Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5096 Sing and Harmony

The flowers on the temples of the cloud are shaking, and the hibiscus is warming the spring night.

The spring night is short and the day is high, and since then the king will not go to court early.

……

The land of gentleness is the grave of heroes.

Even the most heroic and brave hero, once he falls into the land of tenderness, even steel becomes as soft as silk...

A real man can wield a three-foot sword and accomplish unparalleled feats, but all he does is pursue power and sex.

At dawn, a light rain fell quietly, washing the flowers and trees in the courtyard freshly. The grass in the corners was covered with rain and dew, and it was crystal clear.

The rain was not heavy, but the clouds were thick.

It was almost noon and the sky was just beginning to brighten when a knock on the door startled the couple who were lying in each other's arms on the bed.

Wu Meiniang's hair was disheveled and she looked exhausted. She just mumbled a few words when she heard the sound, turned over and continued to sleep soundly.

Fang Jun had no choice but to turn over and sit up, pull the quilt up to cover her snow-white shoulders, get off the bed, put on a robe, open the door and walk out.

……

Fang Jun yawned, stared at Wei Wang Li Tai, and complained: "I traveled from Chang'an to Luoyang by land and water, and I fell asleep late at night. As a result, you disturbed my sleep early in the morning...Besides, you are the prince and I am the subject. I should prepare gifts and visit Your Highness. How can Your Highness condescend to me? It's inappropriate."

Yu Baoning, who was smiling at the side, felt a little embarrassed that Fang Jun didn't even look at him, but he was also a little shocked in his heart.

Everyone knew that Fang Jun had a good relationship with the two princes, Li Tai and Li Ke, but they didn't expect it to be this close. There was no difference between the king and his subjects in their words and deeds, as if they were close friends...

Li Tai took a sip of tea and said helplessly, "Do I want to be a bad guest? When old friends and relatives come to ask for help, I can't refuse. I can only give up my face and ask for respect from Erlang."

Before Fang Jun could say anything, he heard a charming and gentle voice: "Your Highness is a royal descendant. You have condescended to come to my house in person. All you need to do is ask. Which minister can refuse?"

Wu Meiniang had already taken a bath and changed into a skirt. Her hair was tied up in a high bun, her neck was slender, her face was extremely charming, and her skin was fair and rosy.

With her jewelry jingling, she came to Li Tai and bowed, "I pay my respects to His Majesty the Prince of Wei."

Li Tai sat on the chair and leaned forward slightly, leaning forward with his body supported, and said with a smile: "Madam Wu, why should you be so polite? Please stand up quickly!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Wu Meiniang stood up, smiling like a flower, with a fragrant breeze, and said softly, "You know that Erlang will not refuse any of your requests, but you still come to your house in person. Isn't this bullying the weak?"

Li Tai secretly complained. The reason why he got up so early was that he thought it was inconvenient for a woman to meet guests in the morning. He just needed to discuss anything with Fang Jun. But who would have thought that this lady Wu was naturally beautiful and charming. She didn't even need to put on makeup when meeting guests...

He smiled bitterly and said, "How dare I take on such a serious charge? But after all, Duke Yan taught me a lesson, and I never asked for anything in return. How can I refuse now that he has asked me? But rest assured, Madam Wu, I am not an unreasonable person. I am only making an introduction. As for how to talk, I will not interfere."

Fang Jun said with a smile: "Your Highness the Prince of Wei has always been kind and fair. How could he do such a thing as bullying the weak? You are just judging others by your own standards. Besides, Your Highness is a descendant of the royal family and has an extremely respected status. No matter what the matter is, as long as he opens his mouth, how can we, the ministers, bargain? Just sit aside and listen to His Highness's orders."

Wu Meiniang smiled and bowed again, saying in a tender voice, "It was my fault for being so rude. I hope Your Highness will not take it personally."

After saying this, he returned to sit next to Fang Jun and didn't speak again.

Li Tai shook his head and sighed. The couple sang the same tune, one was the main and the other was the assistant. They were both shrewd people and had him, the prince, under their control.

He glanced at Yu Baoning beside him and said to Fang Jun, "Uncle San was bewitched by a villain and was obsessed with money for a while, so he did a bad job. Today, he specially asked me to introduce him to apologize in front of Yu Erlang."

Yu Baoning stood up quickly and said, "I was deceived and confused for a while, but now I have come to my senses and turned back. I hope Duke Yue will be magnanimous and forgive me."

Li Tai frowned. Did this guy really intend to sacrifice his life rather than his money?

He talked a lot, but didn't mention the main point at all.

Fang Jun pretended not to hear anything. He drooped his eyelids, blew on the boiling hot tea, and took a sip.

Wu Meiniang, who was standing by, continued to smile, and said softly, "Since it is His Royal Highness the Prince of Wei who has come to plead in person, how can my wife and I not give His Royal Highness face? The Fang family will not pursue the previous acts of forced buying and selling and extortion under the name of the Fang family."

Yu Baoning's heart suddenly relaxed and he couldn't help but feel happy. It had to be the face of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wei that counted!
After all, this world belongs to the Tang Dynasty. No matter how rebellious you, Fang Jun, are, can you still act so arrogantly in front of the King of Wei?
Li Tai's frown did not relax, because he knew Wu Meiniang and knew that there must be a follow-up to these words.

