Back to Chengdu 4

Liu Fa, not truly intending to follow Liu Bei, lived frugally and modestly out of fear of arousing suspicion. Later, after tasting the douyin (bean cloud) that Zhang Ran made for his eldest brother, he tried his best to obtain it but failed.

Earlier, Liu Fa had refused and ignored Zhang Fei’s visit, so Zhang Fei angrily cut off ties. But when Liu Fa, unable to forget the douyin, went to visit Zhang Fei’s daughter on his own, it shows that no one can predict how human affairs will turn out.

《From the Continuation of the Han Book, Eastern Stream Horse Plank East Woman Biography》

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The rumors about tofu spread incredibly quickly. Although people other than our family members and servants had eaten the tofu I distributed separately, the speed of its spread was still too fast.

Curiosity about new food, taste evaluations by renowned people, etc., might be reasons, but the most crucial factor was the story behind the tofu. Rumors that I had made it myself for my brother spread throughout Chengdu. There was no need to look for the culprits.

The culprits proudly came to me and confessed, saying they had widely spread the news of my virtuous deed to repay the favor of receiving tofu.

What can I say to those eyes sparkling as if expecting praise? I could only brush it off, saying there’s no need to do that from now on…

Thanks to the rumors, the name for tofu was also decided. I mean the regular tofu, not the soft tofu that Zhang Bao ate and called douyin.

They call it Zhangjiadou (張家豆). Directly translated, it means “Zhang family’s bean,” probably because it was first eaten at our house. I was relieved it didn’t get a strange name.

After staying in Chengdu for a few days to take care of Zhang Bao, he regained some strength. Just as I was thinking of going to meet Wang Si, a surprising visitor came to me.

“Ahem, I am Liu Fa.”

The middle-aged man with a stern expression was a very famous person.

Liu Fa was originally under Liu Biao, then followed Cao Cao when Liu Bei came, and when Cao Cao was defeated in the Battle of Red Cliffs, he fled to Yi Province and followed Liu Zhang. His dedication to escaping Liu Bei’s grasp even led him to go down to Jiaozhou to take a detour.

However, as Yi Province eventually fell to Liu Bei, Liu Fa’s escape also came to an end. His tear-jerking escape to avoid Liu Bei was known to everyone in Yi Province, and Liu Bei’s magnanimity and desire for talent in ultimately taking him under his wing despite this stimulated many people.

The Three-Lord Exile (三君亡命) of Liu Biao, Cao Cao, and Liu Zhang, comparable to the Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage. At this point, it wouldn’t be wrong to call him the Light Zhuge Liang, the Dark Liu Fa.

But the reason I was shocked by his visit wasn’t because of his episode with Liu Bei, but because of the incident with my father.

‘They say he openly snubbed our father?’

Even when Zhuge Liang personally mediated, he ignored it, causing Liu Bei to become extremely angry and criticize Liu Fa. Still, seeing that Liu Bei still keeps him in an important position and cherishes him, he must truly have been a terrifyingly capable man.

“For what reason has Assistant Minister Xu come to visit?”

“Ahem, well, is the Spring Department Director here?”

“He’s out at the moment. If you’re looking for my father, I can pass on a message.”

“No, no. This works out well. The one I came to see is you, General Who Maintains Vigor.”

“Me?”

While I might understand if it was my father, I had no connection with Liu Fa. Although I had seen his face a few times and knew who he was, I hadn’t even greeted him, let alone had a conversation.

“Please come inside first.”

Since he said he came to see me, I guided him to my room. Liu Fa looked around my room curiously, sniffing as if something was interesting.

“It’s tea fragrance. Do you enjoy tea?”

“Ah, yes. I often drink it. Shall I have tea brought?”

“Then I’ll gratefully accept.”

Despite his prickly appearance and discord with my father, which made me think he might be a stubborn person, Liu Fa showed a somewhat polite demeanor.

When the tea arrived, Liu Fa carefully said:

“Well, the thing is, I recently ate something called douyin…”

Tofu? I was puzzled for a moment, thinking the method of making it shouldn’t have spread yet. But then I remembered that I had presented the second batch of tofu I made to Liu Bei, and nodded.

