Chapter Fifty-Five: The Heated Kang Born of Heavy Snow

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The wild wind danced, sweeping up flurries of snow that spun wantonly across the ground, forming beautiful swirling vortices that gathered stray twigs and dead leaves as nourishment, gradually becoming a chaotic mixture.

Inside the room, Li Kong sat huddled around a charcoal brazier, rubbing his hands ceaselessly. Beside him, the maid Green Bamboo added firewood to the brazier while working on a large winter robe.

The inner lining of this robe was stuffed with the purest cotton, but such material was scarce, allowing for only a few garments to be made. Li Kong had already decided: once finished, there would be one for Li Yue’e, one for Li Lizhi, one for the Empress Zhangsun, and one for Green Bamboo herself—four in total would suffice.

He actually wanted to make one for little Gaoyang as well, but unfortunately, in this era, no one knew how to craft cotton clothing for infants. Generally, babies in winter were tightly wrapped in thick cotton bundles, which, though warm, were uncomfortable and even detrimental to their development.

Li Kong felt helpless. He was a special forces king, not an all-rounder. He could fight wars and even devise things beyond this era, but as for needlework? Sorry, that was simply beyond him. One look at his hands was enough to know they were not meant for sewing.

“Young Master, are you really not going out today? The two young masters and the lady have already gone out to visit the elders and relatives. Is it really proper for you to stay cooped up at home like this?”

After a moment, Green Bamboo glanced at Li Kong with some anxiety. On the first day of the New Year, it was customary to pay visits and strengthen social ties—a tradition that had been passed down since the Zhou dynasty for over a thousand years. Li Kong was openly defying this custom. If Li Ji found out, he might just break his legs.

Well… perhaps it wouldn’t be so serious?

Green Bamboo quietly comforted herself.

Li Kong rolled his eyes, watching the snowflakes fluttering outside, feeling the chill on his body. “Why must I go out? On such a cold day, can’t I just go out a little later? Or must I, for the sake of tradition, freeze myself into an icicle?”

Green Bamboo couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s not that, it’s just that the two young masters and the lady are only a few years old and have already gone out. If you don’t, it seems a bit unreasonable. Besides, soon the sons and daughters of other noble families will be coming to pay respects to the master. If you don’t show your face, it won’t look good for your reputation.”

“Since when do I care about appearances? What I care about is the safety of all the people under heaven. With such cold, who knows how many citizens of the Great Tang will freeze to death? I’m racking my brains to solve this problem, so don’t disturb me.”

Green Bamboo was speechless. Although her young master was indeed impressive, to claim he could save everyone in the Great Tang from the cold—wasn’t that a bit much?

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From ancient times to the present, countless wise men had tried to solve this problem, yet so far all they had come up with were winter robes and charcoal braziers. Did the young master really have another solution?

Even if he did, wouldn’t the cost be too high? Could the common folk afford it?

At this thought, Li Kong’s eyes lit up. “Laifu, where’s Laifu? Hurry and get in here!”

“Yes, young master, at your service!” Laifu puffed and panted as he rushed in from outside, his head topped with a mound of snow, his whole body covered densely in white, looking for all the world like a moving snowman.

Li Kong was momentarily stunned. He had called out casually, actually intending for Green Bamboo to summon someone else. After all, it had been late when Laifu returned with him last night, and it had snowed heavily. Even Li Kong himself was starting to feel the signs of a cold, let alone Laifu.

Yet Laifu had not only gotten up, but had been standing guard outside all morning. Was the man a fool?

Still, Li Kong couldn’t help but be touched by Laifu’s loyalty. Taking a deep breath, he said, “Go find two people and have them look for idle craftsmen in the city. Gather a few—I need them urgently.”

“Yes, right away, young master. Is there anything else?” Laifu rubbed his hands, casting a longing glance at the brazier.

Feigning deliberation, Li Kong said, “After you send them out, get yourself back in here and warm up. Don’t get sick!”

“Thank you, young master!” Laifu, overjoyed, leapt up, sending snow flying everywhere, and hurried out.

Half an hour later.

In Li Kong’s room, four or five craftsmen knelt beside the brazier, mixing sand and clay, constantly measuring the edges of the walls. Before long, they began building up the mixture along the lines drawn out.

These craftsmen were skilled, working quickly, and at Li Kong’s direction, they used the brazier to dry and harden each newly built section as they went.

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In less than an hour, a proper kang bed-stove took shape before Li Kong’s eyes. The thing was rather novel, so Green Bamboo and Laifu watched with bewildered faces, unable to fathom what this bed-like structure was for.

Li Kong stepped forward to examine the now mostly dry kang, then said, “Pile in some firewood and try it out.”

“Yes, sir!” Laifu followed instructions, stuffing firewood inside and lighting it. Soon, a cloud of white steam rose from the kang, persisting for half an hour before dissipating. As the warmth spread, the temperature in the room rose by more than ten degrees.

Everyone felt a cozy warmth envelop them, and Li Kong even broke into a sweat.

Finally, he went to the kang, touched the dry surface—it was at least thirty degrees. With bedding laid on top, the temperature would stay above twenty degrees, and with body heat, it would be at least thirty-five degrees under the covers at night, perhaps even forty.

“Not bad. Do it just like this—refit the entire villa. Then, you few come with me to the palace and teach the attendants there.”

“Yes, sir!” The craftsmen agreed in unison, especially excited when the palace was mentioned. In this era, to see the emperor’s face—revered as heavenly—was a rare honor. For commoners, even those living in Chang’an, it was possible to live a whole lifetime without ever glimpsing the emperor.

With the kang finished, Li Kong immediately removed the brazier and filled the kang with firewood. Then, feeling warm at last and with noon approaching, he decided it was a good time to go out, pay a few visits, and perhaps scrounge a meal or two.

The snow was still falling, blanketing the world in white. But with the kang built, Li Kong was in high spirits. Looking at the snow, he joked, “A timely snow promises a bountiful year!”

Laifu and Green Bamboo: “……”