NCCnovel Chapter 417: Family Life
Chapter 417: Family Life
In the cold winter, at the end of the sixth year of Qianwu, the city of Chang'an was covered in silver and snow, but the cold weather did not stop people from eagerly looking forward to a new life.
After countless days and nights of hard work, the railway from Chang'an to Xianyang was finally firmly laid on the vast land and was successfully laid.
Immediately afterwards, the first train of the Tang Dynasty completed its trial run at lightning speed. The heart-shaking sound of the whistle also foreshadowed the beginning of a new era.
Inside the sanatorium, the lights are bright and the decorations are colorful, and there is a strong festive atmosphere everywhere.
Several tables of sumptuous reunion dinners have been set out, filled with carefully prepared delicacies. Although there are no extremely rare and exotic delicacies, each dish is delicious in color, aroma and taste, exuding an enticing fragrance that rises in this warm palace.
The atmosphere at the banquet was inexplicably depressing due to Wei Zheng's absence.
Li Shimin, wanting to liven up the atmosphere, turned to Li Chengqian, who sat at the upper seat, and jokingly said, "Your Majesty, look, the dishes here seem to remain the same year after year. While they are delicious, our Great Tang is now at peace, the country is prosperous, and the people are living better and better. Do we still need to be so frugal?"
"In my opinion, we should order some delicacies from the land and the sea to be prepared for everyone to taste, so that everyone can broaden their horizons and enjoy the blessings of this peaceful and prosperous era."
His voice was so magnetic that it instantly broke the somewhat dull atmosphere.
When the old ministers who had followed Li Shimin through life and death and made great military achievements for the Tang Dynasty heard this, they were stunned at first, and then they understood what he meant and responded one after another.
Cheng Yaojin stood up suddenly, immediately attracting everyone's attention.
His face flushed red as he exclaimed, "Your Majesty is absolutely right! I, Old Cheng, have been craving for a long time. Simple meals are fine on ordinary days, but today is New Year's Day, a time for family reunion. How can I miss out on all those delicious delicacies?"
"I've heard that the roe deer from Liaodong are very tender and juicy, and one bite leaves a lingering fragrance in your mouth. And the Ganoderma lucidum is a top-grade nourishing and health-promoting food. If I could taste such a good thing right now, it would be a truly wonderful thing in life!"
"These dishes are often found in the market. How can they compare with the delicacies from the mountains and the sea? Your Majesty, please give the order!"
After saying this, he smacked his lips with a look of unsatisfied satisfaction, causing everyone around him to laugh.
Seeing this, Yuchi Jingde followed closely behind, not wanting to be outdone.
He stood up suddenly and said, "Your Majesty, I, Yuchi, have also heard that the game from Liaodong is delicious."
"Now that our Tang Dynasty is prosperous and the people live and work in peace and contentment, we, the old officials who have fought so hard for the Tang Dynasty, deserve to have some good food."
"Besides, it wouldn't hurt to try something new on New Year's Day, Your Majesty, don't you think?"
As he spoke, he gestured with his hands, his eyes full of anticipation.
……
Hearing everyone's teasing, Li Chengqian's movements paused slightly and he slowly put down his chopsticks.
He raised his head, his expression became serious, his deep eyes revealed a calmness beyond his age, and he quietly scanned everyone.
At that moment, everyone was enveloped by a sense of pressure, and the originally noisy atmosphere froze instantly. Everyone noticed the change in His Majesty's mood, and for a moment, everyone's faces were slightly tense.
Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Jingde, the two old ministers who had been shouting the loudest just now, couldn't help feeling a little uneasy at this moment.
They glanced at each other secretly and saw uneasiness in each other's eyes.
"You are all meritorious officials of the Tang Dynasty. You have made great contributions to the Tang Dynasty. It is understandable that you enjoy yourself."
"I have given you generous treatment, but human desires are endless. We lead this Tang Dynasty. If we indulge in pleasure, what will happen to the people of this world?"
"When I came to power, I said that the Tang Dynasty shared the world with all the people. Whatever the people eat, I will eat."
"There are no delicacies on my table. If you, my dear ministers, would like to eat something good, you may prepare it in private."
Li Chengqian's words reminded many people of that stubborn old man.
Cheng Yaojin scratched his head, forced a simple smile on his face, and said quickly, "Your Majesty, please don't be angry. I am just an uneducated and uncultured man. I don't understand these complicated principles. I just spoke too quickly and said the wrong thing. Your Majesty, I offer you a toast to apologize."
"This food actually... actually tastes really good, really good!"
As he spoke, his hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly, and the wine almost spilled out of the glass. He was being extremely cautious.
Yuchi Jingde also hurriedly raised his glass, a flattering smile on his face, and said anxiously, "Your Majesty, it was us two uncouth people who were ignorant and said the wrong thing. Please be magnanimous and don't take it to heart."
"Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
His body unconsciously leaned forward slightly, waiting for His Majesty's decision. The whole scene was extremely awkward.
Li Chengqian glanced at them and sighed softly.
His eyes flashed with helplessness, but more of a sense of tolerance. He picked up the wine glass, raised it towards Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Jingde, and drank it all in one gulp.
The spicy wine slid down the throat, like a ball of fire burning in the chest, making the ideals in the heart even hotter.
Seeing Li Chengqian's actions, the atmosphere at the table gradually eased a lot.
