As a festival second only to Zhengdan Day, the Winter Solstice is a festival that people attach great importance to.
The reason is also very simple, because this day means that it has officially entered the agricultural slack period, or it is the beginning of winter.
In the feudal era, the problem of heating has always been a difficulty alongside eating and drinking.
During the feudal dynasty, the capital, home to hundreds of thousands of people, was like a black hole, constantly devouring the country's resources. There was no lush mountain to be found within a hundred miles.
Therefore, in addition to having rivers to transport supplies, a country's capital also needs mountains and forests to provide firewood and fuel.
Starting from the winter solstice, ordinary families have to prepare firewood and clothing to withstand the severe cold of winter.
Therefore, the winter solstice is particularly important. It is the key to whether a family will freeze to death. There are many such tragedies in Beijing every year.
Poor people froze to death on the roadside and were scornfully called roadkill.
Thanks to the help of Xishan coal mines and briquettes, the heating problem in the capital has been greatly alleviated. However, you must know that the Gyeonggi region, including Shuntianfu and Tianjin, has no less than three to five million people.
With such a huge population, the demand for coal mines is naturally huge.
For Taisun, he was ordered to inspect the household department this time to ensure the heating problem in the capital.
This was his first time out for training, so it was obviously extremely important.
Looking at the endless stream of official carriages and horses, as well as the falling cinders, he sighed for a while: "I have spent many years working hard to survive the winter in the capital!"
"I wonder if this is enough? I heard that the price is too expensive and many people freeze to death."
"Your Highness, the Ministry of Revenue has prepared the charcoal reserves for Baiguan and Jingying half a year in advance, and they will never be left behind."
The doctor on the side said hurriedly, his tone a little hasty, for fear that the emperor and grandson would misunderstand.
"As for the common people, it is the merchants who are selling it. I hope nothing will happen. Otherwise, Shuntian Prefecture would have taken action long ago. Those people must be poor and cannot afford coal."
"Really?" Zhu Fuyi shook his head and sighed with pity on his face: "Why doesn't the imperial court sell some cheap coal so that the people can survive the winter safely?"
"Coal is cheap in summer and expensive in winter. The Ministry of Household Affairs should collect coal in summer and release it in winter to benefit the people."
"Your Highness's benevolence——"
For a moment, several officials looked at each other and immediately raised their hands in admiration.
Even if this is just a show, once implemented, it is definitely a benevolent policy.
After all, since ancient times, only money and grain were stored, and coal was rarely stored. Even if the gain outweighs the loss, it will not detract from Taisun's reputation for benevolence.
At the same time, it is also beneficial to officials in the Ministry of Household Affairs.
No one will resent having little power in their hands.
Adding a department will naturally require additional manpower and an expanded budget, which are real benefits.
The household department will be strengthened, the people will benefit, and the grandson will be named. It is really a three-win situation!
Next, Zhu Fuyi did something close to the people.
For the first time, he came to Xishan Coal Mine, went down into the mine without fear of danger, and talked with the miners in the dark mine.
The rumbling water pump was pumping constantly, and the miners were covered in dirty colors, sitting helplessly with their hoes in hand.
Although they did not know the identity of their grandson, they could never see such a noble person.
Compared with the prince's cautious words and deeds, the grandson Zhu Fuyi was born bold. He was quite curious about the mine. He looked around and touched it from time to time. Feeling the wet environment, he seemed to feel some kind of satisfaction in his heart.
He turned a deaf ear to the advice of the eunuchs around him.
He sat down on the horse and felt his butt hurt, but he didn't care and asked with a smile:
"Where do you live? How much money do you have every month?"
Seeing that everyone was submissive, he patted his head and asked, "How much money can you get every month?"
"If anyone answers me, I'll treat him to some candied fruit."
With that said, the eunuch opened the wooden box on the side and took out plates of candied fruits.
The miners were drooling, and all of them looked very excited.
"I, I, we calculate it on a daily basis, one penny a day!"
A certain miner said hurriedly, and then he couldn't wait to put the candied fruit into his mouth, with a look of enjoyment on his face.
Three yuan a month is not bad!
Zhu Fuyi nodded secretly: "Do mining accidents happen often? How much is the pension?"
"There is a mining accident every two or three months. If you are lucky, if you can't escape, your employer will pay you ten or eight yuan as a compensation..."
Everyone was silent again.
Suddenly, there was a crunching sound, and several mice slithered at Taisun's feet.
The eunuch was furious and hurriedly wanted to stamp on him: "Why are there still rats in the mine?"
