Chapter Seventy-Two: Inspecting the Money House

Li Yi returned directly to the Li residence with the chubby boy, then sought out his aunt, Madam Cui, and explained the situation. Instantly, Madam Cui's maternal instincts were stirred. She took the chubby boy's hand and questioned him in detail, moving him so deeply that he wiped away tears. Whether intentionally or not, the chubby boy then admitted he was hungry. Madam Cui immediately prepared a mountain of food for him. Li Yi tried to intervene but was promptly shooed away, told that someone was waiting for him. Li Yi could only smile bitterly—helping the chubby boy lose weight was clearly no simple task. Weight loss: an eternal theme unaffected by the passage of time.

Shaking his head, Li Yi made his way forward, curious about which uninvited guest had come to mooch a meal.

He ambled into the front hall, peered inside, and found that the visitor was Fang Xuanling.

“Oh! Uncle Fang, what brings you here? Didn't we just meet yesterday? You must have missed me already!” Li Yi greeted him with a cheerful smile, walked straight into the hall, and sat down beside Fang Xuanling, gulping down tea without a hint of formality.

Fang Xuanling took no offense, laughing lightly. “Your mouth really is something else. No wonder you nearly made Master Kong spit blood!”

Li Yi grabbed a pastry and stuffed it into his mouth, speaking indistinctly, “Don't blame me for that, Uncle. Master Kong's nosebleed has nothing to do with me. It's just that his liver fire is too strong lately, too much blood in his body—perfectly normal!”

Fang Xuanling was at a loss. “Normal? If it were normal, why would the old man be recuperating at home?”

Li Yi rolled his eyes. “Well, sorry about that!”

Fang Xuanling could only smile wryly. “You! Enough, I won't banter with you any longer. I'm here today to tell you that the bank in Chang'an has been completed. Would you like to come see it with me?”

Li Yi was taken aback. “So soon?”

Fang Xuanling chuckled. “It was a direct order from His Majesty—who would dare neglect it? Besides, the buildings were already there; all we needed was to rearrange things a bit.”

“What are we waiting for? Let's go!” With that, Li Yi rose and headed outside, not forgetting to snatch another pastry on his way out.

...

Half an hour later, Li Yi and Fang Xuanling arrived at a storefront in the Eastern Market. Li Yi glanced around and noticed that the pawnshop was right across from the bank.

Clicking his tongue, Li Yi remarked gleefully, “Uncle Fang, this is rather ruthless—opening a bank right opposite their pawnshop is a blatant slap in the face!”

Fang Xuanling snorted coldly. “Strike where it hurts—if we don't press them, how will we flush them out?”

“Tsk tsk, no mercy at all! But, to rent a place here must cost a fortune.”

Fang Xuanling lifted his chin, hands behind his back, striding inside with pride. “Royal affairs—who would dare obstruct us, or ask for money? Is that even a rule?”

Li Yi stared at Fang Xuanling's back in amazement, giving a thumbs-up. “Imposing! Is this what nobility is like? I think I'm starting to enjoy this place!”

With that, he followed Fang Xuanling into the bank.

Upon entering, Li Yi saw that the interior was largely arranged according to his own designs. The entrance revealed a long counter, separated from the public by slender railings, with transaction windows. The area behind the counter was for staff, while the outside featured long benches for customers to rest. Upstairs, Li Yi found it was mainly for important clients, elegantly furnished. All in all, it combined features of a modern bank with the style of a traditional money house. Though there were still many shortcomings, it was sufficient for now; the rest could be improved gradually.

After inspecting the premises and finding no major faults, Li Yi returned downstairs with Fang Xuanling and sat on a bench. “Good! The layout will do for now. But there's one crucial point—the service staff, especially the receptionists, must be courteous. Customers should feel warmly welcomed, never annoyed or subject to temper. We're a new enterprise; many won't understand how things work. If customers have questions, no matter what they ask, the staff must answer carefully, never brush them off. Quality is paramount. We are a bank, not a bandit's den. Moreover, we're to be scholarly merchants, representing the royal family's reputation!”

Fang Xuanling's expression grew serious. “You're quite right, nephew. I overlooked this completely—focused too much on teaching them the rules, forgetting the basics. But finding people who understand banking and are also courteous is no easy task.”

Li Yi pondered. “For now, Uncle, recruit a batch of staff to tide things over. Once the merchant alliance is established, I'll personally train a group to handle these duties. It will only be a few months; just get through this initial period.”

Fang Xuanling breathed a sigh of relief. “Haha! I knew you’d spot the problems and solve them promptly. Don't worry, I can manage for a few months.”

“Hehe, Uncle Fang, you flatter me. I’m just a bit quirky, nothing special!” Li Yi grinned broadly.

“Look at you! But speaking of which—” Fang Xuanling glanced around and whispered in Li Yi’s ear, “Nephew, what exactly is this merchant alliance? My son mentioned it after returning home, but he’s so tongue-tied I didn’t quite understand. Why don’t you explain it to me?”

“Oh, it’s like this. You know what the merchant alliance does, so I won’t elaborate. I brought them together because I saw a great opportunity. Joining the alliance means becoming a scholarly merchant, which gives one a prestigious title. The alliance will undertake industries that can affect the national economy, so its importance cannot be overstated. With a charitable foundation and a good image, as long as they persevere, this enterprise will rival the contributions of expanding the Tang Empire’s borders. That’s why I call it an opportunity. There’s no barrier to entry now, but in the future, joining the alliance and becoming a scholarly merchant will be incredibly difficult, requiring rigorous examinations with no favoritism. One thing, though: once in the alliance, once a scholarly merchant, you must never enter politics. This is an ironclad rule, personally decreed by His Majesty. As for shares, you needn’t worry—everyone present at that early meeting will have a stake. It may not be much now, but as the alliance grows, it’ll be a considerable fortune. That’s all there is to it.”

Fang Xuanling listened, utterly fascinated and astonished. “Nephew, I truly underestimated you—this plan is extraordinary! If it succeeds, your achievement will be immeasurable, surely recorded in history. The Li family indeed has a qilin!”