Chapter 41: Gao Yang is angry? Let her come and practice with me!

I said before, if we rush to spread the pig-raising method, it will only let those rich merchants and clans seize the chance to make money, which will not benefit the common people at all.

Chen Yan slowly spoke: "If we want the common people to be able to eat pork, then the pig-raising method cannot be leaked for now."

"Otherwise, the harms outweigh the benefits!"

Wei Zheng instinctively wanted to refute, but didn't know how, because he also agreed with Chen Yan's words.

After a moment of silence, he asked: "Then what should we do exactly?"

Chen Yan shrugged: "Actually it's simple; rather than letting the rich merchants raise pigs and sell pork, we should sell it ourselves!"

"We just need to firmly hold the pig-raising method in our hands, then the price of pork will be decided by us."

"What we need to pay attention to is nothing more than controlling the pork price well, so that ordinary commoners can afford it, while ensuring we don't lose money, and even make a little profit."

"This way, wouldn't everyone be happy?"

As his words fell, the atmosphere in the room instantly fell silent.

They never imagined that things could be done this way.

This was a method they had never considered before.

Firmly grasp the pig-raising method, then raise pigs ourselves, then sell them at a low price.

This ensures that ordinary commoners can afford it and occasionally eat a meal of meat, while also ensuring we don't lose money and can continue doing so.

Form a virtuous cycle.

Fang Xuanling sighed: "Marquis of Weinan, this plan is excellent; I am convinced."

Chang Sun Wujie pondered hard for a while, then nodded: "Indeed, this should be the best method for now."

Even Wei Zheng, that old critic, fell silent.

Actually, he used to look down on those merchants, because they always took advantage of famine years to drive up grain and salt prices, earning dirty money against their conscience, not knowing how many commoners they had killed.

Wei Zheng deeply hated and despised this.

But if they truly raised pigs and then sold them cheaply to the commoners, that would be a deed benefiting all the people.

He did not dislike such a way of doing business; on the contrary, he even supported it in his heart.

"Well..." Li Chengqian suddenly spoke up, asking: "When will we be able to spread the pig-raising method?"

As soon as his question came out, the others all looked curiously at Chen Yan.

Chen Yan also didn't keep them in suspense: "When pork becomes widely available, the common people accept it, and the pork price stabilizes completely at a lower level, unable to rise further, then we can spread it."

"Ah, I see!"

Li Chengqian suddenly understood.

This time, he finally understood why Chen Yan said the pig-raising method could not be spread.

After chatting for a while, everyone began asking Chen Yan various questions.

Chen Yan answered them all one by one.

Until the tea was finished, Li Shimin suddenly cleared his throat: "Three beloved ministers, I heard you have family matters; since you've already figured out the answers to the questions, you......"

Fang Xuanling and the other two twitched at the corners of their mouths upon hearing this; they were smart people, how could they not understand Li Shimin's meaning?

So they immediately found an excuse and took their leave.

After the three left, only Li Shimin's family and Chen Yan remained in the room.

Li Shimin smiled extremely gently: "Zi An, speaking plainly, tell me when that tavern can open for business?"

Chen Yan replied: "Probably still need two or three days; I am already urgently brewing wine, and at the same time hiring carpenters to make tables and chairs and decorate the tavern; once everything is ready, we can open."

After saying that, he again smiled and asked: "How come, Your Majesty, you seem rather anxious?"

Li Shimin felt bitter inside.

How could he not be anxious?

He was already dirt poor; recently, with the Empress Changsun's birthday banquet approaching, he had spent a large sum, and just two days ago he had sent Chen Yan a thousand strings of cash.

He could truly be said to be penniless, with his pockets ringing empty.

Chen Yan looked at Li Shimin's hard-to-describe expression, suppressing a laugh: "Your Majesty, I need to remind you that the tavern's profits won't be available that quickly."

As soon as he said that, Li Shimin became anxious, glaring: "Why?!"

"Why won't I be able to get the profits so quickly?"

He was counting on Chen Yan's tavern opening to earn him some money to catch his breath.

Now telling him the profits won't come quickly—of course he'd be anxious!

Empress Changsun knew Li Shimin's difficulties and gently comforted: "Your Majesty, you still don't understand Zi An, do you?"

"Since Zi An said that, he surely has his reasons; don't be anxious."

Li Shimin's expression eased considerably, but his eyes still stared at Chen Yan.

Chen Yan explained: "Your Majesty, I chose to open the tavern first because I want to make some things well-known."

"For example." He pointed to the tables and chairs and the tea on the table: "For example, these tables and chairs and tea, and the wine we drank that day."

"The tavern is just a beginning; once diners come to our tavern, have a meal, understand how comfortable these tables and chairs are, how convenient and tasty the tea is, and how delicious the wine is,"

"we can then seize the opportunity to open a winery, a tea shop, and a furniture store—wouldn't we earn even more money?"

Li Shimin immediately understood: "So you want to use the tavern's initial profits to invest in other shops?"

"Exactly!" Chen Yan admitted: "After all, how much can a tavern earn?"

"If we're going to do it, we should go big, covering all aspects, so we can earn more later."

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin's heart blossomed with joy, he kept praising: "Good, good, good—indeed Zi An thought things through; let's do as you said."

Afterwards, he also solemnly promised: "Go ahead with confidence; even if something comes up, I will suppress it for you!"

At first, Li Shimin still thought Chen Yan simply wanted to open a tavern.

Later, he would gradually expand and open branches.

I didn't expect Chen Yan's ambitions to be so great; he is already preparing to use the restaurant's early profits to open a winery and a series of other shops.

Having drunk fried tea and refined high‑proof liquor, he knows just how rare these things are.

When the tea shop and winery open, they will surely blaze across Chang'an; by then saying they bring in daily fortunes would not be an exaggeration.

As for not seeing profits in the short term, Li Shimin had already cast that thought aside.

Compared with earning even more money, this bit of profit is nothing.

After finishing the talk about the restaurant, the few of them chatted for a while.

Li Shimin's family had a conversation with Sizi, checking how she was doing, then they took their leave and departed.

Chen Yan escorted them to the gate, waited until their carriage was far away, then lifted the nearby Sizi and said, "Come, little Sizi, let's go home to bask in the sun."

"Hmm, big brother, I love basking in the sun, warm~"

Chen Yan smiled, cradling Xiao Sizi and walked straight into the back courtyard.

The adult and the child reclined on the bamboo rocking chairs again, lazily soaking up the sun.

But just as they were about to fall asleep, Qing'er suddenly rushed over in a panic.

"Young master, it's bad! Princess Gao Yang is here again!"

"She looks really angry; you should leave quickly!"

"What?!" Chen Yan was slightly startled, instinctively lifting Xiao Sizi and leaping off the rocking chair.

But after only a few steps, he suddenly recovered and glared fiercely at Qing'er.

"Her anger has nothing to do with me; why should I run like a chicken feather?!"

"Go, give her a chance to come here and spar with me!"

"You really think I'd take the Death-exemption Gold Medal for free?!"