The carriage drove quietly into the villa group and stopped at the door of the middle villa. Except for a few guards, they were the two people Li Zhong brought with him.
Li Hong slowly stepped out of the carriage and saw Li Zhong with 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 heartily at the same time.
"Hong'er, please come in quickly." Li Zhong took a few steps forward and extended his hand in front of Li Hong to guide him.
"Please." Li Hong also said politely.
The two have not seen each other for many years. It has been almost seven years since Li Zhong was deposed and Li Hong was established.
Li Zhong has also changed from a young boy to a steady young man, and there is even a hint of vicissitudes and experience on his face that is not consistent with his age.
Although he is not too tall, his broad shoulders and the training of the past few years have obviously made him mature a lot. His whole person loses a trace of royal nobility and adds a trace of honesty, reliability and simplicity.
In the living room, Li Hong sat on the main seat without hesitation. Although this was Li Zhong's temporary home now, Li Zhong still had to show respect for the prince as the master Li Hong was here.
"Are you three here alone?" Li Hong pointed to the two people behind him. Those two slaves and Li Zhong were quite old.
"It's convenient on the road, and it's easy to rush. Besides, it's very peaceful along the way. They are enough to protect you." Li Zhong moved the water glass handed over by Xiaoxue on the coffee table and placed it in front of Li Hong.
"That's true. Having fewer people accompanying you can avoid unnecessary attention." Li Hong nodded.
The two haven't seen each other for many years, and they are still a little unfamiliar with each other. Moreover, Li Hong now feels somewhat sorry for Li Zhong's honesty and open mind.
Although the two have been exchanging letters for several years, Liangzhou has also developed very well in recent years under Li Hong's care, and even his father would praise him from time to time.
But when Li Zhong came to Taiyi City, he never mentioned it in his letters. This is why Bai Chun only received the news after entering the jurisdiction of Chang'an.
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 full of shock.
But now Li Hong looked at Li Zhong with a frank and calm expression, not caring at all about the possibility of his whereabouts being exposed.
Li Hong couldn't bear the strangeness in his heart and asked: "Brother Emperor, when you return to Chang'an this time, are there any arrangements in place in Liangzhou?"
Li Zhong smiled honestly, and his expression became more calm: "Thanks to your help in these years, brother Wei would not be able to achieve the status he has today in Liangzhou. My father often issued orders to praise me, but brother Wei knows , all this is because of your contribution.”
"You should take a rest." Li Hong interrupted him and said, "Let's get down to business, have Liangzhou made all the arrangements before coming this time? Your status is special, and I arranged it for you in a very secretive way without even noticing. If someone over there knows your whereabouts and your father knows about it, I’m afraid my father will not let you off lightly. "
"Hong'er, don't worry. I have my father's permission to come here this time..." Li Zhong said confidently and calmly.
"What? Father knows you're here?" Li Hong felt that his voice had changed. When did this guy become so bold? Is this still the same Li Zhong who had to avoid looking at him in the past
"Yes, after knowing that your chamber of commerce was going to be held, I gave my father a discount, hoping that my father would allow me to participate in this chamber of commerce, and my father agreed." Li Zhong's honest face showed a little bit of emotion. A narrow smile.
Li Hong stared at him closely, as if he wanted to see a flower emerge from his face. After looking at it for a long time, he shook his head and said, "Don't believe it, don't believe it. It's definitely not as simple as you said. There must be something inside. Otherwise, how could my father agree so readily? And if you go by what you said, your father will tell me when I come to Taiyi City."
"You are still so smart, and I can't hide anything from you. When you were only a few years old, you were able to make your father and mother happy, and eat Li Xiao, the third child, and the fourth child to death. My brother was really afraid of you at that time. You looked at people like you were carrying a hook, which made people feel scared from the bottom of their hearts." Li Zhong looked at Li Hong, who was looking at him closely with a half-smile. Said easily.
"Tell me, what did you promise to my father that made him so generous that he released you from Liangzhou?" Li Hong sat down on the sofa and found a comfortable position and asked.
"I asked my father to resign as the governor of Liangzhou." Li Zhong looked at Li Hong and said calmly, as if he was talking about a trivial matter.
"Are you resigning? Aren't you deprived by your father?" Li Hong was not too surprised by this.
On the contrary, he was still a little relaxed. If Li Zhong was really removed from the post of governor of Liangzhou, it would be equivalent to letting his father put a knife on his neck and kill him as he pleased.
