On the way back to his home from Guan Shanfang, Li Zhen was considering the influence of Princess Taiping on the inner guards all the way. Yesterday, Shangguan Wan'er was still hinting at him to try his best to control all the inner guards. So would Princess Taiping also tell Wan Guojun and ask him to find a way to drive him away?

This is unquestionable. In history, Princess Taiping and Shangguan Wan'er were born rivals. Princess Taiping would never be satisfied with sharing power with Shangguan Wan'er, nor would Shangguan Wan'er. Fighting for inner guard will be a secret battle between these two women, and the struggle between herself and Wan Guojun has just begun.

Li Zhen thought of Cui Shaoying again. If he was Wu Sansi's person, Shangguan Wan'er would hint that he would give some of the power to Cui Shaoying, but Shangguan Wan'er did not mention it. Is this also indirectly proving that the alliance between Shangguan Wan'er and Wu Sansi is not solid?

Li Zhen felt that there were many conflicts that needed to be straightened out one by one, and there were threats and plots from all directions that needed him to be prepared for. But this is the officialdom. There was never any calmness in the officialdom, only one storm after another or one surging vortex under the calm water.

At this time, a group of children ran past him happily and woke Li Zhen up from his thoughts. He looked at him and he had arrived at the door of his house without realizing it. Today is New Year's Eve, and Zhao Qiuniang invited her to the martial arts hall for dinner in the evening!

When Li Zhen walked into the yard, he heard the eldest sister saying something to Aunt Meng. He couldn't help but stop.

"I just gave you a hundred stale money the day before yesterday, why did you come to ask for money again? Mother-in-law, that Linzhi Temple is a bottomless pit, don't donate it anymore."

"A Quan, Linzhi Temple is going to hold a water and land ceremony to raise donations today. They gave me VIP posts, and only sent ten VIP posts in total. Why do I have the nerve to go empty-handed? I don't want to give me more, just give me fifty taels and give me this old face!"

"Then I'll tell you that you don't ask for money next month."

"Just this time, I won't ask you if you want it anymore. I ask the Buddha slave to go."

"Whatever you do! Anyway, this is the last time I'll give you money today."

Li Zhen shook his head, walked quickly towards the horse's house with his horse. When he came back from the horse's house, he happened to meet Li Quan. Li Zhen asked with a smile: "Aunt Meng will not celebrate New Year's Eve at home tonight?"

Li Quan hugged Xiu'er and patted her back lightly, while saying hatefully: "She has been going to attend the water and land Dharma meeting, it's best not to come back."

After pausing for a while, Li Quan said with a gloomy face: "Your brother-in-law came back to change clothes just now. He went to Wu Sansi's New Year's Eve feast tonight. He will come back very late. Only the two of us will celebrate New Year's Eve."

"That's right. Sister will go to Sister Qiuniang's martial arts hall with me. Didn't she invite you too?"

"Let's talk about it later! I'm going to send money to the guys, and then we will worship our ancestors together, and go to Qiuniang's place if we have time."

"Sister!"

Li Zhen glanced at Uncle Lin’s back and whispered: “Don’t you express your feelings at home, the servant lady at home?”

"But they have just arrived for only two days." Li Quan said reluctantly.

"Sister, this is the New Year. You are the master, so you have to express it!"

"Okay! Since you said that, give them three stale money each."

Li Quan coaxed the child for a while and then hurried to the shop. Li Zhen returned to his room. He opened a large iron box in the corner, which was full of copper coins. There were 3,000 guan of money in it. It was the money obtained from selling Ye Mingzhu during the Wei Tuaner case. Di Yan refused to ask for it, so he gave it to him.

In fact, Li Zhen didn't know how much money he had. He got two large bags of gold and jewelry in Songnanguan. It was estimated that it was worth at least 10,000 yuan, and there were more than 1,000 gold coins he had before. He was actually rich.

Li Zhen took out ten guan coins from the iron box, and the copper coins were stringed with ropes. One string was Yiguan coins, one thousand guan coins, and ten guan coins were ten thousand coins. In the Wutang era, when rice was ten coins, this was a large sum of money, and one hundred stones of rice could be bought.