"Don't step on it, don't step on it!" The workers hurriedly explained: "This is the kiln god, don't step on it!"
Some men even burst into tears.
Zhu Fuyi stopped the eunuch's move and asked why.
Miners bluntly say that rats are "kiln gods" in the mines. Coal diggers never kill rats or raise cats.
Rats have very sharp ears and eyes. Once anything goes wrong in the coal mine, they will immediately run away or run away with the mouse in their mouth. Miners have also avoided many mining disasters because of this.
Therefore, miners have great respect for rats and even take the initiative to raise them.
"I never thought that a small rat could have such wonderful uses!" Taisun sighed with emotion.
During the conversation, the miners were quite open-minded and basically kept their business going from year to year, even if their children got married, until they could no longer work.
After all, in Beijing, they are hovering between life and death, and the money they earn every month is even richer than that of Beijing Camp!
"Sir, there are hundreds of holes in Xishan coal mines, and thousands of miners. They are either high-ranking officials or royal businessmen. You can't go wrong!"
The nearby eunuch thought that Taisun was worried about the miners, so he quickly explained: "It is more than enough to supply the entire capital."
"Oh?" Zhu Fuyi raised his eyebrows: "Then they still dare to increase the price?"
"Hey, these people are making a lot of money during the winter festival, so they don't dare to increase the price too much for fear of offending Shuntian Mansion."
"Then my coal storage is a joke, isn't it?"
Zhu Fuyi's face looked ugly.
Even if a large amount of coal is purchased in the summer, it will be a drop in the bucket for Beijing, and there is no way that coal prices will fall.
"Sir, cheap coal can save a lot of money. Your efforts are not in vain!"
Although he was relieved, his grandson only felt a little better.
He walked around the largest coal mining area near Beijing, his brows furrowed for a moment.
Although he also has the intention of asking for fame, he still has the heart to do practical things and be practical in the world!
"I must be remembered deeply by the people of the capital!"
Taisun made up his mind to solve the problem of expensive coal in winter.
Only in this way can you show your face in front of Grandpa Huang.
When he returned to the capital, Taisun Mansion was feeling distressed, but he didn't care. After taking a bath, he hurriedly invited his friend Zhang Tingzhan.
Nowadays, he has just joined politics and is a fledgling man. Naturally, he has no aides, and Zhang Tingzhan is the best adviser.
Regarding coal, Zhang Tingzhan agreed:
"High-ranking officials use red radish charcoal, rich people use bamboo charcoal and charcoal, and only ordinary families use coal to survive. In the capital city alone, hundreds of millions of kilograms are needed in one winter. How much profit can there be?"
"Half of what I get in one month is food and clothing, and the rest is rent and charcoal. Charcoal is cheaper and can keep a lot of people alive."
"Therefore, since the price of Xishan Coal Mine has increased, we can only move coal from other places, forcing it to lower its price!"
"There are not many coal mines near Gyeonggi!" Taisun said distressedly: "All the coal in Zunhua is supplied to the market, and there is not much surplus to go to Beijing."
Zhang Tingzhan raised his eyebrows: "Your Highness, students heard that Shanxi has a lot of coal and relies on it to be transported east to Hebei. You can transfer coal from Shanxi!"
"The railroad tracks are busy transporting people, but they can't transport much coal."
After being rejected, Zhang Tingzhan was not distressed and continued to think: "The railway track is not good and the official road is not good, so we can only use the waterway."
"Are there coal mines along waterways and canals?"
"Your Highness, the one with the most coal mines now is probably Liaodong!"
Zhang Tingzhan said seriously: "Since food from Liaodong can enter Beijing, then naturally coal mines can too!"
"That's right!" Taisun said with a smile: "It takes people and horses to pull from the Western Mountains to the capital, but Liaodong is all waterways!"
On the surface, the costs of the two are not much different.
In other words, there must be huge profits from this.
"Your Highness!" Suddenly, Zhang Tingzhan said seriously:
"This is benevolent government, but it will offend many high-ranking officials!"
"I understand!" Hearing this, the grandson smiled casually: "Now that your majesty is in good health and the prince is in his prime, who should I, a younger generation, be afraid of offending?"
"Who would offend me because of a small profit of ten thousand yuan?"
Zhang Tingzhan was speechless.
He has never made any money. His grandson is already the third generation prince of the Ming Dynasty. How can anyone dare to settle a score with his grandson?
"Your Highness, please go to the Crown Prince first, and then your Majesty!"
Taisun thought of his father's caution and nodded hesitantly.
