My Pen Pal Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 107 Sir, the world has changed

“My fellow Confucian scholars, today I finally understand the exquisiteness of nature’s workmanship and the wonder of human skills.

I want to use Confucianism as the basis and technology as the application, and go to the Academy of Craftsmen to teach the students, and also learn from the craftsmen with an open mind to gain insight into the secrets of technology.

I used to have a narrow vision, but now I know that there must be one person who can be my teacher when three people walk together.

I hope you will all learn from this. Craftsmanship and Confucianism can go hand in hand and complement each other. Only in this way can we create a new trend and work together for world peace.”

After saying this, Wu Daoxing bowed deeply to Zhu Yuanzhang, his tone extremely respectful and sincere.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Today I have learned that learning is boundless and never-ending!"

"Mr. Wu, please don't be so polite. With Mr. Wu's participation, the academy will surely reach new heights and achieve great things in the future!"

Zhu Yuanzhang helped Wu Daoxing up, then turned to Li Min and said, "Minister Li, I have found a helper for you. What do you think?"

Li Min laughed and said, "I couldn't ask for more!"

"Mr. Wu, I will appoint you as the Dean of the Artisan Academy to assist Li Min in teaching and educating people, and train more outstanding students for our Ming Dynasty!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

At this moment, the students in the audience were all silent!

They all knew what it meant that Wu Daoxing was going to be the dean of Jiangzao Academy in front of all the students at a world-renowned academic conference!
However, the people gradually began to become agitated.

An old man who was still carrying a load asked, "What did that teacher just say? Why did his face change after I saw him come down from that magical thing?"

"Old man, don't talk nonsense. That was Mr. Wu Daoxing, the greatest scholar in the world. He was taken to the sky by a hot air balloon built by a craftsman. He was really shocked. Now people recognize that the craftsman's skills are also a great knowledge. He even wants to go to the Craftsman Academy to learn the skills!"

A young man standing nearby who looked like he had received some education explained quickly.

"What? Master, are you going to learn the blacksmithing skill too?"

The old man still looked confused. "There's a blacksmith next door to our house. He's very skilled and his prices are fair. I can introduce him to me!"

"Hey, old man, if you don't understand, don't talk nonsense!"

The young man was also helpless, but he caused the people around him to burst into good-natured laughter.

The people's discussions became louder and louder, and their expressions became more and more excited.

Many literary masters came to today's academic conference. Almost everyone thought that Your Majesty had no chance of winning, but unexpectedly, Your Majesty directly opened their eyes!
His Majesty brought a hot air balloon that could carry people up to the sky. Under the gaze of everyone, he took the world's greatest scholar and flew up to the high sky.

This made everyone feel like they were dreaming. Anyone who could fly must be a god!
However, His Majesty told them that the hot air balloon was not made by gods, but by craftsmen like them!
And after witnessing the magic of the hot air balloon, the great scholar of the time publicly admitted that the skills of craftsmen, like the books of sages, also involve profound knowledge!
Many people had tears in their eyes. They felt like they had finally become mother-in-law after many years of being a daughter-in-law. It was such a good feeling to be recognized and acknowledged!
At this moment, someone shouted, "Your Majesty is wise and enlightened. Long live Your Majesty!"

A single stone caused a thousand waves. All the common people and students knelt down and shouted in unison:
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

"Long live your majesty!"

The earth-shaking shouts of "Long live the emperor" swept through the entire audience like a tsunami, as if they would penetrate the sky and reach the sky!
Zhu Yuanzhang stood on the stage, tall and straight, with a dignified look on his face. At this moment, his prestige reached its peak!
His heart was filled with emotion, and at this moment, he thought of someone.

Old Li, did you see it?
All this is thanks to you! I don't know where you are at this moment. If you were in the sky, you would definitely see and hear it. This is the voice of the people!

This is also your wish, Old Li. The prosperous Ming Dynasty will surely be as you wish!
From the hot air balloon taking off into the sky to Wu Daoxing voluntarily joining the Academy of Craftsmen, all of this was seen by Qian Hongming and others.

Qian Hongming and Hong Wenchang looked ashen. The louder the people cheered, the uglier their faces became.

The academic conference at this moment seemed to have turned into a criticism meeting for the two of them, and the cheers of the people were the biggest mockery of them!

The two men were so restless that they wished they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

From now on, there will be no place for these two people, whether in the court or in the literary world!
Lan Zhi saw the expressions of the two people. He sighed, stood up, walked to their side and said:
"Master Qian, Master Hong, the world has begun to change. You and I are both scholars. If we cannot see the torrent of the world, we will be crushed by it!"

When Qian Hongming and Hong Wenchang heard this, they felt as if their souls had been sucked out of them. They collapsed completely on their chairs, no longer having the strength to straighten their backs!
……

After Wu Daoxing joined the Jiangzao Academy as the dean, he also attracted a group of Confucian scholars to come to the Jiangzao Academy to study, presenting a scene of vitality.

Qian Hongming was too embarrassed to stay in the Imperial College any longer, so he begged Zhu Yuanzhang for leave to retire. Zhu Yuanzhang generously allowed him to retire and return home without making things difficult for him.

Hong Wenchang was not so lucky. After the academic conference, he was found to have colluded with his brother, the Jiangning Weaving Supervisor, and the amount of his embezzlement was staggering. He was sentenced to death and his property was confiscated.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang was able to appoint his own people to the important post of Jiangning Weaving Supervisor, the power of the Jiangnan gentry was still huge and intertwined and difficult to eradicate. Although he won beautifully at the Academic Conference, he only managed to maintain a fragile balance with the gentry.

The autumn examination was approaching and the day of the Northern Expedition was getting closer. Zhu Yuanzhang did not have much energy to discipline the gentry. What he was most concerned about now was the production of needle-fired guns.

Li Min is now so busy that he is dizzy and wishes he could split himself in half so that he can be used as two people. Guns, ammunition, steel, and all kinds of military supplies are all top priorities. The entire Ministry of Industry is working around the clock, but still cannot cope with the workload.

If you ask him what the Ming Dynasty lacks most at the moment, he will definitely shout out: talent!
What to do if you are short of people? Just go to His Majesty for help. Li Min is also willing to take the risk. Anyway, wherever there is a shortage of people, just go to His Majesty for help.

As a result, Zhu Yuanzhang felt overwhelmed whenever he saw him.

"Your Majesty, the Armory is really short of manpower. If we want to produce 10,000 needle-fired guns after the Autumn Examination, we will need at least 500 skilled craftsmen!"

"Otherwise, even if you split me in half, I still won't be able to get so many guns!"

"Oh, Your Majesty, please don't leave. I haven't finished what I want to say yet!"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

Seeing Li Min now acting like a rogue in front of him, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Where had the Minister of Works, who used to live by the principles of "gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality and modesty", that gentle and elegant gentleman, gone?
How did he become like this? Sometimes he is even more shameless than Xu Da.

Ever since the Ordnance Bureau took over the production of needle-fired guns, it has been recruiting skilled craftsmen. However, the craftsmen not only have to produce needle-fired guns, but also have to make bullets, so the management is very chaotic.

After several institutional reforms, the situation was slightly better after the gun workers and bullet workers were separated and each performed their own duties.

But even if all the craftsmen are skilled, it would take at least three to four days to produce a gun, from parts to the entire gun, and that's not counting the ones that are scrapped.

Nowadays, all the craftsmen, including those who make bullets, only have more than two thousand people. It is almost impossible to make ten thousand guns before the autumn examination!

(End of this chapter)