Li Zhen put the money into the cloth bag and came to the inner hall. Xiu'er was sleeping soundly in the cradle. Aunt Lin sat next to the cradle and sewed the small flower jacket with all her concentration. It was almost sewn.

Uncle Lin and Aunt Lin are not the servants bought by Li Quan. Uncle Lin is the housekeeper hired, while Aunt Lin just came to help with the children. Both old people are kind and dedicated. Although Aunt Lin came to help with kindness, Li Zhen was very grateful to her for taking care of the children with all his heart. He told his eldest sister that Aunt Lin would take care of Xiu'er and would not need the Wang family's wet nurse.

In any case, he would like to express his gratitude to Aunt Lin.

"Young Master is here!"

Aunt Lin quickly laid a cushion next to the cradle. Li Zhen sat down and looked at the child who was sleeping soundly. His face was flushed.

"Mrs. fed her some porridge and she fell asleep."

Li Zhen nodded and asked again with a smile: "How do Aunt Lin usually celebrate New Year's Eve?"

"I'm fine. Lao Lin is going to the family to attend the ancestor worship at night. I never go there, either do needlework. Although it's New Year's Eve, it's no different from usual." Aunt Lin thought of her son who died in the war, and she couldn't help but feel sad.

"I'm so sorry, I'll have to bother Aunt Lin on New Year's Eve."

Li Zhen pushed the bag to her and smiled and said, "It's the New Year, this is my little wish. Please accept it!"

Aunt Lin was startled and waved her hand quickly, "Mrs. My monthly salary for Lao Lin is no longer low. We are grateful and we can't collect money from the young master."

"This is what I give to Aunt Lin. It has nothing to do with my eldest sister. Please accept it! Otherwise, I will feel sorry for it."

Aunt Lin refused to accept it, but Li Zhen insisted that she accept it, otherwise she would not let her take care of the children. After a long dispute, Aunt Lin had no choice but to accept it. She was very moved and said, "Madam and the young master are both good people. It is also my blessing to meet you. Thank you, Mr.."

"Aunt Lin, you have nothing to do, I'm leaving first."

"Young master, go and do your business! I will take good care of the child."

Li Zhen smiled and patted Xiu'er's little face, then got up and went back to his room.

......

It was dark early in winter, and today is New Year's Eve again. Pedestrians are no longer visible in the streets and alleys of Luoyang. At this time, every household becomes lively and sends New Year's money to children. Men start burning incense to worship their ancestors, while women are busy organizing New Year's Eve feast.

Li Quan sent money to the guys, and the guys went home happily. Li Quan also returned home and sacrificed her father and grandfather with her brothers. But she was the daughter-in-law of the Cao family after all. Although her husband was not at home, Li Quan still burned incense to Cao Wen's father and grandfather's spiritual throne and presented a high bowl of fish.

"Sister, are you okay? Sister Qiuniang has sent a car to pick us up."

"Here! Here! You're urging people to death."

Li Quan walked out of the room quickly and changed into a bright red pomegranate long skirt, wearing a smoky gray embroidered lace coat, a thick green brocade robe on her shoulders, her hair was combed into cloudy temples, an emerald gold hairpin was inserted, and a thin layer of powder was applied to her face.

She complained, "I just changed my clothes, are you impatient to wait? I can't go to Qiuniang's place with the smell of alcohol!"

Li Zhen turned his head angrily, where was she changing clothes? She had been waiting for her for half an hour.

"What, isn't my outfit good?"

Li Quan was a little worried, and she said hesitantly: "Why don't I go and change that yellow jacket to be more festive."

"No, that's great!"

Li Zhen quickly pulled the eldest sister and pushed her out the door, muttering inappropriately: "Anyway, your husband is not here, why are you dressing so beautifully?"

"What do you mean by your boy? What does it mean? Are you happy to go in a beggar's uniform?"

Li Quan pulled his hand back angrily and knocked heavily on his head. Then he went to the ox cart sent to pick them up. The ox cart slowly walked towards the Nanyuan Martial Arts Hall at the entrance of the yard.

