LFHYB -Chapter 73 Opening a Teahouse Not for Profit

Sun Simiao had secluded himself in Mount Taibai, far from Luoyang, and was personally invited to join the journey by Yuwen Bi.

When Li Xuanba still lived in the capital, Lady Dou had previously invited Sun Simiao from Mount Taibai to treat Li Xuanba.

Later, Li Xuanba, using his half-baked medical knowledge, had developed a good rapport with Sun Simiao. The family had long regarded Sun Simiao as practically a household physician.

This time, however, Li Xuanba and Li Shimin were traveling far west, so Li Yuan and Lady Dou didn’t want to bother Sun Simiao, sending only the family’s household physician.

Yet when Gao Jiong and Yuwen Bi learned of this, they were even more anxious than Li Yuan and Lady Dou. Xue Daoheng wondered why they were in such a hurry—didn’t they already have imperial physicians?

Yuwen Bi, seeing the resemblance between Li Xuanba and his own weak grandson, had formed a teacher-student bond with Li Xuanba. After his grandson passed away, Yuwen Bi transferred all his affection to Li Xuanba. Furthermore, Li Xuanba had become his granddaughter’s husband, increasing Yuwen Bi’s care for him.

Hearing that Physician Sun from Mount Taibai was very familiar with Li Xuanba’s constitution, Yuwen Bi personally went into the mountains to request Sun accompany the journey.

In fact, given Sun Simiao’s fondness for this “young friend” Li Xuanba, no grand invitation was needed—just a letter from Li Xuanba would have been enough.

Now, Yuwen Bi, a highly respected elder minister, personally requested him, and Sun Simiao felt unusually honored.

Upon seeing Li Xuanba, he teased: “Your future grandfather-in-law really treats you like his own child.”

Li Xuanba replied without modesty: “I’ve always been likable.”

Sun Simiao stroked his beard and smiled: “Your expression really imitates Li Erlang well.”

Li Shimin: “Huh? What does that have to do with me?”

Sun Simiao was regarded as a divine physician in the Tang dynasty. But since Chinese civilization never ceased, modern medicine could not possibly be worse than a thousand years ago.

When Li Xuanba first met Sun Simiao, he wondered, “Is this it?” He thought the medicine of the old Chinese doctors in the clinics near his company was better.

Later, he realized that if Chinese medicine a thousand years later still couldn’t surpass Sun Simiao, then Chinese medicine would be truly pathetic.

Sun Simiao’s medical knowledge was advanced, though some legendary claims in history, like the “Dragon Doctor” or “Tiger Doctor,” did not exist. Historical records of Sun Simiao were relatively accurate.

He could not cure Empress Changsun’s qi disorder and had to avoid her; he could not cure his close friend Lu Zhaolin’s wind ailment, which led Lu Zhaolin, unable to bear the pain, to drown himself at forty.

Sun Simiao, when asked about his skill, would shake his head even if someone called him a “divine doctor,” saying he was only a competent physician.

He had long realized that many illnesses, once contracted, were incurable. He emphasized preventive health, addressing disease before it arose.

But how many people in the world could maintain good habits and diet? Sun Simiao himself could live to a hundred, but the nobles he served might not even reach fifty.

Hence, he was fond of Li Xuanba, who combined discipline in life with exceptional medical insight.

On the road, when Li Xuanba asked him to play along in “pretending to be sick,” Sun Simiao gladly agreed.

In Sun Simiao’s eyes, this wasn’t laziness. Forcing two children, already fatigued from travel, to read and exhaust themselves—that was unreasonable.

Under Sun Simiao’s protection, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba reached Zhangye effortlessly, without falling ill.

After Pei Shiju settled into his official residence, he arranged a large courtyard for Li Shimin and Li Xuanba to stay in.

As a member of the Hedong Pei clan, Pei Shiju spared no expense in comfort.

He had originally been overseeing trade in Zhangye and had prepared a residence early. The estate had mountains, ponds, and trees, no different from the noble estates in the capital or Luoyang, giving no hint that it was located in the relatively arid frontier of the Western Regions.

Although Li Shimin and Li Xuanba had brought their own bedding, clothes, and personal items, Pei Shiju also sent them a completely new set of household goods. All of these items were made of top-quality silk and furs. The furs, in particular, were of such high quality that they were considered rare even in the capital and Luoyang.

Pei Shiju smiled and said, “Goods are scarce here in Zhangye, unlike in the Eastern Capital. Anything from the Western Regions is very cheap, but if you want specialties from Jiangnan, those are truly valuable. So these furs aren’t anything extraordinary.”

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba thanked Pei Shiju for his thoughtfulness and didn’t hesitate to use the items he gave them to make their little quarters comfortable. They even took on decorating the rooms where Sun Simiao stayed.

After arriving in Zhangye, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba rested at home for three days. Once the fatigue from the journey had worn off, they dragged Sun Simiao along to the marketplace to browse for goods.

