Take control of Wei Zhongxian at the start and confiscate 100 million from him!

Chapter 354 The Way is not far from man; principle resides in the vessel.

Just then, Wang Chengen approached quickly with small, hurried steps, stopping three feet behind the emperor. He bowed and reported, "Your Majesty, Eunuch Wei has been ordered to return to the capital from Songjiang Prefecture and is waiting outside the city."

Zhu Youjian's gaze did not leave the huge cement mixing tank in front of him; he merely nodded slightly and said, "Announce."

A moment later, at the other entrance of the huge factory, a travel-worn figure appeared.

He was being helped by a young eunuch who was leading the way; perhaps due to the long journey, his steps were slightly unsteady.

However, when his gaze traveled dozens of steps, past the busy craftsmen and the cold machinery, and finally locked onto the tall figure standing with his hands behind his back in an indigo suit, he felt as if he had been struck by an invisible thunderbolt!

"Your Majesty..."

Wei Zhongxian uttered a muttered dreamlike whisper, and the next moment, he almost roughly shook off the young eunuch who was leading the way.

Wei Zhongxian, completely disregarding his dignity, staggered forward more than ten steps, as if using all his strength to shorten the distance between the emperor and his subject.

Immediately, in an open space dozens of steps away from the emperor, he unhesitatingly lifted his weathered robe and knelt heavily on both knees!
"This old servant, Wei Zhongxian, pays his respects to Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The voice, hoarse from a long journey, was like a lone bird that had traveled thousands of miles from its nest and endured countless hardships, finally seeing the outline of the old forest that had nurtured it at the end of its life. All its weariness, gratitude, and loyalty were poured into this kneeling and kowtow.

Zhu Youjian slowly turned around and looked at the old eunuch who was lying on the ground, his body trembling slightly with excitement.

Time seemed to have left little mercy on this once powerful eunuch. He was darker and thinner than when he left the capital, and the lines of his back looked somewhat forlorn under his slightly oversized robes.

Wen Tiren stood behind the emperor, his heart filled with turbulent emotions.

"Get up."

The emperor's voice was calm. He stepped forward and stood before Wei Zhongxian.

Wei Zhongxian raised his head, his deeply lined face streaked with tears.

He's not pretending.

During his time in Songjiang Prefecture, Wei Zhongxian witnessed firsthand what it truly meant to "turn stone into gold."

According to the emperor's strategy, the integration and reform of the textile industry in Songjiang Prefecture alone is expected to bring the emperor's private treasury a net profit within a year that would be equivalent to half a year's tax revenue of the Ministry of Revenue in the past!
What a terrifying number!

Compared to Wei Zhongxian's past methods of fabricating charges, confiscating property, and exterminating families, which aroused the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people, the increase he made in the Imperial Treasury in a year was like the difference between the light of a firefly and the brilliance of the sun and moon!
One is to drain the pond to catch all the fish, to suck the marrow from the bones, and to make enemies of all the gentry and scholars.

The other is to open up new paths through mountains, which benefits the people while reaping the greatest profits.

Sit down!

He thought he was a dull old knife, but unexpectedly, in the emperor's hands, he was re-tempered and opened up a battlefield he had never imagined.

How could he not be excited!
"This old servant...this old servant dares not!" Wei Zhongxian choked out.

Zhu Youjian bent down, stretched out his hands, and personally supported Wei Zhongxian's withered arms, lifting him steadily from the ground with a force.

“What crime have you committed that has rendered meritorious service? The ground is cold, get up and speak.”

This action was like a warm current, instantly flowing through Wei Zhongxian's entire body.

He trembled and almost knelt down again, but the emperor firmly supported him.

"Thank you... thank you, Your Majesty!"

Wen Tiren, standing to the side, felt a sudden jolt of fear.

Zhu Youjian pulled Wei Zhongxian along, and like a pair of emperor and minister who had been separated for a long time, he said affectionately, "You have come at the right time. I am looking for a leader who can take charge of the whole situation."

