Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

The next day, Li Xingzhi went out and brought back a bright and intelligent young boy.

"Erlang, although you've spent a few years in the 'Blessed Land,' you've only been outside for less than a year! However, I've already found my family, and this is our new home!"

Li Xingzhi ordered the gate to be opened, and amidst the curious gazes of several servants, he led Wang Erlang into the main hall of the Li family.

Inside the lobby, the stove glowed red and the warmth was like spring. An old man with deep wrinkles on his face gently held a small pen and occasionally made marks on a thick stack of account books.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps. He paused, his brow furrowed slightly, and when he looked up and saw the person in front of him, his expression brightened, and he smiled, "My child is back! Why didn't you play outside a little longer?"

At this moment, Li Xingzhi stepped aside, revealing an even smaller boy behind him.

"Who is this?" The old man looked the boy up and down. The boy seemed to have the same temperament as his grandson, but he lacked the free and unrestrained spirit and had more composure.

“This is my adopted younger brother. We were stranded in a strange land and depended on each other for survival, but we were separated from each other later. I only found him today. If it weren’t for him, I might not be standing here now!”

"So you're the one who saved my child's life! Since you're my child's younger brother, you're a member of the Li family. You should call me Grandpa!"

The young boy called out in a slightly hoarse voice, "Grandpa!"

"Good! It seems my Li family has another joyous occasion!" As he spoke, he touched his chest and pulled out a small golden tortoise. The tortoise's luster was somewhat dim, indicating that it had been with its owner for some time.

"Take it!" Li Xingzhi's eyes flickered as he watched the old man take out his favorite exquisite little golden tortoise, and he whispered to Erlang.

"Thank you grandpa!"

The arrival of another young master in the Li family astonished everyone. Despite their surprise, the family was overjoyed because they had eaten and drunk their fill of food for the celebration, and their pockets were now bulging.

They actually hoped that such good things would happen more often, and it wouldn't matter if the Li family had a few more young masters of unknown origin.

A grand feast was laid out, to celebrate the remaining days only at home...

Night deepens, and the chill grows stronger!

The servants cleared away the leftovers and went to rest, and the entire Li residence returned to its quiet and peaceful state.

In the study of the Li family mansion, the yellow lamp flickered on and off. An old man frowned as he looked at the yellowed account books in front of him, occasionally taking a sip of warm tea to refresh himself.

creak-

The door opened.

The chill seeped into the study along with the gaunt figure.

"Grandpa, you should rest early. We can discuss anything else tomorrow!" Li Xingzhi walked in carrying a small bowl of plum porridge.

"I'll go rest after I've finished reviewing this ledger. Put your things down and go back to your room!" The old man's voice, though aged, was strong and carried an undeniable firmness.

Li Xingzhi placed the small bowl aside, walked over, and glanced at the account book on the table. The old man ignored Li Xingzhi, who was still standing beside him, lowered his head, and began to look at the account book again.

The study fell silent for a moment, with only the lamp flickering on and off and occasionally making a "popping" sound.

After a long while, the old man closed the account book in his hand, his brows furrowed tightly, as if he was thinking about something; after a while, he sighed deeply, looked up, and suddenly saw Li Xingzhi still standing there. He was taken aback, a trace of affection flashed in his eyes, and he said with a slight smile, "Why are you still here?"

"Grandpa, is something wrong? Can you tell me about it?!" Li Xingzhi looked at the old man and said with a firm tone.

The old man paused, his brows furrowing and his beard trembling slightly. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Very well! You're old enough now; it's time you got involved in the Li family's business. This whole family will eventually be passed down to you!" With that, he began to introduce the Li family's businesses to Li Xingzhi—

The Li family ancestors once obtained a wine recipe, which led to the creation of the exquisite "Zui Yang Chun" wine, a renowned delicacy in the capital.

With the help of "Zui Yang Chun", the Li family quickly established themselves in Chang'an, set up a winery, and their reputation grew. By the time of Li Xingzhi's grandfather's father, through proper management strategies, the Li family had grown from one winery to several, and finally to a restaurant!

The Li family's business empire began with this restaurant.

By the time of the old man's generation, the Li family had prospered greatly, even becoming one of the four wealthiest merchants in Chang'an. Unfortunately, later setbacks wiped out most of the old man's life's work, leaving him barely able to preserve the Li family's foundation.

At this point, the old man sighed deeply, a look of dejection flashing across his face, but the sadness in his eyes remained.

“Originally, I thought we could preserve the Li family’s foundation, but recently, a Yue Lai Inn has appeared out of nowhere, with its fancy offerings and exquisite wines, actually overshadowing my Li family’s ‘Chu Yun Lou’; in addition, other families are pressing forward step by step, not giving an inch, making my Li family’s situation even more difficult! If this continues, I’m afraid…”

Li Xingzhi casually flipped through the account books from previous years, listening attentively to the old man's narration, and suddenly said, "Grandpa, don't worry. As long as you don't want the Li family to fall, no one can bring down the Li family!"

The old man listened without taking it seriously, simply dismissing it as youthful arrogance and the fearlessness of a newborn calf...

The next day, around lunchtime, the steward suddenly walked in anxiously and whispered a few words to the old man. It's unclear what he said, but the old man's face suddenly changed, his whole body trembled, and he whispered, "Could it be that the heavens have forsaken the Li family?"

The old man, disregarding his meal, stood up unsteadily, took a couple of steps, then turned and waved to Li Xingzhi before hurrying towards his study.

***

Two chapters tomorrow

Finally, thank you to Samsara, Drunkard, and Beast King for the generous donations!