Chapter 26: Establishing the Shop

Chapter 26: Building the Marketplace

Sun Simiao, the King of Medicine, stood at the absolute zenith of the Great Tang’s medical system—a figure who appears only once every few centuries. The true value of such a person lies not merely in the perfection of a single craft, but in their ability to build a comprehensive system from scratch for future generations. This is what makes them truly invaluable.

Consider Sun Wu, the Sage of War. Among those who followed in the art of war, there were surely many whose talents rivaled his. Bai Qi of Qin, Han Xin of Han, and Li Jing of Tang—each had their own unique strengths, and in terms of sheer capability, they were arguably peers. Yet, only Sun Wu could be called the Sage of War. This is because his *Art of War* constructed the entire military system of the feudal era and codified the principles of the martial profession.

Sun Simiao possessed the qualifications to be named a sage of medicine. Unfortunately, Zhang Zhongjing had already claimed that path with his *Treatise on Cold Damage and Miscellaneous Diseases*. Thus, Sun Simiao did not receive the title of "Medical Sage," but rather, based on his *Essential Formulas for Emergencies Worth a Thousand Gold*, he was honored as the "King of Medicine." Regardless, a person capable of establishing such a paradigm could create a medical system that would serve society for centuries to come, remaining relevant until rendered obsolete by social progress.

After Sun Simiao agreed to the arrangement, Li Tai asked Liu Shenwei to stay behind. He instructed Liu to select several herbs capable of rapid blood replenishment and hemostasis for large-scale cultivation. Simultaneously, he proposed the idea of using plaster and willow branches to immobilize bone fractures, directing Liu to find a few dogs to break their legs and test if they could be set properly. For the sake of medical advancement, those dogs would have to bear a bit of hardship. Liu Shenwei found the idea intriguing and, upon hearing Li Tai’s instructions, resolved to give it a try.

Li Tai had begun to prioritize medical matters because, despite his intense efforts in land reclamation, he would be lucky to see a yield of one *shi* of winter wheat this season. No matter how much he emphasized intensification and technology, he could not overcome the limitations of poor soil fertility. Without modern fertilizers, even the most miraculous supplements wouldn't yield a bumper crop on newly broken land. His goal for agriculture this year, beyond reclaiming more fields, was to identify the crops best suited for the local soil through various experimental methods, so that he could launch a major promotion the following year.

Agriculture is a patient discipline; verifying the efficacy of a farming method requires an entire year of testing. Only by witnessing the actual harvest would the people be convinced to abandon their traditional ways and adopt his methods, as their very survival depended on their grain.

Yet, Li Tai needed to produce new results every year to keep Emperor Li Shimin’s attention focused on him. To compete with Li Chengqian, he could not rely on the empty praise of "virtue" spoken by others; he needed tangible achievements. These achievements mattered little to him personally, but if they were credited to the capable people working under him, his political faction within the imperial court would grow stronger. That was the true meaning of merit.

If, one day, Li Shimin realized that if he did not appoint Li Tai as Crown Prince, his political faction would become so influential that it could sway the entire operation of the Great Tang, a more suspicious emperor might have had him killed. But for Li Shimin, this would only make the transition of power smoother, for Li Tai was his son and the most suitable successor for the future of the Tang Empire.

Before the Academy of Agriculture could produce real results and form a genuine political faction, Li Tai needed it to keep a low profile. However, he could take advantage of other opportunities to develop side projects, as relying solely on his own investment would inevitably limit progress. Li Tai set his sights on the third year of the Zhenguan era, when Li Jing would lead a massive army to campaign against the Eastern Turks. He intended to piggyback on the glory of that conquest.

To be honest, while the Great Tang deployed over a hundred thousand troops and sent the "Military God" Li Jing, no one in the court expected him to destroy the Eastern Turks in a single battle, capture Jieli Khan, and dismantle the entire state in one swift stroke. The Tang had always viewed the Turks as the Xiongnu of the Han era, assuming it would be a century-long struggle. At its peak, the Turkic Khaganate stretched from the Liao River in the east to the Caspian Sea in the west, and from the Arctic to the Amu Darya, with a population of millions and its own written language and cultural system. Even after splitting into East and West, the Eastern Turks had manipulated the wars of the Sui and Tang, propping up various northern warlords. Had it not been for the heaven-sent talent of Li Shimin—who seized the narrow window of opportunity during the Turks' internal succession struggle to eliminate those northern warlords and establish a robust defense system—the course of history might have been vastly different.

Moreover, after signing the Alliance of the Wei River, Li Shimin had been secretly plotting against the Turks, much like Emperor Wu of Han after the Ganquan Palace incident. He simply hadn't expected Li Jing to finish them off in one go.

Thus, Li Tai planned to use this opportunity to have his newly established medical battalion accompany Li Jing’s army. In this day and age, merit wasn't only earned on the front lines; it was perfectly reasonable for the logistics side to claim a share of the credit. As long as the medical battalion saved a few more lives, even if Li Tai didn't have a direct hand in the military, the soldiers would still hold him in high regard. Li Tai wasn't sure how much this goodwill was worth, but he knew it was his only chance to touch upon military glory. If he tried to reach out to the military directly, it would be impossible. Therefore, he would not let this chance slip away.

