Chapter 104: Hou Junji's Promotion Campaign

Both Buddhism and Taoism were industries built on persuasion, yet they valued honesty far more than the governments of later eras. Within the Great Buddha Temple, statues began to grow; rumors spread that in a lake on the outskirts of Luoyang, dead fish had miraculously come back to life. Suddenly, the Buddhist and Taoist sects flourished, their temples and shrines raking in money by the handful, counting coins until their hands cramped. As for the matter of the subterranean fire, both religious orders chose to turn a blind eye. Within a five-li radius of the Yun family estate, no Taoist priests or Buddhist monks ever appeared. This seemed to be a result that pleased everyone—except some.

“You sold such a good idea for just five hundred strings of cash?” Zhang Miaoke, her face flushed like a hen about to lay an egg, yanked Yun Hao’s ear.

“Self-defense, or else I’d have fought back,” he said, but his hands had already moved. Suddenly, a pair of youthful hands lunged toward her ample chest, and the pink fingers that had been caught on his ear vanished in an instant. Zhang Miaoke screamed and dodged, warily eyeing her eight-year-old husband.

These scenes had been replaying endlessly these past few days. Every time Zhang Miaoke walked ahead of Yun Hao, he would catch a glimpse of her full backside. His little hands couldn’t resist reaching out to tease, and then... nothing more happened. Now, no matter how urgent her business, Zhang Miaoke always walked behind Yun Hao, humbly and meekly.

Yun Hao marveled at Zhang Miaoke’s chameleon-like qualities. She adjusted her temper and nature according to her surroundings and company. He had witnessed her scolding a maid like a kettle boiling over, seen her sharply rebuke Liu Lao Liu like a stereotypical old-world landlady, and observed her standing alert like a guard dog by Lady Zhao’s side, instantly delivering whatever was requested with just a glance. When with Yun Hao, Zhang Miaoke resembled a cat: languid, elegant, with just a hint of mischief. Her personality was multifaceted, showing classic signs of split character.

In less than half a month, Yun family estate had undergone many changes. The subterranean fire still burned fiercely, sending thick black smoke billowing upward. Observers noted that the smoke had grown denser and more robust.

“Master, the blacksmith says this batch of coke is excellent. Not just for casting furnaces, but even for forging refined steel,” Liu Lao Liu’s role shifted from acting village chief to professional manager. He now handled all affairs in the estate. Yun Hao avoided the coke kiln’s severely polluted air as much as possible, and Zhang Miaoke kept her delicate feet more than two li away.

Yun Hao knew steelmaking required high temperatures. Coke provided much higher heat than coal, producing superior steel. These days, Chai Shao and Li Er often lingered near the smithy, even personally observing the entire coking process. Yun Hao understood they valued coke’s strategic importance. In these times, forging top-quality steel meant crafting superior weapons—always tied to matters of war and state.

Despite understanding this, Yun Hao kept his own counsel. His steelmaking was solely for producing furnaces. Whether others used them to forge swords or atomic bombs was none of his concern. His goal was profit: to become a wealthy man, living a carefree life. Rebellion was never his means of self-fulfillment.

When the frost began to appear on the ground, a shop suddenly opened in Jinyang City. The shopkeeper was a young man of about seventeen or eighteen.

Hou Junji didn’t particularly enjoy the role of shopkeeper, but he relished giving orders. Under his direction, a furnace was quickly set up. The backyard was already piled high with briquettes.

“Gentlemen of Jinyang, today I bring you this marvel to your esteemed place. Watch closely!” Hou Junji cleared his throat and began hawking his wares at the doorway. Gathering to watch was a favorite pastime among the townsfolk, and a large crowd quickly gathered.

“This is called a stove, used for heating in winter. You know that bituminous coal produces smoke, so most households use charcoal instead. Every winter, the cost of firewood and charcoal is no small expense.” The onlookers nodded; indeed, winter fuel was a significant household cost.

“Gentlemen, with this device, you no longer need expensive firewood or charcoal—you can burn bituminous coal alone,” Hou Junji announced, provoking murmurs of disbelief and astonishment.

