"Boss, this stuff is amazing. If we opened a shop, this stuff would be better than any tavern."
"That's certainly good. But it's out of the question this year. Keep an eye out for the local area and try to get this done next year," Lu Xuan said somewhat casually.
"Alright. I'll take care of it right away." With that, he placed a metal kettle filled with water on the stove, then turned and left. That's the advantage of having a stove at home. You can boil water anytime, anywhere. In the winters of the Tang Dynasty, this was a luxurious indulgence.
He lounged lazily in a recliner. This chair, of course, was also Lu Xuan's invention. In the Tang Dynasty, people mostly sat kneeling, or at a small table on a kang (heated brick bed), or simply sitting directly on the kang. Lu Xuan simply couldn't stand that kneeling posture. Upon arriving in Chang'an, he took the time to have a carpenter craft a set of modern-style tables and chairs.
Actually, it wasn't just these things. Lu Xuan had unknowingly acquired quite a few items from his past life to improve his living conditions. However, what puzzled the old man was that many of these items clearly possessed immense commercial value. Yet, Lu Xuan didn't intend to use them to make money; he simply kept them at home for his own use.
The kettle on the stove boiled. The boiling water startled Lu Xuan. He came to his senses and heard the old man's hurried footsteps outside the door.
"Master, master...we have a distinguished guest."
Without him saying anything, Lu Xuan clearly heard a large number of footsteps outside the door. The person who came must be of noble status and accompanied by a large number of servants.
He smiled slightly. Then he stood up and said to the old man next to him.
"Brew a pot of tea and bring it to the living room."
"Alright." The old man hurriedly ran out again.
Lu Xuan straightened his clothes and stepped out of the house. He saw the Crown Prince leading Li Bi and another person into Lu Xuan's courtyard.
Ever since Li Bi analyzed Lu Xuan's plan for the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince has become even more interested in Lu Xuan. Moreover, Li Bi predicted at the time that Lu Xuan usually kept a low profile and never revealed his true intentions, but if he suddenly made a move, it must be for someone else's benefit.
Although the Xiong Huo Gang was not a respectable force, its connections were deeply entrenched. It had links with many high-ranking officials in the imperial court, making complete eradication no easy task. However, County Magistrate Lu eradicated this cancerous growth in Wannian County in just one night. His ruthlessness and audacity were far beyond that of ordinary people.
The Crown Prince knew of his good friend and wanted him to step in and win him over. However, Lu Xuan was merely a county magistrate, a very low-ranking official. The Crown Prince, of such high status, simply couldn't bring himself to do it. Li Bi, however, saw further ahead. He sensed that Lu Xuan was observing the situation. If the Crown Prince couldn't win him over, Lu Xuan might very well side with someone else. Although this man currently held a low position, he was definitely a dangerous character. If he couldn't be used for his own purposes, then he absolutely couldn't let him side with someone else.
After much persuasion, the Crown Prince finally agreed to meet Lu Xuan in person.
"Your Highness..." Lu Xuan bowed in greeting.
“No need for such formalities, County Commandant Lu. Changyuan and I simply missed your cooking, but your inn is far too crowded, so we had no choice but to come here to freeload,” Li Heng said casually. Lu Xuan, of course, didn’t take it seriously.
"This way, please."
The moment they stepped into Lu Xuan's 'living room,' the Crown Prince and his companion's expressions changed slightly. The reason was simple: this room was indeed rather strange.
The room contained a rather tall, long table. Around the table was a semi-circle of oddly styled, excessively tall stools (similar to sofas and coffee tables in later times, these were all made of mahogany).
"Your Highness, please take a seat." Lu Xuan gestured, leading the Crown Prince and Li Heng to the 'sofa'. Of course, there was no real sofa. Lu Xuan hadn't yet invented springs. However, he had covered the mahogany chairs with thick bearskin. So, this was truly genuine mahogany and leather furniture, without a trace of adulteration. In later times, not to mention the price, it would probably cost several years in prison... But in the Tang Dynasty, these things could be openly displayed and used.
The crown prince looked up as if to ask a question, but Lu Xuan didn't give him the chance. Instead, he took the old man's tea and placed it on the table.
"Your Highness, the servants' skills are rough. I'll do it myself. Please wait a moment, Your Highness." Without waiting for the Crown Prince to speak, she turned and left the living room, leaving the Crown Prince and Li Bi staring at each other.
