My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 289 The prince and I are brothers
Li Zhi happily returned to Chang'an with cartloads of cotton.

After arriving in Chang'an, the person who came to greet him was Li Zhi's confidant Li Yifu.

"Prince Jin, why didn't the Crown Prince hand over the textile factory and why are you so happy?"

Li Yifu was a little confused.

Li Zhi treated the cartloads of cotton seeds like treasures.

In his opinion, the most important thing for Prince Jin to do this time was the textile factory.

Li Zhi shook his head slightly.

As an official and confidant of the Prince of Jin's Mansion, Li Zhi once relied on him very much. Whenever he was undecided, he would ask Li Yifu for his opinion.

But ever since he had contact with Wu Meiniang, Li Zhi felt that Li Yifu was far inferior to Wu Meiniang.

Especially this time, Li Yifu couldn't understand the key points at all.

The emotional relationship was still there, so Li Zhi explained: "What's important is not the textile factory, but the prince's attitude."

"Even if the textile factory is really established and makes a fortune, do you think the money will come to me? It will naturally belong to my father."

"You don't understand the situation of textile factories. Even the prince's current textile factory cannot really make a lot of money. The biggest limitation is cotton."

"A good cook cannot cook without rice. Without cotton, what can a textile factory do?"

"By the way, I can bring cotton seeds this time. When the cotton grows all over the country, won't the prince give me the loom?"

"I have personally visited the textile factory. Although the prince attaches great importance to it, he does not guard it as strictly as Thunderbolt. So in the future, the prince will definitely open a large number of textile factories."

"Besides, if I can bring cotton seeds back to Chang'an this time, it will make my father feel that I have a good relationship with the crown prince, which is the most important thing."

Li Zhi spoke clearly and logically, leaving Li Yifu stunned.

He looked at King Jin with a look that felt a little strange.

Is this still the King of Jin he knows?

Feeling Li Yifu's gaze, Li Zhi felt very comfortable.

Soon, the news reached the palace.

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin immediately summoned Prince Jin to the palace to meet him.
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Chang'an Palace.

Ouchi, the Imperial Study.

Led by his guards, Jin Wang Li Zhi walked into the study room with steady steps. When he saw Li Shimin, he hurriedly saluted respectfully: "I, your humble servant, pay my respects to the emperor. I wish the emperor good health and a long life."

Li Shimin nodded slightly and looked at Li Zhi gently: "Zhi Nu, get up."

"I heard that you brought back a lot of cotton seeds from the Crown Prince. I am very pleased."

This relief was not about the cotton seeds, but in Li Shimin's view, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Jin had a harmonious relationship, which was what made him most relieved.

The emotions in this are very complicated.

Even if it meant pushing the Prince of Wei to compete with the Crown Prince, Li Shimin, on the other hand, liked to have brotherly feelings among his sons.

Of course, Li Shimin also knew that it was basically impossible for the King of Wei and the Crown Prince to be together.

But King Jin can.

This time, the Prince of Jin brought back cotton seeds from the Crown Prince. Doesn't it mean that in the Crown Prince's heart, the Prince of Jin is still his younger brother.

Li Zhi stood up with a humble smile on his face: "Thank you for your praise, father. I am just following your orders and doing my best."

After Wu Zhao's private teaching, Li Zhi had a clear understanding of his own position and situation.

Even though the current crown prince is feared by his father, he is also the pride of his father.

No matter what, the crown prince is the eldest brother and the eldest son of the emperor.

In terms of etiquette and emotion, they occupy an important position in my father's heart.

Even the money that my father has in the palace treasury now can be said to have basically come from the crown prince.

If you choose to stand against the prince, you will also easily be disliked by your father.

Even the King of Wei would hardly say anything bad about the Crown Prince in front of his father.

"Why did the prince ask you to bring back cotton this time instead of bringing back the textile machine as well?" Li Shimin asked.

Li Zhi was slightly startled, but then he calmed down and said respectfully, "Father, my elder brother sent a young slave to bring back cotton seeds. This is a far-reaching plan."

"The biggest problem facing textile mills today is the shortage of cotton supply. Even if there are textile machines, without sufficient cotton, it is difficult to produce large quantities of cotton clothes and quilts."

It seemed that he was asking about the textile machine, but in fact, Li Shimin was asking about his relationship with the prince.

The Prince of Jin didn’t understand it before, but now Li Zhi is very familiar with it.

After a brief pause and sorting out his thoughts, he continued, "Brother, the purpose of this move is to solve the problem of raw materials first. After the cotton is widely planted in various places and the harvest is abundant, we will purchase textile machines and expand the scale of production. Only by doing this step by step can we ensure the long-term prosperity of the textile factory." Li Shimin nodded slightly, motioning Li Zhi to continue.

