Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

Recently, banquets have become the most frequent activity in Chang'an.

Whether they were princes or princesses of the Tang Dynasty, each of them had a large number of businesses under their command. Every year, these businesses brought in a large amount of commercial tax revenue for the Tang Dynasty. At the same time, they gradually came to understand that if they wanted to be rich and powerful, they did not necessarily have to exploit the people of their own Tang Dynasty. They could also exploit other ethnic groups.

They produced large quantities of items such as silk, porcelain, and fine clothing, which were shipped to neighboring countries.

Chang'an, a paradise on earth.

In this most extravagant hotel in the Tang Dynasty, today's banquet was convened by Empress Zhangsun in the name of Prince Wei, Li Tai. As for its purpose, the whole of Chang'an now knows the truth.

Many noble ladies have come today, and even people from prominent families in the surrounding areas such as Hebei, Henan, and Guannei have come to attend. Even if one does not have the fortune to become the Princess Consort of Wei, it is still quite good to make connections at a banquet of this level.

Chang Le watched her younger sister, both amused and exasperated, as she used a toothpick to repeatedly poke at a banana delivered from Lingnan Road, as if she were a voodoo doll.

Although you can't hear what the other person is muttering to themselves, you can guess even with your toes.

"Alright, Gao Yang, only our imperial brother would support such a daring idea. In previous dynasties, or even in all previous dynasties, you wouldn't have enough heads to lose..."

Gao Yang, however, was hesitant and unable to feel happy at all.

"I, I, Your Majesty, I haven't even done anything yet, and I already owe the bank eight million guan. The interest alone is hundreds of thousands of guan every year. I... I have no happiness!"

As she spoke, she looked as if she was about to cry, which made Princess Chengyang cover her mouth and chuckle.

"Alright, alright, even if Her Majesty is in debt, she's still a queen!"

Gao Yang: "Qinghe, you have absolutely no idea how to comfort people!"

Suddenly, as if she had noticed something, she looked in one direction of the banquet hall, raised an eyebrow, and paused for a moment on Cheng Yang in front of her, a smile playing on her lips that made the latter feel uneasy.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Qinghe dodged, while Gaoyang, with a cunning and playful air, seemed to be pointing something out.

"Chengyang, Du He has been secretly watching you."

Chengyang's pretty face flushed red instantly. She instinctively looked in the direction Gao Yang had just been looking, and then her eyes met those of Du He, who was standing with Xiao Rui and the others.

Both of them recoiled as if they had been electrocuted.

However, the abrupt action not only revealed Cheng Yang's true intentions, but also exposed Du He's true colors in front of Xiao Rui and the others.

Xiao Rui, as if a detective had discovered some irrefutable evidence, stroked his chin with one hand and gently swirled the wine glass in his hand with the other.

"Hehe, Du He, you really do have feelings for Princess Chengyang!"

Beside him, Lawyer Pei, Fang Yi'ai, Li Chongyi, and several other second-generation scions of Chang'an immediately revealed knowing smiles that all men understand.

"Oh? Du He, really?"

"Ha! There's no faking it here. This kid has been pretending from the very beginning, constantly glancing towards Princess Chengyang, thinking he's hiding it so well...tsk tsk tsk."

Du He blushed: "You, you all shouldn't talk nonsense. If this gets out, I don't care about my reputation, but it would be a serious crime for Her Highness the Princess to have her reputation damaged!"

"Oh my~ Our Lord Du He has learned to care for people now~" Fang Yi'ai said in a quirky and sarcastic tone, and then couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Xiao Rui gave Du He a deep look and asked, "Are you really planning to take up the post of Provincial Treasurer of Nanyang next year?"

Although Du He was still a little embarrassed, she nodded heavily without hesitation when the topic came up.

"His Highness has already agreed to appoint me as the Provincial Governor of the Southern Seas."

Xiao Rui shook his head slightly: "Actually, if you just let Prime Minister Du propose marriage, it might not necessarily fail. After all, I don't think Chengyang is averse to you."

Du He shook his head: "Not disliking someone doesn't mean I'm in love with them. I had a bad reputation in Chang'an back then, so I can't rely on my father's influence to get this done. I have to fight for it myself. The princess and I are both still young, and there's still time."

The group stared blankly at Du He, who suddenly seemed like a completely different person, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Who could have imagined that the Du family's second son, a playboy from Chang'an, would say such things now?

The magnificent hall of Heaven and Earth was surrounded by numerous private boxes and a dance floor. The elaborate structure allowed the music played by the musicians to resonate throughout the hall, creating a lively atmosphere when combined with the performances of Persian dancers on the dance floor.

Prince Lu, Li Yuanchang, has come today with official documents. His Highness the Crown Prince is preparing to develop Southeast Asia. The national treasury has recently made financial arrangements, and the imperial treasury is also preparing for the armaments of the western expeditionary army, as well as accelerating the construction of the railway from Taiyuan Prefecture to Longyou Road to Hexi Road.

The development of Southeast Asia requires funding.

This is where the princes and princesses come in to help.

As the power of the Tang Dynasty grew day by day, these interest groups that depended on Li Chengqian also truly entered a period of glorious development.

however.

At the same time, an autumn wind swept across the outskirts of Chang'an.

The wind at the execution ground carried a chilling cold.

Choi Jun, Lu Wenjie, and Li Ziwen, the three leaders of the rebel families in Pyongyang Province, were currently being held down on the ground in thin prison clothes.

Cui Jun, who had become much thinner, had a ferocious expression on his face. His body was bound by ropes, but he roared to the sky.

"Li Chengqian! Your Tang dynasty won't last long!!!"

"I, the Cui family of Qinghe, am waiting for you down there!!!"

Lu Wenjie knelt on the ground, his expression full of complex emotions as he turned his head to look at two figures on one side of the execution ground. He was particularly familiar with the figure wearing a monk's robe, who had a broad back and a burly waist.

"Amitabha..." Lu Wenhu met his gaze and calmly uttered a Buddhist chant.

Today, he has finally let go of the Lu family of Fanyang that he had been so eager to bring back, and has also fully accepted his new identity.

A Buddhist monk of the Tang Dynasty, known as the Tiger-Taming Saint Monk, and concurrently the Deputy Commander of the Arab Garrison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Beside him stood another holy monk of the Tang Dynasty, Xuanzang, who also served as the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard stationed in Arabia.

The three families that once existed—the Cui family of Qinghe, the Li family of Zhao County, and the Lu family of Fanyang—are now reduced to just the three of them. However, no nobles or aristocratic families have come to the execution ground today.

The autumn wind was bleak, and with a command from the executioner Zheng Wuyang, the execution was carried out.

Three perfectly healthy heads were instantly severed and rolled on the ground.

Blood spurted from the severed neck, and the three heads died with their eyes wide open, but that resentment could only be gently closed by the chanting of Buddhist scriptures by Xuanzang and Fuhu.

It was the end of September in the eighth year of the Zhenguan era.

The last member of the three prominent families of Qinghe Cui, Zhaojun Li, and Fanyang Lu, who had continued their lineage since the Eastern Han Dynasty and even the Qin and Han Dynasties, was beheaded outside Chang'an.

A once-great family clan, with a history spanning five hundred years, was wiped out.