Tang Dynasty: Taking the Empress Dowager to a brothel, Father Emperor, what a coincidence!

The intersection of Xishi Street.

This place originally belonged to several large shops owned by the Cui family of Qinghe and the Wang family of Taiyuan.

This location is excellent and generates a fortune every day.

After being investigated for tax evasion, this prime location naturally fell into Li Chengqian's hands.

"Bang."

Cheng Chumo swung the large iron sledgehammer and smashed it hard against the wall between the two shops.

Bricks and stones flew everywhere, and dust filled the sky.

"Cool!"

Cheng Chumo shouted towards the back,

"Yiai, Baolin, haven't you two eaten? Smash it harder. His Highness said to break down all these shops."

Fang Yi'ai and Yuchi Baolin were equally determined, each wielding a large sledgehammer and unleashing a barrage of blows at the wall.

Changsun Chong, holding the blueprints given to him by Li Chengqian, stood across the street directing the operation.

"Hey, hey, don't smash that pillar over there. It's load-bearing; if you smash it, the roof will collapse."

These spoiled brats have been itching to get out of bed lately.

Now, under the Crown Prince's orders to carry out "violent renovations," they're all as excited as if they've been injected with adrenaline. Demolishing houses is exactly what they want.

"Boom!"

Another wall collapsed, and dust covered half the street.

The neighboring shops selling silk and rouge suffered as a result.

The shop was covered in dust, and all the customers had left.

Several shopkeepers couldn't stand it any longer and came over.

"My lords, you've made quite a commotion."

A plump shopkeeper bowed with a pained expression and said...

"We can't do business anymore, can't we just stop?"

"The Crown Prince is handling official business; all bystanders please step aside!"

Cheng Chumo glared with his bull-like eyes, picked up the broadsword on the ground, and roared.

"What? You have a problem with that? Do you want me to smash up your shop too?"

Upon seeing the horizontal sword in Cheng Chumo's hand, the chubby shopkeeper turned around and ran back to his shop.

Since it's not my own business, there's no need to risk my life.

Seeing this, other merchants quickly closed their shops, daring not to speak out against their anger.

The news quickly reached the Jingzhao Yin's office.

Upon hearing that it was Cheng Chumo, Fang Yi'ai, and their gang of troublemakers causing trouble in the West Market, with the ringleader being the recently released Changsun Chong, the Prefect of the Capital immediately clutched his stomach and collapsed to the ground.

"Oh dear, my angina has flared up again. Quickly, fetch a doctor. Leave the matters of the West Market to Wannian County."

The magistrate of Wannian County went even further, hanging a sign at the entrance of the yamen that read, "The magistrate has caught a cold and is closing the door to visitors."

Who dares to interfere?

That's the Crown Prince's property, and all the workers there are the eldest sons of the Duke's family.

These guys are always looking for trouble, and whoever goes there now is going to be in trouble.

The commotion in the West Market was so great that within half a day, the crossroads was crowded with onlookers.

Everyone was pointing and commenting inside.

"What's wrong with these young masters today? Instead of going to Pingkangfang for drinks, they're here smashing walls?"

"What do you know? I heard these shops now belong to the Crown Prince. He's going to open a big business here."

In the crowd, several men dressed in coarse cloth shorts exchanged glances and started shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Have you heard? The young master has acquired a divine treasure and is going to sell it in our West Market."

"What kind of magical treasure?"

The people nearby quickly moved over and asked.

"You don't know this, do you? It's said that eating it grants immortality, and wearing it makes you invulnerable to swords and spears. It's a magical artifact obtained from Liaodong."

This was naturally a scheme arranged by Zheng Qiuying.

Li Chengqian entrusted her with the task of creating momentum.

This woman, considered the most talented woman of the Tang Dynasty, was a master of smear campaigns and a natural at creating hype.

Rumors tend to get more and more outrageous the more they are spread.

By evening, news had spread throughout Chang'an that the Crown Prince had built a celestial treasury in the West Market, filled with elixirs refined by Laozi.

The people's appetites were whetted, and they all eagerly awaited the opening of this business.

three days later.

After the relentless and brutal construction by the spoiled gang, the walls between several shops were completely knocked down, turning the area into a huge mega-market.

According to Li Chengqian's drawings, there were no traditional cabinets inside, but rows of neat wooden shelves.

The signboard was covered with a red cloth, on which were written six large gilded characters: "Great Tang Royal Merchant Guild".

In the warehouse in the backyard, Changsun Chong looked at the mountain of goods with a troubled expression.

Stainless steel kitchen knives are easy to sell; those things can cut through iron like mud. Just showing them off would definitely make them a bestseller.

But the contents of those dozens of large sacks next to him made him really unsure of what to expect.

"Brother Chong, can this thing really be sold?"

Cheng Chumo reached out and squeezed the cotton-padded coat in the burlap sack.

"In winter, we people of Chang'an either wear linen or fur coats. Does anyone want this stuff?"

Changsun Chong sighed.

Wealthy families in the Tang Dynasty were particular about appearances, wearing fine silks and satins and draped in white fox fur coats.

Ordinary people are indeed short of winter clothes, but Li Chengqian set the price of these cotton-padded coats at one hundred coins each.

One hundred coins is a considerable expense for ordinary people.

"His Highness said that someone will definitely want this cotton-padded coat."

Changsun Chong said helplessly.

"Who cares? If His Highness says it can be sold, then it can be sold. The auspicious time is almost here; let's prepare to open the doors and welcome guests."

The street ahead was already packed with onlookers.

Everyone wanted to see what kind of magical treasures this legendary "Great Tang Royal Trading Company" actually sold.

"The auspicious time has arrived! Unveiling ceremony!"

