Chapter 171: Cheng Yaojin Returns to the Capital, Li Shimin Plans to Sell Salt

Just as Chen Yan thought Li Lizhi was about to argue with Gao Yang again and had prepared to intervene, Li Lizhi merely gave a faint smile, nodded at Gao Yang, and said nothing.

Her reaction made Chen Yan and Gao Yang both find it strange.

Especially Gao Yang, who looked at Li Lizhi in confusion, unable to grasp what she meant.

During this period, each time the two met they didn't end up with flushed faces and thick necks?

Li Lizhi basically never found herself at a disadvantage, and because of the jade pendant incident she successfully made Gao Yang furious to the point of near death.

Why is she so abnormal today?

Little does anyone know, the current Li Lizhi has no intention of competing with Gao Yang at all.

In the past, the rivalry was because she hadn't achieved her goal, and her relationship with Chen Yan was merely that of ordinary friends, so she naturally had to contend.

But now her goal has already been reached, so what's the need to contend any longer?

They were once close sisters, and will continue to live under the same roof; what she now thinks about is no longer competing with Gao Yang.

What Li Lizhi is thinking about is how to ease her relationship with Gao Yang.

Chen Yan didn't want to get involved that much, furrowing his brows slightly as he said, "I need to enter the palace to discuss with His Majesty and Her Majesty the matter of Xiao Sizi and the appointment to Weinan County."

"Li Lizhi is only here to fetch Xiao Sizi; don't speak in such a meddlesome way."

"Li Lizhi, Li Lizhi, you call her so affectionately," Gao Yang felt a nameless anger rise, and said coldly, "I didn't know; I thought she was your wife."

Since the two were married, Chen Yan has never called her "wife" at all; he has always called her "Zhao Tang".

Although it is also intimate, even she herself thinks it's quite fine.

But Chen Yan calls Li Lizhi simply "Lizhi".

Usually it's fine in private, but now, in front of her, Chen Yan still calls her that, and she instantly becomes displeased.

Moreover, what did Chen Yan just mean?

He actually defended Li Lizhi, making her seem unreasonable, as if she were throwing a tantrum.

"Tsk." Chen Yan waved his hand, sounding slightly helpless, and said, "Alright, you go play by yourself first; tell Aunt Zhang what you want to eat, and if you feel bored just find a tree to climb."

"I really have something to do today; wait until I return to play with you, be good~"

Gao Yang: "......"

Goddamn boring, go find a tree to climb.

Damn, be good.

You the hell think I'm being coaxed like a child?

"Hmph!" Gao Yang snorted coldly and walked straight away.

"Let's go look for Xiao Sizi, don't pay attention to her," Chen Yan said to Li Lizhi.

Li Lizhi glanced at Gao Yang's departing back, and hesitantly nodded.

As they walked, Chen Yan said, "When you interact with Zhao Tang in the future, if you can get things done, don't speak; don't babble with her, don't contend with her."

The more you argue with her, the more she becomes aggressive, pushing further and further.

"Zhao Tang… she dies for face, suffers in life, won't take anything soft or hard; when she talks, just consider it as her butt burping, and pretend you didn't hear it."

Li Lizhi: "......"

"Pfft~"

She had originally been pondering how to ease things with Gao Yang, but after hearing Chen Yan's latter remark, she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Farting with the butt?

Isn't that just farting?

The description… is a bit spot on, huh.

Li Lizhi laughed and asked, "So, you usually ignore Gao Yang?"

Chen Yan shook his head, his face serious, and said, "My approach differs from yours; I usually choose to act directly."

Li Lizhi: "......"

Meanwhile, outside Lizheng Hall, a massive hulking Big Black sat together with Li Shimin's family.

They were actually eating together.

Empress Changsun, holding the Chengyang Little Princess in her arms, sat quietly beside them without disturbance.

"Your Majesty, it's not that Cheng Yaojin is boasting to you; about that salt mine, Cheng Yaojin estimates that within a year we could produce a hundred thousand jin of salt."

"And it's all fine salt, exactly the same as the kind at Chen Xiaobieduzi's household."

Li Shimin and Empress Changsun twitched their eyelids, but ultimately said nothing.

Big Old Black, that is Cheng Yaojin, lifted his wine bowl and took a big gulp, then said, "Of course, our people are all novices; during the first extraction we aren't very skilled, and the purification method is rather complicated, so the output isn't especially high."

"During this period, Cheng Yaojin pushed people to mine day and night, finally gathering ten thousand jin, so Cheng Yaojin immediately returned to report to you."

"Ten thousand jin…" Li Shimin thought after hearing it.

The figure, to be honest, isn't high, but it already exceeds his expectations.

Because he had seen the purification method, he knew it was a very tedious process, so he was mentally prepared.

And mining a salt mountain is never that easy.

Ten thousand jin of fine salt is completely acceptable.

After all, there are many poisonous salt mines in the world, most of which are in the northwest.

If one salt mine's output is insufficient, just mine several at once.

Thinking this through, Li Shimin showed a faint satisfied smile and said, "Very good, Zhijie, you have achieved a great merit this time."

"Afterwards, stay home and rest for a few days; when the fine salt production rises and we start selling, we'll then discuss rewards and merits."

Cheng Yaojin's eyes rolled, as if he were plotting something, then he laughed, "Well, old Cheng will thank His Majesty first."

"But…" Cheng Yaojin shifted his tone, seeming a bit emotional, and said, "Old Cheng never imagined that the poisonous salt mine, which people avoid, could turn into bright white fine salt."

"Back then, when old Cheng watched the workers finish refining the fine salt, his eyes almost popped out."

"With this method, perhaps the people of the Tang Dynasty could all truly afford to eat salt."

"Excellent!" Li Shimin was delighted, laughing loudly, "When Zi An first handed the salt‑making technique to me, he made a request."

"He said the common folk are already suffering enough and hopes His Majesty will not profit from this fine salt at the people's blood‑sweat expense. Such a request benefits the people; how could His Majesty refuse?"

"I just thought it over; we need not be so cautious. Since the salt‑making technique is sound, extracting from the poisonous salt mine is also sound, and we already have a fair amount of fine salt in hand."

"Perhaps we can proceed gradually, mining while selling to the people at a price above the labor cost."

"When we later locate more poisonous salt mines to exploit, production will increase, and naturally the fine white salt can spread throughout the Tang Dynasty, allowing its people to afford it."

Zhi Jie, Guanyin Maid, what do you think?

"His Majesty is wise." Empress Changsun nodded approvingly, "The method is excellent; perhaps we should start selling within Chang'an City, then gradually expand to the surrounding counties and farther places."

Cheng Yaojin, seeing Empress Changsun say so, naturally echoed the sentiment.

"Very well, if that's the case, then…"

Li Shimin was about to give his final approval when Wushe happened to appear before him at that moment, respectfully saying, "His Majesty, the Marquis of Weinan and His/Her Highness of Chang Le request an audience."

Cheng Yaojin: "Hm? Chen Xiaobieduzi is here?"

……