The emperor's tone was very gentle, and it was impossible to tell whether he was angry or not; it was just a normal speaking voice.

Zhao Chen hesitated for a moment before saying, "Your son was wrong."

“No, you believe in your heart that you are right.” Zhao Huan put down his pen and took a sip of tea.

Zhao Chen remained silent for a while before saying, "Father, I built the largest mink and cashmere bureau in Liaodong within a few months."

"So you think that power should be decentralized to private businessmen, right?"

"Yes! Because of them..."

"Because they can get things done faster and there's no corruption. The free market is self-regulating. Private businessmen want double the return on their investment, so they respect the market more and won't waste costs. That's what a healthy business is. Is that what you're trying to say?"

Zhao Chen was slightly taken aback and said, "Father, you know all this, so why don't you let the court extend its power to the people? Do you know that merchants in the Song Dynasty still have a hard time doing business? They have to beg officials, they have to give gifts, they have to flatter and fawn over them. Many of them are talented, full of ideals for the future, and want to do their best to change the Song Dynasty and bring benefits to the people!"

At this point, Zhao Chen seemed a little excited; he had never been so excited in front of Zhao Huan before.

In the past, he was always timid and hesitant, but now he's raising his voice, and he himself doesn't even realize it.

"Father, you yourself said that commerce is what creates a good life and allows people to live and work in peace. Why should we suppress commerce?"

Have you met Li Wenzheng?

"I don't know who this person is that Father is talking about?"

"What Lu Wanqing told you?"

“Father, no one told me that I read your ‘The Wealth of Nations’ and that I believe commerce should be handed over to the people, allowing merchants to fully develop their businesses, and that the invisible hand will regulate things on its own.”

"So you handed it over to them, and what did they do? The price of rice in Youzhou rose to 6 guan per shi. The owners of four rice shops in Youzhou stockpiled more than fifty granaries in Jizhou, which were filled with grain. If released, they could feed the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun for three months! Tell me, why are people starving to death on the roadside in Youzhou!"

Zhao Chen said, "The people can't afford grain because they are already very poor. As long as they work hard, they won't starve to death. This world can't be fair in everything; you have to rely on yourself! Father, you're either sitting in the palace or fighting wars outside. You don't understand your people at all. You're overcomplicating things!"

Zhao Huan slapped him across the face, his eyes wide with anger, and said, "You mean those people who starved to death were lazy on their own?"

"That's right, they're just lazy. If they were a little more diligent, they wouldn't starve!"

Zhao Huan angrily said, "You still don't know how to repent even after things have come to this! You want this position? Do you even think you can do it! What do you think this position is? Supreme power? This position is responsibility!"

Zhao Huan smashed the quilt to pieces, paced back and forth a few times, and shouted loudly, "I will be in charge of feeding more than 100 million people!"