Li Zhi felt relieved after seeing this, so he continued, "Although the textile machine is an important thing, it is not the most urgent thing at the moment compared to the promotion of cotton seeds."

"Moreover, the transportation and placement of textile machines, as well as the deployment of craftsmen, all require a lot of manpower and material resources. Cotton seeds are light and easy to carry, making it easy to spread the method of planting in various places. My elder brother must have taken these reasons into consideration, so he gave priority to ordering the young slave to bring back the cotton seeds."

"As for why you didn't bring the looms back with you, I guess that you may be worried about moving the looms, which may cause unnecessary disturbances. The textile factory is just starting out and needs to develop steadily. If you rashly move the looms at this time, it may disrupt the existing production order."

"Besides, my eldest brother also hopes to train a group of craftsmen who are familiar with textile techniques in the local area, so that even if we build a textile factory in the future, we will have sufficient manpower to support it."

Li Shimin listened quietly with a deep gaze, making it difficult to fathom his thoughts.

After a long while, he slowly spoke: "Chinu, you have analyzed the prince's intentions quite thoroughly. However, I have a question. If the cotton production is abundant in the future and the textile factories are expanding, would the prince be willing to share the benefits with you?"

Li Zhi's heart tightened, knowing that this question was of great importance. Any wrong answer might displease Li Shimin.

This is not a question to himself, but a question to the prince about how to treat his father.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Father, my elder brother is kind and generous, and he values ​​friendship and loyalty. He has entrusted me with the task of promoting cotton planting, which shows that he trusts me and looks favorably upon me."

"I firmly believe that if the textile factory develops smoothly in the future, my elder brother will consider our brotherhood and handle it properly. Moreover, I am not a person who covets money and gain. I only wish to benefit the people of the Tang Dynasty and relieve my father's worries. If I can fulfill this wish, I will feel satisfied."

Li Zhi didn't dare to respond to his father's words and changed the topic.

Li Shimin narrowed his eyes slightly, stared at Li Zhi for a moment, then nodded slightly and said, "Chinu, I hope what you said is true and you should put the overall situation first. You can leave now. If there is anything about the textile factory and cotton planting in the future, please report it to me in time."

Li Zhi hurriedly saluted and said, "As you wish, father. I'll take my leave and pray for your health." After saying that, he turned around and left the imperial study, his back already covered in sweat.

As per usual.

Li Zhi naturally did not leave the palace directly, but went to a courtyard.

Every time Li Zhi entered the palace, Wu Zetian would get the news.

So she asked the maid Haruyuki to arrange a place for her.

Just like this time.

"Mei Niang, I haven't seen you for a long time. I miss you so much."

When he saw Wu Meiniang, Li Zhi felt a lot more relaxed and happy.

Wu Zhao moved lightly with lotus steps, smiled softly, and her beautiful eyes were full of tenderness: "I am also worried about Prince Jin day and night. Look at Prince Jin's expression today. Although he is tired, he also reveals a bit of calmness. He must have handled the situation well in front of Your Majesty."

Wu Zhao was a smart person and knew that what Li Zhi needed most at this time was recognition.

As expected, Li Zhi felt very satisfied. He took Mei Niang's hand and sat down on the stone pavilion together. He said slowly, "Mei Niang, today in front of the emperor, it really feels like you are on the edge of an abyss and walking on thin ice."

"What the emperor asked may seem ordinary, but it actually contains hidden meanings. If you are not careful, you may make the emperor unhappy."

After Li Zhi finished speaking, she gently patted Li Zhi's hand and said softly, "Don't worry, Prince Jin. From what I know about him, he is very smart and with my help, he will surely turn danger into safety. Would you like to tell me in detail what His Majesty asked?"

Li Zhi then told Wu Zetian in detail how Li Shimin had asked the prince why he asked him to bring back cotton seeds instead of a textile machine, and whether the prince would share the benefits with him in the future expansion of the textile factory.

There was also the incident where he arrived in Luoyang, but was not summoned by the Crown Prince and stayed there for a long time before being given cotton seeds.

Wu Zhao nodded slightly, a trace of thought flashed in her beautiful eyes. After a moment, she said, "Prince Jin, His Majesty's move is intended to test your relationship with the Crown Prince and your attitude towards money. The answer given by the Prince of Jin today not only protects the Crown Prince's face, but also shows his loyalty. It can be said to be just right."

Li Zhi frowned slightly and said worriedly: "That being said, I always feel that my father still has doubts about me. The court is full of twists and turns, and the relationship between the crown prince and my father is also quite delicate. I really don't know what to do."

