In a room filled with cotton fabrics, Zhu Yuanzhang’s face was full of confusion and puzzlement.

Having lived in the entire Central Plains for twenty-five years, he had never laid on such a soft quilt except for silk quilts. What surprised him even more was that although it was already midsummer, he had only been wearing cotton clothes for a moment.

, I already felt hot all over my body, and sweat was constantly sticking out from my back and inner thighs.

And this is something he has never experienced anywhere else.

He looked at Zhu Yunxi, who was kneeling beside him, packing up the bedding that he had overturned.

Zhu Yuanzhang stretched out his hand to fan himself and asked: "There are so many Zhejiang...cotton things here. You kid must have asked someone to take care of it here."

Zhu Yunxi didn't know where he got a cooling fan, and called Sun Gou'er who came over to go into the house and tidy up the quilt on the floor. He fanned the cooling fan to cool down the old man.

And he also began to explain: "After returning to Beijing a few days ago, my grandson went to Shanglinyuan Prison and saw cotton being planted. He thought that this thing obviously grows very soft, but usually it can only be made into a hard material.

The white folded cloth is really not what it should be."

Zhu Yuanzhang's brows twitched and he said: "So, these cotton fabrics that are still as soft as when they grew out were solved by the method you came up with?"

Zhu Yunxi immediately shook his head: "It cannot be said that the grandson came up with it all. After all, the manpower was limited. The grandson put forward several ideas, and then the craftsmen in the palace and the supervisors tried many times, and finally

That’s when we finally found a way.”

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, recalling that when he was scolded as an old hooligan by the woman in the room, he saw outside the cotton with white flowers in his eyes, that is the strong woman carrying a long pole on her back, a long pole like

Something like a bow string.

As the women beat, a bang-bang-bang sound is made, and as the trembling bowstrings play on the cotton, the clumps will be broken into pieces and then entangled together.

Come to think of it, that's the way to make cotton soft.

Zhu Yuanzhang said softly: "Okay, grandpa just put on the cotton-padded clothes for a moment, covered himself with a quilt and drank tea, and he was already sweating all over. This is a good thing!"

At this time, Yuan Sutai and others had already rushed over from behind.

When several people entered the house, they suddenly felt happy when they saw the cotton fabrics all over the room and the clean and processed cotton piled aside.

Yuan Sutai raised his hand and said, "My grandson has actually solved the problem of cotton."

Zhu Yunxi waved his hand: "It's just a fluke. In addition, craftsmen worked day and night to solve the problem, so we found a solution."

Yuan Sutai nodded, and immediately turned to Zhu Yuanzhang and bowed: "Your Majesty, can you allow me to try these things?"

Zhu Yuanzhang is now at the Shanglinyuan Yamen and is very happy, which is natural.

After a while, Yuan Sutai, who had persisted longer than the emperor, reluctantly got out of the quilt despite being sweating profusely, and took off the cotton clothes on his body in even greater amazement.

Sun Gou'er, who had already packed his things, couldn't help but look at Yuan Sutai with some dissatisfaction. These things were all used by His Majesty just now. According to the rules, he had to take them back to the palace, but this person used them again.
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Yuan Sutai didn't know what Sun Gou'er was thinking, so he had already turned around and faced the emperor and the grandson.

"I congratulate Your Majesty on getting another treasure today!"

Yuan Sutai was indescribably excited at this moment, holding his hands and letting the sweat drip from his face.

Zhu Yuanzhang chuckled, unable to conceal the joy in his heart.

He pressed his hands and nodded and said: "We know, we also know. Clothing, food, housing and transportation have always been the top priority of the people. Among them, food, clothing, housing and transportation are the most important. When I went to the palace today, I never thought that we would see two things.

A good thing involving people’s livelihood!”

After saying that, the old man could not help but look at Zhu Yunxi fondly, who was standing aside with his hands folded.

Yuan Sutai sighed: "With the increase in grain production, we can gradually solve the problem of whether the people can have enough to eat. And now that we have these cotton fabrics, as long as they are used for a few years, the Ming Dynasty will never have a cold winter again.

People have to endure the biting wind and snow in the twelfth lunar month."

Immediately, Yuan Sutai held up his hand and said: "Your Majesty, Shanglin Yuanjian has saved a lot of cotton seeds over the years. I ask your Majesty to issue an order to plant cotton in dry lands and mountains in Yingtianfu and Zhili. I am willing to use grain seeds

To increase production, cotton planting is a lifelong matter, so work hard to make progress."

"Okay!"

Following the request from Yuan Sutai, the right eunuch of Shanglinyuan Prison, Zhu Yuanzhang shouted loudly on the spot.

Then, he waved his hand behind his back and said solemnly: "With the order, Shanglinyuan Supervisor will supervise the left and right, appoint the third grade, supplement the vacancies, take charge of the farming and mulberry affairs in the Central Plains, and improve the affairs. All the ministers in the court will do their best to coordinate, and for

My Ming Dynasty is prosperous."

