Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 160: Everyone should have a copy of this anime/manga style!

Nishiyama Tokuyosha was established.

To promote the better and faster development of Xishan Workshop, help migrants transform into "Xishan Workers", and comprehensively improve the overall quality of the working group in terms of morality, intelligence, physical fitness, aesthetics and labor.

On an auspicious day at the end of June, amidst the early summer heat, the first crosstalk troupe of the Ming Dynasty was established!

At the foot of Xishan Mountain, Zhang Shiyuan, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Zeng Shengwu, the Minister of Works, Zhang Cheng, the eunuch of the Directorate of Palace Attendants, Yang Jishi, the Vice President and Standing Director of the Renmin Imperial Physicians Association, and representatives of Huizhou merchants, along with a host of other figures, gathered to witness the grand opening of the Deyun Society.

Logically speaking, the establishment of a small organization like "Nishiyama Tokuyunsha" should not have been so grand.

It even attracted the participation of various forces, including court officials, palace eunuchs, and merchants in the capital.

What appeared to be the opening ceremony of a crosstalk troupe was actually a belated opening ceremony for the "Xishan Workshop".

It wasn't that Zhang Yunxiu didn't value it; it was simply that the establishment of Xishan Workshop was fraught with difficulties, and the preparation process was extremely rushed.

To be honest, he was oversimplifying the matter of developing industry in ancient times.

The road must be walked step by step.

Since the workshop was completed a month ago, Zhang Yunxiu has had no time to think about making money; his priority has been to properly resettle the more than 10,000 refugees.

Over the course of a month, Zhang Yunxiu used every trick in the book to swindle and deceive, drawing all available support and allied forces into this transformation.

Make as many friends as possible and as few enemies as possible.

Despite the constant obstacles in their cooperation, the Duke of England, Zhang Rong, who was in charge of the Beijing Garrison, was still very dedicated to his work.

In Zhang Yunxiu's eyes, since both of them shared the surname "Zhang," they could be considered distant relatives.

This mutual assistance is based on the friendship between our families, and is by no means due to some shallow and mercenary reason such as threatening him with tens of thousands of taels of silver and Zhang Yuanhao.

Today, at the entrance of Xishan Deyun Society.

The workers in Xishan were arranged in neat and orderly square formations.

At the front of the formation, a temporary platform rose up from the ground, with a podium and a simple megaphone set up on it.

Yang Jishi, then vice president of Renmin Medical Clinic, spoke passionately on the podium, telling the workers about a number of safety precautions to take in the mine.

Of course, using a simple loudspeaker as an amplifier is still not very effective.

Thinking of this, Zhang Yunxiu set up some messengers around the meeting place to explain the content of the speech to the workers in real time.

"Unexpectedly, Physician Yang has such eloquence. He speaks so logically and clearly that I'm afraid the workers from Xishan will not be able to understand him."

Sitting in the "leader's seat" on the back, Zhang Cheng looked at the podium and couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

Beside him, Zhang Yunxiu explained with a smile, "Eunuch Zhang, you may not know this, but this Imperial Physician Yang, although he has no official rank, has been well-versed in poetry and literature since childhood. These words are just something he made up on the spot."

As for whether the workers can understand, there are guides on hand to ensure that.

Zhang Cheng gave the other person a strange look and said, "Tour guide?"

"Tell your father-in-law."

Zhang Yunxiu gave a brief explanation.

"I recruited a group of storytellers from the capital. They not only tell stories to the workers, but also take charge of various propaganda work."

As you should know, publicity is of utmost importance. If Xishan Workshop cannot work together with one heart, how can it handle all its affairs well?

If I fail to successfully establish the Xishan Workshop, how can I live up to His Majesty's high expectations of me?

"Uh"

Zhang Cheng opened his mouth in surprise, but couldn't say a word. He then sighed and said...