Everyone's anxious hearts finally relaxed and they began to talk and laugh. However, their laughter seemed to contain a little more respect for His Majesty and less of the previous arrogance.
Fang Xuanling, who could only eat liquid food, and Mr. Qi beside him watched the scene quietly. They looked at each other and nodded slightly.
As the king of a country, Li Chengqian was responsible for the well-being of the people of the world. In this seemingly simple matter at the dinner table, he demonstrated his broad mind that cared about the world, which made people look at this young emperor with admiration.
Li Shimin was originally a little embarrassed by this small incident, but when he saw his son take the initiative to resolve the situation, he couldn't help but feel relieved.
He shook his head slightly and turned his attention to his grandchildren.
His face was instantly filled with a doting smile. He teased the chubby little grandson, hugged the cute little granddaughter, and took Li Jiming's hand, whispering affectionately and laughing continuously.
At this time, Li Mingda and Li Jiming had grown into graceful young ladies, well-behaved and sensible.
Li Mingda is only fourteen years old, gentle, elegant and well-mannered.
She and Li Jiming walked up to Su Zhi, bowed respectfully, then raised her wine glass and said softly, "Sister-in-law, the new year has arrived. May you be blessed with good fortune and eternal youth."
Her voice is soft and melodious, which makes people feel happy.
Su Zhi looked at the two adorable sisters-in-law in front of her, and a smile spread across her face.
She quickly took out two large red envelopes she had prepared long ago from her sleeves, gently placed them in their hands, and said with a smile: "My two sisters, please accept them quickly. This is a little gift from your sister-in-law. I wish you a safe, happy and worry-free new year."
The red envelope is embroidered with exquisite patterns, which looks particularly festive. The bright red color tells the good wishes of the New Year.
Li Mingda took the red envelope with a smile, bowed slightly, and thanked him softly, showing the demeanor of a lady from a noble family.
After Li Jiming finished her greetings, she couldn't wait to take the red envelope. The heavy feeling in her hand made her heart burst with joy.
She secretly squeezed the red envelope, secretly guessing the amount of money inside, and couldn't help but reveal a bright smile on her face. That smile was pure and innocent, adding a different touch of brightness to this festive day.
I can eat delicious food again! I can buy lots of fun things again!
Li Jiming thought happily.
As the retired emperor, Li Shimin naturally would not forget his children.
He took out the prepared red envelopes from his pocket and handed them to Li Chengqian, Li Tai, Li Zhi and others one by one. His eyes were full of expectation, and he said with a smile: "In the new year, be diligent and make progress. I hope you can all make great achievements."
The thick bag of silver in the red envelope shows his generosity towards his children.
Li Chengqian weighed the heavy red envelope in his hand. Looking at Li Shimin's lavish manner in distributing the red envelopes, he grinned and jokingly said, "Old Li, you are truly wealthy. The way you spend money, wow, wow, wow, it's obvious you have a strong family background and plenty of money!"
Everyone laughed at His Majesty's teasing, but only Lin Dafu sat aside, looking up from time to time and looking at Li Shimin with resentment.
The war in the Western Regions cost a lot of money, and this heavy economic burden finally fell on his shoulders, making him feel helpless.
At this moment, Li Shimin gently stroked the black gold card with his fingers, and he already understood the huge energy contained in this small card.
The four words "money can make the world go round" were just a common saying in the past, but now they are truly reflected in this card.
As the emperor, he knew that once he had a lot of money, recruiting soldiers would be a piece of cake.
The so-called national treasury is nothing to be afraid of in front of this card.
This card leads directly to the wealthy Qianyu Chamber of Commerce. As long as the Chamber of Commerce can support it financially, he has this card in his hand. No matter who the neighboring countries are, as long as he has made up his mind, he can march to the border. There is no need to haggle over military spending with those stubborn ministers in the court as before, nor does he have to be constrained by so many obstacles.
This wonderful feeling deeply fascinated Li Shimin.
He carefully placed the card against his chest.
When Li Shimin thought of his son Li Chengqian's unreserved trust in him and his entrusting him with the power to hold such a key thing, a warm feeling surged in his heart.
Li Tai took the red envelope and his eyes suddenly lit up, but the light only flashed for a moment and then dimmed.
Li Shimin's mysterious black gold card kept echoing in his mind.
During his time in the academy, the consumption level was ridiculously high, and the little pocket money Li Shimin gave him every month could not satisfy his desire for delicious food.
Although the college provides free dormitories, they are still too small. But he is now thinking about moving out and having his own independent space.
Every time he returned home, he could neither lie down and relax as he pleased nor read those interesting storybooks. He was even forced to do housework to lose weight. This was an unbearable torture for him who was lazy and loved to enjoy himself.
But looking at the shockingly high housing prices in Xianyang, his status as a prince is useless and he can only sigh at the sight of houses.
Countless nights, he dreamed that if he had that card, he could enjoy all kinds of delicious food, buy a spacious and luxurious house, collect countless wonderful novels, lie leisurely in the yard every day, and enjoy the pleasure of reading. What a comfortable life that would be!
As for the fact that this card could also be used for things like fighting wars, he, a prince who only knew how to eat, drink and have fun, could never have imagined it. In his eyes, that card was the golden key to a happy and beautiful life, which made him think about it all the time and could never forget it.
Inside the palace, there was still laughter and joy, and everyone was having a great time, enjoying this rare time of reunion.