Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 461 The Emperor's Mindset, The Rich Merchant's Leek Feast!
"Master, it was my oversight that I failed to ascertain the details. I deserve to die!"

Jiang Huan dared not defend himself, bowed his head and admitted his mistake, then suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself hard several times.

Old Zhu gave him a cold glare, then turned to the waiter and asked, "So, this restaurant is set up by the imperial court? And all the money it earns must be turned over to the national treasury?"

The waiter, head held high and chest puffed out, said with an air of arrogance, "That's right! Ninety percent of our restaurant's profits are handed over to the national treasury, and the remaining ten percent is used as bonuses for all the staff."

A hint of pride crept into his voice: "Even someone like me, a mere waiter, earns six or seven taels of silver a month."

"Compared to you wealthy and powerful merchants, I am far inferior, but it is more than enough to support my family!"

In the waiter's eyes, Old Zhu and Jiang Huan were clearly country bumpkins who had just arrived in Jinling and were completely ignorant.

He intended to take this opportunity to show off in front of these "country bumpkins," flaunting his income and hoping to impress them with this insignificant sense of superiority.

As he spoke, a smug look flashed in his eyes, as if he were waiting for the other party's astonished reaction.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Old Zhu showed neither anger nor surprise.

He stroked his white beard, a smile appearing on his face, and said, "Shouldn't 90% of the profits be handed over to the national treasury? That's quite a method."

"So it seems that your vegetable prices, though high, are not entirely without reason."

"Since it's for the national treasury's revenue, we have nothing to say."

After saying that, he sat down again with a smile, his demeanor calm and composed, as if his thunderous rage had never happened.

After sitting down, he tapped the table lightly and said, "In that case, bring us a few of our signature dishes, quickly!"

This sudden turn of events was as swift as a thunderbolt, leaving the waiter stunned on the spot, his smile frozen on his face, his eyes filled with astonishment.

He's completely lost!

The guests in the lobby looked at each other and whispered among themselves. The old man, who had been so aggressive and arrogant just moments before, had suddenly become calm and composed, chatting and laughing as if nothing had happened. His composure and shrewdness were truly impressive.

The guests were just there to watch the spectacle, making jeers and mocking remarks, simply for fun.

Seeing that Old Zhu had taken the initiative to back down, their anger subsided. Although some people were still not satisfied and a few muttered words like "cowardly" and "lackey," no one dared to stand up and openly provoke him anymore.

After all, people come to restaurants to eat and relax, not to compete or quarrel with others.

Although many people enjoy watching the drama unfold and have a "the more chaos the better" mentality, they shouldn't let chaos affect them.

As a result, the noise in the hall gradually subsided, with only a few probing gazes still secretly directed at Old Zhu, as if trying to figure out the true origin of this "mysterious old man".

The waiter's expression changed repeatedly.

He remained silent for a long time, but ultimately said nothing more and quietly withdrew.

Restaurants have their own rules, and as a waiter, you must never get entangled with guests.

Old Zhu was being aggressive earlier, and Xiao Er had been yielding to him repeatedly before finally speaking out in retaliation.

Now that Lao Zhu has taken the initiative to back down, Xiao Er, though still resentful, dares not make any more noise, lest he be complained about by the customers and lose this well-paid job.

Once he left the restaurant, he would never find such a good job again.

Before long, another waiter came over with light steps, presenting several exquisite dishes with both hands.

The dishes on the plate are tempting in color and aroma, and the presentation is like a painting.

Every detail reveals the restaurant's dedication and style.

Seeing that Old Zhu's anger had subsided and he was all smiles, Jiang Huan finally relaxed a little.

He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, raised his sleeve, and quietly wiped away the cold sweat seeping from his forehead to prevent it from getting into his eyes.

Jiang Huan was truly terrified, fearing that Zhu De might do something shocking in a fit of anger.

Since this restaurant was established by the imperial court, it is an important part of the current emperor's implementation of new policies.

If Zhu insists on "crashing the event," it will not only affect the reputation of the new policy, but also put him in a dilemma.

The Supreme Emperor has a conflict with His Majesty the current Emperor, and he is caught in the middle. If he is not careful, he may lose his post or even his life.

Now that Zhu Yuanzhang has turned hostility into friendship, Jiang Huan feels relieved, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.

However, Zhu's restraint and forbearance still secretly shocked Jiang Huan.

He knew that the Supreme Emperor was usually as fiery as a raging fire, and no one dared to confront him when he was in a rage. Yet today, he was able to suppress his anger and talk and laugh calmly under such provocation, which was truly unexpected.

This level of composure is beyond the reach of ordinary people.

However, this shows that Jiang Huan lacked understanding of Zhu De.

In fact, it is not surprising that Lao Zhu could be so patient.

