Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 228 Shocking Zhu Biao for a Hundred Years
Zhu Biao stared in disbelief at what he was holding.

After staring blankly for a while, he turned to look at his father and spoke in disbelief.

"Father, this...this is the result you were talking about?"
You brought your child here just to see this?

Zhu Biao was starting to lose his composure.

The reason was simply that what his father had shown him was too unexpected and unimaginable.

This was something he had never expected.

The more I anticipated it, the more shocked I became when I saw it.

accident!

This is such a surprise!
The unexpected turn of events left him utterly dumbfounded.

"Yes, Biao'er, this is the good stuff we brought you to see."

Zhu Yuanzhang readily agreed, his whole demeanor radiating a mixture of pride and excitement.

Zhu Biao looked at his father's reaction, then at the thing he was holding, and felt a little confused.

For a moment, he didn't know if he hadn't understood properly, or if his father was teasing him.

The thing in his hand didn't look like anything good.

I saw what I was holding again; it was some paper, white paper.

We see paper labels all the time; we deal with paper every day in our daily office work, reading, and calligraphy practice.

But this piece of paper was completely unexpected.

This paper is not the kind of smooth, flat paper that is usually easy to write on.

Instead, it's a very soft object that you hold in your hand, and it doesn't look convenient for writing.

If you write on it with a pen, won't all the ink smudge and blot it out?
It is inconvenient to write on, and equally inconvenient to preserve.

What use is such paper?

How did it become such a rare and precious thing in my father's mouth? Why did my father value it so much?
He even specifically invited me to come and watch.

His joy and appreciation for the appearance of this thing were undisguised and overflowing.

Something is wrong, very wrong!
Zhu Biao always felt that he was still smart enough, and at least he understood his father, the emperor, very well.

But this time, he was completely stumped.

Zhu Yuanzhang observed his son Biao'er's reaction and smiled broadly.

I knew Biao'er would be completely bewildered after seeing this.

Now it seems that it is indeed the case.

"Haha, Biao'er, we're not mistaken, this is truly a good thing."

This paper is different from ordinary paper; it's not for writing.

Zhu Yuanzhang then began to explain to his eldest son.

This is why Zhu Biao is different. If it were any other son, under the same circumstances, Zhu Yuanzhang would have kept them in suspense for a while before revealing the secret to them.

Not written?
What else can paper be used for besides writing?
Could it be used to make paper money?
But the old kind of paper had already appeared long ago, and this white paper really couldn't compare to the yellow paper used for paper money.

Even if the Emperor intends to make a replacement, the common people probably wouldn't be willing to use it.

"We've given this paper a name: toilet paper."

"Biao'er, look, it absorbs water very well."

As he spoke, Zhu Yuanzhang found a cup, poured in some water, took a piece of toilet paper, placed it on the cup, and quickly absorbed the water.

"Besides that, this stuff is great for wiping your face and hands. It's very hygienic, and it's a disposable product that you can throw away after use."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao blinked.

This thing... doesn't seem that special, does it?
Can't you just use a handkerchief to wipe your hands and face?
If a handkerchief gets dirty, you can wash it and reuse it, so nothing is wasted.

Paper is not a cheap thing.

For many students, buying paper to use has become a significant burden.

Some families can't even afford it.

As a result, he and his father went to make paper to make these things, which was somewhat inappropriate.

"What we're talking about is just one function; its greater function is actually for wiping your butt."

When Zhu Yuanzhang talked about this, he felt like he was about to burst into tears.

In his past life, he always used toilet sticks and never thought anything of it.

However, after living in modern times for more than a decade, the feeling of using toilet sticks again upon returning is simply indescribable.

Toilet sticks are simply shaved bamboo or wooden strips.

Scrape the surface until it is smooth and flat, without any burrs.

After defecating, use it to scrape your bowels, then rinse it in water and leave it there for next time.

Now that he's returned from studying abroad, it would be truly unbearable to have him use it again.

Every time I go to the toilet, I miss the toilet paper of later generations.

He naturally knew that many wealthy families used cloth, and some even used silk as paper.

As the emperor, if he wanted to use these things, then naturally he could afford to.

But he was used to being frugal, and he really couldn't bring himself to use things like silk and satin as toilet paper, just like those people.

I just felt it was such a waste.

So I had to endure the discomfort and use toilet paper.

After using it for a while, Zhu Yuanzhang finally decided he couldn't bear it any longer.

They also need to get someone to provide toilet paper.

We handed the project over to the industrial university and let them do it.

Now that they've made toilet paper, how could Zhu Yuanzhang not be happy?

"If you were to use it for this, it would indeed be quite good."

Zhu Biao's eyes also brightened.

And he began to understand why his father was so happy.

Zhu Biao also used toilet sticks most of the time.

I only use cloth occasionally.

Like his father, he also felt that the fabric was too expensive and was reluctant to use some of it.

The paper for writing is alright, but it's a bit stiff and doesn't work well, and it also feels a bit expensive.

