I have already established my power and prestige, so how did Li Shimin come back to life?

After finally becoming a mother-in-law who can call the shots at home, I thought I could finally enjoy the feeling of being superior.

Relying on her years of experience as a daughter-in-law and finally becoming a mother-in-law, she enjoys the filial piety of the younger generation and inflicts doubly the suffering she once endured on her daughter-in-law. Only in this way can she make up for the grievances she suffered over the years.

But who could have expected that His Majesty's decree to improve the status of women would instantly shatter their dreams of becoming mothers-in-law.

This decree made the old women who were accustomed to the traditional family model feel at a loss.

Naturally, they didn't dare to say much to His Majesty, but they could say that to Wu Meiniang.

For a time, Wu Meiniang's reputation plummeted and took a sharp turn for the worse.

From being the Tang Dynasty female official that everyone loved at the beginning, she became a high-ranking cargo carrier.

Everywhere you look, you can hear old women gathering together in the streets, alleys, teahouses and taverns, chattering and gossiping, making up stories about Wu Meiniang.

They expressed their dissatisfaction and portrayed Wu Meiniang as the culprit who disrupted the traditional order.

Even though there were many rumors outside, since this matter had been entrusted to Wu Meiniang to handle carefully, Li Chengqian naturally trusted Wu Meiniang.

Just kidding, if Wu Meiniang can't handle this matter, then really no one can.

The Songhe Tower in Xianyang City has carved beams and painted buildings, and flying eaves and brackets, showing an ancient and elegant atmosphere.

The building was bustling with people, and the diners coming and going were either discussing world affairs or savoring the delicacies on their plates.

In the private room on the second floor of Songhe Tower, Li Shimin, Yuchi Jingde and Cheng Yaojin were lying comfortably on the wooden bed that was emitting wisps of hot air, enjoying the perfect bathing service of the skilled old man behind them.

The steaming water vapor slowly spread throughout the room, enveloping this small world in a warm and comfortable atmosphere.

The three of them each picked up a glass of slightly cool fresh juice.

They took a sip and then couldn't help but let out a sigh of satisfaction.

Cheng Yaojin's face was filled with a happy smile. He was enjoying the old man's vigorous scrubbing technique. He turned slightly and said to Li Shimin, "Brother Li, don't tell me, this one-stop bath is so comfortable."

"After taking a shower, I'll go get a massage to loosen up all my muscles and bones, and drive away the fatigue I've accumulated over the past few days."

"Finally, I'll go downstairs and order a table of delicious food. What a joyful life this is. This kind of life is worth living in vain!"

Cheng Yaojin said cheerfully.

The three old men who were responsible for scrubbing their backs behind them were all people who had seen the world.

Their hands danced skillfully on the guests' backs, sometimes lightly, sometimes heavily, just the right amount of pressure.

The old man who was rubbing Li Shimin's back with the most skillful technique, in between rubbing his back, would occasionally use his weathered hands to give Li Shimin a soothing massage on his back.

His eyes swept over Li Shimin's scarred back. Those deep and shallow, crisscrossing knife wounds made the old man startled for a moment. Then he asked, "Brother, you have a lot of experience. Look at these densely packed knife wounds. I bet you must have suffered a lot in your youth, didn't you?"

When Li Shimin heard the old man's question, he shook his head.

"It's nothing extraordinary. I just messed around in the underworld when I was young."

There was a hint of humility in his tone, as if everything was just a passing cloud and not worth mentioning.

"Hahaha……"

The old man laughed heartily after hearing Li Shimin's self-deprecating words.

The laughter echoed in the steaming bathroom, adding a touch of harmony to the already relaxing and comfortable atmosphere.

Li Shimin looked at the talkative old man and suddenly felt a little curious.

He wondered what the common people thought about the affairs of the court.

So he asked, "Brother, I want to ask you something."

"In your opinion, who is better, His Majesty or the Emperor Emeritus of the Tang Dynasty?"

Li Shimin's question instantly opened the mouths of the three old men.

On weekdays, they are keen to get together with their neighbors after work to talk about national affairs.

Although they live in the market, they also have their own opinions on the affairs in the court.

In their eyes, every move of the court is closely related to their own lives, so they are always interested in these topics.

The old man who was rubbing Li Shimin's back paused for a moment, then continued rubbing his back while saying enthusiastically, "Brother, if it were in the past, the kindness of the retired emperor would naturally be beyond doubt."

"During the chaotic times at the end of the Sui Dynasty, life for ordinary people was extremely difficult."

"The people were displaced and had no place to live."

"Everywhere there were starving people, people exchanging their own children for food. Those days were truly dark and gloomy."

"To be honest, I can now rub your back in Songhelou, and after get off work, I can go home to hug my grandchildren and enjoy the joy of family. When I was young, I couldn't even imagine such a life."

"Before Your Majesty ascended the throne, in my heart, the Emperor Retired was a wise and powerful hero, unmatched by anyone."

"Back then, he wielded a three-foot-long sword, galloping across the battlefields. In those turbulent times, he single-handedly pacified the Tang Dynasty. The mighty name of the Qin King of the Tang Dynasty is well-known to everyone!"

At this point, the old man even stopped what he was doing and raised a thumbs up to express his respect for the emperor.