Chapter 175 (Chapter 175) Honeycomb Coal Repellent
"Go and send someone to inquire," Steward Hua said as he came to report to the carriage, just as a guard with a scar on his face left.
The person who had just spoken and given the order was the prince, so Steward Hua lowered his head at the right time, his expression unchanged, pretending that he had not heard anything, and smoothly began to talk about a matter: "Your Highness, a lot of charcoal sellers have gathered around in the suburbs, so I took the initiative to buy new charcoal so that they can have a warm winter."
"There are many refugees around, and the porridge and rice stalls set up by wealthy families are still there. It's been bitterly cold lately... Please give your instructions, Your Highness, should we set up some charcoal sheds for the refugees? To provide them with some convenience?"
Qi Chengming's mind was still on the departing veteran, and he said absentmindedly, "Alright, we're not short of money lately, so give him what he's owed, just make sure to maintain order and not let him cause any trouble."
Back in the capital, the area became the territory of the Marquis of Weiyong's mansion. These veteran guards, who had retired from the battlefield, were mostly based in the capital. Now, if something happened, they could easily inquire about it discreetly. Qi Chengming then instructed the spy named "Dingmu" to inquire about Wen Er's current situation.
Speaking of this unique name, Qi Chengming asked a question out of curiosity.
“My father was illiterate. Everyone always talked about pillars of support, pillars of support. My father loved me, so he named me Dingmu (meaning 'pillar of support'),” the old soldier said with a touch of pride. “He said that being able to support the wood for our own firewood was enough, not anything too big. Who would have thought that I would later join the army… and go through some hardships!”
Qi Chengming was filled with emotion.
Most of the veterans under his command were taken over from the Mighty Army. Ding Mu had been a captain and fought bravely on the battlefield, serving as his elder cousin's personal guard. Now, he was able to retire unscathed. These were not just "wooden men serving their own family," but clearly elite soldiers capable of stabilizing the country and ensuring its peace.
The days after returning to the capital would be even more dangerous, so Qi Chengming placed even greater emphasis on the veterans who served as guards; they were, in reality, a privately organized army within the Prince's residence. To avoid any appearance of impropriety, Qi Chengming carefully selected a small squad from among them, intending to publicly dismiss the other veterans—
At the very least, I can no longer stay and work in the Prince's mansion.
If the number of private soldiers is small, the emperor can turn a blind eye. But if the number is slightly larger, Qi Chengming will probably be overwhelmed with impeachment memorials as soon as he arrives in the capital.
"By the way, what did you say, distribute charcoal to the refugees?" Qi Chengming suddenly snapped out of his reverie, lost in thought.
When it comes to keeping warm, honeycomb briquettes are an indispensable element in time-travel novels.
Having always lived in the south, Qi Chengming had never considered the invention of this thing. Even though his cousin and Wen Er went to a harsh, cold place, they couldn't keep warm like this in the army. He had never thought of honeycomb briquettes.
But things are different now.
The capital city is located in the Central Plains, where the weather is cold. Everyone talks about coal, and now coal is being used for heating and iron smelting. Coal, yellow mud, and charcoal can be mixed to make honeycomb briquettes to burn, which can reduce costs... I don't remember the exact proportions, but Bishu can take the craftsmen to try it.
Qi Chengming appeared to be in a daze in front of Manager Hua, but in reality, he quickly flipped through the "Friends of Dual-Use Military and Civilian Talents" in the infrastructure system. Hmm, if he remembered correctly, it didn't describe the method for making honeycomb briquettes.
He vaguely remembered hearing somewhere that... a mud stove could also burn honeycomb briquettes. The results were very poor, but the advantage was that iron wasn't needed.
If mud stoves with honeycomb briquettes are developed in the future, will ordinary people be able to keep warm?
"...?"
Steward Hua was still waiting for a reply. He didn't understand why the prince was in a daze, but he lowered his head and waited silently, not daring to interrupt.
"Go and do something for me." Qi Chengming snapped out of his reverie, then changed his mind, "No, wait until I finish submitting my memorial, then you can do this..."
