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Around Xiaoling Mausoleum, the furnaces in the artisan camp are roaring.

Thanks to the massive project of building the mausoleum, the world's top craftsmen gathered here.

Suning only briefly revealed his idea of ​​developing new products, and immediately dozens of veteran craftsmen volunteered to do so.

"Your Highness, please take a look. This is a soap that was made according to the recipe you gave me." The old craftsman Li Fu respectfully presented a bar of soap with a warm and lustrous color. "It has an excellent cleaning effect, several times stronger than the soap pods on the market. More importantly, it has a fragrant and rich aroma."

Su Ning took the soap and examined it carefully, then smelled the floral water placed next to it: "Not bad! Master Li, this floral water might be purified even more?"

"Your Highness, I have improved the triple distillation process," Li Fu said, pointing to the equipment beside him. "This bottle is now the fourth version, with a longer-lasting fragrance and better mosquito-repelling effect."

"very good!"

On the other side, the brewing master Zhao Laoliu came over carrying a jar of new liquor: "Your Highness, the high-proof liquor you requested has been brewed. This liquor is very strong. I have been brewing liquor all my life and I have never seen anything so strong."

Suning took the wine jar, and a rich aroma of wine wafted out.

"Not bad!" He nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Ma He beside him, "Ma He, is the packaging all ready?"

Ma He immediately presented several exquisite gift boxes: "As instructed by the imperial grandson, these brocade boxes have been specially made by the craftsmen. The soap is in a sandalwood box, the cologne in a glass bottle, and the liquor in a blue and white porcelain jar from Jingdezhen."

“Very good.” Su Ning carefully inspected the packaging. “Remember! Our Mingtang Trading Company’s products must be high-end. Don’t sell the first batch to the public. In my name, send a copy to all the high-ranking officials and dignitaries in the capital.”

“This servant understands,” Ma He replied, bowing.

……

Three days later, each residence in Nanjing received a special gift from Xiaoling Mausoleum.

At the residence of Duke Changmao of Zheng, the steward presented a gift box and reported, "Master, this was sent by the imperial grandson. He said it's a novelty from his own workshop."

Chang Mao opened the gift box and his eyes lit up immediately: "Yun Tong, that child, is quite thoughtful."

He picked up the glass bottle of floral water and said, "Such an exquisite thing is probably even better than the tributes from the palace."

The same scene played out in various prefectures.

Upon receiving the liquor, Marquis Lan Yu of Yongchang immediately opened the jar and tasted it. After swallowing the strong liquor, the veteran general exclaimed in admiration, "Excellent liquor! This is what we soldiers should drink!"

Within half a month, the reputation of Mingtang Trading Company had spread among the powerful and wealthy circles of Nanjing.

High-ranking officials and nobles sent their managers to the merchants to make purchases, with the nobles of Huaixi being the most active among them.

"Mr. Zhou, which prefectures did you receive orders from today?" Ma He arrived at the trading company and saw Mr. Zhou, the accountant, busy at work.

Mr. Zhou excitedly handed over the account book: "Eunuch Ma, look, the Liang Yongchang Marquis's Mansion alone has ordered two hundred jars of liquor, and the Zheng State Duke's Mansion has ordered one hundred boxes of floral water and fifty boxes of scented soap. The Wei State Duke's Mansion, the Song State Duke's Mansion, and others have also placed large orders."

Ma He carefully examined the account books, secretly alarmed.

Less than a month after opening, sales have already exceeded 50,000 taels of silver.

"Is the inventory keeping up?" he asked.

"The artisan workshop is already working overtime," Mr. Zhou said in a low voice. "However, the imperial grandson instructed that scarcity drives up prices, so we must control the output."

"Yes, we also need to keep a close eye on whether there are any pirated copies on the market. Once discovered, we must have the Xiaoling Guards strike swiftly and decisively, without any leniency."

"Yes, Steward Ma."

Just then, a commotion arose outside the trading company.

It turned out that many merchants had come after hearing the news, wanting to purchase goods in bulk.

