Chapter 205: Granted Marriage (asking for monthly ticket)

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, merchants and small vendors in Chang'an City have officially started business.

Setting off explosives is essential, but there is no need to clean up, after all, bamboo ash is very useful.

Early in the morning, Li Xiang was called away by Li Jingren and Cheng Chubi.

The three of them squatted in the breakfast shop of Mrs. Li's house, preparing to eat something delicious.

"Brother, you must try this lamb intestine from Mrs. Li's house." Cheng Chubi shook his head and said, "You don't know, my father often comes here to eat. If you don't believe me, ask her."

As he spoke, Cheng Chubi pointed at Mrs. Li who was blanching the goods.

"The Third Young Master is right. Duke Lu...isn't he here now?"

Li Xiang looked in the direction that Mrs. Li pointed and happened to see Lao Cheng walking towards him with crab steps.

"Uncle Cheng--" Li Xiang greeted him before Cheng Yaojin called him.

Cheng Yaojin was such a cunning person, of course he understood what he meant.

"Are you so free today, Dalang?"

As he spoke, he walked over to the three little ones, pulled over a stool and sat down.

"Niu said it was delicious and wanted me to try it." Li Xiang replied with a smile.

Niu refers to Cheng Chubi, whose nickname was Chouniu, which was later simplified to "Niu".

Cheng Yaojin grunted, stretched his neck and said, "It's still the same."

"Please wait a moment." Mrs. Li first brought the portion for the three people, then reached out and grabbed three sheep eggs and a sheep whip from the side, cut them a few times, and after blanching them in boiling soup for a few times, she brought them to Cheng Yaojin.

The sheep whip was cut into three pieces, and the long piece was stuck in the bowl.

"That's what we call eating sheep intestines. Look at you guys." Cheng Yaojin sneered, "Not manly enough."

"Cut one for each of us." Cheng Chubi shouted.

There is plenty of lamb offal in Chang'an, especially since trade with the grassland has been strengthened recently, so there is no shortage of lamb offal.

When Mrs. Li heard what Cheng Chubi said, she picked up three sticks, cut them and handed them over.

"You are so young, why do you need to eat so much?" Old Cheng shook his head while chewing the sheep's penis and said with emotion: "This is life..."

Li Xiang took a look at his bowl. Wow, it was full of original flavor...

It's horrible. Most people can't eat it because it's so greasy.

Lao Cheng is the real foodie. There is chopped garlic on the side of his bowl, and he eats his food with the garlic. He wouldn't trade it for Liu Yifei.

"This sheep intestine is a good thing." Cheng Chubi and Li Xiang introduced: "Brother, look, the sheep intestine, bitter intestine, house intestine, and blood plate intestine are all good tonics. Have a bowl of it in such a cold weather, hey..."

"What do you call authentic?" Li Xiang asked in a Beijing tone.

"Yes." Cheng Chubi nodded firmly.

Li Xiang took out the seasoning packet he had prepared before setting out and sprinkled chili powder and pepper into the mutton intestine soup.

"Brother, do you still have this good stuff?" Li Jingren became interested immediately, because he likes spicy food the most.

"Of course, since Chu Bi mentioned eating this, I asked Fu Bao to prepare some." Li Xiang put the seasoning packet in the middle and let them help themselves.

He stirred the soup with chopsticks, picked up the bowl and took a sip.

"It feels so comfortable." Li Xiang smacked his lips and sighed.

"Really?" Cheng Chubi picked up the lamb and took a big bite.

Cheng Yaojin looked at the three little ones and just smiled in his heart.

After you three finished eating, you must be so angry, what should you do?

Facts proved that what Cheng Yaojin said was right. When they arrived at the restaurant and Feng Yingying hugged his arm and rubbed against him, Li Xiang had to bend down.

The famous philosopher Zhang Xiaohua once said that when some places are too straight, some places have to bend.

Pei Xueqing approached Li Xiang with concern and asked about his well-being, but Li Xiang's waist became even more bent, almost like a sword shrimp that said "No, buddy".

Instead, Li Lizhi and Li Su, two experienced people who knew what was going on, were whispering to each other, occasionally pointing at Li Xiang and making bad laughs.

Of course, the mocking sound did not come from Li Lizhi. A princess known for her gentleness and virtue would not do that.

The person who mocked Li Xiang the most was Li Su.

After letting the two older sisters leave, Li Xiang took a long time to calm the little elephant's anger.

However, somehow this matter reached the ears of Li Shimin.

Hearing Li Xiang's embarrassing look, Li Shimin laughed like a child weighing about 100 pounds.

He really didn't expect that a bowl of lamb intestines could make the child like this.

He also specifically called Li Chengqian, and the two of them laughed at Li Xiang's incompetence.

