Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 316 This year has been anything but peaceful

Chapter 316 This year has been anything but peaceful
"How to do it?"

The four leaders of the Hundred Cavalry, along with Li Daozong who arrived uninvited, sat around the table.

All four people's eyes were focused on Wen He.

Su Dingfang, Xu Jingzong, and Huang Chun were all somewhat anxious and asked in unison.

Only Li Daozong appeared calm and composed, pouring himself a cup of hot tea, the rising steam blurring his features: "This matter is simple, just have your Hundred Riders spread the news in the marketplace."

Wen He looked up at him and tapped her fingertips lightly on the table: "Doing it this way is too slow, and the envoys from Goguryeo, Silla, and Baekje are not fools. They may not believe rumors that are not true."

"Then tell me, what should we do?" Li Daozong stroked his goatee and raised an eyebrow as he asked.

Wen He's lips curled up, a sly glint in her eyes, but she remained silent.

"Little one, what are you pretending to be mysterious about?"

Li Daozong was aroused by his appearance and put down his teacup, urging, "Speak quickly!"

"This matter is actually quite simple."

Wen He finally spoke, raising her eyebrows slightly, but deliberately keeping everyone in suspense.

"But there's no rush. We'll have to wait until the Japanese delegation leaves before we do it."

"Huh?" Su Dingfang and Huang Chun looked at each other, clearly not understanding the crux of the matter.

Xu Jingzong tapped his fingertips on the table, as if he had noticed something. A look of understanding flashed in his eyes, but he did not dare to speak rashly.

Li Daozong stroked his beard and snorted, "Playing coy. The Japanese delegation will only leave after attending the Yuanhui (New Year's Assembly), which will take at least half a month. Do you expect me to waste time with you?"

"However, we can start by making arrangements."

Wen He changed the subject, her tone becoming calm and composed.

"Send the second team to lie in wait near the Honglu Guest House, to get familiar with them, especially the envoys from the three countries on the peninsula. Make them feel that these people are not deliberately approaching us."

This is the first step, and it's not difficult for a hundred riders.

The second team was responsible for infiltrating the city and its daily training focused on how to navigate among all sorts of people and extract information from casual conversations.

Apart from Wen He, only Huang Chun knew the identities of the members of the second team.

Su Dingfang and Xu Jingzong only knew of its existence, but did not know exactly who it was.

"What's next?" Li Daozong pressed, clearly having little patience for the foreplay.

"Next, we just wait."

Wen He smiled gently.

That's as good as saying nothing at all.

Li Daozong immediately lost interest, slammed his teacup down on the table, spilling some tea: "Fine, fine, whatever makes you happy. Anyway, this is a task His Majesty assigned to you."

It wasn't that he didn't believe Wen He couldn't do it.

Rather, the little child was being deliberately mysterious, clearly not wanting him to know.

He decided not to make a fool of himself.

"I'm leaving now. Before New Year's Day, I'll have someone deliver the foal and the land deed to your residence, so you won't keep nagging about it."

After saying that, he waved his hand, got up and walked out. The hem of his brocade robe swept across the charcoal brazier, raising a shower of sparks.

Seeing him walk away, Wen He stretched and yawned, his joints making a series of soft cracks. He then said to Huang Chun, "I will select the people to be infiltrated. I will trouble Supervisor Huang to report to His Majesty."

Huang Chun nodded in agreement.

Although he knew the roster of the second team, he never interfered with personnel transfers.

Time flies like an arrow.

Several more cycles of the sun and moon have passed.

It's almost New Year's Day.

The wind in Chang'an seemed to carry a touch of warmth, and the desolation of winter was quietly dispelled by the increasingly strong festive atmosphere.

The shops on both sides of the street had hung up colorful ribbons early in the morning, and there were many more pedestrians than usual, shoulder to shoulder.

Behind this bustling scene, the widespread use of wool yarn played a crucial role.

A bundle of fine wool yarn costs no more than a hundred coins, enough for an ordinary family to weave a thick garment. If it is for making clothes for children, a skillful woman can even alter and mend them to make them last for two or three years.

These affordable and warm items have encouraged people to buy new clothes during the cold winter, and have also made the bustling atmosphere in the East and West markets much stronger than in previous years.

At this time of year, merchants from the Western Regions would always be worried about the goods piled up in their warehouses.

In the dead of winter, there are few buyers, goods cannot be sold, and a considerable storage fee still needs to be paid.

This year, however, is completely different. The East and West markets are still bustling with people, especially the stalls related to wool, which are crowded with people asking about prices.

In a corner of Dongshi, inside a seemingly inconspicuous shop called "Lihe Department Store".

Wen He was sitting at the desk by the window, checking the ledgers with her head down. The pen tip lightly traced across the paper, leaving clear handwriting.

