Chapter 138: I Will Not Treat You Unfairly

Even though Li Chengqian was somewhat reluctant, he dared not block the Emperor’s summons. And so, Liu Yitiao followed Li Ran.

Li Ran was the Chief of Eunuchs, a figure of equivalent rank to the great palace overseers of the Qing and Ming dynasties—an iconic, high-ranking figure. Although he did not hold immense political power, Liu Yitiao dared not be discourteous. As the saying goes, "harmony brings wealth," and it is best to be kind to others. In the imperial palace, one could never be sure who was truly a "nobody."

"Master Li, I hope you are well." Liu Yitiao quickened his pace to catch up, bowed respectfully, and asked in a low voice, "I wonder, for what reason has His Majesty summoned this humble commoner? I hope the Chief might enlighten me."

"Master Liu, you are too kind. How could I dare accept such a grand salute from you?" Li Ran hurriedly bowed in return, appearing quite flattered. Having served in the palace for over a decade, aside from the eunuchs under his command, he had rarely been treated with such politeness. As he straightened up, the look he gave Liu Yitiao became noticeably warmer.

Eunuchs are incomplete men, and feelings of inferiority are inevitable. Many do not regard them as human beings; in the eyes of most nobles, they are worth less than common servants. Even someone like Li Ran, who constantly attended to Li Shimin, had endured cold stares more than once.

"As for why His Majesty has summoned you, someone of my status has no right to know." Li Ran leaned in closer to Liu Yitiao and whispered, "However, it is highly likely related to agricultural matters. The Minister of Agriculture is with His Majesty right now."

Agriculture? That was right up his alley. But this had always been a secret hidden deep within his heart—how could Li Shimin and the Minister of Agriculture know? Could it be the curved-shaft plow?

"My heartfelt thanks, Chief Li." Liu Yitiao bowed again. Who says eunuchs are useless? When it comes to gathering intelligence, who could surpass those who constantly circle around the Emperor and his princes?

Li Ran nodded slightly and smiled. "You are too polite, Master Liu. Please, come with me; His Majesty is likely waiting with some impatience."

"Certainly. Please lead the way, Chief Li."

The imperial palace was immense, arguably gargantuan, with hundreds of great halls and thousands of rooms—it was practically the size of a small county town. Anyone unfamiliar with the layout would surely be lost within these walls. Following Li Ran through winding paths for nearly a quarter of an hour, they finally moved from the Eastern Palace to the front of Li Shimin’s study.

Li Ran stopped and signaled to Liu Yitiao. "Master Liu, this is His Majesty’s study. Please wait here for a moment while I announce your arrival."

"Understood. I trouble you, Chief Li." Liu Yitiao bowed and waited obediently outside. Fortunately, it was no longer the dead of winter, and the weather was growing milder, making it bearable to stand outside.

Before long, Li Ran returned and, bowing, invited Liu Yitiao inside.

"Humble commoner Liu Yitiao pays respects to His Majesty!" Liu Yitiao walked into the study, bowed his head, and saluted Li Shimin.

In this imperial palace, the only thing Liu Yitiao found agreeable was this custom of bowing with hands folded; it was not like later dynasties, where one was expected to kneel at every turn.

"Hmm." Li Shimin nodded and instructed, "You may sit as well."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Liu Yitiao straightened up, walked toward Su Bingren, bowed to the unfamiliar old man, and took a seat in the lower position.

So this was the Liu Yitiao who had been causing such a stir in Chang'an? He was surprisingly young. From the moment Liu Yitiao entered, Su Bingren had been sizing him up, his expression one of utter astonishment.

He found it hard to believe that this young man, barely older than his own beloved granddaughter, could possess such talent. He had supposedly cured the Empress of a terminal illness, created a new style of calligraphy, and now, if the Emperor’s words were true, this "Liu-style plow" was also his creation. It seemed too miraculous; could such a genius truly exist in this world?

Seeing Liu Yitiao salute him, Su Bingren bowed in return. The young man seemed quite well-mannered, and Su Bingren’s first impression was favorable.

"Master Liu," Li Shimin said, taking a sip of tea before asking, "A few days ago, I heard that you established a workshop in Sanyuan specifically for the production of plows. Is this true?"

"It is!" Liu Yitiao nodded. With the arrangements made by Yang Bofang, this had become common knowledge; there was no point in hiding it.

