Chapter 319: Betrothal Gifts?

Pfft~

When Gao Yang saw Chen Yan's constipated expression, she couldn't hold back and covered her mouth with a light laugh.

If she hadn't been wary of Li Shimin and Empress Changsun being present, she probably would have covered her belly and laughed heartily instead of just covering her mouth.

"You, Chen Yan, I trusted you so much, personally handed Sizi to you to look after, and this is how you take care of her?"

Li Shimin wore a stern face, "I won't mention the previous slip, yet you still dared to let my princess pick up garbage to eat?"

"You have such nerve!!!"

Chen Yan: "......"

Empress Changsun shook her head with a smile, extended a finger and gently tapped Sizi's forehead, "A small body with a big spirit, already about to become an aunt, how are you getting more cunning?"

She pinched her daughter's plump, pink little face, her eyes full of amusement.

Just looking at Sizi's appearance, she doesn't look like someone who endures hardship at all.

"Mother, I'm telling the truth!"

Sizi looked up, not showing any panic of being exposed, and kept babbling.

"If you don't believe me, ask sister."

Saying that, she turned her head toward Gao Yang, winking mischievously, her expression looking extremely amusing.

However, Chen Yan didn't find Sizi cute at all; it made him laugh in irritation.

He was still over here, and she even gave him a look?

Gao Yang's expression changed, and she nodded gravely, "Your servant can testify for Sizi; what she says is true."

"Good!" Li Shimin seemed delighted, feigning anger, "Chen Yan, what else do you have to say?"

Now you know what it's like when a little padded coat lets in a draft, right?

Doesn't that make you, you skinny calf, angry?

Chen Yan twitched his mouth corner, "His Majesty, your mouth corner seems about to burst!"

"Is that so?"

Li Shimin pretended to examine his own mouth corner, glanced at him, "That's not important; what's important now is Sizi."

"Gao Yang has already testified; what more can you argue?"

Chen Yan glared at Sizi, who was curled up in Empress Changsun's arms, while she made a ghost face at him.

He said with anguish, "I was mistaken; in the end, it was my mistake."

"It's still my Qing Yue. From now on I'll give all the dumplings, fried eggs, braised pork, pickled fish, small glutinous rice balls... all the tasty food to Xiao Qingyue, and keep all the lean meat for her."

When Sizi heard that, she instantly became anxious, tugged at Empress Changsun's sleeve and said, "Mother, mother, brother is so kind to me, it's just that I disobey, I don't want to do homework, please don't scold brother, okay?"

Li Shimin:?

He looked at his daughter in disbelief.

Isn't it?

Just a hint of tasty food bought you off?

Empress Changsun smiled brightly, "This has nothing to do with Mother; Mother didn't scold your brother."

"Ah ye!"

Sizi, not understanding, got up from the soft couch, sprinted into Li Shimin's arms, blinking big eyes to look pitiful.

"Ah ye, don't scold brother, okay?"

The little fellow has lived with Chen Yan so long; he hasn't learned many other skills, but his talent for playing the pitiful keeps growing daily. Neither Chen Yan nor Li Yuan could stand it, let alone Li Shimin, the daughter‑worshipper.

At the sight of his daughter's expression, his demeanor instantly softened.

"Alright, alright, Ah ye won't scold brother; this time we'll let him off the hook."

"Hmm yeah, thank you Ah ye, Ah ye is so good, Wooden horse~"

Chen Yan rolled his eyes and sat down beneath Li Shimin, minding his own business.

Wushe, catching the cue, went over to brew tea, while Gao Yang headed to Empress Changsun's side.

Li Shimin lingered with Sizi for a while; Sizi couldn't stand Li Shimin's little beard, then cooed at Chen Yan, and afterward ran over to Empress Changsun's side.

"Prince of Yue came looking for you?"

Li Shimin's smile faded as he got down to business.

Chen Yan nodded slightly, "Prince of Yue told me that in the last clash they won, and His Majesty gave out a few relatively important posts in the court."

"He reminded me that my current situation is very dangerous."

A flash of displeasure toward Li Tai crossed Li Shimin's eyes, but since he was his own son, he said nothing and continued, "All these years, I and the aristocratic families have always been like this; not long ago, didn't I purge a large number of them?"

"That's a normal situation; you needn't worry about it."

He didn't elaborate, but Chen Yan understood.

So you're saying that over the years Li Shimin and the aristocratic families have been secretly clashing, sometimes winning, sometimes losing?

But that's normal.

For example, something like the 'Clan Chronicles'—Li Shimin should have entrusted its entire compilation to his own people, yet aristocratic members took part, which is clearly the result of a compromise.

After all, if it were possible, the aristocrats wouldn't allow the 'Clan Chronicles' to exist.

Chen Yan couldn't help but sigh; during the Zhenguan era, the aristocratic families were indeed too powerful.

"Last time, you told me about the method of managing county magistrates across the lands; I discussed it with Ke Ming and others for a long time, and only two days ago did we finalize a concrete approach. Take a look."

Li Shimin took out a pamphlet and handed it to Chen Yan, who curiously took it, opened it, and examined it closely.

Li Shimin leisurely sipped tea while Wushe served beside him.

Time passed slowly; in the hall, only occasional bursts of laughter and chatter came from Empress Changsun's side.

After reading the several thousand flowing words, Chen Yan pondered for a moment and said, "I think the policies above are already quite comprehensive, but there's just one point..."

He pointed at a spot on the folded paper, "Regarding the issue of the roaming imperial inspector, I think His Majesty should either cultivate a trusted group himself, or directly bribe from various places, even cultivate a secret intelligence organization."

"I recall the Tang Dynasty has unsavory people, but you don't seem to place much emphasis on them; perhaps you could cultivate them a bit."

"Unsavory people…" Li Shimin stroked his chin, thinking.

How to put it, the Tang Dynasty indeed has unsavory people, but they mainly assist the Government in investigating cases, capturing fugitives, and similar duties, and are indeed not highly valued by him.

Chen Yan's suggestion greatly moved Li Shimin; he feared that other regions might have severe corruption, but because officials protect each other, he didn't know.

If he could bribe some low‑level officials and clerks in various regions, or cultivate his own intelligence network to infiltrate each area as his eyes, not only could he supervise local officials, but the benefits would be numerous.

But Li Shimin was also somewhat troubled, looking at Chen Yan before him with an expectant expression.

"Zi An…"

"Well, look, Li Zhi will be married to you in a few days… this dowry…"

Chen Yan's gaze instantly turned strange.

Dowry?

Not to mention that I have already made crystal to help Li Shimin extract a huge sum from the noble family as a dowry to address the flood disaster.

Just the fact that a minister marries the Princess—how could there be any reason to give a dowry?

You, a lofty emperor, have no shame?

Just like an ordinary commoner marrying off a daughter?

Chen Yan stifled a laugh, "If His Majesty needs it, I have no problem; the dowry can be delivered tomorrow."

"Only, does His Majesty truly intend to use the dowry as a pretext?"

"......"