Pei Shiju did not assign them any lessons, letting them study on their own and only instructing them to ask if they had questions.

Although the emperor had said Pei Shiju should teach the two children, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were still young. After Li Xuanba fell ill on the journey, Pei Shiju didn’t dare add more burdens for them and instead treated it as an opportunity to let the two young ones play around in Zhangye.

The Western Regions were rich in exotic herbs, and Sun Simiao was delighted by his market visit.

Sun Simiao wasn’t short of money; he bought any herbs that caught his eye or that he didn’t recognize, even more lavishly than Li Shimin and Li Xuanba seemed to.

Li Shimin touched his pouch. “Am I the poorest one here?”

Li Xuanba nodded. “Exactly. Wait—ah! Give me back my wallet!”

Li Shimin snatched Li Xuanba’s wallet and tucked it under his arm. “Your money is my money. Now I’m no longer the poorest.”

Li Xuanba cursed, “Bandit!”

Li Shimin laughed. “I heard there are plenty of pickpockets in the market. With your little body, A-Xuan, could you even catch someone if they took your pouch? Better let me handle it. Come on, tell me what you want to buy, and I’ll get it for you! Big brother is generous!”

Li Shimin swaggered through the market in an exaggerated strut.

Li Xuanba muttered angrily, You’re so generous with my money, and you still have the face to show it! Who needs us to chase pickpockets—aren’t the guards there for that?

Chen Tieniu, the newly recruited guard, said naively, “Third Young Master, shall I help you retrieve it?”

Li Shimin turned back. “So bold? Come on, try to take it.”

Chen Tieniu actually made a gesture as if he were going to grab something.

Li Xuanba hurriedly stopped him. “No need, no need. Fighting in the street? Don’t block other people’s business.”

Chen Tieniu was the son of a blacksmith from a Luoyang villa. He was very strong and had learned some grappling skills, and his martial ability was decent—but his mind was a little too straightforward.

Chen Tieniu didn’t think he was straightforward; he was simply loyal.

His master was Third Young Master Li, so if Second Young Master Li bullied his master, he should stand up to protect him. How could that be called being simple-minded?

Li Xuanba tried to teach Chen Tieniu, but Li Shimin clapped and praised the boy from the side, saying that was exactly how it should be.

Seeing Chen Tieniu becoming even more straightforward, Li Xuanba thought this guard was hopeless and would likely remain his lifelong protector.

As Li Shimin and Li Xuanba bickered along the way, Sun Simiao searched for herbs in the market, occasionally glancing at the two children playing mischievously.

Sun Simiao had his hermitage in the Changbai Mountains near Daxing City, so he often treated noble families.

He said he lived in seclusion, but really, he just wanted a quiet place to compile his books. Studying medicine cost a lot, and if he didn’t treat people often, his skills would stagnate—so he never went too far from the bustling city.

Sun Simiao was the first physician to discuss pediatrics independently and was very skilled at treating children. He had treated many children of nobles.

Having seen many children from noble families, he favored Li Shimin and Li Xuanba even more.

Watching the brothers play, he felt happy, as if they were his mischievous grandchildren.

After some time, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba found the items they wanted to buy.

Li Shimin was particularly interested in fine horses and treasured swords, while Li Xuanba was drawn to expensive items.

Li Shimin wanted to buy everything; Li Xuanba only asked the price without purchasing.

Eventually, all the money Li Xuanba had brought was spent by Li Shimin; Li Xuanba only bought gifts for family, teachers, and his fiancée.

Seeing how much he had spent, Li Shimin felt a little embarrassed even with his thick skin. “I’ll write you an IOU. I’ll pay you back when we return!”

Li Xuanba said, “The pocket money and rewards we get are used by me for business. The money I earn is yours to use freely anyway—how is that a loan? If you think making money is hard, I have a plan to earn money here in Zhangye. You can help me and stop complaining.”

Li Shimin asked, “Make money? Weren’t we here in Zhangye to learn from Master Pei about managing the Western Regions?”

Li Xuanba asked, “Do you know how Master Pei advised Your Majesty?”

Li Shimin sighed. “A-Xuan, can you just say it directly? Stop putting a preface before the actual topic—it’s annoying.”

Li Xuanba: “…” Sometimes his older brother really was infuriating.

Li Xuanba, not wanting to argue, said, “All of Master Pei’s advice came from information he gathered from Western Region merchants.”

Li Shimin stroked his chin. “I see. So we can also gather intelligence from Western Region merchants while doing business. Then, after collecting the information, we present it to Master Pei?”

Li Xuanba said, “And make a good profit while we’re at it.”

Li Shimin warned, “A-Xuan, don’t be too focused on money and material things; it will change your character.”

Li Xuanba reached out. “Fine, I’ll return the money now. And you don’t need to spend extravagantly on buying horses later. Do you know how expensive they are? One horse here could buy a whole house in Zhangye!”

Warhorses were like luxury cars; a carriage was equivalent to a second-tier city house. Got it?

