After seven years of fiefdom, Li Shimin asked me to return and become the crown prince.

"You two, this is my paper mill!"

Li Kuan took Li Dao Zong and Cheng Yao Jin to a place near the mountains in Lingnan City, where there was a large brick-and-tile factory.

From the outside, one could hear the bustling activity inside.

Next to the factory was a rushing stream, in which many water wheels were turning, and the water wheels were connected to extended connecting rods leading to the factory.

The connecting rods kept turning under the drive of the water wheels.

This was the semi-automatic water wheel machine that Li Kuan and Gong Shujia had studied together, which could save more than half of the labor in paper production, and the water wheels could run day and night.

""Who are you? No entry!" As soon as the few people arrived at the gate of the paper mill, patrol soldiers stopped them.

These soldiers were sent by Li Kuan and obeyed Li Kuan's orders; outsiders were not allowed to enter.

"How dare you stop the King of Chu from coming here!"Not everyone knew Li Kuan. Zhao Xin stepped forward and took out a token.

It was the token of the King of Chu's palace.

""King of Chu?" The soldier who was blocking the way looked at the token, and then saw Li Kuan, who was riding a white horse with great bearing, and he half-knelt on the ground.

When he looked at Li Kuan at this time, his eyes were full of respect.

"Is Wang Xihe here?" Li Kuan looked at the soldier and asked calmly.

"Director Wang? He should be in the office now. I will notify him to come and meet him immediately!"The soldier said and was about to report inside.

Li Kuan shook his head:"No, I will go in to find him!"

Li Kuan said and rode into the factory with everyone.

The factory is very large, with several large pools where things are soaked, and the workers are busy.

After walking forward for a distance, I saw a luxurious building in front of me. From a distance, I saw a middle-aged man writing on the floor-to-ceiling glass on the first floor.

""Xihe, what a good mood!" Li Kuan dismounted and said loudly.

Wang Xihe used to be a craftsman who made yellow paper. He usually liked some writing. The papermaking technology was perfected by Li Kuan. Now that the factory has expanded, he has some free time. When he has nothing to do, he will practice calligraphy.

Wang Xihe paused while writing. He seemed to hear a voice that he had been thinking about day and night. It was familiar?

It seemed to be the prince.

But he denied it immediately. The prince was busy with all kinds of affairs every day, so how could he come here.

But he still looked up and looked outside out of habit, and then he saw the spirited young man.

It was really the prince.

Tai did not dare to neglect him, and quickly came out to greet him and bowed:"Why are you here, prince?"

"Xihe, let me introduce two people to you!"Li Kuan took Wang Xihe's hand and went back into the room, and told him about Li Daozong and Cheng Yaojin.

Wang Xihe listened quietly and got a general idea of the situation.

"Your Majesty, do you want to give the papermaking technique to the court?"Wang Xihe was puzzled. This was their Lingnan technology, why should they give it to the court?

"Not for you, we will take half of the profits!"Li Kuan smiled and shook his head, adding.

The papermaking technique cannot be kept for a long time, so it is better to let it provide some profits for you now.

It is also good for you to suppress the noble families. As the saying goes, when the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman gains.

At least, during their fight, Lingnan's business will suffer less exclusion in one or two years, and it can develop rapidly during this time.

""Okay, I'll obey your orders!" Wang Xihe nodded, knowing that what the prince did was right.

Next,

Li Kuan took Li Daozong and others to visit his paper mill.

Large pools were soaking wood, and in another place, there were many large pots in which wood was mixed with some other unknown things and boiled together.

Going down, it was the most laborious step, beating the pestle and grinding the rice.

Li Daozong and the others saw a stunned scene. The hammer, driven by the waterwheel, hammered and chiseled the steamed wood again and again. People only needed to turn it occasionally, which saved more than half of the manpower.

The next step was the ordinary papermaking steps of washing the rice, scooping, and sweeping the paper.

After visiting the paper mill, Li Kuan returned to the office and sat on the chair and looked at Wang Xihe:

"I want to send someone to follow them to Chang'an City to teach papermaking. Are you willing to go?"

Wang Xihe shook his head decisively:"Your Highness, I don't want to go!"

He had been to Chang'an City before. It was hot in summer and cold in winter, and there were backward buildings. It was nowhere near as comfortable as Lingnan.

So he betrayed his brother Wang Xiqing, who was usually smooth in dealing with things.

Wang Xiqing was also reluctant to go, but seeing the serious expressions of Li Kuan and his brother, he could only nod and agree.

But his face was full of bitterness and reluctance.

In order to commend Wang Xiqing, Li Kuan arranged a residence for his family in the center of Lingnan City. Then, Wang Xiqing smiled.

""Li Daozon and Cheng Yaojin looked at each other, their faces full of helplessness.

When did Chang'an City become so unwelcome?

But in comparison, Chang'an in the Tang Dynasty is really not as good as Lingnan.

Things were settled like this, and soon... Wang Xiqing would follow Li Daozon to Chang'an City, and then he would be in charge of the papermaking industry in Chang'an City.

Li Kuan also signed a papermaking alliance contract with Li Daozon.

Chang'an City, Taiji Palace.

Ganlu Hall.

Li Shimin looked at the memorial, but he was thinking about other things in his heart, and finally closed the memorial. Looking at Liu Renyuan behind him:"Dao Zong, Yaojin and the others have not sent any information yet?"

Li Daozon and Cheng Yaojin have been gone for almost 50 days, and there is still no news.

Could it be that Li Kuan does not want to contribute the papermaking technique?

"Your Majesty, maybe they are still in the negotiation, there should still be hope, otherwise the King of Jiangxia would have sent the news long ago!" Liu Renyuan hurriedly said from behind:"His Royal Highness the King of Chu is also a sensible man!"

Alas~

Li Shimin sighed, I hope so.

He loves and hates his son. What he loves is that Li Kuan has built a foreign land in Lingnan into a paradise by himself, and the people are happy. This is much better than the current prince and the King of Wei. What he hates is that the people of Lingnan now only know Li Kuan, not the court, and even Li Kuan doesn't have too many thoughts about the court.

In fact, he had thought about wiping Li Kuan in the cradle, but... after seeing Lingnan's killer weapon, the red cannon, he decisively gave up this idea.

If Lingnan is not under the control of Li Kuan, it will be completely separated from the court, and the consequences are unimaginable....This is more serious than the consequences of destroying one or two families.

In addition, he has another idea, but it is just a budding idea...

"Your Majesty, there is a letter from King Jiangxia and Duke Lu!"

When Li Shimin was depressed, a little eunuch came in with the letter in his hand.

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