It was common for a ruler who received a delicious and new dish to share it with his cherished ministers. He must have eaten it with Zhuge Liang, Liu Fa, and others.

“Have you come to eat douyin?”

“That’s right. I’ve never seen such food in my life. While that’s one purpose, there’s something more important.”

True to his nature of not hiding his temperament even from Liu Bei or Zhang Fei, Liu Fa didn’t conceal his desire for tofu. And he went a step further from desire to see the bigger picture.

“The country should make and sell douyin.”

“You mean the country should sell it?”

“Yes. It will surely sell like hotcakes. Didn’t they say douyin is good for the body too? Then the national treasury will be enriched, and the people will become healthy. How could the country not promote this?”

Currently, all the salt in Yi Province was under the control of the Salt and Iron Monopoly Office, that is, managed by the government. While beans might be secondary, salt is essential to obtain bittern, so large-scale production by civilians would be difficult.

“If we establish a Douyin Office under the Salt and Iron Monopoly Office and sell it, people will buy it no matter how expensive it is. If we add the story of filial piety attached to douyin, even the Confucian scholars will like it.”

As expected of Liu Fa, Shu Han’s economic expert, he even had insight into marketing. It was fitting for Liu Fa, who had filled the empty national treasury by proposing to mint Zhibo coins.

“We’ve already drawn in the wealth of the people by circulating Zhibo coins. It’s an illusion. We had to implement it due to the immediate lack of budget, but shouldn’t we return some to the people? Douyin is sufficient to be one of those things.”

“Then, are you suggesting giving douyin to the people for free?”

“We’ll set different prices. Sell it cheaply to the common people, and expensively to the powerful clans.”

Price discrimination, he says. Certainly, if it’s as Liu Fa says, the tofu market would become a market dominated by a completely monopolistic supplier. In this case, the demand perceived by the supplier is no different from the demand of the entire market. Theoretically, there wouldn’t be a big problem, but would the powerful clans accept this without complaint?

“Will the powerful clans comply?”

There’s a lot of talk about how Liu Bei crushed the Yi Province clans, or how Shu Han achieved complete central monopoly because the power of the clans was weak, but the clans of this era were not a class that could be easily eliminated.

Naturally, Liu Bei also took the route of embracing the Yi Province clans. Compared to Wei or Wu, he used the carrot and stick strategy well and achieved results, so the clans appear weak, but they hadn’t become toothless tigers.

“That’s why we need a story. And we’ll differentiate. I heard there are quality differences in douyin too. We’ll supply low-quality cheaply to the common people, and make high-quality ones in the same way you gave to your brother, selling them expensively to the powerful clans as premium products. If we stimulate their vanity, they’ll be eager to show off their filial piety and wealth.”

I can see why Liu Fa avoided Liu Bei.

This man has a merchant’s disposition. He weighs pros and cons, prioritizing efficiency over reputation, tangible results over invisible virtue.

Liu Bei’s disposition, who led 100,000 people just because it was benevolent despite being inefficient to anyone’s eyes, would have been completely opposite to his.

I could understand why he immediately switched sides when Cao Cao came. Cao Cao would have gotten along well with him due to their similar dispositions. And Liu Bei would have used Liu Fa extensively because he was opposite to himself. Liu Bei knew well that he couldn’t just pursue virtue alone.

Still, he’s not a complete sociopath. Considering that he’s devising such measures thinking of the people who suffered actual asset damage from the Zhibo coins.

Liu Fa resembles a somewhat calculative modern person. Like the common human type of the 21st century who thinks of themselves first but still maintains altruism, trying to learn and follow conscience and morality.

Thinking like that makes it easier to deal with Liu Fa.

“Let’s do that.”

“Of course, for you too… Huh?”

“I’ll teach the production method to the servants. You should submit a memorial to our lord.”

“…Is that alright?”

Liu Fa was more flustered even though he brought it up himself. Holding back a laugh that was about to escape, I tilted my head as if to say, “What do you mean?”

“Is there any reason to oppose helping the people and filling the national treasury?”