A middle-aged man dressed in a light blue short jacket carefully stepped forward with a cup of hot tea and respectfully placed it beside him.

"Young master, our wool yarn is selling very well!"

The man had a fawning smile on his face and a hint of smugness in his tone.

"Every day, as soon as we open, they rush to buy, and we sell out before noon. It's just a pity that the workshop's production can't keep up. Many regular customers have made several trips but still haven't been able to buy any, and I really feel bad about it."

This "Lihe Department Store" quietly opened five days ago. There was no grand ceremony, no eye-catching signboards, just a quiet opening of the doors and the display of wool yarn on the shelves.

Before this, if the people of Chang'an wanted to buy wool yarn, they could only go to the official shops run by the Ministry of Revenue. Those shops didn't have much stock, and they often had "sold out" signs. Buying yarn required running around a lot.

Now that "Lihe Department Store" has opened, people in Chang'an City naturally flock to it.

Wen He turned a page of the ledger and said without looking up, "Right now, we need to prioritize the wool for the soldiers and make winter clothes for them. Naturally, the amount allocated to the shops will be less."

"Once the New Year is over, the machines in the workshop will be properly debugged and production will catch up, then there will be no shortage."

The Ministry of War is pressing hard right now, and the border garrison soldiers are waiting for wool yarn to make warm clothing, so the civilian quota can only be postponed for the time being.

"Yes, yes, that's how it should be, that's how it should be!"

The middle-aged man nodded quickly, his smile carrying a hint of flattery, yet it wasn't offensive.

His name was Zhao Dafu, and he was the manager that Wen He found through the brokerage firm.

Logically speaking, a shop that is so directly related to one's "money bag" should be managed by a trusted confidant who knows the inside and out.

However, Wen He had no one else available.

Li Yifu wanted to keep an eye on the business of "Sanwei Study".

Neither A-Dong nor the servant in the backyard named A-Tu were literate, and Zhou Fu had to stay home to help with the accounts and take care of the household affairs. After thinking it over, he had no choice but to ask the brokerage firm to find someone with experience.

Zhao Dafu seems to be reliable so far; at least his accounts are clear and his income and expenditure are readily apparent, with nothing ambiguous.

Wen He closed the ledger, picked up her teacup, and took a sip. The warm tea slid down her throat, dispelling some of the chill.

He looked up at Zhao Dafu and said, "From now on, every seven days, you have someone deliver the account books to my residence. You don't need to go yourself; just find a reliable clerk."

"Yes, yes, yes, Steward Zhou explained it a few days ago, and I've noted it down!"

Zhao Dafu quickly responded, bending down even lower.

He used to be a merchant with a modest business, but his business was ruined because he offended a certain aristocratic family.

He only turned to brokerage when he had no other options.

To be valued by Wen He, a rising star in Chang'an, and to manage a thriving shop is a blessing he never dared to dream of. Naturally, he is extremely cautious in everything he does.

Wen He put down her teacup, got up and walked to the door. Her gaze swept across the street to the two-story building across the street with its doors tightly closed. She pointed with her chin and said, "That restaurant across the street is also mine. It's not open yet, and the signboard isn't even up."

"If you manage this department store well, once the restaurant opens, you can also take over the business there."

Zhao Dafu followed his gaze and saw that the restaurant's facade was more than three times larger than that of "Lihe Department Store".

He was immediately taken aback, turned around abruptly, and bowed deeply to Wen He, his voice trembling with excitement: "Young master values you so highly, I will certainly do my utmost and serve you with all my heart, and will never fail your trust!"

"I won't say anything more. Let's see what you can do."

Wen He waved his hand, then waved to A Dong who was standing not far away.

Adong immediately came over carrying a heavy blue cloth bundle and handed it to Wenhe.

Wen He took the bundle and stuffed it into Zhao Dafu's arms: "You came at the right time, just in time for New Year's Day. I never favor one person over another. Here is twenty strings of cash, which is a gift for you when we meet, and also an early holiday gift for you. Take it to help with household expenses, buy some new clothes for your family, and buy some meat and vegetables."

He knew in his heart that most of the people who ended up in the brokerage business were in financial difficulty.

These twenty strings of cash were nothing to him, but for Zhao Dafu, they were a lifesaver in his immediate crisis.

"Xiao Langjun!"

Zhao Dafu held the bundle, feeling its weight.

His eyes reddened.

He knelt down with a thud, kowtowed three times to Wen He, and said in a choked voice, "I...I have no way to repay you, except to work hard and manage the shop well for you, young master!"

"It doesn't have to be like this, get up."

Wen He reached out and helped him up, patting his arm.