He looked around, pointing to the rows of factories that were already taking shape, his voice filled with power: "My Royal General Chamber of Commerce oversees all businesses within my imperial treasury, including cement, textiles, and all future industrial ventures. The position of president of this General Chamber of Commerce is currently vacant, so you will temporarily assume the role!"

Wei Zhongxian was completely stunned.

Royal General Trading Company!
Oversee all affairs of the imperial treasury!

His lips trembled with excitement, and after a long while, he finally managed to utter, "This old servant would gladly die, even if it meant being shattered to pieces!"

"I don't want you to be torn to pieces, I want you to expand the territory of this Ming Dynasty for me!" Zhu Youjian patted the back of his hand, then pointed to the cement workshop. "This is cement. You must have already experienced its uses in Songjiang Prefecture. My decree is that once the branch factory opens, it must operate at full capacity. Firstly, it will be used to build roads, bridges, river embankments, and reinforce the border walls of our Ming Dynasty—the foundation of the nation; secondly, it will be sold to the people, allowing wealthy merchants to live in sturdy buildings—the source of profit. As the head of the general trading company, this is your primary task."

Now that Wei Zhongxian was overseeing the construction of factories in Songjiang Prefecture, his situation was completely different from when he was confined to the inner palace. His mind raced, and he immediately bowed and said, “Your Majesty is wise! This servant has a few humble opinions. First, the profit from cement should be based on a ‘two-tiered pricing system’ for officials and civilians. The price for official use should only reflect the cost, as it is the foundation of the nation; the price for civilian use should be based on its scarcity, and even ten times the profit would not be excessive!”
Secondly, transportation is paramount. With the capital as the center, branch factories and warehouses should be established along the Grand Canal and the Yangtze River. By utilizing the convenience of waterways to transport goods throughout the country, freight costs can be reduced by 80-90%!
Thirdly, a construction team should be established, operating under the imperial name, to undertake construction projects for wealthy households. This would allow them to sell both cement and technical expertise—a win-win situation!

"Excellent!" Zhu Youjian's eyes showed even greater admiration. "You understand so quickly! I knew I hadn't misjudged you!"

Wei Zhongxian's experience in Songjiang Prefecture transformed him, turning him from a power-hungry eunuch into a planner who had just begun to understand the ways of commerce.

What he saw was no longer the silver itself, but the intricate network and connections behind the money, grain, and goods, where profits flowed endlessly.

Zhu Youjian was greatly relieved. He took Wei Zhongxian's hand and walked in another direction: "You discuss the cement matter with Minister Song. Next, I will take you to see something even more important. Once this is produced, the people of the north may not have to worry about freezing or starving this winter!"

Everyone was shocked when they heard this.

Are there no fears of freezing or starving?
What an exaggerated statement!
Since ancient times, winter in the north has been a death knell.

Every year, countless people die from freezing, illness, or poisoning caused by improper heating.

Even a saint in his lifetime would probably not dare to make such a boast!
What kind of divine object has appeared in the world this time, Your Majesty?
The group followed the emperor for several miles.

In front of them lay another huge factory area, its scale comparable to that of the cement workshop.

But the scenery here is even more peculiar.

There was no billowing smoke and dust from the cement factory, but there were countless huge sheds, beneath which were rows of wooden frames that seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see.

On the shelf, countless black, perforated, round, disc-shaped objects were neatly stacked, gleaming with a calm, understated luster in the sunlight.

The air was filled with a distinctive smell of damp earth mixed with coal.

Countless workers pushed wheelbarrows, shuttling between the huge cement mixing tanks and rows of strange, rumbling machines.

Blindfolded cattle and horses pulled huge stone mills and mixing rods, mixing black coal powder with loess and water to form a sticky coal slurry.

In front of the rows of machines, strong men worked together to pull the huge levers. With a loud bang and the vibration of the mechanism, a whole board of neatly stacked black "honeycomb briquettes" was pushed out from under the machine and carefully carried onto the drying cart by the women and boys on the other side.

The entire workshop resembles a huge and intricate anthill, with each person performing their own duties, creating a grand and vibrant scene.

