie. He indeed didn't see it. The letter didn't pass through his hands. It was directly handed over to Li Shimin by the young eunuch. After Li Shimin read it, he smashed it open while holding on to his hands.
After beating and cursing him, he was kicked out, and then he sent people to find Queen Changsun. He didn't know much more than Queen Changsun.
"Okay, step back." Empress Changsun waved her hand, and Eunuch Gao and the female officials she brought with her all took a few steps back. Empress Changsun pushed open the palace door, and Li Shimin's curses followed: "Gao Gao,
Didn't I say -" When he saw Empress Changsun, she put down the inkstone in her hand and sat down angrily: "The empress is ill and doesn't have a good rest, why are you here?"
The words were quite distant. Empress Changsun felt a pain in her heart, but she didn't have the same understanding as him, and said: "I heard that there is a letter from Li Mu. What did you say?"
"This kid doesn't know how to praise!" Li Shimin gritted his teeth and cursed: "I should kill him!" He paused and said as if he was angry: "I should kill him!"
Empress Changsun couldn't help but roll her eyes at him and thought to herself, I want to kill you but I can't bear to do it, so what are you talking about? She pretended not to have heard and continued to ask: "What exactly did you say? Do you have anything to say?"
"There, take a look for yourself." Li Shimin pointed to the ground and fell silent. Empress Changsun followed his finger and saw a ball of waste paper on the ground with footprints on it. It was obviously Li Shimin's death in anger.
What a masterpiece.
Empress Changsun walked over, picked up the paper and unfolded it, and saw the writing on it in beautiful white: "Your Majesty will not give up, and I am terrified. I dare not go against your Majesty's wishes, so I will accept it. But there is one thing.
, let’s talk about it at the beginning. Ordinary people’s families also need betrothal gifts and dowry when getting married. I boasted that when my eldest daughter gets married, she must receive a dowry worth millions, but to match it, I also have to
A betrothal gift is required. I don’t dare to ask for more betrothal gifts, only ten. The list is as follows..."
Seeing this, there is nothing unusual. Although it is strange to ask the royal family for a betrothal gift, it would not be so strange if it was Li Mu who did it. And he also said that he would prepare a copy of the value.
A dowry of one million yuan, so generous, it is also appropriate to ask for a betrothal gift.
But when she saw the contents of the list clearly, Empress Changsun understood why Li Shimin was so angry. It read: "One tael of stars, two taels of moon, three taels of breeze, four taels of white clouds, five taels of flames, six taels
Gas, seven taels of smoke and eight taels of piano music, nine taels of fire-burning hail, and one catty of dried snowflakes. All the betrothal gifts I want are ready, and my daughter will deliver them to my door. The betrothal gifts I want are less, and the girl will not marry for eighty taels.
.”
Empress Changsun was stunned, and she didn’t blame Li Shimin for being so angry. Who could not be angry when seeing this? If you don’t want to agree, just say no. If you agree well, betrothal gifts are hard to do and what a loss!
"Are you angry?" Li Shimin saw Empress Changsun's expression and knew that she felt the same as him. He said with infinite grievance: "Does this kid deserve to die? If he doesn't deserve to die, he should be beaten. I will issue an order to let him send his daughter to the palace.
Come here and raise it with Prince Jin!"
With that said, Li Shimin was about to pick up the pen, ink, paper and inkstone he threw on the ground. Queen Changsun quickly stopped her: "Your Majesty, you can't!"
"No?" Li Shimin said angrily, "You didn't see what this bastard said? Where can I find him the thing he wants? Isn't this just teasing me!"
"Your Majesty is confused first, no wonder." Empress Changsun pulled Li Shimin to sit down and advised: "Li Mu did not directly reject your Majesty, which is also to save your majesty's face. Otherwise, if the news spreads, both sides will not look good. I'm sorry.
I have already said that this matter is inappropriate. Now Li Mu has made his attitude clear. If His Majesty insists on having his own way, not to mention the stubbornness of that boy Li Mu, he will definitely not hand over his daughter. Even if he does, how will future historians comment on His Majesty?
