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

At three quarters past dusk, as darkness was about to fall, the lights along the banks of the Qinhuai River were already on, and the sounds of people were gradually rising.

Zhu Zhanjun, Zhu Yi, Zhang Mao, Li Heng, Zheng Yu, Zhu Zhanqi, Liu Zhong and others changed into the silk robes of ordinary wealthy young men and strolled along the riverbank amidst the bustling crowd.

On the river, painted boats of all sizes were decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. The sounds of string and wind instruments rippled across the water, blending with the lively chatter on the banks to create a scene of peace and prosperity.

Zhu Yi was attracted by an old man selling sugar figurines on the shore, so she took out her money, bought a few, and shared them with everyone.

Zhu Zhanjun took a lifelike sugar dragon, licked it, and as the sweetness spread, his gaze involuntarily drifted past the glitz and glamour before him and into the distance.

He noticed that behind the tourists, along the stone steps of the riverbank, under the willow trees, and even in some dark corners where the lights couldn't reach, there were many people in tattered clothes.

They squatted or stood, with some crudely woven bamboo grasshoppers, straw sandals, and clay figurines in front of them, selling them to tourists passing by.

Some strong and able-bodied men were helping government officials or wealthy households with moving and setting up lantern frames and hanging colorful silks. They were working up a sweat, and in return, they earned a few copper coins or one or two coarse flour buns.

"So that's how it is..." Zhu Zhanjun murmured to himself, his mind suddenly enlightened.

"Third brother, what did you say?" Zhu Zhanqi, who was next to him, didn't hear clearly and leaned over to ask.

Zhu Zhanjun said with a smile.

"The imperial court has made such a grand celebration of the Qinhuai River Lantern Festival this year. Besides praying for blessings and warding off disasters, there is probably another deeper meaning behind it."

"Huh? What deeper meaning?" Zhang Mao asked, his mouth full of sugar figurines.

Zhu Zhanjun pointed to the figure in the distance.

"Look at these people, most of them are either disaster victims who flooded in from outside the city, or people who were already poor in Nanjing."

"The larger the lantern festival, the more manpower is needed. Setting up stages, hanging lanterns, maintaining order, sweeping streets, moving goods... the government and the merchants who organize it always have to hire people to do these tasks."

"With this sudden increase in the number of people, selling snacks and trinkets can also earn a few coins."

"This policy is to provide work relief instead of directly distributing grain. Instead, it creates temporary jobs by undertaking projects and organizing festivals, allowing disaster victims and the poor to earn a living through their own labor, and preventing them from being idle and gathering to cause trouble."

"It can both appease people's hearts and make the market look prosperous, achieving multiple benefits at once."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yi stopped joking and nodded, saying, "Now that you mention it, it's true! I was wondering why there were so many laborers building the lantern towers and transporting materials this year. Many of them looked unfamiliar and didn't seem like the locals who usually do these kinds of jobs."

"Let's go," Zhu Zhanjun finished the remaining sugar figurine in one bite, clapped his hands, and said, "Let's go for a walk. If we see anyone who needs help or has something to buy, we might as well lend a hand. Now that we're out here, let's not just focus on having fun ourselves."

"Okay!" everyone responded in unison.

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

On the Qinhuai River, a green-awning official boat is quietly moored where the lights are dim.

Zhu Di stood with his hands behind his back at the bow of the boat. He saw that the riverbank was brightly lit, and tourists were everywhere. The shouts of vendors, the laughter of children, and the sounds of music from the painted boats all blended together.

Further away, many men in coarse cloth were deftly dismantling lamp stands and moving miscellaneous items. Although their clothes were tattered, their faces did not show any signs of hunger or despair. Instead, they exuded a sense of satisfaction at having earned a living.

"Good." Zhu Di nodded slowly, a smile appearing on his lips. "Yang Rong, you've done a good job with this method of replacing work with relief."

Yang Rong, who was standing to the side, quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. This law was actually formulated through joint discussion between the Grand Secretariat, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Works."

"Taking advantage of the lantern festival, we hired disaster victims to do tasks such as building, moving, and cleaning, and paid them wages or rice on a daily basis."

"Firstly, it will enable them to support themselves and prevent them from developing a lazy or troublesome mentality."

"Secondly, the lantern festival is lively and can also boost the atmosphere of the city, showing the world a picture of peace and prosperity."

Zhu Di grunted in acknowledgment, his gaze still lingering on the busy figures on the shore: "Well done."

Hu Guang smiled.

"Your Majesty, the successful implementation of this policy is also due to the fact that His Highness Prince Jiyang set up soup kitchens with bran in the west of the city, which stabilized the poorest and most helpless disaster victims, preventing them from starving to death and taking desperate measures."

"Secondly, His Highness publicized the true situation of disaster relief through the Da Ming Xin Bao newspaper, which inspired many wealthy households and merchants to donate money and grain, enabling the Ministry of Revenue to allocate these expenditures for work relief."

Zhu Di's lips curled up slightly.

"This lad is a lucky star for our Great Ming Dynasty."

"But we old guys can't all rely on a young guy to handle things."

"Think of more solutions these days."

"Those temples are all rich; isn't the Ullambana Festival coming up soon?"

"Go find them again and ask them to recruit more people so that the disaster victims can have more opportunities to eat."

Yang Rong smiled and said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right."

