Chapter 96 Looking Back (End of the Main Text)
The last stop of the border inspection in the ninth year of Yuanguang was Changping Imperial Farm. Although this was not originally Zhu Yuhuan's imperial farm, it had always been managed by Zhu Yuhuan. Now that Zhu Yuhuan has become the emperor, the imperial farm has naturally become a part of Zhu Yuhuan's property.
Upon learning that Zhu Yuhuan, now the emperor, was coming in person, the heads of several imperial farms specially rushed to Changping Imperial Farm to pay their respects to Zhu Yuhuan, and naturally made meticulous arrangements for entertaining the emperor.
Zhu Shuyuan and Zhu Jianshen had seen a lot of scenery along the way, so it shouldn't have been new to them. However, when they saw the well-organized water wheels, fields, etc. in the imperial farm, they couldn't help but look around, and everything seemed new to them.
In comparison, although the ministers were somewhat surprised by the vitality and orderliness inside the imperial farm, they only looked at it secretly.
Several of the ministers who followed Zhu Qizhen on his border patrol had visited Changping Imperial Farm, but they died in a foreign land while following Zhu Qizhen on his border patrol. The current ministers were all promoted by Zhu Yuhuan himself. I only vaguely heard that the Imperial Farm was once managed by Zhu Yuhuan, and Zhu Qizhen was only responsible for collecting rent.
Most of them have visited Wunong Temple, and they can tell from the layout of Changping Huangzhuang that Changping Huangzhuang was based on the layout of Wunong Temple, but the area for farming and labor was expanded.
"Mother, there's also a waterwheel here at Wunong Temple!"
Zhu Yuhuan walked to the river and said with a smile: "This waterwheel is older than you. At that time, your mother was still a child."
When the ministers following behind heard Zhu Yuhuan mention Concubine Zhou, they looked at each other in surprise and secretly admired the emperor's calmness.
She seemed not to be worried at all that Zhu Shuyuan and Zhu Jianshen, brother and sister, would become estranged from her because of their biological father's affairs.
However, on the way back from patrolling the border, everyone felt that Zhu Shuyuan and Zhu Jianshen seemed to have a closer relationship with their mother Zhu Yuhuan.
Zhu Shuyuan looked around and said, "It's so old, but the waterwheel is still usable. It seems that it must be carefully maintained on a daily basis."
Zhu Jianshen sighed, "Huai En told us earlier that the waterwheels in Yunnan are ten times larger than those at Wunong Temple, and even more stunning than the mountains and rivers of Yunnan itself."
Zhu Yuhuan said with a smile: "Yunnan's mountains and rivers are the work of nature. The waterwheels we built are the best that human power can do. There is no distinction between high and low."
"That's what mother said."
This time, Zhu Yuhuan was accompanied on the border inspection by the Hanlin Academy's scholars. Zhu Yuhuan asked them to write poems based on the scenery of the imperial farm, while he led the ministers to continue walking into the imperial farm.
Song Cuilian followed Zhu Yuhuan and did not forget to introduce Changping Huangzhuang to the people around her:
"Wunong Temple has been cultivating rice for many years. Once it has yielded fruit, it is first sent to the imperial farms in Changping, Fengrun, and other places for large-scale cultivation. In the eighth year of Yuanguang, the rice seeds bestowed by His Majesty to various parts of the north all came from the cultivated land of the imperial farms."
"Taizu once said that agriculture is the foundation of a nation. Your Majesty has established the Wunong Temple and ordered people to learn the art of farming. This is to help farmers with their skills. Only in this way can more people in the Ming Dynasty fill their stomachs."
"Your Majesty, while he values commerce, he also places equal emphasis on agriculture and the military. He is definitely not one of those people who, as reported by the Censorate, only care about petty gains and are narrow-minded."
How could the ministers who heard these words not understand the emperor's meaning? Those who could follow the emperor on border patrol were all senior officials in the court, and they were in charge of many people. The emperor knew very well whether some of the memorials were the intentions of the officials below or the intentions of their leaders, so he took this opportunity to warn them openly.
With Song Cuilian's introduction, the group finally arrived at the temporary brocade tent. When Zhu Yuhuan sat down in front of the arranged tables and chairs, he saw that everyone had different expressions. Then he said to Song Cuilian, "Let the people from the imperial farm bring the steam engine over."
