Kong Yan had completely ignored Li Shimin during his first meeting with the Tang Emperor.
"Are you sure?"
After returning to his residence, Kong Yan began to doubt his life.
"Yes, the Crown Prince and the King of Yue have both knelt.”Lee's legs were also trembling.
"Incognito?" Kong Yan's gaze was a little complicated as he said faintly," So this Young Master had the chance to kill him in one fell swoop just now?”
Li Erlang immediately knelt down and said in a trembling voice,""Not only that, the Crown Prince, the King of Yue, and Zhangsun Wuji!”
"He probably doesn't have a good impression of me.”Kong Yan sighed.
Li Erlang's mouth twitched, not knowing what to say.
"Tell all the secret guards who showed their faces in Jingzhao to leave Chang 'an.”Kong Yan knocked on the table and said," All the people from Luoyan Pavilion have been transferred away. After ten days of rest, we will transfer some people from Luoyan Pavilion in Luoyang.”
He remained skeptical of the Crown Prince's character and did not think that the Crown Prince would be so scheming.
"Alright." Li Erlang nodded.
"How is the birthday gift prepared for the Empress?”Kong Yan asked.
"I'm ready," Li Erlang said with a smile."I melted some gold and forged it into a golden phoenix!"”
"In addition, some hidden guards have already been placed in the Lotus Garden.”Li Erlang added.
"Golden Phoenix?" Kong Yan thought for a moment and said," It's a little tacky, but it suits my identity as a merchant.”
Kong Yan didn't pay much attention to it, as long as he didn't make any mistakes.
Li Erlang smiled but didn't say anything. He was a boorish man and couldn't distinguish between elegance and vulgar, but he knew that if someone gave him a big golden phoenix, he would be so happy that he wouldn't be able to sleep.
"After this, the Crown Prince probably can't wait to kill me, but he won't continue to provoke me for the time being.”Kong Yan thought that the only person in Chang 'an who was qualified to confront him was the one in Taiji Palace.
The Crown Prince and the King of Yue were merely appetizers.
"Young Master, Zhu San has sent news that there is a problem with the five million taels of relief funds.”Thinking of the news he had just received, Li Erlang's expression became solemn.
"Disaster relief funds? Someone embezzled?" Kong Yan raised his eyebrows.
"Our people have done a calculation. The amount that was used for disaster relief is less than one million taels." Li Erlang nodded and said in a low voice.”
"Investigate clearly! My money isn't that easy to get.”Kong Yan's eyes were cold.
He didn't have any resistance to donating money to the disaster relief, but he couldn't stand the fact that the silver had fallen into the hands of corrupt officials.
Especially since this was a disaster relief fund!
"Yes, there should be results soon.”Li Erlang said.
“……”
In the end, the case of Falling Goose Pavilion was handed over to the Supreme Court by Jing Zhaoyi.
When the Supreme Court tried a case, they would not open a court for the commoners to watch.
The story of Kong Yan's deeds in Jing Zhaoyi was suppressed by someone with ulterior motives.
A hoodlum boss in Chang 'an was imprisoned, Zhangsun Jiaqing's butler hanged himself at home, and Zhangsun Jiaqing was stripped of his position as the Crown Prince's attendant and became a vagrant.
In addition, on the day before the Empress 'birthday banquet, Taiji Palace issued an edict that Li Ke, King of Han, was to be granted the title of King of Shu and the title of Governor of Yizhou!
The unfavorable rumors about the King of Yue in the marketplace had also silently dissipated, replaced by the Empress 'birthday banquet.
It was a hot topic among the people.
Among them, everyone was most interested in Kong Yan.
Everyone wanted to know what kind of gift the richest businessman in the world would give.
In fact, the officials in the court were also very curious. Even Kong Yingda had asked Kong Yan a few questions.
"We'll know tomorrow night." Kong Yan could only say so.
In fact, he was already somewhat regretful.
The Golden Phoenix…was still too vulgar!
March 15th, the sky was clear and cloudless.
The entire Chang 'an was filled with a festive atmosphere.
On this day, there was a sea of people in front of the Lotus Garden. Almost all the dignitaries in Chang 'an had arrived, including their relatives.
At 15:00 in the afternoon, Kong Yan, dressed in a white Confucian robe, followed Kong Yingda and lined up in front of the Lotus Garden.
