In my dream of returning to the Tang Dynasty, I snatched Wu Zetian from my lap.

Several servants left behind in the New Han Prince's Mansion rushed over, looking nervous and fearful. They took three steps at a time and then knelt down on the ground with a thud.

"This servant greets His Highness the Prince of Han!"

"I was unaware of His Highness the Prince of Han's arrival; I deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

In the Tang Dynasty, servants and attendants generally referred to themselves as slaves. Unlike the slaves of the Qing Dynasty, the slave in the Tang Dynasty was a humble self-designation and was not as insulting as it was in later generations.

Li Yuanchang glanced at the older man who was speaking.

"You've done a good job cleaning and tidying up the mansion. Go find Master Fang later and get some reward money."

"Your Highness, I wouldn't dare!"

"But we were only on guard duty; the mansion was actually cleaned up by the Princess Consort of Han and her people."

Li Yuanchang's steps suddenly faltered.

Upon hearing the words "Princess Consort of Han," the first image that came to his mind was Wu Zetian, but he quickly shook his head.

Wu Zetian couldn't be here; she must be the eldest daughter of the Situ family, and the Princess Consort of Han appointed by Li Shimin.

This matter should not be a secret in Liangzhou, after all, the imperial edict had already arrived before Li Yuanchang.

His gaze became somewhat complicated, and he seemed unsure of what to say.

Wu Meiniang had already entered his heart, and given everything that had happened during that time, it was difficult for him to quickly accept another completely unfamiliar woman.

"So you're from Liangzhou Prefecture?" He changed the subject.

"Your Highness, no, we are servants of the Situ family. We were sent by the Princess Consort of Han. She said that the mansion needs someone to stay behind. In November, there is a lot of light rain in the south of the mountain, and she is worried that the rainwater will accumulate and damage the newly built walls."

"If the humidity is too high, Your Highness will not be able to adapt to the rainy weather south of the mountain."

"Also, the Princess Consort of Han heard that Your Highness enjoys riding and archery, so she specially had us build a small training ground in the backyard. It has been raining these past few days, so it hasn't been fully glazed yet. She told us to keep a close watch on it."

Upon hearing this, a bitter smile appeared on Li Yuanchang's face.

Just from hearing those two sentences, he could sense that the other party was probably a gentle and virtuous top-tier matriarch from ancient times, the kind who had been nurtured by the Four Books and Five Classics since childhood.

This is for any man, and any man would like it.

But he had someone in his heart, someone he felt guilty about, and someone he missed.

He and Wu Meiniang were in love, but due to political pressure, they had to be separated by vast distances. At this moment, he didn't know how to face this forced marriage, or how to face this woman from the Situ family whom he had never met but who took care of him in every way—his Princess Consort of Han.

"Go collect your reward first."

In the end, he only said this one sentence.

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The servants breathed a sigh of relief and went to collect their rewards with great joy.

Li Yuanchang also moved into his new home.

From large items in the mansion to small things like writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, everything was prepared, and the bedding was made of the finest Shu brocade.

The ground was spotless, so spotless you could see your reflection in it.

He had barely taken a break when Liangzhou City exploded!

News of the Han King's arrival at his residence spread like wildfire among various factions.

Even among the common people, there was an uproar and heated discussion about the arrival of the King of Han!

In less than an hour, all the prominent figures in Liangzhou had gathered at the New Han Prince's Mansion!

Officials, merchants, and local gentry all came, bringing various lavish gifts to pay their respects, completely surrounding the New Han Prince's Mansion.

"Gao Shen, the Prefect of Liangzhou, requests an audience with His Highness the Prince of Han!"

"Li Zhi, the Prefect of Liangzhou, requests an audience with His Highness the Prince of Han!"

"Lu Qi, the Prefect of Liangzhou, requests an audience with His Highness the Prince of Han!"

"..."

A series of voices rang out, creating an unprecedented scene.

Besides the three highest-ranking officials other than the governor, the chief clerk, and the military advisor, the six military advisors also arrived, along with various officials below them.

Wealthy businessmen didn't dare to squeeze in; they could only slip gifts through the back door.

Such a concentrated series of events has never occurred in Liangzhou City before.

This is considered a way of paying respects to the powerful. Once the top local official is parachuted in, no one dares not to come, especially since this top official is the emperor's brother, the current Prince of Han.

In ancient officialdom, it was customary for a new official to make a strong first impression. No one wanted to offend Li Yuanchang, and everyone wanted to curry favor with him in order to preserve their previous positions and interests.

However, the gates of the Prince of Han's mansion remained tightly closed.

No one came out, and these people didn't dare to venture out, so they waited outside in the rain.

"They're out!"

"They're out!"

Someone shouted, and all eyes turned to look. A group of high-ranking officials quickly stepped forward, their faces showing the most official expressions of joy.

"My lords, my name is Wang Hongzhi."

"His Highness said that he is tired from his journey and will not be seeing you all for the time being."

"Yes, yes, yes!" The local officials, led by Gao Shen, Li Zhi, and Lu Qi, nodded repeatedly, their faces beaming with smiles, about to say something.

Wang Hongzhi didn't give them a chance, looking around at the huge crowd.

Are any members of the Situ family here?

The crowd paused, looking around.

A hand reached out from the crowd.

"They're here! They're here!"

The man was a thin, long-shouldered man in a wide robe, about forty or fifty years old, with a gray beard, and exuded the air of a scholar.

Guo Chao's men parted the crowd, allowing people to enter.

"My lord, I am Situ Bo. I came to pay my respects upon hearing of His Highness's sudden arrival."

"Mr. Situ, you are too polite. His Highness specifically instructed me to invite you in. He is already waiting inside."

"Please." Wang Hongzhi extended his hand, showing great respect.

"Thank you." Situ Bo bowed with his hands clasped, his face glowing. He had certainly made a name for himself in Liangzhou City.

It should be noted that the Situ family was not considered a powerful or influential family in Liangzhou; they were more of a family of scholars for generations.

To put it bluntly, they were scholars for generations, but none of them managed to get into officialdom.

Li Shimin's choice of a woman from the Situ family was, in essence, a show for the Chai family, a comprehensive denigration of Li Yuanchang.

Another reason might also be political considerations, wanting to keep Li Yuanchang in line, so he was arranged to marry a woman from a modest, scholarly family.

This marriage, and even the recent "broken engagement" that caused a sensation in Chang'an, were not exactly secrets.

Therefore, the officials, led by Gao Shen, did not say anything; it was normal for in-laws to meet.

"My lord, His Highness is a private matter, and we should not disturb him."

"However, these gifts..." Gao Shen stepped forward, cupped his hands, and gave Wang Hongzhi an ambiguous smile.

Wang Hong glanced at it and said in a businesslike manner.

"His Highness said that he appreciates everyone's kindness, but please take everything back with you. The Prince of Han's residence will not accept gifts."

"Furthermore, everyone should be at the government office on time tomorrow morning."

After saying that, he led his men into the mansion, closed the door, and left only the guards standing outside.

The sky was overcast and rainy.

This feeling was just like the heavy hearts of Gao Shen and the others at that moment.

"Your Highness does not accept gifts."

"What do you mean?"

The three squinted and whispered among themselves, becoming more wary at the same time. Wang Hongzhi represented Li Yuanchang, and refusing gifts was a signal.

Having navigated the treacherous waters of officialdom for decades, they were as shrewd as foxes; how could they not detect a hint of something unusual?