Tiantang Splendid

Chapter 5245 The Kings' Conspiracy
The next morning, Princess Gaoyang, her hair disheveled and wrapped in a quilt, looked at her husband with a rosy complexion and a languid expression, and asked suspiciously, "My lord, have you learned some lewd and despicable tricks outside? Or have you used some kind of drug?"

Fang Jun was in a state of enlightenment when he heard this and asked in surprise, "How do you know?"

"Humph!"

Princess Gaoyang stuck one foot out from under the covers and gently kicked her husband: "You're like a wolf, torturing me to death, you bad thing!"

Fang Jun remained silent, thinking to himself, "You have no idea how much temptation I resisted last night, and how determined I was to run home."

Just imagine that fragrance as sweet as orchids and musk, that soft and alluring voice, that delicate and warm body... it is truly more potent than any potent drug.

At the same time, he was secretly pleased that he could remain composed in that situation when faced with a woman he admired; this was something that not everyone could do.

Princess Gaoyang threw back the covers, revealing her exquisitely beautiful body. She pulled a garment over herself and, while gathering her disheveled hair, asked, "What exactly do you plan to do about Sizi? We can't just keep dragging this out without any ideas."

“Your Highness’s words are biased. When have I ever been dragging my feet? I have stated my position more than once. The problem lies with Princess Jinyang. You should ask her.”

Fang Jun felt very wronged. He had never expressed any covetousness towards Princess Jinyang. It was all just Princess Jinyang's wishful thinking. Why did the court, the public, and the common people all blame him?
Anyone else would have been completely swayed by Princess Jinyang's deep affection and accepted it wholeheartedly. Who could be as noble and pure as him?
Seeing her husband's indifferent attitude, Princess Gaoyang was furious. She kicked him again with her fair, white foot and said angrily, "Isn't it because you're always so arrogant and domineering, showing off your knowledge? That's why Si Zi fell in love with you. Young girls can't stand your act. You don't know how to hide your talents and always try to show off. Who else can you blame but yourself?"

Although there is no such saying as "women love bad boys" these days, the principle is still the same. Young ladies who have been well-read and well-mannered since childhood, and whose learning, knowledge, and experience are all serious, low-key and peaceful, how can they not be tempted when they suddenly see those young men who are both talented and brave, who do not follow the rules and are radiant?

As Princess Gaoyang knew, countless noble ladies and meritorious women of her generation had openly or secretly fallen in love with Fang Jun. Although they had already married, how could the man imprinted in their hearts when they were young and their hearts were filled with spring fever be so easily erased?

It's no exaggeration to say that if Fang Jun were truly lewd and depraved, countless women and girls in Chang'an would willingly offer themselves to him for a fleeting moment of pleasure...

Fang Junqi said, "So what if I'm just that outstanding? Are you really willing for your husband to be a useless, cowardly, and dull-witted bum? Heh, I'm afraid you'll find fault with this and that later and look at other people's men more pleasing to the eye!"

Princess Gaoyang's almond-shaped eyes widened: "How can you slander me like this? When have I ever found another woman's man pleasing to the eye?"

"I was just using an analogy."

Princess Gaoyang gritted her teeth and retorted angrily: "Even using an analogy won't do! Do you really think I'm that worthless?"

Fang Jun pleaded, "I just said it offhand, why take it seriously?"

"I'll fight you to the death!"

Before the buttons on his chest were even fastened, Princess Gaoyang, enraged and embarrassed, pounced on him. Fang Jun flipped over and pinned her down, but before he knew it, Princess Gaoyang opened her mouth and bit Fang Jun's arm with her two rows of flat, pearly teeth.

*****
Prince Qi's Mansion.

When news spread that Princess Jinyang had emptied her storeroom and loaded almost all her family's wealth onto carts to be given to Prince Jin, Li You quickly summoned several older princes, including Li Yin, Li Yun, Li Zhen, and Li Shen, to the palace.

"My brothers are about to set off overseas to establish their own states, but I wonder how much money and silk each of you from your maternal uncle's family has given you?"

The brothers looked at each other in bewilderment.

Li Yin stared wide-eyed and said, "Fifth Brother is joking. We brothers are not yet married, how can we rush to our fiefdom? Moreover, the location of our fiefdom is not yet determined, so we are not in a hurry to leave the capital. Therefore, my maternal uncle's family has not made any statement."

When a prince travels to his fiefdom overseas, in addition to the gifts of money and silk from His Majesty, his maternal uncles also have to make some gestures, which depend on the prince's status and the wealth of his maternal uncle's family.

But such things can only be done in private; how can one show the amount given to others?

Li You waved his hand: "Getting married is simple, isn't it? Now that we brothers have gone to sea together to build a country, we may never be able to return to Chang'an in this lifetime. We have long since gone from being sought-after by noble families to being unwanted and even avoided like the plague. We can only find marriage partners among second-ranking officials or noble families. In this way, we don't need a grand display, and the etiquette should be reduced. I'm afraid we will all get married this year, and by next spring at the latest, no one will be able to stay in Chang'an any longer."

Going overseas to establish a country and establish a feudal state may seem to elevate one's status directly from prince to ruler, but how can those barren and malaria-ridden overseas lands compare to the magnificent and prosperous Tang Dynasty?

Even the grasslands beyond the Great Wall and the vast deserts of the Western Regions are far better than those islands!
Therefore, the status of the princes has actually plummeted. Which noble family would be willing to marry their eldest daughter to live with wild natives?

