The carriage drove quietly into the villa complex and stopped at the door of a villa in the middle. Apart from a few guards around, there were two people that Li Zhong brought with him.
Li Hong slowly got off the carriage and saw Li Zhong, accompanied by two servants, waiting for him at the door with a smile.
The palace lanterns beside the road illuminated the entrance of the villa very brightly. The two looked at each other and smiled knowingly at the same time.
"Hong'er, please come in." Li Zhong took a few steps forward and stretched out his hand to guide Li Hong in front of him.
"Please." Li Hong also said politely.
The two had not seen each other for many years. It had been almost seven years since Li Zhong was deposed and Li Hong was enthroned.
Li Zhong also changed from a young boy to a steady young man, and there was even a hint of vicissitudes and experience on his face that did not match his age.
Although he is not very tall, his broad shoulders and the training over the past few years have obviously made him more mature. He has lost a bit of royal nobility and has become more honest, reliable and simple.
In the living room, Li Hong naturally sat on the main seat. Although this was Li Zhong's temporary home now, since Li Hong was the host here, Li Zhong still had to show respect to the prince.
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"Are there only three of you here this time?" Li Hong pointed at the two people behind him. Those two servants had been with Li Zhong for quite some time.
"This will make it more convenient on the road and easier to travel. Besides, the road is quite peaceful, and their two guards are enough." Li Zhong moved the water cup that Xiaoxue handed over on the coffee table and placed it in front of Li Hong.
"That's true. Having fewer people accompanying us can avoid some unnecessary attention." Li Hong nodded.
The two men had not seen each other for many years and were still a little unfamiliar with each other. Moreover, Li Hong now felt somewhat guilty facing Li Zhong's honesty and broad-mindedness.
Although the two had been exchanging letters for several years, Liangzhou had also developed very well under Li Hong's care in recent years, and even the emperor would praise it from time to time.
However, Li Zhong had never mentioned his visit to Taiyi City to him in any letters, which was why Bai Chun only received the news after entering Chang'an's jurisdiction.
Li Hong's reaction after hearing the news was that he did not expect Li Zhong to come at this time, and he was still filled with shock in his heart.
But now Li Hong looked at Li Zhong's expression and saw that he was frank and calm. He didn't care at all about the possibility of his whereabouts being exposed.
Li Hong couldn't help but feel strange, so he asked, "Brother, when you return to Chang'an this time, have you made arrangements in Liangzhou?"
Li Zhong smiled naively, looking more calm: "I am grateful for your help over the years. Otherwise, I would not have achieved my current position in Liangzhou. The emperor often issues edicts to praise me, but I know that all this is due to your contribution."
"You should take a break." Li Hong interrupted him and said, "Let's talk business. Did you make arrangements for Liangzhou before coming here this time? You have a special status. Didn't you see that I arranged you in a very secluded place? If someone over there knows your whereabouts and your father knows about it, I'm afraid your father will not let you off easily."
"Don't worry, Hong'er. I came here with the permission of my father..." Li Zhong said calmly with confidence.
"What? Father knows you're here?" Li Hong felt his voice change. When did this guy become so bold? Is this still the Li Zhong who would avoid him even if he made eye contact?
"Yes, after knowing that your Chamber of Commerce was going to be held, I submitted a memorial to my father, hoping that he would allow me to attend the meeting, and he agreed." There was a slightly mischievous smile on Li Zhong's honest face.
Li Hong stared at him closely, as if he wanted to see a flower blooming from his face. After staring for a long time, he shook his head and said, "I don't believe it, it's definitely not as simple as you said. There must be something behind it, otherwise why would the emperor agree so readily. And if it's according to what you said, the emperor would tell me when I come to Taiyi City."
“You are still so smart. Nothing can be hidden from you. You were only a few years old back then, but you could make the emperor father and the queen mother happy and have Li Xiao, the third and fourth brothers all under your control. I was really afraid of you at that time. Your eyes looked like hooks and made people feel scared from the bottom of their hearts.” Li Zhong looked at Li Hong, who was staring at him with a half-smile, and said with a relaxed look.
"Tell me, what did you promise to the emperor that made him so generous as to release you from Liangzhou?" Li Hong leaned back on the sofa, found a comfortable position and asked.
"I have resigned from the post of governor of Liangzhou to my father." Li Zhong looked at Li Hong and said lightly, as if he was talking about a trivial matter.
"You're resigning? Isn't it your father who's depriving you of your position?" Li Hong wasn't too surprised.
On the contrary, he felt a little relaxed. If the post of governor of Liangzhou was really removed, Li Zhong would be like letting his father put a knife to his neck and let him be killed or cut at will.
