People in the Ming Dynasty are lawless

Chapter 773 A New Tomorrow for Songjiang Prefecture!
By the time Zhu Youwei left the dyehouse, the sun was already setting. She saw Chen Han still at the dock, surrounded by even more officials than before. Some were holding blueprints, others abacuses, all talking at once.

Chen Han raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet, and his voice came through clearly: "I want to see this road completed in three days. The foreign merchants' fleet will arrive at the end of the month, and we can't let them laugh at Songjiang."

An official in a green robe wiped his sweat and said, "Your Excellency, the deadline is far too tight..."

"Add more money," Chen Han interrupted him. "Three shifts, double the wages. If we don't have enough materials, we'll get them from Suzhou. Just say it's borrowed from me, Chen Han."

Zhu Youwei smiled slightly and turned to walk towards the loom room. She knew that Chen Han was preparing for the large-scale arrival of foreign merchants, and she needed to ensure that the workshop could provide enough goods.

Inside the loom room, three hundred improved looms hummed. Zhang Siniang was instructing several newcomers on adjusting the brass nails when she saw Zhu Youwei enter and quickly went to greet her.

“Princess, look at this.” She pointed to the newly woven fabric. “We tried adding the unique water ripple pattern of Songjiang to the living water pattern, and the effect is even better than expected.”

Zhu Youwei carefully examined the fabric. The cloud pattern did indeed have a touch of the unique water ripples of Songjiang, making the overall design more dynamic. She nodded in satisfaction: "This pattern will be filed separately and named 'Songjiang Clouds and Water'."

It was already dark when she stepped out of the loom room. Lanterns were lit in the workshop, illuminating the busy workers. Zhu Youwei stood in the courtyard, listening to the sounds of the looms rising and falling, and suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion.

"Princess, please have your meal first." Wenniang brought over a food box. "You haven't eaten all day."

Zhu Youwei then realized she was hungry, took the food box, and sat down on the stone bench. The food was still steaming, and the aroma of braised pork made her mouth water. Just as she picked up her chopsticks, she heard hurried footsteps outside.

Chen Han strode in, his official robes stained with mud. He sat down opposite Zhu Youwei, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

"Have you arranged the road?" Zhu Youwei put a piece of meat into his bowl.

"Okay." Chen Han took a bite of rice. "We'll start work in three days and finish within half a month. The foreign merchants will arrive at the end of the month, just in time."

Seeing him wolfing down his food, Zhu Youwei couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you eat lunch either?"

"I don't have time," Chen Han said vaguely. "I spent the whole day surveying roads with the officials, and I still have to negotiate with those residents whose homes are being demolished." He glanced up in the direction of the loom room. "How's it going on your end?"

“The ‘Living Water Pattern’ is now in stable mass production, and the newly designed ‘Songjiang Clouds and Water’ pattern is also very successful.” Zhu Youwei poured him a bowl of soup. “The foreign merchants’ orders require at least three thousand horses, and we are currently short half of our inventory.”

Chen Han frowned: "Is there enough time?"

“If we send more people, it shouldn’t be a problem.” Zhu Youwei thought for a moment. “I plan to recruit two hundred more female workers from the surrounding villages and have Zhang Siniang bring the experienced workers to teach them.”

Chen Han nodded: "Tomorrow I will have the government issue a notice stating that wages will be increased by 30% based on market rates."

As the night deepened, the sounds of looms in the workshop gradually faded. Zhu Youwei and Chen Han walked side by side on the path back to the mansion, the moonlight casting long shadows of the two.

"Are you tired?" Chen Han suddenly asked.

Zhu Youwei shook her head: "I'm used to it. But you, a dignified Duke, personally supervised the road construction. I wonder what those officials are saying behind your back."

Chen Han chuckled: "Let them talk. The road is repaired, and foreign merchants' carriages can drive directly to the workshop entrance. That's better than anything else."

The distant sound of a night watchman's clapper echoed, exceptionally clear in the still night. Zhu Youwei suddenly stopped and pointed to the sky: "Look, the Big Dipper."

Chen Han followed her finger and looked up to see seven bright stars twinkling in the night sky. He gently took Zhu Youwei's hand and said, "Do you remember what I told you? When you're lost, look at the stars, and you'll know which way to go."

Zhu Youwei leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "The path we're on now is the right one."

Moonlight bathed the two, illuminating the path ahead. In the distance, the lights of the Songjiang workshops still shone brightly, and the faint sound of looms could be heard. This once-dormant textile town was being revitalized through their efforts.

Three days later, the road construction project started as scheduled. Zhu Youwei stood at the workshop entrance, looking at the dusty construction site in the distance. Chen Han, dressed in shorts, was talking to the foreman, gesturing occasionally.

Wenniang hurried over: "Princess, a message has been sent from Hangzhou by carrier pigeon. The foreign merchants' fleet has set off ahead of schedule and is expected to arrive in about twenty days."

Zhu Youwei nodded: "Tell Zhang Siniang that starting today, the weavers will work in three shifts to ensure that three thousand bolts of cloth are prepared before the foreign merchants arrive."

