Time Travel: I am the idle king Li Shen and Li Shimin in the Tang Dynasty

"How were these people dealt with?" Li Shen asked.

"Manager Wang handled it personally, and they were all sent to the government. At the same time, the Wang family also terminated their fiefdom relationship with them and expelled their families from the royal estate."

Lu Dingniang said that this was the custom of the Prince Ji's mansion. If you don't want to live a good life, then don't live it. They would punish each other.

Li Shen did not believe in the concept of "misfortune not extending to family members," and he simply did not believe that the money they embezzled would not benefit their families.

"Yes, we will continue to send people to audit the accounts next year. The Prince Ji's Mansion will set up a department specifically responsible for this matter, and we will issue an internal notice that those who report such cases will be richly rewarded."

Since they dared to do it, let them know the consequences.

Li Shen nodded. These people will not live peacefully; seven people will each have tens of thousands of strings of cash, and those exceeding one hundred strings will be exiled for forced labor.

Even with a fortune, they would surely die; even exile would take them a thousand miles. With Wang Hongfu's help along the way, they would never reach their destination.

If it weren't for the laws of the land, Li Shen could have executed them directly.

Li Shen plans to establish his own anti-corruption bureau to investigate shopkeepers in various regions.

“My lord, we don’t have enough manpower. There are less than twenty accountants and managers. Even if they all went out this year, they only investigated two or three hundred places.”

After hearing this, Lu Dingniang reminded her that the journey was long and it would take several months to travel to and from distant places, so it was impossible to check many places at all.

"It seems we still need to train some people. These people must be loyal, otherwise I fear they will collude with us."

Li Shen thought for a moment and said.

"Your Highness, why not select them from the orphanage? Many of the children there are already fourteen years old and it's time for them to find a way to make a living."

Lan Yu'er suddenly reminded him that the Prince Ji's mansion had sponsored many orphanages and had also jointly established a large orphanage with the Crown Prince.

Among them are many who have grown up.

Unlike in later generations, they did not need to be supported until they were eighteen years old; they could go out and find work after they turned fourteen.

Once they reach the age of sixteen and are registered in the household, the imperial court will also grant them permanent land and allotted land, at which point they will be used as laborers.

"Haha, not bad, this will give them a job so they can survive."

Li Shen laughed heartily upon hearing this. He had raised them for so many years, so they should at least feel some gratitude towards him. With further cultivation, their loyalty was assured.

Now that the Prince's mansion is growing in power, Li Shen is already feeling the strain of managing it. He is, after all, just a mortal, and if it weren't for his years of experience...

He's long since lost control of this large ship; he needs more people to help him, otherwise it might capsize one day.

"Oh, by the way, my lord, I've heard something else." At this moment, Lu Dingniang remembered something.

"Oh? What is it?" Li Shen asked.

"I have heard that the Empress has already found suitable candidates for Princess Chengyang and Princess Hengshan."

"Really?" Li Shen sat up upon hearing the news. It was also his wish that his three little sisters could find a good home.

The main reason is that once she has a place to belong, she won't have to cause him any more trouble.

He now suspects that his daughter Xixi's personality is influenced by these three aunts.

"I wonder which family is so unlucky... to be able to become a驸马都尉 (Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant)?" Li Shen asked excitedly.

"Her Majesty the Empress has chosen Xue Guan of the Xue family in Hedong for Princess Chengyang. I have heard that Xue Guan is both talented and virtuous, of excellent character, calm and low-key, and very learned."

"Yes, I know this person. His father is Xue Shou, one of the eighteen scholars of the Prince of Qin's mansion."

Li Shen still had some impression of this person, or rather, he had an impression of Xue Guan's father, Xue Shou, an eighteenth scholar and a founding hero.

Because he died young, he never had the chance to be enshrined in the Lingyan Pavilion.

"I will send someone to investigate this person. If the rumors are true, it would be a wonderful marriage in Chengyang."

"And what about Hengshan?" Li Shen asked again. Hengshan was the youngest daughter, and by all accounts, she shouldn't have married so early.

Li Shen had said that it was best for a woman to marry at the age of eighteen for a safe childbirth.

Hengshan was only fourteen years old.

"I think I heard it's Changsun Quan," Lu Dingniang said somewhat uncertainly.

"Who?" Li Shen was taken aback.

“Changsun Quan,” Lu Dingniang repeated.

"Changsun Quan? How could that be? Isn't he my mother's cousin? We should all call him uncle."

This person was someone Li Shen hadn't expected. Changsun Quan was Empress Changsun's cousin, although there was a significant age difference between them.

Li Shen knew about Changsun Quan because during his conflict with Changsun Wuji, he had Wang Xuance investigate the Changsun family.

Changsun Quan was among them, but he was still young at the time. Li Shen remembered that he was about the same age as Princess Hengshan.

“That’s right, Changsun Quan is indeed the Empress’s cousin, and he’s a year younger than Hengshan.” Lu Dingniang nodded.

"What is Mother thinking? It seems that even a virtuous and kind empress like Mother cannot escape the common ways."

Li Shen was somewhat disappointed. He understood Empress Zhangsun's meaning; it was for the sake of the Zhangsun family to be closer to the royal family.

Li Chengqian is about to ascend the throne, and he fears that the Changsun family will fall out of favor once he is no longer connected to him.

But isn't this going a bit too far? Li Lizhi has already married Changsun Chong, and now they want to marry their youngest legitimate daughter to the Changsun family, and to an uncle.

"Young master, please be careful with your words. Her Majesty the Empress has her reasons for making this decision. This Changsun Quan is quite a talented man. He entered officialdom through family connections and holds the position of Shanglian Fengyu."

Upon hearing Li Shen's disrespectful words, Lu Dingniang quickly reminded him. Regardless, this was ultimately the Empress's decision, and Li Shen, as her son and also a subject, could not offer unwarranted comments.

Moreover, His Majesty should agree as well.

"Don't worry, there are no outsiders here. I won't go out and spread rumors. I'm just a little confused."

"Why would Changsun Quan, an elder, marry him?"

Li Shen waved his hand dismissively and lay back down.

"I don't know either. But I heard they might get married next year." Lu Dingniang shook her head.

"Getting married next year? Heh, it seems there will be a lot of happy events in my royal family next year. My thirteenth brother will also get married next year, marrying Yuwen Shiji's daughter, Yuwen Xiuduoluo."

With these two marriages added to the mix, things are really getting lively.

Li Shen couldn't help but feel a little sentimental. These people all married into prestigious families, while he was merely the daughter of a vice minister of the Ministry of War.

If it weren't for the past relationship between his mother and father, Lu Shuang would have remained an unknown figure.

"Yes, there are indeed many happy events next year. My lord, do you think we need to prepare some gifts in advance?"

Chengyang and Hengshan also said that their tenth brother would prepare dowries for them.

At this point, Lu Dingniang couldn't help but laugh.

(I haven't been online much lately, so I don't know which hotspots are available. Let me use some of their data.)