Chapter Forty: The New Year Approaches

Hero’s Intoxication was setting everything ablaze.

After the first day of its promotional sale, Hero’s Intoxication swept through the entire Guanzhong region like a raging storm. Even though the price per jin remained as usual, it couldn’t keep the wine enthusiasts from flocking in crazed droves. Especially with the fervent endorsements from figures like Cheng Yaojin, virtually everyone in the Tang dynasty’s officialdom joined in the buying frenzy. The great aristocratic clans, in particular, snapped up supplies with the hunger of ravenous tigers; in just ten days, the Hero’s Intoxication delivered solely to the noble families exceeded a hundred thousand jin.

Adding in all other sales, Li Kong amassed a fortune of one hundred and eighty thousand strings of cash in just ten days. After deducting costs, the net profit surpassed one hundred thousand strings—almost ten thousand strings flowing in each day.

The staggering success left Li Kong, the mastermind behind it all, utterly astonished.

Though he knew the sales would inevitably taper off in the future, there would be little fluctuation for at least two months. After all, much of the Tang Empire remained untapped—especially the Eastern Capital, Luoyang. If he could secure that market, the profits would rival those of Chang’an.

Li Kong was fully aware of the noble families’ motives for their bulk purchases: they planned to resell his product elsewhere. But he had no intention—or need—to interfere, since their purchase price from him remained unchanged.

To earn a profit, they would have to raise their prices, so they posed no threat to Li Kong’s future plans for new markets. On the contrary, their actions would help spread the fame of Hero’s Intoxication across the entire Tang Empire. In a sense, Li Kong even felt grateful to these great families for unwittingly providing him with free advertising. Thanks to them, he had been enjoying sweet dreams for several nights running.

As Hero’s Intoxication swept through Guanzhong, the glass cups bundled with the wine also became popular playthings. Priced at less than one hundred coins each, they swiftly drove all the imported glassware from the Persian Empire out of the region, and quickly spread to new markets.

The noble families didn’t overlook these glass products either. Their massive purchases brought Li Kong another fortune—within a week, the cups alone yielded profits of over one hundred thousand strings. Such enormous gains tempted Li Kong to abandon all restraint and become the wealthiest man in the Tang. Thankfully, he recalled the fate of Shen Wansan of the Ming dynasty and immediately quashed that thought. In this era, money was nothing; true power was what mattered.

Besides, Li Kong’s ambitions were never about personal wealth, but about leaving the Tang dynasty without regrets. Though he couldn’t control what came after, at the very least, during his lifetime, he would not allow the Tang to have regrets.

This was only the beginning of his journey. He knew the road ahead would be difficult, but his will was forged of steel, and his fighting spirit never wavered.

Inside the storeroom.

Having just finished sorting out the accounts, Li Kong looked at the two men standing beside him. One was Liu Dezhu, the eunuch he had poached from Li Shimin, and the other was Laifu, his chief confidant. Around them stood a dozen or so clerks responsible for financial records—all of whom Li Kong had gone to great lengths to recruit from the palace.

Given his current standing in Li Shimin’s eyes, Li Kong had no concerns about these men harboring ulterior motives.

“Set aside twenty thousand strings for taxes, then allocate another hundred thousand. Liu Dezhu, come with me to the palace!” Li Kong nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Laifu and said, “Take sixty thousand strings home to the lady—she’ll handle them. Invest the remainder in ramping up production. Make sure we capture the Luoyang market after the New Year!”

“At your command. I’ll see to it at once!”

…

It was the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month—tomorrow would be New Year’s Eve. With the morning court session dismissed, the Tang’s bureaucracy had officially begun its holiday. Save for those tasked with guarding the imperial city, everyone else returned home to prepare for the festivities.

Li Shimin was in high spirits this year. Three major events buoyed him: repelling the Turks, the Empress’s recovery, and the birth of Princess Gaoyang. He felt an unprecedented sense of ease.

Yet something still nagged at him: lately, his beloved daughter Li Lizhi had rarely come to visit. Instead, she was always running off to the imperial manor, returning only with a foolish smile and refusing to answer questions. The look of bliss on her face left Li Shimin both irritated and helpless; more than once, he’d been tempted to summon Li Kong for a stern lecture—if only to vent his frustration!

In the spacious Hall of Sweet Dew, several special tables had been arranged by the servants. Upon each table sat an iron pot, a glowing fire burning beneath, surrounded by neatly sliced beef and lamb, and an assortment of fresh vegetables.

Yes, this was the hot pot Li Kong had introduced. With the bitter cold and no cotton available, Li Kong had to devise some unconventional means to keep warm. Without question, hot pot and strong liquor became his signature weapons.

Hero’s Intoxication was selling furiously, while the hot pot had yet to reach the market. Already, though, it was spreading through Chang’an. Li Kong had never intended to profit from hot pot; he simply wished to pass on this simple method of keeping warm throughout the Tang, to help strengthen the empire against the cold—a humble act of gratitude for his journey across time.

Li Shimin dipped a slice of lamb into the pot, fished it out, and placed it into Li Lizhi’s bowl with a smile. “Surely your little workshop is on holiday by now? Will you go tomorrow?”

Though he smiled, the gritted edge in his voice left Empress Zhangsun speechless—truly, he was the ultimate doting father.

Li Lizhi, oblivious to any tension, replied with a contented squint, “No, I won’t go. Tomorrow I’m visiting Brother Kong’s courtyard—he said he has something special for me. Hehe, Father, do you know—”

“Ahem, alright, time to eat! Eat up!” Li Shimin, struck as if by ten thousand blows, cut her off abruptly, coughing and putting on a stern face.

Li Chengqian, Li Tai, and the other princes hid their laughter at the smaller tables nearby, hearts warmed by the scene. In this moment, Li Shimin was not the Emperor, but a father—just like back in the old days at the Prince of Qin’s residence.

The princesses didn’t think much of it, but seeing Li Shimin stymied made them a bit anxious—what if he got angry?

Empress Zhangsun shook her head and turned to chat with the concubines. The first year of Zhenguan had passed swiftly; the sisters from the Prince of Qin’s residence had hardly spent time together, and to forestall future discord in the harem, the Empress had to make her stance clear and nip any trouble in the bud.

Just then, Li Quan, who was standing guard outside, announced, “Your Majesty, Li Kong has arrived!”