Chapter 159: The Li Family Definitely Has Someone Backing Them

The Li family: "???" Where did this lunatic come from?
Listen to what he is saying!
Running to their house to beat up children? And demanding their brewing recipe and glass bottles?
The members of the Li family looked at He Jiao one after another with the expression of looking at a fool.
He Jiao: "???" What kind of looks are these from the Li family?
Together, the Li family tied He Jiao up, while He Jiao shouted loudly for the Li family to let him go immediately.
"Do you know who my father is? My father is He An!"
The Li family exchanged glances; they had never heard of him.
Besides, they didn't care whose father this person was. Coming to their house to beat up children meant there was no way they would let him off.
The Li family intended to send He Jiao to the authorities. Passing by the Li family's liquor shop along the way, He Jiao shouted loudly, attracting the attention of the people waiting in line.
He An felt as though he heard his third son's voice, so he turned to look.
With this turn, He An's eyes nearly split from rage.
His pampered third son was injured and bound tightly with ropes.
He An hurried over and stopped the Li family, demanding, "Why are you tying up my son?"
Feng Cuicui sized He An up; he was dressed in human clothing, yet behaved like a beast.
"Then you should ask him why he came to my doorstep to beat up my children."
"Look at this, what have you done to my four little ones?"
"Oh my goodness, my youngest granddaughter is only five years old. Look at what you've done to her!"
Feng Cuicui pointed at the scratch on Li Ziru's face and interrogated him.
Li Ziru put on a pitiful expression. "Grandma, why did this uncle hit me? I've been very good."
He Jiao: "???"
"What are you pretending for? You were the one who struck the fastest just now! Your hands were moving so fast they left afterimages!"
Yet no one believed He Jiao, including He An and the steward.
He An and the steward looked at He Jiao with expressions that defied description.
He Jiao shouted loudly, "Father, they threw the first punch!"
Feng Cuicui immediately interrogated him, "Are you saying you came to my doorstep, and my children rushed over to beat you up for no reason? The tallest of them doesn't even reach your shoulder."
"Everyone listen to this, could such a thing possibly happen?"
He An felt his face burning with shame just listening to this.
He An tried to negotiate with Feng Cuicui to release He Jiao, offering any condition they pleased.
Feng Cuicui glanced at He Jiao and looked away. Fortunately, this wasn't her child, otherwise she would have beaten him half to death.
"Apologize to my children."
He An felt he had completely lost face, causing such a scene in broad daylight.
He An lowered his voice and said, "Jiao'er, apologize!"
"Why should I apologize? If they want to send me to the officials, let them! If this magistrate dares to lock me up, he can just wait to face trouble from my brother-in-law."
He Jiao was not afraid in the least.
He An: "..."
If his brother-in-law found out how He Jiao got locked up, he probably wouldn't even have the face to ask for his release.
With a stern face, He An said, "Apologize at once!"
He also wanted to figure out why He Jiao had come to Ningxin County as well.
Seeing that He An was angry, He Jiao reluctantly offered an apology.
Only then did the Li family untie him.
As she left, Li Ziru stuck her tongue out at He Jiao.
He Jiao was boiling with anger.
When He An learned that the child his son had beaten belonged to the Li family, he fell into a heavy silence.
How was he supposed to negotiate now?
Was he supposed to say, "Although my son came to your house and beat your child, we are sincerely here to discuss a partnership?"
That sounded more like a provocation.
Before the partnership could even be discussed, things had deteriorated to this point.
He An's expression turned somewhat ugly. In the end, he went to talk to the Li family anyway, only to be flatly and decisively refused.
He Jiao continued to unsparingly threaten the Li family.
However, Li Zhengping calmly said, "You are welcome to try."
Seeing how calm and unconcerned Li Zhengping was, He An felt a jolt in his heart.
Jiao'er had already brought up his brother-in-law, who was the prefect of Tanzhou, yet the Li family remained unfazed. This could only mean that the person behind them held a higher official rank than his brother-in-law.
He An immediately let his imagination run wild, assuming the Li family was working for that high-ranking and powerful personage behind the scenes, and that the liquor probably didn't even belong to the Li family at all.
The Li family was merely acting as a storefront to sell the liquor, while all the ultimate profits went to the person behind them.
And his current behavior was nothing short of obstructing the money-making enterprise of the powerful person behind the Li family.
Everything made sense now. He had seen the bottle of Li liquor with his own eyes earlier; if a powerful figure stood behind the Li family, then everything fell into place.
He An broke out in a cold sweat of fear. If he implicated his brother-in-law, that would truly be the end.
He An politely apologized and took his leave.
"Father, why were you being so polite to them?" He Jiao asked with dissatisfaction.
He An turned his head to look at He Jiao, genuinely feeling that if things continued this way, He Jiao would sooner or later court disaster.
By comparison, the eldest son was indeed much steadier.
As expected, a child raised by the primary wife was far more capable than one raised by a concubine, in every single aspect.
"This time when we return, stay properly in the estate. You are not allowed to step outside without my permission."
He Jiao's eyes widened in disbelief, unable to understand how things had turned out this way.
And this was only the beginning. After returning, He An grew much colder toward He Jiao, frequently keeping He Jing by his side instead.
He Jiao belatedly realized that he seemed to have been schemed against by He Jing.
Yet it was already too late.
...
When Li Su received the letter from home, everything was completely under his control.
After that, Li liquor's operations entered a smooth and steady track.
With the income from Li liquor, the family no longer had to worry about money at all.
Upon learning that the younger children in the family had gotten into a fight with He Jiao and sustained injuries, Li Su quietly made a mental note against He Jiao.
The three of them studied diligently and peacefully at the academy for a period of time.
Every day when their eyes opened, it was either reading books or writing.
As the weather gradually turned cold, Li Su still woke up promptly on time to practice martial arts.
When Li Su went there today, however, he found Wei Shian looking deeply troubled.
"Adoptive father, what is the matter?" Li Su asked.
"Winter is almost here," Wei Shian said in a heavy tone.
Li Su understood instantly. The borderlands were bitterly cold, with countless soldiers, yet ensuring warmth for the entire army was an immense challenge.
With so many soldiers, relying solely on the funds allocated by the imperial court was simply not enough.
"Adoptive father, you can keep an eye out for a certain plant called cotton." Li Su carefully described the characteristics of cotton.
After making a mental note of it, Wei Shian asked, "Mianhua? Is it a flower? What is its use?"
"Sewn into clothing, it can provide warmth, much warmer than wearing multiple layers."
Wei Shian's eyes lit up. "I will have people search everywhere for it immediately!"
Li Su then explained what cotton looked like at different stages and the types of places it typically grew.
Wei Shian memorized every detail. Once they found it, they could arrange it for the soldiers at the border, sparing them from having to endure the freezing weather and suffering frostbite every year.
Wei Shian truly felt that Li Su was the lucky star of the Wei family army!
"Before it is found, duck down and sheep's wool can be used to stuff clothing; the warming effect is also quite good," Li Su added.
"Duck down and sheep's wool?"
Li Su nodded, and Wei Shian said, "Good, I will have people collect them."
Not long after Wei Shian's first batch of alcohol was delivered, the Tujue gathered their troops and declared war on the Great Xia Kingdom.
The weather was growing colder by the day. This year's winter was exceptionally bitter, and the Tujue commander felt they could wait no longer.
They had to seize as much Xia territory as possible before the dead of winter arrived.