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

Chapter 191 Zhang Juzheng's First Encounter with Western Hills Economics
The time it takes for three incense sticks to burn to announce this is over.

Zhang Juzheng waited anxiously outside the West Gate.

He noticed that the servants and sedan chair bearers beside him were all covered in sweat.

He looked around and noticed that there were many vendors selling "fragrant drinks" on the roadside near the West Mountain gate. He then instructed his steward, You Qi.

"You Qi, go and buy some fragrant drinks. The weather is unbearably hot, and the journey is long. Everyone must be exhausted."

"Yes."

Having received Zhang Juzheng's instructions, You Qi immediately gathered several servants and went together.

Not long after, You Qi brought back more than a dozen portions, first presenting them to Zhang Juzheng, and then distributing them one by one.

"Thank you, Master Yuanfu~"

The sedan bearers and servants, already drenched in sweat, felt as if they had been given a new lease on life after receiving this "fragrant drink."

Zhang Juzheng took a sip of the fragrant drink.

This herbal soup, made from herbs such as perilla, patchouli, licorice, and mint, is refreshing and delicious with every sip. It even has some sugar and ice added, making it even more pleasant.

With the fragrant drink in hand, Zhang Juzheng's anger subsided somewhat. He looked at You Qi and asked, "This fragrant drink has all the ingredients, not only honey but also ice. It must cost quite a bit of money per serving, right?"

It wasn't that Zhang Juzheng was unwilling to part with the money.

What he was more concerned about was that the prices listed by the vendors at the entrance of Xishan could largely reflect the situation in Xishan.

This casual question elicited a strange expression from You Qi, who stammered in response.

Zhang Juzheng frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"

You Qi then explained, "It's a bit strange, really. It's late summer now, and the price of cellar ice in the capital is already extremely high. Logically speaking, this excellent fragrant drink should cost at least twenty coins in the capital."

The Western Hills are more than 20 miles from the capital, so the price will probably double again.

But"

"Even lower?" Zhang Juzheng was also somewhat puzzled.

"Not only is it cheaper, it's been halved in price," You Qi said with a suspicious look. "I wonder how the vendor makes a profit on this ten-copper-coin drink."

"Are these merchants from Xishan?" Zhang Juzheng proposed a hypothesis.

"No."

As a follower of Zhang Juzheng, You Qi was naturally very perceptive of these situations.

"I have inquired, and none of them are from Xishan. Some even came from the capital early in the morning just to earn this money. They all speak highly of Xishan. I don't think I can get any information out of them."

For a moment, Zhang Juzheng frowned deeply.

He quickly came up with several possibilities.

One is that Zhang Yunxiu is secretly making ice. Ice making with saltpeter has existed since the Song Dynasty. Given his personality, he might actually be thinking of making money from it.

Another possibility is that Zhang Yunxiu knew he was coming, so he deliberately invited these vendors to confuse the situation.

If forced to choose between the two, Zhang Juzheng would prefer the latter.

He knew all too well the importance of saltpeter, as it was a crucial ingredient in gunpowder!

Since the reign of Emperor Taizu, the imperial court has strictly controlled the use of stockpiled saltpeter, which was tantamount to treason!

Thinking of this, Zhang Juzheng's expression became even more meaningful.

"Master, this..."

You Qi looked worried.

"Don't make a fuss yet," Zhang Juzheng said, waving his hand. "Let's see what the Western Hills are really like."

The group waited a while longer.

Before long, a man rode up on horseback to greet them.

It was Zhang Jianxiu, the fourth son. He rushed over and was overjoyed to see his father. He ran all the way to greet him.

"Father didn't even tell me beforehand, so I could have made some preparations."

But Zhang Juzheng's attention was not on his four sons at all. He looked around and said irritably.

"Where is that brat Zhang Shiyuan? Where has he gone? Why hasn't he come to see his father?"

Zhang Jianxiu paused for a moment, then quickly explained.

"I hope Father knows that my fifth brother is giving a lecture in Xishan and cannot get away for the time being. I will guide Father on a tour of Xishan."

"Such a rebellious son!" Zhang Juzheng instinctively wanted to curse, but then he felt something was wrong and asked with narrowed eyes.

"lecture?"

"Father doesn't know yet, does he?"

Zhang Jianxiu chuckled and said.

"There are more than 10,000 workers in Xishan. Many of these men are single, but there are also many who have families with them. Some of their wives and children cannot find a job in the capital, so they come to Xishan to seek refuge with them."

With so many children, they couldn't be left idle. So Shiyuan followed the example of Emperor Taizu Gao who established county schools and set up Peiwen Academy in Xishan, so that these children could read and learn to read.

Today, a special open class is being held for merchants and workers, and many people have already attended.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng nodded and said, "This is indeed a good policy."

Zhang Jianxiu added, "Putting aside everything else, our Xishan area is exceptionally good for the workers."

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Juzheng squinted and said, "In that case, I don't need to go to other places to see. You can take me to that Xishan Peiwen Academy."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jianxiu seemed to realize something and couldn't help but sigh deeply, his eyes filled with sorrow.

"Father, ever since you came to Xishan, you've been talking about Shiyuan all the time. Is there any place for Jianxiu to stay? Why do you favor one over the other?"

"As your father."

Zhang Juzheng fell silent at those words. He stroked his beard, somewhat embarrassed, and explained, "Well... I have some business with Shiyuan. Having Sizhe accompany me is certainly a good thing. How has Sizhe been lately? He looks quite robust, hahaha."

He let out a dry laugh, looking extremely embarrassed.

