213 Chapter 213
◎Happy. ◎
After the debate ended that day, Wei Zheng submitted a suggestion about medical schools in various places the next day. Because it concerned the people, Tian Khan humbly accepted it. It also proved to everyone that you can give advice, but don't dwell on trivial matters. You have to focus on the whole world.
After that, there would still be ministers who would offer advice, all of which were matters concerning the country and the people, and the former dynasty once again restored harmony between the monarch and his ministers.
It just so happened that the cotton had been harvested and there were a lot of seeds. Li Shimin discussed with his court officials to plant them in a few places first, and then gradually promote them throughout the country.
Li Chengqian did not participate in this meeting, but he still saw the results of their discussion with Tian Khan.
After the cotton issue was settled, Li Chengqian planted garlic in the East Palace again. His allicin studio, which had been dormant for a year, was about to be restarted.
No one would criticize Li Chengqian on this point. Even though they thought that farming in the Eastern Palace was a bit inappropriate, in a feudal society dominated by agriculture, farming was a politically correct thing to do at the time, and no one could complain about it.
Li Shimin and Zhangsun were both afraid that the child would be tired, but Li Chengqian was really happy when doing these things, so they had to ask the people around him to keep a closer eye on him and not let the prince get too tired.
When the garlic is planted, winter comes quietly, followed by the New Year.
Li Chengqian's life had not changed much, and nothing major had happened recently. This year had passed very uneventfully for him.
Because Li Chengqian had an extra position in the Taiji Hall, Li Tai felt a little jealous. Fortunately, his father still loved him, so Li Tai would often act like a spoiled child in front of his elder brother and would try hard to win his father's attention.
Whenever Li Shimin wanted to talk to Li Chengqian, Li Tai successfully brought his father into the topic, and he couldn't help but look at Li Chengqian's reaction.
But Li Chengqian didn't react at all.
Li Tai was really depressed and puzzled.
Does Big Brother really not care, or is he just pretending not to care? What is Big Brother thinking?
——Li Tai didn’t know that he had experienced even the most excessive favoritism towards Li Chengqian before, and this little thing now was too insignificant. He didn’t realize that Li Tai was vying for favor in such a childish way.
…
When summer came, Li Chengqian asked the Shangshi Bureau to make some cool and refreshing desserts such as double skin milk and ice cream. In addition to giving them to his mother and sisters, Li Shimin also rewarded them to court officials.
Changsun did not allow the children to eat too much and issued an order to the Shangshi Bureau that they could only have one bowl of rice every three to five days, which made the children in the harem very anxious.
One day, Li Ke's mother, Yang, overheard from the Queen that the Crown Prince had caught a cold, so she asked Li Ke to go to the East Palace to visit the Crown Prince. As it was very hot at the time, Li Chengqian asked someone to bring Li Ke a bowl of iced cheese.
After Li Ke returned, the next day the East Palace welcomed more than a dozen children who came to visit the prince. Among them were Li Chengqian’s brothers and sisters, as well as his uncles and aunts.
"Chengqian, I heard that you have ice cream to eat here?" The first person to speak was Li Yuanchang, the seventh son of Li Yuan. Later, he planned the failed rebellion together with Li Chengqian.
Li Chengqian said helplessly: "Who did you listen to? Who did you all listen to?"
Everyone was talking at once, and no one could tell how many times they had heard the news. In short, their purpose was very clear.
Eat ice cream.
The oldest of these people was about the same age as Li Chengqian, and the youngest was only five or six years old. Li Chengqian didn't dare let them eat ice at will. After all, children who grew up in pampered environments were very weak.
"We don't have iced cheese, but we do have hot steamed cheese," Li Chengqian said. "We also have some other snacks. I had some fried dough twists made yesterday, and there's still quite a bit left. Would you like to try some?"
Li Yuanchang laughed and said, "We are clearly here to eat iced cheese, why are you trying to trick us with hot food?"
Li Chengqian said with a smile, "I only have hot ones here. Uncle Qi, you are the elder, don't let the children act naughty, otherwise I will go to Grandpa to complain."
"Children?" Li Yuanchang laughed. "Cheng Qian, you're not that old yourself, but you always act like an adult."
Fortunately, there were a lot of snacks and desserts in the East Palace, so even though they couldn’t eat ice cream, everyone chatted and laughed and had a good time.
When the steamed yogurt was served, Li Ke came in a hurry. After all, he was the first one to eat yogurt, and it was he who casually mentioned it to Li You, and then spread the news that the prince could eat yogurt.
Fearing that the prince would get angry, Li Ke rushed over to apologize, but the scene here, which looked like a children's park, immediately stunned him.
"Would you like some cheese?" Li Chengqian asked him, holding a silver spoon in his mouth.
Li Ke said in a daze: "Eat..."
Li Chengqian held out his hand and said, "Sit there and wait."
Li Ke sat down in a daze.
Li Yuanchang laughed and said, "Cheng Qian, your brother seems a little silly."
Li Chengqian smiled and said, "I'll go file a complaint."
"That's all you know..." Li Yuanchang put down the bowl and asked someone to get him another one.
Li Chengqian said, "Just one bowl, one bowl per person. There's sugar in it, so eat less sweet food."
Li Yuanchang sighed and said, "Cheng Qian, I'm not pretending to be an adult, you really are an adult."
