The Turning Wheel
The next morning, I visited Xiao He as planned.
“This… what is it?”
Xiao He stared at the smooth, glossy mass on the plate with curious eyes. I set chopsticks and a dipping sauce on his desk and spoke.
“It’s a new food made from soybeans.”
“Soybeans… you mean those hard beans?”
“Yes. The beans are soaked in water, ground, the liquid is strained and boiled, then left to set. It’s a new cooking method.”
“Ohh.”
Xiao He accepted the chopsticks with a slightly dazed expression. When he poked the white mass with the tip of his chopsticks, it responded with a bouncy, elastic spring.
“Dip it in the sauce and try it.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Unlike Lady Cao, Xiao He had no trouble picking up the tofu. He examined the white piece now darkened with soy sauce for a moment, then placed it in his mouth without hesitation.
Chew, chew.
After a brief moment of chewing, Xiao He’s eyebrows twitched noticeably.
“……It’s delicious.”
His eyes grew as round as Liu Bang’s had the day before.
“To think this came from such humble soybeans… I can hardly believe it.”
“There’s still plenty of room for improvement.”
I covered my mouth modestly and bowed my head. Xiao He took another bite of tofu, then looked at me with a far more serious gaze.
“It seems you didn’t come here today simply to serve a new dish.”
As expected of Xiao He. I liked how quickly he caught on. I smiled lightly and nodded.
“That’s right, sir. Today I’ve come to discuss commercialization.”
Xiao He already knew about Lady Ye’s trading company from the rope and straw sandal venture. It was thanks to his permission and travel permits that Xiahou Ying could move the wagons freely. From here on, it was business time. I straightened my posture in front of him.
“This food can be made with nothing but soybeans, water, and a bit of vinegar. Compared to its heavenly taste, the raw material cost is extremely low.”
“Indeed.”
“The problem is labor. Grinding the soybeans takes considerable time and stamina. On my own, I can only produce a few geun a day.”
At that point, Xiao He nodded as if he understood.
“In other words, you need more hands.”
“Yes. So I plan to teach the method to the women and increase production.”
One slab per day. It wasn’t a small amount, but it was far too little to start a proper food business. And with Lady Ye’s trading company just getting on track, I couldn’t spend all day sitting in front of a millstone.
Xiao He rested a hand on his chin, thought for a moment, then spoke.
“My lady, I’d like to confirm one thing.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“Does anyone else know how to make this food?”
“No. Only me.”
“Which means this is entirely your invention.”
“……Yes, that’s correct.”
My conscience pricked me again, but I nodded shamelessly. I’m sorry, grandson. When you’re born, Grandma will make it up to you.
Xiao He nodded slowly, then gave a small smile.
“In that case, may I offer a suggestion?”
“Of course.”
“How about keeping the manufacturing method secret for the time being?”
“Secret?”
“Yes. From what you’ve said, this dish seems like something anyone could make once the recipe spreads. If the method gets out, your advantage would vanish in an instant.”
“…….”
He was right. Tofu was finished the moment you boiled the soy milk and added a coagulant. The second the recipe leaked, every Tom, Dick, and Harry would start making and selling it.
“But on my own, I can’t produce enough to sell…”
“Yes, of course. That’s why I suggest assigning the women only simple labor tasks.”
“Simple labor…”
A flash of understanding struck me.
“Division of labor.”
Xiao He smiled brightly as if he’d been waiting for that.
“Yes, that’s how you could write it in characters. Soak the soybeans, grind them at the mill, boil the milk… assign each role separately. Make sure no one knows the entire process. Let them handle only their part without understanding what they’re actually making.”
Division of labor. The magical keyword from the invisible hand that had brought enormous productivity gains and efficiency during the modernization process. I was so impressed by Xiao He’s insight that my breath caught.
So this was the intelligence of Xiao He, the greatest among the Three Heroes of Han who would one day manage the empire’s affairs. I took a deep breath and nodded, keeping my expression calm.
“First, assign the division of labor to a small number of trustworthy people, then I’ll personally oversee only the most important coagulation step.”
I continued.
“That way we can maintain consistent quality, protect our pricing, and dominate the market. And once the market is completely under our control and the name Lady Ye’s Tofu is firmly planted in people’s minds, only then do we release the method and move into large-scale production.”