Upon seeing this, Ma He immediately recalled Su Ning's instructions and announced: "Three days from now, Ming Tong Trading Company will hold an investment promotion conference at Xiaoling Mausoleum, and sincerely invites merchants from all over the world to come and discuss cooperation."

"What? An investment promotion conference?"

“Exactly! Mingtang Trading Company has never thought of taking all the profits for itself. On the contrary, we plan to operate these products together with everyone.”

The news sent shockwaves through Nanjing's business community.

Three days later, the council hall on the east side of Xiaoling Mausoleum was packed with hundreds of merchants from all over the country.

Ma He stood on the stage, neither humble nor arrogant, and said, "The reason I invited you all here today is to announce the franchise system of Mingtang Trading Company. The company will select partners in various regions, and the head office will supply goods and set uniform prices."

There was a lot of discussion in the audience.

A Suzhou merchant stood up and asked, "But I wonder how much silver is needed to join this franchise?"

“Different regions have different franchise fees, but the minimum franchise fee is still one thousand taels,” Ma replied calmly. “However, the initial payment for the goods must be 30% in advance. The head office guarantees the supply of goods and will teach you the sales methods.”

However, this condition deterred many businessmen, but some far-sighted merchants saw the business opportunity in it.

Shen Rong, the nephew of Hangzhou tycoon Shen Wansan, immediately stated: "Manager Ma, our Shen family is willing to join us in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang area."

As expected, with the Shen family taking the lead, other merchants followed suit.

In just one hour, Mingtang Trading Company signed eight franchisees and collected more than 300,000 taels of silver in franchise fees and advance payments.

When the news reached the palace, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and a meaningful smile appeared on his face: "This kid knows how to do business."

Zhu Biao said worriedly, "Father, Yunzhi's rampant accumulation of wealth will likely attract criticism."

"Let him earn it," Zhu Yuanzhang said dismissively. "It's better than some people secretly forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices. Besides..."

He glanced at the report and said, "In the end, won't all this silver still belong to the Zhu family?"

Meanwhile, Suning, looking at the franchise agreement delivered by Ma He, smiled slightly.

This is just the first step in his business empire; many more plans are yet to be rolled out.

"Ma He, we need to develop new products next," Su Ning instructed Ma He. "Have the artisan workshop start researching printing and dyeing techniques and papermaking processes."

"This servant will take care of it immediately," Ma He replied, bowing deeply, his eyes filled with admiration.

As night deepened, the backyard of Mingtang Trading Company remained brightly lit.

Horse-drawn carriages, laden with goods, are ready to depart and transport these novel products to all parts of the country.

Meanwhile, in the Xiaoling Mausoleum not far away, the four-year-old imperial grandson is quietly changing the commercial landscape of this era.

……

Xi'an, Qin Prince's Palace.

Qin King Zhu Shuang played with the glass flower dew bottle in his hand and smiled at the chief clerk beside him, "I didn't expect that Yun Tong would still be thinking about these novelties while observing mourning at Xiaoling Mausoleum. This flower dew is indeed exquisite, no less than the fragrant dew bestowed upon us in the palace."

The chief clerk bowed and replied, "Your Highness, I heard that this was specially commissioned by the imperial grandson to be made by craftsmen, and it is being used by high-ranking officials and nobles in Nanjing."

"Since it was done by my elder brother's son, we should naturally support him." Zhu Shuang waved his hand and said, "Pass down the order that all future purchases by the Prince's Mansion should prioritize goods from Mingtang Trading Company. If Mingtang Trading Company wants to open a branch in Xi'an, the Prince's Mansion must provide full support."

"Yes! Your Majesty."

The same scene played out in the various princely residences.

Beiping, Prince Yan's Mansion.

Zhu Di tasted the strong liquor from Ming Tong Trading Company, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes: "This liquor is strong enough, just right for the bitterly cold north. Nephew Yun Tong has a good idea."

The monk Daoyan, standing to the side, twirled his prayer beads and said meaningfully, "Your Highness, this imperial grandson is observing mourning at Xiaoling Mausoleum, yet he is able to run such a large-scale business. There must be more to him than meets the eye."

