Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Having obtained the technology for refining fine salt, Li Chengqian returned to Chang'an with great joy.

However, something soon made Li Chengqian unhappy.

Li Chengqian had just brought the method for refining fine salt to the Eastern Palace and was figuring out how to set up a workshop as soon as possible when he heard news from the palace.

Li Shimin was to summon his ministers to the Liangyi Hall to specifically reward Li Tai for his achievements in promoting printing technology.

His heart skipped a beat, and he rushed over with unease. As soon as he entered the palace, he saw Li Tai standing in the hall, his face beaming with undisguised joy, while his father sat on the dragon throne, his eyes filled with a smile that was even brighter than usual.

Once the officials had taken their positions, Li Shimin cleared his throat, his voice booming so loudly that it could be heard throughout the entire hall:

"Qingque promoted printing technology, and in just six months, agricultural books, laws, and classics were printed in batches and spread throughout the Guanzhong region."

"The common people can afford books at low prices, students can read more, and even copies of imperial memorials can be made faster. This is a great achievement that benefits the country and the people! Today, I will reward them handsomely so that the whole world will know that those who have made contributions deserve to be rewarded!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a eunuch stepped forward with a list of rewards. Li Shimin read them aloud one by one, each item causing Li Chengqian's fingers to clench even tighter:
"Firstly, I bestow upon Qingque the title of 'Grand Scholar of Chongwen Hall'—you are permitted to build Chongwen Hall on the east side of the Prince of Wei's residence. The hall may house a library and a printing house. I will also transfer three hundred volumes of rare books from the Imperial Library for you to copy and print, so that all students in the world can read these precious books!"

Chongwen Hall! Li Chengqian's heart sank.

This is no ordinary title; in the previous dynasty, only the crown prince could receive a position related to the "Chongwen Hall".

The grandfather made an exception for Li Tai, even allowing him to build a library and establish a printing house, clearly intending for Li Tai to establish a reputation in the cultural field and attract scholars from all over the world.

He recalled that he had just been coordinating the fine salt workshop, which didn't even have a formal name. In comparison, he felt his grandfather's favoritism even more.

Secondly, the Prince of Wei was granted a thousand acres of fertile land, located in Fanchuan, south of Chang'an.

"The land there is fertile, providing food and clothing for the students of Chongwen Academy, and also giving your printing workshop's craftsmen a place to live, so they no longer have to worry about supplies!"

The fertile fields of Fanchuan! Li Chengqian felt even worse.

That was the most prosperous land around Chang'an. The Crown Prince had asked several times to allocate some of it to the Crown Prince's Chamberlain's Office, but Li Shimin had always declined, citing the need to "take care of the people first."

Now, however, they have bestowed upon Li Tai a thousand acres of land in one go, and even made special consideration for his printing workshop. He, the crown prince, has never enjoyed such meticulous care.

"Thirdly, you are permitted to transfer fifty skilled craftsmen from the Ministry of Works to manage the Chongwen Academy's printing workshop. In the future, if the palace or various prefectures need to print books, they can first discuss it with your Chongwen Academy. Thirty percent of the printing revenue will be used by your academy and will not need to be turned over to the national treasury!"

They can recruit skilled craftsmen, control the printing rights, and retain 30% of the profits!

Li Chengqian's hands, gripping the ceremonial tablet, turned white.

This is practically handing over half of the Tang Dynasty's printing industry to Li Tai!
He had just agreed with Xiao Ran to split the profits of the fine salt 50/50, and he still had to coordinate the artisans and carriages himself. Li Tai, on the other hand, not only had the imperial court to guarantee the allocation of artisans, but he also had autonomy over the profits.

The grandfather didn't even have any concerns about him seizing power, which clearly showed his favoritism.

The officials in the hall stepped forward to offer their congratulations. When Li Tai bowed to express his gratitude, Li Shimin specifically beckoned him closer, patted him on the shoulder, and smiled, saying:

"Do a good job. Chongwen Academy should become a haven for scholars from all over the world, and let printing technology benefit more people—I am waiting to see you publish all the rare and unique books and pass them on to future generations!"

Standing at the back of the crowd, Li Chengqian watched his grandfather's affection for Li Tai, and then recalled his own cautiousness when he first returned from Kaolao Village.

Fearing that her father might overthink things, she specifically asked her mother to confirm first. Now, comparing the rewards Li Tai received, she felt as if a stone was pressing on her heart.

He knew that Li Tai had rendered meritorious service, but the weight of this reward had long exceeded the scope of "rewarding merits".

It's more like the grandfather used the printing technology as an excuse to give Li Tai a "cultural territory" that could rival the Crown Prince's palace.

After the court session ended, Li Tai passed by Li Chengqian and deliberately stopped, smiling as he said:
"Brother, I heard from Lizhi that you went to Kaolao Village. You must have gotten some good things there?"

"However, the Chongwen Academy that Father bestowed upon me today will allow me to further promote printing technology. If my brother needs to print the Crown Prince's books in the future, he can always come to me."

To Li Chengqian, these words sounded more like boasting.

He forced a smile, didn't reply, and turned to leave quickly.