“I am not knowledgeable about business, but I am here on behalf of His Majesty to oversee this Xishan workshop. After all, it is a business worth hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. Magistrate Zhang, please remember to be extremely cautious!”

In total, hundreds of thousands of taels of silver were invested, which was almost one-tenth of the imperial treasury.

If it were truly a waste of time and money, the young emperor might faint from anger.

Zhang Yunxiu, brimming with confidence, patted his chest and said.

"Please rest assured, Father-in-law. Don't you know how I, Zhang Yunxiu, am? I'm reliable. If Renmin Medical Hall can be established, Xishan Workshop can too."

"Zhang Tongzhi, you still need to be careful. If something goes wrong, neither of us can withstand His Majesty's wrath; our lives will be in danger!"

Zhang Cheng wore a bitter expression, feeling that the person in front of him was unreliable. The key issue was that the other party acted too "unconventionally." If he could be more composed, given his many achievements in establishing the medical clinic, no one would doubt him.

But Zhang Yunxiu's personality
Zhang Cheng sighed heavily again; he knew the emperor's temperament all too well.

This emperor is exceptionally greedy, a rarity throughout history.

It's alright now that Xishan Workshop is thriving, but if they really lose money, they might really turn their backs on us.

"My life is in danger?"

Zhang Yunxiu looked puzzled.

“You are mistaken, Eunuch Zhang. It is not us. I, Zhang Yunxiu, can still save my life.”

In an instant, Zhang Cheng's face turned green.

As the other party said, he relied on his father being Zhang Juzheng, his childhood friendship with the emperor, and his contributions to the court, so he couldn't afford to lose his life.

I am nothing more than a servant.
For a moment, Zhang Cheng was on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry, don't worry, it was just a joke. My Xishan Workshop will definitely not lose money, Father-in-law, please rest assured~"

After offering a few words of comfort, Zhang Yunxiu lowered his voice and said...

"Speaking of which, there is something even more important. Does your father-in-law have anything to give me?"

Zhang Cheng was about to get angry, but his face froze upon hearing this.

He sighed heavily, took a stack of manuscript papers wrapped in a yellow brocade handkerchief from his bosom, and handed them to Zhang Yunxiu with slightly trembling hands.

"Let me see!"

Zhang Yunxiu's eyes lit up, and he snatched the manuscript, examining it carefully.

The more you look at his face, the happier you become.

Zhang Cheng, however, looked around suspiciously and said in a low voice.

"Zhang Tongzhi, you must not make a fuss about this. Under no circumstances should anyone else know that this is His Majesty's work, or we will surely suffer His Majesty's wrath!"

Zhang Yunxiu said nonchalantly, "Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, and I know. If we don't tell anyone, who in the world would think that this erotic painting was made by His Majesty?"

"Wrong! Wrong!" Zhang Cheng exclaimed anxiously. "It's not an erotic picture, it's a painting of court ladies!"

He was really about to cry.

Since Zhang Yunxiu appeared, Zhang Cheng felt that he hadn't had a single day of peace.

They always do all sorts of unorthodox and unconventional things, and if you're not careful, you'll be dragged out and made a scapegoat.

What a terrible mess!
"That is a painting of court ladies!"

Zhang Yunxiu smacked his lips, examining the woman in the erotic painting.

In order to prevent Emperor Wanli from copying the paintings from the palace, he had previously found many erotic paintings on the market for the emperor to use as reference.

He even found a book based on "Jin Ping Mei" which the emperor absolutely loved and found inspired by.

His painting skills became increasingly refined, which was during the Ming Dynasty. If he were in later generations, he would definitely be a master who established his own school.

Zhang Yunxiu sighed and said.

"With these things, the workers at Xishan Workshop will surely be full of energy again!"

After all, it's not easy for everyone to have a real-life wife, but everyone can have a copy of these "two-dimensional" paintings of court ladies!