Zhu Di put down his wine cup and pondered, "Since he is the Crown Prince's son, we as his uncles should support him. Send an order to Zhang Yu to find the best shop for Mingtang Trading Company in Beiping. I think my nephew will definitely not be satisfied with Yingtian Prefecture."

"Yes! Your Majesty."

At the same time, princes such as Zhu Gang, Prince of Jin in Taiyuan, Zhu Su, Prince of Zhou in Luoyang, and Zhu Chun, Prince of Shu in Chengdu, all ordered the closure of the Mingzhao Trading Company's business.

These princes all understood that this was ostensibly a gesture of respect to the grandson of the emperor, but in reality, it was a way of currying favor with the crown prince Zhu Biao, who was far away in Nanjing.

With the support of local vassal kings, Mingtang Trading Company developed at an astonishing speed.

……

The sixteenth year of Hongwu.

After receiving the good news from various places, Ma He immediately reported to Suning:
"Your Highness, the workshop in Xi'an is complete, producing five thousand bars of soap per month; the brewery in Taiyuan will be operational next month; and the branch in Beiping has already made a profit of three thousand taels this month..."

While listening to the report in his study at Xiaoling Mausoleum, Su Ning, still holding the Book of Rites in his hands, said without looking up, "You can decide these matters. Remember, the workshops should be located near the source of raw materials. The brewery was built in Taiyuan to use the Fen River, and the soap workshop in Xi'an should rely on the local oil resources."

"This servant understands," Ma He replied respectfully. "However, officials in various regions know that this is the property of the imperial grandson, and they are all giving it extra care. Won't this attract criticism?"

“It’s alright.” Su Ning put down his book. “We don’t steal or rob; we’re doing business honestly. As for officials offering favors…”

He smiled slightly, "That's because they're doing it out of respect for my grandfather and father, what does it have to do with us?"

This was said with perfect accuracy.

Indeed, on the surface, Ma He was handling all the affairs, while Su Ning spent his days reading and observing mourning at Xiaoling Mausoleum. No one could find fault with him.

However, the civil officials in the court could not sit still.

That morning at court, Wang Chun, an imperial censor from the Censorate, stepped forward and reported:

"Your Majesty, the Mingtang Trading Company is using the name of the Imperial Grandson to engage in business and compete with the people for profit, which is truly damaging to the dignity of the Imperial Family. I humbly request that an imperial edict be issued to prohibit members of the Imperial Family from engaging in commerce."

Before Zhu Yuanzhang on the dragon throne could speak, Crown Prince Zhu Biao spoke first: "Imperial Censor Wang is mistaken. Yuntong is observing mourning at Xiaoling Mausoleum; how could he personally engage in business? As for that Mingtong Trading Company, I heard it is managed by a eunuch named Ma He; what does it have to do with Yuntong?" At this moment, Minister of Revenue Yu Xin stepped forward to support him: "Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince is absolutely right. I have investigated and found that Mingtong Trading Company pays taxes according to law, its prices are fair, and it has not disrupted the market. On the contrary, its soaps, colognes, and other products are quite popular among the people."

Zhu Yuanzhang then slowly spoke: "Did you all hear that? Yunwen is peacefully observing mourning at Xiaoling Mausoleum; the matter of the merchant guild is none of his concern. As for that eunuch..."

He glanced at Wang Chun. "Does my grandson not even have the right to employ a eunuch?"

"Your Majesty, I know my crime." Wang Chun was so frightened that he immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness.

After the court session, Zhu Biao accompanied Zhu Yuanzhang to the Qianqing Palace.

"Father, today in court..." Zhu Biao hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

"What? Do you think I'm favoring Yunhu?" Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly. "Those civil officials, all they know is to keep an eye on the affairs of the royal family. Yunhu is peacefully observing mourning at Xiaoling Mausoleum, and the business is doing legitimate business. They just have to make trouble for him."

Zhu Biao hesitated and said, "But Yun Tong is still young, and he's so flamboyant..."

“Zhang Yang?” Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly stopped. “Biao’er, do you know how much tax Mingtang Trading Company has voluntarily paid in the past six months?”

"My son, I don't know."