The initial joy he felt from the fine salt technology had long been washed away by his grandfather's favoritism towards Li Tai, leaving only a heavy sense of unease.
If things continue like this, Li Tai, relying on his grandfather's favoritism and Xiao Ran's methods, will likely become increasingly difficult to control.

No one denies that Xiao Ran was the initiator of printing.

However, Li Tai also made great efforts, so it is only right that he received a reward.

Li Chengqian was the crown prince and had no right to say anything.

I returned to the Eastern Palace with a heavy heart!
Li Chengqian had no objection to giving this credit to anyone else, but he absolutely could not give it to Li Tai.

The core issue is the threat to the reserve.

Li Tai was no ordinary prince; he was Li Tai's most direct competitor for the position of crown prince. Every bit of credit he earned reinforced Li Tai's power and undermined his foundation as crown prince.

Li Tai received no ordinary reward; he received the title of "Grand Scholar of Chongwen Hall," a thousand acres of fertile land in Fanchuan, the right to allocate skilled craftsmen from the Ministry of Works, and half of the control over the printing industry.

These are not empty titles; they are real assets that allow one to accumulate "power."

Chongwen Academy was able to attract scholars from all over the country, making Li Tai a "leader of scholars".

The fertile land and the profits from printing could support artisans and gather manpower, giving him resources independent of the Crown Prince's palace.

The power to print books allowed him to control the dissemination of classic texts, thus linking his name with the idea of ​​"benefiting the country and the people."

In contrast, Li Chengqian had just obtained the fine salt technology from Xiao Ran and still had to coordinate the craftsmen and carriages himself, without even a formal title.

The greater Li Tai's achievements, the more "power" he wielded, and the more different the court officials looked at him. Some even thought that "the Prince of Wei is more capable than the Crown Prince," which posed a visible threat to Li Chengqian's position as heir apparent.

Li Tai did not passively accept credit; he actively kept an eye on Xiao Ran's technology and took the initiative to promote printing.

Li Chengqian was wary of Li Tai getting close to Xiao Ran after he had stayed in Kaolao Village for so long.

Now, Li Tai is using Xiao Ran's printing technology to gain merit, which is equivalent to "stealing the task that should have been led by the Crown Prince".

As the crown prince, Li Chengqian should have been the one in charge of matters of national importance in the court. However, Li Taixian used Xiao Ran's method to get ahead and received rewards far exceeding his expectations.

After the court session, Li Tai's words, "From now on, brother, come to me when you need to print books," sounded more like a boast, with the subtext being, "I can now control printing technology, so you'll have to rely on me."

This feeling of "being outmaneuvered by competitors and being outmaneuvered" was something Li Chengqian couldn't get over.

Giving credit to others is "someone else deserves credit," but giving it to Li Tai is "an opponent climbing over him to get ahead," which he naturally cannot accept.

Li Chengqian had become somewhat complacent because Li Tai was not in Chang'an.

As he entered the living room, the heavy curtains rustled loudly as he swung them, and the cold wind he brought in swirled up the autumn leaves that had not yet fallen outside the palace, which he paid no heed to as they drifted onto the gold-brick floor.

He didn't call the eunuchs in the corridor to serve him, but walked straight into the inner palace. The sound of his boots hitting the ground was urgent and heavy, each step as if he was venting the frustration in his heart.

As soon as he arrived at the table, he sat down heavily, the stool legs scraping against the bricks with a piercing creak, startling the candlelight in the corner of the hall.

On the table lay the newly drafted regulations for the fine salt workshop, the ink still faintly exuding a scent of ink, yet he didn't even have the patience to glance at them.

His fingers gripped the edges of the charter, his knuckles taut and white, and he yanked it open suddenly.

The fragile paper was torn with a crooked rip, and the scraps of paper fell onto the table.

Without even glancing at it, he raised his hand and pushed the inkstone on the table half a foot to the side, causing the ink to spill out and splash onto the hem of the bright yellow prince's everyday robe, leaving a black stain.

He merely frowned in annoyance and ignored it. His gaze swept over the map of Fanchuan lying on the corner of the table.

That was a detailed map drawn up by the Crown Prince's Palace Office half a year ago in search of fertile land. It even had the small words "fertile soil and water, suitable for planting millet and wheat" marked on it. Now, however, it has become Li Tai's possession.

He suddenly reached out and swept the map to the ground. The scroll rolled a few times on the bricks and stopped beside the palace gate, like a mocking joke.

"Master Craftsmen of Chongwen Hall"

He muttered to himself, his voice hoarse and urgent. He raised his hand and grabbed his hair, pulling the jade hairpin crookedly, with a few strands of hair hanging down in front of his forehead.

Recalling Li Tai's words, "Brother, come find me when you seal the classics," and the smile on his grandfather's face as he patted Li Tai's shoulder, a surge of anger rushed to his head.

He suddenly stood up and paced back and forth, the rhythm of his boots hitting the ground faster and faster, the veins on his forehead throbbing, and even his breathing becoming rapid.

Hearing the commotion inside the palace, the eunuch outside knocked softly on the door and asked, "Would Your Highness like a cup of cool tea?"

