Tibet.

Chapter 1309: High Lift and Light Fall
In the evening, Li Ye returned home.

Now it is very close to return to the palace after court. In the past, one had to walk along the city wall to return to Xingqing Palace, but now one can go out from the back door of Zichen Hall and reach the gate of Penglai Hall.

Currently, the Si Zheng Yuan to the west of the Xuan Zheng Hall is being renovated and will be completed before the end of the year. After Li Ye ascends the throne, the imperial study will be located in the Si Zheng Yuan, and the Zi Chen Hall will be used as a place to handle government affairs after court dismissal and to temporarily receive ministers, which is also his outer study.

The Purple Palace is too close to the harem, making it inconvenient for ministers to come and go.

Li Ye's inner study was located in the Penglai Palace, as a sign of respect for the queen. He would stay in the inner study most of the time at night.

Li Ye returned to the inner study and sat down, and his wife Dugu Xinyue brought him a cup of hot tea.

Li Ye drank a sip of tea and said to his wife, "I have been thinking about sending all the old concubines in Taiji Palace back to their parents' homes. It doesn't matter if they go back to their parents' homes to retire or remarry. It's up to you!"

Li Ye had a reason for saying this. There was a 70-year-old Concubine Lu who lost all her money playing mahjong. She cried and threatened to hang herself all day long. The inner palace steward Zhao Baozhong reported this to Li Ye. Li Ye had no choice but to let Zhao Baozhong give her a thousand strings of cash to appease her, and ordered Lu from Fanyang to take her back to her parents' home.

Through this incident, Li Ye discovered that these old concubines were actually willing to return to their natal families, but their natal families were unwilling to accept them. Now he imposed a mandatory order that each concubine's natal family must accept them, thus solving this long-standing problem.

The old concubine who is truly homeless can of course continue to stay in Taiji Palace to retire.

In this way, the 500 palace maids who served them could all be released from the palace, and the Tang Dynasty would have 500 more civilians.

Dugu Xinyue smiled and nodded, "I also want to persuade my husband. In fact, they don't want to live there either. It's cold in winter and damp in summer. The house is old and broken, full of bugs. A bunch of women gather together all day long to scheme against each other and gossip about other people. It would be more comfortable to go back to their parents' home. Anyway, they will be given the monthly support they deserve."

"It's settled. They will be repatriated before the beginning of next spring."

"What about Queen Mother Zhang?"

Dugu Xinyue asked, "My husband, have you decided to keep her in the palace?"

Li Ye pondered for a moment and said, "When the emperor abdicates, she will abdicate as well. I plan to confer her the title of Lady of Luo State, and the emperor will confer her the title of Prince of Jiyin. The child has typical autism, and will be like this for the rest of her life, but can only live to the age of 40 at most. The Zongzheng Temple will be responsible for taking care of her. As for Empress Dowager Zhang, it depends on her own wishes! If she wants to stay in the palace, that's fine too."

Some things cannot be said openly, as it is easy to fall out if said openly. Dugu Xinyue knew it well. Her husband was more or less attracted to Empress Dowager Zhang's beauty. If she kept Empress Dowager Zhang outside the palace, her husband would still go looking for her. If the news got out, it would be bad for her reputation. It would be better for her to learn from Emperor Taizong and keep Empress Xiao of the Sui Dynasty in the palace. After all, she had no status and it would not be a big problem.

Dugu Xinyue was not worried that her husband would come looking for her. What she was worried about was the issue of status. As long as her husband promised her not to give Queen Mother Zhang a status, it would have nothing to do with her.

"She begged me today, hoping to continue living in the palace, and I agreed."

Li Ye nodded, "You arrange it! I won't ask any more questions."

After a pause, Li Ye continued, "Marrying her would lead to criticism from the court, and it would not be a good record in history. I won't consider it!"

Dugu Xinyue laughed. Her husband was not confused and knew that taking the Queen Mother as a concubine would not look good in historical records.

She continued, "I talked to Zhenzhu today. She cried and explained to me again and again that it was a misunderstanding that day. She was thinking about her deceased son, not the former crown prince. No woman would say such a foolish thing, especially when she is facing the emperor who is about to ascend the throne. Husband, calm down! Give her a chance."

The reason why Li Ye got involved with Shen Zhenzhu was because he watched a TV show called "Legend of the Pearl" in his previous life and had never forgotten her, so when he had the opportunity to get this legendary woman, he acted decisively and fulfilled his long-cherished wish. But after actually getting her, he felt that she was just so-so and far inferior to Yang Yuhuan, so he found an excuse to distance himself from her.

With his emotional intelligence, he certainly knew that Shen Zhenzhu just said the wrong thing accidentally and did not really mean it. Now that his wife was pleading with Shen Zhenzhu, he thought of how Shen Zhenzhu had accompanied him in the big ship and had given birth to a son for him, and he felt a little reluctant.

After all, Li Ye is just a time traveler and a history cheater. He is not as cold-blooded and ruthless as the real emperors in history. He is still more loyal and righteous.

"Okay! I'll go up and see her tonight."

"Isn't my husband going to Yuhuan's place tonight?"

"It seems Qiu He is feeling a little unwell. She has to take care of the kids tonight, so I won't go."

"If you hadn't told me, I would have forgotten that Qiu He has a slight cough, but it's not a big deal. He just caught a cold at night. He will be fine after taking some medicine for two days."

