Tang Dynasty: Consort Wu? Your Majesty, please address her as the Crown Prince's Consort.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin pondered for a moment.

"Guanyinbi, please take a look at this matter for Gao Mingxiang first, but in the end, Gao Mingxiang's approval is required!"

Empress Zhangsun nodded immediately upon hearing this.

"In a few days, I will summon all those officials and their families to the palace. At that time, find a way to bring Gao Ming to the Imperial Garden and let him see for himself!"

Hearing his wife's words, Li Shimin was somewhat indignant.

"Hmph! This rebellious son is always causing trouble. Since ancient times, marriages have been arranged by parents and matchmakers, but in his case, he has to choose for himself! I didn't even get to choose for myself back then!"

"Hmm? Your Majesty also wants to choose for yourself? What? Does he think that a wife chosen through parental arrangement and matchmaker's words is not good enough?"

"If only I could choose myself..."

Li Shimin was speaking when he suddenly noticed that Guanyinbi's gaze was gradually becoming dangerous.

Only then did he realize that the woman he had married through his parents' wishes and a matchmaker was the one standing right in front of him.

"Hehehe! Guanyinbi! Listen to my cunning... explanation, I absolutely didn't mean that, I..."

Before Li Shimin could finish speaking, Empress Zhangsun gave him a cold look.

"Get out! You don't need to come to the Lizheng Hall these next few days. His Majesty has so many concubines in the harem, go and choose for yourself!"

Li Shimin: "..."

……

A few days later.

The Zheng family of Xingyang.

"What on earth happened?! Who did this?!"

Zheng Yang was furious when he saw the servants kneeling below!

"Master...Master, I was unaware of this, but when our dozen or so grain ships were transporting grain from Jiangnan to Chang'an, someone suddenly punctured their hulls while passing Yangzhou, and tens of thousands of shi of grain sank into the Grand Canal along with the ships!"

Zheng Yang's eyes turned red when he heard his words. Tens of thousands of shi of grain! How much money is that?

Even if the Zheng family of Xingyang is a prominent clan, they cannot withstand such a drain!

Just a few days ago, the grain promised to the Xueyantuo and Ashina tribes was delivered, but as soon as it was sent out, news came from the court that Ashina had surrendered to the Tang Dynasty. Now, more than 100,000 shi of grain have been lost on the Grand Canal. Even the well-established Zheng family of Xingyang has suffered a serious blow!

"Master! Something terrible has happened!!"

Just then, a servant rushed in, his face full of anxiety.

Seeing the expression on the man's face, Zheng Yang's heart skipped a beat.

He frowned slightly, looking displeased at the anxious-looking servant.

"What is it?"

"Master, the old master of the Xingyang family has passed away!"

"What the hell?!"

Zheng Yang could no longer sit still.

Ultimately, he was only the head of the family in Chang'an. The main branch of the Zheng family in Xingyang was still in Xingyang, and the head of the family in Xingyang was Zheng Yang's father.

But Father has always been in good health, how could this be?

Zheng Yang racked his brains but couldn't understand why his elderly father had suddenly passed away!

"What exactly happened? Father has always been in good health, why did he suddenly...?"

When the servant heard Zheng Yang's question, he seemed hesitant to speak, which made Zheng Yang impatient.

"Hurry up and tell me!!"

"Master...Master! The old master...he drowned while using the toilet. When the servants found him, the chamber pot was completely over his head, but he was already dead!"

puff~

No sooner had the servant finished speaking than Zheng Yang felt a tightness in his chest, and a mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth. His eyes rolled back and he collapsed straight down!

This startled the servants nearby, who quickly went to help Zheng Yang up.

"Master of the house?! Master of the house!!"

……

Just as the tragic news of the Zheng family arrived, for some unknown reason, the cause of death of the Zheng family head in Xingyang quickly spread throughout the streets and alleys.

Inside a restaurant.

"Have you heard? The head of the Zheng family in Xingyang died from eating shit!"

"Huh? Really?"

"Of course it's true. My second uncle's aunt's second maternal grandfather's son works at the Zheng family mansion in Xingyang. He saw it with his own eyes: when Old Master Zheng was carried out, his head was still buried in the chamber pot!"

"Wow, I never expected that Old Master Zheng would have such a hobby. Could it be that all the members of the Five Clans and Seven Families share this hobby?"

"That's hard to say. After all, the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families have a history of over a thousand years, so it's normal for them to have some peculiar hobbies!"

"Tsk tsk tsk! I can't figure it out. This thing is bitter and astringent, not tasty at all, yet Old Master Zheng seems to love it. It's really strange!"

Upon hearing this, everyone around looked at the speaker in horror and instinctively moved away from him.

The man scratched his head, somewhat puzzled by the reactions of those around him.

"What are you doing, gentlemen?"

"Ahem! Because we truly have no idea what that filthy thing tastes like! Yet you, brother, seem to know it so clearly!"

……

While everyone was discussing this, a member of the Zheng clan in a corner had already turned ashen-faced.

At their current status, wealth and women are no longer the most important things. For them, the reputation of their family is what matters most.

Now, the reputation of the Zheng family of Xingyang has been trampled into the mud, and they don't even know who did it!

Thinking of this, one of them suddenly slammed his hand on the table, his face contorted with rage.

boom!

"Damn it! Who on earth dares to humiliate the Zheng family of Xingyang like this? Their methods are so despicable; they are truly not worthy of being called sons."

……

Just as rumors were flying all over Chang'an, the culprit behind this incident was enjoying the flowers in the Imperial Garden!

"That one's better, it has a big butt!"

"Wow! That one's nice too, those legs are so long!"

"Tsk tsk tsk, you can't even see their toes when they look down!"

Seeing their prince's utterly unworldly demeanor, Wu Meiniang and Li Qingya couldn't help but put one hand to their foreheads!

"Your Highness! Please don't do this, it's too embarrassing!"

Wu Meiniang couldn't help but whisper a reminder, while Li Qingya behind her puffed out her chest somewhat unconvinced and muttered under her breath:

"What's so great about it, Your Highness? You've tried it yourself!"

Looking at the towering Northern Hemisphere of the little girl, it's no wonder there are polar bears in the Arctic. These bears are indeed snow-white. Thanks to the openness of the Tang Dynasty, he was able to see such a beautiful sight in ancient times!

Even Li Chengqian couldn't help but take a few more glances before reluctantly looking away.

He thought to himself at the same time.

Tsk tsk tsk, this little girl is tempting her in broad daylight. I must give her a good scolding when we get back to the East Palace tonight!

"Ahem! This is about choosing a Crown Princess, so I need to find someone I like, right?"

You think I'm lustful? No! I'm doing this all for the sake of the survival of the Tang Dynasty.

Alas! I have sacrificed myself for this great Tang Dynasty; I am truly magnificent.

Seeing her prince's worried and concerned expression, Wu Meiniang couldn't help but roll her eyes at him!