Is there any forced marriage?"
The four words "historian of later generations" really struck a chord in Li Shimin's mind. This matter is indeed easy to say or not, and it was not the fault of Mingjun. It's not that Li Shimin didn't expect this, he didn't expect that Li Mu would refuse such an honor as a marriage.
How could someone refuse? This kid Li Mu really doesn’t look down on the royal family!
When this thought came up, Li Shimin became even more angry. But then he thought about it, if this person was Li Mu, it would be normal for him to think like this. He is Li Mu. The five surnames and seven sects are all like cattle and horses in his eyes. When does he care?
Exactly. The so-called royal family is just a branch of the Li family in Longxi. What's more, he has already joined the clan and can be considered a member of the royal family. There is really no need to think highly of him.
It's just that this feeling is really unpleasant. Moreover, now Li Shimin is riding a tiger and can't get off. His decree has been made, and everyone in the world knows about his proposed marriage. Now that Li Mu has refused, he can't tell the world that Li Mu doesn't like me.
The King of Jin refuses to marry his daughter, right?
Having said that, do you still have the nerve?
Li Shimin expressed his worries, and Empress Changsun thought for a while and said: "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. Didn't Li Mu say it when he replied to the letter? This is a family letter, not a memorial. This gives Your Majesty some room. Your Majesty
All you need to do is think of an excuse to get over it. Li Mu will definitely cooperate with His Majesty and won't expose it."
When Li Shimin heard this, he also understood what Li Mu meant. According to the rules, family letters can be kept private, but memorials are qualified to be reviewed by later historians. Just like daily notes, the emperor could not order them.
"Then -" Li Shimin frowned and said, "What do I say? I just issued the decree yesterday."
"The answer lies in this betrothal gift." Empress Changsun pointed to the letter and said: "Your Majesty can say that Li Mu agreed to the marriage, but it will be difficult to collect the required betrothal gift for a while, and the two children are still young. This matter is also
Don’t be in a hurry, just put it on hold for now.”
Li Shimin thought for a moment and said, "If someone mentions it in the future, how will I explain it?"
"Since Li Mu doesn't want to marry his daughter, let him worry about it." Empress Changsun said this, but she said in her heart: "There are almost no people in the court who support the marriage grant. It is so vague that it confuses everyone.
Who would be so ignorant to mention my thoughts?"
"What the queen said makes sense." Li Shimin said angrily: "Then if Li Mu doesn't want to marry his daughter, he will definitely resort to some tricks. I'm so angry that I can't do anything with him!"
For Li Shimin to say this, he admitted to giving up. Empress Changsun was not a country woman, so she had to let her man admit his mistake. The matter was resolved satisfactorily, and Empress Changsun was in a good mood, saying: "Your Majesty, you don't have to do this.
It’s so sad, that guy Li Mu is already stupid, and he won’t change even if you get angry with him, so why is there any need?”
"What the Queen said is true," Li Shimin sighed: "I feel more and more that sending him to Luoyang was a correct decision. If he stays in Chang'an, I will be angry to death sooner or later."
Li Shimin let out a long breath, suddenly raised his head and saw the mess all over the ground, and immediately felt heartbroken: "This...how did it get smashed like this, even the senior officials, why didn't you stop me! It's all smashed, how much does it cost?"
, I’m afraid I won’t get a hundred strings?”
In fact, there were not that many. When we moved from the East Palace, there was no Ministry of Internal Affairs. The expenses in the palace were all "basic" and not worth much. Later, when the Ministry of Internal Affairs was established, we had more money, but
Empress Changsun felt that extravagance in the harem should not be allowed, so there was not much improvement. Li Shimin's utensils only increased a little, and were far from worth a hundred guan.
But in order to make Li Shimin change his bad habit of smashing things in the future, Empress Changsun decided to deliberately go overboard and said: "It's more than a hundred guans. Your Majesty, look at those two vases. They are both tributes from Jiangnan. Each one costs 3 guan."
Ten guan. The total of the smashed ones is probably more than 200 guan. Two hundred guan is enough for a family to eat rice for several years, but His Majesty smashed them all in a rage. Is this what a wise king would do?"
