The Great Ming Demon Pill: Your Majesty, please address me as the Crown Prince!

Imperial College (Guozijian)

Yu Qian was pondering a set of books called "Middle School Physics" that Zhu Zhanjun had given him a couple of days ago, and he was getting a headache from reading them.

Ever since he boarded the ship of the Prince of Jiyang, Zhu Zhanjun had been constantly urging him to find some talented people!

His Highness Prince Jiyang has been constantly proclaiming that in the ninth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, what was the most important?

Talent!

Talent

He's a real genius!

Yu Qian wholeheartedly agreed with this.

Zhu Zhanjun then tasked him with establishing the Society for the Investigation of Things, seeking out talent in the study of the principles of things.

They keep saying things like "the investigation of things exists among all things".

Anyway, it's a pretty novel term.

However, he had always been quite famous at the Imperial College, and the Society for the Study of Things he founded did indeed attract many people.

"Brother Yu..." a young man approached.

Yu Qian glanced at him.

This man was named Kuai Xiang, and his father, Kuai Fu, worked for the Ministry of Works in Nanjing.

He has a great talent for mechanics and woodworking.

"Tingrui, what's wrong?" Yu Qian put away his copy of "High School Physics".

Kuai Xiang winked and made a face.

"The eldest grandson of the emperor, Zhu Zhanji, has personally visited the Imperial Academy."

Yu Qian was taken aback.

"The eldest grandson of the emperor?"

Kuai Xiang chuckled.

"I heard he's here to promote his 'Huangming Daily'!"

Yu Qian's eyelids twitched.

"The Imperial Daily News?"

....................

The Imperial College, the Hall of Moral Relationships.

"Since the publication of the *Da Ming Xin Bao*, news has been circulating widely among the common people, and various rumors and discussions have arisen. Although the newspaper occasionally presents novel and interesting viewpoints, it mostly deals with vulgar anecdotes and strange and frivolous skills, paying very little attention to the great principles of sages and wise men and articles on governing the world. If this continues, I fear that the minds of scholars will gradually be swayed, and the true path will not be revealed."

Zhu Zhanji, dressed in an apricot-yellow casual robe and wearing a winged crown, stood on the platform with an upright posture and a calm expression.

He looked around at the students gathered below the hall.

These are the pillars of the future of the Ming Dynasty.

This is also the main public opinion camp he is trying to win over.

He paused, then continued, "The establishment of the Huangming Daily is precisely for this purpose! This newspaper will be based on expounding the profound words and meanings of sages, publishing policies for governing the country and benefiting the people, analyzing the gains and losses of the government, and promoting loyalty, filial piety, integrity and righteousness."

"The aim is to create a platform for scholars across the land to uphold integrity, clarify right conduct, correct misconceptions, guide intellectuals, and ensure that the court hears honest advice!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a low murmur arose from the audience.

Zhu Zhanji paid no attention to the discussions of the crowd.

In his view, it was already a great honor for him to personally promote the "Huangming Daily" in his distinguished status.

He cupped his hands in greeting.

"The Huangming Daily is about to be published."

Please do us a favor.

.....................

Half a day later, at the Bowen Museum.

It has become quite noisy lately.

Through the promotion of Zhu Yi, Zhu Zhanqi, Zhang Mao, Li Heng, Liu Zhong, Zheng Yu and others, the final price for a hot air balloon ride was set at 12,000 guan.

Of course, some people will inevitably find it expensive.

However, the flow of people remained constant.

Bowen Hall, in the courtyard.

Zhu Zhanjun looked up, his hands behind his back, and remained silent.

Those melancholy eyes are something Yu Qian can never forget.

He finally couldn't help but say it.

"Your Highness, what are you thinking about?"

Zhu Zhanjun looked gloomy.

"It's so cold, I really want to put my hands in someone else's wallet to warm them up."

[Ding! You have obtained a silver treasure chest!]

Yu Qian: "..."

He smiled wryly.

"Was Your Highness listening to me just now?"

Zhu Zhanjun nodded.

"I heard it."

"Did Zhu Zhanji go to the Imperial College to promote his ideas?"

Yu Qian hesitated for a moment, then spoke cautiously.

"If the eldest grandson of the emperor does this, I'm afraid it will affect the influence of the Da Ming Xin Bao among the people."

Zhu Zhanjun glanced at him.

Although Yu Qian had joined his cause, the struggle for the throne had a significant impact. Although Yu Qian vaguely knew his thoughts, he could only express them tactfully in private.

He waved his hand.

"It won't have any impact."