In the days that followed, the entire city of Songjiang was bustling with activity. The workshops were brightly lit all night, and the sound of looms never ceased. At the docks, the widened roads changed daily, and workers toiled through the night.

On the morning of the fifteenth day, Zhu Youwei was inspecting newly dyed fabric samples in the dyehouse when she suddenly heard a commotion outside. She went out and saw Chen Han standing at the workshop entrance, with a wide, smooth new road behind him leading directly to the dock.

"Want to give it a try?" Chen Han extended his hand to her.

Zhu Youwei boarded the carriage, its wheels rolling smoothly on the newly paved bluestone slabs. Shops on both sides of the road displayed brand-new signs, and shopkeepers were wiping down doors and windows. In the distance, several merchant ships were already docked at the pier, their colorful flags fluttering in the wind.

"It arrived three days earlier than expected," Zhu Youwei exclaimed.

Chen Han pointed to the west side of the dock: "They're building foreign merchant quarters over there, and they'll be ready next month. Then they'll have a place to stay when they come, making business negotiations easier."

The carriage stopped at the dock, and Zhu Youwei saw several foreign merchants inspecting the goods. They touched the woven fabric with its flowing patterns, their faces showing surprise. One of the merchants, with a red beard, pulled out an order voucher and loudly announced that he wanted to order an additional five hundred bolts.

……

A month later, the mornings in Songjiang Prefecture always began with the hustle and bustle of the docks. Just as dawn broke, the cargo ships had already docked, and the laborers were unloading their goods, shouting slogans. Chen Han stood on the newly paved stone road, watching the carriages shuttle back and forth on the street, which had been widened by three zhang (approximately 10 meters).

"Lord Duke, the saplings from the west city have arrived," the foreman reported as he jogged over.

Chen Han dusted off the dust on his sleeves: "Plant them according to the blueprints, in rows and columns."

This main road, running through the east and west of the city, was designed by him personally. Newly planted sycamore saplings on both sides swayed gently in the morning breeze, and drainage ditches and blue brick walkways were built under the trees. This was quite unique in Jiangnan during the Hongwu era.

Zhu Youwei, accompanied by Wenniang, walked from the direction of the weaving workshop and saw Chen Han's tall and straight figure in the distance. She quickened her pace, not caring that the hem of her skirt was wet with dew.

"My lord, the foreign merchants have arrived."

Chen Han turned around and saw a glint in his wife's eyes. He knew what this meant—the reputation of Songjiang cloth had spread.

"How many have come?"

“Three groups of Persian merchants, two groups of Southeast Asian merchants, and also some from Korea and Ryukyu.” Zhu Youwei took out an order from her sleeve. “We’ve collected five thousand taels just in deposits.”

Chen Han took the order and glanced at it. Water-patterned fabric was the most popular, followed by cloud-patterned fabric mixed with gold thread. What surprised him most was that someone had actually ordered fifty bolts of luminous fabric.

"We need to speed up the production of the glow-in-the-dark cloth; it's for the Emperor's birthday celebration next month." Zhu Youwei nodded: "Zhang Si Niang is leading thirty skilled workers to oversee this." She pointed towards the dock, "When those foreign merchants saw our new road, they all said they wanted to set up warehouses here."

Just then, a red-bearded foreign merchant approached with an interpreter. The merchant was dressed in a brocade robe with gold thread, his waist adorned with jewels, and he spoke broken Chinese: "Your Excellency, the road is good!" He gave a thumbs-up, "Our Persian merchant guild would like to rent ten shops."

Chen Han and Zhu Youwei exchanged a glance. This was exactly the result they had hoped for.

“Sure, but there are three rules.” Chen Han held up three fingers. “First, rent must be paid monthly; second, goods must be declared upon entry and exit; third, no market manipulation or monopolistic practices are allowed.”

The interpreter quickly translated. The merchant laughed heartily upon hearing this, and pulled an embroidered cloth bag from his robes: "A deposit! We Persians are very principled."

Twenty gleaming Persian gold coins were poured out of the bag. Chen Han picked one up and examined it; it was of excellent quality.

"Wen Niang, take this guest to the merchant house to register."

As the sun rose higher, the area in front of the Songjiang Prefectural Government Office was crowded with people. The clerk stood on the steps and read aloud a notice: "Effective immediately, the rent for foreign merchants' warehouses will be halved, and those who rent for three consecutive years will be exempt from six months' taxes."

The merchants in the crowd whispered among themselves. A Suzhou merchant dressed in a Hangzhou silk gown pushed his way to the front: "Sir, are there any preferential treatments for us local merchants?"

Chen Han appeared at the entrance of the yamen at some point: "Local merchants who open warehouses are exempt from taxes for one year."

This caused a stir. Zhou, a local cloth merchant from Songjiang, rubbed his hands excitedly: "Your Excellency, I'd like to open a silk shop by the docks. What do you think?"

"You can choose any location." Chen Han looked around at everyone, "But there's one condition: all warehouses must have uniform signboards and keep the streets clean."