Secure the first-mover advantage, build the brand, then open the market. It was the very essence of modern business strategy.
“Oh ho.”
Xiao He raised his eyebrows as if he hadn’t thought that far. Soon a genuine smile of admiration rose to his lips.
“As expected, my lady is no ordinary person. Far too good for that fellow Liu Ji.”
“You too, Sir Xiao, are a talent wasted in this rural backwater.”
Xiao He smiled gently at my teasing. He dipped another piece of tofu in the sauce and continued.
“So, what is the name of this food?”
“Tofu. Since it blooms from the flower of the bean, it’s called tofu.”
“Tofu… an elegant and fine name.”
He put another piece in his mouth. I watched the corners of his lips rise again before bringing up the next topic.
“Sir Xiao.”
“Yes?”
“Could you obtain some gypsum or bittern for me?”
“Gypsum or bittern?”
“Yes. Vinegar leaves a sour aftertaste, which is limiting. I’d like to experiment with various coagulants to achieve a softer, richer flavor.”
“Coagulants…?”
A flicker of doubt crossed Xiao He’s face. Even the great Xiao He couldn’t escape the limits of pre-scientific thinking.
“Gypsum should be obtainable through the workshops.”
Still, he nodded without further question.
“I’ll speak with the craftsmen. We should be able to find clean gypsum without impurities.”
“Thank you. I’ll leave it to you.”
“If it makes the tofu even more delicious, it’s nothing at all.”
Xiao He laughed heartily. I smiled back at him with equal sincerity. The room filled with warm, friendly laughter.
And that was exactly when—
Slide— Bang!
The sliding door flew open violently and a familiar voice cut in.
“Finished yet?”
It was Liu Bang. He stood leaning against the doorframe, eyes slowly scanning the room.
“Yes, sir.”
I bowed politely. Meanwhile, Xiao He chewed the tofu in his mouth and tilted his head.
“Ji.”
“What?”
“Were you eavesdropping?”
“……”
Liu Bang merely frowned in silence.
“Were you listening in?”
I tilted my head and asked again. There was no way that ADHD uncle would quietly listen to such a boring conversation.
“Eavesdropping, my ass.”
Liu Bang snorted and strode inside. Without hesitation he sat down right beside me and snatched the last piece of tofu from the plate with his fingers, popping it into his mouth.
“So, the permit?”
“No problem. No one will bat an eye if we add a few sacks of beans between the ropes and straw sandals.”
Xiao He nodded, pulled a ledger from his desk drawer, and glanced at Liu Bang’s face before dipping his brush in ink.
“Ji.”
“What now?”
“Treat your wife well. A woman like her won’t come along again even if you search the entire world.”
“……Stop nagging.”
Liu Bang responded with nothing but another snort.
Tofu production quickly got on track.
I selected a few women from the nearby villages—those with particularly skillful hands and tight lips—and divided the work among them. The soaking team, the grinding team, the straining team. We strictly divided the simple labor, while I personally oversaw the crucial final coagulation process.
The results were a success. Women who had spent their lives cooking and managing households showed far greater efficiency than I did, which freed my slender arms from the hellish labor of turning the millstone.
“……Gulp.”
All the while, improvement of the tofu continued. The gypsum-based method Xiao He had procured reached completion. At first I felt instinctive revulsion at putting minerals in food, but the results didn’t lie. The finished tofu was far smoother and springier than when made with vinegar. Most importantly, the sour taste disappeared, leaving only the rich, savory essence of the soybeans.
And finally, one week later, the first sale of the commemorative ‘Lady Ye’s Tofu’ began.
The sales location was in front of the tavern run by Cao Can in Peixian’s main market. Today’s promoter was none other than Peixian’s greatest rascal, Liu Bang.
“Listen up, everyone! This humble one has brought something absolutely incredible!”
When Liu Bang climbed onto a table and raised his voice, the rough men who had been cockfighting or drinking in the marketplace all turned their eyes in one direction at once.
Look at those faces…
Overwhelmed by the fierce glares of the marketplace thugs, I discreetly hid behind Liu Bang’s back. But he grabbed my shoulder without hesitation and pulled me forward.
