Chapter 62: A Sinister Power

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Staring at the foot-operated mixing rod before her, Li Yuechen circled around it twice, examining it carefully.

The base was crafted from wood and iron melded together. A large gear stood upright within a central groove, flanked by pedals on each side.

A leather belt studded with copper buckles connected the top to a smaller gear, so when the pedals were pressed, it would rotate in tandem.

This smaller gear was also linked to an even tinier horizontal gear, which in turn was attached to an egg whisk made from iron wire.

Li Yuechen beckoned Fu Lai over, instructing him to fetch a stool and give it a try.

Following her guidance, Fu Lai sat down, placed his feet on the pedals, and began to turn them.

Instantly, the egg whisk attached to the gears spun rapidly. While it certainly couldn’t match the speed of an electric mixer, it was far superior to manual effort.

Considering the scale of future production, they might need to make several more of these devices.

Seeing Li Yuechen frowning in contemplation, Fu Lai stepped forward and asked, “Your Highness, is there any difficulty?”

Li Yuechen nodded, “Soap is usually made with lard, but this time I want to try using soybean oil. I wonder if it will carry the same unpleasant odor…”

Fu Lai pondered, “Why not make a few batches to test?”

“Yes,” Li Yuechen agreed, “but not within the palace. If there’s a smell, it would be troublesome.”

She waved her hand, “Go to Luoyang immediately and find a place to convert into a workshop. Choose somewhere with fewer people, and preferably cheaper.”

Fu Lai nodded, “That’s easy. Like Chang’an, the southeast of the Eastern Capital is sparsely populated, with many empty wards.”

“Handle it as you see fit,” Li Yuechen said after a moment’s thought. “Once it’s ready, recruit a batch of workers. I’ll go train them myself. There’s no need to worry about safety; I’ve already reported to Grandfather, and troops will be stationed there.”

“Yes, Your Highness!” Fu Lai bowed and immediately departed to carry out her orders.

Fu Lai’s efficiency was commendable. Two days later, he informed Li Yuechen that he had secured a site in Jixian Ward, requiring only minor modifications, and at a very reasonable price.

Li Yuechen nodded. With December fast approaching, preparations for canned goods sales could begin.

Back in the palace, Shangguan Wan’er was playing Go with Princess Yiyang, while Princess Xuancheng was reading “The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art.”

Witnessing this scene, Li Yuechen felt a surge of admiration. She too had read that book, which introduced concepts like fractions and negative numbers.

Originally, Li Yuechen thought Xuancheng would need considerable study before grasping its contents, but judging by her expression, she clearly understood most of it.

As she read, her slender fingers traced patterns across the table.

With a sweet smile, Li Yuechen sat down before her, “Sister, would you like to solve a problem with me?”

“What kind of problem?” Princess Xuancheng put down the book.

“Now that the canned goods are nearly ready for sale, I must set a price. Yet in Great Tang, the cost of sugar syrup is high. What do you think would be a suitable price for a can?” Li Yuechen asked with a smile.

Although sugar existed in this era, its production was expensive. It wasn’t quite a luxury item, but ordinary folk couldn’t afford it.

Thus, Li Yuechen hadn’t yet decided how much each can should be priced.

She began writing out the costs for sugar syrup, porcelain jars, and other materials with a brush.

Sugar, water, porcelain jars, wooden stoppers, sealing wax, and so forth—all needed to be calculated.

At this stage, canned goods weren’t meant for commoners, so Li Yuechen felt it was acceptable to set a higher price.

But it shouldn’t be exorbitant—just expensive enough to be exclusive, yet still within reach.

Princess Xuancheng found the exercise interesting, and so the two of them began calculating with their brushes.

Xuancheng was capable of independent calculation, though she didn’t yet know how to synthesize the costs.

So Li Yuechen provided the method, and Xuancheng carried out the calculations—a kind of covert examination.

