People in the Ming Dynasty are lawless

Chapter 759 Even the Prince was shocked

Zhu Biao took the cloth and looked at it carefully. Under the sunlight, the texture of the cloth was fine and even, and there were special dark patterns on the edges. He suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Chen Han: "Are the looms in Yunnan also like this?"

Chen Han nodded: "They were all shipped from Hangzhou. The princess sends craftsmen to maintain them every month."

Zhu Youwei led everyone through the dyeing workshop. There were dozens of large vats filled with dyes of various colors. In the white mist, the women workers stirred the dye with long sticks. A little girl was drawing patterns on the cloth. When she saw the prince coming, her hands shook and the lines were crooked.

"Don't be afraid." Zhu Youwei took her pen, "This is a lotus pattern, you have to draw it like this."

Zhu Biao watched his daughter's skillful movements, and his heart was moved. The last time he saw her holding a pen, she was copying the "Lanting Preface", and now she was teaching people to draw weaving patterns.

The smell of food wafted through the canteen. Zhu Youwei pointed to the wooden sign on the wall and said, "The daily menu is written here. Three meat dishes and two vegetable dishes are enough to satisfy your hunger. The meal fee is not deducted from the wages. This is the rule."

Zhu Biao opened the account book and looked at it, his eyebrows slightly raised: "How much does each person spend on food per month?"

"Sixty cents." Zhu Youwei came over and pointed at a line of numbers, "But the workshop has signed a long-term contract with the farmers, and the rice, flour and oil are 20% lower than the market price."

As he was talking, a woman in coarse cloth passed by with a plate and suddenly knelt down to pay her respects. Zhu Biao quickly asked her to stand up.

"Thank you, Your Highness, for your grace." The woman's voice trembled, "If it weren't for the workshop taking us in, the three of us would have starved to death long ago."

Zhu Youwei explained in a low voice: "Her husband died on the riverbank construction site, and she was begging with her two children."

Zhu Biao was silent for a moment, then turned to Chen Han and said, "Send a message to the Ministry of Works, the wives and daughters of the civilians who died in the line of duty will be given priority for employment."

When he arrived at the school, he heard the sound of reading aloud. Zhu Biao looked through the window and saw more than 20 girls following the teacher to recite the Thousand Character Classic.

"And teach literacy?"

Zhu Youwei nodded: "Those who can do accounting will be paid one level higher. The most sought-after people now are housekeepers who can read and write. Foreign merchants all specifically request them to receive guests."

After lunch, Zhu Biao asked to see the order process. Zhu Youwei took him to the main hall, where a long table was set up and a dozen clerks were checking the contract.

"Every order must be compared with the tax bill and household registration." Zhu Youwei picked up a sample, "This is a newly designed anti-counterfeiting mark. You can see the word 'Jinguo' when you hold it up to the light."

Zhu Biao followed his daughter's example and lifted the paper, and indeed saw the watermark. He suddenly discovered that there was an unfamiliar seal on the contract.

"This is?"

"It's the guarantee seal of the Maritime Customs." Zhu Youwei explained, "Foreign merchants don't have Ming household registration, so they need a document from the Maritime Customs. For every reliable foreign merchant recommended, the Maritime Customs can take 10% of the profit, so they check very strictly."

Zhu Biao was thoughtful. This method not only solved the identity problem of foreign merchants, but also made the government profitable, which was the best of both worlds.

When inspecting the warehouse in the afternoon, Zhu Biao was surprised by the piles of cloth. Zhu Youwei sighed, "It's still not enough to sell. After the Yunnan branch opened, there are more orders."

She pushed open a small door and saw dozens of camphorwood boxes neatly stacked inside.

"This is a special order to be shipped to Ryukyu." Zhu Youwei opened a box, "It is a scarlet cloth dyed with madder, specially for the royal wedding."

Zhu Biao touched the cloth, which was as soft as clouds. He suddenly remembered that his daughter loved to wear red clothes when she was little, but now she wears the uniform blue cloth skirt of the workshop all day long.

When passing by the dyeing workshop on the way back, Zhu Biao noticed some strange plants piled in the corner of the wall.

"what is this?"

"Indigo, used to make indigo dye." Zhu Youwei bent down and pulled up a plant. "The color of the local ones in Hangzhou is always a little lacking, so I had someone bring in a new variety from Yunnan."

As the sun was setting, Zhu Biao stood on the highest tower of the workshop. He had a panoramic view of the entire city of Hangzhou, with ships shuttling in the canal and people flowing on the streets. He suddenly discovered that there were many new shops in the west of the city.

"Those are all brought up by the workshops." Zhu Youwei pointed to the distance, "There are people selling spindles, repairing looms, and even an inn for foreign merchants to rest."

The evening breeze blew through her hair, and Zhu Biao saw fine lines at the corners of his daughter's eyes. This once pampered princess now spoke eloquently about the tax system on trade routes.

"Youwei." Zhu Biao suddenly asked, "Are you tired?"

