Reborn as a low-ranking official who has been dismissed, he has no money to his name. To survive, he invents the Tang Dynasty’s first “floral essential oil soap” and “mint toothpaste.” He sets up a stall at the night market, and the novel, practical products quickly take off. Along the way, he meets Li Mingyue, who has been secretly investing in shops. They hit it off and establish the Xiaoyue Trading Company. Using his knowledge of chemistry, Lin Xiao improves salt-making methods and produces fine, pure-white “snowflake salt.” With distillation, he brews potent “Blazing Flame Liquor.” These innovations threaten the interests of traditional salt and liquor merchants, who retaliate with a business crackdown. With Li Mingyue working behind the scenes and Cheng Chumo’s “physical persuasion,” they turn the tables. To expand production, Lin Xiao designs water-powered looms and blowers, increasing efficiency a hundredfold. He establishes the Tang Dynasty’s first “industrial park,” recruiting refugees and implementing standardized production management. This puts Changsun Wuji on alert, and he begins to use political pressure against Lin Xiao. Lin Xiao starts the Chang’an Express newspaper and uses it to control public opinion and break through the impasse. Later, Li Shimin officially brings Lin Xiao into the “Empire Partners” initiative. Lin Xiao oversees the construction of cement-paved imperial roads, modernizes steelmaking, and designs more advanced curved-plowshares and chain-pumps, greatly increasing agricultural yields. His wealth and influence grow rapidly, and he is granted a noble title…
