King Luhuang of the Ming Dynasty: My father, Ming Taizu

Zhu Tan said as he picked up a piece of black metal from the table and handed it to Zhu Biao;

"Brother, guess what this is?"

Zhu Biao took the metal. It felt heavy and cold to the touch, with a faint smell of sulfur.

He examined it carefully, but could not figure out its origin, so he could only shake his head and said, "Tenth brother, please stop keeping us in suspense. What on earth is this thing?"

"This is the latest steel I developed. I named it 'Black Iron'!"

Zhu Tan's eyes sparkled with excitement:
"Don't be fooled by its plain appearance. In terms of hardness and toughness, it is more than ten times stronger than the fine steel on the market!"

Zhu Biao was shocked when he heard this. Although he was not good at martial arts, he knew the importance of weapons and armor.

If this kind of "black iron" can be used on a large scale in the military, wouldn't the Ming army be invincible?
"Tenth brother, what are you doing..." Zhu Biao couldn't help but feel a little worried, "This matter is very serious, have you reported it to the emperor?"

Zhu Tan waved his hand and said nonchalantly:
"Don't worry, big brother. I know what to do. I have only told a few of my confidants about the formula and refining method of this 'black iron'. There is absolutely no risk of it being leaked."

He paused, his tone becoming serious.

"Brother, you also know that although the Northern Yuan Dynasty has surrendered, the Mongols are still ambitious and will come back sooner or later. If we want to maintain peace in the Ming Dynasty, we must have strong enough strength!"

Zhu Biao was silent, he knew that what Zhu Tan said was true.

Since my father founded the country, although we have worked hard to govern the country and recuperate, the remnants of the Mongolian forces in the north have always been a major concern for the Ming Dynasty.

Seeing that Zhu Biao didn't say anything, Zhu Tan continued:

"Brother, I have been looking for skilled craftsmen and studying various technologies over the years, all for the purpose of developing more powerful weapons and equipment to make the Ming army invincible!"

He walked to the center of the room, pointing at the strange-looking machines, his tone filled with a hint of fanaticism.

"Brother, come and look at this!"

Zhu Biao looked in the direction Zhu Tan's finger pointed, and saw a huge iron rack with dozens of gears and connecting rods of different sizes densely arranged, and several glass containers filled with unknown liquids connected to them.

"This is..." Zhu Biao was confused and had no idea what this thing was used for.

"This is the musket I designed, but it's not completely finished yet."

Zhu Tan explained, "I plan to use 'black iron' to make the barrel. This way, the power of the fire gun will be increased several times!"

“Several times?”

Zhu Biao took a deep breath. He knew that although the musket was powerful, its range and accuracy had always been its shortcomings.

If the power could be increased several times, wouldn’t it be a magical weapon on the battlefield?

"Not only that."

Zhu Tan's eyes sparkled:

"I also plan to improve the formula of gunpowder and develop more powerful cannons, and even..."

He leaned close to Zhu Biao's ear and said in a low voice:
"We even developed a 'rocket' that can fly into the sky!"

When Zhu Biao heard this, he was stunned. He could hardly believe his ears.

Flying into the sky? How is that possible?

"Tenth brother, you...are you kidding?"

Zhu Biao frowned slightly.

"Brother, when have I ever lied to you?"

Zhu Tan patted Zhu Biao on the shoulder and said firmly:
"Just wait and see. One day, I will make Ming the most powerful country in the world!"

Zhu Biao was stunned for a long while before he found his voice. He took a deep breath and patted Zhu Tan on the shoulder.

"Tenth brother, I understand and admire your talent and ambition. But..."

He frowned.

"These things are extremely powerful. If they fall into the hands of someone with bad intentions, the consequences will be disastrous!"

Zhu Tan smiled indifferently.

"Brother, I have thought about all the things you are worried about. But have you ever thought about this: if we don't develop more powerful weapons, what will we do to resist the Mongols when they come back? By then, we Han people will be the ones who suffer!"

He said in a heavy tone, "Brother, if you fall behind, you will be beaten. You and I both understand this!"

Zhu Biao was silent, he knew that what Zhu Tan said was true.

That year, the Mongolian cavalry marched southward and the Song Dynasty was unable to resist, which ultimately led to the tragic Battle of Yashan, where 100,000 people jumped into the sea.

Today, although the Ming Dynasty has established a powerful empire.

But the Mongols were still a sharp blade hanging over their heads, which could fall at any time and bring endless disasters to the Han people again.

"But, can this 'rocket' really fly into the sky?"

