prosperous age

"Your Majesty, please drink. This is fruit wine that I made myself from grapes."

Inside the palace, candlelight flickered, and a beautifully dressed woman nestled in the arms of the Wanli Emperor, holding a delicate little wine cup to his lips.

"My beloved concubine, how do you know the method of making this wine?"

As far as I know, no one in the vicinity of the capital makes this stuff; only the palace brews a small amount of it.

Emperor Wanli took the wine cup from the beautiful woman's hand, but instead of drinking it, he stared at her pretty face and asked softly.

my country has a long history of wine culture, and winemaking was one of the most profitable industries among all kinds of businesses in ancient times.

Shen Wansan was a wealthy merchant from Suzhou in the early Ming Dynasty, whose wealth was said to rival that of a country. According to folklore, the reason for his wealth was a "treasure bowl".

The treasure bowl is obviously fake, but it vividly illustrates Shen Wansan's path to wealth. It actually alludes to how he amassed his wealth through maritime trade and then ran pawnshops and restaurants.

Pawnshops, in fact, implicitly involve usury, so naturally they can accumulate wealth.

Restaurants, on the other hand, need wine vats, so they are figuratively referred to as "basins".

It is said that Shen Wansan built eighteen wineries in Jiangnan and used the gold and silver he obtained from maritime trade to purchase large tracts of land as brewing materials, thus continuing to accumulate wealth.

Therefore, wine is a very special thing in Chinese history, and the ruling class of each dynasty loved it.

However, brewing wine also wastes a lot of grain. In ancient times, when productivity was low, it was difficult to have enough to eat, so it was naturally hated by the common people at the bottom.

Several dynasties in ancient China issued prohibitions on alcohol, mainly for the purposes of saving grain, maintaining stability, or enforcing discipline. The earliest prohibition can be traced back to the "Wine Proclamation" of the Western Zhou Dynasty.

In the early Western Zhou Dynasty, Duke Dan of Zhou issued the "Proclamation on Wine," which stipulated that "drinking is only for sacrificial purposes" and that those who gathered to drink excessively could be executed. This was China's first written law prohibiting alcohol, aiming to learn from the lessons of the Shang Dynasty's downfall.

During the reign of Emperor Wen of Han, the Han Law stipulated that "three or more people drinking together without cause shall be fined four taels of gold," which was essentially a restriction on private drinking gatherings to prevent the formation of cliques and the resulting chaos.

In the early Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang strictly prohibited the planting of glutinous rice because glutinous rice was the main ingredient for brewing wine.

However, in the middle and later periods of the Ming Dynasty, agriculture and handicrafts developed rapidly, and economic development promoted commercial prosperity.

At the same time, science and culture have also developed significantly.

These conditions provided a solid material foundation for the winemaking industry.

During the Wanli reign, naturally no one advocated banning alcohol, and ordinary people often brewed their own rice wine.

However, wine only became popular in the palace when it was introduced by Zhang Qian in the Han Dynasty. Later, during the prosperous Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong obtained mare's milk grapes and Western Region brewing methods after conquering Gaochang, and the palace brewed "eight-color wine".

Poets such as Li Bai and Wang Han praised "grape wine in a luminous cup" as a symbol of cultural fashion and national strength. During the prosperous Tang Dynasty, it spread from the palace to some cities and towns. However, it was still expensive and not a daily drink for the general public.

During the Ming Dynasty, wine was a niche beverage, mainly produced in the imperial court or official gardens in the Northwest and Nanjing, with little brewing among the common people.

Moreover, neither yellow wine nor fruit wine was actually Emperor Wanli's favorite.

Although he did drink, the wine he drank every night before bed was not the yellow wine favored by his ancestors or ancient nobles, but baijiu (white liquor).

At this time, the Ming Dynasty already had distilled spirits with a high alcohol content, but they were mostly consumed by the lower classes.

It's true what they say: high-ranking officials drink yellow wine, while ordinary people drink white wine, both to help them sleep, since they've worked hard all day and need to get enough sleep.

The Wanli Emperor was the same; his leg ailment made it difficult for him to fall asleep, so he had to drink strong liquor to induce sleep.

Naturally, Emperor Wanli may also have been the first emperor in history to be so fond of strong liquor. His favorite was actually Gujing Gongjiu, which is said to be the oldest existing distilled liquor in the world.

Although Gujing Gongjiu originated in the Eastern Han Dynasty, distillation technology was initially applied in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and by the Ming Dynasty it had matured and was used for the production of "reduced liquor".

Although it was his beloved concubine who brought the fruit wine to his lips, Emperor Wanli still hesitated somewhat upon smelling the aroma.

"Your Majesty, this wine is a recipe left by relatives from Taiyuan when they visited our home many years ago. Everyone in the family who drank it said it was delicious."

Consort De explained why her family brewed wine, adding, "I read in a book that this wine is warm in nature and has nourishing effects, so I brought some from home for Your Majesty to enjoy."

"In the book?"

