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

He seemed to accept this explanation and stopped asking questions, instead bringing up the issue of the supply of horses and fodder needed for the northern tour.

The topic quickly returned to the Northern Inspection Tour. Yang Pu cautiously offered several suggestions for ensuring the safety of the grain transport routes. Zhu Gaochi listened attentively, occasionally asking questions, revealing a meticulousness that was inconsistent with his rough and rugged appearance.

"...Therefore, I believe that, in addition to the main grain supply route, we should secretly increase the grain reserves by half a month in Huailai and Xuanhua, relying on the old forts, for emergency use," Yang Pu concluded.

"Scholar Yang's considerations are thorough," Zhu Gaoxu praised seriously, "This matter is indeed of utmost importance, elder brother, what do you think?"

Zhu Gaochi nodded: "Alright, then let Scholar Yang, together with relevant personnel from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, draft a detailed report."

"Yes."

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

A steward from the Crown Prince's residence appeared at the door, looking somewhat nervous, and bowed to report:

"Your Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness the Prince of Han, a messenger from the army has urgently reported that he has come from the direction of Yinshan and wishes to meet Your Highness in person."

Yinshan? The northern front line!

The relaxed atmosphere at the table vanished instantly.

Zhu Gaochi's expression turned serious, and he immediately put down his wine cup: "Take him to the study! I will be there immediately!" He stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhu Gaochi,

"Brother, the military situation is urgent, I must take my leave."

"Military affairs are of utmost importance, Second Brother, go quickly." Zhu Gaochi also stood up, his expression solemn.

Zhu Gaoxu strode away and disappeared into the night outside the door.

Inside the flower hall, candlelight flickered.

Zhu Gaochi slowly sat down, remained silent for a moment, and said to Yang Pu and Gu Xingzu, "Let's call it a day. You've both worked hard, so go back and rest early."

"Yes, Your Majesty, we take our leave." Yang Pu and Gu Xingzu bowed and withdrew.

Madam Zhang stood up and said softly, "Your Highness must be tired after a long day. Please rest early. Zhanji, come back with your mother."

Zhu Zhanji obediently got up and walked to his parents' side.

Zhu Gaochi looked at his son, reached out, and gently touched his head. This time, the gesture was both gentle and heavy.

"Go," Zhu Gaochi finally said, uttering only two words.

"Yes, Father," Zhu Zhanji replied, bowing respectfully.

As night deepened, the Crown Prince's residence was quiet.

Zhu Zhanji lay on the couch, but he was wide awake.

The murky wine he saw while visiting villagers during the day, the pungent smell of cheap charcoal in the air, and the vague plan in his mind kept intertwining.

He simply closed his eyes, concentrated, and tried to sort out that key point.

In his mind, the technical drawings about "distillation and purification" clearly emerged. The copper distillation still, condenser pipes, and temperature control points, although incomparable to modern distillation equipment, were already a game-changer in the early years of the Yongle reign.

"With the northern tour imminent, we are short of roads, food, and soldiers," he muttered to himself. "This distilled liquor can serve multiple purposes at once."

It can quickly accumulate capital, serve as a high-end social medium, and even enter the military supply market under the guise of "a good medicine for keeping warm."

More importantly, a famous tavern in the capital was the perfect gathering place for intelligence.

He sat up and, by the moonlight, wrote a few brief instructions on a specially made thin sheet of paper with a charcoal pencil:

"Sun San: In the cave behind the mountain, there is a secret recipe for 'fire liquor'. The key points are: sealed steaming, copper pipe condensation, cutting off the head and tail, taking the essence of the middle section, and testing repeatedly to achieve a clear and fiery taste that burns the throat when drunk. The first batch is called: "

"Drunken Immortal's Brew!"

Guo Sheng: Looking for a suitable restaurant that is elegant and private, and where I can meet high-ranking officials and dignitaries. Act quickly.

"Li Wei: Select reliable personnel to secretly protect the winery and restaurant; the passageways must be absolutely secure."

