In Chang'an at the end of February, everything recovered. As the most prosperous metropolis in the world, the streets and alleys are crowded with people as early as the moment the sun rises.

"Da, Da!" The sound of horses' hooves sounded in the street, causing everyone's side eyes. It is always a common practice not to ride horses and gallop in Chang'an, except for the only kind of people, that is, the messenger who is 800 miles faster. This kind of messenger is usually an urgent letter to deliver a major accident, or a battle report from the front!

A messenger with a superb riding skill and a dusty face appeared on the streets of Chang'an, and he maintained a certain speed and galloped away in the direction of the palace.

There was a vendor selling bread near the city gate named Xiao Wang, and when he saw the messenger, he smiled and said, "Yes, hehe, twenty yuan is in hand." He clapped his hands and shouted to the old woman beside him: "Mother, you watch first, the child will go out and come back soon." ”

He walked through the streets and alleys to the famous Longjing Tea House in Chang'an West City.

Although this Longjing Tea House was only opened in April and May, under Wu Meiniang's clever management methods, the small tea house has become one of the most prosperous places in Chang'an. It has become a gathering place for literati and artists, and there is an endless stream of people who come and go to taste tea, and there are all kinds of people. Not only those literati who drink tea and have fun, but also the senior officials of the DPRK and the Central Committee also do not care about it from time to time. Among them, there are many characters such as Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui, and even better, and Li Shimin, who has stolen half of his life, has also quietly come to sit twice.

A small shop has driven the entire atmosphere of tea drinking and tea tasting in Datang.

Xiao Wang called the shopkeeper Li on the counter in the store: "Shopkeeper Li, I have something to find your owner!" ”

When Shopkeeper Li saw that it was Xiao Wang, he directly brought him into the inner hall, and couldn't help muttering in his heart: "Second Miss, a fairy-like person, so many celebrities want to meet but can't, how can they be so familiar with this Xiao Wang who sells bread?" ”

The inner hall of Longjing Tea House is the inner hall of the master's house, and the decoration is not very gorgeous, but it is very elegant.

In the lobby, Wu Meiniang was chatting with her mother and the Yang family, gossiping about homely things.

The Yang family is now dressed gorgeously and brightly, and the down-and-out appearance outside the Tiger Prison Pass has long been gone, and the two daughters are so good at making money, and her words are naturally getting better and better.

"Zhao'er!" Yang called out, and before she could say anything, Wu Meiniang interrupted her and said, "Mother...... You're here again, how many times have I told you, my name is Mei Niang, my name is Wu Mei Niang, it's not Wu Zhao, you can't change it! ”

Yang shook his head and smiled bitterly: "Yes, yes, yes, it's Mei Niang, not Zhao'er...... This photo has been called for more than ten years, and where did it change for a while! Besides, is it called something different? ”

"Which one?" Wu Meiniang stomped her feet angrily and said, "Wu Meiniang is much better than Wu Zhao, I like it more!" ”

Yang's face was suspicious: "Zhao'er didn't take it yourself after you became literate, what do you hope you can shine on the earth like the sun." My mother still remembers that you also liked this name very much, and the Taoist priest also said that you are young and ambitious, and you will have an unprecedented achievement with this name! How can you say that you can change it now, and you are so repulsive? ”

Wu Meiniang's face floated two red clouds, and she twisted: "If you like it, you like it!" Mother, don't ask, anyway, my daughter just likes the name Wu Meiniang! What she cares about is not the word Wu Meiniang, what she really cares about is the person who gave her this name.

"That's it! Mother doesn't ask! Yang really couldn't guess his daughter's thoughts, "You, you are a belly of ghosts, my mother said earlier, girls, don't behave so well, what if you can't marry in the future?" What did your mother tell you, how did you think about it, the three sons of the Wang family are handsome, and everyone loves them......"

"It's just him, a sissy, I can't eat when I see it!" Wu Meiniang looked disdainful.

Yang asked: "What about the eldest son of the Li family next door, his family background is a little worse, but he is very talented?" ”

"Hey, it's still literary, that word is written like a dog." Wu Meiniang still didn't like it.

Yang smiled proudly: "The son of the Wang family studied under the great calligrapher Yu Shinan, and he finally wrote a good hand!" ”

"No, that's really a veritable son, the body that blows when the wind blows. If you really start to do it, I don't think he can even beat me. My future husband doesn't want to be the first in kung fu, at least he has the ability to protect me! Wu Meiniang still vetoed.

Yang had a bitter face: "This second son of the Zhao family, it should be done, right?" He has a good family, and it is said that he also served as an officer in the army called a captain......"

