Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 209 Li Zhi: I am very rational

Dingxiang City, the headquarters of the Simo Turks.

Dinner.

His Majesty the Heavenly Khan came in person, and Ashina Simo did not dare to be negligent and personally took charge of the careful preparations.

Roasted whole lamb, meat skewers, buttermilk tea...

These are luxuries that ordinary Turks can only eat a few times a year.

They sprinkled it with spices that would make even the foreign merchants in Chang'an feel heartbroken, and served it in endless quantities.

Although this place is far away from the Central Plains, it is close to the front line.

But whenever His Majesty arrives, the dinner will be grand.

Even though His Majesty himself doesn't really care.

"The situation on the front line is tight, so we shouldn't waste time."

Li Shimin said majestically.

A basin of cold water was poured down, and Ashina Simo was stunned for a moment, then smiled flatteringly:
"Your Majesty, these are just some tokens of the Turkic tribes' gratitude to you, as a token of their generations of submission..."

"If your people can reach Yinshan, that would be the best gesture for me." Li Shimin interrupted, looking quite displeased.

After being poured with two basins of cold water, Ashina Simo dared not say a word and subconsciously glanced at his fellow sufferer Li Daozon.

Li Daozon lowered his head and ignored him.

When marching and fighting, food is the original sin.

If we drive the Xueyantuo out of Yinshan, you will have no problem giving Your Majesty a hard naan to eat.

Being chased by the Xueyantuo, it was wrong to put the left leg first when riding a horse.

"Now that the food is ready, don't waste it. Give it to the soldiers under your command."

Looking at the extremely embarrassed Turkic Khan, Li Shimin was reluctant to say anything absolute, so he gave him a way out:
"I'll just...eat some vegetarian food."

Ah? Vegetarian?

Ashina Simo couldn't believe his ears, but dared not disobey, so he ordered his men to remove the mountain of imperial meals.

Distributing meat to the soldiers was relatively simple, but His Majesty's request to eat vegetarian food made Ashina Simo troubled.

Where do we get the materials on the grassland?

Apart from dry naan, there are no green leafy vegetables here.

You can’t just skip the middleman and eat the grass directly, right?
Ashina Khan ordered his men to search the entire tent from top to bottom, only to find a few not-so-fresh vegetables.

They were prepared by the Han merchants and craftsmen who came here to make pickles.

The Turks didn't know how to cook this heavyweight ingredient, so they could only boil it in water and sprinkle some pepper and spices on it.

His Majesty Li Shimin felt nauseous instinctively when he looked at the pool of indescribable substance emitting a strange and bizarre fragrance.

Just now he angrily ordered Ashina Simo to take away the sumptuous meat dishes, five points because the Turks had lost the battle and he was taking advantage of the situation to vent his anger.

The remaining ninety-five points were because he couldn't eat these delicious dishes.

Not healthy.

I hate it. What I hate most is when people tempt me with delicious food when I’m on a diet.

Li Shimin was craving for meat.

Especially after dieting for a few months, seeing the crispy on the outside and tender on the inside lamb right in front of you.

It almost made him drool in public and go down in history.

However, Li Shimin was also a self-disciplined king.

Since I followed Li Ming's dietary advice and started eating a light diet.

His headaches almost never came back.

Even his previously bloated body became much more flexible, allowing him to re-experience the feeling of being as light as a swallow when he was young.

The benefits of simple food are so obvious that the desire for food can still be overcome...

Li Shimin hypnotized himself, trying hard to imagine the wilted vegetables with yellowed leaves on the plate as lamb chops.

"Father, I have a way to make vegetables more delicious."

Li Chengqian's words interrupted Li Shimin's confusion.

"Slurp...oh?" Li Shimin swallowed and pretended to be indifferent.

"Yes, I learned it from the cook," Li Chengqian explained.

The cook's name is Wu Meiniang... He added silently in his heart.

“Dress the vegetables in egg batter and deep-fry them.”

His Majesty Li Shimin still maintained his composure:
"You can give it a try."

The Simo Turks had the support of the Tang Dynasty and traded with the Central Plains, so they had iron pots and vegetable oil.

A plate of fried vegetables was quickly served.

The color is golden and the crust is crispy. Although it is a vegetable, it exudes a rich aroma of oil.

For Emperor Li Shimin, who had been on a diet for half a year, this temptation was simply too great.

"Li Ming told me not to eat fatty meat or greasy food. This is a vegetable dish, so it must be quite healthy, right?"

Li Shimin asked himself and answered his own questions.

Li Chengqian's mouth corners outlined:
"This is a modified version of the vegetables grown in a nunnery. It must be a vegetarian dish that complies with the Buddhist precepts."

He did not lie, Ganye Temple was indeed a nunnery.

Li Shimin couldn't wait to take a bite, and the taste did not disappoint him.

It was so crispy and fragrant that his stomach growled with greed.

"It's possible to have both good food and good health. I didn't expect my son Chengqian to be good at food."