“Young man! Bituminous coal not only smokes a lot but is toxic—it can choke you to death. You’re tempting fate. If someone dies, you’ll be in court,” a middle-aged man shouted.

“Watch closely. Bituminous coal does produce much smoke and is toxic, but with this chimney, the smoke is drawn outside. If you don’t believe me, step inside and see for yourselves,” Hou Junji gestured invitingly.

Curious about this wonder, the crowd excitedly packed inside. Hou Junji calmly opened the stove, placing a briquette inside. A puff of smoke rose, causing some to frown. The middle-aged man prepared to speak but saw Hou Junji quickly close the stove lid, and the smoke vanished instantly. Some ventured outside to see smoke gently drifting from the chimney, while inside the room, no trace of smoke lingered.

Among the spectators were elders and toddlers alike. None had seen anything like this and murmured in amazement. Though convinced the stove was good, no one dared try it first—after all, taking the risk of being the first to try something new was daunting.

“This bituminous coal burns well but takes a long time to ignite. Do you expect us to buy firewood just to light this coal?” The middle-aged man, after watching for a long time, identified coal’s weakness: unlike firewood, it wasn’t easy to ignite and required kindling.

“That’s a fair point, sir. But with our method and these briquettes, it’s no problem. See these coal briquettes? They have many holes. Heat rises, so with just a little firewood, you can ignite them easily.” To demonstrate, Hou Junji lit a small amount of kindling under a stove filled with briquettes. As orange flames flickered through the holes, the crowd murmured approval.

“Moreover, these briquettes burn very long. Four briquettes a day suffice, and each costs only one wen. So, cooking and heating cost just four wen per day!” This announcement stirred another buzz.

Considering winter fuel prices, each household typically used at least a pound of charcoal daily at six wen per pound. This new method saved two wen a day, totaling sixty wen a month—a small fortune for modest families. Wealthier households, using more fuel, saved even more.

“Today is our grand opening. To celebrate, buy one hundred briquettes, and we’ll give you this stove for free. But only fifty stoves are available, first come, first served!” Hou Junji was well versed in sales tactics; with this offer, even these rustic townsfolk couldn’t resist rushing to buy.

“I’ll take ten stoves for Zhang’s Pharmacy. A thousand briquettes delivered immediately,” a loud voice from the crowd declared. Everyone turned to look at the tall, dark man, when another shouted, “I’m from the Changsun family. We want five stoves and five hundred briquettes delivered to our mansion. Payment upon delivery.” This was Qi Biao speaking.

“Got it! Recorded. Delivery guaranteed before noon, and we’ll install the stoves free of charge,” Hou Junji replied.

The crowd quickly regained composure and swarmed around Hou Junji to place orders. No one wants to miss a bargain, and Hou Junji’s eyes seemed to flicker with the image of countless eager buyers.

“Ahem! I’ll take all the stoves for the Duke Tang’s residence. Forget those first two orders; the rest must be delivered to the Jinyang garrison before noon. Payment in full!” A cough interrupted, followed by a loud voice from the back of the crowd. Everyone turned to see it was Chai Shao, who dared not speak further.

In Jinyang, the Duke Tang’s mansion was the most powerful. Anyone daring to compete with the Duke for goods was courting death.

“Uh... Yes, sir. I’ll make sure it’s done. Everyone else, don’t lose heart. Since you’re here, you’re customers. I’ll personally guarantee these stoves at fifty wen each. If you miss out now, you can pre-order. Three hundred more will arrive within seven days, and we promise to install them at your home within that time. If we fail, I’ll pay double compensation!” Hou Junji shouted, and after a brief hesitation, the crowd surged forward.

Only three hundred stoves were available; those who grabbed one got lucky, while others faced an uncertain wait and more costs. Fifty wen saved in a month’s fuel was an undeniable bargain.

Watching the surging crowd, Chai Shao’s eyes gleamed with insight. This kid had some savvy. It seemed this bet had paid off.

“Hmph! Who dares sell this poison here? It’s a death trap. Seize him!” Chai Shao was secretly pleased when a sudden roar came from behind.

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