“Right. That’s right. But is it really okay? Actually, everything I said was all accomplished by you alone.”

“How much meaning is there in me alone becoming wealthy? If something made for the well-being of my family can be used for governing the world and benefiting the people, that’s a good thing too.”

Liu Fa stared intently into my eyes. As if trying to read whether I was saying this sincerely. I didn’t avoid his gaze because I was upright. After a brief staring contest, Liu Fa burst into laughter.

“Ha, haha… Hahahaha! The blue hawk has given birth to a black crane!”

His light chuckle turned into a hearty laugh, and Liu Fa exclaimed that unexpectedly with admiration.

The blue hawk, directly translated, means a blue eagle, but it was also used to refer to harsh officials, comparing them to fierce hawks.

On the other hand, the black crane is a crane with a black color. The character for black (玄) means profound and deep meaning, and the crane is like a symbol of scholars, so it was an expression alluding to a virtuous gentleman.

It was too grand a compliment. It was my turn to be flustered at such a generous evaluation, making me wonder if the tofu he ate had gone bad.

“I’m just a military official, your words are too much.”

“Hoho, have you heard what I said to your father, Spring Department Director?”

Quoting Liu Fa’s words that had embarrassed my father, saying a great man should associate with heroes and not mere military officials, Liu Fa stopped laughing and asked.

“An evaluation of parents is soon the evaluation of their children.”

When I indirectly said that if he’s going to highly evaluate me, he should take care of my father too, Liu Fa immediately rebutted.

“One doesn’t discuss the father when talking about Emperor Shun.”

When I stared at Liu Fa silently, he shook his head as if admitting defeat.

“I understand. Looking back, I went too far that time. I’ll apologize to the Spring Department Director.”

“What? No. I’m not asking you to apologize, but to tell me why you treated my father that way. Didn’t you think he wasn’t a benevolent gentleman because he treated his subordinates harshly? Right?”

I should firmly correct one of my father’s bad habits while I’m at it. I really wouldn’t do this from a child’s position in most cases, but if left alone, wouldn’t there be a second Zhang Da or Fan Jiang?

It’s all out of love for my father.

Liu Fa was quick-witted. Quickly composing his expression, Liu Fa grinned and repeated my words.

“Yes, that’s right. Caring for the weak and guiding those who are lacking is indeed the duty of a gentleman. I’ll speak well to the Spring Department Director.”

“I’ll be counting on you.”

“By the way, is there still some left?”

“I’ll have it brought out. It’s especially delicious when you eat it warm, dipped in soy sauce.”

“Good, good!”

Liu Fa, who ate his fill of tofu and left, demonstrated the amazing drive he had shown during his exile days.

As soon as he returned home, he proposed to Liu Bei to establish a Douyin Office under the Salt Monopoly Commissioner who monopolizes salt, and to place a Douyin Supervisor under the Salt and Iron Monopoly Office to monopolize it, and Liu Bei gladly accepted.

Liu Fa consulted with Wang Lian, the Salt and Iron Monopoly Officer, selected officials to be assigned to the Douyin Supervisor, and sent them to me.

“This is Yu Ye, who has been appointed as the Douyin Supervisor this time.”

Yu Ye was someone I knew too. Wasn’t he said to have the nickname “Clear Ability” for being incorruptible and clear in handling affairs? Although there are some negative nicknames in the Three Kingdoms era, nicknames that have been passed down to later generations are almost like a guarantee of ability, so I can see how much attention is being paid to this project from above.

However, what caught my attention more than Yu Ye was the young official with him.

“I am Zhang Yi, the attending officer assisting Master Yu Ye.”

A big fish had been caught in the net I had unknowingly spread.

Zhang Yi, who was included in the biographies along with Huang Quan, Ma Chong, and Wang Ping, was an A-class talent of late Shu Han with no flaws in loyalty, ability, or personality.

I had left him alone because there was no particular connection and it would be strange to go directly to recruit him while he was working as an Yi Province Attending Officer, but now that it’s come to this, it’s all or nothing.

“You.”

Words come out instinctively without going through the brain.

“Won’t you come work under me?”