Chapter 297: Conflict with the "Five Yangs", conflict of interests
Just like the plum blossoms blooming in winter, Jiang Yueyao became Li Xuan's second woman.

After the lovemaking in Wushan, her delicate body, like Pei Lingxi's, was extremely tired.

But she felt very happy because she finally got what she wanted.

I have often had this dream since I met Li Xuan six years ago.

Maybe it wasn't perfect for her life, but at this moment, she felt like she had it all.

Since the family gave her to Li Xuan as a concubine, as long as Li Xuan did not abandon her, she would always be Li Xuan's.

No matter what her cousin asked her to do, she would not harm Li Xuan's interests.

But Jiang Yueyao also had a conflict in her heart. She didn't know how to repay the kindness of raising her...

It was late at night, but a red candle was still burning in the house.

In winter, the doors and windows of the houses are closed, candles are flickering, and the atmosphere is charming.

Jiang Yueyao rested her head on Li Xuan's chest, and Li Xuan's hands were placed on her private parts, making her very shy.

"Yueyao, in the future, as long as your parents and brothers do not commit the crime of deceiving the people, they can be protected."

Li Xuan felt Jiang Yueyao's slight breathing and promised her.

To Li Xuan, Jiang Du was just an insignificant character who could not cause any trouble.

Li Xuan clearly remembered that once Li Linfu took power, basically all the monkeys scatter, and even his son-in-law jumped out to step on Li Linfu.

"Thank you sir!"

Jiang Yueyao was very moved, as she knew that the fight between her husband and her cousin was fierce.

She still doesn't understand why her cousin married her to her husband.

Being able to save her parents and brothers can be considered as a reward for her raising her.

"My husband, did Yueyao satisfy you?"

Jiang Yueyao raised her head and stared at Li Xuan.

"No, Yueyao's body can't handle it."

Li Xuan said indifferently.

"I can……"

After Jiang Yueyao finished speaking, she took the initiative to turn over to Li Xuan...

……

The next day after get off work, I returned to the mansion.

"Sir, I am the steward of Madam Guoguo."

Pei Lingxi told Li Xuan that Lady Guoguo's steward wanted to see him.

Such a servant was not qualified to visit him, but considering that he was a close confidant of Lady Guoguo, Li Xuan agreed.

"Why are you coming to my house?"

Li Xuan asked Lady Guoguo about her management in the main hall.

"My lord, the emperor has ordered you to be in charge of the lantern lighting for the Lantern Festival. The buildings and lamps near Mount Li are all paid for by the court. Madam, would you like to ask for some money to decorate Guoguo Manor?"

Although the steward looked polite, he was actually very straight.

Lady Guoguo, who was behind him, gave him great confidence.

The current saint loves the royal concubine so much that he would pick the stars in the sky for her.

Lady Guoguo was the elder sister of the imperial concubine. As a slave, she did not feel that her master was of lower status than the prime minister.

Because since Li Xuan became prime minister, he has been doing things very differently, but he has always avoided the Yang family.

In the orchard incident two years ago, although the Yang family apologized, Li Xuan did not hold them accountable.

This kind of courtesy made some of the Yang family's servants and minions believe that Li Xuan did not dare to take action against the Yang family.

Even though Li Xuan carried out reforms, land annexation in Chang'an was still prevalent, with the "Five Yangs" taking the lead, but it was not so blatant.

Yang's servants also committed some crimes, and local officials covered up for them.

Li Xuan must be clear about this, after all, Li Xuan controls Jingzhao Yin, Dali Temple, and Censorate.

But Li Xuan turned a blind eye.

This kind of tolerance made Yang feel that Li Xuan did not dare to deal with them.

Slaves have this kind of mentality. They are shallow-minded and only care about immediate gains. They fully demonstrate the success of villains and the use of trivial matters as a token of authority.

"Is this a question you can ask?"

Li Xuan frowned when he heard what Mrs. Guoguo said.

On the surface, he is talking about being in charge, but in fact he is referring to Lady Guoguo.

He will make his own decision on what to do.

Before the civil and military officials had spoken, Lady Guo came to ask for money.

Li Xuan knew that Lady Guo, Lady Qin, and Lady Han received 100,000 yuan per month for cosmetics, but in fact, they received more than one million yuan in various rewards.

Even a third-rank official's salary was far less than theirs.

But they were still not satisfied and accepted bribes from all directions.

In just a few years, the family's assets amounted to millions of strings of cash.

Moreover, the manors and orchards around Chang'an were gradually taken over by them.

They even robbed their fellow cronies and forced the officials to transfer their estates and orchards to themselves.

In the era of Li Longji, officials were only favored, and with Gao Lishi in charge, no one could interfere in politics.

If those eunuchs and palace attendants reported the "Five Yangs", Li Longji might execute them.

Gao Lishi couldn't do anything to Wu Yang either!

He knew clearly that the Five Yangs, relying on Yang Yuhuan's favor, gradually became more and more unscrupulous and disrespectful of the law.

Countless other big families and powerful people dared to be angry but not to speak out.

The Five Yangs are already showing a tendency to be the only ones who are superior!
Last winter, Li Xuan secretly had a conflict with Lady Guoguo.

The reason was that a local chief in Shannan broke the law, was discovered by the Censor-in-Chief, and reported to Yang Shenjin, who then learned about it.

But this chief secretary bribed Lady Guo with a large sum of money.

Although Li Xuan did not know how much money Lady Guoguo had received, she personally visited him and begged him to let the chief official go.

Li Xuan just played Tai Chi with Lady Guo and sent him off perfunctorily. On the same day, Li Xuan sent Lu Zhen to Shannan on a fast horse, and with the evidence known, he beat the chief historian to death.

Li Longji seemed confused and actually wanted to pardon the chief secretary.

