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

Li Yuanchang didn't look at it, but he trusted Fang Weng.

"Did I spend so quickly?"

Fang Weng smiled wryly. Without accepting gifts, it was indeed difficult to support the entire royal palace with normal income and without any rewards.

Especially when he was in Chang'an, Li Yuanchang spent money too extravagantly.

"There must be some valuable things in the house, right?" Li Yuanchang suddenly thought.

"Your Highness, yes, there are quite a few paintings, calligraphy, antiques, and jade, but those are all Your Highness's favorites. Selling them like this..."

"Sell!" Li Yuanchang said without hesitation.

"Those things are just gathering dust if left unattended. Taking them out and selling them will make the most of them and earn you a reputation for being poor and down on your luck."

There was a hint of reluctance on Fang Weng's old face. After all, it would be too shameful for a Han king to be reduced to selling his property to make a living.

"Alright, Mr. Fang, go quickly."

"I'm waiting for money to be useful." Li Yuanchang smiled. He wasn't unhappy at all; he didn't have any of those ancient people's ideas.

In his previous life, he had mortgaged his house and car more than once in order to seize an opportunity.

"Well... alright." Old Fang had no choice but to comply.

Li Yuanchang then returned to his study to continue handling his official duties.

This busy period lasted until late at night.

Li Yuanchang had just finished a bowl of lotus seed soup and gnawed on a small lamb leg, and hadn't even wiped his hands yet.

"Your Highness, a letter has arrived from Chang'an! It's from the four young masters!" Guo Chao burst in.

The four young masters were naturally Cheng Chuliang, Li Chongzhen, and the others. Everyone in the Prince's mansion knew them, and they spent every day with Li Yuanchang during that period.

We're brothers who've fought together and shared hardships.

"Oh?" Li Yuanchang's eyes lit up, and he quickly took it.

He had expected the letter to inquire about his well-being, but upon opening it, he was slightly surprised, and then a half-smile appeared on his face.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Li Yuanchang placed the letter in front of the candle and burned it completely.

He calmly said, "Wei Ting, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, has been ordered to commit suicide."

"Huh?" Guo Chao was shocked.

"Wasn't he a confidant of the King of Wei? Born into nobility, how could he have been executed?"

Li Yuanchang said, "He was the instigator of the brothel case. I used a suitable method to let His Majesty know about his actions."

"For the mere fact that he was monitoring the King of Han, he deserved to die."

"His Majesty will not tolerate him."

Guo Chao frowned: "But Your Highness, it was obvious that Prince Wei wanted to harm you back then, so why did His Majesty only order the death of Wei Ting?"

"He's in charge of the Prince of Wei's residence; even a fool knows the Prince of Wei is pulling the strings!"

Li Yuanchang shook his head: "You can guess it, do you think His Majesty can't?"

"Then why?" Guo Chao asked, following behind Li Yuanchang, extremely puzzled.

"There are no so many whys. The brothel case can only be a brothel case. It absolutely cannot be brothers killing each other or relatives killing each other."

"Wei Ting's death is His Majesty's warning to those below, and also a complete cessation of the investigation into this matter."

"Li Tai was clever for a moment, but he was ultimately misled."

"Chongzhen did not mention Li Tai in the letter, but he must be in a bad situation. The killing of his confidant is already a warning and a wake-up call."

"My revenge has been successful."

Guo Chao, who came from a military background, didn't understand politics and was somewhat confused by what he heard.

"Your Highness, now that His Majesty knows someone framed you, will he exonerate them?"

"Rehabilitate? Rehabilitate what?"

Li Yuanchang laughed and said, "It's a fact that he ordered Chai to fight, and it's also a fact that his actions had a bad influence. Furthermore, his prejudice against Meiniang cannot be eliminated."

"Politics is never black and white. It's not that you're disloyal or I'm ignorant; it's just that the situation demands it."

Guo Chao cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Highness is truly wise!"

"Although I don't understand the details, I believe that with Your Highness's abilities, you will surely thrive in Liangzhou and never suffer that humiliation in Chang'an again!"

Li Yuanchang smiled but remained silent.

But he was in a good mood and killed Wei Ting.

……

The next day.

Li Yuanchang woke up early and, as usual, prepared to meet with some officials, handle official business, and take over Liangzhou.

But Fang Weng's jogging arrival made him pause.

"Your Highness, the Situ family has sent someone, saying they wish to see you."

"Situ Boyao?" Li Yuanchang asked.

Old Fang shook his head: "It doesn't seem so, it's a maid."

Li Yuanchang raised an eyebrow: "Bring him over."

"Yes."

Before long, Fang Weng brought the person to him.

"Nu Heye greets His Highness the Prince of Han."

This is a young and pretty maid. Although she is of low status, she may come from a scholarly family and has some literary knowledge. She speaks and acts with great poise and grace.

"Did she send you?" Li Yuanchang asked. Sending a maidservant clearly meant it couldn't have been Situ Bo.

Lotus Leaf looked up and said, "Your Highness, it was the eldest young lady who sent me here."

"This is something the young lady asked me to give to His Highness."

As they spoke, the people from the Prince's mansion carried in two boxes. When they opened them, they found the boxes were full of copper coins, at least a hundred strings of cash.

"Your Highness, there are these too."

Lotus Leaf then pulled out a wad of flying coins from her sleeve.

The flying money of the Tang Dynasty was somewhat similar to the savings passbook of later times. Because copper coins were heavy and inconvenient to carry, people would deposit their money in money shops when they had a lot of money. This is also considered to be the earliest origin of bills of exchange in China.

"What do you mean?" Li Yuanchang took the flying money and paused for a moment.

There were quite a few figures on there. He estimated that with the two boxes of copper coins, it would be at least three hundred strings of cash, which was a huge sum of money.

"Your Highness, the young lady heard that the Prince of Han's mansion was selling some antiques and paintings yesterday, and it seems that they are short of money, so she took out her private savings and all her dowry."

"They said that if Your Highness has any difficulties, you should take these flowers first."

"If that's still not enough, she'll borrow from her parents' home."

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent and turned to look at Li Yuanchang.

Li Yuanchang was stunned on the spot; his silence was deafening.

The simple phrase "I'll borrow it from my parents' home" has already defeated the vast majority of women in the world.

This would seem like science fiction in the 21st century, and it would also be considered science fiction in the Tang Dynasty. In ancient times, men were valued more than women, and it was very difficult for a woman who was already nominally betrothed to her parents' family to get even a penny.

Li Yuanchang felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

You should know that he doesn't even know the name of his new Han princess yet, and they had a disagreement not long ago because of the delay.

"All right."

"Help me go back and thank her."

"But I cannot accept this money. It is her dowry. I am indeed short of money, but I can still make ends meet."

Lotus Leaf added, "Your Highness, the young lady said you definitely won't take her money."

"She also told me to tell you that if Your Highness doesn't accept it, then it's as if she bought it—she bought those antiques and paintings that were leaked from the Prince of Han's residence."

She said her husband would like it.

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanchang was taken aback, and his heart was warmed by the warmth.

In his previous life, he was considered a prodigal son, but at this moment he was truly moved by this wife he had never met before.

Although I have never met her, I imagine she must be a gentle and virtuous woman.

He couldn't help but smile from the bottom of his heart, a smile he hadn't shown since he was forced to separate from Meiniang.