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Chapter Fifty-Two: Rare Items
Seeing Lu Xuan run away without hesitation, the Crown Prince felt a surge of frustration.
"Changyuan, what does Lu Xuan mean? This Crown Prince... Changyuan, you..." As soon as he opened his mouth, the Crown Prince realized that Li Bi's attention was not on him, but on the chair beneath him.
“This kind of bench…” Li Bi stroked the chair beneath him, racking his brains for a long time but unable to come up with a suitable adjective.
At first glance, it seems too high. But once you sit down, your legs can stretch out naturally, which, while perhaps a little awkward, offers a unique sense of comfort. Most importantly, the backrest, combined with the soft cushion under your buttocks, allows you to sit down effortlessly, providing an unprecedented feeling of relaxation.
He picked up the 'tea' in front of him again.
Tea in the Tang Dynasty was completely different from modern tea. They used various spices such as scallions, ginger, dates, orange peel, and even nutmeg and sesame seeds, boiled them with tea leaves in water, creating a drink that modern people would consider a bizarre beverage. Lu Xuan couldn't drink that kind of tea. He didn't actually know how to roast tea; he just gathered a lot of tea leaves and tried to make it based on his imagination. He did manage to create some teas that tasted like those from later generations.
He didn't ask for much; a hint of tea flavor would be fine. However, this kind of tea was still a rare commodity in this era.
Li Bi picked up the teacup and took a small sip. A slight bitterness filled his mouth. But then, a delicate fragrance mingled with it. After swallowing, a sweet aftertaste emerged.
"Bitter at first, then sweet, with a refreshing aroma. It is indeed an excellent drink." At this moment, the Crown Prince also realized that something was amiss. In this small household of the county magistrate of Wannian County, everything they were seeing was something novel and unlike anything they had ever seen before.
Changyuan stood up again and walked to the strange-looking iron object. As soon as he got close, he felt a distinct heat. He then realized that it was actually a furnace.
However, it differed from the common brazier style. That thing was made entirely of iron. It was about the height of a person's leg, and on top of it was an equally strange-looking iron kettle.
Through the gap, one could vaguely see a blazing flame burning beneath the kettle. This design alone far surpasses that of a fire pit. It provides heat and uses that heat to boil water, achieving two goals at once.
The prince was clearly also attracted by this unusual stove.
"This stove is burning so brightly, I wonder what kind of charcoal it uses?"
“No, it’s not charcoal.” Li Bi reached out and tentatively grasped the handle of the kettle, which was wrapped in some kind of leather. It wasn’t hot, so he simply lifted the kettle down. What he saw were blocks of stone, glowing red-hot and almost transparent. Red and yellow flames roared on the stones.
"This is... coal?" Li Heng wasn't an uneducated person. The main thing was that coal was already being used for iron smelting in the Tang Dynasty. This was a matter of national importance, so he naturally knew about it.
"It's coal."
"I've heard that some common people used coal for heating, but the result was that the whole family died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Is Lu Xuan trying to harm us?" The Crown Prince was furious upon hearing this.
"Your Highness, please do not panic. Lu Xuan did not know we would come today. How could it be such a coincidence that he lit the coals? Besides, we have been here for some time now, but we have not felt any discomfort. Therefore, there must be a reason that we do not know."
As Li Bi spoke, he glanced at the towering chimney. He walked along the wall and out the door. Sure enough, he saw the chimney bend at the roof, protrude beyond the wall, and continuously puff out blue smoke.
"If I'm not mistaken, this iron pipe should be the key to the mystery."
"cigarette?"
“That’s right, we’ve already confirmed that carbon poisoning is hidden in the smoke and dust. But in winter, you naturally have to keep the doors and windows tightly closed to keep warm. But if the doors and windows are closed, the smoke and dust can’t disperse. If you open the doors to let the smoke and dust out, you can’t keep out the cold. So those who force themselves to use it all die from carbon poisoning. The government eventually banned the use of coal for heating. But now it seems that this County Magistrate Lu has solved the problem?”
Li Bi's words carried an uncontrollable sense of emotion. He even considered solving the carbon toxicity problem a truly meritorious act. Coal has been found in many places, but only a small portion is actually usable.
High-ranking officials and nobles used charcoal for heating. However, most common people could not afford charcoal and could only use firewood or simply endure the cold. If charcoal could be used on a large scale, the number of people who died from the cold each winter in the Tang Dynasty would be greatly reduced. For this achievement alone, Lu Xuan would be qualified to be promoted three ranks.