Li Shimin was very happy.

Finally, I don’t have to suppress my cravings and eat coarse food anymore!
"It is the child's duty to make his father happy."

Li Chengqian's mouth was sweeter than honey, and his eyes were fixed on his father's throat.

Only after he was sure that the mouthful of greasy fried vegetables had been completely swallowed did he nod slightly in satisfaction.

Li Daozon always felt that His Highness Li Chengqian's reasoning seemed a little crooked.

But he couldn't explain it.

And the way Emperor Li Shimin enjoyed the food made him dare not pour cold water on him.

If the defeated general dares to find fault with Your Majesty again, Your Majesty will cook him into a whole roasted lamb.

…………

The harem, the narrow Lide Hall.

Yang: "Today I made your favorite okra rice."

Li Ming: “Yeah.”

Yang: “Is it delicious?”

Li Ming: “Yeah.”

Yang: "Concubine Wei, Concubine Yinde and other concubines just came to Lide Hall and talked to me for a while."

Li Ming: “Yeah.”

Yang: "They are still your aunts, you have to respect them."

Li Ming: “Yeah.”

Yang: "Today in the garden, I picked up a bird. It was very bright and beautiful."

Li Ming: “Yeah.”

Yang: "It's autumn and they haven't flown south yet. This little guy may have been separated from the flock. How pitiful."

Li Ming: “Yeah.”

Li Mingda: “…”

Ah Sizi couldn't stand the conversation between the mother and son anymore, so he grabbed Li Ming's ear:

"The Queen Mother is asking you a question! Why can you only say umm and ah?"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Li Ming finally woke up from his dream and looked at Sister Mingda with a confused look on his face:

"Why did you hit me?"

The little eyes are full of innocence.

The corner of Li Mingda's mouth twitched.

Why does it make it seem like I was bullying him?
"Asizi is interested, but Li Ming is not."

Yang naturally called Li Mingda by his nickname and kindly smoothed things over between the siblings:

"He has been quite busy recently, so let him take advantage of the meal time to have a good rest."

Li Zhi also blamed Li Mingda, but his tone was a little sour:

"What the Queen Mother said is true. His Highness the Regent is very busy, so please don't make things more complicated."

Li Mingda pouted in grievance.

After being officially crowned as queen, Yang still maintained her usual low-key style.

When His Majesty was alive, she served in Lizheng Hall.

When His Majesty went to war, she moved back to Lide Hall.

She didn't want to give others an excuse that "villains become arrogant when they succeed."

At the same time, it is also convenient for her to communicate with other concubines in the harem, so that the title of "Master of the Harem" will not be empty.

In order to make it easier for his son to get closer to the "buffer zone" Li Mingda.

In the name of "theoretical mother of all the princes and princesses", she cordially invited Li Mingda to have dinner with her every day.

As for Li Zhi, he was just a bonus.

Among the princes stranded in Beijing now, besides Li Ming, only Li Zhi is left.

He lived with Li Mingda in Lizheng Hall.

It would be a bit blatant to exclude him, so he was called in as well. As a result, the innocent Li Mingda and the scheming Li Zhi came to the Lizheng Hall every night to eat for free.

At first, Li Ming felt that if he sat at the same table with his rival, the Prince of Jin, and munched on rice mixed with millet and green onions mixed with sunflower leaves, he might end up staging a palace drama of Mars colliding with the Earth.

However, he was wrong.

Whether it is governing a country or engaging in political struggles, both are extremely demanding tasks that consume a lot of mental, physical and emotional energy.

After going through a set of mental gymnastics every day, Li Ming felt that his body was hollowed out.

After returning to Lide Hall, he just wanted to be a vegetable, thinking nothing and doing nothing.

Just sit there and photosynthesize.

Today was no exception. As usual, Li Ming stared at the millet rice in the bowl intently, listening to Yang and Li Zhi exchanging pleasantries, chewing and chewing like an old cow.

Then he heard a faint, nose-blowing sound.

Li Mingda was sobbing silently.

She tried hard to suppress herself, her body trembling slightly.

She is just innocent, not stupid.

She actually knew exactly what happened in the palace.

The prince brother fell out of favor, the four brothers competed for the throne, the queen position changed hands, and he and his brothers had to call a woman they had almost no contact with "mother"...

She just pretended not to know and always greeted people with a smile.

But she knew in her heart that this was just deceiving herself.

Nothing can go back...

"Uh-huh?"

A cool feeling filled Li Mingda’s bitter mouth.

Li Ming stuffed a date into her mouth.

"Stop looking so sad and take one."

Li Ming said.

"Well, thank you..."

Li Mingda chewed slowly.

"very sour……"

Li Ming wiped his hands: "Really? I took it from your pocket."

Li Mingda's face flushed immediately: "You rummaged through my pockets?"

He slapped Li Ming’s little head.

Being beaten by Li Mingda, who is now in good health, would be a terrible thing.