Although he was hot-tempered and prone to lashing out, he was also deeply versed in the art of flexibility and adaptability.

This is the essential demeanor of someone who achieves great things.

Ordinary people may stubbornly persist in their struggle for face, even at the cost of mutual destruction, while those with lofty ambitions can often disregard honor and disgrace and endure what ordinary people cannot.

For example, a person and their sworn enemy may be irreconcilably at odds, with deep-seated grudges. However, if there is profit to be made, they may need to join forces to seize business opportunities or acquire the enemy's property to build a great enterprise...

For all these reasons, ordinary people often cannot let go of their resentment or their pride in the eyes of others. They would rather not do business or make money than make peace with their sworn enemies.

In particular, it's impossible for them to voluntarily "bow down"!
However, those who truly achieve great things are completely different.

They will surely put aside their grudges, greet their "arch-enemies" with smiles, work together, and even humble themselves to apologize to their "arch-enemies" in exchange for greater rewards.

Only in this way can we stand firm amidst changing times and achieve great things.

As the ancients said, "When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it will first test their will, strain their muscles and bones, starve their body, leave them destitute, and thwart their endeavors, so as to strengthen their resolve, temper their character, and increase their abilities."

This statement is a profound truth.

Those who achieve great things often need to temper their character and strengthen their will in adversity.

Only by being flexible and adaptable can one stand firm amidst changing times.

For example, one can drink and chat with a sworn enemy as if nothing had happened.

Even if they felt utterly disgusted, they could still force a smile and drink fine wine together.

Even if you suffer humiliation, you can laugh it off and treat it like smoke.

Ordinary people would never have such a broad mind.

They would only think that they couldn't stand such "humiliation".

And this is precisely the difference between a great person and an ordinary person.

Before Liu Bang rose to prominence, he was able to attend his future father-in-law's birthday banquet empty-handed, without giving any gifts, yet he remained composed and chatted with ease.

Only with such audacity could he have achieved the great feat of becoming the founding emperor of the Han Dynasty.

The same goes for Lao Zhu.

In his youth, he wandered the world with a broken bowl in his hand, enduring the cold stares and ridicule of the world, but he had long since turned the humiliation into the driving force to move forward.

If he couldn't even withstand a little ridicule and disdain, how could he have gone from a commoner to defying fate and ascending to the throne of the Ming Dynasty's founding emperor?

A few sarcastic remarks were nothing more than fleeting smoke in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes. His frequent outbursts of rage and even executions of ministers who offended him in court were all deeply meaningful and not merely acts of momentary impulse.

Whenever he had to make a decision, he would keep his reasons deep in his heart, but on the surface he would deliberately show his fiery temper, creating the image of an emperor who was genuine and quick to take revenge.

This was not due to his inherently violent nature, but rather a skillful application of imperial power tactics.

Only in this way can one intimidate the ministers and stabilize the country.

If it weren't for matters of state or the safety of the imperial power, Zhu Yuanzhang was actually a very magnanimous person.

I'm too lazy to get entangled in trivial matters.

Emperors have limited energy, and the affairs of the world are complex and varied. Even the most supreme ruler cannot attend to every aspect.

If one is narrow-minded, fixated on trivial matters, and preoccupied with others' momentary cold looks or offensive words, one will be distracted and unable to concentrate all one's energy on lofty goals, thus destined to achieve little.

A true ruler has a grand vision in his heart, and his eyes are only on the country and its people. He has long since forgotten about those trivial grievances.

A scholar who is devoted to scientific research is so engrossed in experiments and deductions that he forgets about food, clothing, shelter and transportation. He can simply throw on a coarse cloth and eat something to fill his stomach, which is enough to sustain him in his pursuit of truth.

It's not that scholars lack any zest for life, but rather that when their minds are fully immersed in grand goals, worldly trifles become like fleeting clouds, unappealing to them.

Only after achieving success and settling down will people start to appreciate the little things in life again, paying attention to whether their clothes fit well and whether their food is exquisite.

Old Zhu's lifelong ambition was always tied to the supreme imperial cause.

How to firmly grasp power, how to become a wise and benevolent ruler, how to ensure the eternal stability of the Ming Dynasty...

He devoted himself wholeheartedly to this cause.

Other mundane matters were like fleeting clouds in his eyes, insignificant.

Zhu Yuanzhang's joys and sorrows were both a true reflection of his nature and a carefully crafted imperial mask, used to intimidate his ministers and stabilize the country.

His emotions were like a violent storm, coming swiftly and disappearing without a trace.

He had long since integrated his life with the performance of political maneuvering, making it difficult to distinguish between the two.

What ordinary people care about as "face" is something that Zhu Yuanzhang doesn't care about at all, as long as it doesn't affect his imperial power.