After writing, he folded the note to the size of a fingernail and stuffed it into a hollow silver ball, a secret mailbox specially made for him by Li Wei.

The next morning, as Chun Tao was helping Zhu Zhanji wash up, the little ball quietly slipped into her sleeve.

"The weather is nice today," Zhu Zhanji said casually, wiping his face with a damp towel. "Mother said she made me some new clothes a few days ago. Go and get them to try on. On the way, see if there are any fresh southern fruits at the market."

Chun Tao understood immediately: "Yes, this servant will go right away."

After a while, at Xishan Village, in the cave at the back of the mountain.

Sun San stared at the strange-looking device in front of him, his brows furrowed.

Two large earthenware urns were upside down, connected by a mud seal. A hole was cut in the bottom of the upper urn, through which a curved copper pipe was inserted.

The other end of the copper pipe was immersed in a bucket of cold water, and a narrow-mouthed porcelain jar was placed at the other end.

"Your Highness, this blueprint," Sun San scratched his graying hair, "says that you put wine in a small earthenware jar to boil, and the steam goes through a copper pipe, turns into water when it cools, and flows into a jar. But what will come out of this?"

The two old craftsmen standing to the side looked at each other in bewilderment.

They were all skilled at firing kilns, but when it came to brewing wine, especially this unheard-of "distillation method," they were completely baffled.

"Young Master Sun, why don't you give it a try?" a craftsman asked hesitantly.

"Let's give it a try!" Sun Sanyi gritted his teeth. "As His Highness instructed, use ten catties of the best liquor from the estate!"

Flames ignited in a specially made clay stove.

As the earthenware jar gradually warmed up, the aroma of wine began to fill the air.

Half an hour later, at the end of the copper tube, one or two drops of clear, water-like liquid slowly dripped down and fell into the porcelain jar.

Sun San held his breath, carefully collected a few drops with a wooden spoon, and brought them to the tip of his nose.

An extremely sharp and pure aroma of alcohol hits you right in the head, completely different from the cloudy and strong smell of ordinary spirits.

He dipped it in and put it in his mouth.

"Hiss—!" Sun San's eyes widened suddenly, his face instantly turning red, as if he had swallowed a ball of fire that burned all the way from his throat to his stomach.

After a long while, he finally exhaled a hot breath, his eyes filled with shock.

"This...this," he croaked, "this isn't just wine! This is...the essence of wine!"

He looked at the less than two jin of clear liquid in the porcelain jar, then at the ten jin of fine liquor that had been used up, and his mind raced: ten jin has become two jin, but the strength of these two jin is probably equivalent to thirty jin of ordinary liquor!

"Quick, write it down! The heat, the time, the temperature!" Sun San excitedly instructed his assistant. "This is probably the 'Drunken Immortal's Brew' that His Highness wanted!"

The newly brewed celestial wine was sealed in earthenware jars and transported to Beiping by fast horses overnight.

Five days later, in Beiping City.

Guo Sheng stood in front of a two-story building, looking up at the three characters "Mingyue Tower" on the plaque.

The building isn't luxurious, but its location is excellent, situated at the intersection of several alleys. Two old locust trees stand in front of the door, their branches and leaves providing shade, adding to its elegance.

"Manager Qian, what do you think?" Guo Sheng asked, turning to the side.

Standing beside him was a well-off middle-aged man with a fair complexion and no beard, whose eyes shone with shrewdness. He was Qian Lai, the newly hired manager of the restaurant.

Qian Lai stroked the few sparse whiskers on his chin, squinted at them for a moment, and slowly said:

"It's a nice building, with a square layout and clear distinction between the front and back yards, but," he lowered his voice:

"Manager Guo, does the master really intend to do business with that 'Drunken Immortal's Brew? Although I haven't tasted it myself, judging from your description, it seems too shocking and unconventional, and that it might attract too much attention."

Guo Sheng said calmly, "The owner has his own arrangements. You just need to run the restaurant well and don't need to worry about anything else."