Unfortunately, industrial development couldn't keep up, and rubber was hard to obtain, otherwise...
Zhang Cheng was on the verge of tears, waving his hands repeatedly as he spoke.

"Don't make a fuss! Don't make a fuss!"

He didn't know how Zhang Yunxiu had persuaded the emperor to paint "erotic pictures" for him.

In order to maintain stability, these erotic pictures were even mass-produced in the printing workshop, so that each worker in the workshop would have a copy.

Such unorthodox and heretical acts cannot be found even after searching through all the historical records!
But Zhang Yunxiu did exactly that, and the emperor didn't object.

He even felt unusually excited about the Xishan workers' fondness for his erotic paintings.

Fortunately, unless there is solid evidence, it is really hard to imagine that erotic paintings were made by His Majesty the Emperor in the palace.

Zhang Cheng sighed, feeling utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally.

After the opening ceremony, before it got dark, another performance was held at the Nishiyama Tokuyonsha Theater.

Construction in Xishan is still underway, and the building materials such as cement that Zhang Yunxiu wanted are still in the research and development stage.

Therefore, the Xishan Deyun Society was actually just a simple tent that was set up and a high platform was erected for performances.

Even so, both the workers in the audience and the performers on stage were extremely excited.

After several performances, Zhu Yinghuai and Zhang Yuanhao were already quite adept at it.

The piece they are performing on stage today, "Eight Folding Screens," is also derived from Zhang Yunxiu's "creation."

After several days of rehearsals, the two performed with perfect chemistry.

Zhang Yuanhao, with his high-pitched voice, acted like a storyteller, perfectly portraying Zhang Fei's appearance in "Eight Folding Screens".

"Zhang Fei, with his leopard-like head and bulging eyes, his face as smooth as iron, black and shiny, roared: 'Cao Cao, listen up! Hey! Your Third Master Zhang is here today!'"

Compared to previous pieces, "Eight Folding Screens" is clearly more culturally rich, drawing inspiration from the vivid characters in the story. It not only brings joy to the workers but also gradually broadens their knowledge.

"Horses have the virtue of lowering their reins, dogs have the kindness of feeding on wet grass, lambs kneel to suckle to repay their mothers' kindness, and monkeys steal immortal fruits and run away on their own."

As darkness fell, Zhang Sishu and his men still seemed reluctant to leave.

He shook his head and swayed as he walked, recounting scenes from "Eight Folding Screens".

Compared to some popular and humorous anecdotes, Zhang Sishu clearly preferred and admired these anecdotes drawn from historical novels and fictional accounts.

The man beside him, listening to the music, sometimes puzzled, was also captivated by the vivid characters depicted.

Zhang Hangzi remarked with emotion, "Who could have imagined that we would be able to watch this grand show every few days? It's a day we never dreamed of."

Zhang Gouzi chuckled: "Compared to crosstalk, I prefer this painting of ladies. Tsk tsk tsk, I wonder whose brushstrokes are so lifelike. I wonder when Mr. Zhang will send us a new one."

Erotic paintings are still too explicit, so nowadays in Xishan, people prefer to call them "Ladies' Paintings".

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sishu became furious and stepped forward to slap Zhang Gouzi on the head.

“You silly fool, you stare at these paintings of ladies, but at night you still sneak out under the moonlight! If you were literate and had this kind of drive, you could be a bookkeeper in a workshop.”

"Ouch~ Ouch~ The old man's pinch is too heavy."

With a helpless glance at the other party, Zhang Sishu sighed heavily and reprimanded his men.

“Zhang Tongzhi is kind-hearted and has found us a way to survive. We cannot be lazy and cheat, and let down Zhang Tongzhi’s kindness.”

Zhang Gouzi scratched his head and said, "Don't worry, elder. Master Zhang is fair in rewarding and punishing. Every man on West Mountain remembers his kindness. They all work very hard."

"We will certainly do our best, after all, any extra work we do is for ourselves."

