NABC Chapter 2665 Returning Home
Chapter 2665 Returning Home
Li Shen muttered to himself as he walked:
"When I have money, I'll buy this place and open the biggest brothel here. I'll come to the brothel every day to listen to music."
If you want to live here, the rent is 10,000 kan per month, and food expenses are extra.
"Hmph, just you wait, the imperial treasury will henceforth belong to the Li family."
Wang De, following behind, could only vaguely hear what Li Shen was saying, but he couldn't make out the details. However, he knew it couldn't be anything good.
To avoid embarrassing himself, he did not catch up with Li Shen.
Li Shen left the palace grumbling to himself, and Wang De even personally escorted him out of the Vermilion Bird Gate.
He even watched Li Shen get into his carriage and drive away before returning to report.
He wasn't afraid that Li Shen would actually die from his ecstasy at the Vermilion Bird Gate; he was worried that his mental illness would flare up and he might do something immoral, like urinating in front of the palace gates.
Based on Wang De's understanding of Li Shen, Li Shen was fully capable of doing such a thing.
Today, Chang'an City is bustling with activity, and Zhuque Street is naturally packed with people, offering a wide variety of lantern shows and acrobatic performances.
The markets are open, there is no curfew tonight, and the faces of the people on the streets are filled with festive joy.
It would be difficult for Li Shen to clean up the streets today, as the entire Zhuque Avenue is already full of them.
Prince Ji's residence was escorted by his personal guards, who cleared the way ahead. Patrol guards who saw Prince Ji's carriage in the distance also helped to drive the people to both sides.
Li Shen's group slowly made its way through the middle.
Looking out the window, Li Shen even saw some foreign envoys, who were also experiencing the festival culture of the Tang Dynasty with the same novelty.
Actually, Li Shen also wanted to go out and explore, but he was afraid of dying. In idol dramas, princes and guards would go to lively festivals.
Li Shen was utterly impressed by the fact that the man openly revealed his identity as a cousin; he certainly wouldn't have dared to do that himself.
Of course, perhaps it's because Li Shen has too many enemies.
Inside the carriage, Lu Dingniang and her children were also looking outside. Before marrying Prince Ji, she would also come out with her parents to watch the excitement during the New Year.
After marrying Prince Ji and becoming his queen, she never participated in such festivals again.
Because she was a princess, of the first rank, she was always accompanied by guards when she went out, and ordinary people had to avoid her wherever she went.
"How about we go out for a stroll?" Li Shen suggested with a smile, seeing Lu Dingniang's focused expression.
Lu Dingniang shook her head:
"No, there are so many people here, it's not convenient for you, sir."
Lu Dingniang also knew that Li Shen had too many enemies and had been assassinated many times, so she had to be careful.
"Yes, my wife, next year we'll buy a Taoist temple or Buddhist temple next to Zhuque Street, and then build a tower."
"On the first day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, we'll look down from the tower."
Li Shen, with Lu Dingniang in his arms, suddenly had an idea: why not just buy a temple near the market?
The ritual system stipulated the height and scale of houses, but it did not restrict temples and Taoist monasteries.
"Hehe, you jest, sir. Where can I buy a temple?" Lu Dingniang was amused by Li Shen.
Why would temples and Taoist monasteries be sold?
Li Shen touched Lu Dingniang's hair:
"So what? You can buy anything as long as you have the money. If all else fails, we can just buy a piece of land and build one ourselves."
I think Baoningfang is a good choice. It's very close to the South Gate, which will make it easier for us to go to the Imperial Estate.
"But...my lord, isn't Baoningfang the residence of the Prince of Jin?"
Hearing Li Shen's words, Lu Dingniang was speechless. Her husband actually wanted to buy the Prince of Jin's mansion. This was obviously intentional.
"Oh my, what a coincidence! The place I've been eyeing is actually the Prince of Jin's residence. That'll probably be a bit pricey."
Li Shen exclaimed in surprise, looking somewhat distressed, as if he had already bought it.
But Lu Dingniang knew that the Prince's Mansion would never sell itself; it wasn't just a matter of money, but also a matter of face.
Moreover, Lu Dingniang felt that even if the Prince of Jin were to sell, he would sell to anyone but his own husband.
Back then, the young master stormed into the Prince of Jin's mansion and beat him up.
“My lord, please don’t joke. How could the Prince of Jin sell the Prince of Jin’s mansion to you? Besides, we have already occupied a ward of land.”
If we buy another shop, people will probably gossip, and that could cause trouble for my husband.
Lu Dingniang is no longer a clueless little girl. Through various influences, she knows what her husband is doing outside.
The Prince Ji's mansion is already large enough; the entire Qinren Ward belongs to the Prince Ji's mansion. If they were in the same Baoning Ward now, there would definitely be people who would be dissatisfied with Li Shen.
"Hmm... what you said makes some sense, but my wife, we also need to think about the children."
We need to prepare a house for them in advance.
Li Shen thought for a moment and nodded.
But he still felt he should buy some land so that when his children grew up, they could move out and start their own households.
Having a house is a necessary condition.
“My lord, Yangyang and the others are still young. It’s not too late to discuss this later.”
Lu Dingniang advised that the child is only five years old now, and even if he gets married in his teens, there are still ten years to go.
Moreover, the prince wants to buy the Prince of Jin's mansion; isn't that a deliberate provocation?
In fact, the Prince Ji's mansion is so big that even if the family didn't separate, there would be enough room for everyone to live there.
Li Xu was already asleep, while Yangyang and Xixi were in the carriage behind.
The convoy returned to Qinrenfang, where there were significantly more guards from the Prince Ji's residence patrolling than usual.
There was no curfew today, so the guards were on high alert, worried that some scoundrels might take the opportunity to sneak into Prince Ji's residence.
Upon seeing Li Shen's carriage return, the main gate of the Prince's mansion was opened wide, allowing Li Shen's carriage to drive in directly.
After getting off the carriage, Li Shen carried the sleeping Li Xu into Xiaoyao Pavilion, which was also Lu Dingniang's main hall.
After setting Li Xu down, Lu Dingniang began to help Li Shen change his clothes.
Just then, Xixi and Yangyang ran in.
"Dad, Dad, when can we set off fireworks?"
Li Shen had strict rules regarding gunpowder; he wouldn't let his children play with it on ordinary days, only during festivals and holidays.
"What's wrong? Are you in a hurry?" Li Shen picked up Xi Xi.
Xi Xi nodded.
“I told my cousins that we’d set off fireworks when we got back.”
"Cousin? Which one?" Li Shen was taken aback. His daughter was showing off now?
However, Li Shen could understand the situation because the child was young.
“Cousin Li Zhong, and cousin Li Xin. Yes, and Li Jue too.”
Xi Xi counted them one by one on her fingers for Li Shen.
"So many!" Li Shen said, feigning surprise.
“My lord, this is only a few. Xixi told all the children, including the Crown Prince’s eldest son Li Xiang, and the Prince of Zhao and the Prince of Cao.”
Lu Dingniang, who was standing beside him, came over and explained to Li Shen with a smile.