Zhao Qiuniang's martial arts hall is very lively every year on New Year's Eve. Her husband adopted more than 20 orphans, as well as many apprentices, and dozens of people gathered together, making the martial arts hall very lively.

The lobby where you usually practice martial arts is brightly lit, and there are long rows of tables in the middle. There are sumptuous banquets on both sides. Zhao Qiuniang's apprentices are crowded with them. Most of them are sixteen or seventeen years old, and everyone is laughing and laughing. More than a dozen female apprentices are dressed in particular, with graceful long skirts and beautiful hair.

Today is slightly different from usual, with a few more guests, Li Zhen, eldest sister Li Quan, Jiu Zhi and Zhang Li. They had nowhere to go and were also called by Zhao Qiuniang.

Zhao Qiuniang had a blouse with Li Quan tonight, and also wore a lace-shaped, smoky-gray robe and pomegranate skirt. Their clothes and dresses were exactly the same, which made everyone laugh.

Li Zhen sat in the first seat at the left head, next to him was Jiuzhi and Zhang Li, which was also the characteristic of the Tang Dynasty group meal system, with men and women sitting on one side.

"Old fat, where is Xiaoxi? Why didn't he come?" Li Zhen looked around for a long time, but didn't see Xiaoxi, and asked strangely.

"He was called by his master. He said he wanted to celebrate New Year's Eve with his master's family. I heard that his master's daughter is very good and is waiting to marry into the boudoir, hehe! You know what I mean."

Li Zhen was so angry that he slammed his scalp, "His master's daughter is only nine years old. What are you thinking about all day long?"

At this time, Zhao Qiuniang's apprentices lined up in a long queue, kowtowing to the master one by one, Zhao Qiuniang gave them New Year's money, and a female apprentice also came forward and kowtowed to Li Quan. Li Quan was immediately shocked and she remembered that she was coming empty-handed.

She whispered to the brother sitting opposite her anxiously: "Azhen, I forgot to bring my purse!"

Li Quan and Zhao Qiuniang are good friends, and she is the elder of many disciples. Her warehouse is in the martial arts hall and comes to the martial arts hall almost every day. She is very familiar with Zhao Qiuniang's disciples. According to custom, if any disciple kowtows to her, she will also give New Year's money to her.

Li Zhenzao thought of it for her and smiled and threw a red purse to her, which contained more than a hundred Sogdian gold coins.

Li Quan felt relieved and then smiled and stuffed two gold coins to the female disciple, "I can't let you kowtow to me for free!"

"Thank you, Ah Gu!" The female disciple got two gold coins and went happily. The disciples were very happy and rushed to kowtow to get money for Li Quan. Even Jiu Zhi was moved. He couldn't help but stand up, but Li Zhen pulled him down, "Fatty, don't embarrass me!"

"Old Li, I'm tight now, why don't you give me some salary first!" Jiu Zhi smiled with a saliva.

"You kid spends money all day, and you don't go to brothels a few times. Once you learn from Zhang Li, they never go to brothels."

"The conscience of heaven and earth! I haven't been going much now. I just drank with the guards all day long. The expenses are too high. I have no money in my hands. Now others treat me."

Li Zhen thought about it and said that this fat man made countless friends, so how could he not spend money? He smiled and said, "I'll give you some money and follow me, and I can't treat you badly."

Jiu Zhi was itchy and lowered his voice and said to Li Zhen: "I heard from the guards that when the inner guard is very rich, many people earn thousands of trump cards a year. This is still an income other than their salary. I will make some money in the future."

"What do you want so much money to do?" Li Zhen frowned. How could he be so blatant to his leader?

"You have to get married and raise a wife! Why don't you have to pay?"

At this time, Jiuzhi suddenly found a beautiful little girl secretly watching him. He was so happy that he was overjoyed. He quickly sat upright, coughed heavily, and raised his voice, at least to ensure that the little girl could hear it.

"Old Li, where did we just talk about? I will do the task assigned by the Lord. You don't have to worry about it anymore. There is also! Remember to hand over that report to me tomorrow, and you won't be delayed any more!"

Li Zhen was puzzled by the sound of hearing this, and Zhang Li next to him burst out with laughter.
Chapter completed!