Unfortunately, Li Yuechen herself was only a half-trained mathematician, often needing much time to explain certain points, so they spent the entire afternoon arriving at a final result.

Each can cost about ten Kaiyuan Tongbao coins to produce… If I sell them for forty-one per jar, that’s not unreasonable, is it?

After all, some batches were transported from Lingnan, which incurred extra expenses.

Moreover, canned goods were only sold in winter and spring; in summer and autumn, people could simply buy fresh fruit.

And for the wealthy and powerful, this price was hardly prohibitive.

Most crucially, Li Yuechen knew the recipe for canned goods couldn’t remain a secret for long, so she had to sell them at a premium before the formula became common knowledge.

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The location was settled, and recruiting workers was swift—there were even dedicated slave markets in the southern city.

Fu Lai selected a few promising individuals and settled them in Jixian Ward.

At the end of November, Li Yuechen visited personally.

Fu Lai had bought thirty people in total, including locals, two Kunlun slaves, and a Silla maid.

The Kunlun slaves were not African; they were short and thin, resembling those from the Indian subcontinent.

Li Yuechen turned and asked, “Were they expensive?”

“No, Your Highness,” Fu Lai replied with a slight bow and a smile, “The seller likely guessed we were from the palace and hoped we’d patronize his business in the future, so he sold them cheaply.”

In this era, Kunlun slaves were extremely costly, affordable only to the richest families.

To maintain their monopoly, slavers would castrate these slaves to prevent them from having descendants.

Thus, acquiring new slaves always required additional purchases.

In reality, most slaves didn’t live to old age; if they fell ill or grew old, they were usually killed.

As for Silla maids, those with beauty would be bought as concubines.

The one before her was of ordinary appearance; even if bought by others, she would only serve as a maid.

The slaves, seeing the young girl surrounded by armed guards, recognized her noble status and grew nervous, timidly gazing at her.

Li Yuechen smiled faintly, thinking to herself, “Meeting me is your good fortune!”

Though she wouldn't pay them wages or set them free, she would at least ensure they were well-fed and wouldn’t be killed for aging.

Under her care, they would live out their days—a rare mercy in this era.

Li Yuechen stepped forward and asked the two Kunlun slaves and the Silla maid, “Can you understand my words?”

The Kunlun slaves looked bewildered, but the Silla maid bowed respectfully and replied, “Yes, Your Highness, I can.”

Li Yuechen scrutinized her; she looked to be about thirty, likely not newly arrived in Tang.

Her accent was barely noticeable, indicating she’d been in Tang for some time.

“What is your name?” Li Yuechen asked.

“My former master called me Spring Plum.”

Li Yuechen was curious, “Why were you sold?”

Spring Plum answered, “My family fell into ruin… they needed money.”

Li Yuechen nodded, “From now on, teach these two Kunlun slaves—at least enough for them to understand daily instructions!”

“Yes, Your Highness!” Spring Plum bowed.

Li Yuechen then surveyed the area, pointing to a building in the courtyard, “Renovate this for their lodging, and build a latrine in the corner…”

Fu Lai bowed, “Your Highness, is it necessary to treat them so well?”

Li Yuechen shook her head, “Hygiene is crucial. An outbreak would be troublesome!”

“Indeed, Your Highness is most thoughtful,” Fu Lai complimented.

With dormitory and latrine arrangements settled, Li Yuechen found no other instructions to give and turned to leave.

On her way back, she visited the Imperial Workshop, commissioning another batch of molds.

One set was for low-priced soap, simply shaped as blocks.

For premium soap, she ordered improved molds with two stripes and the word “Soap” engraved, to enhance its luxury.

She also instructed carpenters to make soap boxes with fine wooden slats forming a grid at the bottom and ornate carvings around the sides—selling at high prices.

Then she asked blacksmiths to forge an iron wok, having decided not to eat hotpot this year but to let Li Zhi and his wife try stir-fried dishes or egg fried rice.

