Chapter Seventy-Two: Willows Cast Their Shade

Li Xiuning was extremely satisfied with the warmth provided by the down jacket. Cheerfully, she began to dance with her sword in the snow.

Ma Sanbao, standing nearby, remarked, “Whether galloping on horseback or drawing the bow to shoot, there’s no hindrance at all! If we ever go to war in winter, wearing these down jackets won’t affect us in the slightest!”

“You’ve given me inspiration, Sanbao!” Li Xiuning exclaimed.

“What do you mean?” Ma Sanbao was taken aback.

Li Xiuning continued, “Who would have thought that the age-old problem of the northern tribes harassing the Central Plains for a thousand years would be inadvertently solved by General Chen?”

“Uh…” Ma Sanbao hadn’t considered this at first. But with Li Xiuning’s reminder, he soon understood.

Since the end of the Qin dynasty, the Xiongnu had repeatedly invaded the Central Plains, committing all manner of atrocities. Gradually, they became the greatest threat to the Han people. Even though Emperor Wu of Han twice mobilized the nation’s might to campaign north of the desert, nearly driving the Xiongnu to extinction, the fundamental problem was never resolved.

Later, Emperor Xuan of Han divided the Xiongnu into northern and southern factions. After the Southern Xiongnu surrendered, and during the upheaval of the Five Barbarians, Ran Min led the Han people in resistance, exterminating both the Xiongnu and Jie clans. Yet, the Xianbei soon rose on the northern steppes, founding the Northern Wei, Northern Zhou, and other regimes that ruled the north for over three centuries. When the Xianbei declined through internal strife, the Turks began their ascent.

Of course, Li Xiuning did not yet know that after the Tang dynasty destroyed the Turks, the Khitans, Jurchens, Mongols, and others would later rise on the steppe.

This problem had been seen for centuries, but even those who recognized it could not solve it. The northern frontier was simply too bitterly cold. Beyond the Great Wall, the farther north one went, the harsher the cold became. Even when the Central Plains dynasties were at their peak and could militarily suppress the tribes, driving them thousands of miles away, the severe climate made it impossible for the Han to settle north of the desert.

If the Han people could take root in the northern steppes, relying on the scarce water sources to reclaim land and form settlements, they could gradually assimilate the local tribes, uniting all as one.

The main obstacle was the relentless cold—no Han could endure the brutal winters that lasted thirty years at a stretch.

Yet, the down jacket Chen Ying had created, though weighing less than two catties of down, was a perfect defense against the cold. If these down garments could be distributed widely, the Han people could settle in the northern steppes and adapt to the harsh climate.

At this realization, Li Xiuning grew solemn.

“Sanbao, prepare the carriage at once. I must enter the palace!”

…

Chen Ying remained unaware that Li Xiuning had already taken his down jackets and quilts to the palace, nor that she had elevated his so-called “invention” to a matter of national strategy.

In truth, Chen Ying’s down jacket could not be compared to the refined down garments of later generations, since it wasn’t puffed and lacked their elegance, but its warmth was beyond question.

Driven by the principle that only a fool passes up a bargain, Chen Ying bought up every last feather and bit of down from ducks and geese in all of Chang’an at almost giveaway prices.

After scouring the city, Chen Ying amassed over six thousand catties of various down. Though this sounded impressive, without proper puffing techniques, it wasn’t enough to make many quilts or jackets.

By now, Chen Ying’s residence had transformed into a bustling factory. He had recruited thirty to forty casual laborers from the streets at ten coins a day, all devoted to washing the down. The four large kitchen pots were quickly overwhelmed, forcing him to build twelve more cauldrons, each four feet across, in the courtyard for endless steaming of the down. The drying rooms burned day and night, never ceasing.

The household staff and laborers were run off their feet. To keep morale high, Chen Ying not only paid fair wages but also provided extra meals—plenty of millet rice, and each person received a hefty half-pound chunk of fatty meat per meal.