Zhu Di nodded slightly and then suddenly smiled.

"The lantern festival is quite lively today."

"It's a pity that kid didn't come."

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

Half an hour later.

Zhu Zhanjun and his entourage strolled around for a long time, and their hands became increasingly full of things.

"Ouch... I can't take it anymore, I'm exhausted." Zhu Yi was carrying a large bunch of straw dragonflies and grasshoppers in each hand. He had bought them all after seeing how pitifully the old man had made them. Now his wrists ached from the straps, and he gasped for breath, "Zhang Mao! Where's the boat you mentioned? Let's go up and rest. My arms feel like they don't belong to me anymore!"

Zhang Mao was also exhausted. Upon hearing this, he immediately stood on tiptoe and scanned the brightly lit river surface.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he pointed to a particularly ornate three-story pleasure boat not far away: "There it is! See it? The one with lots of red lanterns hanging on it, and a large peony carved on the bow! That's the boat my father often came to listen to music on!"

The painted boat was indeed magnificent, with upturned eaves and colorful ribbons fluttering in the breeze. A row of bright red lanterns hung on each side of the boat, casting a warm glow on the surrounding water.

The exquisitely carved peony pattern on the bow of the boat gleamed under the lamplight, and figures could be vaguely seen moving inside the boat's windows. The sounds of string and wind instruments drifted in with the wind, more melodious and enchanting than the music of ordinary painted boats.

Zhu Yi, unsuspecting, breathed a sigh of relief: "Finally found it! Lord Zhang is truly blessed, having a familiar boat even in such a fine place."

"Let's go up quickly, put our things down, and then we can enjoy the river view."

Li Heng, Zheng Yu, and the others couldn't wait any longer and squeezed towards the dock with their piles of useless things.

Zhu Zhanjun glanced at the painted boat a couple more times, raising his eyebrows slightly.

This boat... doesn't look like a place for simply listening to music and enjoying the scenery.

Upon closer inspection, the luxuriousness of the painted boat became even more apparent.

A young servant in blue robes stood guard by the gangplank. When he saw a group of well-dressed young men carrying various odds and ends approaching, he hesitated for a moment, then quickly stepped forward to stop them: "Young gentlemen, this is 'Yixiang Boat,' may I ask..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Mao pulled a heavy ebony plaque, about half the size of his palm, from his pocket, flashed it at the servant, and said gruffly, "Look carefully! My father is a regular customer here!"

"Quickly make room for us at the window, and bring us some good tea and snacks!"

By the light of the lantern, the servant caught a glimpse of the intricately carved floral pattern and the character "Zhang" on the ebony plaque. His expression immediately changed, and he bowed deeply, his smile becoming incredibly warm: "So you're a distinguished guest from Lord Zhang's household!"

"My apologies! Please, please come aboard! There's a vacant seat by the window!"

Zheng Yu, Li Heng, and the others looked surprised.

Zhang Mao looked smug.

The group went up to the second floor of the painted boat and were indeed led to an open room overlooking the river with an excellent view, where they could see the lights on the river and the flow of people on the bank.

They had just piled the miscellaneous items they were carrying onto the empty chair next to them, and before they could even catch their breath, they heard the tinkling of jade pendants and heard a fragrant breeze wafting over.

Several women dressed in brocade and with exquisite makeup entered in single file, carrying platters of tea and fruit, all smiles.

The woman at the head of the group, slightly older but still charming, glanced at everyone before finally settling on Zhang Mao's face. Before speaking, she smiled and said, "I wondered why the lights were so bright today; it turns out a distinguished guest has arrived. May I ask, young master, what is your relationship with Master Zhang?"

Zhang Mao stood tall and proud.

"That's my dad."

The women around him burst out laughing.

The woman at the head raised an eyebrow.

"So it's Young Master Zhang."

"Master Zhang is one of our most loyal guests. It's been a while since he last visited. How is his health?"

Zhang Mao coughed lightly.

"Healthy, of course healthy."

The woman at the head of the group smiled and glanced at the group of young boys.

"Master Zhang is a distinguished guest of our Red Duck Tower."

"Licensed individuals can enjoy the full range of services offered by our Red Duck House."

"May I ask, Young Master Zhang, is this the kind of service you're seeking today?"

Zhang Mao slapped his forehead.

"Do you want money?"

The woman at the head of the group smiled.

"Of course not."

Zhang Mao chuckled.

"Then let's go."

The woman raised an eyebrow, then nodded, and led the other women away.

Soon only Zhang Mao, Li Heng, Zheng Yu, and others remained in the private room.

Li Heng asked with some curiosity.

"Brother Mao, what kind of full-service do you offer?"

Zhang Mao knew nothing, but unwilling to lose face in front of his brothers, he said...

"The full-service package is definitely very comprehensive."

"Probably... a dozen or so songs?!"

Zhu Zhanjun touched his chin.

"Old Zhang, are you sure your dad comes here often just to listen to music?"

Zhang Mao scratched his head.

"Isn't that right?"

"My father often said that when he had nothing to do, he would listen to music on the Qinhuai River."

"Squad leader, do you perhaps know something about this place?"

All eyes fell on Zhu Zhanjun.

Zhu Zhanjun shook his head and said.

"Although I am not an expert in this field, I still want to express my opinion. After careful observation and thinking for so long, I actually don't know how to answer. As I said at the beginning, I am not an expert in this field."