Chapter 142: Loving Father Li Xiang
Li Shu told Li Xiang everything Fang Yiai had told him.

Li Xiang looked at Fang Yiai with some surprise. He didn't expect that this simple-minded but strong uncle had such an IQ.

"It seems that the Shandong nobles are also unwilling to be lonely and want to get some information." Li Lizhi put down the knitting needles in her hand, "But I think things should not be that simple. It is better to be cautious in everything."

"Xiang'er, what do you think?" Li Su turned to Li Xiang.

"Since the Shandong gentry wants the secret recipe for washing wool, just give it to him." Li Xiang said with a smile.

Li Shu sat up straight and said, "This... How can this be possible? This is our livelihood..."

"You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a lamb. Besides, I didn't plan to make money from the wool business from the beginning." Li Xiang Xiaoxiang spread his hands and said, "This is a major matter concerning the national economy and people's livelihood. The foundation of our royal family is the people. If the people can benefit and remember the good things of the royal family, it will be more useful than making any money."

"Yes." Li Su thought about it for a moment and figured out the connection.

"After the Shandong nobles obtain the wool washing technology and succeed in the experiment, they will definitely want to participate in the wool business." Li Xiang tapped the table with his fingers. "If they want to buy wool, they will definitely buy materials that can be exchanged for wool on the grasslands in the Tang Dynasty, such as tea, salt and other items."

"We just need to purchase these materials in large quantities in advance so that the market cannot be filled in the short term. At this time, what will the Shandong gentry do?"

"We will increase the price to purchase supplies in order to seize the initiative." Li Lizhi suddenly said.

"Yes, after all, our wool business has not yet started, and they also want to get a piece of the pie." Li Xiang said with a smile: "Then we can ask some merchants to increase the price of these materials by two or three times and sell them to the Shandong gentry, making a lot of money."

"Of course they know that wool on the grassland is as cheap as garbage. Even if the materials that can be exchanged for wool are four or five times more expensive, they can accept it because exchanging wool for wool is a completely profitable business."

Fang Yiai asked, "What if they don't want to do the wool business?"

"Husband, you are different from others." Li Shu put her small hand on Fang Yiai's shoulder and said sincerely, "Don't waste your time thinking about countermeasures. Is this something you should consider?"

Li Xiang: …

So Fang Yiai is a big fool, right?
But looking at Fang Yiai's silly grin with his teeth bared, he does look a bit silly.

Li Lizhi asked worriedly, "But what if they buy these materials and buy wool at a low price on the grassland?"

"What do you guess?" Li Xiang asked viciously.

Pei Xueqing, who had been listening, suddenly asked, "I think the prince is so confident because he must have told the caravans heading to the grassland to buy wool at a reasonable price, right?"

"Tell me, why do you say that?" Li Xiang asked with interest. This was the first time he had formally communicated with Pei Xueqing.

Pei Xueqing smiled softly: "I just have a superficial opinion. If I am wrong, please don't blame me, a little girl."

"Go ahead." Li Xiang held his chin with both hands.

Pei Xueqing nodded slightly and said, "As the saying goes, 'Han originally had laws, and the ways of the hegemon and the ways of the king are mixed together', the prince advocated the use of troops against the Xueyantuo in the court, using the power of heaven to punish the rebellious, this is the prince's hegemony; he held a 'sports meeting' in Shuozhou, and formed a caravan to trade with various tribes, and showed his sincerity, this is the prince's way of the king."

Li Xiang raised his eyebrows. He didn't expect that Pei Xueqing could actually guess his plan.

"The one who understands me best is Sister Pei," he said with a smile.

As Lao Li's grandson, he naturally likes to be praised.

After hearing Li Xiang's words, Li Su and Li Lizhi looked at each other, and their eyes exchanged several messages in an instant.

Li Xiang explained to everyone: "In fact, before Jingren set out, I told him to explain the value of wool to the leaders of each tribe in detail and not to create this information gap."

"If the grasslands were hostile to me, I would have made a profit from the information gap. But now the grasslands are a vassal of the Tang Dynasty. As a loving father of the grasslands, how could I do something to harm my son?"

Li Su felt that what Li Xiang said made sense, but he was pouting.

Even though you are only fourteen years old, you are already thinking about being someone's loving father. I dare not even imagine what you want to do for the people of the grassland in the future.

However, despite thinking this, Li Shu became more and more optimistic about Li Xiang.

He is capable and ambitious, and deserves her wholehearted assistance.