Qi Chengming pondered for a long time and realized that even if he could get the honeycomb briquettes out, the ancient people would basically not be able to benefit from them for heating.
This isn't his Liuzhou City, where the people are protected by a rationing system and have become wealthy. This is the capital, where officials rise one after another, and even Qi Chengming can't act as he pleases, no longer just coming up with a strategy and ordering people to do it.
The ordinary people here... probably can't even afford charcoal and coal, let alone be refugees.
Even if he improved the clay stove and honeycomb briquettes, ordinary people couldn't afford those two things, and wealthy families who used coal looked down on such simple and impoverished improvements. Who could benefit from them?
However, Qi Chengming still instructed Steward Hua to send someone to buy land in the suburbs of Beijing to build a factory after he finished submitting his memorial and communicating with Emperor Hongren.
He wanted to build a honeycomb briquette factory.
The most basic form of work relief was still implemented, allowing displaced people and those without work to dig for yellow mud and participate in factory construction before the weather completely froze. Honeycomb briquettes had a long burning time, were stable, and had a low cost, making them more useful than coal.
Even if we start with the high-end market, that would be fine—making some exquisite iron stoves and selling honeycomb briquettes as a side deal to idle nobles and wealthy families in Beijing. That would be a way to generate a steady stream of business.
In this way, at least the people working at the briquette factory would have money, and they could imitate the practices in Liuzhou city, selling them batches of stoves and briquette briquettes at a discount every now and then.
Saving a group of people first is also a form of saving lives.
I'll help as much as I can.
Manager Hua's eyes brightened as he listened, his expression filled with admiration: "...Yes, I'll go and prepare right away!"
"Don't make a fuss yet, just distribute the charcoal." Qi Chengming added with concern, "This factory is different; I plan to entrust it to the palace."
Upon returning to the capital, he would have to act under Emperor Hongren's name. Qi Chengming planned to donate 80% of the profits from the factory construction. The remaining 10% would be used as wages for the people, and the other 10% would stay for himself.
Qi Chengming had long since looked down on this paltry sum, but he had to have it, even if it was just a token amount. Otherwise, Emperor Hongren or other officials would definitely wonder why he was so upright and selfless.
"You don't want any of them? You're a saint, so what about us? Are we all villains?"
Qi Chengming felt a headache coming on just thinking about such suspicions and was determined to eliminate them from the smallest details.
If he didn't know how the people in the palace were messing things up, he would have replaced all the factory's staff with Emperor Hongren's men, wishing he could stay completely out of it and just submit a memorial suggesting it... Unfortunately, that's not possible right now.
Qi Chengming looked somewhat regretful.
His main purpose is to help refugees and people in winter. We can't put the cart before the horse. If we let it go completely, who knows whose money-making tool this idea will become, or whose personal enrichment it will be.
He can't let go of his close watch on the honeycomb briquette factory anytime soon. Even if there are any new ideas, he'll have to rely on his people for the time being. He'll have to wait a long time before he can completely let go, at least until Emperor Hongren tightens his grip on the procurement personnel and imposes strict supervision.
Hmm, this matter... after he tests Emperor Hongren's temperament and thoughts, if it's feasible, perhaps he can find an opportunity to bring it up.
Who wouldn't want a windfall?
Qi Chengming did not believe that Emperor Hongren was not tempted.
As long as he maintains a proper balance and slowly and deliberately lets go, he can get what he wants from the process, and Emperor Hongren will also get money.
Qi Chengming's goal was to subtly influence Emperor Hongren to adopt this way of interacting and distributing resources.
He should take the initiative, instead of letting Emperor Hongren say whatever he wants. Qi Chengming is like Doraemon running around solving problems, cleaning up all the messes. Whether he does it willingly or not is unknown.
"...It's better to set the rules from the beginning." Qi Chengming murmured as he watched Steward Hua leave, sitting on the bumpy carriage with a solemn expression.
He already realized it.
He hasn't returned to the palace yet.
But the unspoken power struggle between him and Emperor Hongren has already begun.
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