The population of Chang'an City is approaching one million, and after the cold winter, there are significantly more pedestrians on the streets.

Of the 1,000 guards of the Chu Palace, 200 were left in Liangzhou City by Li Kuan to assist Ma Zhou in dealing with the situation in the northwest.

After all, whether it is the Northwest Trade or the wool workshop, there are many interests involved, and it is difficult to guarantee that some people will not have some different thoughts, so the necessary guards are still indispensable.

There are 800 people left, all of them are one person and two horses, if this movement enters the city, the city gate guards will never dare to let them go, so Li Kuan simply asked Xue Li to take most of the people to the courtyard of the Chu Wangfu, and the rest went straight to the Chu Wangfu.

Li Kuan himself left only Wang Xuanwu and Xi Junmai to follow him and quickly went straight to Taiji Palace.

……

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the King of Chu asks to see you!"

In the Taiji Palace, Li Shimin rarely accompanied the Empress of the Eldest Sun for a walk in the back garden, and after hearing the report of the palace people, he directly let Li Kuan meet him in the back garden.

"Your Majesty and the King of Chu have a state affair to discuss, and the concubine avoided it first."

Empress Changsun has always adhered to the concept of not interfering in politics in the harem, but whenever Li Shimin is discussing state affairs, she can avoid it, which is also an important reason why she is called a generation of virtuous queens.

"Guanyin, you haven't seen Kuan'er for a long time, he just came back from Liangzhou today, and I just chatted with him casually, there is nothing to avoid."

Li Shimin summoned Li Kuan back to Beijing, the direct reason was that the clothing shop of the Chu Wangfu was set on fire, he was afraid that Li Kuan would make things bigger regardless of 3721, on the other hand, he also felt that the crisis in Liangzhou had been solved, and there was no need to let Li Kuan stay in the frontier.

"Wechen has seen Your Majesty and the Queen."

It was not the first time Li Kuan had come to the back garden, and he was not curious about the surrounding scenery, but he was slightly stunned when he saw that Empress Changsun was also there.

It seems that it shouldn't be a bad thing for Li Shimin to find himself.

"I haven't seen him for a few months, but His Royal Highness the King of Chu has become taller and stronger." Empress Eldest Sun looked at Li Kuan with a smile on her face, "But it's also darkened, but it's hard for you."

"Thank you for the queen's concern, Weichen just did what a courtier should do."

The reputation of the eldest grandson queen in history is still very good, but after all, she is the younger sister of the eldest grandson Wuji, and she has cheated the eldest grandson's family, and I don't know if she minds.

Therefore, Li Kuan has always had a respectful attitude towards the eldest grandson queen but tried to stay away as much as possible.

"Duty? Hmph, that's a nice thing to say, is it the duty of a courtier to buy back the useless wool on the grassland and sell all kinds of supplies to them in large quantities? ”

Although Li Shimin was very satisfied with Li Kuan's recent performance and cared about this second son, he would not have been called back from Liangzhou so soon.

However, as an emperor, he will never reflect this kind of concern, on the contrary, he will speak in a blaming tone.

"Your Majesty, this is really what a courtier should do!"

As soon as Li Kuan's words came out, Empress Eldest Sun's face changed slightly, and before she could open her mouth to help make a circle, Li Shimin was furious, "Presumptuous!" You really think no one can cure you, do you? Do you know how many people in the DPRK and China have impeached your enemies during this time? Do you dare to say that this is the duty of a courtier? ”

"Your Majesty, although the King of Chu bought wool, although Xue Yantuo made some money, but in the end, the money was not all returned to the hands of the Tang Dynasty. Besides, the woolen clothes are really good warm clothes, and they are better at a low price, so I don't know how many people have benefited. Empress Eldest Sun was talking to Li Kuan on the side.

"Hmph, of course I know this, otherwise do you think I can tolerate him messing around like this?"

"Your Majesty, the purchase of wool is related to the long-term peace and stability of the vast grassland, this is the most important beginning of the Weichen grassland strategy, not nonsense!"

Li Kuan naturally wanted to find a way to reverse Li Shimin's point of view, otherwise he might jump out and stop it at some point in the future.

"Prairie Raiders?"

Hearing these words coming out of Li Kuan's mouth, Li Shimin didn't lose his temper again, but looked at Li Kuan with a frown.

"That's right! Your Majesty, for thousands of years, the northern grasslands have always been a major problem for the Central Plains Dynasty, sometimes surrendering and subordinating, sometimes rebelling, and even threatening the Jiangshan Sheji when the Central Plains Dynasty was weak, what can be done to completely change this situation? ”

"Just for you to buy wool? Oh no, and the acquisition of goat's milk! ”

Li Kuan didn't even need to stare at Li Shimin, he knew that his face must be full of disdain at this moment.

"Of course, it's more than that, wool is just an introduction. Suppose you, Your Majesty, what would the herdsmen do if they found that the days of raising sheep and selling their wool and milk were better than the nomadic raids they had before? ”

Without waiting for Li Shimin to answer, Empress Changsun interjected: "Raise more sheep to make life better?" ”

"Queen Mother Shengming! This is almost an inevitable result, for ordinary herdsmen, they are willing to follow the tribal leader to plunder, the most basic reason is that the original life is too hard, even to eat a little salt, wear warm and clean clothes are luxury. But if all the supplies could be obtained by selling wool, would they still be willing to follow the tribal leaders to plunder? ”

"Of course, there is some truth in what you say, but relying on these alone is like making the grassland completely stable, which is impossible." Li Shimin has been dealing with the Turks for more than ten years, and he is also very clear about the situation in the steppe.

Li Kuan listened to Li Shimin's words and was not surprised at all, "Relying on these alone is naturally not enough." Food, clothing, shelter and transportation, which are the basic needs of human life, can be slowly controlled by selling woolen clothes and linen to the grassland; In terms of diet, not to mention salt, I have always relied on me, and when the time comes, I am ready to promote tea to them, so that tea can become an indispensable material on the grassland like salt; As for living and traveling......"

"Wait a minute, you said to promote tea on the grasslands?" Li Shimin asked in confusion, "Tea is not something that ordinary people can use in Datang, can those herdsmen afford it?" ”

"Your Majesty, there are things that are not expensive and useless. It's like salt, even if the price rises one or two times, they still need it, and Wechen has a way to make tea a salt-like existence. Li Kuan sold a pass, and did not directly explain how he would promote tea in the future, after all, it is difficult to convince people just by talking about this thing.

"Then I'll see!" Li Shimin obviously didn't believe what Li Kuan said, but he didn't hit him again.

Li Kuan then continued to explain his thoughts, which basically convinced Li Shimin of his own views.

"One day, the herdsmen on the grassland are heavily dependent on Datang for food, clothing, housing and transportation, they are only responsible for raising cattle and sheep on the fixed grassland, and no longer live a life of chasing water and grass.