Chapter 320: She Must Be Disciplined

After Chen Yan finished speaking, Li Shimin's expression almost couldn't hold.

To be honest, this is indeed embarrassing.

Li Shimin isn't lacking money to fund an intelligence organization; after all, since Chen Yan came, he's never been short of money.

But he's used to a hard life; suddenly asking him to spend so much money on an intelligence organization hurts him.

So Li Shimin naturally turned his attention to Chen Yan, this big spender.

"Cough cough..."

Li Shimin gave a dry cough, "Since ancient times, where is there a principle of marrying without giving a betrothal gift?"

"Saying that out loud wouldn't be proper."

"You didn't give a betrothal gift when you married Gao Yang, I'll let it slide; I see you're young and managing the household isn't easy, so I won't hold it against you, but marrying Changle, you ought to give something, right?"

How could Chen Yan not know what Li Shimin, this miser, is planning?

He said tactfully, "Giving a betrothal gift when marrying is certainly correct; it's a long-standing tradition, and I accept that."

"But...... you, the great Heavenly Khagan...... marrying off your daughter like an ordinary commoner...... seems inappropriate, right?"

How to put it? In feudal dynasties, emperors couldn't accept betrothal gifts when marrying off their daughters, because the emperor is supreme; doing so like commoners would seem like selling one's daughter.

Moreover, the emperor must give a generous dowry; that's the proper procedure.

Li Shimin certainly knows it's not allowed, but having a big spender right in front of him and not exploiting him makes him feel uneasy.

"What's wrong with the Emperor?"

"The Emperor is also a person, also a father!"

Li Shimin firmly said, "Just give a token betrothal gift; I don't care how much or how little, I just want to see your attitude—you understand?"

"If you're unwilling to show even a bit of attitude, how can I know whether you'll treat Changle well?"

In those words, he spoke righteously, as if he were thinking of Chen Yan's best interests.

Chen Yan lowered his head, clenched his mouth shut, his cheek muscles twitched repeatedly, and he pinched his thigh hard to keep from laughing.

At that moment, Li Shimin seemed to recall something, suddenly turned his head, and saw Wushe already far away, gazing outward, before he relaxed.

Good, this old dog understands.

He whispered, "Of course, no need for a big show; just have someone send it privately......"

"Pfft, hahahahaha!"

"Um...... sorry, Your Majesty, I, I suddenly remembered something happy."

Hearing Li Shimin's words, Chen Yan could no longer hold back and finally laughed out loud.

He tried to restrain himself, but this dead mouth wouldn't obey, causing him to be unable to catch his breath, his expression extremely lively.

"Hahahahaha, I...... I...... pfft!"

On the other side, Empress Changsun and Gao Yang looked over doubtfully, curious what the two had said to laugh so loudly.

But they didn't think much of it, then continued chatting about women's topics.

Li Shimin's face darkened, "Hmm, I know you remembered something happy; go ahead and laugh, I'll make you cry later!"

"......"

Chen Yan gave himself a harsh pinch, finally stopping his laughter.

He sheepishly said, "I was wrong; I won't laugh."

"Hmph!"

Li Shimin said nothing, his eyes fixed firmly on Chen Yan.

"Alright, Your Majesty!"

Chen Yan resignedly said, "You really forgot?"

"Weinan County is nominally the Crown Prince's fief, but actually under your control; aside from the trivial taxes paid a few months ago, the Xianlya's accounts are full of money."

"If you need it, you can take one-third, but only one-third; the rest I still have use for."

"Isn't that money yours?" Li Shimin blinked.

"Now even Chen Yan is a bit confused: 'No, although I used the Xianlya's name, in business I keep things clear—I myself only took twenty-five percent, the rest is Xianlya's, which is yours.'"

"You didn't know this?"

Li Shimin instinctively said, "I didn't know; you never told me."

"？"

Chen Yan and Li Shimin stared at each other, full of question marks.

"No!"

Chen Yan didn't understand, "How could you not be aware? I even borrowed money from myself using the Xianlya's name—doesn't that show I'm separate from the Xianlya?"

"And when we set up the restaurant business, we said you provide money, the Crown Prince provides labor, I provide the method and take only my due share, the rest goes to you and the Crown Prince."

"You forgot?"

Li Shimin's mind raced, recalling past events, finally unable to believe: "But your white candles and silk—I never put in money or effort; I thought you took it all yourself."

"Alright, I get it." Chen Yan covered his face, not knowing what to say.

"So you've always thought my business in Weinan County is mine alone?"

Li Shimin glared, "Isn't that the case?"

"Of course not!" Chen Yan, speechless, said, "I'm separate from the Xianlya; when we first started business, didn't we use money the Xianlya collected from the Public Transport Boat?"

"Later expenses grew too high, and we needed to build a library; the Xianlya's funds weren't enough, so I borrowed tens of thousands of strings in the Xianlya's name to operate and develop the white-candle trade."

"Throughout this process, the money came from the Xianlya's accounts; I was solely responsible for providing the method and management."

"And Weinan County isn't yours?"

"Taking money from the Xianlya isn't the same as taking it from you?"

You don't realize how much help and convenience you provided there—you actually take more than seventy percent of the profits.

Li Shimin: ……

Your Majesty, damn it, why didn't you say so earlier?

You didn't ask either.

Zi An, are you done chatting?

Empress Changsun saw Chen Yan coming over and showed a gentle smile.

Chen Yan didn't know what to say; he couldn't possibly say, 'Let Li Shimin be happy first,' could he?

He turned his head and saw Gao Yang smiling at him, instantly recalling how Gao Yang had earlier helped Sizi forge false evidence, adding insult to injury.

Can this be tolerated?

We must punish her!

Chen Yan's mind turned, his eyes lit up, he went up to Empress Changsun and said, 'Your Highness, you say, can I and Gao Yang now share a room?'

Gao Yang was stunned, not understanding why Chen Yan suddenly asked that.

Empress Changsun's face changed, and she snapped, 'Of course not!'

Gao Yang's belly is already this big—how could they share a room?

You're supposed to be studying medicine, and you don't even know this?

Chen Yan turned his head and said to Gao Yang, 'See, I already said it's not allowed, right?'

You won't listen to me, but you can't not listen to the Empress, can you?

Gao Yang:???

Empress Changsun:???

Facing the Mother Empress's strange gaze, Gao Yang's face instantly flushed red.

Chen Yan!!!

I'll fight you to the death!!!