Chinese dining table

Chapter 1245 No One Can Do What They Want

The pace of life in Chang'an City is so fast that people ignore the fact that spring has arrived.

The cold wind five days ago made people think that winter had not yet left, but the forsythia on the sunny slope had already bloomed golden yellow.

Li Zhi discovered this, so he picked the first bunch of forsythia in Chang'an City.

The giant bear rolled on the flowers broken by Li Zhi, so spring might not arrive in Chang'an for a few days later.

While taking a break in the teahouse, Li Zhi, who was wearing glasses, suddenly discovered that dozens of women in blue jackets and cloth scarves on their heads came out from the opposite market without any warning. They did not stop in the market, but hurriedly went into another market.

It would be fine if there were only a few dozen women dressed like this, but when women dressed similarly poured out from the other side like a tide, Li Zhi couldn't help but feel curious.

Yun Chu said, "They are all female workers from Chang'an No. 1 Textile Factory, No. 2 Textile Factory, and Baiqisi Textile Workshop. At this time, they have a one-stick-long break. The workshop usually gives the women some snacks at this time. They are reluctant to eat them, so they give them to the children who are studying here."

Li Zhi smiled happily and asked, "Are there many children going to school?"

Yun Chu smiled and said, "There are as many female workers as there are students, and there are multiples of them."

Li Zhi looked at the women who were still running towards him and asked, "What kind of snacks can make these women reluctant to eat them?"

Yun Chu said: "An egg, a steamed bun, or half a Hu pancake."

Li Zhi said, "Do you pity me?"

Yun Chu said, "This is because the money she earned was not enough to allow both mother and child to eat these snacks. Only one could be chosen, so all the mothers chose to give them to their children and not eat them themselves."

Li Zhi said: "All of them choose this way?"

Yun Chu said: "There are also some who are unwilling to feed their children, but when everyone else chooses to feed their children, she has no choice but to follow the crowd no matter how unwilling she is."

Li Zhi touched the giant bear's head and said, "If that's the case, why can't the workshop give more?"

Yun Chu said: "It's great that the workshop pays attention to the female workers."

Li Zhi nodded and said, "Don't use enough, don't give enough, this is the way to control the people."

After hearing what Li Zhi said, Yun Chu sighed inwardly. It seemed that if Chang'an City wanted to further improve the treatment of craftsmen, it still had a long way to go.

A few people left the workshop area and walked into the teaching area. There was only one kind of business in the entire market, and that was the school.

There are private schools, government-run schools, academies run by great scholars, and clan schools run by countless large families. In addition to these schools, there are also various training schools organized by various guilds, the largest of which is the Textile School.

As soon as Li Zhi stepped into the teaching area, Prince Yong Xian was already waiting there.

Yun Chu said to Li Zhi: "In this area, King Yong is the most respected."

Li Zhi glanced at the numerous school names on the street and nodded, "Great goodness."

Yun Chu added, "All the income from Prince Yong's Mansion for the past four years has been invested here, but they are unwilling to pay back the money he owes to Liushui Brand."

Li Zhi smiled and helped his son up and laughed, "Very good!"

Li Xian also smiled and said to Li Zhi: "Father, you don't know, 60% of my Prince Yong's Mansion has been converted into a library, and there are many places to spend money. Educating the world is the top priority of our Tang Dynasty, and the business matters can be put off for later."

Li Zhi looked at the crowd of scholars behind Li Xian and said with a smile: "What is owed must be repaid."

Li Xian said obediently: "I obey your command."

Yun Chu said quietly, "His Royal Highness Prince Yong has not mentioned a word about when it will be returned. If it continues to be delayed, it may damage His Royal Highness Prince Yong's reputation."

Li Xian showed his dazzling white ivory-studded teeth and smiled, "Your Excellency, please go ahead and tell the world about my rogue behavior, and see if the people will praise me for my default or despise me for my character."

Li Zhi looked at Yun Chu, who looked unhappy, and said, "You can't do it."

Yun Chu sighed and said, "The royal family has begun to default on their debts. What else can I do?"