Moreover, doing so would be tantamount to giving up everything, including any power that might be gained in the future, and becoming a truly free and easy prince or a wealthy businessman, no different from a commoner.
"Yes, I asked for my resignation twice. Didn't you say that everything should be done step by step? So I followed your step-by-step approach. I first resigned from the position of 'Envoy' and then from the post of governor. I only kept about twenty maids and servants in the mansion, and I dismissed the rest." While Li Zhong was recounting the story, he had that simple smile on his face from beginning to end. There was no trace of regret or remorse on his face, only endless ease and calmness.
"Shi Chi Jie" is now a routine grant to governors. Anyone who is appointed as a governor of a week will be granted "Shi Chi Jie". Although they do not have real authority, they still have the right to supervise military affairs. The power is not great, but it does not mean that they have no power at all.
Otherwise, Wu Mei would not have instructed Xu Jingzong to falsely accuse Li Zhong of treason. This shows that the governor-general and envoy with special powers at that time still had certain powers.
The envoys holding special envoys also marked the beginning of the later local military and political leaders of the Tang Dynasty: the Jiedushi.
The Jiedushi was given two banners and two festivals: the banner was for rewarding, and the festival was for killing. The so-called festivals were just some tokens given by the emperor: two gate flags, one dragon and tiger banner, one festival, two halberds, and two leopard tails. The festivals were made of gold and copper leaves.
Li Hong nodded in understanding. Li Zhong's move was complete, as if he was going to sever ties with the royal family. Unless all of his father's other seven sons died, perhaps he would have a chance to become the crown prince again.
Worse still, it is possible that due to the complex changes in the court relationships, when there is no male member of the Li Tang royal family who can inherit, perhaps the court officials will remember him.
This kind of relationship is also consistent with the records in history books. Wu Mei had the opportunity to ascend the throne as emperor only after she was killed and deposed.
Later, the Wu Zhou Dynasty was destroyed and the Li Tang Dynasty was restored. First Li Zhe (Li Xian) and then Li Dan successively became emperors. Then came Li Dan’s third son, Li Longji, who ushered in the Kaiyuan Prosperity.
"Then what is your purpose of coming here this time?" Li Hong asked curiously.
After all, Liangzhou is not too far from Taiyi City, and Taiyi City has given him the right to produce many products.
"I want your detailed method for making cement and salt." Li Zhong looked at Li Hong and said firmly.
"Cement is easy. I would give it to you even if you didn't ask. But do you dare to ask for the detailed method of making salt? Isn't glass enough for you to develop Liangzhou?" There seemed to be a huge question mark on Li Hong's forehead.
"This time you are not granting permission in the name of the Ministry of Revenue. If we have refined salt, together with tea and other things, merchants from the Western Regions will not have to take a detour to travel to Chang'an..."
"You're dreaming. The Emperor Yan and Tie has issued an edict. No members of the royal family, nobles, or the five surnames and seven families can be demoted. You'd better give up on this idea." Li Hong struck a blow to the calmness on Li Zhong's face.
Li Zhong sighed deeply, thought for a moment and said, "Well, since salt and iron cannot be transferred here, Liangzhou can produce iron, right? Isn't your Taiyi City also smelting iron from outside..."
"Go away, you are getting more and more ridiculous. Do you really think I can turn stones into gold, or just point to a hill and the stones will turn into the best iron? These are all based on geology, and it will take a while to explain it clearly, so don't even think about it." Li Hong still refused.
Liangzhou is now the Hanzhong area, and the mineral resources are absolutely abundant, but Li Hong does not want to explore now, because Liangzhou has fertile land and has always been known as the Land of Abundance.
The Hanzhong Basin was also well-known. Li Hong would not give up food for steel at this time. If there was a famine, would he let the people eat a piece of steel? His father would chop him up.
"I was just talking casually. If you don't want to give it to me, then don't give it to me." Li Zhong said calmly. There was no disappointment or regret on his face because of Li Hong's refusal.
After finishing the meal with Li Zhong, Li Zhong personally sent Li Hong to the carriage, pulled Li Hong's sleeve, and said solemnly: "I came here this time, and I also hope to win some shares for the merchants in Liangzhou, so I will participate in this chamber of commerce."
"Okay, got it." Li Hong broke free from Li Zhong's hand without leaving a trace and got on the carriage without looking back.
For some reason, although he hadn't seen Li Zhong for several years, he felt as if he was in a different world. It was as if Li Zhong had become a completely different person, but he knew him very well.
Including today's conversation, his refusal and agreement seemed to be within Li Zhong's expectations, as if Li Zhong had studied him thoroughly in the past few years.
What Li Zhong said before getting on the car clearly told him that he would join forces with other Liangzhou businessmen to strive for some more market share.
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