The Young Dragon of the Ming Dynasty: Bound to an Industrial Blueprint from the Start

With increasing demand, the "Black Soil Slope" behind Xishan Village was no longer just a forbidden area. After being ordered by Eunuch Wang to make it public, it became the village's official "Imperial Grandson's Charcoal Yard".

The notice clearly stated: "The eldest grandson of the emperor is benevolent and kind. Seeing the hardships of the peasants in winter, and since there is coal available in the area, he has specially permitted the establishment of a coal mine to hire able-bodied young men from the peasantry to mine and produce coal, thus providing work relief and supplementing their livelihoods."

Craftsman Sun San was appointed as the manager of the charcoal yard because of his "ancestral method of charcoal processing" and "ability to improve stoves".

This gave Sun San a relatively public identity and also gave the charcoal yard a legitimate pretext.

The Han family and a few others who used to work secretly are now the first "official" employees at the charcoal yard, rightfully receiving daily wages and two full meals a day, which makes them even more motivated.

When the news spread, other eligible and willing men in the village also signed up.

With the help of Sun San and Eunuch Wang, Li Wei selected more than a dozen honest and upright men from respectable families, expanding the workforce at the charcoal yard to nearly thirty people.

Mining is no longer a small-scale operation.

They selected a gentle slope with a thick coal seam that was easy to excavate, cleared away the surface soil and rocks, and dug deeper along the coal seam using picks, iron shovels, and crowbars.

A simple wooden frame supports the narrow tunnel entrance to prevent collapse. The tunnel is dark and damp, and the air is filled with the smell of coal dust and soil.

The miners, hunched over, dug at the black coal seams in the dim light of oil lamps, then carried large chunks of coal out of the pit in baskets or troughs.

Sweat mixed with coal dust left streaks on their faces and bodies, but their eyes held an unprecedented vitality and anticipation. The wages they earned here were enough to allow their families to have a more secure New Year than ever before.

Not far from the pit, along a tributary of the Jade Belt River, a more organized screening area, washing tanks, and a wide drying yard were built.

The wooden sieves used for screening were replaced with sturdier, fine-mesh iron sieves, and the rinsing tanks were lengthened and widened. The water flow was controlled using the terrain and simple sluice gates.

A long thatched shed was erected over the drying area to protect it from rain and snow.

The "logistics" of the charcoal yard are also beginning to take shape.

Zhu Zhanji instructed Chun Tao to hire several clean and efficient widows or women from particularly poor families in the village to cook, boil water, and mend clothes for the miners and craftsmen in the shacks next to the coal yard.

They provide two meals a day, mostly brown rice and multigrain pancakes, along with locally grown vegetables and the occasional salted meat. The food is much more nutritious than cooking at home, and they can even take some leftovers home for their children and elderly relatives.

This was an immense blessing for them. The women were deeply grateful and worked with extra dedication, which added a lively atmosphere and a sense of community to the charcoal yard.

Sun San's responsibilities have become heavier. He not only has to oversee production and ensure that every coal briquette leaving the factory meets the standards of "smokeless and long-burning", but also manage the increasing number of people, coordinate materials, and keep work records.

Fortunately, with Eunuch Wang assisting in handling miscellaneous tasks, Han Shitou became his most capable foreman, responsible for tunnel safety and labor allocation.

Through Chuntao, Zhu Zhanji would occasionally offer seemingly "casual" suggestions, such as controlling the drying time of coal cakes under different weather conditions, simple tools, such as improved coal picks, sketches of coal transport carts, and even how to use waste coal to pave roads in coal yards.

These suggestions often hit the nail on the head, leaving Sun San astonished and deeply impressed by the young prince's "erudition."

Just as the Xishanzhuang charcoal yard was thriving and its output was increasing daily, and the Xishan charcoal business was selling limited quantities in Beiping and quietly accumulating wealth, the turmoil outside did not stop.

Official edicts and bestowals from Nanjing arrived in Beiping one after another.

Zhu Gaochi was formally appointed Crown Prince and left to guard Beiping, where he was in charge of military and political affairs in the north and to defend against the remnants of the Northern Yuan.

Beiping Prefecture was renamed Beijing and established as the "temporary capital". The most shocking news in the court and the public was that Emperor Zhu Di had issued an imperial edict announcing that the capital would be moved here!

The imperial edict listed Beijing's advantages as the "birthplace of the dragon," "the most strategically important place under heaven," and "the place to control the northern barbarians," demonstrating an extremely firm intention to move the capital.

However, all the officials in the court knew that moving the capital was a momentous undertaking, involving countless massive projects such as the construction of palaces, the relocation of government offices, the resettlement of soldiers and civilians, and the dredging of the Grand Canal, which could not be accomplished in just a few years.

Although there was some discussion in the court, the emperor made the final decision, and the situation was already settled.

The atmosphere in Beijing has become more complex and subtle because of its status as the "future capital".

Officials, generals, merchants, gentry, and all sorts of people began to have their minds stirred.

As plans for the construction of government offices began, the prices of civil engineering materials were beginning to rise, and the number of merchants traveling between the north and south increased significantly.

A mix of excitement, anticipation, busyness, and unease permeated this ancient city.

With Crown Prince Zhu Gaochi stationed in Beijing, his responsibilities became even heavier.

He had to handle daily government affairs, coordinate the preparations for the relocation of the capital, and be constantly vigilant about the northern border.

Despite the repeated blows dealt to the Mongol tribes by the Yongle Emperor, small groups of cavalry still occasionally raided southwards.

The transition from winter to spring, when the grass withers and the horses grow thin, is often a time when border troubles are prone to occur.

Zhu Gaochi frequently summoned generals, inspected passes, and urged military preparations, often working until late at night.

As the Crown Princess, Lady Zhang had to manage the inner quarters and also help her husband maintain relationships with officials and noble families remaining in Beijing.

She became increasingly busy, but her concern for Xishanzhuang and her son did not diminish.

She knew all about the Xishan charcoal business, but never asked about the details. She would only occasionally set aside some money from her own expenses and give it to Chun Tao under the guise of "rewards" or "subsidizing the estate's expenses." In reality, she was silently supporting her son's "business."

She also increasingly felt that, in addition to being intelligent and filial, her eldest son possessed some reassuring and surprising qualities beyond his years.

On this day, Zhu Gaochi returned to the mansion early, which was rare for him. He looked tired. Zhang helped him change into his everyday clothes and served him hot tea.

Zhu Gaochi took a sip of his drink and suddenly said, "Today, while inspecting the armory, I spoke with several generals. They mentioned the hardships faced by the soldiers guarding the border in winter, especially during night patrols, when charcoal was scarce and firewood was hard to come by."

Someone mentioned that there's a type of charcoal called "Xishan Charcoal" on the market recently, which produces less smoke and burns longer. I wonder how it would fare for military use?

Zhang's heart skipped a beat, but she smiled and said, "Your Highness is referring to the coal produced at Zhanji Manor, isn't he? I use it here as well, and it is indeed better than ordinary charcoal, producing very little smoke."

If used in camps and outposts, it might alleviate the soldiers' cold, but production seems limited and the price is quite high.

Zhu Gaochi nodded: "I've heard about it too. It's said to be a gift from a craftsman, a token of Zhanji's filial piety. If it's truly beneficial to the military, the price is negotiable. There's no rush. Let's see if they can keep up with the supply and if the quality remains consistent. You can have someone keep an eye on it."