Zhu Youjian pointed to the thriving scene and smiled at Wei Zhongxian and the others, "How is it? This place is a completely different world compared to the cement workshop, isn't it?"

Wei Zhongxian narrowed his signature eyes, scrutinizing everything like a fox.

Upon seeing this, Song Yingxing could no longer contain his excitement and stepped forward to introduce the topic in a loud voice.

His voice trembled slightly with excitement:
"Your Majesty, Your Excellencies! To understand the wonders of this thing, one must first know the suffering of this world!"

"Nowadays, the people of our Great Ming, especially those in the north, mainly rely on two types of fuel for heating and cooking." "Charcoal is a preferred fuel because it produces little smoke and burns steadily, making it the first choice for wealthy families, the inner palace, and high-end restaurants."

However, its drawbacks are fatal!
In short, it is expensive! The price is so high that an ordinary person's savings for a year are not enough for a single winter! Moreover, the forests around the capital, and even the Taihang and Yanshan Mountains, have been almost completely cut down to burn this charcoal!
Looking out, the barren mountains were a shocking sight! With the loss of forests, soil erosion follows, exacerbating droughts and floods. This is not seeking warmth, but rather a desperate measure, like drinking poison to quench thirst—a case of burning the forest to hunt!

At this point, Song Yingxing was heartbroken and clenched his fists.

Everyone was silent.

As high-ranking officials of the imperial court, they were naturally aware of the soaring coal prices and the plight of the surrounding mountains and forests.

This is indeed a sword hanging over the head of the imperial court.

Song Yingxing changed the subject, pointing towards the West Mountain:

"Coal! That is, raw coal. Mentougou in western Beijing has been a coal-producing area for generations, and the people know that it is combustible. However, its drawbacks are even greater than those of charcoal!"

Large chunks of raw coal burn poorly, and the flames are inconsistent in size and difficult to control.

Secondly, and most egregiously, it is poisonous!

The burning of inferior coal produced thick smoke and filled rooms with the foul stench of sulfur. Every winter, countless families in and around Beijing succumbed to the suffocating effects of coal poisoning! This was not about finding warmth; it was about sleeping with death, adding fuel to the fire!

His words struck everyone's heart like heavy hammer blows, especially Wei Zhongxian, who, having come from humble origins, had a deeper understanding of the hardships faced by ordinary people than Wen Tiren and others.

He knew that every word Song Yingxing said was true, and every word was written in blood!

Just as everyone's mood turned somber, Song Yingxing suddenly turned around, pointed to the thousands upon thousands of black round cakes on the drying rack, his eyes flashing with an unprecedented light, and his voice as high as a tolling bell:
"Indeed! Heaven blesses our Great Ming Dynasty! His Majesty's wisdom shines forth, and through the study of things, he has thoroughly investigated the principles of things and explored the nature of things, turning the rotten into the miraculous! After a year of hard work by countless craftsmen and numerous experiments, they finally succeeded in creating this divine object two months ago—His Majesty named it: Coal Ball!"

He walked quickly to a drying cart, carefully picked up a dried honeycomb briquette with more than a dozen transparent holes, and held it high as if he were holding a rare treasure.

"Please look, everyone! The base of this product is coal dust and coal powder, which were once considered waste! It is supplemented with yellow soil that can be obtained everywhere! Its cost is less than one-tenth of that of charcoal! Its price is so low that even the poorest family in the capital can get through the winter in peace!"

"Wow!"

Upon hearing this, a collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

The cost is less than one-tenth that of charcoal?

Wei Zhongxian's eyes lit up instantly, flashing with greed at the sight of an endless mountain of gold... no, excitement! He had already begun to rapidly calculate the terrifying profits contained within!
However, Song Yingxing's next words instantly elevated his calculations to another level.

"The wonder of this thing lies not in its low price!" Song Yingxing's voice rose again, filled with pride and arrogance, "but in its shape! The design, personally drawn by His Majesty, features holes, allowing it to circulate freely inside and out, like a honeycomb, hence its name 'honeycomb briquette'! These holes are a stroke of genius! With these holes, air can circulate freely, ensuring complete combustion! Its fire is far fiercer than coal; its heat is comparable to charcoal! And more importantly—"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the shocked faces of everyone present, and said, word by word:

"Its smoke is minimal and its toxicity is negligible, reducing it by ten to even dozens of times compared to inferior coal!"

