Chapter 624: Li Yuan: You Still Explain What the Heck

Grand Emperor! I want to find Grand Emperor!

Xiao Sizi cried loudly, waddling back on her short little legs, desperately pulling two maidservants to have them take her to find Li Yuan.

Gao Yang was slightly surprised.

How could a brief coaxing turn into this?

She hadn't even told Sizi to look for Li Yuan, and this little brat thought of it herself?

Your Highness, this…

Sizi and the two maidservants wore distressed faces, not knowing what to do.

Gao Yang gave a slight nod, indicating they could take her over.

The two maidservants, seeing this, immediately relaxed; one gently comforted Sizi while the other hurried to arrange a carriage.

When they left, Li Lizhi said softly, "Sister, if we keep coaxing little Sizi like this, what will we do when she later learns the truth and spreads our gossip?"

"She dares?" Gao Yang snorted, "A person as insignificant as a fart—shall I lend her ten doses of courage to see?"

"She still dares to spread my gossip; I can't beat her to death."

Li Lizhi: "What if we grow old?"

Gao Yang: "......"

She choked on that sentence, her expression slightly unnatural, "That would still be several decades away; why worry about something so far off?"

"Moreover, Sizi is still young and immature; when she grows up and understands reason, could she really dare to act against us old ones?"

Li Lizhi neither affirmed nor denied: "I can't say for sure, but I feel Sizi is becoming more like my husband, and my husband is petty, always insisting on a gentleman's revenge from dawn till dusk."

"If the enemy is too strong, waiting thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river is also not impossible."

Gao Yang: "......"

"Also, you know Grand Emperor loves Sizi the most; by coaxing this little brat, she'll run to Grand Emperor and cry, and Ayey and Mother, even Cheng Yaojin and the others, wouldn't they all suffer?"

"So what's the problem?"

Gao Yang slightly lifted his chin, "They locked my husband in a place like Dali Temple Prison, even said they'd beat my husband with a board; the point is, when we go to find them, they're nowhere to be seen."

"Since they don't want my husband to be well, can I make them well?"

"I want to see, if they don't see us and Grand Emperor goes, will they also shut the door on him?"

Li Lizhi: "......"

Gao Yang's maneuver truly opened her eyes.

【7】 This really is like a married woman's spilled water, always thinking of her own husband.

This really is like a girl who has married out, water that has been poured out, thinking only of her own husband, ah.

Even Li Shimin and Empress Changsun fall into this trap.

Thinking of Sizi's appearance just now, and Li Yuan's pampering of Sizi… Li Lizhi was instantly startled.

Hope Father Emperor and Mother Empress are okay.

"......"

At this moment, Li Shimin and Empress Changsun had no clue what was about to happen.

They were sitting in Ganlu Hall, discussing the gamble Chen Yan had proposed.

Li Shimin chuckled, "Guanyin Maid, you're bound to lose; this kid is being naughty."

"A temple that's been around for over ten years with decent incense… Heh, that's all I'll tell you."

"Zi An's over a hundred thousand mu sounds a lot, but the Tang Dynasty has just been founded, and the Land Annexation issue is just emerging; the Tang Dynasty has plenty of land."

"Under various systems, an adult commoner can be allotted a hundred mu of land; these commoners, by registering their land under a temple's name, can avoid taxes."

"If enough commoners do this, they can surpass the land owned by Zi An's family."

Empress Changsun smiled, "So, Er Lang, you also support Zi An's anti‑Buddhism?"

"Of course." Li Shimin sighed, "Temples are indeed a huge tumor for the Tang Dynasty; Zi An, as Minister of Revenue, facing temples that massively affect the treasury, naturally cannot tolerate them."

"I… of course also cannot tolerate!"

"Guanyin Maid, after this episode, you must have understood many issues."

Li Shimin said softly, "Zi An shouts 'eradicate Buddhism' to give everyone a roundabout leeway; eradicating Buddhism is certainly unacceptable because it could cause unrest, but opposing Buddhism is different."

"Guanyin Maid, I know you believe in Buddhism, but don't blame Zi An. Haven't you noticed that since Zi An took the position of Minister of Revenue, he has changed a lot in many ways?"

"Actually Zi An hasn't changed; only his position has changed."

"When he stands in that position, many things aren't simply a matter of his desire."

"You must understand Zi An, understand us."

Empress Changsun gently shook her head, "Er Lang, you speak heavily; I have never blamed Zi An, nor have I blamed you."

"I, as a consort, know you have great ambitions to fulfill, to clear the obstacles along the way."

"Only, I truly didn't expect…"

"I didn't expect the temples' harm to be this great?" Li Shimin retorted, and Empress Changsun fell silent.

Li Shimin stood, hands behind his back, "I really like a saying Zi An once made: worldly affairs are either black or white, yet more often they intertwine."

"What you see is only the surface white, ignoring the black hidden beneath."

"This is no big deal, just like the whole court—how many are not greedy? As long as they aren't too extreme, I mostly turn a blind eye."

"But if, like the Ministry of Works, corruption rots to the core and hits my bottom line, I also have the resolve to uproot them!"

"Whether it's the Ministry of Works or temples, to some extent they're essentially the same."

"I…"

Thump!

Li Shimin was about to continue when a heavy sound of someone collapsing to the ground came from outside the hall.

Li Er!!!

Just as Li Shimin was feeling puzzled, he saw his own … old dad holding the red‑eyed Xiao Sizi, storming in angrily:

"Father Emperor, you… why are you here?"

Li Shimin was startled, a bad premonition rose in his heart; Empress Changsun hurriedly stood up and bowed to Li Yuan.

"How did I come?" Li Yuan shouted angrily: "You tell me how I came!"

"I heard you intend to beat my dear grandson‑in‑law to death, while my beautiful Zhao Tang begged desperately, yet you turned them away at the door, not even giving a chance to plead!"

"Li Er, your prestige is truly growing larger! I really didn't expect that you have already reached this position, yet you can still deal such a cruel blow to your own son‑in‑law?"

"Zi An has contributed so much to our Tang Dynasty, achieved so many merits; are your eyes blind, unable to see?"

"I can't figure it out, what exactly has he done?"

"Is he preparing to rebel, usurping your position, or is it because his achievements are too great, shaking you, my lord?"

Li Shimin and Empress Changsun were both stunned by Li Yuan's scolding.

Isn't it?

Why are they going to beat Chen Yan to death?

What the hell is this little rumor?

"Father Emperor, let your son explain…"

"Explain? You explain what the hell, look at my granddaughter, her eyes are swollen from crying!"

"This is the good thing you did!"

Li Shimin:???