Zhu Biao still found it a little unbelievable.

"Brother, don't think too much. Even if the rocket can't fly, isn't there other research?"

Zhu Biao looked at his high-spirited brother in front of him with mixed feelings.

He had to admit that although Zhu Tan's ideas were bold, they were not unrealistic, but rather had a far-reaching strategic vision.

Perhaps, this is exactly what the Ming Dynasty needs, someone who dares to think and act, and can lead them to become stronger.

"Ok."

Zhu Biao sighed, "It's good that you know your limits. However, these studies are very expensive. Are you sure you can convince father?"

"Don't worry, brother."

Zhu Tan said confidently, "I have already started to prepare. When the time comes, I will definitely be able to give Father a surprise!"

Zhu Biao nodded and said nothing more. He looked around and his eyes fell on the busy craftsmen.

Some of them were polishing parts, some were preparing medicines. All of them were covered in dust and sweat, but they were all focused and meticulous.

"Tenth brother," Zhu Biao asked, "where did you find these craftsmen?"

"Oh," Zhu Tan looked back, "They are all skilled craftsmen I have recruited from all over the place, and each of them has unique skills."

Noticing Zhu Biao's gaze, the craftsmen stopped their work and knelt down in fear.

"Common people meet His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Everyone, stand up," Zhu Biao waved his hand, "No need to be polite."

He walked up to an old man who was grinding gears and asked, "Old man, what's your name?"

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince," the old man said in a trembling voice, "My surname is Zhang, and my name is Zhang the Blacksmith."

"Master Zhang," Zhu Biao asked gently, "where did you work before and how was your salary?"

Blacksmith Zhang hesitated for a moment:
"Reply...Reply to His Royal Highness, I am a commoner...I am a commoner of low status. I had no salary before. I just wanted to have enough food and clothing..."

Blacksmith Zhang looked into the distance with his cloudy eyes, as if he was lost in distant memories. After a while, he continued:

"My family are all craftsmen, and we have been making weapons and farm tools for generations, but... Alas..."

He sighed and shook his head:
"Artisans are of low status and are looked down upon all their lives. Even if they create exquisite objects, they are only worthy of meager wages, which are barely enough to make a living..."

At this point, Zhang the blacksmith's eyes were slightly red, and his voice was choked with sobs. "My son has been clever and skillful since he was young, and has an extraordinary talent for making tools. I gave everything I had to teach him how to forge iron, hoping that he would inherit the family business, but who knew..."

Blacksmith Zhang took a deep breath and held back his tears.

"Who would have thought that a few years ago, the government recruited craftsmen to repair the city wall, and my poor son was also captured. He never came back..."

He lowered his head in pain:
"Later, I made inquiries from various sources and found out that my son died of exhaustion on the construction site..."

When Zhu Biao heard this, his heart ached. He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but found that he could not say anything.

Blacksmith Zhang wiped away his tears and said in a hoarse voice:
"I have lived enough of my life, but seeing that His Royal Highness Prince Lu attaches so much importance to us craftsmen, a glimmer of hope has been ignited in my heart..."

He raised his head, his cloudy eyes sparkling with hope.

"His Royal Highness Prince Lu is so kind. He not only treats us craftsmen well, with three meals a day, but also allows us to participate in the creation of these important instruments. This life of mine... this life of mine is worth it!"

Zhu Tan patted Zhang the blacksmith on the shoulder and said loudly:
"Master Zhang, don't worry, as long as you work hard, I will never treat you unfairly!"

Blacksmith Zhang nodded excitedly, tears streaming down his face.

Zhu Tan turned around and looked at Zhu Biao with a firm look in his eyes.

"Brother, did you see that? There are countless craftsmen like Master Zhang in the world. They have unique skills, but because of their lowly status, they can only struggle at the bottom of society and suffer bullying all their lives!"

His tone was heavy:
"Brother, please persuade our father to abolish the slave system! Let these skilled craftsmen contribute their strength to the Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Biao then realized it.

Zhu Tan was right. The slave system was indeed a major cancer that hindered the development of the Ming Dynasty.

However, how easy is it to abolish this system that has lasted for thousands of years?
He looked up at the busy craftsmen. Their faces were full of hope for the future, which made him more determined in his thoughts.

"Don't worry, Tenth Brother," Zhu Biao took a deep breath and said firmly, "I will do my best to handle this matter!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Tan showed a relieved smile on his face.

