Chapter 19: Crafting the Gloves

Chapter 19: Making Gloves

Having successfully secured Zheng Yuxin’s cooperation, Li Tai pressed his temples with a sigh.

To be honest, this was a troublesome matter. Yet, for the sake of his industrial structure, if there had been no opportunity, he would have let it go. But now that the chance was at hand, he would never easily relinquish it.

After all, the textile industry was a pivotal sector for him.

In the near term, the products he developed, as well as duck down, all required this industry to transform them into marketable goods.

Looking further ahead, in the Tang Dynasty, cloth was often used as currency. Now, having the entire industry chain from top to bottom entrusted to him meant immense future potential.

If he were to handle it slowly on his own, it wasn’t that he couldn’t do it, but the entire process would consume far too much time. Moreover, he had no suitable person to manage it. Even one like Ma Zhou was already worked to the bone!

Therefore, it was better to leave it as it was for now—let Zheng Yuxin… no, let Peacock manage his dowry.

After all, he only needed the industry itself; the profits it generated could be accumulated slowly as her dowry.

Li Tai composed himself and reaffirmed his determination to acquire this textile industry. He then returned to his room and began to write his diary with focused diligence.

His collaboration with Zheng Fengchi would certainly be intentionally disclosed to the Yingyang branch of the Zheng family.

With Fei’s granddaughter as the price, everyone would assume that Zheng Fengchi had already reached a preliminary cooperation agreement with him.

This alone would add considerable leverage to Zheng Fengchi’s faction, greatly aiding Zheng Mingshang’s inheritance of Zheng Fengchi's wealth in Chang’an. How to utilize it was Zheng Fengchi’s concern.

For himself, however, he had to make sure Emperor Taizong knew the whole story and, more importantly, that his son had sold himself into servitude to ensure that no one in Chang’an would freeze to death that winter.

It was heartbreaking to witness and hear of, yet for the sake of the people of Chang’an having a good New Year, he had no choice but to make this sacrifice.

“Drooling—wipe it up! That sentence is too direct, too exaggerated. Will Father be moved by it?

I’ll just treat the errors as scribbles in my diary so it doesn’t look too clean, lest someone suspect I wrote a draft first,” Li Tai murmured to himself, but despite the bumps, he finished the diary entry.

“Now I just have to wait for the imperial censors to catch wind and report the affair of me and Zheng Fengchi to Father!”

Li Tai had no doubt there were censors watching over the Prince of Yue’s residence. After all, during the Zhenguan era, the lowest cost and highest return activity was submitting remonstrances. Especially after they realized Emperor Taizong wished to be a sage ruler and was succeeding, the censors began closely monitoring his sons one by one.

Once everything was arranged, Li Tai remained calm. Even if his subjective goal was to contend for the succession, as long as his actions adhered strictly to regulations and genuinely benefited the people, Emperor Taizong would surely support him. What was there to fear from the officials?

“I just hope things move slowly. Once I have the data, I’ll speak with evidence. Anyone who bites me then, I’ll slap right back!”

In short, Li Tai hoped a censor would come to criticize him, but only after he had gathered sufficient evidence.

After all, if no one challenged him, then no one would realize how diligently he was working.

But if the criticism came too early, it would merely become a pointless back-and-forth argument with neither side persuaded.

The next day, like a cautious cat, Zheng Yuxin approached Li Tai.

Seeing her guarded demeanor, Li Tai was indifferent. Her attitude towards him was irrelevant; as long as she worked for him, that was enough.

After all, in these times, capitalists were naturally to be hated; otherwise, how could anyone expect gratitude?

“Your grandfather arrived and sent over the property deeds for the restaurant next to the hot water bathhouse, as well as the land deeds. Along with you came an entire textile industry. These are all yours to manage—your dowry,” Li Tai said, placing piles of property deeds and even slave contracts before Zheng Yuxin.

She stared blankly, not expecting him to lay these things out before her again.

Faced with the tangible money she had sold herself for, Zheng Yuxin was at a loss for how to respond.

Li Tai paid no mind and said, “Last time, you answered seven out of eleven questions correctly, so you passed the test.

Although you’re only average, with the backing of the Prince of Yue’s residence, managing these shops should be sufficient.

From now on, you’re my chief maid. The only one on equal footing with you in the mansion is Bai He.

You can privately keep your name Zheng Yuxin, but here at the Prince of Yue’s residence, you’ll be called by your maid’s name—Peacock.”

“I’m Zheng Yuxin!” she protested unwillingly.

“You’ll be Peacock from now on!” Li Tai said firmly. “If you want your name back, you need to prove you’re worthy. Otherwise, no amount of struggle will change reality.”

“How can I reclaim my name?” Zheng Yuxin asked defiantly.

“At the very least, take possession of the Zheng family’s assets in Chang’an,” Li Tai explained.

“I don’t care about your feelings for your family, but if you want equality, then first become the richest person in Chang’an.

Right now, the richest man in Chang’an is your grandfather, the one who sent you here. When you control the Zheng family’s wealth, then you can discard the name Peacock.”

“That’s impossible!” Zheng Yuxin’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“If you can’t do it, then obediently remain the caged Peacock and stop dreaming,” Li Tai said. “Many have opportunities to grasp their fate, but few see them, and even fewer seize them.

If you can’t achieve that, I won’t be surprised, but please accept your current role.

Now, here’s your first task: use the entire textile industry to supply me gloves and shoulder pads without limit.”

“Gloves and shoulder pads? For what purpose?” Zheng Yuxin asked, puzzled.