Zhu Youwei was stunned for a moment, then she laughed, "It's tiring, but fun." She pointed to the fully loaded cargo ships on the canal, "Look, Dad, the ship going to Goryeo is carrying 300 pieces of cloth, which can be exchanged for half a ship of ginseng. The Siamese merchant ship behind it has paid a deposit of 500 taels in advance."

Her eyes sparkled in the twilight, brighter than any gem Zhu Biao had ever seen.

Dinner was served in the backyard of the workshop. The dishes were simple but exquisite, and Zhu Biao could tell that they were from the south of the Yangtze River. Zhu Youwei personally served the dishes to her father: "Try this vinegar fish, which is made from fish raised by the workshop women."

At the dinner table, Zhu Biao asked about the difficulties of the workshop. Zhu Youwei put down her chopsticks and said, "The biggest shortage is manpower. Now the orders are scheduled until March next year, and the female workers can't catch up even if they work overtime."

“Why not recruit more?”

"It's hard to find the right one." Zhu Youwei sighed, "You need to be both dexterous and willing to learn. We recruited 30 people last month, but only eight stayed."

Chen Han interrupted, "Your Highness, I have an idea. Can we ask local charity bureaus to recommend some smart orphans?"

Zhu Biao nodded: "Okay. Let the Ministry of Revenue allocate some money to train female workers."

In the dead of night, Zhu Biao paced alone in the guest room. The moonlight outside the window was like water, and the outline of the workshop was particularly clear in the night. He thought of what he saw during the day, the straight backs and shining eyes of those women, who were completely different from the timid women in his memory.

Someone knocked on the door. Zhu Youwei came in with some soothing tea: "Dad, why aren't you asleep yet?"

"I'm thinking about your mother." Zhu Biao took the teacup, "If she saw you like this, she would be proud."

Zhu Youwei's eyes were slightly red. She was silent for a moment, then took out a small cloth bag from her sleeve and said, "I'll show you something."

There was a copper coin in the cloth bag, the edge of which was polished to a shine.

"This is the first payment from the workshop," Zhu Youwei said softly, "Aunt Liu cried when she received the money, saying it was the first time in her life that she had earned money on her own."

Zhu Biao stroked the copper coin and suddenly understood why his daughter was so persistent. This workshop not only weaves cloth, but also straightens the spines of millions of women.

The next morning, Zhu Biao went to the weaving room before leaving. The female workers were already working, and they all saluted him when they saw him come in. Zhu Biao waved his hand and walked to a young female worker.

"Can you teach me how to connect the ends?"

The female worker was so scared that she kept shaking her head. Zhu Youwei came over with a smile and demonstrated: "Look, Dad, this is how you have to go around it."

Zhu Biao spent a long time learning how to do it, and finally managed to connect a thread. The female workers covered their mouths and laughed secretly, and the atmosphere became relaxed.

When leaving the factory, Zhu Biao said to his daughter: "Next month I will ask the Ministry of Revenue to send someone to copy the workshop's regulations throughout the country."

Zhu Youwei's eyes lit up: "Want to promote it?"

"Such a good thing that benefits the country and the people should be promoted." Zhu Biao patted his daughter on the shoulder, "You have set an example for women all over the world."

Zhu Biao stood in front of the loom, watching his daughter operate the shuttle skillfully. The cloth stretched out little by little under her hands, with fine and even texture. He turned his head to look at Chen Han beside him, and found that the husband's eyes were always following his wife's figure, his eyes were full of surprise and pride. "Youwei, did you really do all this?" Chen Han finally couldn't help but speak.

Zhu Youwei stopped what she was doing and wiped the sweat off her forehead. "What else? Do you think I was just fooling around in Hangzhou these past few months?"

Chen Han walked forward and gently stroked the freshly woven cloth. "I just didn't expect you to be able to do this. The weaving and the quality are better than those of the official weaving bureau."

"Government-run weaving bureau?" Zhu Youwei chuckled. "Those masters only deduct wages and exploit female workers. It's different here. The wages are sufficient and the food is good, so the female workers are naturally willing to work hard."

Zhu Biao looked at his daughter's confident look, and his heart was filled with emotion. He remembered that Youwei couldn't even hold a needle and thread when she was a child, but now she can manage such a large workshop.

"Dad, do you want to try it?" Zhu Youwei suddenly asked.

Zhu Biao was stunned. "Me?"

"Yes, don't you always say that we should understand the people's feelings? Try weaving and you will know how difficult it is for the women workers."

Zhu Biao hesitated for a moment, but still sat down in front of the loom. Zhu Youwei stood by and gave him guidance, patiently teaching him how to thread and pedal. Chen Han couldn't help laughing as he watched this scene.

"Your Highness, your technique is not as skilled as Youwei's."

Zhu Biao tried a few times, but the cloth was crooked and the threads were loose. He shook his head and stood up. "It seems that this job is not easy. Youwei, how did you learn it?"

"I learned." Zhu Youwei said lightly, "I couldn't knit well at the beginning, so I learned little by little from the female workers. Aunt Liu taught me patiently and never thought I was stupid."

Chen Han walked to a loom and carefully observed its structure. "This loom seems different from the usual ones?"