Zhang Jianxiu sighed heavily, like a concubine who had fallen out of favor.

"Alright, Father, you must be hungry after your long journey. Come with me to the West Mountain Canteen for a simple meal."

It's not too late to go to the academy after we finish eating.

It was already noon, and Zhang Juzheng, having traveled the entire way in a sedan chair, was starving.

He then glanced at the sedan chair bearers and their entourage.

Although they had drunk the fragrant drink, it wasn't very filling, and everyone looked sweaty and hungry.

He then nodded and said.

"Then let's do as you say."

The group continued their journey and soon arrived at the West Mountain Dining Hall. Upon entering, they found the place to be as large as a plaza, with a tall dome.

Zhang Juzheng was initially puzzled by this, but when he thought of the tens of thousands of workers in Xishan, he understood.

If the canteen is designed to accommodate so many people at once, it can't be small.

The workers had already finished their lunch and gone to their dormitories to rest, but the cooks in the canteen, upon receiving the news, specially prepared to cook for Zhang Juzheng again.

While waiting for the food, Zhang Jianxiu introduced Shiyuan to his father, saying, "Putting aside everything else, Shiyuan is full of clever ideas."

This canteen, for example, can accommodate over two thousand people at a time, but that's still not enough for the tens of thousands of workers in Xishan. Therefore, Xishan has set up two canteens so that workers can eat at staggered times after work, preventing scrambling for food.

Zhang Juzheng keenly perceived the information, grasped the key point, and asked, "The daily food needs of tens of thousands of workers in Xishan must be astronomical. The scheduling must be quite difficult, right?"

He spent his days studying money and grain, so naturally he was very sensitive to this.

“Father, there’s no need to worry,” Zhang Jianxiu explained. “The workers at Xishan all have military experience, and their meals are arranged in the same way as those in the military camp.”

He chuckled.

"Father may not know this, but nowadays it's not just the workers in Xishan who rely on the workshops for their livelihood. Many people in villages around the capital also depend on the Xishan workshops for their livelihood. The workshops pay the workers money, so naturally they need somewhere to spend it, right?"

The capital city is far from the Western Hills, and the workshops cannot supply all the necessary items.

This is all business!

Zhang Juzheng squinted, recalling what he had seen and heard outside the West Gate, and began to ponder.

At this point, lunch was finally served.

The menu wasn't extensive, but it was a good mix of meat and vegetables.

The vegetarian dishes consisted of one or two pickled vegetables, radishes, and stir-fried green vegetables.

The meat dish is a plate of steamed, thinly sliced ​​chicken, drizzled with sauce and sprinkled with mint, perilla, and balsamic vinegar, giving it a unique flavor.

The main dish is lotus seed and glutinous rice porridge, which is sweetened with rock sugar and served chilled with ice.

Even in the sweltering heat, the exquisiteness of these dishes rivals that of those served in restaurants in the capital.

Zhang Juzheng frowned, finding it somewhat extravagant. He asked, "Is this what the workers in Xishan usually eat?"

"Father, what are you saying?"

Zhang Jianxiu seemed quite composed.

"Most workers are reluctant to eat this meal. The canteen offers simple meals, with unlimited mixed grain rice and rice porridge. Many workers like to eat it with pickled vegetables, and they only eat meat occasionally."

Seeing that the other party was so frank, Zhang Juzheng didn't know what to say, but he still lectured him.

"It is already difficult enough to feed the refugees. We must not be so extravagant in the future. The money and grain saved can be used to feed more refugees."

His words were not wrong, but Zhang Jianxiu frowned and said with a strange look in his eyes.

"Extravagant? Father thinks this meal is extravagant?"

"Otherwise what?" Zhang Juzheng said with some anger. "You all live in luxury every day, yet you know nothing of the hardships of the common people. This kind of food is no less than that of the imperial family. Isn't that extravagant?"

Zhang Jianxiu shook his head and said, "No, the workers in Xishan are indeed reluctant to eat this meal, but it's not out of reach. They can grit their teeth and occasionally improve their meals."

You Qi couldn't stand it anymore and offered some words of comfort.

"Fourth Young Master, please don't argue with your father. Even I can tell that this meal in the capital would cost at least two hundred coins."

He pointed to the lotus seed and glutinous rice porridge beside him.

"Look at this lotus seed porridge. No ordinary cook has this skill. There are even ice cubes in the porridge to chill it. It must cost more than two hundred coins."

Zhang Jianxiu nodded and said, "It does cost two hundred coins in the capital, but it can be done in Xishan for seventy or eighty coins. There is also a fixed monthly subsidy in the workshop. When it's cheap, fifty coins is enough for the workers to have a meal."

"Zhang Sizhe! Are you still going to put on an act for me?!"

Unable to bear it any longer, Zhang Juzheng immediately slammed his fist on the table and stood up angrily, rebuking Zhang Juzheng.

"Do you and that unfilial son think I'm a child? Let's not even talk about this meal, let's talk about the ice used in the canteen!"

He pointed to the lotus seed porridge and said.

"Tell me the truth, where did this ice come from? Does Xishan have some involvement in the ice-making business?"

When Zhang Juzheng said the last sentence, he deliberately lowered his voice.

"Why do you say that, Daddy?"

Zhang Jianxiu was a little confused and subconsciously looked at You Qi, who mouthed the word "saltpeter" to him.

Even though Zhang Jianxiu was a bit slow to react, he still understood what was going on.

He looked at his father, Zhang Juzheng, with the eyes of someone looking at a fool and said.

"Dad thought Xishan made ice from saltpeter and sold it?"

(End of this chapter)