……

After returning to the Eastern Palace, Zhu Biao swept away his previous gloom and plunged into the study as if he was possessed by a demon. He rummaged through the boxes and cabinets, finding all the books related to craftsmen and household registration.

He read eagerly, writing something down on the paper quickly.

"Your Highness, you haven't rested for a whole day."

The young eunuch held out the ginseng tea and advised cautiously, "Eat something."

Zhu Biao didn't even raise his head, but just waved his hand casually to indicate that he understood.

The young eunuch had no choice but to put down the ginseng tea and quietly retreat.

Ever since he went to his tenth brother’s “laboratory” that day, Zhu Biao felt like a fire was burning in his heart.

The experience of Zhang the blacksmith, the hope in the eyes of those craftsmen, and Zhu Tan's powerful words were all deeply engraved in his mind.

"In every dynasty, craftsmen have been regarded as pariahs. However, which dynasty can exist without craftsmen?"

Zhu Biao muttered to himself.

He flipped through the book in his hand, which recorded the various disadvantages caused by the slave system:
Craftsmen have a low status and lack the motivation to learn and make progress, which leads to the interruption of skill inheritance;
Excellent craftsmen were buried and unable to display their talents, and the country also lost precious human resources...

"No, I must change all this!"

Zhu Biao was determined that he would not only persuade his father, but also take practical actions to prove the necessity and feasibility of abolishing the system of slavery.

He walked out of the study, called his trusted guards, and ordered:

"Go, incognito, I want to know the true views of the common people on the slave system, especially those craftsmen, I want to hear their voices!"

The confidant took the order and left. Zhu Biao changed into casual clothes and left the palace incognito, wanting to go to the people to see the real situation.

He walked on the streets of the capital, watching the people coming and going.

On the roadside, a vendor selling candied haws was shouting. He was ragged and looked haggard, but he was still trying hard to smile and attract customers.

"This big brother,"

Zhu Biao walked up to the vendor and asked:
"You have good craftsmanship. This candied haws is really beautiful. Why don't you find a better job?"

The vendor smiled bitterly and shook his head:
"Sir, you are joking. My family has been a family of craftsmen for generations. My ancestors were carpenters. But by the time of my generation, our family had fallen into poverty and we could only do some small business to make a living."

"Jianghu? What happened to Jianghu?"

Zhu Biao pretended to be confused.

"Ah, sir, you don't know," the vendor sighed, "artisans are of low status and are looked down upon all their lives. Even if they have good skills, they can't find a good job. They can only do hard labor and earn a little money."

Zhu Biao's heart sank. He knew these were facts, but he still wanted to hear what the people really thought.

He continued to ask:
"Then do you think this craftsman household system is reasonable?"

The vendor was stunned for a moment, as if he had not expected him to ask this question. He hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice and said:

"Sir, you can't say that. If the government hears you, you will be beheaded!"

Zhu Biao patted his shoulder and told him not to worry:

"Just tell me, I won't tell anyone."

The vendor then plucked up the courage to say:

"Sir, to be honest with you, this craftsman system should have been changed long ago! Why should we be born inferior to others? We also want to make a living with our own abilities, and we also want our children to live a good life!"

Zhu Biao nodded and said nothing more. He gave the vendor some change and left.

He knew that this was just the tip of the iceberg, and that there were thousands and thousands of craftsmen who were suffering unfair treatment.

At the same time, Zhu Tan was not idle either.

He knew very well that if he wanted to convince Zhu Yuanzhang, it was not enough to just talk, and he had to produce actual results.

He increased the preferential treatment for craftsmen, not only providing them with generous remuneration but also encouraging them to use their creativity to develop new equipment.

……

With carved beams and painted buildings and towering red doors, the Hanguo Mansion exudes power and majesty everywhere.

Li Shanchang sat on the armchair, tapping the table lightly with his fingers, making a dull "thump thump" sound that was particularly clear in the quiet study.

"master."

Butler Li Fu walked in quietly, bowed and said:

"The news from the palace is that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been paying close attention to His Royal Highness Prince Lu recently."

Li Shanchang didn't even raise his eyelids and asked calmly, "Oh? How do you pay attention?"

Li Fu did not dare to neglect and immediately told him all the information he had found out:

"It is said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is very interested in the wonderful things of His Royal Highness the Prince of Lu, and he has personally visited the Prince of Lu's mansion several times."

"It's rumored that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince intends to support His Royal Highness Prince Lu..."

"Snapped!"

Li Shanchang slammed the table, his face gloomy and terrifying, which frightened Li Fu so much that he swallowed the rest of his words. (End of this chapter)