Everyone readily agreed. Everyone knew that this Duke valued rules above all else; just a few days ago, he had punished a tavern owner for throwing dirty water in the street.

In the afternoon, Zhu Youwei received foreign merchants in the newly built trading hall. The hall was spacious and bright, with Songjiang fabric samples hanging on the walls and a sand table model in the center, showcasing Songjiang's future plans.

"Please look," she said, pointing to the west side of the sand table, "this is where a textile school will be built, and merchants from all countries are welcome to send apprentices to learn."

The Persian merchant Ali couldn't help but ask, "Princess, will you also teach me the technique of creating ripples in water?"

Zhu Youwei smiled and said, "Basic techniques can be learned, but the core secrets can only be accessed after the apprentice has completed their training."

The Goryeo merchant, Kim, gestured eagerly: "We want to hire one hundred weavers to teach in Hanyang."

“No.” Zhu Youwei shook her head. “It’s the workshop’s rule that we don’t lend out our craftsmen. But we welcome you to send people to learn.”

The foreign merchants were somewhat disappointed, but their excitement returned when they saw the planned canal wharves on the sand table. If this canal, which leads directly to Hangzhou, could be completed, cargo transportation would save a significant amount of time.

As dusk fell, Chen Han stood atop the Wangjiang Tower. From here, he could see the entire outline of Songjiang City—newly built roads stretched out like veins, the docks were brightly lit, and smoke curled from the workshops.

Zhu Youwei walked over with a teacup in her hand: "Are you tired?"

Chen Han took the teacup, his fingertips touching the calluses on her hands: "How much did you manage to negotiate today?"

“Contracts with seventeen warehouses, and orders for thirty ships of cotton cloth.” Zhu Youwei leaned against the railing. “The Shen family sent people to inquire about the secret formula for luminous cloth.”

Chen sneered, "Let them ask around." He pointed to the saplings being planted in the distance, "Once these sycamores grow, Songjiang will be another Hangzhou."

A night breeze blew by, bringing the dampness of the river. Zhu Youwei gazed at the scattered lights and suddenly remembered something: "That's right, an imperial decree has arrived. The Emperor is very satisfied with the luminous cloth."

Chen Han was not surprised. This kind of fabric, which glows slightly in the dark, was indeed suitable for a royal banquet.

"Fifty horses need to be sent to the palace next month, so we need to hurry."

“Zhang Si Niang said it’s no problem.” Zhu Youwei tidied her wind-blown hair. “She’s currently training over two hundred apprentices, all of whom are local girls from Songjiang.”

The sound of the night watchman's clapper came from afar. Chen Han put his arm around his wife's shoulder: "Let's go back, we have to meet with the silk merchants from Hangzhou tomorrow."

The two walked back along the newly paved stone path. In the moonlight, the shadows of the sycamore saplings were cast on the ground, like rows of soldiers awaiting inspection. Passing merchants greeted them with bows and greetings.

……

In the early morning in Songjiang Prefecture, before the fog had completely dissipated, the streets were already bustling with activity.

Chen Han stood on the newly paved stone road, looking at the newly planted sycamore saplings swaying gently in the morning breeze on both sides of the widened street. The blue brick walkway under the trees was clean and tidy, and the drainage ditch was flowing with water, no longer as polluted as before.

Several vegetable vendors carrying loads passed by, and one of them couldn't help but look up at the newly planted saplings and muttered, "What exactly is the Duke trying to achieve by spending so much money to repair roads and plant trees?"

An old man selling tofu nearby laughed and said, "What do you know? Now that the road is wider, horse-drawn carriages can travel more smoothly, and we carrying loads won't have to squeeze and jostle."

"But what about these trees? We can't eat them all."

Chen Han heard it, but didn't turn around. He knew that many people didn't understand the significance of these changes yet, but soon they would.

Zhu Youwei walked from the direction of the weaving workshop, followed by several foreign merchants. She saw Chen Han in the distance, a slight smile playing on her lips, and quickened her pace to approach.

“My lord, the Persian merchant Ali wants to order five hundred bolts of flowing water patterned cloth, and the Southeast Asian merchants have also placed an additional order for two hundred bolts of gold thread cloth.” She handed over an order form, her eyes filled with a smile. “They also said that the roads in Songjiang Prefecture are very well-maintained, making the carriages run smoothly and the goods transported quickly.”

Chen Han took the order, glanced at it, and said indifferently, "With the road repaired, business will naturally be easier."

Just then, a Suzhou merchant dressed in a brocade robe came over, cupped his hands and smiled, "Lord Duke, the roads in Songjiang Prefecture are really magnificent, even wider than those in Suzhou."

Chen Han glanced at him: "What, you also want to open a shop in Songjiang?"

The merchant nodded quickly: "Exactly! I'd like to open a silk shop by the dock, what do you think..."

“Okay.” Chen Han nodded, “but there are three rules: pay rent monthly, declare goods upon entry and exit, and do not engage in market manipulation.”

The merchant readily agreed and took out a silver ingot from his sleeve: "This is a deposit, please accept it, Your Excellency."

……

(End of this chapter)