Chapter 672: Gao Yang Is Happy

When Chen Yan and Li Tai returned home, it was already evening.

Li Lizhi and the others were waiting for Chen Yan and Li Tai to eat.

The two of them came back, plopped down, and Li Tai, without a word, started cooking.

Only Chen Yan had no appetite, looking pensive.

"Husband, what's wrong with you?"

Li Lizhi, seeing this, couldn't help asking, "Did you talk with the Father Emperor about something?"

Chen Yan let out a long sigh, "You two should pack your luggage over the next two days; on the fifth day of the month, come with me on a trip."

"Remember to bring more; we might be away for several months."

Everyone:???

When he said that, Gao Yang, who had been eating casually, was stunned, and Li Lizhi couldn't help furrowing her embroidered brows, "Several months away?"

"But… you're now the Minister of Revenue; it's not just several months— even ten days or half a month would probably be impossible."

"How can we go?"

Gao Yang was no longer calm, "Where to? Do we need a few months?"

"Has the Father Emperor approved?"

"Your Father Emperor agreed." Chen Yan said speechlessly, "It was your Father Emperor who brought it up. I said I wouldn't go, but he said he would take you all away, and even bring Xiao Sui An along. How could I refuse?"

Xiao Sui An, being held by Qing'er while eating, looked up bewildered.

The little fellow was already over a year old and had long understood his own name.

The two women, upon hearing this, were completely unsettled; Gao Yang raised an eyebrow and asked, "What on earth is going on?"

"What trick is the Father Emperor up to this time? Why go out for no reason?"

"You might manage a short leave, just have someone temporarily assume the post, but he, as the ruler of a nation, how can he be away that long?"

Li Lizhi, a bit angry, "So all this is the Father Emperor's will? What else has he thought of?"

"Does he need us to force you to go together?"

Li Tai cleared his throat lightly and said to the Wei Wang Consort, "Yu'er, I'm going to leave with Zi Anxiong and the others; while we're away, the household will depend on you to manage, okay."

The Wei Wang Consort, who had been quietly watching the drama, widened her eyes at the words, "You're leaving too?"

Li Tai replied cheerfully, "Yes, I'm leaving as well, together with the Father Emperor and Zi Anxiong, to truly see these magnificent rivers and mountains."

"Don't blame me for not taking you, after all our child is still young and the household needs someone to run it."

Wei Wang Consort: "......"

Is this a question of taking them or not, of managing or not?

How can you all just leave?

"I…" the Wei Wang Consort became flustered, yet didn't know what to say.

After all, she could see Li Tai's happy demeanor, clearly indicating he wanted to go.

So the Wei Wang Consort could only look at Li Lizhi and Gao Yang.

The two stared silently at Chen Yan.

Chen Yan massaged his temples, "Actually we're heading south of the Huai River. Officially it's to see how the Champa Rice harvest is doing, but in truth it's a covert private tour— visiting the countryside along the way and taking a little trip."

"His Majesty isn't forcing me for you; he knows I've always wanted to take you all out for a trip, but the position of Minister of Revenue has held me back."

"That's why I brought you along."

The two, upon hearing this, felt much calmer.

Li Lizhi pondered, "Does the Empress know about this? If the Father Emperor leaves, does that mean the Crown Prince will act as regent?"

"Also, how does the Father Emperor plan to persuade the ministers and conveniently bring you along?"

Chen Yan twitched the corner of his mouth, "He said his health is poor and he needs a period of recuperation, leaving me to take full care of him, while my duties are temporarily handled by Du Ruhui."

"......"

Li Lizhi and Gao Yang were simply speechless.

Is this reason… sincere?

Is it reliable?

Can it convince the ministers?

Li Tai said with a smile, "The Father Emperor doesn't care about the ministers' opinions at all; as long as we give a face‑saving reason that passes, that's enough."

"If the Father Emperor weren't taking Zi Anxiong, he might just say he wants to test the Crown Prince's abilities and let him act as regent for a while."

"Alright, alright." Chen Yan waved his hand, signaling everyone to eat first.

Then, picking up his chopsticks, he said, "Anyway, in the next two days you should hurry and pack what you need. Your Father Emperor has been thinking about this for a long time."

Her Majesty the Empress has already agreed; you could say it's settled. Discussing this is useless.

"Think positively; at least we can go out and have fun, right?"

"Isn't this what we've always wanted?"

"When the time comes, we'll bring Sizi along, the whole family together, go out for a proper walk and some fun— that would be nice."

Li Lizhi and Gao Yang said nothing further.

Today's meal was rather quiet.

Mainly because the news Chen Yan brought was so sudden, the two were unprepared.

How to put it.

Both knew that since Chen Yan returned to Chang'an, he's been busier, and with various events unfolding, he'll only get busier.

If he wants to free up time, it might not be until two or three years later.

They have also been looking forward to it.

Anyway, two or three years isn't long; by then Xiao Sui An will have grown up a lot, and by then going out to play will be just right.

As a result, Chen Yan suddenly told them now that they would leave Chang'an and be away for a long time.

Moreover, they would be going together with Li Shimin.

It was very sudden.

That meal passed in silence.

After finishing the meal, they rested a bit, washed up, and then each returned to their rooms.

Now Xiao Sui An is over one year old, already sleeping separately from Gao Yang, and is being taken care of in turns by Qing'er and Xiang Lan.

After returning to the room, lying on the bed about to rest, Gao Yang finally couldn't hold back his excitement, poked Chen Yan's waist with his elbow: "Hey, are we really going out?"

"Leave Chang'an?"

Chen Yan turned his head, smiling: "If you don't want to, then you can stay with the Wei Wang Consort to look after the home."

"Who wants to look after the house!" Gao Yang gave him a slap, annoyed: "Do you think I'm a dog?"

"Never mind, what should we bring? I heard the weather there is great; what clothes would be appropriate to bring?"

"What about money? Copper coins are too troublesome; should we bring gold and silver instead? I heard that out there, everything costs money, and..."

Gao Yang said, and then started counting on his fingers.

You can tell, she is really quite happy.

On the other side, Li Lizhi hesitated and said: "Husband, going out to play isn't a problem, but I've heard that outside is chaotic; once we leave Chang'an, we should disguise our identities."

"Then, how will we handle safety?"

She still remembers that when she last returned to Chang'an, she was surrounded by bandits, and she was truly frightened at the time.

"Your Father Emperor will surely make preparations for this." Chen Yan comforted, "He is the emperor, far more afraid of death than we are."

"Besides, when the Bannerless Cavalry set out for Wa this year, only Uncle Niu went, while Xue Li remained in Chang'an."

"If we bring him along, we won't have to worry about safety."

"..."