And in this case, it is equivalent to giving up everything, including the power that may be gained in the future, and becoming a real free prince or a wealthy businessman, no different from a common people.
"Yes, I asked my father to resign twice. Didn't you say that everything must be done step by step? So I followed your step-by-step method and first resigned from the 'envoy' and then from the post of governor. , Including the maids and domestic slaves in the house, there are only about twenty people left, and I dismissed the others." As Li Zhong recounted, he wore that honest smile from beginning to end, without any trace of it. Regret or regret, there is only endless relaxation and calmness.
'Shi Chi Jie' is now a regular conferment on the Governor-General. Anyone who is granted the title of Governor for a week will be conferred on 'Shi Chi Jie'. Although there is no real Jie, he still has the right to supervise the military. The power is not great, but it is not Not at all representative.
Otherwise, Wu Mei would not have instigated Xu Jingzong to frame Li Zhong for rebellion. This shows that the governor at that time, Jiajie Chijie, still had certain rights.
The envoy Chijie also opened the door for the later local military and political officials of the Tang Dynasty: Jiedushi.
Jiedushi gave him two banners and two festivals: the banner was dedicated to rewards, and the festival was dedicated to killing. The so-called festivals are just some tokens given by the emperor: eight pieces, including two gate flags, a dragon and tiger banner, a festival, two spears, and two leopard tails. The knots are made of gold and copper leaves.
Li Hong nodded clearly. Li Zhong's move was as complete as breaking away from the royal family. Now unless his father's other seven sons are dead, maybe he can become the prince again. .
What's more, it is possible that due to the complicated changes in the relationship between the court and the court, when no man from the Li Tang clan can succeed, the courtiers may think of him.
And this relationship is also consistent with the records in the history books. It was after Wu Mei was killed and deposed that she had the opportunity to ascend the throne as emperor.
Later, after the fall of Wu Zhou, the Li Tang Dynasty was restored. First Li Zhe (Li Xian) and then Li Dan proclaimed themselves emperors one after another, and then came Li Dan's third son: Li Longji, who ushered in the prosperous Kaiyuan era.
"Then what is the purpose of your visit this time?" Li Hong asked strangely.
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 precise methods of making cement and salt." Li Zhong looked at Li Hong and said firmly.
"Cement is easy to talk about. I will give it to you even if you don't tell me, but do you dare to ask for the fine 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 opening the license in the name of the Registration Department. If you have this refined salt, plus tea, etc., merchants from the Western Regions will not have to take a detour to Chang'an..."
"You have a good idea. Emperor Salt and Iron has made a decree. The clan and nobles, including the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes, cannot be devolved. You should give up on this idea." Li Hong hit Li Hong. The calm look on Zhong's face.
Li Zhong sighed deeply, thought for a while and said, "Well, since salt and iron cannot be transferred to lower levels, it is okay to produce iron in Liangzhou? Doesn't your Taiyi City also make iron from outside..."
"Go, go, go, the more you talk, the more you talk. Do you really think I can turn stones into gold? Just point to a mountain and those stones will turn into fine iron? These are all based on geology. I can’t explain it now, so don’t pay attention.” Li Hong still refused.
Liangzhou is now the Hanzhong area and is absolutely rich in minerals, but Li Hong does not want to explore it now because the land in Liangzhou is fertile and has always been known as the land of small heaven.
Hanzhong Basin is also famous far and wide. Li Hong will not give up food because of steel at this time. If there is a famine, will he let the people take a piece of steel to eat? His father didn't chop him up.
"I'll just say it casually. If you don't give it, I won't give it." Li Zhong said calmly, without any trace of disappointment or regret on his face because of Li Hong's rejection.
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 for the businessmen of Liangzhou. Some shares, so I will join this chamber of commerce.”
"Yeah, I got it." Li Hong broke free of Li Zhong's hand without leaving a trace, and got on the carriage without looking back.
For some reason, Li Zhong, who hadn't seen him for several years, still gave him a feeling of being in a different world. It felt as if Li Zhong had completely changed, but he knew him very well.
Including today's conversation, his refusal and agreement seemed to be expected by Li Zhong, as if he had been thoroughly studied by Li Zhong in the past few years.
What Li Zhong said before getting on the bus clearly told him that he would also join forces with other Liangzhou businessmen to fight for some shares.
(End of chapter)