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

Just as Li Boyi and Li Fengci turned to leave, Li Shen called out to them from behind.

They both quickly turned around:

"Is there anything else, Prince Ji?"

Although the two were spoiled brats, they weren't stupid. They dared to act like scoundrels with others, but they wouldn't dare to act like scoundrels with Li Shen.

Prince Ji was infamous for his ruthlessness, and even powerful clans were no match for him. He would beat his own brothers without hesitation, let alone those from collateral branches of the family.

In other words, they had been close to the current emperor since childhood and were a generation above Li Shen in status, which is why Li Shen was so polite to them.

"Hehe, uncles, you haven't finished speaking, why are you leaving already?" Li Shen chuckled twice.

"I wonder if Prince Ji has anything else to say?" The two turned around and looked at Li Shen with a puzzled expression.

Could it be that they have just angered Prince Ji, and he is about to give them a severe scolding?

But then I thought, this shouldn't be the case. In this situation, even if Prince Ji were arrogant, he shouldn't dare to act so recklessly, since they are elders and His Majesty is still here.

"My two uncles, I was just a little confused. I didn't mean I wouldn't lend you money; it's just that I don't have any on me right now."

After the ancestral worship ceremony, I will go and get the money from the servants and then send it to my two uncles.

"I wonder if five hundred strings of cash would be enough?"

Looking at the two of them, Li Shen spoke with a gentle expression.

"Five hundred strings of cash? That's enough, don't worry, we'll return it all when we get our salaries next month."

The two nodded repeatedly, their faces lighting up with joy. Five hundred strings of cash was roughly half a month's salary for them, enough to last them for a while.

"Hehe, what do you mean by not paying it back? Just consider it a gift from your nephew to you."

Li Shen chuckled and waved his hand. The two thanked him immediately and left.

"Tenth brother, you are really generous. How about you give me five hundred strings of cash as well?"

Li Chengqian turned his head and smiled at Li Shen.

"Yes, tenth brother, fourth brother is having a hard time too," Li Tai chimed in.

Li Shen rolled his eyes at Li Chengqian:

"What a joke! How can His Highness the Crown Prince ask people for money so casually? What kind of behavior is that?"

"This is utterly disgraceful to the royal family! When I get to the ancestral temple later, I will report to our ancestors that the Li family has produced an unfilial descendant. I will have them teach you a lesson tonight!"

"Ha! Tenth brother, how dare you say that? Am I still an unfilial descendant?"

Even if our ancestors wanted to teach a lesson, they would teach you the first one.

"You've caused so much trouble every day, bringing shame to the royal family. My Li family has only produced one like you in thousands of years!"

Li Chengqian retorted with a sneer.

This guy is really outspoken, and he even has the nerve to talk about himself. The ancestors of the Li family were almost brought back to life by Li Shen.

"Hmph, I'll tell my ancestors about this in a minute, you'll get a beating tonight." Li Shen snorted and turned his head away.

"Um... Tenth Brother, please don't mention me later, I don't want to see the Ancestor."

At this moment, Li Tai suddenly blurted out a sentence, and Li Shen and Li Chengqian both looked at him.

"I...I'm just afraid of ghosts," Li Tai said, somewhat embarrassed.

"Damn it!" Li Shen cursed.

The brothers walked and bickered as they went, and soon arrived at the Seven Temples.

Following the main group, we offered incense and kowtowed to our ancestors, and the clan chief recited the rites once.

During the sacrificial ceremony, Li Shen stared blankly at the raging fire, as one of the court techniques involved burning paper money.

It's actually just burning paper money, in the shape of copper coins, but much larger.

Li Shen's eyes suddenly lit up. Could this be considered a business opportunity?

"Fourth Brother, Fourth Brother," Li Shen knelt on the ground and called out to Li Tai in a low voice.

"Hmm?" Li Tai turned his head and looked at Li Shen questioningly.

"Fourth Brother, do you think the ancestors will receive these burned paper money?" Li Shen asked in a low voice.

"How would I know? It should be okay, right?" Li Tai thought for a moment and replied uncertainly. Li Tai was a scholar and well-read, but he really didn't know much about such mysterious things.

"Since we can receive the money, why not burn some other offerings for our ancestors? Grandfather lived a life of luxury; wouldn't it be better to burn more maidservants for him?"

Li Shen asked curiously.

"..." Li Tai was speechless, his face turning red with embarrassment. After a long while, he finally managed to say, "You are so filial."

He thought to himself, "Li Shen's brain is really different from ordinary people. He can actually come up with such ideas."

Burning a maidservant's image for his own grandfather—it's unbelievable that he would think of such a thing.

"Ninth Brother, don't you think so?" Li Shen asked Li Zhi beside him in a cheeky tone.

Li Zhi glanced at him:

"My grandfather has passed away. What kind of burial goods didn't he have? Do we still need to burn them for him? If you want, go ahead and burn them."

Li Zhi said irritably. He didn't want to answer Li Shen's question, but he was really afraid that Li Shen would cause trouble and implicate him in this situation.

"Yes, Ninth Brother is right. I'll try it when I get back." Li Shen nodded seriously.

There are many burial objects inside Xianling.

Moreover, his own grandmother was buried with him, so burning the maidservant's remains seemed a bit inappropriate.

The three whispered among themselves, which was clearly heard by many members of the royal family around them. They were all amused and exasperated, realizing that such filial descendants were truly rare.

They actually wanted to burn the maidservants for their ancestors.

After a while, the sacrificial ceremony was completed. Li Shen then kowtowed and left the temple.

Li Shimin and his clansmen's next stop was Chengtian Gate, where they would hold a grand banquet for their officials, also known as the New Year's Day Banquet.

"Brother, the tenth brother just said he wants to burn some maids for our ancestors."

As the brothers walked with the main group, Li Tai suddenly complained to Li Chengqian, who was standing next to him.

"Ah? Haha, tenth brother, you are truly filial." Li Chengqian laughed after hearing this.

"See, I told you, tenth brother, you're filial," Li Tai laughed.

"Fourth Brother, you're really cunning, actually tattling on me?" Li Shen looked at Li Tai with disdain.

“This isn’t a complaint, it’s just telling your brother what you’re thinking. Maybe you’ll get what you want in the future?” Li Tai explained.

Li Shen frowned as he looked at Li Tai, but quickly his brows relaxed, his eyes narrowed, and the corners of his mouth turned up:

"Fourth Brother, have you forgotten something?"

"Huh? Forgot what? I don't owe you any money." Li Tai was taken aback, but quickly became alert.

"Fourth Brother may have forgotten that Mother has issued an order that I should help you lose weight after the New Year, and there is also a bet involved."

Besides, Father said he would personally supervise. You've provoked me like this, how do you think I should treat you then?

Li Shen's words made Li Tai freeze instantly, and he suddenly remembered that this was indeed true.

"Oh no," Li Tai thought bitterly, looking at Li Shen's wicked smile. He had completely forgotten about this.

This is really bad. Knowing Li Shen's personality, who knows how he'll torture himself.

"Tenth brother, my dear tenth brother, I was just joking with you."

The practice of burning paper money had already taken shape during the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, and became a core custom during the Tang Dynasty. This is evidenced by numerous poems and records in both the Old and New Books of Tang.

The ashes of paper money turned into cotton flowers. (There was no burning of paper money for three days, etc.)