Wu Zhao gently leaned on Li Zhi's shoulder and said softly, "Prince Jin, you don't need to worry too much. Although His Majesty has doubts, he also sees your ability and loyalty. And remember, in this palace, only by taking every step carefully can you be invincible."

These words were spoken to Li Zhi, but also seemed to be spoken to myself.

How could Wu Zhao not be cautious in every step now?

Li Zhi thought of Li Yifu's previous experience and said with emotion: "Mei Niang, if you were not by my side and gave me advice, I really don't know how to deal with this complicated palace situation."

Now he feels more and more the importance of Wu Meiniang.

Wu Zhao smiled lightly, her eyes showing confidence: "Prince Jin, since I have a mutual understanding with you, I will naturally share the joys and sorrows with you and help you solve your problems. In the future, if there is any news, I will try to inform you as soon as possible."

At this point, Wu Zhao paused for a moment and lowered her voice to say, "Prince Jin, I usually interact with some of the palace's eunuchs and maids, and I have managed to have them keep an eye on the palace for me. Once there is any news about the Crown Prince or His Majesty, they will quietly inform Chunxue, and Chunxue will pass it on to me."

"In this way, we can know some situations in advance and make preparations early."

At this point, Wu Zhao showed a bit of embarrassment: "It's just that, in order to make them work wholeheartedly, I really spent a lot of money, and now I am short of money."

The Wu family was actually wealthy. Wu Zhao's father was a wealthy businessman and had the merit of following the emperor.

But when Wu Zhao entered the palace, she actually got very little of the family property.

As a talented person, he was only of the fifth rank.

The salary received was not much.

There is no other way to make money, and now we are almost bankrupt.

Li Zhi's eyes flashed with a trace of heartache, and he held Wu Zhao's hand tightly and said: "Mei Niang, you have been so worried and hard for me, but I never thought that you would have such difficulties. I was negligent. Don't worry, I will try to send you money after I go back, so you don't have to worry about it. But this matter is not small, you must be careful and don't let others know."

As the King of Jin, Li Zhi was naturally rich, and any of his rewards were astronomical in price.

Besides, Li Zhi himself didn't need to spend any money. Food, clothing, housing and transportation were all provided for free and with high quality.

Wu Zhao nodded gently and said softly: "Don't worry, Prince Jin, I have always been cautious and will not let others find any flaws. Moreover, I have also told them that if there is any news to be passed on, they must choose a secret time and place and not leave any handles."

Li Zhi nodded slightly, his gratitude and love for Wu Zetian even stronger. The two of them discussed in low voices for a long time, from how to further improve the relationship with the crown prince to how to win over some neutral ministers in the court, planning everything in detail.

Before I knew it, the incense in the incense burner had already burned out.

Even beyond the time.

But this time, Wu Zhao did not intend to leave.

After all, the two have been separated for a long time.

However, Li Zhi knew that he could not stay with Wu Zhao for long, so as not to arouse suspicion from others.

He gently held Wu Zhao's hand and said reluctantly: "Mei Niang, talking with you today makes me feel much happier and more confident. You should also be more careful. I will find a chance to see you again. I will make arrangements for the money as soon as possible."

Wu Zhao nodded slightly, her eyes full of reluctance: "Don't worry, Prince Jin, I will take care of myself. After Prince Jin returns, you must also act cautiously and not reveal any flaws. I will wait for news from Prince Jin."

Li Zhi stood up, looked at Wu Zhao deeply, then turned and left.

at the same time.

the other side.

With the first batch of cotton-padded clothes being produced, it also caused a huge stir in Luoyang city.

In Luoyang City, in front of a spacious and bright shop, there were crowds of people and it was very lively. This shop was the first sales point opened by the textile factory under the name of the prince, and today was the day for selling cotton clothes.

The reason why cotton-padded jackets have caused such a big stir here is first of all because of their excellent warmth-keeping properties.

The Tang Dynasty was a vast country with bitterly cold winters, especially in the northern region. Ordinary clothes could not withstand the severe cold. The cotton filled in the cotton-padded clothes could effectively block the invasion of cold air and bring warmth to people.

For those people who work outdoors all day, a cotton coat is undoubtedly the most desired clothing in the cold winter, which can prevent them from suffering from the cold while working.

However, due to problems with cotton production, cotton clothes are in short supply, causing prices to remain high.

This is not what Li Chengqian wants to see.

But this is the law of the market, and even he doesn't have any good solution for the time being.

Only by speeding up cotton planting and increasing yields can we enable the lower-class people to wear cotton clothes to keep out the cold.

As for now, the price of cotton-padded clothes is almost the same as luxury goods.

Not to mention the aura of the prince.

(End of this chapter)