Sure enough, although the prince approved of his son's move, he was a little hesitant: "Many ministers' families run mines. I'm afraid it will be difficult to implement this!"
Easier said than done. The prince immediately realized that once the matter was completed, how could those people not be dissatisfied with him?
Being in the center of power, the constraints imposed by civil servants were unbearably tight for him.
"Go and report to His Majesty yourself!" the prince said solemnly:
"Every operation must be handled by you personally. It can be regarded as a training for you!"
"My son understands!"
Taisun resigned, and then rushed to the palace to ask for an audience with the emperor.
"What you did is good!" Zhu Yixi quite recognized Taisun's foresight: "The capital relies on Xishan, which inevitably makes some people feel confident."
"Walking on two legs is the safest way."
Being able to adjust coal prices through market means is far better than administrative means.
Adding one more coal input line will be beneficial to the capital.
Thinking of this, Zhu Yixi praised: "You can think of this level and have a solution, which is really beyond my expectation."
"It's up to you to handle this matter. It must be resolved properly."
"Grandson received the order!" He received the assignment, which made the grandson extremely excited.
This is much better than patrolling.
After watching his grandson leave, Zhu Yixi got up from the soft couch.
In a moment, two middle-aged civil servants were in front of them.
Zhu Yue and Zhu Fan arrived in high spirits.
"I, Zhu Yue (Zhu Fang), come to see Your Majesty!"
"Get up!"
Zhu Yixi looked at the two illegitimate children and felt quite emotional for a while.
Before they knew it, these two men had already reached the middle ranks of the officialdom.
Zhu Li is now the prefect and has come to Beijing to report on his duties.
Zhu Fan was a Beijing official, from the fifth rank.
Now that Zhu Yue has entered the capital, Zhu Fan has to be released.
Seeing them, Zhu Yixi couldn't help but think of Bian Yujing. The difficulty of holding that palm was unmatched by anyone else.
"Zhu Yue, I heard that you are doing a good job here and have built a lot of ponds. When you return to the capital, you should become the Prime Minister of Dali Temple (full fifth grade)."
"Zhu Fan was sent to Taiyuan, Shanxi Province to serve as the prefect!"
"I thank you Lord for your kindness!"
"Your Majesty!" Finally, Zhu Li couldn't help but said:
"I would like to take a few days off."
"What's the matter?"
"My second mother is old and frail, and has been sick recently. I regard her as my biological mother. How dare I not fulfill my filial piety!"
The elder Zhu Li remained silent, and only Zhu Fan took the liberty in the end.
Is Li Xiangjun leaving too?
Zhu Yixi's heart moved, and her face did not change as she said: "The country governs the world with filial piety, how can I not allow it?"
"Your filial piety is commendable, Dongzi, give them ten pieces of brocade and two flavors of ginseng!"
"yes!"
Brother Zhu Li kowtows to express gratitude.
When father and son are in the palace, they can only be called monarchs and ministers.
Watching the two of them leave, Zhu Yixi couldn't help but sigh.
With support all the way, only these two sons are promising and doing well in the officialdom. In less than three to five years, they will be able to serve as the chief official of a province.
It can be seen that although the background is good, but it is not promising, no matter how much support it is, it is useless.
There is no hope for everyone to become successful.
"Second brother, why are you talking nonsense!"
On the carriage, Zhu Li said in a deep voice, obviously suppressing his anger.
Zhu Yue said calmly: "Brother, if the second mother passes away, will the third mother be far behind?"
"The king is ruthless. If the second mother passes away quietly, how uncomfortable will it be? The risk is still worth it."
Zhu Li exhaled and remained silent.
Yes, it is the king who is heartless, that is why he mentioned it.
If they, brothers, want to rise high in the officialdom, they must be favored by the king.
The emperor is also a kite, and Er Niang and Sanniang are now kite strings. Even if they are to be broken, the emperor will feel distressed and regretful.
Only then will these two brothers be valued more.
So it can only be understood but cannot be expressed in words.
Of course, although this is taking advantage, it is also good for Erniang.
Not to mention rewards, just say that he is the emperor, and he will inevitably meet frequently in these few times, which is a great relief for women.
Zhu Yue naturally understood, but as he was quite a gentleman, he would never accept the villainous behavior of taking advantage of his family members and the profit-centered way of doing things.
"Second brother, don't bring the trappings of officialdom into your home!"
After a long time, Zhu Li said slowly: "We are all relatives!"
Zhu Fan nodded simply: "I know I was wrong, I won't do it again..."