However, while laughing, the two also realized that Li Xiang has really grown up now, become a man, and needs to marry a wife!
Otherwise, if the child eats lamb intestines again, it will easily make him feel suffocated!
Li Xiang always felt that Li Shimin was seeking revenge for the three phoenixes, big, medium and small, but he had no evidence.

Li Shimin arranged the three phoenixes in order of size. It seemed that he mistook the big phoenix for himself, the middle phoenix for Li Chengqian, and the small phoenix for Li Xiang.

With three generations of grandparents and grandchildren gathered together there, Old Li always felt very satisfied.

Li Xiang didn't think there was anything wrong with it, and even thought that Aung was quite cute sometimes.

In this era, the emperor and the dragon were not yet linked together, and Li Shimin compared himself to the phoenix.

The dragon was not truly used as a symbol of the emperor until the Ming Dynasty.

The emperor wore dragon robes, a rule that was also established in the Ming Dynasty.

As for the Zulong...it was just a statement made by Qin Shihuang, and it did not mean that the dragon belonged exclusively to the emperor at that time.

On the tenth day of the first lunar month, Pei Xingjian also returned to Chang'an City.

After learning that Li Xiang became the Crown Prince, Pei Xingjian's mouth stretched to the back of his head.

He had known about the affair between Li Xiang and his sister for a long time. He was not stupid. When they were in Dengzhou, they were in love and kept sending messages to each other. He was almost like the lovebirds between them.

He could not help being excited when he thought that he would become the uncle of the emperor like Changsun Wuji. While he was excited, he did not forget to hone himself and strive to learn from him, not only in status but also in ability.

After reporting to Li Xiang, Pei Xingjian learned about his next task.

Lead the fleet to the southern peninsula to open up a route and carry out trade and other activities...

When Li Xiang asked him to go back, he also told him mysteriously not to leave Chang'an recently and to wait until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month when he would receive an imperial decree.

Pei Xingjian was extremely excited and was wondering what kind of reward the court would give him or what kind of promotion he would get.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Wang De came to Pei Xingjian's home to deliver the imperial edict.

Pei Xingjian didn't take it seriously, thinking it must be an imperial decree of enthronement.

However, he had no idea what level of imperial decree must be to allow Wang Delai to personally convey it.

As soon as I heard the first sentence, I sensed something was wrong.

"To marry a virtuous and virtuous woman, one must seek a good match; to marry a beautiful woman, one must marry a beautiful woman. Now there is the kind and benevolent eldest daughter of the Pei family in Hedong, whose family has inherited a distinguished position and a distinguished family background; she is virtuous, kind and intelligent, and has a good character and good manners; she is able to understand the rules of a woman without relying on her teacher; she is able to be diligent in the ways of a woman, and naturally conforms to the customs of the country. She has taught the history of the country and is known for the beauty of the six virtues; she is the right place to be the heir to the throne, and she is able to lead the virtues of the three virtues. I am appointing you as the Crown Prince's Consort. The relevant departments shall prepare the ceremony and order the appointment, and the master shall carry it out!"

Pei Xingjian stared blankly at Wang De, who was delivering the imperial edict, and had not yet reacted to what was happening.

"General Pei." Wang De called softly.

He didn't feel offended. It was just a small matter and it wasn't worth making a big fuss about.

What's more, Pei Xingjian is still Li Xiang's brother-in-law. If you don't give face to the monk, you have to give face to the Buddha. Li Xiang is now the popular crown prince. Wang De is just bored and would take it out on his brother-in-law.

Besides, he is not a domineering eunuch.

"Oh, oh." Pei Xingjian finally reacted and bowed quickly to express his gratitude.

"The eldest daughter of Feng Changshi of the Dengzhou Grand Military Governor's Office is also in General Pei's house, right?" Wang De asked softly.

"Yes." Pei Xingjian replied.

"Please tell General Pei that Miss Feng that the emperor has also sent an edict to Dengzhou. Miss Feng and your sister will marry the crown prince together." Wang Degao knew.

Pei Xingjian quickly expressed his gratitude to Wang De and asked someone to pack a red envelope as a gift to Wang De.

Considering that it was a wedding gift from the Crown Princess, Wang De did not refuse it, but accepted it with a smile.

After Pei Xingjian sent Wang De away, he returned to the backyard to discuss the marriage with his mother.

Feng Qing, who was far away in Dengzhou, also took time out of his busy schedule to welcome two angels sent by the imperial court, one chief and one deputy.

The so-called angel is not the winged bird-man in the West, or a bunch of big eyeballs with wings. It is actually the abbreviation of the emperor's envoy.