Of course, if it has even a tiny bit of influence on the power of the "emperor" and on the country, then it's a completely different story.

Upon learning that this restaurant was established by the imperial court and that 90% of its profits went to the national treasury,

The anger in Old Zhu's heart had long since dissipated without a trace, replaced by boundless joy.

His grandson, Zhu Yunwen, was indeed intelligent.

These wealthy merchants, whose fortunes were immense, could not be openly "robbed" by the imperial court, but it was acceptable to "harvest" them in such a clever way that they would voluntarily hand over their wealth.

It was done so flawlessly that it was truly admirable.

At this moment, Old Zhu no longer thought that pricing a plate of vegetables at one tael of silver was outrageous; on the contrary, he thought the price was far too low!
These wealthy merchants, with their vast fortunes, would only spend five or ten taels of silver on a plate of vegetables, which was just a drop in the ocean. How could they not take advantage of them?
After taking a few bites, Old Zhu trembled slightly again.

I must say, the food at this restaurant is quite good.

It's barely worth the price.

Zhu Yunwen clearly put a lot of effort into managing the restaurant.

He himself is a foodie, who is particular about the finest and most delicate dishes, and has a great deal of knowledge about food.

With the implementation of the new policies of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court specially established two companies to operate restaurants.

One restaurant was responsible for receiving guests and hosting banquets at post stations and government offices in various places, while the other catered to wealthy merchants in the city, such as this Jinling Restaurant.

In the past, post stations and government-run taverns were mostly managed by local officials, resulting in numerous problems due to each department acting independently.

Local officials often take the opportunity to falsely report expenses and line their own pockets.

The accounts of the post stations were exaggerated, and the income of the taverns flowed into private pockets, eroding the national treasury and undermining the order of the government.

To eliminate long-standing abuses, Zhu Yunwen implemented new policies and reformed the old system.

An imperial edict was issued to reorganize all local post stations and government-run taverns, and to establish a dedicated company to manage them uniformly.

This move not only relieved local governments of the financial burden of appropriations, but also completely separated the revenues of post stations and taverns from local government revenues.

At the same time, he strictly ordered that all receptions for officials, regardless of their rank, must be conducted in post stations and restaurants under the jurisdiction of the government-run companies.

Private banquets and squandering of public funds are strictly prohibited.

In this way, officials' meals are all conducted according to their rank and regulations, in an orderly manner, thus eliminating the bad habit of extravagant spending under the guise of public funds for banquets.

At the same time, Zhu Yunwen set up another restaurant company, tailor-made for wealthy merchants, with the aim of "harvesting" their wealth.

This company is all about luxury, exuding an air of prestige in every aspect.

From the magnificent carved beams and painted rafters, the exquisite glass lamps, to the well-trained staff, the sophisticated tableware, and the delicacies made with the finest ingredients, everything reflects an extremely extravagant and meticulous approach.

Zhu Yunwen drew on the management principles of later generations to carry out a comprehensive reform of the restaurant, supplemented by unified management regulations and advanced employee incentive mechanisms. Compared with ordinary taverns of the time, it was a "dimensional reduction attack".

Since its opening, the company's numerous restaurants have attracted wealthy merchants and powerful figures from all over the Ming Dynasty like a magnet.

Every shop was bustling with customers, and business was booming.

The restaurant that Lao Zhu and his group frequented, located right next to the stock exchange, was one of the best.

Its opulent decor and exorbitantly priced dishes perfectly illustrate the ingenious design of "harvesting leeks" (a Chinese idiom for exploiting consumers).

Since the food tasted pretty good, Old Zhu didn't stand on ceremony. He ate heartily, devouring all the dishes on the table like a whirlwind.

After a satisfying meal, the group left the restaurant.

Not many people in the room paid any special attention to them anymore.

As Jinling City became increasingly prosperous, all sorts of bizarre and outlandish things also began to happen.

Everyone was preoccupied with their own lives, and no matter what happened, they just watched and enjoyed the spectacle.

Once I've finished watching it, I'll leave it at that.

This is what happened to Lao Zhu and others.

However, some people couldn't help but take a few more glances.

After watching Old Zhu and the others leave, one of them muttered to himself, "Strange, why does that guard look somewhat similar to Commander Jiang of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

He then shook his head.

He had only seen Jiang Huan a few times from afar and was not familiar with her.

It seems either I was mistaken, or there is someone else who looks similar to Jiang Huan.

Otherwise, how could a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard possibly have someone else as his bodyguard?
It's even more impossible for him to be a bodyguard for some country bumpkin from the countryside!
Thinking of this, the man withdrew his gaze, turned around and drank and ate with the people at the table, no longer looking at Lao Zhu and the others.

……

(End of this chapter)