Li Yuechen’s culinary skills were modest, honed from living alone, but in this era, they were far ahead of their time.

Sadly, promoting stir-fried cuisine was nearly impossible here.

Aside from seasoning challenges, Tang’s iron production was low, mostly reserved for the military; many civilians still used stone knives.

Fortunately, being born into the royal family, almost anything available in this era could be found in the palace.

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Had she been born into a common family, even getting enough to eat each day would be a challenge.

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With the New Year approaching, Li Yuechen planned to officially start soap production after the festivities.

In the meantime, she spent her days exercising in the palace, occasionally playing wargames with her master Liu Rengui, reading and practicing calligraphy with Shangguan Wan’er and her sisters in the afternoons, and visiting Li Zhi and his wife when she had leisure—her life was full and satisfying.

Seven days later, the Imperial Workshop finally reported completion of her iron wok.

The wok required a hemispherical bottom and uniform thickness, and even the most experienced craftsmen needed considerable time to finish it.

Upon hearing the news, Li Yuechen hurried out of the palace, eager to try stir-frying with the new wok.

But when she took it from Fu Lai, something felt off.

Fu Lai watched Li Yuechen’s expression shift from surprise to confusion. She gradually released one hand from the wok, then hooked it with a single finger, dangling it in the air with a gentle swing.

Li Yuechen raised an eyebrow at Fu Lai, “Is this truly made of iron? Why is it so light?”

Fu Lai was equally astonished, knowing its weight well—yet the princess, not even seven years old, could lift it with one finger!

Though shocked, he bowed and replied, “Yes, Your Highness, it is iron!”

Li Yuechen glanced at the wok hanging from her finger, her expression complex.

She had vaguely sensed over the years that she was stronger than her peers, but due to martial arts training and daily yoga, she hadn’t thought much of it.

Moreover, as a princess, she rarely needed to carry anything heavy, so she had never accurately gauged her strength.

But today, hanging an iron wok from a single finger was almost beyond belief for a child.

After a moment’s thought, she handed the wok back to Fu Lai and walked into the palace.

Shangguan Wan’er was still writing with Princess Yiyang. Seeing Li Yuechen approach, she rose to bow.

But before she could speak, Li Yuechen suddenly grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up!

Shangguan Wan’er hadn’t even realized what was happening before her feet left the ground. Startled, she looked down to find herself dangling in midair, held up by Li Yuechen’s single hand!

“Your… Your Highness…” Shangguan Wan’er stammered, instinctively struggling.

Madam Zheng, nearby, was startled and about to intervene when Li Yuechen, looking confused, gently set Wan’er down.

Once her feet touched the floor, Shangguan Wan’er was still frightened, her eyes watery and voice trembling, “Your Highness, did I do something wrong?”

“No, no…” Li Yuechen waved her hand, “Just wanted to see how much you weigh, hahaha…”

With that, she turned and walked out, still puzzled.

Shangguan Wan’er blinked, wiping her unshed tears, and glanced at the equally bewildered Princess Yiyang and her mother, Madam Zheng.

At the palace entrance, Li Yuechen looked at her palm, clenched her fist.

It felt surreal. Shangguan Wan’er wasn’t heavy, but she was only half a head shorter than Li Yuechen.

Proportionally, her strength seemed excessive.

While lifting Wan’er, it was a bit strenuous, but not beyond her ability.

“Your Highness?” Fu Lai ventured cautiously.

Li Yuechen snapped back to herself, tapping the air twice, “Today’s events must not be spoken of! Not even to my parents!”

Seeing the seriousness in her bright eyes, Fu Lai paused, then bowed, “Yes, Your Highness!”

Li Yuechen wasn’t trying to conceal anything, but she wanted to experiment and understand what was happening with her body.

Turning, she noticed Shangguan Wan’er’s eyes still red, and realized she’d probably scared her. She hurried over to explain.