Inside the imperial palace, Li Er gazed at Changle in disbelief.
“Did Su Li truly say that?” he asked, his expression reflecting a mix of surprise and disbelief.
The situation was indeed a tragic one. Since the establishment of the steel factory in the princess’s residence, the iron production business, which was once under the control of the imperial family, had plummeted. Even within the Great Tang, being a royal enterprise didn’t exempt one from the laws of the market.
The craftsmanship of the imperial family’s ironworks paled compared to that of the princess’s steel factory, both in production and quality. In such a situation, who would opt for products made by the imperial family?
Li Er couldn’t compel various government departments and the public to do business with the royal family. For instance, when it came to the military, they could access much sturdier and sharper weapons, so why stick to outdated products? It was vital to note that the Princess’s steel factory operated legitimately, openly selling its high-quality goods to anyone with the means to purchase them. If the military failed to keep up with modern equipment, they risked becoming a laughingstock with weaponry of lower quality than civilians.
Moreover, if these advanced steel products started circulating more widely, it could lead to even more severe consequences. Su Li didn’t actively control the outflow of advanced technology from the steel factory. Skilled workers who learned techniques from the factory were being poached by wealthy families, prominent clans, or influential merchants at high salaries. Su Li turned a blind eye to this phenomenon.
While those people could freely attract talent from the princess’s steel factory without restraint, Li Er couldn’t do the same. The current Li Er was no longer the person who boldly requested good things from Su Li. In the past, they had a close relationship as father-in-law and son-in-law, with no secrets between their families. Today, however, things had changed beyond recognition. Li Er deeply understood that what he had done before was too extreme.
Over the past few years, Li Er’s attitude towards Su Li had completely transformed. He went from suspicion to fear, then reluctantly accepted his fate and finally realized the reality. Su Li’s power was immense, so even an emperor like Li Er could only compromise before him. Li Er had come to terms with this, but the divide had already formed, and restoring their relationship to what it used to be was unrealistic.
Li Er might not be familiar with the term “digging one’s own grave,” but he was more aware than anyone of what he had once done. Now, Li Er handled anything related to Su Li with extreme caution so as not to give Su Li any reason to misunderstand his intentions.
Even though he knew that the princess’s steel factory didn’t restrict the outflow of technology and that anyone with intent could access those techniques, Li Er deliberately refrained from taking any action. He hadn’t dispatched anyone to the steel factory to steal techniques despite it being quite simple for him to do so. Despite the impact of the steel factory on the royal family’s income, Li Er hadn’t implemented any measures to restrict the adoption of new steel-making techniques.
Li Er understood that the intentional outflow of technology was a strategy employed by Su Li. In summary, Li Er’s recent behavior had been remarkably honest and modest, evoking sympathy from those who observed it. Therefore, when Li Er heard Changle saying that Su Li had voluntarily offered to send people to the steel factory to learn the technology, his emotions were a mix of surprise and intrigue.
Li Er’s initial disbelief soon gave way to unbridled joy. His efforts hadn’t been in vain after all. Learning technology at the steel factory might not be a significant matter, given the widespread availability of such techniques in the Great Tang. However, Li Er truly valued the goodwill Su Li had shown him.
From childhood to becoming emperor, Li Er had rarely experienced such genuine goodwill from someone. He turned to Changle and asked, “My recent affairs have been busy, and I haven’t visited you in a while. How have you been lately?” His expression was somewhat nervous, but he tried to show concern for her.
Seeing her father’s demeanor, Changle couldn’t help but feel discomfort. Over the past years, Li Er had hardly visited the princess’s residence, and the relationship between father and daughter had cooled to near indifference. It had almost reached the point of freezing over.
Changle noticed that her father’s temples had a touch of gray, and despite his apparent concern, there was a hint of flattery in his demeanor as he spoke to her. Her heart softened as she realized her father was also growing old.
“Thank you, Father, for your concern,” Changle replied softly. “My husband treats me well, and our child is safe and healthy. I’m leading a contented life.”
Li Er nodded, and silence settled in the grand hall. After a while, he finally managed to speak, “Is there anything lacking in the residence? Father will provide for you…” He blushed slightly, realizing that the princess’s residence was immensely wealthy, and there was little he could offer.
Changle gently held her father’s hand to stop him from rushing to provide for her. “Father, it’s not necessary,” she said with a hint of a sigh.
Li Er was shocked but pretended to be angry, saying, “Even if you and Su Li don’t fancy those items, they could be used for Su Che’s amusement when you return. You are preventing me from sending a few novel items to my own grandson?” He watched Changle’s expression carefully, fearing that she might be displeased.
Changle felt a bit stifled. Initially, Li Er had become wary of her husband, and their relationship had grown distant. Yet, when she thought about it more closely, nothing significant happened between them these past years. There had never been any substantial conflict. Why had her relationship with her father changed like this?
Changle no longer objected, and Li Er appeared excited. He took out the list of tributes from foreign nations, drew circles around the items using a brush, and called an attendant.
“Go, send all these items to the princess’s residence,” Li Er ordered.
Then, he turned to Changle, his face showing a hint of embarrassment. “The expansion of the Great Tang’s territories happened too quickly. Governing the land and keeping the people safe all require support from the court. I’m also struggling to make ends meet, and the treasury isn’t exactly overflowing. Otherwise, I wouldn’t only be giving you these items.”
After Changle left, the tension and uneasiness vanished from Li Er’s face. He muttered, “The princess’s residence isn’t short of money, and these rare items I’m offering are more precious than wealth. I suppose… Su Li should be satisfied with this?”
He was treating what Changle had said as a business proposition.