Chapter 578: Making Soap Just when a debate was taking place in the the Prince's Mansion. Crown Prince Zhu Biao sat quietly in the study, looking deep in thought. It was quiet outside. At this time, a servant hurried into the study, looking anxious, and whispered a few words into the prince's ear: "Your Highness, something has happened..." "Go ahead." Zhu Biao's voice was calm, but there was a hint of fatigue between his brows. “Today when I was shopping for groceries, I saw…” The servant paused, frowned and said, "It's Zhu Chong." When Zhu Biao heard this, ripples arose in his heart. He remembered that when he played with Zhu Chong, Zhu Chong was always the innocent and lively younger brother. They used to be so close to each other like shadow and figure. However, now, his brother's experience makes him feel very distressed. "Zhu Chong..." Zhu Biao's voice could hardly conceal his concern for his brother.

Zhu Biao closed his eyes and silently recalled the past between them as brothers. Now this scene was really hard for him to accept. "I understand. You can leave now." His heart was filled with helplessness and regret. Perhaps, the cause of everything can be traced back to some previous misunderstandings and disagreements. He re-examined his role in his brother Zhu Chong's growth process, and all of this he pondered deeply and experienced only after he became an adult. In the days that followed, Zhu Biao was full of suspense about his brother Zhu Chong's fate, and he would often sigh in the dead of night. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince looked out at the city as night fell, feeling a surge of peace in his heart. A trusted confidant walked up to him and said, "Your Highness, your master has been feeling down lately. Is there anything you can share with me?" Zhu Biao took a deep breath, his face heavy, "I still remember the friendship we once had as brothers, and the matter of Zhu Chong is still lingering in my mind." "Your Highness, perhaps the Prince's Mansion needs to take action at this time." The confidant carefully offered advice. Zhu Biao was silent for a moment, and finally nodded: "You are right. I can't just sit there and do nothing anymore." He tried hard to suppress the grief and guilt in his heart. The next day, Zhu Biao went to court and issued an edict, ordering the entire city to ban all vendors from selling cabbage. When the news spread, the people talked about it and they were confused about the prince's decision. Cabbage is extremely important in their daily life, but this move has undoubtedly disrupted their livelihood. People were talking about it, and both the government and the public were full of doubts about the prince's actions. Zhu Biao's face was solemn. He knew that this move would inevitably cause controversy, but he did not hesitate at all. This decision was not easy for him, but he firmly believed that starvation was necessary. "Prince, your decision will indeed cause quite a stir." An adviser said to the prince solemnly. "This is for Zhu Chong." Zhu Biao took a deep breath. "I didn't pay attention to his situation before, but now it's too late." This move of starting over caused an uproar in the court and the country. People were talking about it, and many ministers made suggestions to the emperor, questioning the prince's actions.

However, Zhu Biao did not back down from his decision. During this turmoil, he thought of many countermeasures and tried his best to fulfill his responsibilities as an elder brother to Zhu Chong. …… The changes brought about by Lin Che were the most talked about topic in the government and the public. The national teacher was actually so interested in military equipment. But no one really understood what he was planning. In the Imperial Prefect's Mansion. Lin Che was carefully examining a very modern and beautifully crafted instrument in his hand. It was not a traditional weapon, but a musket made of fine materials. This gun is different from any weapon the Ming Dynasty had seen before. It is the product of the fusion of Zhu Yunwen's design concept and modern firearms. Zhu Yunwen was quite knowledgeable about these firearms, but he never thought that the imperial teacher would ask him to forge such weapons. Lin Che motioned for him to take a closer look and asked, "Your Highness, do you think the craftsmanship of this firearm is in line with your ideas?" Zhu Yunwen stared at the firearm and was quite surprised. This coin is not ornately carved, but its texture and structure are almost impeccable. He asked softly, "Indeed, Imperial Master, this firearm has many ingenious structures, which makes it truly a top-notch craftsmanship." Lin Che smiled slightly: "Okay, I think this firearm will become an important weapon for the Ming army." Zhu Yunwen said in unison: "Yes, I am also very proud of it." However, there was still some hesitation between Lin Che's brows. He knew that what he saw was far from enough to constitute the hidden weapon of the Ming Dynasty's military might, and the empty treasury made him very worried. After much deliberation, he decided to turn his attention to foreign trade to make up for this huge shortcoming. Although the Ming Dynasty was unrivaled in the world, its economy was not satisfactory because of the limited time and the tax revenue could not maintain the huge military expenditure. Lin Che understood this and decided to fill the gap in the national treasury finances through foreign trade. However, during this era, Ming's trade relations with the West were not well developed. Lin Che thought about it again and again, and found that there was a particularly precious commodity abroad, and the Ming Dynasty had this product, that is, soap. Therefore, Lin Che invited Zhu Yunwen to the Imperial Master's Mansion and decided to use his wisdom to manufacture this kind of product by himself, and then let merchants trade it abroad to fill the empty treasury. Zhu Yunwen was a little surprised. After all, in this era, soap had not yet been invented, and the court inside and outside the palace was extremely extravagant and completely unfamiliar with it. Lin Che introduced the specific methods and steps of making soap to Zhu Yunwen one by one. "First of all, rapeseed oil or sesame oil is essential for making soap. Oh, and wood ash." "Then put them in a container, such as a clay pot or a wooden barrel." Lin Che emphasized the safety of the production process and the importance of proper proportions and mixing time in making high-quality soap. "Once you've made it, you have a solid substance, which is soap."

Cut it into small pieces and it will be convenient for daily use. "For example, washing the body, clothes and utensils is clean and convenient." "If this thing comes out, it will definitely be sought after by everyone, and it will be easy to make a lot of money." “Are you willing to give it a try? This may be a new way for our foreign trade.” Lin Che said with a smile. Upon hearing this, Zhu Yunwen felt a little excited and nodded heavily, indicating that he was willing to try it. Excitement was evident in his eyes. He knew clearly that if this plan was successful, it would not only promote the economic development of the Ming Empire, but would also be an unprecedented innovation in technology and business. Great innovation! (End of this chapter)