But it was too late!
All counties and prefectures were in a state of solemnity.

Although Lady Guoguo did not say anything on the surface, she must have been very dissatisfied in her heart, thinking that Li Xuan was not as handsome as before.

But she didn't want to think about it.

Li Xuan had just killed his cousin Li Yu. If Lady Guoguo pleaded for him, he would be pardoned as the Chief Clerk.

Then Li Xuan is a complete clown.

And Li Xuan would not tolerate such a thing happening.

Li Xuan always acted in a gentle but firm manner. Although Li Xuan had a good relationship with Lady Guo and others before, he had never done anything for them.

Although Li Xuan was a flatterer and catered to Li Longji for pleasure, he never harmed the interests of the people.

It can even transform some elegance and luxury into simplicity and grandeur, which is praised by people.

The reason why the ministers who followed Li Xuan worked wholeheartedly was that they believed that Li Xuan was a gentleman who could transform into a leopard and a peerless national talent.

That kind of invisible charm conquered them.

"Sir, my lady only needs 10 million yuan to decorate Guoguo Manor."

The steward's face turned red from holding back his anger. He thought Li Xuan was too disrespectful to him, but he didn't dare to say it and could only tell the reason.

Even if Li Xuan gave some money to Lady Guoguo to decorate Guoguo Manor, the sage would not say anything.

The country is so rich now!

"Is my Tianshui Palace worth 10,000 strings of cash? Is there a tall lamp in my courtyard? Is there a bright tower?"

Li Xuan stared at the manager and questioned him in a deep voice.

How could Yang Yuyao feel comfortable asking for ten thousand strings of cash?

Or have you seen too much money and become numb to this string of numbers?
During the heyday of the Kaiyuan period, a dou of rice cost ten wen. Even now, a jin of rice costs ten wen, so ten thousand guan is an astronomical figure.

Li Xuan felt that Yang was testing him time and again to gauge his bottom line.

However, Li Xuan was afraid of Yang Yuhuan and did not dare to take direct action against her.

It is the same now because he knows his purpose.

We must not take the initiative to deal with the Yang family.

As Tianbao gradually entered its later period, Yang Yuhuan at this time could influence any of Li Longji's thoughts.

But just because he doesn't take action against Yang doesn't mean he will help Yang do anything without any bottom line.

He would never allow the "Five Yangs" to offend his dignity and reputation.

"But this is the order of the saint..."

Mrs. Guo's servant claimed.

He saw that the Tianshui Palace was indeed simple and without any splendor.

It was so poor that it was not even worth one eleventh of his master's.

"The sage ordered me to preside over the Lantern Festival ceremony, but he did not ask me to distribute money door to door. Go back and tell Madam Guoguo not to be so hasty."

Li Xuan ordered the steward to expel the guests.

Jiang Yueyao knows how to make lanterns by hand, so the lights in Tianshui Palace were all made by themselves under Jiang Yueyao's instruction.

Pei Lingxi, who was pregnant, also joined in and made her own lanterns, preparing to hang them at home on the night of the Lantern Festival.

"But madam..."

"go out!"

Lady Guoguo's steward wanted to say something but was stopped by Li Xuan.

He was indeed a little impatient.

Although the manager felt aggrieved, he had to leave in disgrace due to Li Xuan's power.

After he returned to Lady Guoguo's mansion, he told her what had happened in Tianshui Palace, adding fuel to the fire.

"You are so good, Li Qilang. The sage clearly promised me that I should decorate Guoguo Manor first and see the lights of Guoguo Manor from Cuiyun Pavilion."

Lady Guoguo was quite gnashing her teeth after being rejected by Li Xuan again.

She thought Li Xuan did it on purpose. It was just a mere ten thousand strings of cash. Was it a lot?

She used to think Li Xuan was very heroic, and every time she thought of him, she felt excited.

After Li Xuan became prime minister, the policies he issued harmed Yang's interests, but she endured it.

But now I can’t stand it anymore!
After Li Xuan killed the Chief of Shannan, Lady Guoguo clearly felt that fewer people paid tribute to her.

She was currently rebuilding her main residence in Chang'an, planning to spend two million strings of cash, and everything inside would be adorned with gold and jade.

As long as it is magnificent and luxurious, the cost is not important.

So Lady Guo was also short of money. She thought that no matter how much money she had, it would not be enough for her to spend.

Li Xuan's strict assessments and constant rectification made local officials believe that "money to buy lives" had no effect.

Li Xuan must be killed!

Moreover, Li Xuan had a mad dog named Zhao Fengzhang, who refused to listen to any advice. Li Xuan handed over all the assessment and promotion tasks to Zhao Fengzhang.

As long as Zhao Fengzhang agreed to the promotion and assessment, Li Xuan would immediately force Li Linfu to sign in the government affairs hall.

This led to the Five Yangs wanting to promote some local officials, but they were always stuck in the Ministry of Personnel, and could not even reach the Zhongshu Menxiatang.

The Five Yangs once threatened Zhao Fengzhang, but to no avail.

Zhao Fengzhang was not afraid of death, and with Li Xuan as his backer, he continued to do his own thing and follow the rules.

Since local officials could neither save their lives nor get promoted through the "Five Yangs", giving them gold, silver and jewelry became meaningless.

Even if Li Xuan did not take the initiative to blame the "Five Yangs", the huge benefits involved would make the "Five Yangs" dissatisfied with Li Xuan.

"Yang Zhao, you are not allowed to have any contact with Li Qilang from now on, otherwise you will be in trouble..."

Yang Yuyao went back to the boudoir, pulled Yang Zhao up, and warned him.

She knew that Yang Zhao was bowing and scraping in front of Li Xuan and doing things according to Li Xuan's will.

(End of this chapter)