“My wife here has created a new dish from beans! Today is the grand opening, so come and taste it!”
Liu Bang patted my shoulder with bold confidence. His voice was endlessly light yet somehow carried real persuasive power.
I smiled awkwardly and lifted the tray laden with tofu. On it were neatly arranged tofu skewers steaming with white vapor.
“What’s that white thing?”
“A new dish?”
“Made from beans? That?”
Some people showed aversion at the word “beans,” but overall the unfamiliar yet clean appearance began to draw interest. I cleared my throat lightly and gathered my courage.
“It’s free, so please try some without worry! If you like it, come to the tavern behind me!”
The marketing strategy I had prepared for today was a tasting corner. Handbills would be useless since most couldn’t read, and shouting about “a healthy food made from beans” would fall on deaf ears. Seeing is believing.
At first the people only eyed each other, but at the word “free” they began trickling toward me one by one.
“Line up, line up! One piece per person! If I catch you lining up twice, you won’t get a drop of broth!”
As expected of the boss of Peixian’s back alleys. At Liu Bang’s bark, the disorderly men awkwardly formed a single line. I handed out the skewered tofu one by one for easy eating.
“Enjoy.”
And the moment they put the tofu in their mouths—
“……Huh?”
They looked back at me with sparkling eyes.
“It’s good?”
“This is from beans?”
“It’s richer than meat!”
As expected, people’s tastes were the same everywhere. Whether in the 21st century or before Christ, delicious was delicious.
“One bowl is five coins.”
I answered with a bright smile and pointed to the steamer behind me that was still puffing out steam.
“If you go now, you’ll find freshly steamed, piping-hot, tender tofu waiting for you.”
“Piping-hot… tender…?”
Gulp.
At my description, the men began heading toward the tavern as if enchanted. After we ran out of the tasting samples and returned to the tavern, the shop was already packed so full that there was barely room to stand.
“Haha, sister-in-law. You really pulled it off!”
Amid the noisy bustle, Fan Kuai, sweating profusely while serving tables, spotted me and came running.
“Of course. Whose wife do you think I am?”
Liu Bang naturally draped an arm around my shoulder and puffed out his chest. I lightly lifted the heavy arm and continued.
“General Fan, does it suit your taste?”
“Mmm! It’s fantastic! The other guys are going crazy asking for more.”
Fan Kuai laughed heartily and shrugged. He praised me once more as the greatest sister-in-law before dashing back to the kitchen to handle the flood of orders.
“Good thing. That guy Fan Kuai used to butcher dogs, so his palate is pretty picky.”
Once Fan Kuai left, Liu Bang spoke again. He gazed contentedly at the packed tavern and the laughing, chatting people inside. Then he gently massaged my shoulder and asked.
“So, what’s our clever wife’s next goal?”
Squeeze, squeeze.
Liu Bang’s hands moved diligently. He really seemed to enjoy touching me. Still, this time I didn’t particularly resist. This uncle’s hands felt surprisingly good.
“Next goal?”
Liu Bang chuckled at my question.
“This can’t be the end. Not if we’re preparing for that… future of yours.”
He deliberately avoided saying the word “rebellion,” but his eyes were serious. I thought for a moment before nodding honestly.
“Yes, but the next one will take some time.”
“Time?”
“Earning money is more than enough with the tofu. The straw sandals and ropes are selling well too. So this time I want to move into a different field.”
I honestly couldn’t think of any more inventions anyway. The tofu had only come to me by pure chance.
“A different field?”
Liu Bang tilted his head, looking puzzled. I answered without hesitation.
“Yes. I’m thinking of sending someone to Huaiyin.”
“Huaiyin? That far away?”
“Yes, which is why I said it would take time.”
Huaiyin County. A remote place hundreds of li from Peixian. There was a man there right now, living as a guest in someone else’s house, begging for meals, and suffering the humiliation of crawling between the legs of local delinquents. A genius who would one day be called the Peerless Statesman. The greatest contributor who would make Liu Bang emperor—and at the same time, the most dangerous double-edged sword.
I looked at Liu Bang, carefully choosing my words, then simply gave him a bright smile and nodded.
“This time, I plan to make a bit of an ‘investment’ myself.”