"This...how is this possible?!" an accompanying official from the Ministry of Works exclaimed in disbelief.

Song Yingxing did not answer directly, but turned his head and looked at Zhu Youjian with admiration before slowly turning back and saying:

"All things in the world have their own inherent principles. His Majesty once said: 'The Way is not far from man; the principle is within things.' The so-called poisonous flames are merely the result of things not fully utilizing their nature. If we allow them to fully realize their nature, the poisonous flames will transform into real fire, and the foul odors into a warm current. This is not a miracle, but the result of investigating things!"

He took a deep breath and transformed his boundless enthusiasm into a resounding conclusion.

"In the past, I thought that cement was Your Majesty's unparalleled achievement. But today I realize that I was shallow!"

"As for cement, it uses mountain stones as its material and water and fire as its process. It strengthens rivers on the outside and supports pillars on the inside, thus recasting the backbone of our great Ming Dynasty! Its merit lies in its form, its solidity, and its foundation for all generations!"

"These honeycomb briquettes, powered by the earth's fire and crafted with ingenuity, warm the emperor above and the common people below, thus infusing the lifeblood of our Great Ming Dynasty! Their merit lies in their energy, their warmth, and the lives of millions!"

This time, everyone was truly stunned and their minds went blank!

Wei Zhongxian stared blankly at the black coal, his heart, which had been steeped in power struggles and money all his life, was suddenly struck by something called merit.

profit?

silver?

These things all seem insignificant in the face of the grand vision and great undertaking described by Song Yingxing.

What he saw was the warm light shining through the paper windows of countless homes; what he heard was the laughter of children who no longer cried from the cold on countless cold winter nights; what he thought about was how history would record this day, and how it would record this young emperor!

Wen Tiren was also shaken to his core; this seasoned official felt genuine fear this time.

It wasn't fear of imperial power, but rather fear of the terrifying ability of this emperor to conjure goods out of thin air!
Countless lives were saved!

These four words weighed heavily on everyone's heart.

This is not just empty talk, but a foreseeable reality that is about to happen!
This single item alone is enough to rival the merits of the ancient gods Shennong and Houji!
Zhu Youjian looked at the shocked and speechless expressions of everyone, but his heart remained calm.

He slowly walked to the drying rack, picked up a honeycomb briquette, weighed it in his hand, and then looked towards the western horizon.

There, the setting sun was like blood, burning the clouds on the horizon a fiery red.

Zhu Youjian spoke in an extremely calm tone, as if he were stating the simplest truth:

"What I want is not only the obeisance of the people, but also the smoke rising from the chimneys of every household."

"When cooking smoke rises, the people are at peace; when the people are at peace, the nation is stable!"

After saying that, he turned around and personally handed the honeycomb briquette in his hand to Wei Zhongxian.

Wei Zhongxian was taken aback, then realized what was happening. With trembling hands, he solemnly held the lump of coal in his hands as if he were receiving the Imperial Seal of the State.

Zhu Youjian looked into his eyes and said, "Cement is the spear I gave you, so that you can expand my territory and conquer cities and lands for me."

"And this lump of coal is the shield I'm giving you."

"I entrust the winter of this world to you."

Wei Zhongxian held the heavy lump of coal, feeling as if it weighed down by Mount Tai.

He knelt down, raised the coal briquette high above his head, and shouted at the top of his lungs:
"This old servant... obeys the decree!"

"This old servant will certainly not fail His Majesty's trust!"

The afterglow of the setting sun cast his shadow long and thin.

Behind all this, the young emperor simply stood quietly, his robes fluttering slightly in the evening breeze.

His gaze had already passed beyond the factory in front of him, beyond the capital, and was now fixed on the Nine Borders further north, on that vast and cold land.

This winter, the Ming Dynasty will no longer be so cold.

(End of this chapter)