"A few people will come to you tomorrow, saying they're here to help. You don't need to ask who they are or what they're doing. Just let them stay in the shop and give them a place to stay."

"Yes, yes, yes, I will not interfere and will not say a word!"

Zhao Dafu nodded quickly, clutching the bundle tightly to his chest.

at this time.

Suddenly, a small head with two buns peeked in from the shop entrance. The delicate, porcelain-like face was covered in sugar crumbs, and a half-melted sugar figurine was in the mouth. The child called out indistinctly, "Brother, haven't you bought anything yet? It's so lively outside!"

It is gentleness.

Wen He's face immediately showed a helpless smile. She deliberately put on a stern face and strode out: "I've bought it. You silly girl, why did you secretly buy candy again? Who bought it for you? I told you that eating too many sweets will ruin your teeth!"

When Wenrou saw that he was "angry", she exclaimed "Ah!" and turned to run away. The sugar figurine in her hand swayed, and a lot of sugar crumbs fell to the ground. She left behind a string of silvery laughter.

Today, Wen He came to Dongshi to buy "New Year's goods" under the pretext of checking the accounts.

Although the Tang Dynasty celebrated the Lunar New Year on New Year's Day, which was different from the Spring Festival in his memory, and there were no customs of pasting Spring Festival couplets or staying up late on New Year's Eve, he always felt that if there was a lack of a sense of ritual to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new, he would feel empty inside.

He watched Wenrou's retreating figure, shook his head helplessly, but his eyes were full of warmth.

Turning to A-Dong, he instructed, "Go and pack up those pastries you just picked out, and go to the butcher shop to buy ten catties of mutton, with bones, to make mutton soup for my mother tonight."

"Yes, my lord." A-Dong responded and left.

The three little ones are going to the palace today, leaving only him, Wenrou, and Li Yifu at home.

Although it was a bit quiet, at least we were celebrating the New Year at home.

Unlike those high-ranking officials and nobles, who had to enter the palace to accompany Li Shimin.

Eating cold food and drinking cold wine is pure torture.

"Entering the palace at the end of the year? What would a lowly seventh-rank official like me do? Your Majesty's favor is too great for me to bear. However, given my lowly status, I will not enter the palace to cause Your Majesty any trouble."

Wen He wanted to stay home on New Year's Eve and have a reunion dinner with Wen Rou.

Unexpectedly, Gao Yue, who came to pick up the three little ones, brought him such "shocking bad news".

Although he spoke respectfully, Gao Yue could tell that Wen He was clearly unwilling to enter the palace.

“Your Excellency of Gaoyang County, this is His Majesty’s decree, this is an immense honor.”

Throughout the entire Tang Dynasty, only Wen He dared to show such disdain when faced with His Majesty's invitation.

"Besides, the Empress has also invited Consort Wen to the palace, so please don't make things difficult for me."

Gao Yue's words carried a hint of pleading.

"Are you going with Qingque, Ake, Lizhi, and Liyou?" Wenrou suddenly appeared out of nowhere and asked with a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

The three little ones not far away also had different expressions.

Li Tai and Li You were normal, but Li Ke deliberately glanced at Wenrou.

"Yes."

Gao Yue smiled kindly at her.

“Then go, brother.” Wenrou tugged at Wenhe’s sleeve.

“But we’ve all left, and Yifu will only have one person left this year,” Wen He said.

"Ah, can't he enter the palace?" Wenrou looked at Gaoyue with pleading eyes.

She felt it was rather pitiful to leave Li Yifu alone.

"This... is indeed impossible," Gao Yue said helplessly.

“Sir, young lady, there’s no need to worry. I have Steward Zhou and the others here at the manor, so I won’t be lonely.”

Hearing Wen He's words of concern from not far away, Li Yifu felt a warm current flow through his heart.

I never expected that the gentleman would still think of me at this time.

'Damn, I was just using you as an excuse.'

It seems there's no way to avoid it.

Even if he really doesn't enter the palace, Li Shimin might send the imperial guards to his home on the last day of the year and forcibly take him away.

"In that case, thank you, Your Majesty."

Wen He reluctantly agreed.

"Very well, then this servant will return to the palace to report."

Gao Yue bowed to Wen He and then led the three little ones back to the palace.

"Oh, troublesome."

Wen He sighed deeply.

He suddenly had a feeling that he would never be able to have peace on New Year's Eve again.

Before we knew it, the year had come to its last day.

The last twilight of the ninth year of the Wude era slowly descended from the western mountains.

Wenhe dressed Wenrou in new clothes and took her little hand as they prepared to go out.

Just as the brother and sister walked into the front yard.

A Dong, who had gone to prepare the car not long ago, rushed in, bowed to Wen He, and hurriedly said.