There was a long queue in the Lotus Garden according to their official positions.
Most of the officials had brought their families with them. The men and women were in two teams, and the seats for the birthday banquet were also separated.
The ministers of the court accompanied Li Shimin, and some of the imperial wives accompanied the Empress. As for the younger generation, they all had their own places to go.
Before the birthday banquet began, the seats had been arranged in advance.
"We've already severed our ties. It's not good for me to stand behind Uncle like this, right?”Kong Yan whispered.
"Then go stand with those rich businessmen." Kong Yingda snorted.”
Kong Yan glanced at the group of businessmen in the last corner, coughed, and said nothing more.
Scholars, farmers, businessmen and merchants were at the end!
This time, it was the Empress's birthday banquet. Those who were qualified to attend were all dignitaries.
At this moment, the faces of these merchants were all burning. They were careful like little wives who were being bullied.
In fact, they might seem to be bullied now, but this might become the topic of their conversation for the rest of their lives.
"Then does that mean I don't need to give you a gift?”Kong Yan asked expectantly.
"Wrong, you have to send two!"
A middle-aged man in front of Kong Yingda turned around with a smile.
"This is Lord Li Ji, Governor of Bingzhou." Kong Yingda brushed his beard and smiled.”
"Li Ji?" Kong Yan's heart skipped a beat. He cupped his hands and said," Greetings, Lord Li."”
Li Ji nodded slightly and said,"The boy is quite handsome."”
" Uh…" Kong Yan was stunned. When he looked at Li Ji again, he found that he had already entered the gate of the Lotus Garden.
"Li Ji is right. You have to give two gifts.”Kong Yingda said.
"Why?" Kong Yan was puzzled.
"One for merchant Kong Yan and one for scholar Kong Yan.”
"You can do this?" Kong Yan raised his eyebrows.
Kong Yingda sighed." In any case, be careful tonight. You've offended the Crown Prince and the Zhangsun Clan. I'm afraid someone will make things difficult for you."”
Kong Yan shrugged and didn't care much about it. The only thing he needed to be careful of now was Li Shiming's attitude.
As for the others, he had been a merchant for more than ten years. Who had he not seen?
When they arrived at the gate of the Lotus Garden, there were soldiers who specially checked and searched their bodies. No one was allowed to bring weapons in.
After entering, Kong Yan and Kong Yingda parted ways. The two of them went in different directions.
"Young Master Kong, this way please." A palace maid dressed in palace robes bowed and pointed out the direction for Kong Yan.
"Thank you."
Kong Yan nodded slightly and walked along a cobblestone path. There were young men in embroidered clothes around his age in front and behind him.
"It's a pretty good garden." Kong Yan looked around and chuckled.
The Lotus Garden was a forbidden garden of the royal family. It was located on the south bank of the Qujiang Pool, close to the outer city of Chang 'an. It was surrounded by high walls.
The garden covers an area of 30 hectares and is 17 miles in circumference.
The garden had the Purple Cloud Pavilion, the Rainbow Pavilion, the Cool Hall, and the Penglai Mountain. It also had a large-scale water conservancy project, the Yellow Canal, to expand the water surface of the Furong Pool and the Qujiang Pool.
Although it was a forbidden garden of the royal family, it was not sealed off under normal circumstances. With the idea of having fun with the people, it became a place where the royal family, monks, and civilians gathered.
Qujiang drinking, apricot garden banquet, wild goose pagoda inscription, music tour climbing and other well-known literary stories in ancient history all happened here.
Naturally, in recent days, this place had become a forbidden area.
The banquet was held in the Imperial Banquet Palace. Before the banquet began, those who were considered noble men like Kong Yan gathered in the Apricot Garden to bond with each other.
Before the banquet began, they had to pay a visit to Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun to offer their congratulations.
"Brother Huaiyu, your recitation is really wet. This foolish brother admires you!”
"Scram, go to the side!"
"Don't say that. I, Old Cheng, really think it's nice…"
“……”
When they arrived at the apricot garden, the scene became lively.
PS: Li Ji, also known as Li Ji, was originally called Xu Shiji, Li Shiji, also known as Xu Maogong. This article uses Li Ji to address him, so it's easier to recognize him.
It was not until the eleventh year of Zhenguan that he was granted the title of Duke of the State, so his official position was Bingzhou Governor.
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