Li Shimin immediately ordered his men to bring up the large gift package, but when he saw that what was being brought up was a huge basket, he was completely taken aback.
Although he doesn't covet the gifts from his children and grandchildren, he also doesn't want them to be so perfunctory.
What good things can you put in those baskets that you see everywhere in the city?
Surely it's not a basket of rice?
The others had different expressions when they saw the basket: some were puzzled, some were surprised, and a group led by Li Yuanying showed schadenfreude.
Zhang Anan was dumbfounded when he saw the shabby basket, and glanced nervously at Li Shimin.
"Your Majesty, shall we open it?"
"Open!"
"promise!"
Zhang Anan opened the basket, first taking out a paper package, then carefully opening it. Inside, he found a small brush, an unidentified object, a bamboo tube, and a towel.
"this?"
Li Shimin was completely baffled when he saw these things, wondering what they were all.
"Li Jue, is this the birthday gift you sent?"
Upon hearing this, Li Jue immediately stood up, personally approached Zhang Anan, and held up the soap.
"Grandpa, this is soap for bathing, this bamboo tube contains toothpaste, this is a toothbrush, and this is a towel..."
Li Shimin snorted coldly upon hearing this.
"What I wanted to ask is, is this all the gift you sent me as a birthday present?"
"ah!"
"However, this is only part of it; there's much more to it..."
This time, Li Jue didn't need anyone's help. He put his hands into the basket and took things out one by one.
"Grandpa, these are underwear, these are socks, and these are thermal underwear..."
"It's cold, so I also made you a hand warmer!"
"Oh, right, and this too. This is the latest product from our Sanglin Village iron smelting workshop—a tin frog!"
"Grandpa, look! Just wind up the frog's belly like this, and the frog can hop!"
Li Jue personally demonstrated how to play with the tin frog, leaving Li Shimin dumbfounded.
Does this grandson think I'm a three-year-old?
How dare they send such an unrestrained toy!
"There's also a glass tea set here..."
Li Shimin could no longer contain himself upon seeing this and roared loudly.
"Enough!"
Is this your idea of filial piety?
"yes!"
"Hmph!"
"You may leave. I do not wish to see you today!"
Upon hearing this, Li Jue looked puzzled.
Why?
"Does Grandpa not like it?"
"Grandpa, toothpaste and toothbrush are for protecting your teeth, so that you can eat well no matter how old you are."
"Long underwear is for keeping warm, and it's good for your chronic leg pain!"
"This is all from your grandson's filial piety. You won't think these things are too cheap and not worth much, will you?"
Upon hearing this, Li Shimin felt secretly annoyed. Why was he getting angry with a child?
Although Li Jue's gifts weren't very valuable, they represented his filial piety, and I shouldn't have treated him this way.
Li Shimin sighed inwardly as he thought of this.
"I like it very much. You may leave now. We will begin the banquet shortly!"
"Oh oh oh!"
"Oh, right, Grandpa, I have another gift, but I'll have to wait until dark!"
"It's getting dark?"
Li Shimin smiled slightly upon hearing this.
"Alright, alright, let's wait until it gets dark to talk about it!"
Palace banquets were usually held both day and night. One round of entertaining would take place during the day, followed by song and dance performances, and then another round of celebrations would take place at night, continuing all night long.
Li Shimin and his old comrades drank all day long, and he went to the toilet countless times, but the banquet still showed no sign of ending.
This wasn't a gift he was expecting from Li Jue; he simply wanted to indulge himself a little.
After all, he'll be going to war after the New Year, and it will be hard to find such an opportunity to drink again.
While Li Shimin was completely drunk, Li Jue and Li Tai had already secretly slipped back to the Lizheng Hall to catch up on their sleep. The two slept until evening, when Zhang Gui repeatedly urged them to wake up.
"Your Highness, wake up! His Majesty wants to see you!"
"ah?"
"Your Highness, have you forgotten that you said this morning that there would be birthday gifts to be presented tonight?"
"oh……"
Li Tai became interested upon hearing this.
"Nephew, what are you going to give your grandfather?"
Li Jue rubbed his head and said.
"It's nothing, just a big firework!"
"fireworks?"
What is this?
Li Jue hesitated slightly upon hearing this before replying.
"Well, it's something that burns quickly and can generate electric sparks..."
Upon hearing this, Li Tai became filled with curiosity about fireworks. He immediately urged Li Jue to put on his shoes and wash his face, and then pushed and shoved him to the Taiji Hall.
At this moment, the Qin King's Battle Music was being performed in the Taiji Hall. This was almost a staple piece in the Tang Dynasty court, and it would be played whenever there was a major celebration.
Li Jue was thoroughly enjoying the large-scale song and dance performance by hundreds of people. However, just as he was engrossed in watching, he suddenly heard a strange, sarcastic voice.
"Grand-nephew, didn't you say you had a birthday gift? When are you going to present it?"
"Grand-nephew?"
This was the first time Li Jue had ever heard anyone dare to address him like that. He immediately turned around in displeasure and saw Li Yuanying's irritating face.
"So it's Prince Teng!"
"I wonder if His Highness Prince Teng misses the prison food in the Capital Prefecture?"
Upon hearing this, Li Yuanying was immediately enraged.
"Li Jue, don't be so arrogant!"
"You should know that your father is no longer the crown prince; the current crown prince is Li Zhi!"
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