"It has been improved." Zhu Youwei explained, "The original loom was too slow, so I asked the craftsmen to improve the shuttle track. Now the efficiency can be increased by 30%."

Zhu Biao looked at his daughter in surprise. "You also know mechanics?"

"If you don't understand, just ask." Zhu Youwei smiled, "There are many skilled craftsmen in the workshop. They know more than me. I just put together their ideas and let the craftsmen experiment."

Chen Han nodded thoughtfully. "No wonder the workshop in Yunnan has developed so fast. It turns out that it has technical support from you."

The three of them walked and talked until they came to the dyeing area. A dozen large vats were neatly arranged, and female workers were mixing dyes. Zhu Youwei pointed to a vat and said, "This is the latest purple color trial-produced, using special ore shipped from Yunnan."

Zhu Biao took a closer look. The dye was a deep purple-red color, gleaming in the sun. "This color is very special."

"Foreign merchants like this the most." Zhu Youwei said, "One horse can be sold for five taels of silver, and the demand is still far from meeting the supply."

Chen Han suddenly remembered something. "By the way, I heard that the weavers in Songjiang Prefecture have been making trouble recently, saying that the workshop has taken away their business."

Zhu Youwei frowned. "Their cloth is of poor quality and expensive, so naturally no one buys it. My workshop uses new looms, which are highly efficient and low-cost, so the price is naturally competitive."

Zhu Biao pondered and said, "This matter must be handled properly. Youwei, can you send someone to Songjiang to teach them how to improve the loom?"

"Of course you can." Zhu Youwei hesitated, "But they have to agree to one condition."

"What conditions?"

"The workshop must employ female workers," Zhu Youwei said firmly. "Men can be craftsmen and managers, but women must be the main force in weaving."

Chen Han asked in confusion: "Why?"

"Because women need this salary more." Zhu Youwei looked at the busy female workers in the distance, "Most of them are widows with no one to rely on, or daughters who are disliked by their families. With this salary, they can live with their backs straight."

Zhu Biao looked at his daughter deeply and nodded slowly. "You are right. This is how we should do it."

At lunch time, the workshop cafeteria was full of female workers. Zhu Biao and the other two also received lunch plates and ate with the female workers. The food was simple, but the portions were generous, with fish and meat.

"The food is good." Zhu Biao tasted the braised fish, "It's better than the one in the military camp."

Zhu Youwei smiled and said, "Only when you are full can you have the energy to work. Every female worker in my workshop can eat two bowls of rice."

A young female worker passed by with a plate of food and timidly bowed to Zhu Youwei. "Princess, today's fish is really delicious."

"Eat more if you like." Zhu Youwei said kindly, "By the way, is your brother's illness better?"

The female worker's eyes lit up. "Much better! Thanks to the money the workshop lent me for medical treatment. The doctor said that I will be cured after taking a few more doses of medicine."

Zhu Biao watched his daughter talking to the female workers, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart. He suddenly realized that this workshop was not just a place to produce cloth, but also the hope of these women.

After dinner, Zhu Youwei took them to the workshop's school, where more than 20 girls were learning calligraphy from a teacher, studying every stroke very carefully.

"What are they learning?" Chen Han asked curiously.

"Thousand Character Classic and mathematics." Zhu Youwei said, "Female workers who can do accounting can be managers and their wages can be doubled."

Zhu Biao nodded. "That's a wise move. Women who are literate and sensible can better manage the household."

"It's not just for the sake of managing the household," Zhu Youwei corrected. "It's to give them more choices. Literate female workers can be managers, open their own shops, or even teach others."

Chen Han looked at his wife talking eloquently, and his heart was full of admiration. He remembered that when Zhu Youwei first proposed to open a workshop, he thought she was fanciful. Now it seems that his vision is too narrow.

After leaving the school, Zhu Biao suddenly asked, "Youwei, have you ever thought about opening workshops in more places?"

Zhu Youwei's eyes lit up. "Of course I do! Yunnan is just the beginning. I want all women in the world to be able to earn their living with their own hands, without having to rely on others' opinions."

Zhu Biao patted his daughter's shoulder. "Good, you have ambition. Dad supports you."

Chen Han also stepped forward and held his wife's hand. "I support you, too. Youwei, you've made me look at the women of the Ming Dynasty in a new light."

Zhu Youwei smiled, her eyes sparkling. "We're just getting started. Wait and see. The fabrics from the Women's Workshop will be sold all over the world sooner or later."

As the sun sets, the workshop is still busy. Zhu Biao stands on a high place, watching his daughter weaving between the looms, and feels happy. He knows that what this workshop weaves is not only cloth, but also a brand new era.

Chen Han stood beside him and said softly, "Your Highness, Youwei has really grown up."

Zhu Biao nodded, his eyes far-reaching. "Yes, she is better than we thought."

In the distance, Zhu Youwei was instructing a group of new female workers. Her voice was clear and powerful, echoing in the workshop. "Remember, weaving must be done carefully, the thread must be pulled tight, and the footwork must be done rhythmically. This is not only a skill, but also the foundation of our lives as women!"

The female workers responded in unison, and the sound of the looms rang out again, as if playing a hymn to women...

(End of this chapter)