In Wuji, Jizhou, in the living room of the Zhen family, Zhao Zhong knelt comfortably beside a table, on which were laid out various delicacies that the Zhen family had carefully prepared for him.

"Tsk tsk tsk...! This coal and coal stove are really good stuff! In the cold winter, they can keep this huge living room so warm!"

Looking at the coal stove glowing red in the center of the living room, Zhao Zhong couldn't help but admire it. As he spoke, he picked up a dessert and put it in his mouth.

"Indeed! Your Majesty is truly a divine being! With these two miraculous resources—coal stoves and coal—the people of the north will be spared the bitter cold of this weather!"

Feeling the warm temperature around him, Zhen Yu, the head of the Zhen family, sat opposite Zhao Zhong with a smile on his face.

"Patriarch Zhen is right! Without His Majesty, we wouldn't be living like this!"

Upon hearing Zhen Yu's words, Zhao Zhong looked at Zhen Yu and couldn't help but reveal a hint of "you're teachable."

Then Zhao Zhong asked in a deep voice, "By the way! Those coal stoves that your Zhen family made should be ready by now, right? And has the coal that was transported over been cleaned?"

Zhen Yu replied respectfully, "Reporting to Attendant Zhao, the first batch of three thousand coal stoves has been completed and is being loaded onto wagons! The five hundred wagons of coal transported from Liaoxi have also been cleaned and will be transported to Luoyang tomorrow!"

"Okay, that's good! We've been out for so long, it's time to go back!"

Zhao Zhong nodded, quite satisfied with Zhen Yu's efficiency. Then, thinking of Zhang Rang, who was still mining coal in western Liaoning, and Jian Shuo, who was freezing on the grassland, he couldn't help but smile.

After picking up another piece of pastry and putting it in his mouth, Zhao Zhong stood up.

Seeing this, Zhen Yu quickly stood up and asked, "May I ask, Attendant Zhao, how much does this coal stove cost?"

Zhao Zhong couldn't help but smile; Zhen Yu had finally come to his senses this time.

What is the cost price of a coal stove?

"In response to Attendant Zhao, if it is made of crude iron, the cost of a coal stove, including labor, is only about four hundred coins!"

Zhao Zhong thought for a moment, then said, "Hmm, let's set it at one thousand coins then! You guys need to make a profit!"

"yes!"

Upon hearing Zhao Zhong's pricing, Zhen Yu couldn't help but show a hint of joy. A profit of more than double was already quite considerable, and the subsequent market was also enormous.

"However, a thousand coins is no problem for wealthy families, but what about the common people who can't afford it? Does Patriarch Zhen have any ideas?"

Seeing Zhen Yu's joyful expression, Zhao Zhong couldn't help but think of a major problem he had overlooked: what if the common people couldn't afford it?

"this.....!"

Zhen Yu was stunned for a moment before realizing that Zhao Zhong had brought the blueprints and entrusted her with the task of making coal stoves, probably to benefit the people, just like he had done with the curved plow before.

Zhen Yu also began to ponder how to make money in a way that would make it affordable for ordinary people.

Finally, Zhen Yu raised his head and looked at Zhao Zhong, respectfully asking, "May I ask, Attendant Zhao, where are these coal stoves being manufactured right now?"

Zhao Zhong thought for a moment and then said, "Hmm, besides the imperial court and the government, there are only your Zhen family and the Mi family of Xuzhou! There should be a few more in Luoyang, but no more than ten!"

Upon hearing Zhao Zhong's words, Zhen Yu's expression shifted. "In that case, if the coal furnaces are to supply the entire north, we must expand production as soon as possible!"

Then Zhen Yu said, "Attendant Zhao, I think that since there is nothing to do in winter, we might as well recruit a large number of people to participate in the production of coal stoves. In a few days, they will be able to earn wages and afford to buy them!"

As for the rest that they can't afford to buy, they can rent them out, and buy them when they have the money!

Zhen Yu's idea was simple: the coal stove market was a huge pie, and if she wanted to get the biggest slice, she had to seize the market first.

If you don't have the money to buy it, I'll help you earn the money to buy it.

Of course, if you can't afford it, you can use it first and pay it back when you have the money. It's just a matter of earning it sooner or later.

Zhen Yu's idea immediately caught Zhao Zhong's eye. It was such a perfect solution; His Majesty would surely be very pleased to know about it.

Then Zhao Zhong looked at Zhen Yu meaningfully, "Hmm! Not bad! Not bad...! Patriarch Zhen is indeed a smart man, he understood our meaning immediately!"

"Uh~!"

Seeing Zhao Zhong's expression, Zhen Yu was stunned for a moment, then realized what was going on. He understood that Zhao Zhong was preparing to use his own methods to curry favor with the emperor!

However, Zhen Yu was incredibly astute. He understood that if he had taken such a large slice of the pie without someone else to take the fall, he would surely suffer retaliation from the other families.

Zhen Yu humbly replied, "You flatter me, Attendant Zhao. I am merely a merchant who only thinks about how to make money. Everything is thanks to your guidance, Attendant Zhao!"

"Haha~, good, good! Our family will help you speak to the local government!! You can recruit people with peace of mind."

As for the crude iron used to build the coal stove, we'll talk to the engineering college and make sure they give you priority in supplying it!

Seeing how sensible Zhen Yu was, Zhao Zhong couldn't help but feel overjoyed. He had not only exceeded the task assigned by His Majesty and solved the problem of the people using coal stoves, but he had also helped the College of Engineering open up a new source of income.

If these things were accomplished, the emperor would surely look at him differently. Thinking of this, Zhao Zhong couldn't help but imagine the wonderful scene of him stepping on Zhang Rang and beating Jian Shuo in the future.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!