Zhenguan: I, Dou Fengjie, will not be the first cuckold.

The inner palace of Taiji Palace is Ganlu Hall.

Empress Zhangsun was writing "Rules for Women" at her desk when Emperor Taizong of Tang poured her tea with tender eyes.

At this moment, they were just an ordinary married couple, not the emperor and empress who were high and mighty.

"Guanyinbi, Zhen Liyan said that your health is weak and you are not suitable to have more children. Three sons and three daughters are enough."

Li Shimin earnestly persuaded him.

Including his legitimate sons and daughters, Li Shimin had fourteen sons and twenty-one daughters in his lifetime, which was quite a lot.

"Erlang, I only want to have one or two more children for the rest of my life."

Empress Zhangsun replied gently, but the determination in her eyes left no room for refusal.

Although she never spoke, she understood the cruelty of the struggle for the throne better than anyone else.

They gave birth at all costs, just to ensure that, after the brutal elimination process, the throne would be inherited by their own sons, rather than falling into the hands of those illegitimate children.

"Why isn't incense being burned in the Ganlu Hall anymore?"

Li Shimin avoided the question and spoke about other things.

At the palace gate, the chubby-faced Li Tai grinned like a fool: "Mother! I made perfume for you myself. Smell it, is it suitable?"

Empress Zhangsun took the perfume Li Tai offered and wiped the stains from his forehead: "You're such a grown prince of Yue, how come you still don't know how to take care of yourself?"

"Qingque has grown up and knows how to share her mother's worries."

"Hmm, this is a delicate pine scent, yet it's a bit different from regular pine wood. It smells even more pleasant."

After carefully examining Empress Zhangsun, Li Tai breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that his mother had no adverse reactions.

As for Empress Zhangsun's seemingly contradictory words, Li Tai could understand them very well.

Li Tai laughed happily: "This is cedar perfume that my cousin and I made by hand for my mother, just in case she didn't have any perfume or face powder available."

"Nonsense! Even if we consider seniority, you should only call him your maternal uncle. He doesn't even have the surname Li!" Li Shimin scoffed.

"As long as he can make my mother suffer less, I'll be willing to call him whatever I want." Li Tai raised his head, for the first time disagreeing with Li Shimin's words.

Li Shimin was speechless.

Li Tai's words were full of flaws, yet he had nowhere to attack.

I'm exhausted. The Crown Prince is a rebel, and even Qingque, this whetstone, has managed to smash his own foot.

Family ties? What family ties?

In the eyes of emperors, every son is a thief, a thief who wants to steal their power!

Otherwise, why would the Tuyuhun Khan, Kualü, have been so eager to kill his sons back then?

"Qingque must have put in a lot of effort, right? Look, you've lost weight." Empress Zhangsun patted Li Tai's shoulder, his fat bulging in circles.

There's a kind of thinness that only your mother thinks you're thin.

Li Tai laughed and said, "Mother, I'm not tired. I just bought some fruit to make wine, which I then added to this perfume to dilute the fragrance."

"The fragrance extracted by my uncle is the kind that can make people feel dizzy with its aroma."

Li Shimin's eyes lit up: "Qingque is so filial, I cannot fail to reward him. I will also bestow the Hibiscus Garden upon the Prince of Yue to demonstrate filial piety throughout the land."

Li Tai's chubby face immediately fell: "Father, please spare me! The annual expenses for the repair and maintenance of Furong Garden are beyond what a mere prince like me can afford."

This was the account Dou Fengjie had given him during a casual conversation; taking it from the palace would be too much for him!

The expenses of the Prince Yue's residence have already exceeded those of other princes, which is against the rules. If the Furong Garden is maintained, will the expenses exceed those of the Crown Prince's Palace?

Even if Li Tai has the idea of ​​taking over, he shouldn't be foolish enough to show it in this way.

Instead of enjoying good food, drink, and fun, Li Tai is forced to carry such a heavy burden. He won't fall for that.

Li Shimin sighed.

The kids are all grown up now, they're smarter, and they're not as easy to fool as they used to be.

Melancholy.