The paper that Father Emperor had made is very soft, perfect for use in the toilet.

Moreover, although paper is a bit expensive, it is still much cheaper than using cloth or even silk.

If it were used in this context, it would indeed be a very good product.

This is especially true for those who suffer from hemorrhoids; it's a blessing in disguise and deserves their praise.

"But... Father, if we really do these things, then in the future, there will definitely be many people who criticize us, saying that the court is excessive and too extravagant."

Countless students couldn't even afford paper, yet the imperial court used this very paper for urination.

"Let them say what they want. If they're so capable, then they'll refuse to use toilet paper once it's widely available!"
Many wealthy families use fine silks and satins for urination, yet none of them ever utter a single fart!

Zhu Yuanzhang snorted, clearly showing his deep dissatisfaction and disdain.

Zhu Biao knew that his father, the emperor, was right, but some people were crooked in their opinions and always had their eyes on the court.

The key is toilet paper, which can indeed be associated with the sacred act of reading and writing.

In this situation, some well-intentioned individuals can then provide guidance and conduct some publicity.

That would easily attract a lot of people to join in the commotion.

"Once this paper is manufactured and sold, only wealthy families can afford to use it."

It has nothing to do with ordinary people.

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Biao'er, there's no need to worry too much about this."

Sooner or later, this stuff will be available in ordinary people's homes, so they won't have to use clods of dirt and leaves anymore, and they can afford toilet paper too.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao was somewhat shocked and also somewhat disbelieving.

Paper has never been cheap. Even the toilet paper made by my own father, the emperor, using less material, is still considered relatively expensive.

Ordinary families can stretch every penny they have, and they try to avoid spending money whenever possible.

Many families, aside from buying salt and necessary farm tools, wouldn't spend a single extra penny.

Many families are even struggling to feed themselves.

Where would we find the time or energy to consider these things?
It's even less likely that they would buy toilet paper for use in the toilet.

"Biao'er, this stuff was indeed expensive when it first appeared, but as the technology matures and the efficiency and scale of paper production increase, it will become more efficient."

Then the price can be driven down, and it will keep getting lower and lower.

And why is this paper so expensive?
Besides various other reasons, the most important factor is the high cost of the raw materials used to make paper.

Therefore, paper prices remain high.

The straw, bark, and other fibers used to make paper were indeed not expensive at all in later generations; they were inexpensive.

But in the Ming Dynasty today, it's hardly cheap.

Nowadays, firewood is incredibly useful.

Putting aside everything else, just the firewood used for cooking alone consumes an unknown amount of firewood every day.

Firewood, rice, oil, and salt—these are the necessities of life, with firewood being the most important. Wages are called salaries, and the word for salary is firewood, which gives a glimpse into this.

Besides the firewood needed for cooking, feeding livestock also requires a large amount of fodder.

One important source of fodder is the straw harvested after crops are planted.

Nowadays, large livestock such as oxen, horses, donkeys, and mules are necessities for plowing and pulling carts, are great helpers, and are also the greatest wealth for many families.

The amount of fodder needed is quite substantial.

Most families use their straw to feed these livestock.

Under these circumstances, things like firewood and straw, which were cheap in later generations, are not cheap at all now.

Many families don't even have enough firewood for themselves and have to go out of their way to collect it.

People living in towns and cities need to buy firewood to burn.

It's really not easy to get firewood.

In later generations, however, the situation was different. In the vast rural areas of later generations, the number of people raising large livestock such as cattle and horses decreased significantly.

On the one hand, farming has become mechanized, with tractors and other vehicles, so there's no need for oxen or horses to plow or travel.

Another reason is that raising these animals yields low returns, and for many people, it's not as profitable as working outside the village.

In later times, coal gas and natural gas also began to be widely used.

This energy source has largely replaced traditional wood-burning stoves for heating and cooking.

Even in vast rural areas, wood-burning stoves have gradually been phased out, and gas has been used on a large scale.

While many households still use wood-burning stoves for cooking things like stewing meat or steaming buns, most people use gas or electricity for cooking most of the time.

The demand for diesel has decreased significantly.

In the later years of Zhu Yuanzhang's reign, he visited many mountains and forests, where there were many withered branches and dry firewood.

It just fell there, and nobody picked it up.

This is simply unimaginable in the present-day Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, the combined effect of these two factors led to a rapid decline in the price of firewood.

With the addition of large-scale industrial production and the improvement of people's living standards, toilet paper has truly entered ordinary households.

It has become an indispensable necessity of life.

"Biao'er, don't worry, we'll take it one step at a time, and eventually these things will be able to enter ordinary people's homes."

Zhu Yuanzhang spoke to Zhu Biao, his voice filled with confidence and a touch of emotion.

If one day, our Ming Dynasty could also enable its people to live at that level, how wonderful would that be?
"Things need to be done step by step. We've already had people start researching coal stoves and making honeycomb briquettes."

This will be promoted nationwide in the future.

Coal was used as fuel for daily household heating, cooking, iron smelting, steelmaking, kiln firing, and as fuel for large-scale military campaigns.