"Although there are many students at the Imperial Academy, they are not many in the entire city of Nanjing."

"Our newspaper, Da Ming Xin Bao, follows the mass line."

"They can't beat us."

Yu Qian was confused, but seeing Zhu Zhanjun so calm, he felt relieved and then continued.

"Your Highness, I have discovered a talented individual in the Imperial Academy's Society for the Study of Natural Sciences."

He made significant contributions to the field of building carpentry.

Zhu Zhanjun's eyes lit up.

"Where are the talents?"

What he lacks most right now is talent!

Yu Qian said.

"They're sitting in the front hall."

Zhu Zhanjun immediately replied.

"Please come quickly."

After a while.

A boy appeared before Zhu Zhanjun. The boy was about fourteen or fifteen years old, thin, with a still childish face, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.

Upon seeing Zhu Zhanjun, the young man hurriedly bowed and greeted him: "This student is Kuai Xiang, courtesy name Tingrui, greetings to Your Highness, the Prince of Jiyang!"

"No need for formalities." Zhu Zhanjun said thoughtfully, "Your surname... is quite impressive."

Kuai Xiang: "???"

I couldn't understand a word the Prince of Jiyang was saying.

Zhu Zhanjun saw that Kuai Xiang looked bewildered and waved his hand.

"It's alright."

"Tell me about your situation."

Kuai Xiang was a little nervous and rubbed his hands on his knees: "Your Highness, my father works in the Ministry of Works. I have learned some construction methods from him since I was a child, and I have a little knowledge of woodworking mortise and tenon joints and structural mechanics."

Zhu Zhanjun pondered for a moment, then took out a design drawing of the spinning jenny.

"Take a look at this."

Kuai Xiang took the roll of blueprints with both hands, carefully unfolded it, glanced at it a few times, and his eyes immediately sharpened, his breathing became rapid involuntarily, and his eyes were almost touching the blueprints.

"This...this is..." he murmured to himself, "Wonderful...absolutely wonderful!"

"Ordinary spinning wheels, one person per spindle, requiring both hands and feet, are inefficient."

"And this design can actually drive... eight spindles simultaneously with a single drive? No, looking at this structure, if this logic holds true, sixteen spindles, or even more, are possible!"

"The key lies in the design of this carriage and traction mechanism, which transforms reciprocating linear motion into... into continuous rotation and traction! And the linkage between the flywheel and crank is both labor-saving and stable! If operated by one person using this method, its yarn output efficiency could be ten or even dozens of times greater than that of the old spinning wheel!"

Kuai Xiang suddenly raised his head and said excitedly.

"Your Highness! If this product is successful, cloth production will increase dramatically, while costs will drop significantly!"

"This...this is simply a masterpiece! I wonder which master craftsman painted it?"

"May I have the honor of meeting you to seek your guidance?"

Zhu Zhanjun said with a smile.

"This is a drawing I made."

"Tingrui, with your abilities, is it possible for you to turn this drawing into a physical object?"

Upon hearing this, Kuai Xiang was first taken aback, then greatly shocked.

Such an exquisite machine, it was actually made by the King of Jiyang?

He quickly replied.

"Your Highness trusts me greatly; how could I not do my utmost!"

"The principle behind this diagram is clear, and although the structure is sophisticated, all the components can be manufactured."

"The students are willing to pledge their lives to produce this textile machine in the shortest possible time!"

"I am willing to accept punishment if anything goes wrong!"

.................

Ten days later.

The Eastern Palace.

"These students from the Imperial Academy dare to call themselves disciples of the Emperor! Their taste is so low!" Zhu Zhanji roared. "My 'Huangming Daily' is clearly filled with elegant articles on statecraft, every word a gem, written by the great Confucian scholars of our time. Even the articles by Grand Tutor Yao are published in it."

"Under normal circumstances, these students would kneel outside for ten thousand years and still not be qualified to read Master Yao's articles."

"Why does the *Da Ming Xin Bao* have tens of thousands of copies sold, while my *Huang Ming Bao* only has a dozen or so?"

"What kind of stuff is being serialized in the *Da Ming Xin Bao*?"

"Jin Ping Mei?"

"Slang, vulgarity, and bizarre tricks! Utterly crude and disgusting!"

"Jin Banban, tell me, which is more interesting, my articles on governance and statecraft in the *Huangming Bao*, or this *Jin Ping Mei*?"

Jin Ying said confidently from the side.

"From the perspective of this old eunuch, *Jin Ping Mei* is clearly not as brilliant as the works of the great Confucian scholars!"