Hangzi chuckled beside him, but when he turned his head, he seemed quite worried.

"Elder, this workshop is good, but can Master Zhang really make money? If he can't make money, won't we lose our livelihood again?"

Zhang Hangzi's ideas were very simple. Back in the countryside, even the kindest landlords had to be careful with their money. How could they be as extravagant as Master Zhang?
They called themselves country soldiers, but it was still evident that during these days, from building workshops and canteens to bathhouses and "employee dormitories" built for them.

Although they were all rather simple, the amount of silver spent was by no means small.

Can such an investment really be recouped through coal briquettes and the glass factory?
That's how people are. When life is bad, they long for it to get better; when life is good, they fear losing it.

Zhang Sishu narrowed his eyes. He had the same concern in his mind, but he still scolded, "Why are you thinking so much? The adults have their own considerations. Do they need you, a meddling soldier, to interfere?"

After a month, the Xishan workshop was finally on track, with a steady stream of coal being transported down from Xishan.

The mountains of coal were transported, some to the glass workshops as fuel, and others were transported via the Yongding River to Guangning Gate in the capital to be used by the people of Beijing for cooking.

The surplus coal would be transported by waterway to various places in Beizhili.

The production process is so well-organized that there's no worry about sales.

Nowadays, a pound of good quality coal costs about forty coins.

Zhang Yunxiu directly sold off his stock at a clearance sale price of 20 coins per catty. How could he possibly worry about sales?
This is an extremely large market.

With over a million people living in the capital, the demand for fuel is already enormous.

Later, Gu Yanwu, a scholar in the late Ming Dynasty, said in his book "The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Counties and States Under Heaven": "In the capital, a million households all use coal as firewood."

Trees are scarce in the outskirts of Beijing, and the price of firewood and charcoal is extremely high, so almost every household buys coal to cook with.

This clearly demonstrates the immense demand for coal in the capital during that era.

In the past, all the major business in the capital was handled by merchants who purchased goods from Zhuozhou, Zunhua, and even various places in Southern Zhili and transported them to the capital.

However, once the coal from Xishan Workshop was produced...

The people of the capital were unwilling to buy the expensive coal from foreign enemies.

People were so keen on Xishan coal that as soon as a Xishan cart entered the capital, it would be sold out before even reaching the city gates.

why?
Because these coal blocks from Xishan are not only cheap, but they are also much better than the best coal blocks in the capital!
Unlike the coal blocks of the past, the coal in Xishan Coal Mine is made in the form of lotus root coal, with each piece resembling a honeycomb lotus root.

Not only is it easier to move and store than before.

Compared to expensive coal, this briquettes can burn for even longer in a stove!
With such high-quality and inexpensive goods available today, what competitive edge do other coal mines have?

Even when the price was reduced to twenty coins, no one was interested.

What if we lower it to ten coins?

Then the merchants in the capital would have to make a losing deal.

Of course, among the merchants in the capital, there was a group of people who were fearless and emboldened.

The Huizhou merchants, led by Wang Shishun, have been beaming with joy these days, lingering in the Goulan Hutong near Dongsi Archway in Beijing for three consecutive days.

It made others extremely envious.

They all began to regret why they hadn't asked Zhang Shiyuan to invest in Xishan Workshop back then. If they had, they would probably be the ones spending money like water in the brothel alley right now.

Of course, the most anxious group is another group.

Inside the Shanxi Merchants Guild Hall in Beijing.

Today, merchants of all sizes gathered together, and they all looked ashen-faced, as if their mothers had died. Some even had dark circles under their eyes, as if they hadn't slept for several days.

At this moment, a middle-aged man with a long face, narrow forehead, prominent cheekbones, and wearing a dark blue silk robe walked out of the hall.

Upon seeing him enter the hall, the dozen or so merchants present immediately stood up and bowed.

"Manager Fan!"

