Li Zhi was scooping the soup in the soup pot with a finely woven bamboo spoon while speaking to Wu Zetian. As soon as he finished speaking, the whale meat slices in the bamboo spoon were almost done.

Wu Zetian picked up the small bowl and received the slices of meat that Li Zhi distributed. She smiled and said, "Nowadays, our Tang Dynasty is thriving, and the people are living and working in peace and contentment. As long as you are diligent, there will always be endless work to do and endless copper coins to earn. Who has the energy to fight? Didn't all the counties and prefectures report that the bandits and pirates have all come down from the mountains and returned to the shore to become good people?"

"Hehe, highway robbery is a crime that costs your life. Now the aristocratic families have focused their efforts on the border areas, the officials have millions of students from Yuzhou watching them, and the people themselves have become more sensible, so they are no longer so easily fooled.

In the past, when people suffered from the secret harm of corrupt officials, they didn't know what was going on. Now, even if they didn't suffer any harm, they would still complain. The court's laws are smooth, and the people's lives are getting better day by day. If they work hard, they can live a comfortable life. Who would go to rob houses? "

Li Zhi distributed the whale meat slices in the bamboo spoon to his three sons Li Xian, Li Xian, and Li Dan in turn. There were still a few pieces left, so he gave them back to Wu Zetian and said with a smile: "Giant Kun meat is nutritious. You are pregnant, so eat more."

Wu Zetian took it with a smile and said, "Your Majesty, please eat some too. Your Majesty cannot eat hot meats such as beef and mutton, so you can only eat these mild ones to satisfy your cravings."

"Hey, speaking of this, I just realized that those supernatural things should not be taken seriously. People should still live a normal life. I used to laugh at Wang Zheng for not knowing how to enjoy life, but now~, oh."

"That requires a wise ruler like Your Majesty. If Wang Zheng is handed over to someone else, it is unknown whether he can survive. Didn't Confucius, a sage, suffer from wandering all his life?

The correct version of this content can be found on 6/9*Shu.ba%! 【6*9*S*H*UBA.CX】

Li Zhi actually had a very good relationship with Wu Zetian, otherwise Wu Zetian would not have given birth to Princess Taiping after she was forty years old. Looking at all the dynasties, even if all the concubines were counted together, it was extremely rare for concubines to have children after the age of forty.

Li Zhi shook his head and said, "Don't bother. I will leave after a short rest. Besides, you Yuzhou clan don't like red tape, and the mansion is full of women and children. Why bother?"

"Speaking of small farmers, I just realized that I haven't left the palace for a long time. Today is New Year's Day and there is no curfew. You may as well go out for a walk later."

Naturally, someone went up and knocked on the door. After a while, Chen Fengning came out. He saw that it was the Emperor and Empress who were traveling in casual clothes with several princes. He was slightly surprised. He bowed and respectfully invited the Emperor and Empress in. Just as Chen Fengning was about to participate in the ceremony, Li Zhi stretched out his hand to support him and said.

Wang Zheng once wrote to Li Zhi asking him to eat less meat, more vegetables and a light diet. Li Zhi tried it, and his condition really improved. At first Li Zhi thought it was just a coincidence, but he couldn't help it and had a few more meals of mutton. As a result, his condition worsened. After eating a light diet, the situation began to improve again. Li Zhi accepted his fate.

"What's the point? Just get some more sun."

After Li Zhi and his party entered the lobby and sat down, someone immediately served them tea and snacks. Li Zhi took a sip of tea and smiled at Chen Fengning who was waiting beside him.

Li Zhi nodded and agreed: "Others say that he knows how to maintain good health, and they all speculate that he can live to be 120 years old, but with a life like this, what's the point of him living that long?"

"Today is New Year's Day, so please don't be polite."

"That kid doesn't know how to enjoy life. I heard that his family of four only eats one pound of meat a day, wears plain clothes all year round, and doesn't even have a servant at home. He makes it seem like we are mistreating him."

When one family gossips about another family, the food tastes much sweeter.

Hearing Wu Zetian's words, Li Xian, who was eating, laughed out loud. When Li Xian was younger, he asked Wu Zetian what was the point of turtles and tortoises living for so long without moving. Wu Zetian casually said that they could get more sun.

"Compared to ten years ago, it is indeed very different. Wang Zheng has made a great contribution to this."

The bustling streets, the numerous commodities, the well-dressed and energetic people, everything on Chang'an Street made Li Zhi very satisfied.

After eating and drinking for a while, Li Zhi sighed: "It's still more comfortable to eat like this. I always feel a little alienated when eating separately. I didn't have much appetite in the hall just now."

"Haha, Queen, this is a very original idea."

"I'm not the only one who says this. Many people in the world have similar speculations. After all, Wang Zheng's background is clear."

Li Zhi smiled, looked up and couldn't help laughing, "Haha, speaking of Wang Zheng, I didn't expect to come to the house of the chief steward. It's great that the master is not here. Let's go in and rest before leaving."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Please go into the hall and rest. I will ask everyone in the palace to come out and greet Your Majesty, the Queen, the Crown Prince, and the two princes."

It was already late when the emperor and empress left the palace. Although it was still bustling, it was no longer crowded. The disguised guards only had to block the way in front for a while to clear a path for the emperor and empress to stroll leisurely.

Every New Year, the emperor would invite all his ministers to a royal banquet as a reward for their hard work throughout the year.

"hey-hey."

Everyone knows that Wang Zheng has a talent bestowed by heaven, but why this talent was bestowed by heaven is worth considering. Wang Zheng's ten generations ago were just ordinary farmers. His talent bestowed by heaven is just for the convenience of Your Majesty to use. "

Wu Zetian nodded and said, "Separating meals is just a kind of etiquette. After all, there are so many people, and we must follow the ceremony to make it go smoothly. The gathering of small farmers is lively, but the scene is too noisy."

Chen Fengning shook his head and said with a smile: "I have no complaints."

"Oh, why is that?" Li Zhi asked curiously.

Chen Fengning thought for a moment and replied, "I was born in the Xuanwu Guards, and my duty is to be loyal to Your Majesty. It doesn't really matter what I do, but what matters is that Your Majesty can use me.

Besides, the chief steward is so brilliant that even the four great disciples would be eclipsed by his brilliance, not to mention my own. Only when people leave the chief steward’s side will they suddenly realize that the four great disciples are also so brilliant.”

Li Zhi nodded and said with a smile, "Those four little guys are really good. In less than two years, the four borderlands have become prosperous. Now it seems that the ten-year tax exemption period is actually too long. I always feel that I am losing money."