"And is the name of that workshop the 'Liu Family Plow Works'?"

"It is!" Liu Yitiao nodded again, realizing that Li Shimin had indeed summoned him for the curved-shaft plow.

"May I ask, Master Liu, was the Liu-style plow produced at your workshop?" This question came from the old man, Su Bingren, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he stared at Liu Yitiao.

"And who might this official be?" Liu Yitiao did not answer immediately, instead bowing to the old man.

"Oh, forgive my rudeness." Su Bingren bowed. "I am Su Bingren. Thanks to His Majesty’s grace, I currently serve as the Minister of Agriculture."

"So, it is the Minister of Agriculture." Liu Yitiao smiled and bowed. "My respects, Minister. The plow you mentioned was indeed produced by my workshop. Do you have any guidance for me?"

Liu Yitiao knew without asking that the Minister of Agriculture had taken a fancy to his invention. As someone in that position, responsible for the agricultural affairs of the empire, he would naturally be interested in such an advanced tool. The only question was what he intended to do about it.

"Guidance? I would not dare." Su Bingren bowed solemnly. "I merely wish to thank you on behalf of the people of the Great Tang. With this plow, the common folk will finally be blessed."

"You are too kind, Minister. I cannot accept such praise." Liu Yitiao dared not accept such a heavy cap. He bowed and said, "I am but a farmer and a merchant. Naturally, I would not miss an opportunity that is both beneficial to agriculture and profitable for myself."

Liu Yitiao had already sensed the direction this was heading: Li Shimin and old man Su were looking to pull off a "wolf-in-sheep's-clothing" heist.

*This kid is quite shrewd,* Li Shimin thought. He took another sip of tea, set the bowl down, and looked at Liu Yitiao. "The birth of the Liu-style plow in our Great Tang is a blessing, and your contribution is undeniable. I wish to reward you handsomely. What is it that you desire?"

Liu Yitiao’s heart skipped a beat. He stood up and bowed to Li Shimin. "Your Majesty, this humble commoner has no other wish than to operate my workshop in peace, so that I might bring this plow to all the people of the Great Tang! I only wish to contribute my small share to the empire’s agriculture, and I beg for Your Majesty’s grace in allowing me to do so!"

"Oh," Li Shimin nodded, his eyes filled with appreciation—the boy was a talent. "I am pleased by your loyalty. However, regarding the 'Liu Family Plow Works'..." Li Shimin glanced toward Su Bingren.

"Your Majesty," Su Bingren understood and stood up to report, "I have a suggestion regarding the workshop, if I may."

"Speak freely, Minister Su!"

Su Bingren bowed and said, "Master Liu is operating the workshop alone, and his resources are limited. The daily output is minimal, and I fear it will be difficult to distribute them widely. Therefore, to ensure the people of the Tang can use these plows as soon as possible, and to lighten the burden on Master Liu, I suggest that the Imperial Court step in to help manage the operations."

The old man’s words chilled Liu Yitiao to the bone. *How ruthless,* he thought. *He wants to take over my workshop in a single sentence.* It seemed this matter would not be settled easily today.

"Hmm, Minister Su’s words are wise." Li Shimin turned his gaze to Liu Yitiao with interest. "What do you think, Master Liu?"

"Your Majesty, how could I object?" Liu Yitiao bowed. "I had actually intended to offer the workshop to the Court, but I am merely a farmer. My family’s land is scarce, and we have never been wealthy. I was hoping the workshop could earn me a little capital. I am to be married in two months, and I need to build a new house, buy furniture, and pay the dowry and wedding expenses. My younger brother also needs to attend school to earn a degree, and my little sister is only six years old—she won't be married for at least ten years. And if I have children in the future..."

"Enough, enough!" Li Shimin waved his hand, stopping Liu Yitiao’s litany of grievances, and laughed. "Listen to you—as if I were trying to steal your livelihood! Rest assured, I am not an unreasonable man, and I will certainly not treat you unfairly! The Court will purchase your workshop and the production methods for the plow at a high price; you will have more than enough for your wedding! As for your brother, if he truly has talent, I will not let him go to waste in the countryside."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Liu Yitiao breathed a sigh of relief. A great ruler is a great ruler—he knew exactly where the pressure points were, addressing every one of his concerns.

Although he lost a bit, in an era where imperial power was absolute, this result was not bad at all.

*Sigh! Oh, the evils of this feudal society!*