Emperor Wanli took another deep breath, smelled the strong aroma of wine, and finally opened his mouth and drank the wine in his cup.

"Yes, it is a medical book written by the legendary physician Li Shizhen, which contains a description of wine."

Your Majesty, I see that you are constantly busy with state affairs. This wine has nourishing properties, therefore…”

As she spoke, Consort De reached out and gently stroked Emperor Wanli's head, her eyes filled with admiration and affection.

Emperor Wanli was the eldest son of Emperor Muzong of Ming and was given high hopes. Although he grew up in a carefree and happy environment in his childhood, after Muzong's death, he inherited the throne and his administration became extremely strict.

According to the old system, daily lectures were held, and scholars would read classics and historical books, engaging in continuous learning every day.

The regents still kept his studies intensive. Following the advice of Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng, Zhu Yijun would go to the Wenhua Hall every day at sunrise to listen to Confucian scholars read the classics.

After a short rest, he returned to his lecture hall to continue reading history books until lunchtime, at which point he returned to the palace.

Only on the regular morning court days of each month are lectures temporarily suspended.

In addition, it never stops, even in the dead of winter or the height of summer.

Zhu Yijun grew up under such strict discipline, and even after he grew up, he continued to live under strict discipline.

Both Zhang Juzheng and the Empress Dowager had strict requirements for him, not only in his studies, but also in his clothing, food, housing, transportation, and even his joys and sorrows.

Such strict discipline could only make Zhu Yijun appear more obedient on the surface. Unable to resist, he could only hide his true thoughts in his heart and dared not show them in the slightest.

Because once it's revealed, it will face all sorts of accusations.

Therefore, the Wanli Emperor was ultimately educated to be an emperor with an extremely strong rebellious mentality.

As for these issues, although Wei Guangde was aware of them, he simply couldn't persuade Zhang Juzheng's side.

With little influence and little power, I could only let things take their course and allow the little emperor a moment of relaxation during my own class time.

However, because of this, the Empress Dowager was not satisfied with him as the second-in-command.

They trusted Grand Secretary Zhang Juzheng more, believing that he was the one who truly cared for the emperor.

As for the current Consort De, who is also a dream and will later become Consort Zheng, there was a reason why she gained the favor of Emperor Wanli as soon as she entered the palace.

That is because Consort De was quick-witted. When she first met Emperor Wanli, she may have realized the emperor's true situation. Therefore, she did not appear restrained in front of the emperor, but was very bold and treated him as an equal, just like husband and wife.

Consort De was literate and eloquent, and dared to "tease, satirize, and coquettish" in front of Emperor Wanli. Unlike other concubines who were obsequious, she made him feel treated as a "person" rather than an "emperor," becoming an outlet for his repressed emotions.

In addition, she was beautiful and lively, which naturally won her the Wanli Emperor's greatest favor.

For example, at this moment, she nestled in the emperor's arms and even reached out to touch his head. No one else in the palace, except the empress dowager, would dare to do such a thing.

"Li Shizhen, oh, I remember now, it was printed by Master Wei's bookstore, and it's said to be very good."

Yes, the palace has them; they were brought in by Master Wei.

Emperor Wanli put down his wine cup and chuckled.

Although the Compendium of Materia Medica was completed during the Wanli period, its influence truly expanded in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. The literary leader Wang Shizhen wrote a preface to enhance its reputation, and it was said that "having a copy in every household ensures safety."

Of course, the "home" here is not the home of an ordinary person, but the home of a powerful and wealthy person.

However, in this life, Wei Guangde took the initiative, having his own bookstore print a large quantity of the book, and he wrote the preface to promote it, so it quickly gained fame.

"Your Majesty should reduce your usual alcohol consumption and drink less. It is important to take care of your health."

Consort De rose, picked up the wine pot on the table, filled the empty wine cup, and said.

However, Emperor Wanli remained noncommittal and did not respond to the words of his most favored concubine. Meanwhile, in the Imperial Hospital, several imperial physicians were gathered around a desk with a box on it, the lid of which contained a single pill.

"Are you sure it contains opium?"

The head and judge of the Imperial Medical Academy also stood to the side, their eyes fixed on the pill, and asked in a deep voice.

"Sir, we have tested it and all believe it contains opium."

An older imperial physician looked around at his colleagues, and seeing that they all nodded slightly, he then cupped his hands and addressed the chief physician.

“Opioids were banned from being sent to the palace before.”

The imperial physician frowned. This substance was once considered a good medicine, especially for its analgesic effects, so it was often added in appropriate amounts to the prescriptions given to Emperor Wanli.

However, after Wei Guangde had the Imperial Medical Academy conduct opium experiments on death row inmates and discovered the addictive consequences of long-term use, they decided that it could no longer be used.

The imperial court also issued an order to local medical officials in charge of medicine, strictly prohibiting the promotion of this medicine, especially its long-term use.

Currently, the imperial court's assessment of opium comes from the Imperial Medical Academy: it is a slightly toxic, astringent, and mildly toxic medicinal material; excessive use is poisonous and should be used with caution.