"Oh my God!" Wu Meiniang slapped her head heavily, and said helplessly: "Mother, you don't look at his appearance, like a bear." Marry him, I might as well die. ”

"Bah, baba, children's words, blow away with the wind!" The old man was the most taboo about this, glared at Wu Meiniang, and then felt a big headache: "This is not good, that is not good, Meiniang, you can talk about it...... What kind of standard is the Ruyi Langjun in your heart? ”

"He's ......" Wu Meiniang smiled sweetly: "It doesn't need to look good, but at least it has to be in my eyes; It doesn't need to be very high, but at least it has to make me admire; Martial arts don't need to be good, but they do have to be able to protect me. That is, he can go to the battlefield to make meritorious contributions, and he can also write good words and poems. When I'm angry, it's best to write touching poems to make me happy. Wen Neng Anbang, Wu Neng Dingguo, the most important thing is that I like it! ”

Yang was dumbfounded when he heard this, and said, "This requirement is not too high, is there such a person in the world?" ”

Wu Meiniang said: "This mother doesn't have to worry about it, her daughter's lifelong events, the daughter is in charge of herself, so she doesn't need her mother to worry about it." ”

"What are these words?" Yang's face was dissatisfied: "The marriage is a major event, the parents' order, and the matchmaker's words." Your father's death, your life's events, naturally, are for your mother! ”

"What kind of parents' orders, matchmakers' words, I don't follow them, I don't care! I hate this contempt for us women the most, and I have to do what I want, and the more the etiquette is forbidden, the more I want it. Her words were a bit aberious, but they were full of provocation to secular etiquette.

Yang also knew that Wu Meiniang had always been assertive, and when he persuaded her not to move, he didn't know how to speak.

Wu Meiniang stepped forward and took her arm and said, "Mother, other daughters can rely on you, but this daughter's lifelong event must be in her own hands." ”

At this time, the next person came to report, and Xiao Wang, who sold bread, asked to see him.

Wu Meiniang's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly asked people to invite him in.

Xiao Wang walked into the lobby, saw Wu Meiniang's fairy-like appearance, lowered his head, didn't dare to look at it again, just said: "Second girl, there is already a person you said, Pegasus passed in front of my stall!" ”

Wu Meiniang answered, asked the shopkeeper who came with her to wait for Xiao Wang to collect the money, and ordered to meet similar characters again and continue to report.

The Yang family is not named, so he complains that Wu Meiniang spends money indiscriminately.

Wu Meiniang smiled sweetly: "This money can bring me news of a person, it's worth it!" As he spoke, he asked people to wait at the gate of the palace and inquire about the news circulating in the palace.

Chang'an Imperial Palace, Taiji Palace.

Li Shimin discussed national affairs with the Manchu civil and military forces in the court, and spring ploughing was coming. In the past two years, the Tang Dynasty used two large-scale troops, which consumed a lot of grain and grass. Whether this spring ploughing is smooth or not directly means whether there will be a good harvest in the coming year. He attached great importance to this, and repeatedly told Si Nongqing to pay close attention to his livelihood, actively expand the fields, and gave many preferential treatments to encourage the people to produce.

Many good ministers also put forward some policies that benefit the country and the people, and Li Shimin felt that it was reasonable and acted on them one by one; even if there were objections, he did not rely on subjective judgment, but put them forward to discuss with the ministers, and gathered the wisdom of the people to solve the problem.

The whole court presented a peaceful atmosphere.

There are few problems that remain unsolved in front of their group of truly capable ministers.

Let them overcome all the existing problems one by one.

After dealing with government affairs, Li Shimin shifted the topic to the military and inquired about the deployment of everything.

"Your Majesty, this expedition to Gaochang is more severe than we imagined, and the amount of grain and grass consumed far exceeds our expectations! More than 100,000 troops are said to consume about 5,000 stone of grain, and about 150,000 stone in January. It takes four months from Chang'an to Gaochang, during which the grain consumes about 600,000 deniers. There were more than 20,000 grain convoys, and 30,000 grains were consumed in January and 120,000 in April. Not long after this party arrived in Gaochang, our army consumed 720,000 stone of grain and grass. Later, the grain transportation team continued to be dispatched, and more grain was consumed. According to estimates, if the expeditionary force does not win for half a year, our Datang will be greatly damaged. Wei Zheng stood up with a serious face, and a string of huge numbers came out of his mouth.

The sheer size of the numbers was staggering, and there was a buzz all over the country.

Li Shimin also gradually showed a look of surprise.

Wei Zheng raised this question at this moment, not to investigate anyone's fault, but to find a way to solve the problem.

The biggest drawback of the early Tang Dynasty was that the population was small and the economy and agriculture could not be improved.

This is the biggest problem that restricts the development of Datang.

At this moment, the news of the front-line battle report came from outside the hall!

Li Shimin stood up with emotion, and said eagerly: "Hurry up and send me the battle report!" ”

The chief chamberlain took the battle report in his hand, and Li Shimin asked him to read it out loud in public.

The chief of the chamberlain gently unfolded the letter and read aloud: "On the 10th of February, the vanguard general Du He led 7,000 troops to arrive in the Chiting Valley, and the 70,000 troops of the Western Turks came to attack ...... after hearing the news."

Li Shimin disliked him for reading too slowly, so he snatched the battle report first, and took it in his hand to read it carefully: "Du He retreated to the Black Cyanism Ridge to resist, and the Western Turks stationed in the dangerous Chiting Valley, intending to resist the army of the headquarters. Three days later, Du He drove his horse into battle, with five casualties, 70,000 enemies, Gao Chang was frightened, and Li Wentai was scared to death. Du He lured him to take advantage, and Gaochang surrendered the whole country. The Western Turks lost their profits and suffered from the might of our Tang Dynasty and the soldiers, and fled westward. Ashina Buzhen and the same Khan Futu City came to surrender! ”

Li Shimin was completely shocked by this battle report.

(To be continued)