"No need for formalities. I, Fan Yongdou, am in charge of this Shanxi Merchants Guild Hall because I want to help you all. Things have been difficult lately, so please speak freely."

Although Fan Yongdou said this, his manner of speaking still betrayed that of a superior.

"Thank you, Manager Fan!"

The merchants in the hall were very respectful. After bowing deeply to Fan Yongdou, they took their seats in the hall according to their respective positions.

No sooner had they sat down than someone couldn't hold back any longer. A younger merchant, who had clearly just taken over the family business, spoke up eagerly.

"That Zhang Shiyuan is simply not letting anyone live! In the past, the best coal was 40 coins a pound, and everyone made a profit, but he insisted on charging 20 coins a pound."

That damn briquettes are even more durable than our best coal. This time, not only will we not be able to sell coal, but we won't be able to sell coal dust either!
This is absolutely outrageous!

His accusations opened the floodgates, and then other merchants chimed in.

"Yes, I've heard that the Xishan workshops give displaced soldiers five hundred coins a month, while the clerks in the various government offices in Beizhili only get a little over five hundred coins a month! What does Zhang Shiyuan want to do?"
This disrupts the order of the market and undermines the fundamental principles of our commerce!

For a moment, pessimism and resentment intertwined in the lobby, and someone sighed and said.

"Zhang Shiyuan, relying on his powerful father, could do whatever he wanted in the capital, even favoring Grand Secretary Zhang and Xu."

The merchant was speechless for a moment, and dared not continue speaking, for fear that if someone overheard him, they would accuse him of colluding with the White Lotus Religion.

Today, the Embroidered Uniform Guard is still arresting remnants of the White Lotus Cult throughout the capital.

Seeing the merchants getting angry, pessimistic, and lamenting, Fan Yongdou frowned and said in a deep voice.

"Let's not dwell on the past; let's deal with the present issue first."

He paused and looked at the old man on his left.

What is Mr. Li's opinion?

All eyes turned to Li Mingxing.

This man looked very old and frail, with a hunched back. Even when he sat in the hall, he was leaning on a cane and resting with his eyes closed.

He was born in the first year of the Zhengde reign and is now 76 years old, which is considered a very long life for people of ancient times.

Li Mingxing had been a merchant for many years and was quite well-known in the Shanxi area.

For many Shanxi merchants, if they were to find someone to solve their current predicament, then he would be the only one who could do it.

Li Mingxing struggled to open his eyes, looked at Fan Yongdou, then at the merchants present, and let out a dry laugh.

“You youngsters make a fuss over every little thing. Zhang Shiyuan may have some skills, but I don’t think we need to worry about him.”

Even though Li Mingxing was a senior figure, many people were still unconvinced by his words.

The young merchant who had just complained couldn't help but ask in return.

"How can you say there's no need to worry, Mr. Li? When Renmin Medical Clinic was first established, everyone in the capital ridiculed it, but what happened later? Didn't Zhang Shiyuan still make a fortune?"

The merchants were all furious about this, as medical clinics in the capital were an extremely lucrative business.

But once Renmin Medical Clinic entered the market, it left no room for other medical clinics to survive. Now, the other party wants to get involved in the coal mine.
Li Mingxing, however, shook his head slowly and deliberately.

“Times have changed. He used the plague to catch us off guard before, which was nothing more than relying on His Majesty’s favor and the power of the court.”

Without these, he would just be a child who knows how to use petty tricks.

He smiled dismissively.

"We do not know what strange skills he used to produce such high-quality lotus root coal. But one thing is clear: the production of that lotus root coal is by no means an easy task."

"We didn't make a profit on those twenty coins, but Zhang Shiyuan did?"

Li Mingxing possessed a calm composure born from years of experience in the business world, and he chuckled as he spoke.

"It's nothing but a trick to seize the market. This guy has ulterior motives and wants to drive us out of the coal mining business in the capital with low prices!"