If these methods are widely adopted, a significant amount of firewood and straw can be saved.

This can lower the price of firewood and reduce the cost of paper production.

Given the current level of development in the Ming Dynasty, it is clearly unrealistic to expect to extract and utilize natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas.

You can only dream about it and be envious.

At this stage, the only usable resource is coal.

Coal is indeed being mined and used to some extent nowadays, but the scale is still too small.

It only occupies a small, scattered portion.

There is so much potential to be explored.

It is essential to promote the large-scale use of coal to replace firewood for daily cooking, heating, and industrial purposes.

On the one hand, coal has high combustion efficiency, and in the early stages of industrialization, this solid fuel buried underground also occupied a large part of the energy and was an extremely important energy source.

As for the potential for air pollution and even acid rain, that's something we'll have to discuss later.

The fundamental principle is to develop first; environmental protection can be put on hold for a while.

Once we reach a certain level, we can then address the issue step by step.

It's not enough to only talk about the environment without talking about development.

At this stage, the Ming Dynasty is certainly not at the point where it needs to consider such pollution, nor does it have the capability to do so.

The large-scale use of coal, which replaced firewood, also gave rise to many new industries.

For example, coal mining, coal mine operation, and related transportation, coal stove manufacturing, honeycomb briquette production, and a series of other activities have spawned an entire industrial chain.

Using coal can also reduce the need for firewood.

Nowadays, in order to have firewood, most places have reserved special forests and grass slopes to grow firewood for cooking in autumn and winter.

Besides these, there are also large areas of yellow thatch grass slopes.

Yellow thatch is used for building houses and paving roofs.

Once coal is widely used in the future, these can all be replaced.

These places can then be reclaimed into land to support more people and produce more food.

This also produces more straw, which can be used for papermaking.

Furthermore, we should lower the price of paper so that more people can afford it.

This is a series of reactions.

The benefits of making these things cheaper go far beyond simply making paper cheaper; they involve many aspects.

It can free up a large number of people from things like chopping wood.

Let them have more time to do more useful things.

The paper and firewood looked ordinary, or rather, quite unremarkable.

But in reality, it is something of utmost importance.

If these things can be done, then it's not just the price of toilet paper that will be reduced.

The price of paper used for reading and writing will also decrease accordingly.

It also has great benefits for people who can read and write.

However, these things require long-term implementation and will not be effective quickly; they require unwavering and steady progress.

Zhu Yuanzhang told Zhu Biao about his plans to use coal on a large scale to replace firewood and charcoal in the future.

After listening, Zhu Biao pondered deeply.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that his father, the emperor, was right.

It seems that's really how things are.

I felt both excited and deeply impressed.

Father Emperor is thinking long-term!
How could they even think of these things!

How could Father Emperor possibly come up with these ideas?
Zhu Biao originally believed that his father, the emperor, had a knack for governing the country and managing many other matters.

Now, he realized that his previous understanding of his father was somewhat superficial.

My father is not only good at governing the country, he has a real knack for it.
They also had a deep understanding of how to improve people's livelihoods, fundamentally improve people's lives, and enhance the national strength of the Ming Dynasty.

It may seem like just paper and firewood, but in reality, there are far more factors involved.

Zhu Biao was eager to see this toilet paper become a staple in ordinary households, just as his father had said.

When that time really comes, our Great Ming Dynasty will definitely undergo earth-shattering changes!

Just think, ordinary people can now use toilet paper that is unimaginable and out of reach.

Therefore, there has also been significant development in areas such as food, clothing, housing, and transportation.

A period of great prosperity occurred.

The basic necessities of life for ordinary people, such as food, clothing, housing, and transportation, may seem like trivial matters.

But in reality, it's not small at all.

Just as my father once said, these are the true manifestations of national strength and the most direct expression of the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty.

There will come a day when even the lives of ordinary people will become like this.

How far can our Ming Dynasty develop?
Who else can threaten the Ming Dynasty?
Those countries all had to bow down and submit to the Ming Dynasty!

These are not advantages of military force, but they inspire even more confidence than the advantages of military force!

The people are not governed by the boundaries of the territory, the country is not secured by the dangers of mountains and rivers, and the world is not intimidated by the advantages of weapons.

Mencius' famous saying was put into practice at this moment!
If we could really do all that, the Ming Dynasty would be invincible!

So this is the most accurate explanation of why those who follow the right path receive much help, while those who stray from it receive little!

If this were truly achieved, who would be willing to let the Ming Dynasty perish?
If anyone dares to try to destroy the Ming Dynasty, the vast majority of people will not agree!

……

"Have you heard? The emperor has actually ordered the production of a special kind of paper."

It's not for writing, it's for wiping your butt!

"Is there such a thing?"

"Absolutely true!"

"Good! Good! Zhu Chongba has finally been exposed! He has always advocated frugality and portrayed himself as a saint."

Now to do such extravagant things
Ladies and gentlemen, our chance has come!

(End of this chapter)