“Master, we can’t go on like this!” Lan’er pouted in disapproval of Chen Ying’s generosity. “We’re eating over two hundred catties of grain and more than thirty catties of meat a day. Even if we had mountains of gold, you’d squander it all at this rate!”

“It’s no matter!” Chen Ying replied with a carefree laugh. “Once we finish this batch of down jackets, we’ll make a fortune!”

Lan’er asked, “A top-quality willow catkin quilt eight feet wide and long sells for twelve hundred coins. How much should our down quilts sell for?”

The first batch of down quilts and jackets were not sold. Aside from the sets sent to Princess Pingyang and Ma Sanbao, the rest were distributed freely among the household staff.

Chen Ying said, “Willow catkin quilts are for the moderately wealthy. The nobility prefer snow-white fox-fur quilts—four pieces, each ten feet long, fetch at least twenty-eight strings of cash. Let’s price our four-piece, ten-foot-long down quilts at fifty strings. Each set uses six catties of down, plus silk and labor. We’ll sell each for a hundred strings!”

“A hundred strings?” Lan’er was dumbfounded, staring at Chen Ying as if he’d lost his mind.

“Don’t think a hundred strings is too much. There are plenty of wealthy folk in Chang’an. Our down quilts are lighter and warmer than fox-fur ones. If it weren’t so easy to copy, I’d price them at a thousand strings each!”

Just then, Li Chuqi hurried in, breathless. “Master, there’s an old man at the gate—no beard!”

Chen Ying went outside and saw a pale, wrinkled man in a blue robe. Behind him stood a detachment of Left Imperial Guards.

As Chen Ying approached, the pale man cleared his throat and croaked, “General Chen Ying, receive the imperial command!”

Hearing this, Chen Ying felt conflicted—an eunuch!

Should he kneel or not?

Before he could decide, the eunuch said, “General, this is a verbal decree—no need for grand ceremony!”

Chen Ying quickly bowed low, head down in respect.

The eunuch continued, “By His Majesty’s verbal order, General Chen Ying is to proceed immediately to the Sweet Dew Hall for an audience. No delay is permitted.”

“I accept the order!” Chen Ying saluted, then asked, “May I have the honor of your name, sir?”

“How could I presume such a title!” The pale eunuch smiled faintly. “My surname is Chen, given name Qi. I serve as an attendant in the Sweet Dew Hall.”

“Ah, so it’s Attendant Chen! We must have been kin five hundred years ago,” Chen Ying joked, gesturing for him to enter. “Forgive me, I am quite disheveled. It would be improper to appear before His Majesty in such a state. Allow me to bathe and change before accompanying you to the palace. Please, rest a while.”

Chen Ying had no idea why Emperor Li Yuan had summoned him, and he dared not enter the palace without understanding the reason. Even if he had to flee into exile, he would never allow himself to become a lamb to the slaughter.

Chen Qi smiled and followed Chen Ying to the front hall. Soon after, a maid brought in tea.

Chen Qi, feeling parched, lifted the teacup—and his eyes widened in surprise. There was no water, no tea leaves, only a silver ingot weighing about ten taels.

Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, he deftly covered the ingot with his sleeve and slipped it away.

At first, Chen Ying had thought the tales of greedy eunuchs were exaggerated. But Chen Qi’s practiced movements proved otherwise.

With a knowing smile, Chen Ying said, “Attendant Chen, how does the tea here taste?”

Chen Qi’s lips curled in a practiced smile. “Your household certainly knows how to brew tea. After this cup, I may find myself calling often.”

“You’re welcome anytime!” Chen Ying drew out a pouch of copper coins—about two hundred—and handed it over. “Your men have braved the wind and snow. Take this for some wine to warm them.”

“How could I accept?” Chen Qi demurred, but promptly tucked the pouch away.

As they walked out together, Chen Ying asked quietly, “Attendant Chen, might I ask why His Majesty wishes to see me?”

Chen Qi whispered, “All you need to know is that it’s good news.”

Reassured, Chen Ying followed Chen Qi toward the Sweet Dew Hall.