"The foundation of a holy dynasty lies in the right heir; the auspiciousness of human relations should start from the inner circle. The eldest daughter of Feng Qing, the chief of the Dengzhou Grand Military Governor's Office, is of a clean family and is given a title next to the house... We are sending the envoys, Li Daozong, the Prince of Jiangxia and the Minister of Rites, and Li Shiji, the Deputy Minister of War and the Duke of England, with the imperial seal to appoint you as the concubine of the Crown Prince. You must abide by the virtues of a woman and do not forget the family precepts; you must be filial and respectful and make your family and country strong forever. Don't you care?"

Feng Qing naturally knew that the emperor's grandson had coveted his family's dry food, but he didn't expect it to happen so soon.

Thinking of his daughter's heartless and silly appearance, he felt a headache.

It is said that the palace is a place where people are eaten. Can this girl survive in the palace?

But no matter how worried I am, I should still be grateful.

"I, Feng Qing, the Chief Clerk of the Grand Military Governor's Office of Dengzhou, would like to thank the Saint for his grace!"

Li Dao Zong said gently: "Mr. Feng, please stand up."

He handed the imperial edict to Feng Qing, and seeing the worried look on his face, he smiled and comforted him, "Don't worry, Mr. Feng. Your daughter is as pure as ever, and is the favorite of the Grand Crown Prince. Moreover, the Grand Crown Prince's Consort is as virtuous as the late Queen, and will definitely protect your daughter."

The fact that Pei Xueqing was virtuous and kind had long been known in Chang'an.

After all, she had been staying in the restaurant, helping Li Xiang with his work, and Li Su had also praised Pei Xueqing intentionally or unintentionally, so everyone knew that Pei's daughter was as virtuous as the late queen...

When Feng Qing heard this, it felt a bit strange.

Pure as ever?

Is this a compliment or an insult? It doesn't sound right no matter how you listen to it.

In fact, this is true. After all, the phrase "holy nature as before" is used to describe Sima Zhong, who is mentally retarded.

But there was nothing to be done. One of the other parties was the Prince of Hejian and the other was the Duke of Yingguo. There was no way to force an argument.

"Prince, Duke of England." Feng Qing bowed to the two of them and said, "I don't have anything to prepare. Why don't we have a simple meal together tonight and try this seafood feast prepared by the Crown Prince."

"Then we two won't be polite." Li Shiji smiled and bowed, "I've heard that Dengzhou is rich in seafood. When we were in Chang'an City, we either ate dried food or salted fish. Now that we are in a place rich in seafood, we must taste it!"

"I heard that Dengzhou was in ruins when the crown prince first came here." Li Daozong said with emotion: "Now Dengzhou is as prosperous as Chang'an. For a moment, I really can't imagine how dilapidated it was in the past."

"When I first came to Dengzhou, Penglai County was this big." Feng Qing gestured and said, "It was not even as big as the newly built palace."

As he spoke, Feng Qing pointed to the construction site of the imperial palace in the distance.

This palace was the one that Li Xiang wrote to him and asked him to build in Penglai County some time ago.

After all, Li Shimin planned to go to Dengzhou often when he was free, firstly to have fun at the beach, secondly to try some local specialties, and thirdly to see how Dengzhou was developing.

And when coming to Dengzhou, of course, one cannot stay so shabby, one must build a temporary palace.

Dengzhou is really not short of money now, and Li Xiang is not short of money either. This palace was built with money paid for by him, Li Su and Li Lizhi.

Having said that, the current Dengzhou is quite similar to Chang'an. Chang'an is divided into two counties, Chang'an and Wannian, while the seat of Dengzhou is also the original old city area of ​​Penglai County, and the newly expanded Deng County.

"This palace looks really big..." Li Dao Zong said with some concern, "Won't it be too wasteful?"

"It's also spending money in the hands of the people." Feng Qing said with a smile: "You see, Prince, the laborers who come to Dengzhou to practice the palace are paid by Dengzhou. After receiving the wages, they naturally have to buy some things in Dengzhou City. Whether it's fish, salt or grain and oil, they are much cheaper in Dengzhou than in other places. Moreover, they have to eat in Dengzhou. Invisibly, it has driven the development of the surrounding economy. In the words of the Prince of Hengshan... in the words of the Crown Prince, it has formed a virtuous circle."

Old Feng was still unable to change his tone. After all, he had spent too much time with Li Xiang and always felt that he was still a prince rather than the crown prince. He was a little uncomfortable with it.

"In this way, the people will all benefit. It's really, really..." Li Ji shook his head and sighed: "The people can all live a prosperous life. This is the ideal of a saint."

"If the people of the Tang Dynasty could live like the people of Dengzhou, the Three Dynasties of rule would not be far away." Li Daozon also sighed.

Feng Qing thought, three generations of rule?
Can the rule of three generations compare to the rule of Dengzhou under His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?

Of course, it's fine to just think about this in your mind, but if you say it out loud, it will be considered politically incorrect in the Tang Dynasty, and you will be criticized to death.

(Alas...I'm going to a wedding, so sleepy.)
(End of this chapter)