Chapter 126: Everything is Ready!

Gazing at the majestic city of Chang'an, Li Yi was filled with overwhelming emotion. Although only twenty days had passed, it felt as though he had been away for months. Breathing in the unique atmosphere of Chang'an, he felt a deep sense of intimacy, and the weariness of his long journey began to lift.

As the group entered the city, Li Yi dismissed his companions to return to their respective homes. It was noon when Li Yi, accompanied by Bingyu and Sanzi, galloped back to the Li estate. The Li family, having already received word of his return, had been waiting in the main hall. No sooner had he stepped inside than he heard the voice of the Lady of the Red Whisk.

"Yi'er, come here quickly and let Grandmother have a look at you!" Li Yi hurried over. "You've grown thin, so thin! You little monkey, why don't you know how to take care of yourself?"

Li Yi scratched his head. "Heh heh, Grandmother, being thin is fine. It’s what they call 'bony beauty'!"

The Lady of the Red Whisk gave him a playful slap. "Nonsense, 'bony beauty'? You haven't eaten, have you? Shui Rou, quickly tell the kitchen to prepare something delicious. I need to help my eldest grandson build his strength back up!"

Lady Cui replied with a smile, "Mother, don't worry! I’ve already given the orders." She then turned to Li Yi, "Yi'er, you must eat plenty later, or your grandmother will blame your aunt!"

Li Yi laughed heartily. "Understood! Don't worry, Aunt, I promise to leave nothing but the scraps!"

Whenever Li Yi returned home, it was when he felt most at ease. Only at home could he truly relax and enjoy everything to the fullest. This feeling of sudden relief after a period of busyness was truly wonderful.

At lunch, Li Yi fulfilled his promise, eating to his heart's content. By the time he left the table, he was so full he didn't even want to stand up.

After the meal, Li Yi collapsed into bed and fell into a deep, heavy sleep. Watching his exhausted face, the family felt a pang of heartache. Regardless of everything, Li Yi was only fifteen, but there was no helping it—such was the destiny of being born into a prominent family.

Li Yi slept soundly until the next day was almost dawning. He rubbed his eyes, stretched, and went outside for his morning exercise.

In the morning, Li Yi headed to the site of the Golden Tripod building complex. The structures were not all clustered together; shops and taverns were naturally concentrated in the Western Market, while Li Yi had established the offices of the Golden Tripod Merchant Alliance and the Charity Foundation in Guangde Ward, near the Western Market.

He went to inspect the progress and provide guidance on the final interior decorations. Upon arrival, he found the small buildings finished, with only the final touches remaining. After offering a few suggestions, he left.

Li Yi planned for the businesses under the Merchant Alliance and the Charity Foundation to open in five days. There was still much preparation to be done: inventory, staffing, opening procedures, and operational protocols. Of course, the most important element was the collection of musical instruments he had commissioned at the Directorate for Palace Buildings—that was his trump card.

Leaving the Western Market, Li Yi headed straight for the Imperial Palace. After showing his credentials, he went directly to the Directorate for Palace Buildings.

Chen Liyan, the Prefect of the Left School of the Directorate, hurried out to greet him upon seeing him. "I pay my respects, Lord Li. I was unaware of your visit and failed to welcome you properly; please forgive me!"

Li Yi waved his hand with a smile. "Not at all, Lord Chen! We are old acquaintances, so there is no need for such formalities. Let’s get straight to business."

"Very well, Lord Li, please follow me."

Li Yi followed Chen Liyan to a workshop, where he saw unfinished instruments everywhere. Finally, they arrived at a warehouse. Chen Liyan pulled out a flat, gourd-shaped instrument. Li Yi’s eyes lit up—it was a guitar, looking almost identical to the ones he knew.

Li Yi tried a few chords, and the sound was quite good. While it couldn't compare to modern standards, it was truly remarkable for the time. After adjusting a few tones with Chen Liyan, he tried it again; the high notes were clear and stirring, while the low notes were delicate and mellow. He couldn't help but play a rhythm, feeling quite pleased. Like before, he knew a bit about the guitar, but was by no means a master.

He then asked Chen Liyan to bring out the drums and cymbals he had ordered. Li Yi tested them one by one. They had the required high and low pitches, meeting his needs. He had originally wanted to build a drum kit, but found it far too difficult in this era, so he had to settle for separating the components. Each person would be responsible for one part; it would be easier to learn that way, even if the composition was more complex. It didn't matter; if he couldn't have the perfect version, a makeshift one would suffice. In a tavern, as long as it made a sound, that was the vibe he was looking for.

"Lord Chen, thank you very much. The instruments you’ve crafted are truly exceptional!"

Chen Liyan modestly replied, "Not at all! I am just glad you are satisfied, Lord Li."

Li Yi laughed. "Satisfied? I am extremely satisfied! Tell you what, Lord Chen, craft ten more sets of these instruments for me. And five days from now, go to the Golden Tripod headquarters to collect payment for these instruments, alright?"