Li Ming fought back desperately, still saying:
"Be careful not to swallow the date pit into your trachea again, or I'll have to save you like I did last time."

"You're still talking about me?!" Li Mingda's face turned even redder and he attacked even harder.

"Hey hey!"

Li Ming's hands and feet were held down by his elder sister, and he took three slaps on the top of his head.

"I am not yet strong, but when I grow strong, things will change!"

Being beaten up by the lady from the Tang Dynasty, the undertrained Li Ming tried desperately to save his reputation:
"If he can achieve his lofty ambitions one day, he will dare to laugh at Huang Chao for being a coward!"

Li Mingda was startled:
"This poem... is quite nice. Who is Huang Chao? Why does Xiao Ming admire him so much?"

"Oh, Huang Chao, he is..." Li Ming was stuck.

He is a hidden character that will be unlocked in the future.

It is better not to use it to scare the Li Tang royal family at this stage.

"They have such a good relationship." Yang happily watched the brother and sister playing and fighting, observing Li Zhi calmly.

Li Zhi's face twisted slightly, but he soon returned to a simple smile:

"Yeah, it's enviable."

…………

After the dinner, Li Zhi and Li Mingda returned to Lizheng Hall.

As for Li Ming, he strictly followed his mother's instructions and spent the night in Lide Hall.

"I'm going out."

Li Zhi and his sister reported verbally and left the palace.

Li Mingda looked at his brother's back with mixed feelings.

She grew up with Li Zhi, and she knew very well about her brother's habit of taking a carriage out of the palace for a tour in the middle of the night and using the bumpy ride of the carriage to fall asleep.

But recently, Li Zhi has been going out earlier and earlier.

Obviously it wasn't because of the insomnia.

He went out at night with a purpose.

Li Mingda didn't want to, wasn't willing to, and didn't dare to guess what this purpose was.

"Don't kill each other... Queen Mother, please bless me, Bodhisattva, please bless me, brothers, don't kill each other..."

She prayed silently in her mind.

…………

Li Zhi sat in the carriage and looked at the street scene of Chang'an.

It's not even curfew yet, and Suzaku Avenue is bustling with people.

They are all people returning home from the shopping malls, restaurants and bars in the East and West Markets.

Under Li Ming's rule, Chang'an became more and more prosperous, with vitality and thriving development everywhere.

On Zhuque Street, the main artery of the city, Li Ming even imitated the style of the palace, erected lamp poles and lit torches.

While providing convenience to pedestrians, it also adds a warm and lively background to the prosperous scene.

It is hard to imagine that just a few months ago, Chang'an suffered a so-called "economic crisis" that had not been seen in a thousand years, with business sluggish and order on the verge of collapse.

“He… is still quite capable.

“I should study more.”

Li Zhi watched the street scene with great interest.

The carriage drove into the neighborhood and slowly stopped in front of a spacious house.

Li Zhi got off the carriage and walked in slowly.

"His Royal Highness King Jin."

An energetic veteran came out to greet them.

The veteran's hair was still jet-black, his muscles were tight, and his well-developed chewing muscles bulged with every word he spoke.

He is Cheng Zhijie, whose original name is Cheng Yaojin.

A founding warrior who came from Wagangzhai.

When Li Shiji was away, Cheng Zhijie became the communication channel between Li Zhi and the old generals of Wagangzhai.

"I hope you will forgive me for disturbing you at night."

Li Zhi greeted very politely.

"Your Highness, please."

After a brief greeting, the two entered the mansion together.

The family members and servants all tactfully avoided the situation, and the house was silent.

The two walked in silence through the corridor and into the inner room.

"The people have arrived, Your Highness, please wait a moment."

Cheng Zhijie said.

Li Zhi sat down in the main seat and nodded gently:

"Thank you for the introduction, teacher."

He was still as polite as ever, but his temperament was subtly different from before.

It is the feeling of being calm and confident that one has everything under control.

Cheng Zhijie left, and Li Zhi was the only one left in the room.

Only he and Cheng Zhijie knew what happened tonight.

Even Changsun Wuji was kept in the dark.

Although the uncle of the emperor and the chief secretary of the Prince of Jin's Palace should theoretically be Li Zhi's absolute confidant.

However, Li Zhi did not absolutely trust his uncle who had jumped over from Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

The person he is about to meet needs to be kept absolutely confidential.

"call……"

Li Zhi couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

Even if you have a clear plan, even if you have the opportunity early on.

But when he actually faced that person, he couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

Because that person's identity is so sensitive and special.

What unexpected gains will we get from meeting each other today...

After a while, Cheng Zhijie came in with a man.

The person who came was of average height and had ordinary looks, and it was difficult to remember his facial features.

It's the kind of face that, if thrown onto Suzaku Avenue, would completely blend into the crowd and disappear in the blink of an eye.

The "passerby" knelt on one knee and said slowly:

"Zhang Liang, the inspector of Hebei Province and former Minister of Works, pays respect to His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin."

(End of this chapter)