While not entirely condemning it, it is clearly prohibited for patients to take it for extended periods.

"I've heard that His Majesty takes this elixir every day, but what's inside?"

Then another imperial physician spoke up.

"Perhaps we should inform the Grand Secretary about this matter first and see what the best course of action is?"

"Yes, we should inform the Grand Secretary first that the pills His Majesty is taking were sent by the Cabinet. The Grand Secretary must inform him."

Several imperial physicians chattered amongst themselves, but none of them sensitively mentioned the consequences of Emperor Wanli's long-term use of this elixir.

They've seen the consequences; once addicted, it's very difficult to break free.

Although they had prescribed this medicine to His Majesty before, the dosage was small and no signs of addiction were found.

However, it seems that a considerable amount has been added to this elixir, and addiction could be a serious problem.

"Tomorrow morning, you will come with me to the Cabinet and explain this matter to the Grand Secretary in detail."

The head of the Imperial Medical Academy immediately made a decision.

The emperor should not continue taking this medicine.

Once they become addicted, those of them working in the Imperial Medical Academy will be out of a job.

"By the way, was the trial prescription effective?"

The imperial physician looked at the old physician and asked.

The imperial physician shook his head and said with a wry smile, "Once this drug becomes addictive, we have tried many different formulas to help patients get rid of it, but none of them have been effective."

Well, since the Imperial Medical Academy discovered the addictive nature of this substance, they naturally studied it and hoped to create a drug that could help people quit opium, but with little success.

They had seen what addicts looked like, so they were all very worried.

It's unimaginable what it would be like if the emperor became addicted.

The tragic experiences of those addicted to opium were deeply etched in their minds, so they were unwilling to prescribe the drug now.

However, they didn't consider the worst-case scenario, which was what the late Qing Dynasty looked like.

After all, opium is extremely expensive these days, and only the powerful and wealthy can afford to use it; ordinary people simply cannot afford it.

The next day, Wei Guangde had just sat down in his duty room and hadn't even had a chance to drink some tea to moisten his throat when Lu Bu informed him that people from the Imperial Hospital had arrived.

"What are they doing here? Let them in."

Wei Guangde had forgotten that he had previously heard that Zhang Jing had obtained elixirs for the emperor to treat his leg ailment and that he had sent people to find ways to get these elixirs to the Imperial Hospital for research.

Before long, the people from the Imperial Medical Academy came in, and Wei Guangde did not put on any airs of a chief minister.

After all, two of them were imperial physicians whom the Wei family often needed to consult.

After inviting them to sit down and exchanging a few pleasantries, the judge explained his purpose and took out the elixir.

"Grand Secretary Wei, after studying this elixir, we unanimously believe that it contains opium. While small amounts of that substance can indeed cure diseases, long-term use may lead to addiction."

When the judge mentioned the elixir, Wei Guangde frowned deeply.

"Stop, stop, stop."

Wei Guangde reached out, interrupting the judge.

He had no doubt that since so many imperial physicians from the Imperial Hospital had been brought along, these words could not possibly be false.

"Lubu, go and invite Eunuch Zhang Hong right away, and also Eunuch Zhang Cheng and Eunuch Chen Ju. Go quickly."

Wei Guangde wanted to invite several senior eunuchs from the palace to listen to this story with them.

"Also, please have Elder Shen come over as well."

Wei Guangde did not require all the cabinet ministers to attend; he and Shen Shixing were sufficient.

With so many people talking, it's not that I'm worried about it getting out, but rather that things might not turn out as expected.

Shen Shixing was naturally the first to arrive. He was right next door, and after only a dozen breaths, he appeared at the door of the duty room.

However, when he arrived and saw the people from the Imperial Medical Academy, he was taken aback.

"Ru Mo, sit down here and let's talk."

Wei Guangde asked Shen Shixing to sit down and briefly told him what the judge had just said.

"That pill contains opium. Isn't it said that this substance is poisonous and addictive? How could it be made into a pill? His Majesty takes that pill frequently."

If it becomes truly addictive, what will happen?

Upon hearing Wei Guangde's words, Shen Shixing could no longer sit still. He immediately stood up and said anxiously.

"I have already sent someone to invite Eunuch Zhang and the others over to discuss how to proceed."

"This elixir must absolutely not be given to His Majesty again, otherwise, I fear a terrible disaster might occur."

Wei Guangde said firmly.

"But what about His Majesty's temperament?"

Shen Shixing said with great concern.

"If Your Majesty insists, then we can only ask the Empress Dowager to make the decision."

Fortunately, although the Wanli Emperor had removed the two major obstacles from his side, there was still one more obstacle remaining.

Once the Empress Dowager set the rules, no one in the palace dared to disobey them, not even the Wanli Emperor who was in power.

"That's the only way. Should we ask the palace for help?"

"No, we should only resort to this strategy when all else fails."

Before Shen Shixing could speak, Wei Guangde refused. (End of Chapter)