Sure enough, Wu Meiniang smiled like a flower and was as gentle as water, but her words were like a knife stabbing Yu Baoning's heart: "But since Yu Sima said that he was bewitched by a villain, I think this person must have malicious intentions towards the Fang family to do such a vicious thing. As the saying goes, 'You can only be a thief for a thousand days, but you can never be on guard against thieves for a thousand days.' There is such a person hiding in the dark, who may stir up trouble in the future. Yu Sima can be bewitched by him once, and there may be a second and third time. The loss suffered by the Fang family in the future may be more serious than this time. Therefore, please ask Yu Sima to hand over this villain. The Fang family has its own family rules to punish him. This will not only eliminate future troubles, but also ensure that Yu Sima will not make mistakes again. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone."

Cold sweat suddenly broke out on Yu Baoning's forehead. Only then did he realize that there was no way he could let today's incident go.

He gritted his teeth, stood up, and bowed to the ground: "No matter how many mistakes I made, they were all caused by my confusion. I am willing to accept the punishment. But that villain has been expelled by me a long time ago, and now his whereabouts are unknown. It is indeed difficult to find him for the time being."

Then he straightened up, the flesh on his cheeks trembling, and said cruelly: "For the loss of the Fang family, I am willing to pay a tribute of 100,000 strings of cash as compensation."

One hundred thousand coins!
Although the Yu family in Luoyang had been passed down for a hundred years and was wealthy, they were still hurt and suffered huge losses when they had to take out 100,000 strings of cash in a hurry.

But he could see that Fang Er and his wife had obviously made up their minds to give him a hard time. It was impossible for them to save the money by relying on the favor of the King of Wei...

But no matter how much money he has, he has to take it out!

Fang Jun continued to sip his tea, turning a deaf ear and saying nothing.

Wu Meiniang looked at Prince Wei Li Tai with her eyes rolling. The smile on her pretty face faded, and her tone was a little cold: "Your Highness Prince Wei, please teach me, when can the reputation of the Fang family be priced in money?"

Without waiting for Li Tai to speak, Wu Meiniang turned to Yu Baoning, her face as cold as ice: "One hundred thousand strings of cash?! The Yu family in Luoyang is really rich! But is this the only thing my Fang family needs? Fang Jun's warehouse is piled high with copper coins, and the hemp ropes that string the coins are almost rotten. The warehouses in Huating Town are full of cloth, and boatloads of bamboo paper are sold overseas... Does the Fang family need these two stinky coins of yours?!"

Yu Baoning was sweating profusely, trembling with fear, and unable to speak.

Although every word is true, there are not many families in this world that can compare with the wealth of the Fang family...but this is just compensation, do I have to hand over the entire Yu family with both hands?

He looked at Li Tai as if asking for help.

Li Tai touched his beard and felt something was wrong. Neither Fang Jun nor Wu Meiniang valued money more than their lives. Besides, with his presence, 100,000 strings of cash would be enough to cover the matter. After all, the Fang family had not suffered any substantial losses.

But seeing the couple singing the same tune and refusing to give in, is there any hidden story?
After thinking carefully, he asked Yu Baoning: "Who is the villain who bewitched you?"

Perhaps this is the key.

The previous attitude of Fang Jun and his wife was probably because Wu Meiniang came forward to warn Yu Baoning, and they let the matter go for his sake. As for compensation... Yu Baoning would definitely give it, but Fang Jun and his wife really didn't think much of it.

But when Yu Baoning said that the "villain" was missing, Fang Jun and his wife's attitude changed...

Yu Baoning was speechless.

"boom!"

Li Tai slammed the coffee table and said angrily, "I am willing to ask for a favor for you out of consideration for the Duke of Yan, but you dare to play tricks on me?"

Yu Baoning was so frightened that his body was shaking like a sieve, his face was pale, and he stammered for a long time before hesitatingly saying, "That villain... is not someone else, but my third son, Yu Chengqing."

Wu Meiniang sneered, "Your family has raised a good son. As far as I know, Yu Chengqing is only fifteen or sixteen years old this year, right? Tsk tsk, at such a young age, he is already proficient in the art of making money, and he taught your father to use the name of my Fang family to force sales and extort money. It's true that a good father will have a good son."

Li Tai looked at Wu Meiniang and asked, "Madam Wu, how do you plan to deal with this matter?"

Wu Meiniang said calmly: "It damages the reputation of my Fang family and affects the mining policy of the empire...Hand Yu Chengqing over to the Dali Temple for trial according to the law."

"Pfft!"

Yu Baoning's legs went limp, and he knelt on the ground, begging, "Madam Wu, please have mercy. My son is young and ignorant, and I will take all the blame!"

If Fang Jun was the only one here, he might dare to agree to hand over the person. After all, although Fang Jun was arrogant and domineering, he was always honest in doing things and would not harm anyone's life.

But who is Madam Wu?

She looks like a spring flower, but has a heart as vicious as a snake, and is the most cruel and ruthless!
She sent someone to escort her son to the Dali Temple in Chang'an, but she was afraid that the person might die on the way...

Li Tai shouted, "Are you scared now? Idiot! When I asked you about this before, you actually concealed the truth. You only have yourself to blame!"

Yu Baoning hurriedly said, "My son lost his mother when he was young. I spoiled him too much and became confused because of my concern. Two hundred thousand strings of cash! I am willing to pay two hundred thousand strings of cash, plus ten properties in Luoyang City. I beg Duke Yue to spare my son. The Yu family in Luoyang will be grateful to you!"