Therefore, the future wives of the several unmarried princes will either be daughters of noble families, daughters of minor officials, or daughters of small, insignificant clans in various regions...

Seeing his brothers remain silent one by one, Li You looked at Li Shen and asked, "Tenth brother, your maternal uncle's family is a prominent family in Guanzhong. The saying 'Wei and Du of the south of the city, looking up at the sky with a foot and a half' is not just a casual remark. They have accumulated countless assets over hundreds of years. Haven't they promised you how much money, silk, or servants they would give you when you go to sea?"

Li Shen hesitated and stammered, "This... I haven't made any statement, I don't know either."

His mother was Consort Wei, and his maternal uncle's family was the "Wei Clan of Jingzhao," a first-class Guanzhong clan of the time.

Li You snorted, feeling dissatisfied as he saw that Li Shen remained silent and the others pretended not to understand.

However, he wasn't after these brothers today. He pulled them together and whispered, "Brother, to be honest, we're used to living in luxury in Chang'an. If we suddenly go to overseas fiefdoms, we'll definitely not be able to endure hardship. Those places are plagued by miasma and are barren and desolate. Farming might not even be possible, so what kind of output will we have? Without output, we can only rely on the money and silk we bring to live. Whether we continue to enjoy our wealth or starve depends on how much money and silk we can bring when we go to sea!"

Seeing his brothers nod in agreement, Li You continued, "But how much money is enough? It's never enough!"

Li Yin clicked his tongue and sighed, "You guys are alright, your maternal uncle's family can at least help you a little, but I'm in a terrible situation."

Logically speaking, none of the princes present could compare to Li Yin in terms of maternal relatives, after all, his mother, Consort Yang, was from the former Sui imperial family!

Unfortunately, although Emperor Wen of Sui claimed to be from the Yang clan of Hongnong and even once acknowledged his ancestry, the Yang clan of Hongnong immediately denied it after the fall of the Sui Dynasty.

The Yang family of Hongnong did not recognize them, and the Sui Dynasty imperial family had already perished. Therefore, although the brothers Li Ke and Li Yin had extremely noble bloodlines, they did not actually have a powerful maternal family to rely on.

I want a gift, but I don't know who to ask for it from...

Li Zhen, also troubled and sharing a similar plight, said, "My maternal uncle's family is just as powerful."

His mother, Consort Yan, came from the Yan clan of Hongnong... Just hearing this name, which has no reputation, tells one that she had no real power. Her ancestors were once quite prominent during the Sui Dynasty, but the family had long since fallen on hard times.

Li You scoffed: "We're all brothers, why hide our shortcomings and complain like this? The Yan family of Hongnong has indeed declined and can no longer be considered a prominent family, but your family has a good relative!"

The others suddenly realized what was happening and began to tease him, expressing both jealousy and envy.

Consort Yan's father, Yan Baoshou, was renowned as a child prodigy in his youth, but he did not pursue an official career. Instead, he married the third daughter of Yang Xiong, the Grand Commandant of the Sui Dynasty and Prince Guan. Yang Xiong's younger brother, Yang Da, had a daughter who married Wu Shihuo, a member of the Wu clan of Wenshui, and gave birth to Wu Meiniang…

Therefore, Consort Yan and Wu Meiniang's mother were cousins, and the two were sisters on their mothers' sides.

As we all know, the increasingly powerful "Dongda Tang Trading Company" is under the control of Wu Zetian, and she controls the entire overseas trade. When Li Zhen goes overseas to take up his fiefdom in the future, he will have a very strong backer!

To still complain and whine about being poor under such circumstances is simply inhuman!
Seeing that he had become the target of everyone's criticism, Li Zhen could only chuckle awkwardly and remain silent.

Li Yin, being straightforward and quick-witted, couldn't help but ask, "Fifth Brother, what is it you want to say? Why not just say it directly? This roundabout way of speaking is getting annoying!"

Li You was furious, but he wouldn't bother arguing with this blockhead. He revealed his true intentions: "When we go to sea to establish our own kingdoms in the future, we'll need to carry plenty of money to ensure our continued life of luxury. We must make as much money as possible!"

Li Yun seemed to realize something: "Fifth Brother, are you referring to Jinyang?"

The others also realized that since Jinyang could give so much money and silk to the Prince of Jin, even if it was a case of favoritism, he should at least give some to everyone.

Li You cursed, "Stupid! Haven't you heard that Jinyang emptied almost the entire warehouse? Where would they get any money or silk to give us? Even if we wanted to make money, we couldn't possibly empty Jinyang's coffers!"

Li Yun was very clever and understood the implied meaning immediately: "Fifth Brother means... the rest of the sisters?"

Li You clapped his hands in praise: "Seventh Brother is indeed clever!"

He reached out and embraced Li Yin and Li Yun beside him, his gaze intense: "They are all brothers and sisters. If Jinyang can be given to Zhinu, why can't other sisters be given to us? His Majesty has always valued harmony and love among brothers and sisters, as evidenced by the fact that he even used 'Renhe' as his reign title."

Hearing this, everyone perked up.

Li Yin's eyes widened with excitement, but she hesitated: "But since the sisters haven't said anything yet, we can't very well go to their door and ask for it, can we?"

Li You laughed and said, "Of course we can't ask our sisters for money, but we can go to our brothers-in-law!"

...