He suddenly roared, "Get out! All of you, get out!" His voice trembled uncontrollably.

This was a rare display of composure he had shown in front of outsiders during his many years as crown prince.

Once he was alone in the hall, he slumped back into his chair, ran his hands through his hair, and gripped his scalp so tightly that his fingertips were covered in stray hairs.

His face was ashen, his eyes filled with a fierce yet uneasy glint as he looked at the map on the ground and the ink stains on the table, feeling a tightness in his chest.

No matter how good the method of making fine salt was, without the emperor's favoritism and the court's backing, it could never compare to the credit that Li Tai had "delivered to his door."

The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became. Suddenly, he raised his hand and punched the corner of the table. The solid wood corner made a loud "thud," and his knuckles instantly turned red. However, he seemed not to feel any pain, staring blankly at the mess with a vacant and restless look in his eyes.

Li Tai's achievements are largely due to Xiao Ran's technical guidance.

Thinking of Xiao Ran, Li Chengqian felt no hatred.

Xiao Ran was never helping Li Tai, but for the Tang Dynasty. Li Chengqian could tell the difference.

Li Chengqian was very annoyed, but didn't know who to talk to.

As night fell, Li Chengqian had a carriage prepared and they left Chang'an.

Head straight to Kaolao Village!
The carriage stopped in front of Xiao Ran's courtyard. Li Chengqian lifted the curtain and smelled the aroma of food.

The feeling here is definitely different.

Li Chengqian heard the cheerful laughter coming from the courtyard; he knew it belonged to the little princess.

Li Chengqian entered the courtyard and saw several children chasing each other and playing.

"Woof woof woof!" Little Black suddenly barked.

Several children looked towards the door and spotted Li Chengqian.

"Hey~ It's my brother~" the little princess recognized him.

Hearing the commotion, Princess Yuzhang also came out.

"Brother!" Princess Yuzhang walked to Li Chengqian's side. "You've come so late, is it about the fine salt?"

With that, Princess Yuzhang led Li Chengqian toward the living room.

“No.” Li Chengqian smiled.

Upon entering the living room, one sees Li Yuan, Sun Simiao, and several others chatting and drinking tea, as well as Yu Shinan, Kong Yingda, and other prominent Confucian scholars.

“Grandpa, sir,” Li Chengqian quickly greeted him with the respect due to a junior.

Xiao Ran was surprised to see Li Chengqian come again.

Li Chengqian did not state his purpose, nor did the others ask.

There were far too many guests at Xiao Ran's house.

Li Ke and Li Chengqian chatted casually. Li Ke's identity was special and posed no threat to Li Chengqian, so Li Chengqian had no hostility towards this brother.

Li Ke had no intention of competing with Li Chengqian.

The harmonious atmosphere allowed Li Chengqian to temporarily forget the troubles of Chang'an.

Li Chengqian saw how much Li Yuan, Cheng Chumo, and Yu Shinan valued Xiao Ran.

We also saw the two younger sisters' dependence on Xiao Ran, and Li Lizhi's affection.

After finishing his meal, Xiao Ran suggested, "Brother, let's go for a walk!"

"OK!"

Li Chengqian didn't say anything, but Xiao Ran knew something was definitely wrong.

There's nothing wrong, I won't come over so late at night.

The little princess wanted to go along, but Li Lizhi stopped her, not wanting her to disturb Xiao Ran and the other girl.

The two people walked out of the courtyard and headed towards the pond.

It's starting to get cold now.

"Is something bothering you?" Xiao Ran asked.

"Qingque has returned to Chang'an City, and Master has given her many rewards."

The evening breeze, carrying the coolness of the pond, brushed against his face. Xiao Ran looked at Li Chengqian's gloomy profile, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the corner of his sleeve.

As someone who came from a thousand years in the future, he knew better than anyone the outcome of this brotherly conflict.

But now, hearing Li Chengqian mention Li Shimin's "failure to stop" it, the doubts that had been hidden in his heart for a long time could not help but surge up.

He simply couldn't understand the emperor who single-handedly created the Zhenguan era of prosperity, who could accurately balance the various forces in the court, and who could calmly plan even when 100,000 Turkic cavalry were pressing in.

How could he have been so obviously "slow" in the struggle for his son's succession?
Li Shimin had personally experienced the Xuanwu Gate Incident and witnessed the bloodshed between brothers. He should have been the most wary of "princes vying for the throne."

But he deliberately turned a blind eye to Li Tai's "overstepping of boundaries".

The Chongwen Academy was given to Li Tai, allowing him to relinquish cultural power that originally belonged to the Crown Prince; the fertile fields of Fanchuan were granted to him, giving him an economic foundation independent of the Eastern Palace.

Giving him control of the printing industry was tantamount to giving him a powerful tool to "win over scholars across the land." These rewards, at every step, fueled Li Tai's ambition. Did Li Shimin truly not see this?

Xiao Ran guessed that perhaps "fatherly love" had blinded him.

Li Shimin's favoritism towards Li Tai was too obvious.

Li Tai was intelligent and studious, unlike the other princes who were mediocre. He perfectly embodied Li Shimin's expectations of an "ideal prince." (End of Chapter)