How can Li Chengqian be provoked to make a move if Li Tai doesn't fall for it?

If Li Chengqian doesn't make any changes, how can he depose the crown prince?

If the crown prince is not deposed, how will the Xuanwu Sect's teachings be passed down?

That Furong Garden is so big, I spend a lot of money on its maintenance every year!

"Mother, my uncle also said that pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should stay away from all strong fragrances."

Li Tai gave earnest instructions.

This was also his biggest worry, because his mother was too obsessed with having children!

As Li Tai left the palace, Empress Zhangsun watched his retreating figure, her eyes flashing with kindness and guilt.

"Second Brother, wasn't it a mistake to let Qingque inherit Fourth Uncle's throne as the Prince of Wei?"

Li Shimin looked at Empress Zhangsun with a puzzled expression, wondering why she said that.

Even if Li Taicheng's fourth brother, Li Xuanba, were to be his heir, it would be for Li Taicheng's sake. Who knew that he would actually become emperor?

Besides, wasn't it changed that Li Baoding, a member of the imperial clan, succeeded Li Xuanba as heir?

Oh, I forgot, Li Baoding passed away this year, thus abolishing the State of Wei and ending his lineage.

Empress Zhangsun's eyes welled up with tears as she smelled the delicate scent of cedar.

Despite having so many children, only Qingque was always concerned about her health, going so far as to beg for medicine and personally make perfume for her.

Ah, if only Qingque were the eldest son!

-----------------

East Palace, Chongjiao Hall.

Li Chengqian, who had been severely reprimanded by Zhang Xuansu, the Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, had a frighteningly gloomy look in his eyes.

"You old scoundrel, I swear I'll kill you!"

Watching Zhang Xuansu's departing figure, Li Chengqian, his face contorted with rage, shoved the desk over, scattering ink, brushes, paper, and inkstones all over the floor, the black ink staining the bluestone.

Li Chengqian might not have been so irritable just because of his academic advice.

However, Zhang Xuansu, that old scoundrel, compared Li Chengqian's absurd behavior with the filial piety of Prince Li Tai of Yue, who humbled himself to seek medicine to save his mother and personally made cedar perfume for Empress Zhangsun. This deeply stung Li Chengqian's heart.

As we all know, lies are never as hurtful as the truth.

Li Chengqian already felt that his position as crown prince was unstable, and with Li Tai making such a comparison, he felt even more precarious.

It's obvious whose side Mother will take.

What about yourself?

Despite being a father, the unmarried young man Li Chengqian showed no awareness whatsoever, and his concern for Empress Zhangsun was not as sincere as his concern for his wet nurse, Lady Suian.

Without marrying the Crown Princess, Li Chengqian would forever remain an unmarried young man, and Li Xiang, born to a palace maid, would forever remain a son of a concubine.

Li Chengqian, preoccupied with the succession, failed to realize the brilliance of Li Tai's refusal of Li Shimin's offer of the Hibiscus Garden.

All he knew was that his fate was probably not going to be good.

"Your Highness."

The towering Hegan Chengji and Zhang Shizheng entered the hall with their hands clasped in greeting, their air of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) making them appear fierce.

These are the assassins that Li Chengqian carefully recruited.

"Go! Kill that old scoundrel Zhang Xuansu!"

Li Chengqian roared angrily.

"By His Highness's order!"

He Ganchengji and Zhang Shizheng clasped their hands together forcefully, creating a strong sense of ceremony.

Once outside the East Palace, the two relaxed completely and went arm in arm to the East Market to eat boiled mutton.

Li Chengqian misjudged them; the two of them were itinerant peddlers selling miracle cures, and the blood on their hands was all chicken blood.

Assassination my foot! Why not enjoy life instead of waiting to be arrested by the authorities?

He could just take a casual stroll and find an excuse to fool the Crown Prince.

Besides, if Li Chengqian really assassinated the Crown Prince's Junior Tutor, would he still be able to hold onto his position as Crown Prince?

Two bowls of hot boiled mutton, paired with a sip of green ant wine, and life is just so pleasant!