As soon as these words were spoken, Yu Qian and others nearby slowed down their breathing and looked towards the door with solemn expressions.
As cabinet ministers, they had already mentioned the word "steam engine" in their memorials to Yunnan. They only vaguely knew that this device was very effective in mining ore. Now that they can finally see the "real thing", how can they not be excited?
With the help of the tenants, the steam engine and loom were quickly moved over. Zhu Yuhuan waved his hand and let someone use the steam engine alone first.
The device started moving quickly after burning, making a roaring sound from time to time, which made the officials who had come closer out of curiosity take two steps back.
Zhu Yuhuan smiled slightly when he saw this and asked someone to assemble the steam engine and loom on the spot.
If the fact that steam engines could operate automatically simply by burning coal could be explained by things like cannons, then the fact that steam engines could automatically weave cloth on looms was clearly beyond most people's understanding.
Thus, water power, which could only be used in certain seasons, was clearly inferior to the "steam engine".
Looking at the rapidly running loom and recalling Zhu Yuhuan's previous insistence on going out to sea again, most people understood what Zhu Yuhuan meant.
It turned out that the emperor was afraid that the production speed was too fast and there would be nowhere to sell the domestic cloth. In addition, the steam engine required a lot of resources, so the emperor was reluctant to let the "steam engine" appear.
If it were before, people might still worry that the machine Zhu Yuhuan brought out would cause many textile factory workers to be laid off, but now the market has expanded a lot more than before, and the negative impact is obviously much smaller.
Besides, since this steam engine can drive a loom, it should also be able to drive other equipment...
Zhu Yuhuan noticed a change in attitude and continued, "Previously, when silver and copper mines were mined in Yunnan, steam engines were used to extract water from the mines, refresh the air inside, and drive carts to transport mined coal. Later, I will order the widespread use of steam engines in Zunhua and other places to improve smelting efficiency."
In addition to realizing the peculiarity of this machine, some people also realized something else.
Having this machine is a good thing for the country, but it is hard to say for the people. This machine burns coal, which requires more land and resources. In this way, many people will lose their means of survival and the land they have.
Considering that Zhu Yuhuan had repeatedly ordered Zhang Zhong to take some prisoners who should have been executed out to sea, they immediately understood that the emperor seemed to want to open up land overseas in order to ease possible conflicts at home.
No wonder so many people are flocking to overseas. After the development, I am afraid that the prosperity overseas will not be worse than that in China.
Zhu Yuhuan stood up, glanced at everyone, and said, "If this item can be applied to national affairs, it will be of great benefit to mining, smelting metals, and manufacturing firearms and armor. I don't want this pearl to be left in the dust. Later, I will order you to tour various places and witness the power of this 'strange and ingenious skill'."
How could everyone not understand Zhu Yuhuan's meaning?
They had heard that the emperor had been fond of strange skills and tricks since he was young, and they thought that the emperor expanded the Wunong Temple just for his own selfish reasons, so he suppressed the court officials.
But now it seems that the emperor persevered despite the heavy pressure from the censors just for today.
Seeing their different expressions, Zhu Yuhuan finally couldn't help but burst into laughter.
She laughed heartily, a kind of joy and ease that no one below had ever heard before, and it seemed to be a bit mocking.
After witnessing the power of the steam engine at Changping Huangzhuang, everyone set out on their return journey. However, when they were looking at the imperial mausoleum from a distance, Zhu Yuhuan ordered everyone to stop.
Seeing this, Song Cuilian asked, "Your Majesty, would you like to pay your respects to the Changling Mausoleum?"
Ever since Changling was invaded by foreign tribes during the Battle of Tumu, Zhu Yuhuan had people repair it and asked several princes in Beijing to take turns offering sacrifices on his behalf during the New Year, but he rarely came to pay homage in person.
The emperor stopped, and the whole team stopped, waiting for the emperor's orders.
Zhu Yuhuan simply stared at the direction of Changling for a long time, glanced at the ministers around him, and said with a smile: "No need, I will come here in person one day."
Although Song Cuilian didn't understand Zhu Yuhuan's thoughts, she still responded.
Zhu Yuhuan looked forward, then raised his hand and said with a smile: "Forward, forward."
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