Li Zhi said: "The royal family never defaults on debts, but things have their priorities. There are only so many resources in the world. If more money is spent on building the academy and the library, there will naturally be less money for other things.

When Prince Yong finishes building the academy, he will return the running water sign with extra money."

Yun Chu cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is right, but I would like to remind your Majesty that the money earned from the running water sign has been used to help His Royal Highness Prince Yong fill the hole over the years, leaving less for your Majesty."

Li Zhi stopped and thought for a moment, then said to Li Xian, who looked hopeful, "It is indispensable for national expenditure."

Li Xian looked at Yun Chu hatefully, then shook his sleeves and walked to the side of the emperor to lead the way.

This scene made Xue Rengui smile. From the emperor's attitude towards Yong Wangxian, he discovered that although the emperor liked Yong Wangxian, his liking for him was very limited. Similarly, the emperor's attitude towards Yong Wangxian was actually equivalent to the attitude towards Chang'an.

In the emperor's heart, Luoyang's status is still higher than Chang'an. His views on the eastern capital Luoyang remain consistent and will not be shaken just because Yun Chu has done an outstanding job in Chang'an.

At the same time, it can also be predicted that the emperor had no intention of staying in Chang'an for a long time.

He has now placed a heavy bet on Luoyang, and is naturally happy to see the emperor's intention to stay away from Chang'an at this time.

Under the guidance of Prince Yong, Li Zhi visited several schools, but he just took a cursory look. It was only when he arrived at the library in Prince Yong's mansion that he began to take things seriously.

The library in Prince Yong's Mansion is actually a large complex that integrates teaching, research, exhibition, lecture, record-keeping, book writing, book collection, book printing, as well as the provision of books for students of the Tang Dynasty to borrow and read.

Li Zhi watched the large groups of ordinary people entering the library, and said to Li Xian with some emotion: "The common people entering the royal palace are like entering their own halls. Li Xian, you really respect the wise and humble."

Li Xian smiled and said, "As a member of the royal family, I naturally have to share my father's worries."

Li Zhi was very pleased.

However, this feeling of relief did not last long. After he met Ji Wangshen, Cao Wangming and a group of brothers in the library, Li Zhi, who was originally a little tired, immediately straightened his back, took off his glasses, and a terrifying cold light shot out from his one eye.

"Why are you here?"

Ji Wangshen said quickly: "This minister came to the library to read books."

Li Zhi said: "It's time to read some sage books and learn what is royal respectability. A royal family member is idle all day long and only knows how to carve some women's things, which brings discredit to the royal family."

Ji Wangshen trembled all over and apologized repeatedly. Finally, he tremblingly took out a jade pendant from his bosom and presented it to Li Zhi with both hands, saying: "I haven't seen you for a long time, my brother. I miss you very much. Fortunately, I found a piece of white jade and carved a pair of mandarin ducks. I hope you will accept it."

Li Zhi took the jade pendant himself and asked Ruichun to hang it on his belt, then said to Ji Wangshen: "Get up."

When the four princes including Ji Wangshen followed Li Zhi like quails, Li Zhi saw Yun Chu looking up at the sky and said angrily: "Do you think I'm being harsh on the royal family?"

Yun Chu waved his hands repeatedly and said, "I dare not."

Li Zhi seemed to be in a much worse mood, and said to Ruichun: "Go to Da Ci'en Temple."

The emperor did not invite anyone, so except for Prince Yong who followed them shamelessly, the rest of the people did not dare to follow. They watched the emperor get on the carriage and go to Jinchangfang with Yun Chu and the others.

Jinchangfang has not become more luxurious over the years, but has gained some ancient charm. The low weeping willows of the past have now become tall, and the outstretched branches are like umbrellas, but the silk ribbons are densely hanging down and falling on the flowing canals, gently brushed by the running water.

Li Zhi stopped the carriage beside the canal and got out. He looked at the clear canal water and said, "Don't say the water in Jinchang Canal is shallow. It's better to watch fish than Taohua River. Yunchu, Jinchangfang finally raised your red-backed koi."

Yun Chu smiled and said, "What's the use of a fish? Jinchangfang is now a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers are hidden. Your Majesty, don't you want to take a look?"

