Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 151 Wu Youji Arrives

Liu Jianjun's words were like a thunderclap.

Li Xian's first reaction was that it was absurd. The Yangzhou rebellion had just been quelled, and now the Li clan was about to rebel?
Liu Jianjun, however, said nonchalantly, "Don't make a fuss. They're looking for you to start a rebellion, but it won't happen anytime soon. Empress Wu has just suppressed the Yangzhou rebellion, and morale is high. They won't rebel at this critical juncture."

"To be honest, if they really rebel at this critical juncture, we might have a 20-30% chance of taking a gamble."

Li Xian was puzzled.

But Liu Jianjun didn't explain, and continued, "Since you don't have a good relationship with them, I'm relieved. Just stick to one thing: your sister-in-law and the child in her belly."

"As a husband and father, you only want to ensure the safety of your home and the health of your wife and children. In these chaotic times, you have neither the heart nor the strength to care about anything else."

"Of course, I'll find a way to lure Wu Youji to the Prince's mansion. That guy always goes around in a big fuss with a bunch of imperial guards. When your uncles see Wu Youji here, they definitely won't dare to come knocking on our door again."

"After all, in their eyes, that kid Wu Youji is your mother's spy."

Li Xian was somewhat relieved.

In fact, he didn't want to cause any trouble while the embroiderer was pregnant.

"Alright, if there's nothing else, you can continue to accompany your sister-in-law. You can rest at home for the time being. I'll keep an eye on things with Cotton."

……

The Prince of Pei's Mansion is right next to the south city wall of Chang'an. Outside the south city wall are Tongshanfang and Qinglongfang. When the capital was still Chang'an, the most famous place in Tongshanfang was the large royal temple, which is the Apricot Garden mentioned by the embroiderer.

Qinglongfang is located to the east of Tongshanfang, and it is also a ward that is backed by the city wall to the south. Its function is relatively more down-to-earth and practical.

Liu Jianjun demolished a section of the wall surrounding the Prince of Pei's residence near the two wards and built a back gate. This back gate faced the south gate of Chang'an City, and outside the city was the street between Qinglong Ward and Tongshan Ward.

They say it's more convenient this way.

Li Xian was too lazy to care about him and let him do whatever he wanted.

Indeed, since Liu Jianjun demolished that wall, it has become much easier for Xiu Niang and the others to go to Xingyuan to burn incense and pray. In the past, Xiu Niang and the others had to go around the entire Peiwang Mansion and make a detour to reach Tongshanfang, but now they only need to walk to the back gate inside the mansion and go out to get there.

The embroiderers could now easily access Tongshanfang, but Liu Jianjun's purpose in breaking down the wall seemed to be more for Qinglongfang.

Qinglongfang was filled with workshops, stables, taverns, and restaurants. Liu Jianjun used this back door as a thoroughfare for selling cotton cloth, and would often symbolically take out some cotton products to sell.

The cotton seeds from the Nanyuan plot had already been distributed to various parts of Chang'an by Liu Rengui when Li Xian and his group went to Luoyang. However, the remaining cotton was not used up in the Prince's Palace, so Liu Jianjun took it and sold it.

In his words, it was about seeing the market feedback.

The feedback was indeed positive.

A bolt of cotton cloth could even cost three hundred coins.

It should be noted that a bolt of silk only costs a little over two hundred coins. If calculated by size alone, cotton cloth is even more expensive than silk.

Of course, cotton cloth is actually too thick and heavy. Although the weight of a bolt of cotton cloth is not much different from that of silk cloth, it is actually a full bundle when you hold it.

Moreover, in Liu Jianjun's words, this cotton cloth is a new product in the market. When it first came on the market, it was heavily overpriced, so it is normal for the price to be so high now. Once the next season's cotton is produced, the market price will drop instantly.

Liu Jianjun said, "Our target for this first batch of goods is not ordinary people, but the stewards and servants of the royal family, nobles, and wealthy merchants. These people are the most eager to follow the powerful and pursue novelty."

"Why wouldn't they rush to buy the novelties that have flowed out of the Prince's mansion and take them back to ask their master for a reward?"

"What we need to do is use these people to make this cotton cloth famous, so that everyone knows it's softer than silk and warmer than linen. When a large quantity of cotton cloth comes out, it will sell more easily." Li Xian didn't understand, but he let Liu Jianjun do whatever he wanted with things he didn't know.

As Liu Jianjun said, cotton is a better material for keeping warm than linen. Now that winter is approaching, cotton cloth is selling very well. The Wangfu (Prince's Mansion) had harvested more than 20,000 jin of cotton, and after deducting the expenses within the mansion, there were still more than 15,000 jin left.

Liu Jianjun wove these 15,000 jin into nearly 20,000 bolts of cotton cloth, which, at a price of 300 wen per bolt...

Can’t calculate it.

Li Xian was too lazy to calculate.

In reality, the money and supplies of the Prince's Mansion were all managed by Liu Jianjun, the chief steward of the mansion. Only Xiu Niang, as the mistress of the house, would receive the account books from Liu Jianjun in a summary manner. However, Xiu Niang trusted Liu Jianjun just as much. The account books were almost covered in dust, but Xiu Niang never looked at them.

This went on for three days. On this day, Li Xian was listening to Liu Jianjun's vivid description of how much money he had made from cotton in his small courtyard, and he was getting drowsy.

A guard from the Prince's residence quickly entered through the back door, walked to Liu Jianjun's side, and whispered a few words.

Before Liu Jianjun could react, Li Xian was the first to perk up.

Finally, I don't have to listen to Liu Jianjun talk about these calculations anymore.

After the guard left, Liu Jianjun looked at Li Xian with annoyance and said, "What's wrong with you? Am I selling cotton to make money for myself? It concerns the money in your pocket, can't you care a little?"

Li Xian retorted, "I heard that you made a silk nightgown for Aisha."

Liu Jianjun's expression froze.

"There are also those that wrap around the toes as well, and they're supposedly dyed black on purpose."

Liu Jianjun's expression froze again.

"I heard there are two smaller sets being ordered, for Yu'er and Cui'er..."

"Stop, stop! Don't you want to know what that guard said?" Liu Jianjun quickly changed the subject.

Li Xian then revealed a triumphant expression and asked, "What happened?"

"Wu Youji is here!" Liu Jianjun said, standing up and walking towards the back gate of the Prince's Mansion that he had opened up.

Li Xian was curious and followed them.

He simply couldn't understand how Liu Jianjun managed to command Wu Youji.

When the two arrived at the back gate of the Prince's Mansion, Li Xian saw Wu Youji from afar and showed an excited expression, as if he had seen a brother. Only when Wu Youji saw him did he restrain himself slightly, showing a reserved demeanor as he cupped his hands in greeting: "Cousin!"

Liu Jianjun walked up to him irritably, put his arm around his shoulder, and said with a shifty look in his eyes, "There's no need to hide our affair from your cousin."

Wu Youji then chuckled and said, "Cousin, if you ask me, Brother Liu is a truly righteous man!"

Li Xian looked at him, puzzled.

Wu Youji continued, "We command the Imperial Guards, but as you know, their rations are distributed by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Imperial Granary. Right now... hehe, the Empress Dowager has moved the government to the capital, so we brothers are a bit strapped for cash..."

At this point, Wu Youji put his arm around Liu Jianjun and exclaimed, "Brother Liu, you're so kind! You found us a security guard job. A month's duty can earn us ten bolts of cotton cloth!"

……

(End of this chapter)