"Alas..." Li Shimin sighed and said, "I was confused for a moment, and I blame Li Mu. I have to ask him for the money."
Still like this? Empress Changsun was stunned, her original plan was not like this. But thinking about it this way, it seems that there is nothing wrong. If Li Mu didn't write something about one or two stars and two liang clouds, there would indeed not be such a thing.
.
"What does Your Majesty want to do?"
"We can't let it go like this." Li Shimin said fiercely: "I asked him for money! Didn't he collect business tax? At least half of it must be paid!"
"..."
Suddenly, a thought popped up in Empress Changsun's head: Could it be that this is His Majesty's true purpose, to use the marriage as a means of extortion? That young man in white robes and silver armor has really changed.
Yes.
…
Luoyang, Hou Mansion.
Li Siwen was far away when he heard the sound of drums beating in the back house. When he got closer, he saw clearly that it was indeed drums, but it was not the kind of drums in front of the two armies, but the drums he was holding in his hand.
I don’t know when Li Mu made the rattle. He was playing with the two children.
"Brother, don't hang around your children all day long. There are still things waiting for you to decide." Li Siwen didn't want to disturb Li Mu, but what he said was true. The daily affairs of the Hou Mansion can be piled up.
Li Mulai has to make the final decision on a mountain. If he doesn't make a decision, it will be in vain for others to argue and vomit.
"What happened again?" Li Mu's eyes did not move away from the child for half a second, and he motioned Li Siwen to retreat: "Stay back, don't scare the child into crying."
"How can I still make the child cry?"
"You don't understand." Li Mu handed the rattle to Jin Chen, turned around and said, "There is a saying among the people that when children see too many people, they will look like them. You are so ugly, if the child
I see you have seen too much, what should I do if I look crooked? As a father, I really have to guard against it."
"Brother--" Li Siwen was filled with resentment and thought, I'm not your good brother anymore. Why did you start to crowd me out inexplicably after having a child?
"Don't listen to your elder brother's nonsense." The supplements he took before were not in vain. Qiaoqiao can already go to the ground, but he can't go out for fear of being exposed to the wind: "Your elder brother is not serious, and he can't do it for a day or two."
"Sister-in-law." Li Siwen spoke to Bai Qiaoqiao with respect from the bottom of his heart, which was completely different from his attitude towards Jin Chen and others: "I really have something to do ahead of time, so I came here as a last resort."
"I understand." Bai Qiaoqiao glanced at Li Mu and said, "Didn't you say nothing happened today? Why did you lie to me?"
"Oh, how can it be called lying about husband and wife matters?" Li Mu argued: "Isn't it just that matter? If you say it is a matter, it is, but if you say it is not, it is not. If I do everything myself, how can I do it myself?
What do you want them to do?" Li Mu looked at Li Siwen and said, "Didn't I tell you, if you have anything to do, go to Ma Zhou. Where is Ma Zhou?"
"Where is the grain supply?" "You don't understand." Li Mu handed the rattle to Jin Chen, turned around and said, "There is a saying among the people that when children see many people, they will look like that person. What do you look like?
So ugly, what if the child looks at you too much and grows crooked? As a father, I really have to guard against it."
"Brother--" Li Siwen was filled with resentment and thought, I'm not your good brother anymore. Why did you start to crowd me out inexplicably after having a child?
"Don't listen to your elder brother's nonsense." The supplements he took before were not in vain. Qiaoqiao can already go to the ground, but he can't go out for fear of being exposed to the wind: "Your elder brother is not serious, and he can't do it for a day or two."
"Sister-in-law." Li Siwen spoke to Bai Qiaoqiao with respect from the bottom of his heart, which was completely different from his attitude towards Jin Chen and others: "I really have something to do ahead of time, so I came here as a last resort."
"I understand." Bai Qiaoqiao glanced at Li Mu and said, "Didn't you say nothing happened today? Why are you still lying to me?"
"Oh, how can you call lying about a couple's matter?" Li Mu argued, "Isn't it just that matter?