"Uncle can show up a little, but you have to say that your aunt has been keeping a close eye on you these days." Li Xiang continued, "Anyway, your bruised and swollen face is more convincing than anything else. During these few days, your two aunts can send people to buy goods from various places, giving priority to several important cities, such as Chang'an, Luoyang, Taiyuan, etc., to at least temporarily push up the price."

"When the Shandong nobles learn the secret recipe, their suspicion of my uncle will be reduced, and my uncle can infiltrate their ranks to see what they are trying to do."

"Okay." Fang Yiai nodded. He didn't ask why. He just did whatever he was told to do and that was it.

This is Fang Yiai's advantage. He obviously knows that his brain is not very smart.

When he was at home, even if Princess Gaoyang asked him to go east, he would not go west.

It’s not that he is henpecked, because he did that before, except that Fang Xuanling asked him to study literature.

It is really impossible to learn literature. Kong Yingda taught until he was exhausted, but he didn't even let Fang Yiai learn a little bit.

"The Shandong nobles will not be content with just finding out about wool washing technology. They must have other plans." Li Xiang said firmly, "I'll have to ask my uncle for help."

Fang Yiai scratched his head. This was the first time in his life that someone had taken him so seriously.

Old Li did not really value him, but rather doted on him; but Li Xiang was different, he obviously regarded him as a talent that could be used.

"Don't worry!" he promised.

How did that saying come from? A woman dresses up for the man who pleases her, and a man dies for the man who understands him. Fang Yiai now feels a strong sense of understanding.

The Prince of Hengshan County was able to discover a talent like me. He really has a keen eye for talent!

After the discussion was finalized, Fang Yiai returned to his duty as Youwei Guard.

When Fang Yiai got off work and returned home, Lu Hyun was still waiting for him.

This was discussed before leaving yesterday. Lu Hyun came here to invite Fang Yiai out to see if he could hook her up with her again; secondly, he also wanted to find out the truth and see if Li Shu, this shrewd man, had discovered this matter.

Seeing his bruised face, Lu Hyun couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Cousin, what are you laughing at?" Fang Yiai asked unhappily.

"Hahahaha...what's wrong with your face?" Lu Hyun had already figured out how the scar on his face came about.

His aunt was a shrew. After all, she was so strong-willed that she gouged out one of her own eyes to show her unyielding love for Fang Xuanling.

She even dared to drink the "poison" given by the emperor for Fang Xuanling. Although it was later explained that it was vinegar, it was enough to prove the aunt's strong will and bravery.

He never expected that not only his aunt, but even his sister-in-law was a shrew.

Could it be that we are really not from the same family and cannot enter the same house?

"Don't mention it. I fell when I went out." Fang Yiai waved his hands and said calmly.

"How could he fall like this?" Lu Hyun still didn't believe it.

"Heh." Fang Yiai put his hands behind his back, looking like he didn't want to pay any attention to you.

Lu Xuan smiled and said, "Cui Shizhi also told me that he wanted me to invite Yiai to Pingkangfang for another chat. If you are okay, cousin, then shall we go?" Fang Yiai thought about Princess Gaoyang's iron fist last night and shuddered subconsciously.

"Forget it, no, I won't go." Fang Yiai reached out and touched his cheek. It hurt so much!

"Could it be that Princess Gaoyang discovered it?" Lu Xuan asked with raised eyebrows.

Fang Yiai sighed and said, "Don't mention it. As soon as Gao Yang raised her eyebrows last night, I confessed everything..."

"You, you!" Lu Hyun stretched out his hand and pointed at him: "You really can't hide things!"

I am still happy in my heart. It is good not to hide things. It is easier to ask questions if you can't hide things.

If you can keep things secret, then who should I go to for information, cousin?

"Let's wait a few days. After the high yang energy subsides, I will go with my cousin. But it won't be possible in the next two days." Fang Yiai declined.

"Okay, since you said so, let's do it another day." Lu Hyun said with a smile, and comforted him with two more words: "A real man... Well, don't take it to heart anyway."

"Don't worry, cousin. I'm used to it." Fang Yiai said sullenly.

Although Fang Yiai is relatively honest, he also has his own ideas.

He tried his best to show the spirit of a real man who would rather lose than fight. Although he was beaten, he still had to agree to it for the sake of face and went to Pingkangfang to continue playing music and dancing.

Lu Hyun smiled. He just thought that Fang Yiai was being played around by him, and he was also thinking about a plan in his mind.