Eat less cold and sweet foods, these are the Queen's orders. Li Yuan never took much care of his younger sons who were not favored. Fortunately, with the Queen's care, the lives of these little princes were better.
Li Chengqian smiled. He was not really a child anyway.
However, it was quite interesting to see the children playing together. Whenever the children came over, Li Chengqian would treat them with good food and drinks. He also had slides, swings, see-saws, etc. built in the East Palace for the children to play.
Li Tai didn't come over at first, but later came over out of curiosity. Then he found that Li Chengqian didn't participate in the activities among the children at all, so he came over to play with confidence.
After the Dragon Boat Festival, Changsun went to visit the Eastern Palace. Li Chengqian was in the Taiji Hall at that time, but there were still many children in the Eastern Palace. They each had a wet nurse, so there was nothing to worry about.
When Li Chengqian went to pay his respects in the afternoon, Changsun told him about the expenses of the Eastern Palace. Although the prince's expenses were not low, there were too many people in the Eastern Palace and the consumption was too high. It seemed that there would not be enough money this month.
"It's not possible to increase the expenses of the Eastern Palace at will. I think it will be enough if we transfer some of their expenses over here." Changsun said.
When Li Shimin heard this, he said, "It's okay to increase the expenses of the Eastern Palace..."
Zhang Sunshi took a piece of milk cake and blocked his mouth. Li Chengqian smiled and said, "Mother, this is good."
Li Shimin swallowed the cake in two mouthfuls, chuckled and said, "Good, you and your son are of one mind."
Li Chengqian propped up his chin and smiled, "Father, aren't you going to fight the Turks? Mother is saving supplies for you!"
Li Shimin laughed and said, "What difference would it make if you added a little more?"
Li Chengqian shook his finger and said, "Little by little, it adds up to a lot..."
Before he could finish his words, Changsun suddenly turned sideways, covered her mouth and retched. Li Chengqian hurriedly stood up and asked, "Mother, what's wrong with you?"
After recovering from her shock, Chang Sun smiled and shook her head, "Nothing."
"Why not..." Li Chengqian suddenly thought of something and paused, "Mother, are you...pregnant?"
Li Shimin patted his head and said with a smile, "You seem to know everything. When will you have good news for me and your mother?"
Chang Sun patted his arm and said to her eldest son with a smile, "I'm not feeling any serious discomfort. Cheng Qian, just focus on your work."
Li Chengqian nodded. He really couldn't help at all with this matter, so he shouldn't act worried and make his mother worry more about him.
However, Li Shimin was afraid that he would think too much, so he added a few nominal officials to the Eastern Palace, including important officials such as Fang Xuanling and Zhangsun Wuji.
It was the same routine in both lives, and Li Chengqian was too lazy to argue. His uncle, the unlucky uncle of the emperor, was inseparable from the prince anyway.
After doing this, Li Shimin thought of an excuse. He still remembered that Li Chengqian had rejected someone to be an official in the Eastern Palace, but this time Li Chengqian calmly accepted it, which Li Shimin couldn't accept.
"Cheng Qian, I haven't seen your uncle for some time. How about coming with me out of the palace and visiting your uncle's house tomorrow?" After reading the memorial in his hand that day, Li Shimin said casually.
Li Chengqian was speechless and said, "He came here yesterday. Father, if you want to leave the palace, you should find a good excuse."
Li Shimin coughed and said, "I meant that you haven't seen your uncle for a while. You hid away yesterday."
"I didn't see him, but I didn't miss him." Li Chengqian folded a paper airplane and flew to Tian Khan.
Li Shimin raised his hand and grabbed it, saying in surprise, "What is this?"
"Isn't it fun?" Li Chengqian said with a smile, "Aye, let's be honest, and then I'll teach you how to fold it."
Li Shimin carefully took apart the paper airplane, and then folded it back along the crease. In a moment, he figured out the order, and folded one for himself and placed it on Li Chengqian's desk.
Li Chengqian was stunned. This thing didn't require much technical skills, but at least someone should teach it step by step, right?
Li Shimin raised his eyebrows and smiled, "What are you confessing? Cheng Qian, has the child in your mother's belly affected you?"
"No." Li Chengqian said expressionlessly.
Li Zhi grew up in Lizheng Hall, and Li Chengqian lived in the Eastern Palace for a long time. Although they were brothers from the same mother, they were not very familiar with each other.
As for Li Zhi's succession to the throne, it was not achieved through competition with Li Chengqian, so Li Chengqian could not blame anyone else.
Li Shimin didn't believe him. "Fuji and Xuanling, you didn't allow them to serve as officials in the Eastern Palace before, but now you agree. Isn't it related to this child?"
"Because I've grown up," Li Chengqian said, "I know running away isn't the solution to the problem."
Li Shimin looked into Li Chengqian's eyes and saw that he was looking at him calmly. He nodded gently and said, "Okay, find a reason some other day and hold a banquet in the East Palace so that you can meet them."
Li Chengqian counted on his fingers and said, "The reason, Summer Solstice? Qixi Festival?"
Li Shimin smiled and said, "The Summer Solstice is fine, but Qixi Festival? Qixi Festival is hosted by your mother... Hmm? Qixi Festival, Chengqian, you..."
"I didn't, don't think too much!" Li Chengqian interrupted him.
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