"Thirty thousand taels!" Zhu Yuanzhang held up three fingers. "That's more than the taxes collected by the Jiangning Textile Bureau. I wish there were more merchants like this!"

Zhu Biao then realized what was going on.

It turns out that Father had seen everything all along.

"Father, could it be that what Yunhua said last year was all true?"

"I don't know either! The Embroidered Uniform Guard reported that Yun Tong doesn't have any capable people around him, and those who work for him are just lowly eunuchs. Moreover, there are no intelligent people like him among the nobles of Huaixi."

"This……"

"Biao'er, don't overthink it! When you don't understand something, remember to observe carefully."

"Yes, Father, I understand."

……

At Xiaoling Mausoleum, Su Ning listened to Ma He's report on the court's movements, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

"Your Highness the Grandson is incredibly resourceful," Ma He said admiringly. "Just as you predicted, His Majesty the Emperor and His Highness the Crown Prince are on our side."

“This is just the beginning.” Su Ning looked towards the distant city of Nanjing. “We still have a lot to do.”

He took out a stack of drawings: "These are the designs for an improved spinning wheel. Have the craftsmen try them out as soon as possible. Also, I saw a new bookkeeping method in a book called 'double-entry bookkeeping.' Have Mr. Zhou and the others learn it."

"Slave, let's do it now."

Ma He bowed and withdrew, his admiration for the young imperial grandson growing ever stronger.

Despite being in the Xiaoling Mausoleum, he was able to strategize and run his business successfully without leaving any evidence against him.

As the sun sets, Xiaoling Mausoleum appears exceptionally solemn and dignified in the afterglow.

Su Ning stood before the Hall of Offerings, gazing at Empress Ma's memorial tablet inside, and said softly:
"Grandmother, just you wait and see! Your grandson will definitely make the Ming Dynasty different."

……

Inside a teahouse in Wenshufang, Nanjing, several down-on-their-luck literati were drowning their sorrows in alcohol.

The elderly man at the head of the group sighed: "Twenty years of wasted time in the imperial examinations, and now we can't even get tuition fees."

At this moment, the teahouse owner came over and said, "Gentlemen, the Xiaoling Mausoleum is currently recruiting scholars to compile books. The pay is excellent. Would you like to give it a try?"

"Compiling a book?" The group exchanged bewildered glances. "Which academy?"

"I heard that the grandson of the emperor is setting up a school at Xiaoling Mausoleum and is going to compile new teaching materials."

"Oh? Could it be that third grandson of the emperor, known for his pure heart and filial piety?"

"Exactly!"

The group arrived at Xiaoling Mausoleum on a whim, only to be greeted by the emperor's grandson himself.

"Gentlemen, please take a look." Su Ning pushed a stack of manuscripts in front of them. "This is the textbook for 'National Studies' that I envision. It will not only include classics, histories, philosophical works, and literary collections, but also the memorials and governance strategies of famous ministers throughout history."

The elderly Confucian scholar Chen Yu, who was at the head of the group, opened the manuscript and his eyes lit up immediately: "This...this combines the Analects with the Zizhi Tongjian? Brilliant!"

“That’s not all.” Su Ning took out several other manuscripts. “The ‘Mathematics’ should include accounting practices, the ‘Investigation of Things’ should explain astronomy and geography, the ‘Agriculture’ should include farming techniques, and the ‘Industry’ should record the secrets of craftsmanship.”

Another scholar, Li Zhi, who was skilled in mathematics, exclaimed excitedly, "The Emperor's grandson's move is to cultivate talents who can be applied to practical affairs!"

Soon, several side halls on the east side of Xiaoling Mausoleum were transformed into an editorial office.

Dozens of writers worked day and night here, compiling teaching materials according to Suning's vision.

Heated discussions could be heard from time to time:
"Should this passage really be annotated using Zhu Xi's Collected Annotations?"

"Irrigation methods in agricultural books should be illustrated!"

Should the principles behind the new looms in workshops be included in textbooks?

Meanwhile, the Xiaoling Academy on the other side has now been expanded into a large-scale academy.

The three thousand students were divided into three departments according to their age and academic level: elementary school, primary school, and secondary school.