At Changsun Chong's command, Cheng Chumo ripped the red cloth off the plaque.

Two long strings of firecrackers were lit, and the crackling sound was deafening.

The gates were wide open, and the people poured in like a tidal wave.

"Look, where is the magical baby?"

"I want to buy the elixir of immortality. I want to buy the potion of eternal life."

The crowd rushed into the shop, looking around.

But when they saw what was on the wooden shelf, they were all dumbfounded.

There are no elixirs of immortality, no magical artifacts.

On the shelf to the left, there were rows of dark, metal sheets that looked like kitchen knives.

On the shelf to the right, there were stacks of dusty clothes that looked like tattered sacks.

"This...this is a divine treasure?"

An old man rubbed his eyes and asked with a disappointed look.

Changsun Chong quickly smiled and said:

"Fellow villagers, this kitchen knife is made of finely refined steel, capable of cutting through iron like mud. It's only fifty coins a piece."

"This is called a cotton-padded coat. Wear it through the winter, and it'll keep out all the wind. It's only one hundred coins apiece."

The crowd fell silent for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Manager Changsun, are you kidding us? This piece of junk costs fifty coins? A kitchen knife at the blacksmith's shop only costs ten coins."

"Exactly! This shabby, grayish-brown clothing is so cheap I wouldn't wear it even if it were free. A hundred coins? Are you trying to rob me?"

"Let's all go, let's all go, all those magical treasures are just scams."

The people were greatly disappointed and left cursing.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the once crowded supermarket was completely deserted, not a single person remained.

Changsun Chong stood there, stunned.

Cheng Chumo scratched his head, looking at the empty shop.

"Brother Chong, why isn't anyone buying anything?"

Changsun Chong plopped down in the chair.

On the first day of business, not a single item was sold.

If the Crown Prince finds out, will I still be able to keep my job as the head manager?

Just then, a middle-aged, fat man wearing a brocade robe walked in from outside.

Changsun Chong's eyes lit up, and he quickly went to greet him.

"Sir, please feel free to look around. Our goods are absolutely unique..."

The fat man interrupted Changsun Chong, letting out a cold laugh:

"Changsun Chong, don't waste your energy."

The fat man took out a jade pendant from his sleeve and waved it in front of Changsun Chong.

The jade plaque was clearly engraved with the character "Cui".

"The Cui family?" Changsun Chong's expression changed.

The fat man put away the jade token, looked around, and said with a mocking expression:

"What kind of rare treasures did I, as the Crown Prince, make such a grand show of selling? It turns out to be just a pile of scrap metal and tattered clothes."

The fat man walked up to the shelf where the kitchen knives were placed, picked one up casually, weighed it in his hand a couple of times, and then casually threw it back.

"Changsun Chong, go back and tell His Highness the Crown Prince."

The Cui family has completely blocked the trade routes to Luoyang.

Without the approval of our five surnames and seven clans, not a single item from Liaodong could be transported into Chang'an.

Keep these junk for yourselves to get through the winter.

I want to see how many days the young master's trading company can last.

After saying that, the fat man laughed twice and left with his servants.

Enraged, Cheng Chumo drew his sword and was about to chase after him.

"Stop right there! I'll chop you up!"

"Chu Mo, don't act impulsively."

Changsun Chong grabbed him.

"Brother Chong, that old bastard is too arrogant. Are we just going to let him go like that?"

Changsun Chong said with a gloomy expression:

"The Cui family is here to laugh at us. They cut off our escape route, and now they're here to humiliate us."

Changsun Chong felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the warehouse full of goods.

The common people didn't accept it, and powerful families were secretly sabotaging it.

This situation is a dead end.

"Let's go to the East Palace."

Changsun Chong took a deep breath.

"This matter must be reported to Your Highness immediately."

Half an hour later.

The Eastern Palace Study.

After listening to Changsun Chong's report, Li Chengqian did not show any anger. Instead, he leisurely took a sip of tea.

"Not a single one sold?"

Changsun Chong said anxiously:

"Your Highness, please forgive us! The people complain that kitchen knives are too expensive and that cotton-padded clothes are not nice enough."

Furthermore, with the Cui family stirring up trouble outside, the entire city of Chang'an is now watching us make a fool of ourselves.

Cheng Chumo said angrily from the side:

"Your Highness, how about I take my brothers to the street and force them to buy it at knifepoint?"

"Get out of here."

Li Chengqian glared at him.

"Forced sale? Do you take me for a bandit?"

Changsun Chong cautiously raised his head and asked:

"Your Highness, what should we do now?"

If we keep this stuff in our hands, our business will really become a laughing stock.

The Cui family has spread the word that we won't last three days.

Li Chengqian put down his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and gave a cold laugh:

"They think it's too expensive? They think it's ugly? That's because they're unsophisticated."

Li Chengqian stood up, walked to the desk, picked up a piece of paper, quickly wrote a few lines, and handed it to Changsun Chong.

"Go and post this at the entrance of the business. Also, have Zheng Qiuying's people go out and spread the word."

Changsun Chong took the paper with both hands and glanced at it.

After just one glance, Changsun Chong's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

"Your Highness... this... will this work?" Changsun Chong stammered.

"Just do as instructed."

Li Chengqian waved his hand.

"I guarantee that by tomorrow morning, the threshold of our business will be worn down by people walking all over it."

Changsun Chong took the paper and left.

Cheng Chumo curiously leaned closer and asked:

"Your Highness, what brilliant plan did you write down?"

Li Chengqian patted Cheng Chumo on the shoulder and said:

You'll find out tomorrow.

Remember to bring extra people to maintain order, so the shop doesn't collapse from the crowd.