Li Zhi laughed and said, "I heard that your family's old property has been taken away by your neighbors. It's better not to look at such a tiger and wolf."

Yun Chu said, "The families that cut ice don't keep cattle or sheep."

Li Zhi picked off a willow tree that had just sprouted some tender buds and held it in his hand and asked, "What new method have you come up with to make money?"

Yun Chu smiled and said, "I don't like to compete with the people for profit."

Li Zhi glanced over and asked, "So you increased steel production in Chang'an?"

Yun Chu nodded and said, "If you want to do your work well, you must first sharpen your tools. Steel farm tools can help farmers farm more efficiently."

Li Zhi nodded and said, "Indeed, this is what a great man should do, but the last great man who did this was killed by me."

Yun Chu asked in surprise, "Isn't it possible that the death of Lord Changsun was framed by Xu Jingzong, the treacherous minister?"

Li Zhi looked at Yun Chu inexplicably and said, "Xu Jingzong and you were both tutors to the crown prince. Now that his body is still warm, you are already calling him a sycophantic official?"

Yun Chu smiled and said, "When he was alive, I told him to his face that he was a sycophant."

Li Zhi said: "Why don't you write a letter to impeach?"

Yun Chu said calmly: "At that time, Xu Jingzong was very powerful, and I dared not speak out even though I was angry."

Li Zhi sneered and said, "Changsun Wuji died because of his own arrogance. You'd better not follow his path."

Yun Chu said disapprovingly: "I only sell steel farm tools, not swords, spears, swords and halberds. Moreover, swords, spears, swords and halberds are no longer the most important things in the army. In the future, these things will only become less and less useful..."

Before Yun Chu could finish his words, Li Zhi's sinister gaze fell on his face. Yun Chu knew that he had said something wrong and immediately shut up.

Li Zhi did not intend to let more people know about the successful development of the bomb.

The biggest military secret of the Tang Dynasty was almost revealed by Yun Chu, so Li Zhi lost the mood to visit Jinchangfang. Seeing that Da Ci'en Temple was right in front of him, he took the initiative to walk into the temple.

Yun Chu fell behind by a few steps, and Xue Rengui and Li Xian's eyes immediately fell on Yun Chu. They were all smart people. Although Yun Chu did not say anything important, in the eyes of these two people, it was obvious that there was a big secret between Yun Chu and the emperor that none of them knew about.

Now they all want to know this big secret concerning the armament of the Tang Dynasty army.

Yun Chu naturally wouldn't say anything, and two shadows quickly appeared in the hearts of these two people.

Master Xuanzang stood in the warm room to welcome the emperor's arrival. The old monk was dressed in a pure white monk's robe, and he seemed to be glowing when standing under the sun.

"In the past, Master Xuanzang once gave me a red leaf stained with ink. Now I want to ask about the wonderful theory behind it."

Master Xuanzang chuckled and said, "Your Majesty is obsessed with appearances. When a thought arises, all flowers bloom. When a thought fades, all sounds are silent. I am no longer the same monk as I was yesterday. Why should Your Majesty be obsessed with the Majesty of the past?"

Li Zhi smiled and said, "When the master sent the maple leaf to the court, I had a hundred thoughts and gave countless reasons and logics for this red maple leaf. But the queen said that this red maple leaf was just a fleeting thought of the master. In the end, she let the red maple leaf fall into the yellow chrysanthemums with the wind. After a night of autumn wind, the red maple leaf could not be found anymore."

Master Xuanzang laughed and said, "It should be so, it should be so."

Li Zhi smiled and said, "Master, do you really have nothing to teach me?"

Xuanzang put his hands together and said, "I sincerely wish Your Majesty to obtain supreme peace."

Li Zhi pondered for a moment and said, "An Ning, it's good."

There were only the emperor and Master Xuanzang in the greenhouse. Yun Chu and a group of people were guarding the gate. No one knew what the emperor and Master Xuanzang talked about.

All I know is that Li Zhi's steps became heavy when he walked out of the greenhouse.

(End of this chapter)