Then he'll raise the prices again, and with a temporary loss, he'll absorb the entire coal mining industry in Beijing!

After his analysis, the Shanxi merchants, both large and small, seemed to have understood.

Fan Yongdou laughed and said, "That brat underestimates us. The coal mining business in the capital can barely reach a million taels of silver a year. We Shanxi merchants will pool our resources and let him run wild for a few months. Once he has squandered all the money, let's see how he explains himself to the emperor!"

"Is that so?"

"Haha! That Zhang Shiyuan is just a greenhorn, yet he wants to learn how to do business. How laughable!"

"It seems we were overthinking things; it is Mr. Li who is truly knowledgeable and experienced."

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the hall became lively, and many dejected merchants regained their spirits, as if Zhang Shiyuan would collapse on his own in a few months.

However, it's clear that some people have figured it out.

"I don't think it's that simple."

Suddenly, different voices came from the crowd.

The merchants looked in the direction of the voice and saw it was Wang Dengku, a veteran among the Shanxi merchants.

But then he said in a deep voice, "Since the opening of the Xishan Workshop, I have sent people to investigate in many ways and have found out something."

Wang Dengku sighed.

"The result was not satisfactory. Although I do not want to praise Zhang Shiyuan, I have to admire his ingenuity."

As far as I know, on that western mountain, from the top of Coal Hill down, there is a track made of fine iron.

Zhang Shiyuan built a mining cart that used tracks to descend, which saved a lot of effort.

And the winch, used to transport craftsmen and coal in the mine, is also twice as efficient.

Not to mention the production of smokeless briquettes.

He shook his head and said with a hint of despair.

"We are far inferior to Zhang Shiyuan."

"This"

Fan Yongdou knew that the Xishan Workshop had something special about it, but he didn't expect it to be so sophisticated.

He couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

Is there a way to replicate it?

"Heh~" Wang Dengku sneered. "Not to mention how difficult it is to acquire that skill, even if we did, the entire Xishan Coal Mine would already be in Zhang Shiyuan's hands. Can our coal mines in various parts of Beizhili compare to the convenience of the western suburbs?"

For a moment, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

The atmosphere was even more desperate than before.

An elderly merchant sighed deeply, almost to the point of tears.

"Is there really no one in this world who can subdue this devil Zhang Shiyuan?"

Just as pessimism was reaching its peak, Li Mingxing spoke again.

"Here we go again. You youngsters are just too impetuous."

Fan Yongdou asked in confusion, "Does the old gentleman have another way?"

"Dong Dong~"

Li Mingxing tapped the floor twice heavily with his cane and looked at the merchants in the hall.

“I’ve always told you to read more books, but you never listened. Now you’ve made such a mistake?”

My claim that Zhang Shiyuan was being cunning is not without basis.
Even if the Xishan Coal Mine manages to pull off some amazing feats, there's still an intractable problem!

With a glimmer of hope in his eyes, Fan Yongdou quickly asked, "Please enlighten me, sir!"

"Hey~"

Li Mingxing spoke in a hoarse voice, revealing a mouthful of gold teeth.

"Don't you all know that the Western Mountain belongs to the water element in the Five Elements theory?"

　Note 1: Price references are found in "Miscellaneous Records of Wan County" and "Regulations for Factories and Warehouses of the Ministry of Works".

　　Note 2: Regarding the income of bailiffs, see Lü Kun's "A Memorial on Border Affairs and the People's Hardships" in Volume 416 of "Ming Dynasty Essays on Statecraft": "Nowadays, the wages of bailiffs, strongmen, gatekeepers, and bailiffs in various government offices are as low as two cents of silver per day, and as high as three or four cents. There are no miscellaneous levies in this, but there are also other demands for profit."

　　Calculations show that the annual income would be approximately seven to fourteen taels of silver, or about 500 to 1200 cash per month. The text, written in the tone of a merchant, naturally uses the lowest possible estimate.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)