Chen Liyan shook his head quickly. "That won't do. I am working for the Emperor; how could I accept payment from you?"

"Nonsense! Business is business. The Merchant Alliance will never take advantage of the state; that is the Emperor's decree. Don't be so formal, Lord Chen!"

"If it is the Emperor's decree, then... thank you, Lord Li. But, where is this Golden Tripod headquarters located?"

"Hahaha, don't worry, Lord Chen! In five days, you will know!"

"Oh! Understood."

...

After leaving the workshop, Li Yi headed to the Xiaoxiang Pavilion, having ordered the instruments to be delivered there.

Upon arrival, he saw a group of men and women practicing what he had taught them. The Xiaoxiang Pavilion now resembled an inn more than anything else.

Li Yi greeted them and went inside to find Youlan. As they discussed music, the instruments arrived. The people inside the inner hall gathered around out of curiosity.

"Yi, what are you doing with so many drums?"

"Look! There are so many cymbals too!"

"What is this flat gourd for? Is it a pipa? It doesn't look like one!"

"Yi, say something!"

Li Yi smiled but remained silent. Explanations wouldn't convince them; seeing is believing. He picked up the guitar and, without a word, began a solo of Pachelbel's Canon.

Clear, clean, deep—the timbre was unique, seemingly piercing people's hearts and cleansing their souls. The melodic, winding tune left everyone instantly intoxicated.

"Da-la-la, da-la-la, da-la-la-la-la-la-da-la-la..."

There were no lyrics, no accompaniment, only the lingering sound of the guitar, yet everyone present was immersed in the music. There was no reason for it; they were simply conquered by the sound.

After a clean, crisp finale, Li Yi set the guitar down. Still silent, he picked up a pair of drumsticks and arranged the drums and cymbals in order.

He took a deep breath, and with a resounding crash of the cymbals, he launched into a drum solo using the dismantled drum set. This time, there was no fixed melody, just pure, spontaneous improvisation. The only rhythm was his limited drumming technique, yet this chaotic, rhythmic pounding brought a different kind of shock to the audience. It was intense, fierce, and blood-boiling. If they had known English, they would have called it "high-octane!" This was the unique charm of the drum and cymbal combination.

When the performance ended, Li Yi finally let out a breath. Drumming was exhilarating, but exhausting. He looked up and saw that the crowd hadn't yet recovered from the shock. Li Yi gave a mischievous grin and struck a cymbal with his drumstick. The crisp sound jolted them awake, and he was immediately surrounded.

"Yi, what are these? They're amazing!"

"Yes! I love that flat gourd; the sound is so beautiful!"

"I like the drums and cymbals you played; the thought of it still gets me excited!"

"Yi, can we learn?"

"Yes! Yi, we want to learn!"

"Yi..."

"Stop! Everyone will have a chance! One at a time!"

Just like that, Li Yi successfully introduced these two new instruments. He didn't keep his knowledge to himself. After an initial screening to find those best suited for the guitar and drums, he taught them everything he knew. Of course, these things couldn't be mastered in a short time, so he spent most of his time teaching them accompaniments to a few songs—things they could memorize by rote—while the rest could be learned slowly over time.

He worked until late at night before they had barely managed to commit the basics to memory. After settling everyone down, he found a place to rest himself. With the night curfew in effect, he couldn't return home and had to make do for the night.

The next day, Li Yi walked around to check on things, offering guidance whenever he encountered problems. He then discussed with Fatty Luo the potential issues they might face on opening day and identified the skills he still needed to pass on.

The third day was much the same.

By the afternoon of the fourth day, all preparations were basically complete. Several strange buildings had appeared in Chang'an's Western Market and Guangde Ward. These structures had attracted significant attention from the moment construction began. Li Yi was confident that after the grand opening tomorrow, they would bring a massive shock to everyone.

That evening, Li Yi gathered all the scholar-merchants, the young nobles, and the heads of the Merchant Alliance and Charity Foundation for a summary meeting. The theme was how to ensure tomorrow's success and the formal election of department heads.

Through their deliberations, Li Yi was elected the overall head of the Merchant Alliance and the Charity Foundation. Li Ke, Cheng Chumo, and the others were shareholders of the Merchant Alliance, while Wei Shuyu and Zhangsun Chong were honorary shareholders with advisory and oversight powers. Luo Kaiyuan was named the general manager of the Merchant Alliance, with Lan Wei as his secretary. Princess Changle was named the president of the Charity Foundation, with Lady Cui and Lady Zheng (wife of Zhangsun Wuji) as vice presidents. Li Xueyan, the wife of Fang Xuanling, and nearly ten others were members, each responsible for a portion of the work. Furthermore, all male staff under the Golden Tripod brand were placed under the management of Ye Qing, and female staff were placed under Zi Yi.

With this, everything was ready for the Golden Tripod Merchant Alliance and Charity Foundation. They were just waiting for tomorrow's opening. A storm from a thousand years in the future was about to officially land on the soil of the Great Tang.