At this point, Dugu Xinyue stood up and said with a smile: "Then I will go and inform Zhenzhu."

Dugu Xinyue walked away quickly. Li Ye drank a sip of tea, then took the draft of the coronation ceremony and read it carefully.

When Shen Zhenzhu got the news that her husband would come in the evening, she burst into tears of joy. She quickly put on plastic surgery and makeup, and dressed up carefully. She also thought of playing the family card and bringing her son along.

Among all Li Ye's sons, the one born to Shen Zhenzhu looked the most like him. He was named Li Hua and was granted the title of Prince of Yingchuan.

At noon, the greenhouse hall was decorated with lights and a light carriage drove through the gate under the protection of dozens of female guards and stopped in front of the lobby. Li Ye got out of the carriage, and Shen Zhenzhu hurriedly stepped forward to salute, "I, Zhenzhu, respectfully welcome my husband!"

Li Ye saw that she was beautiful and dressed a little seductively, which was obviously to his liking, and he was a little moved.

Then he smiled and said, "It's cold outside, let's go to the hall and talk!"

He held Shen Zhenzhu's hand and walked towards the hall. Shen Zhenzhu's heart was pounding. Has her husband forgiven her?

When they walked into the hall, the wet nurse brought the child up. Li Ye was overjoyed and quickly hugged his son and kissed his little face. This son's eyes and eyebrows really looked like his own, which made Li Ye so happy that he couldn't stop smiling.

He then said to Shen Zhenzhu: "Next year, I will make Hua'er the King of Qi."

Shen Zhenzhu was overjoyed and bowed, "Thank you, husband!"

Li Ye gestured to hand the child over to the wet nurse, and asked everyone to leave. He sat down and said to Shen Zhenzhu, "Now let's talk about our business."

Shen Zhenzhu's face changed and she knelt down in fear.

Li Ye said slowly: "It is human nature for you to pay tribute to your ex-husband. I will not pursue it, but this can only happen once. I will regard it as a complete farewell. I hope there will not be a next time."

Shen Zhenzhu lowered her head, "Zhenzhu obeys your command!"

Li Ye added: "You don't have to worry about no one offering sacrifices to them. The Zongzheng Temple will hold memorial services for deceased members of the imperial clan on time and ask high monks to pray for their souls. This is the duty of the Zongzheng Temple, and I will not treat them unfairly."

"Thank you, husband, for the arrangement!"

Li Ye shook his head and said, "But you are burning paper in the main hall, which is against the family rules. The princess should have told you that burning paper and incense is not allowed anywhere except in temples and ancestral halls. The main hall is full of curtains, which can easily cause a fire. You are not a child anymore, you should know the danger!"

Shen Zhenzhu nodded gently, "Zhenzhu was confused for a moment, but now I know I was wrong!"

"Not only do you know you're wrong, you also have to be punished!"

Shen Zhenzhu's delicate body trembled, tears were about to fall, and she said sadly: "Zhenzhu is willing to be punished!"

Li Ye lowered his head and whispered in her ear: "I'll punish you to dance for me, but you are not allowed to wear clothes!"

Shen Zhenzhu burst into laughter immediately and nodded shyly.

Li Ye smiled and said, "I'll go see Auntie, and come back to enjoy Pearl's graceful dance!"

Li Ye came to Aunt Mu's residence. She lived in a small courtyard at the easternmost end of the greenhouse hall. There were no flowers, birds, fish or insects in the yard, only a few vegetable plots and a flock of chickens. However, it was winter now and the vegetable plots had not been planted yet, so the chickens were all in the chicken coop.

There were two maids who were responsible for taking care of her. Aunt Mu's daily life was to grow vegetables, raise chickens, chant sutras and worship Buddha. Mingde Temple in the east was only two hundred steps away from her residence. She was a lay Buddhist, and she would go to Mingde Temple every day to chant sutras with the nuns.

Aunt Mu didn't have much savings. She donated the 100 strings of cash that Li Ye gave her every month to the temple. But she had a treasure. The lapis lazuli rosary around her neck was the most precious treasure in Buddhism, made of the purest and densest lapis lazuli.

Her bracelet was also a colorful Buddhist treasure given to Li Ye by Guru Padmasambhava, and it was inlaid with the relics of seven eminent monks.

She would also go to Ci'en Temple every month to attend the Buddhist ceremonies held by high monks. Her rosary and bracelets outshone those of all the monks, and she was honored as the chief guest of honor.

Of course, it also has something to do with her identity. She was named Lady of Yongguo, and once Li Ye ascended the throne, she would also be honored as the Grand Empress Dowager.

However, these titles are not important. What is important is Aunt Mu's health. She is already sixty years old, but still very strong. Li Ye's biggest wish is that she can live to over seventy years old. Now Li Ye hopes that she can live beyond eighty years old.

The sound of Aunt Mu chanting scriptures could be heard from the room. This was unstoppable and no one could disturb her.

Li Ye listened for a moment, and since there was still at least half an hour left, he waved to the maid, indicating that she should not be disturbed. He took out a golden bean from his arms and put it into the small clay jar on the windowsill, indicating that he had been there.

Only then did he turn around and go to Shen Zhenzhu's bedroom.

The door to the bedroom was closed and all the maids left. Li Ye lay comfortably on the big bed, looking at Shen Zhenzhu with a smile.

Shen Zhenzhu smiled coquettishly and gently untied her skirt.

(End of this chapter)