What should we do? Well, let’s first figure out the technology for washing wool and how to weave it into wool.

At the same time, Princess Gaoyang and Princess Changle were also busy purchasing various supplies.

The two aunts were very efficient, with the style of strong women who acted decisively and swiftly, and they quickly drove up the prices of various materials.

In Taiyuan, the Wang family's base, tea prices even increased four to five times, and there was still a shortage of supply.

However, Li Xiang discovered that before he had purchased much salt, the price of salt in Chang'an began to fluctuate.

It seems that salt is in extreme shortage in the Tang Dynasty today.

Just a small purchase could cause chaos in the salt price in Chang'an City. If it were a large-scale purchase, Li Xiang was a little hesitant to think about it.

Li Xiang kept this matter in mind. The salt issue was a matter concerning the national economy and people's livelihood, and it was also a very profitable business.

For now, let’s deal with the matter of cheating the aristocratic family first.

As the New Year was approaching, the people sent to the Liuzhao area also rushed back.

It took several months of hard work on the journey, and Li Xiang collected a large amount of chili peppers through the deep mountains and forests.

Not only did they collect it themselves, but they also exchanged it with every household in the Mengzhao tribe.

Looking at the dozens of kilograms of dried chili peppers in front of him, Li Xiang felt like his soul had flown back to him.

Although they are all chili peppers, the spicy taste is still very positive.

Fortunately, the spiciness of these peppers is acceptable, at least Li Xiang feels it is acceptable. These should be the less spicy varieties.

Yunnan chili pepper is known to be so spicy that it can kill elephants. If we really get the original version of that extremely spicy version, at least it will be no problem to make Li Xiang, the little elephant, die of his spiciness.

What can you do with chili pepper?
Of course it’s Shi Tean!
The representative snack of Shijiazhuang City - Anhui beef noodles.

There was ready-made beef bone broth on hand. After Li Xiang wrote a detailed recipe for Fubao, a burst of spicy aroma wafted through the restaurant.

It’s very cool and exciting.

The diners stretched their heads to see what kind of food could have such a domineering and strong aroma.

Li Xiang cooked from the afternoon until the next morning and left the East Palace early. This time he did not go to Lizheng Palace, but went directly to Jianghu Restaurant.

"Brother, what is this smell? It smells so good..."

Cheng Chubi squatted behind the big pot, drooling continuously.

"Ha." Li Xiang said nothing, but asked someone to prepare milk.

The milk produced by Cheng Yaojin's cows...

The noodles for flat noodles are meant to be pounded. Fu Bao pounded the noodles on the board, making a snapping sound, which sounded very powerful.

Soon, the noodles were cooked. Li Xiang took a bowl, poured a bowl of soup, and picked out a few plump and juicy peppers.

"Two eggs, please." Li Xiang said. He liked eggs cooked in soup.

Upon hearing this, Fubao gave him two more eggs.

The playboys sat on the benches and started eating steaming food.

"Damn, this is too spicy!" Cheng Chubi sucked his lips, but the hotter it was, the more he wanted to eat it.

Li Xiang took a look and saw that Cheng Chubi's forehead was covered with sweat, but he couldn't stop eating noodles.

"Guangya" says that "辢" means "辛".

Nowadays, the word "spicy" still has the meaning of spicy. There is even a saying that "very spicy is called spicy", which means that when it is spicy to a certain extent, it is spicy.

Li Xiang felt it was okay, the spiciness was just a little bit.

The braised egg in the flat noodles is the most delicious. It is stewed overnight and is particularly flavorful.

Seeing Cheng Chubi eating heartily, Li Xiang picked up a piece of chili with chopsticks and put it into his mouth.

Soon, Li Xiang's eyes became moist.

Damn, this is what it tastes like!
"Brother, what is this soup noodle called? Why is it so delicious?" While eating noodles, Cheng Chubi did not forget to ask Li Xiang what this thing was called.

"Let's call it authentic Chang'an specialty Anhui beef noodles, and from now on it will be referred to as Changte'an." Li Xiang wiped his mouth and said so.

"What a strange name." Cheng Chubi sighed but didn't ask why.

My brother must have a reason for naming it this way.

When Li Xiang was eating in Changte'an, the imperial court also officially issued an edict to reform the imperial examination system.

The twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month represents that this should be the last reform in the sixteenth year of Zhenguan.

When the edict was issued, the whole world was shocked.

(I’m going to change my schedule tomorrow!)
(End of this chapter)