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

These words, though naive, struck a chord with Zhang.

Her husband is the crown prince, and he has to worry about the soldiers in the northern frontier; her son, though young, is also thinking about the soldiers who protect the country in his own way.

Zhang's eyes welled up with tears, and she hugged her son tightly. "Good child, I'm so happy you have this thought in your heart, but," she released him and said seriously,

"Don't tell anyone about the brewing anymore, especially not your second uncle, understand?"

Zhu Zhanji was taken aback: "Why? Doesn't Second Uncle also like to drink?"

"Your second uncle," Zhang hesitated, then simply patted her son's head.

"You're still young and don't understand. Just remember what your mother said, and don't mention it in front of your royal grandfather. Just say that it was Zhuangzi the craftsman who figured it out himself, and that it has nothing to do with you, understand?"

Zhu Zhanji nodded as if he understood, "I understand."

Zhu Gaoxu seemed to have noticed this; his mother was protecting him and making him clear himself of any wrongdoing.

"Mother," he murmured softly, a warm feeling welling up in his heart.

After leaving his mother's room, Zhu Zhanji, as usual, "read" outside the study.

Today, only Zhu Gaochi and Yang Pu were in the study, and the atmosphere was more relaxed than yesterday.

"So Your Highness means to allocate 10,000 taels to purchase a batch of cotton clothing and medicinal herbs to alleviate the urgent needs of Xuanfu Town?" Yang Pu asked for confirmation.

"This is the only way," Zhu Gaochi said wearily. "Deduct it from my salary, and I'll find another way to cover the rest."

"Your Highness, this is unacceptable!" Yang Pu exclaimed urgently. "The Eastern Palace's finances are already tight; if this continues..."

"The lives of our soldiers are more important," Zhu Gaochi interrupted him. "By the way, how did the inquiry about the high-proof liquor you mentioned yesterday go?"

Yang Pu smiled wryly: "I asked several distilleries, and they all said they could make high-proof liquor, but the price was more than three times that of ordinary liquor. Moreover, the production was limited. If we really wanted to supply the border troops, I'm afraid it would be a drop in the ocean."

Silence fell over the study.

Zhu Zhanji listened outside, his fingers unconsciously stroking the pages of the book.

He hesitated for a moment, but finally knocked gently on the door.

"Father."

There was a moment of silence in the study, then the door opened.

Zhu Gaochi looked at him, somewhat surprised: "Zhanji? What's wrong?"

Zhu Zhanji held the book, his little face tilted upwards, his eyes filled with the clear curiosity unique to children:

"Father, I heard you and Uncle Yang talking about 'high-proof liquor'? Is it a very, very strong liquor?"

Zhu Gaochi and Yang Pu exchanged a glance.

"Yes." Zhu Gaochi squatted down to be at eye level with his son. "Why are you asking that?"

"Because," Zhu Zhanji blinked, "Master Sun and the others seem to have made a particularly strong liquor. Yesterday, Chun Tao went to the estate and brought back a small bottle, and I secretly tasted a tiny bit."

He stuck out his tongue. "It's so spicy it brought tears to my eyes! Master Sun said that if you take a sip of this liquor, you won't feel cold even when standing guard outside in winter!"

Zhu Gaochi was stunned.

A strange light flashed in Yang Pu's eyes: "Your Highness, is the wine you mentioned still available?"

"Yes!" Zhu Zhanji nodded vigorously. "But there aren't many left. Master Sun said it takes ten catties of wine to make one catty, it's especially difficult to make. If Father wants some, I can have Chun Tao go and get it!"

He spoke so innocently and naively, like a child who simply wanted to help his father.

Zhu Gaochi looked at his son, a mix of emotions welling up inside him.

"Zhanji," his voice was a little hoarse, "this wine, was it really made by the craftsmen of Zhuangzi themselves?"

"Yes!" Zhu Zhanji said without hesitation, "Master Sun is amazing! I just saw a method in a book, drew it for him, and he actually made it!"

"Father, Master Sun also said that this wine can not only be drunk, but also... it can be used to disinfect wounds! Someone in the village got injured, and they used this to wipe their wounds, and they healed incredibly quickly!"

These words contained so much information that both Zhu Gaochi and Yang Pu were stunned.

If this is true, then the value of this wine goes far beyond simply being a "drink".

Yang Pu was the first to react, and asked urgently, "Your Highness, what do you mean by 'disinfection'?"

"That's right, it's what keeps the wound from festering!" Zhu Zhanji explained in a child's language. "Master Sun said that the stronger the liquor, the better it can kill 'poisonous gas.' Doctor Wu from the village is also trying it out, and he says this liquor might be even more effective than wound medicine!"

Zhu Gaochi slowly stood up and looked at Yang Pu.

Both of them looked shocked.

"Scholar Yang," Zhu Gaochi took a deep breath, "go to Xishan Manor in person, without making a fuss. Under the pretext of checking the livelihood of the villagers, see if the wine is really as Zhanji said."

"Your subject obeys." Yang Pu bowed, then looked at Zhu Zhanji with a complex expression. "Your Highness, you have truly given me a wonderful surprise."

Zhu Zhanji just smiled innocently, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief.

In the afternoon, an inconspicuous blue cloth carriage drove out of Beijing and headed towards Xishan Villa.

Yang Pu sat in the car, his feelings complicated.

He didn't really believe what a four-year-old child said.

Claims like "ten pounds yield one pound" or "can disinfect" sound far-fetched.

But since the Crown Prince had given the order, he had to make the trip.

When the carriage arrived at Xishan Manor, Eunuch Wang, who had already received the news, was waiting at the entrance of the manor to greet it.

"Lord Yang, what brings you here? Does His Highness have any orders?" Eunuch Wang asked cautiously.

"Your Highness sent me to check on the livelihoods of the villagers." Yang Pu got out of the carriage and glanced at the village.

The houses had been repaired, the roads were smooth, and the villagers' faces had regained their color.

Smoke billowed from the chimneys of the charcoal yard in the distance, and the faint aroma of alcohol could be smelled.

"Zhuangzi was quite wealthy," Yang Pu said meaningfully.

Eunuch Wang said with a forced smile, "Thanks to Your Highness and the young prince, ever since the young prince invented coal briquettes and stoves, the estate has seen increased income, and life has become much easier."

"I heard they also brew wine?"

Eunuch Wang's heart tightened, but he didn't show it on his face: "Yes, it was just something the craftsmen in the manor figured out by chance. His Highness saw an ancient prescription in a book and asked them to try it. Unexpectedly, it actually worked."

"Take me to see it."

Eunuch Wang dared not disobey and led Yang Pu toward the back mountain.

When they arrived near the cave, they were stopped by Li Wei and his men.

"Eunuch Wang, Lord Yang," Li Wei said, bowing with clasped hands. "This is a workshop for artisans; unauthorized personnel are not permitted to enter."

"This is Lord Yang Pu, a close advisor to His Highness the Crown Prince," Eunuch Wang introduced.

Li Wei remained unmoved: "Without a warrant from Steward Guo or His Highness the Young Prince, no one is allowed to enter."

A hint of surprise flashed in Yang Pu's eyes. How could such a small manor be so heavily guarded?

Just as he was about to say something, Sun San came out from inside.

Upon seeing Yang Pu, Sun San paused for a moment, then bowed and said, "This humble one, Sun San, greets Lord Yang."

"You're Master Sun?" Yang Pu sized him up. "I heard you've brewed some fine wine?"

Sun San hesitated for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, I tried to make it according to the diagram given by Your Highness."

"Can I take a look?"