Li Tai explained, “Primarily for the miners underground, to provide necessary protection.

The gloves must be very wear-resistant, but most importantly, low-cost.

If my prediction is correct, they might need to replace a pair every two weeks.”

“I understand. I’ll do my best,” Zheng Yuxin bowed her head.

“Take bodyguards to the mines for an on-site inspection, then select the most suitable materials for their gloves. The cost must not exceed two wen.

And remember, you’re called Peacock from now on.”

“I... Peacock understands!” Though the name felt strange, she said it out loud.

“If there’s nothing else, go handle this matter,” Li Tai waved her off.

“Prince of Yue, may I ask you a question?” Zheng Yuxin bit her lip but finally asked.

“What is it?” Li Tai glanced at her.

“Have you truly mastered your own fate?” she inquired, unable to contain her doubt.

“No, but at least I’m on the path,” Li Tai answered calmly.

“Thank you!” She said no more, bowed, and left.

“Strange…” Li Tai paid no mind to her inner turmoil.

At this moment, he felt the urgency of racing against time. What he needed was to integrate the textile industry given by Zheng Fengchi through Zheng Yuxin into his entire industrial chain.

Time slipped by, and the weather grew colder day by day. At a coal mine on the outskirts of Chang’an, workers shivered as they carried baskets of coal.

Nearly everyone had different colored cloth wrapped around their hands or shoulders, but these fabrics gradually faded into vermilion or deep crimson.

The foreman shouted loudly, “Alright, stop everything and gather! I have something to say.”

The coal-black fingers of the workers slowly converged.

The foreman announced, “You’re lucky. Thanks to the Prince of Yue’s grace, from tonight we’ll provide hot water for washing.

If you bring a bottle, you can fill it with hot water to take home.

Also, anyone officially registered as an employee will receive a pair of gloves and a shoulder pad before starting work each day.

You must return them after use. Worn-out gloves are fine, but if you lose them, your wages will be deducted!

A pair of gloves costs five wen, and a shoulder pad ten wen.”

“Can we choose not to use them?” someone shouted loudly.

“You can. If your hands don’t hurt and your shoulders don’t ache, no one’s forcing you!” the foreman bellowed. “Alright, that’s all. Take your gloves and shoulder pads and get to work—we haven’t finished today’s quota yet!”

Murmurs arose among the workers.

Though not overly moved, any improvement in working conditions was welcome.

Especially as the cold deepened, with snow likely to fall soon, they knew they might not be able to work at all then.

For now, they could work and at least have food and lodging. This winter was somewhat secured.

“Foreman, what about us newcomers? We want gloves and hot baths too!” some protested upon hearing the benefits were only for official employees.

“Stop shouting!” the foreman snapped. “Official employees sign at least a year’s contract and get paid monthly on the fifth. Their life isn’t as easy as your temporary help.

You temporary workers get one wen per basket of coal, and three baskets make a meal. We pay on the spot.

I’ve never shortchanged you, so don’t cause trouble!”

The temporary workers exchanged looks, and one brave soul said, “But if it snows soon, without gloves and shoulder pads, our hands might freeze off!”

“Then register officially. What’s so bad about being a formal miner? In Chang’an, surviving is already a blessing!” the foreman persuaded again.

“Besides, the Prince of Yue is kind-hearted.

If it were other officials, who would let us eat duck meat and eggs occasionally? Who would think of our hands freezing in winter or prepare a bathhouse for us lowly folks?

Ask yourselves honestly, can you find a better official than the Prince of Yue in Chang’an?”

Some wandering refugees, who originally planned only to survive the winter here and look for work in Chang’an come spring, now felt at least with Li Tai there was a path forward.

Whether they stayed in Chang’an later was uncertain, but for now, they wanted to accumulate wages and secure some future.

Thus, many eagerly registered as official employees, embracing the life of food and lodging included.

Li Tai’s hot water bathhouse and the provision of gloves and shoulder pads to the two coal mines brought genuine comfort to the miners.

Though the work remained grueling, at least they felt their hardship was worthwhile.

Li Tai had no idea what impact his care would have on these workers, as their experiences felt distant to him.

What he wanted was simply to complete the task entrusted to him by Emperor Taizong and gain more support from his backers.

Meanwhile, at the hot water bathhouse and the inns handed over by the Zheng family, Li Tai posted a sign recruiting teachers.

Indeed, it was time to recruit teachers.

What he needed to teach was not only for the children to farm but, more importantly, to become literate, spread agricultural knowledge, and even write books and histories. Without education, none of that was possible.

With the monthly exams approaching, many scholars from other regions had already arrived in Chang’an as winter set in.

Some came to make connections, others to familiarize themselves with the environment. Regardless, the influx of examinees each winter was a familiar scene.

Li Tai’s hot water bathhouse and inns naturally attracted no interest from wealthy aristocratic scholars.

For them, those with connections stayed with their patrons, and those without headed to the pleasure houses in Kangle District.

Those who did come to Li Tai’s establishments were poor scholars, desperate for every wen.

The recruitment notice posted at the entrance was aimed precisely at them.

“Waiter, bring… a bowl of hot water!” Lv Cai slapped a wen on the bench, exuding bravado.

“Coming!” a young boy poured a cup of hot water, glanced at the wen, and smiled wryly.

“Sir, we don’t charge for hot water here.”

“Chang’an truly is a wonderful place!” Lv Cai sighed, pocketing the wen in his faded sleeve.

(End of Chapter)