"Opportunities are for those who are prepared," Li Tai murmured, his eyes narrowing as he tapped his fingers on the table. "Even if this first batch of medical students is only a hundred strong, as long as they prove their worth, given Father's personality, it shouldn't be hard to ask him for more investment to train medical personnel."

After the arrangements were made, he waited patiently for the results—and time was the one thing he had in abundance. After spending a night at the Academy of Agriculture, he returned to the Prince of Yue’s mansion. He only provided the strategic direction; the implementation was up to the department heads, and daily chores were left to Ma Zhou. These men didn't expect an eight-year-old to handle the minutiae; the fact that he could plan the direction so effectively was already considered miraculous.

Once the plans were set, Li Tai returned to his routine: studying etiquette, literature, and physical training, patiently waiting for things to ferment. Meanwhile, Chang'an was buzzing with activity as scholars poured into the city for the annual imperial examinations. Li Tai’s hot-water bathhouse and the neighboring budget inn became the gathering place for impoverished scholars. They gathered there to compose poetry, display their talents, and make names for themselves. The wealthy scholars, of course, went to the lavish establishments in the Kangle Ward. But all of them were desperate to show their worth, hoping that even a small glimmer of reputation would catch the eye of those in power and make the examinations easier.

"It’s truly lively for this year’s exams!" Li Tai sighed as he looked at the bustling crowd.

"Your Highness? What brings you here today?" Que, who had been checking the shop's accounts, hurried over to bow, looking slightly suspicious as she saw Lu Anshou standing stiffly behind Li Tai.

"You are quite diligent; you haven't returned to the Prince’s mansion much," Li Tai remarked, looking at her.

"It is my own dowry, after all. I am just afraid it might disappear for no reason," Que lowered her head to reply. Truth be told, the time had been too short, and she wasn't used to the Prince of Yue’s mansion. Since Li Tai had granted her a degree of freedom, she preferred staying at the inn. Li Tai understood her sentiment and didn't mind; as long as she worked, he didn't care about her familiarity with the mansion.

"As you wish. I have two things for you today," Li Tai said.

"Please, Your Highness, give your orders!" Que replied respectfully. For someone forced into premature maturity like her, the only reason she could manage a shop in Chang'an was the backing of Li Tai. Without the reputation of the Prince of Yue’s mansion, she would have been devoured by the sharks of Chang'an long ago.

"First, design a uniform for the students of the Agricultural Academy," Li Tai said. "Make them for both spring and autumn. Remember, they have to work in the fields, so the clothes must be durable. It would be best to add the words 'Gaoling Agricultural Academy' on them. Every student is to receive two sets."

"Rest assured, Your Highness, I will arrange it properly," Que said, feeling a sense of relief. That was easy enough.

"Also, design uniforms for female students," Li Tai added after a moment of thought.

"Female students as well?!" Que was stunned.

"Men tilling and women weaving is the natural order, but as the academy grows, women will surely enter," Li Tai said. "Of course, that may take some time, but you can work on the designs first."

Que nodded, looking at him with a mix of curiosity and confusion, but she dared not interrupt.

"Second," Li Tai continued, "I need you to build a special marketplace in Gaoling. As long as it is not illegal, it shall sell everything!"

"Everything?" Que frowned, not quite grasping the concept.

"Yes," Li Tai nodded. "From the mundane—firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea—to the refined—zithers, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and wine. I want to leverage the distribution channels of Chang'an to build a massive commercial hub in Gaoling. In that one place, customers should find everything they need, so they won't have to run all over Chang'an—buying horses in the East Market, saddles in the West, bridles in the South, and whips in the North. If a guest walks into this marketplace, they will find exactly what they are looking for."

"I see..." Que frowned again. She had never seen such a place.

Li Tai continued, "Building such a marketplace is no easy task. It requires not only extensive connections in Chang'an but, more importantly, negotiating sales channels and prices with every single supplier."

"Your Highness, may I ask why you want to build such a place?" Que asked.

"Well..." Li Tai mused. He couldn't exactly tell her he wanted to understand the market price of every daily necessity. There was no better way to learn than by running the shop himself. "As the Agricultural Academy grows, merchants will naturally congregate there. Instead of letting others capture that market share, we should take it ourselves. Besides, the creation of such a trading venue should help land prices around Gaoling rise a bit!"

Li Tai stroked his chin, thinking he had found a quick way to generate wealth. Of course, he was only daydreaming about real estate speculation. Gaoling was different from Chang'an; Chang'an had thick city walls, while Gaoling only had the walls of the Agricultural Academy. The migrants had begun to surround their homes with fences by instinct, as the Chinese sense of security seemed rooted in having walls—a habit ingrained in their genes.

Li Tai didn't intend to build city walls. He wanted to use the curfew regulations of Chang'an to divert resources toward Gaoling. He envisioned Gaoling as a satellite town of Chang'an. With a stable population and basic infrastructure, this curfew-free town would easily become a commercial center dependent on the capital. The marketplace would be the heart of this city, and by buying up the surrounding land, the rental income would be more than enough to fund the future development of the Agricultural Academy.

"Though, when that time comes, I’ll probably need to form a city management team..." Li Tai tapped his finger on the table. "Forget it, don't think too far ahead. The land for this department store is still barren. By the time it's built, I should have accumulated enough retired soldiers from Guanzhong through the medical battalion. Perhaps I can have them form a city patrol!"