Time flew by, and it was the second day of the twelfth lunar month. The weather was getting colder and colder.
In a charcoal shop, a well - fed shopkeeper in his forties was strolling leisurely around the store with his hands behind his back.
There were piles of charcoal beside him. The store was full of common people who came to buy charcoal. In stark contrast to his leisure, the people were reluctant to take out money from their purses.
"Sorry, everyone. The price of our charcoal has gone up recently. It's ten wen per jin!" The shopkeeper came to the crowd and announced loudly.
The sudden price increase immediately annoyed the common people.
"Why has the price gone up suddenly? Haven't you made enough of this dirty money?"
"That's right! How long can one jin of charcoal last? How dare you charge ten wen? Is this charcoal inlaid with gold?"
"You already raised the price to five wen per jin before. That was expensive enough! You're really heartless!"
"Is the price increase your idea or your master's?"
The shopkeeper smiled and waved his hand at the crowd. "Everyone, calm down. Of course, it's my master's idea. Don't argue with me. It's meaningless, isn't it? You can go directly to him. Turn left after you go out. It's in Yongxing Fang."
"Yang Yuanming! Don't play these tricks on us! We can't afford this charcoal. Can't we just not buy it?"
A hot - tempered man shouted and took the lead in stepping out of the charcoal shop.
A few others followed him, but they obviously couldn't bear to part with the charcoal and looked back several times.
Without charcoal, they would have to endure the cold, but the price of charcoal was really too high for them to afford.
All the charcoal shops in Chang'an City were connected to the Yang family. If the price in this shop went up, the prices in other shops would not be lower; they would only be higher.
Yang Yuanming used to be a hooligan. Later, his sister became a concubine of the eldest son of the Yang family. His status rose accordingly. Not only was he given the family name by the master, but he was also entrusted to manage this largest charcoal shop.
He had jumped from an idle hooligan to a shopkeeper. Every winter when people bought charcoal, they had to be at his mercy.
Yang Yuzhi and Yang Shuzhi, two cousins, were strolling on the street with cups of milk tea in their hands. They happened to come to the charcoal shop. There were indeed a group of people who didn't want to buy the more expensive charcoal, but there were also quite a few who had given in.
The shop was still bustling with activity, and the incoming silver was much more than before.
"Greetings to the two young masters. It's so cold. Why did you two delicate young masters come out? If you want to see the account books, I can send them to you tomorrow." Yang Yuanming immediately changed his attitude and rushed downstairs from the second floor, trotting all the way to greet them, for fear of neglecting them.
These two were cousins, not brothers. Yang Yuzhi's father was Yang Shidao, the current chief scribe of the court and a real - deal prime minister. His mother was Princess Guiyang, the daughter of Li Yuan. He was from the Hongnong Yang family, one of the five prominent surnames and seven prestigious clans. He was also an only son. Who wouldn't praise his noble birth as a "young master from a noble family"?
Yang Shuzhi's background was much simpler. His father had no official position, and his mother was just an ordinary concubine - born daughter of the Zheng family in Xingyang.
When the two of them stood there, they were extremely good - looking and had good manners. They could be called elegant young gentlemen in the troubled times.
If it weren't for their good looks, could they have deceived Yang Shidao? Yang Shidao had mistakenly thought that they were serious people who were whole - heartedly studying. He even managed to get Yang Yuzhi engaged to County Mistress Shouchun, the daughter of Li Yuanji, and they were going to get married next spring.
"It's okay. We just passed by and took a look. In the whole Chang'an City, only our charcoal shop has such a continuous stream of people. It can even compete with the warm brothels in Pingkang Fang!" Yang Yuzhi watched as the charcoal piled up against the wall was gradually decreasing. He suddenly felt extremely proud and was very satisfied with Yang Yuanming's performance.
This Yang Yuanming had done a good job. His sister served him, and he made money for him. The siblings were both doing their best.
Yang Shuzhi thought more. "Shopkeeper, I want to ask you, what was the customers' reaction after we raised the price?"
"What else could their reaction be? Those poor people left cursing. I told them to complain to the emperor, and they didn't even dare to say a word! As for the rich people, of course, they don't care about the additional five wen. Look, aren't there still so many people coming to buy charcoal?" Yang Yuanming said with a beaming face, pointing at the customers coming and going below.
"That's good. We've been preparing for a year. Isn't this shop just for us to earn some pocket money? Don't think it's just a difference of five wen. But for so many people, those five wen are enough for us to spend happily for a year!"
Yang Yuzhi laughed when he heard this, as if he had already seen the real silver and gold being recorded in the accounts.
Making money wasn't that difficult either. Just do something casually, and the money would come. It was more satisfying to have money in his own hands than to ask his parents for it!
Speaking of which, this was an idea that Yang Shuzhi had come up with for him.
"Brother is absolutely right. Yang Yuanming, you did a good job. This jade pendant is my reward for you." Yang Shuzhi immediately echoed. Then he took off a warm and delicate jade pendant from his waist and threw it to Yang Yuanming.
Yang Yuanming quickly caught it and thanked them repeatedly. He sent the two of them upstairs.
Not long after, there was a commotion downstairs. Yang Yuzhi and his cousin were listening to music and watching the dancers when they were suddenly interrupted. They angrily pushed open the door and found that there were few customers left in the whole shop. It was empty, and even Yang Yuanming was not there.
What was going on?
They put on their long gowns and went out to check.
Not far away, where the vagrants gathered, there was suddenly a strange - looking stove. No one knew what was burning inside, but it was black and glowing red. As soon as they got close, a wave of heat rushed towards them.
As a result, many people came here to keep warm.
They couldn't help but feel panicked. Whose charcoal was this? Was it given out for free for people to use? Could there be someone else in the charcoal business in Chang'an?
Judging from this situation, it was a big - scale operation. There must be a capable person behind it.
Several servants were still adding coal to the stove. The fire was getting stronger and stronger, and more and more people came to keep warm.
Li Ke pulled Li Jingyun's hand and walked out of the crowd. Not many people knew Li Ke, but many knew Li Jingyun. When the library was built and the sweater shop opened, Li Jingyun had been in the limelight.
As soon as they saw Li Jingyun coming out, a loud - voiced person in the crowd shouted, "Prince Wu and Princess Chengyang are here! Everyone, be quiet!"
The noisy crowd immediately lowered their voices.
"Everyone has seen that this is coal. According to the instructions of the immortal, we've made a matching stove, which can reduce the probability of carbon poisoning. Five days later, there will be a big stove set up in the south city for everyone to keep warm for free until the second day of the second lunar month when the dragon raises its head. My younger sister came up with the idea, and I'm just in charge of implementing it."
Li Ke had also prepared his speech in advance. Every time he said a sentence, the common people would cheer. By the time he finished, the cheering common people wished they could hold Li Ke and Li Jingyun up to the sky.