At dawn, the sound of children reciting aloud echoed throughout Xiaoling Mausoleum: "Heaven and earth were dark and yellow, the universe was vast and boundless..."

"Nine times nine equals one, the abacus must be precise..."

"The power of the waterwheel lies in its pivot..."

Chang Sheng came to visit that day and saw a group of students practicing archery on the training ground. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Yun Tong, these children are training very well!"

Su Ning smiled slightly: "Second Uncle, these are all children of the Chang family's former subordinates. They study in the morning and practice martial arts in the afternoon. They will all be good sons of our Great Ming in the future."

“But…” Chang Sheng lowered his voice, “Now that all the families in Huaixi are vying to send their children here, isn’t that too ostentatious?”

"It's alright." Su Ning said confidently. "Guests are always welcome. Xu Huizu from the Duke of Wei's family is in the middle school section, Feng Cheng from the Duke of Song's family is in the primary school section, and even Lan Bin from the Duke of Liang's family is here."

He pointed to the classrooms in the distance: "But I scattered them into different classes, and assigned our people to each class."

At this moment, Ma He came to report: "Your Highness, the profits of Ming Teng Trading Company this month have been tallied, totaling 87,000 taels. Franchisees in various regions have also opened 20 new branches."

"Take out 50,000 taels for the expansion of the academy," Su Ning instructed. "Also allocate 10,000 taels to double the writing fees for the teachers in the compilation office."

"The servant understands."

Looking at his nephew's shrewd and strategic demeanor, Chang Sheng couldn't help but sigh, "Yun Tong, the expenses of your academy are probably even greater than those of the Imperial Academy."

“It’s worth it.” Su Ning’s gaze was far-reaching. “After these students graduate, they will be the talents that the Ming Dynasty needs most. Those who can do accounting can go to the Ministry of Revenue, those who know about construction can go to the Ministry of Works, and those who know about agriculture can promote agriculture and sericulture.”

He paused, then said meaningfully, "Most importantly, they all received the same education and share the same beliefs."

When the news reached the palace, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the secret report from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and said to Zhu Biao, "Look at this kid, Yuntong, he's almost turned Xiaoling Mausoleum into a second Imperial Academy."

Zhu Biao said worriedly, "Father, aren't three thousand students too many? And there are so many students from Huaixi..."

"Let him do whatever he wants," Zhu Yuanzhang said dismissively.

He pointed to the figures in the secret report, "Besides, these expenses were all paid by Mingtang Trading Company, and not a single penny of the imperial court or the inner treasury was spent."

"Your Majesty, I am worried that Yunwen is too young and so arrogant..."

“Zhang Yang?” Zhu Yuanzhang sneered. “He’s cultivating talent for our Ming Dynasty! Look at these teaching materials…”

He picked up a book called "Gewu" (格物), saying, "The water conservancy and agricultural tools described here are all beneficial to the country and the people."

Meanwhile, inside Xiaoling Academy, Su Ning is giving a lecture to outstanding students in the middle school section.

"Today we'll talk about double-entry bookkeeping." Su Ning wrote the formula on the blackboard. "Debits and credits must be balanced. This is the way of doing business, and also the way of being an official."

In the audience, Xu Huizu, Lan Bin, and other sons of noble families were all taking notes diligently.

They were initially forced to come by their families, but now they are genuinely attracted by this novel knowledge.

After school, Su Ning specifically asked Ma He to stay behind: "Among these students, the particularly outstanding ones should be given special attention. Especially those from poor families, they should be given more opportunities."

"Your Highness, rest assured, I remember everything." Ma He handed over a list. "These are the top ten students in this month's assessment, six of whom are descendants of the Chang family's former subordinates."

Suning nodded in satisfaction.

He knew that these students would become his most capable assistants in the future.

And this Xiaoling Academy will become his most important base for changing this era.

As the sun sets, the academy remains brightly lit.

Inside the compilation hall, scholars were engaged in heated discussions; in the classrooms, students were studying diligently; and in the workshops, craftsmen were improving their equipment.

All of this foreshadows subtle changes that are quietly taking place in the Ming Dynasty.

...(End of chapter)