Li Shimin amended, “I mean, don’t focus too little, but don’t overdo it either.”

Li Xuanba: “Hehe.”

Li Shimin cleared his throat. “So tell me, how are we going to make money? I’ll do whatever you say!”

Li Xuanba had long decided what to sell.

When it came to gathering intelligence, was there a place more convenient and suitable than a teahouse?

Although he could also open a food stall, running one was very tiring. A teahouse, on the other hand, only required some tea leaves and a pot of water to operate conveniently.

Li Xuanba immediately leased a beverage shop and named it simply “Teahouse,” letting a teahouse exist several hundred years earlier than its time.

He advertised it as “tea for the refined literati of the Central Plains” and set the shop’s signature drink to be loose-leaf teas he had brought himself.

The loose-leaf teas were roasted with different flowers, offering not only red and green teas but also various fragrances, each sold in limited quantities.

Li Xuanba also hung a brief biography of Sun Simiao in the teahouse and, in Sun Simiao’s name, sold nourishing medicinal soups—also in limited quantities.

Other ordinary drinks were sold without limit.

Beyond tea and beverages, Li Xuanba also made decks of playing cards, mahjong sets, and various chess games available for sale or rent in the shop.

At the beginning of the shop’s opening, Li Xuanba held poker and mahjong tournaments, teaching visitors how to play and offering generous prizes.

With money to be won, customers quickly gathered.

Although Pei Shiju hadn’t assigned any tasks to Li Shimin and Li Xuanba, he had been keeping an eye on what they were doing.

Seeing that the first thing Li Shimin and Li Xuanba did upon arriving in Zhangye was to lease a shop and do business, Pei Shiju was a little disappointed.

Noble families usually didn’t look favorably upon business. While they enjoyed comfort, they often said that money was vulgar.

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba were both young lords of the Duke of Tang’s household with official positions—how could they come to Zhangye and get involved in such vulgar money-making activities? Even if they had servants handle the shop, being too keen on business wasn’t considered a good thing.

Pei Shiju planned to advise Li Shimin and Li Xuanba when he had some free time.

Three days after the teahouse opened, Li Shimin and Li Xuanba came to Pei Shiju carrying stacks of papers.

Li Shimin said, “Lord Pei, these are the latest reports on the Tuyuhun and the Turks that Xuan and I collected from the teahouse. Are they of any use?”

Li Xuanba added, “I focused on the statistics regarding the armies and horses of the Tuyuhun tribes, according to Western traders. The discrepancies were significant, so I made charts and took the median values.”

Pei Shiju said, “…What reports? Weren’t you supposed to be making money from the teahouse?”

Li Shimin said seriously, “Xuan and I run the teahouse to gather information, not to make money.”

Li Xuanba nodded, “Yes, not to make money.”

Though in fact, they had made a lot—a lot of money. Western merchants really had deep pockets.

Pei Shiju, recovering from his surprise, said, “You run a teahouse purely to gather information?”

Before Li Shimin and Li Xuanba could answer, Pei Shiju smiled: “Indeed, a beverage shop gathers many merchants. When they drink, they inevitably chat. It’s a good place to collect information. Gathering intelligence this way may be more accurate than asking directly.”

Pei Shiju spread out the papers Li Shimin and Li Xuanba had brought.

Li Shimin’s contribution was an analytical report with detailed commentary, while Li Xuanba’s focused on data and charts—their styles were very different.

Pei Shiju was first drawn to Li Xuanba’s beautifully made charts.

He pointed at the symbols on the charts: “Did you create these numerical symbols?”

Li Xuanba replied, “I learned them from a fragmentary text.”

Pei Shiju said, “Interesting.”

After a while, he pointed at the pie charts, bar charts, and line graphs: “With these graphs, everything becomes very intuitive. Do you and His Majesty often use such charts in memorials?”

Li Xuanba said, “Yes.”

Pei Shiju sighed inwardly. Truly a scholar of renowned talent—just these charts alone could reveal his skill in handling affairs of state.

Being able to make complex numbers clear and aesthetically pleasing—how could His Majesty not appreciate that?

Pei Shiju quickly glanced over Li Xuanba’s data, then picked up Li Shimin’s thick analytical report.

After reading only a few paragraphs, he slapped the table in admiration: “Li Erlang, you can deduce the internal conflicts of the tribes and predict strategies directly from the numbers of their troops reported by Western merchants? Did Lord Gao teach you this?”

Li Shimin was about to say, “That’s my own skill,” but after Li Xuanba gave him a look, he changed his answer: “Lord Gao taught me.”

Feeling aggrieved—don’t they believe I’m capable on my own?

Pei Shiju said, “You must be tired; rest first. I will come back to see you after I study this carefully.”

Li Shimin and Li Xuanba cupped their hands: “Yes, Lord Pei.”

After watching them leave, Pei Shiju sighed for a long time.

A servant curiously asked, “Master, why are you sighing?”

Pei Shiju pointed at the table: “Simply envy the Duke of Tang.”