Zhu Yuanzhang, who originally planned to wait until he returned to the palace before making a decision, went to the court to announce that the Shanglinyuan Supervisory Office would be raised to a higher standard. After hearing Yuan Sutai's request, he made a decision immediately.

From the third grade!

In Beijing, you can directly take charge of Guanglu Temple and Taichang Temple, and even further, you can become the Minister of the Sixth Division.

If you go out, you can participate in politics for various Taoists, and be the chief officials of Fanma Temple, Transportation Department and other yamen.

Even though he knew that Shanglinyuan Prison had passed today, he could be regarded as being in the emperor's heart, and there would be a reward afterwards.

But what Yuan Sutai and his colleagues in the yamen did not expect was that Supervisor Shanglin Yuan would directly become a large yamen that could rival the Five Temples.

The official rank of the left and right supervisors has been promoted to the third rank, so naturally everyone below them will also be promoted!

Although they still do the same thing, their status and power are completely different.

Yuan Sutai and others can't help but think too much.

Everyone knelt down and worshiped on the ground, shouting long live thanksgiving.

It seems that he has seen the people of the Ming Dynasty living a worry-free life and having enough food and clothing. Zhu Yuanzhang's face showed the same imaginative smile.

Zhu Yunxi silently walked to the old man's side and whispered: "Grandpa, in fact, the most important role of cotton now is to provide enough cotton armor to keep out the cold for the soldiers in northern Xinjiang."

Northern Xinjiang.

Army.

Keep out the cold.

War Armor.

The combination of several phrases immediately made Zhu Yuanzhang, who was still immersed in his imagination, twitch his brows.

He immediately came back to his senses, looked at Yuan Sutai and others who were standing aside with extremely respectful postures, and said softly: "We want to talk to the grandson about something."

There was no need for the emperor to say any more, Yuan Sutai and others immediately bowed and retreated.

Sun Gou'er looked around, looking at the quilts and other cotton fabrics all over the room, and finally gave up on the idea of ​​bringing some back to the palace today. Winter was still very early.

Wait until Sun Gou'er leaves the house and closes the door from the outside.

Zhu Yuanzhang immediately looked at Zhu Yunxi with twinkling eyes, his expression far more excited than before.

Zhu Yunxi nodded silently: "My grandson has sent people to Zhili, Zhejiang, Huguang and others to purchase cotton. Although there is not much planting in various places due to the manufacturing method, if we purchase it carefully and return to Beijing, I think we can make it before this winter.

A lot of cotton armor was shipped to Peiping."

While he was talking, he had already found a piece of cotton armor from the house.

The fabric is very compliant, not as soft or bulging as cotton-padded clothes. This is also to allow the officers and soldiers to perform their movements more flexibly.

In addition, in key parts of the body, the cotton armor is also covered with a layer of soft leather and then a layer of iron sheet.

Zhu Yuanzhang had just experienced the effect of cotton-padded clothes in keeping out the cold and keeping warm. Now he was holding the cotton-padded armor, weighing the weight, and beating it several times with his fists.

Then he looked at Zhu Yunxi with a deep look: "Tell Grandpa how many pieces of cotton armor can be produced and sent to Peking this winter?"

Zhu Yunxi frowned, and after careful calculation, he said a very conservative figure: "Three to five thousand pieces of cotton armor can probably be made in a hurry."

"No more than one guard and horse..." Zhu Yuanzhang's expression immediately became tangled.

In the military system of the Ming Dynasty, one guard and horse could number more than five thousand people.

Even if a person wears a piece of cotton armor, he can only equip one guard of soldiers and horses. More than 5,000 people, placed on the grassland outside the Great Wall, are really nothing.

Zhu Yunxi whispered: "Knife sharpening can still be done. The right thing is to familiarize the soldiers in advance with how to fight in the cold winter."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand: "Let's do it first. When the things are delivered to Peking, the rest depends on what your fourth uncle wants to do."

Not tens of thousands, but hundreds of thousands of troops wearing cotton armor, marching north from the Great Wall, plowing the grassland in the cold winter, made Zhu Yuanzhang a little uninterested, and he waved his hand and opened the door.

Zhu Yunxi followed behind and looked at the sky.

Now rush back to the palace, it’s time for dinner.

Seeing that things at Laoshan Palace were finished today, Zhu Yunxi was about to ask the old man if he wanted to return to the palace.

However, he saw Tian Mai hurried in from outside Zhuangzi, his face flushed because of the hot weather, and he came to Zhu Yunxi with the smell of sweat.

Tian Mai first stopped, bowed, and saluted Zhu Yuanzhang: "I'll see you, Your Majesty, little one."

After finishing, Tian Mai came close to Zhu Yunxi's ear and reported in a low voice.

After he finished speaking, Zhu Yunxi couldn't help but frown, and immediately attracted Zhu Yuanzhang who was outside the courtyard and looked at the house where the sound of cotton playing was coming and going.

Zhu Yunxi waved his hand and signaled Tian Mai to get down. His brows wrinkled and relaxed several times.

When the old man finally looked over, Zhu Yunxi immediately showed a smile and said: "Grandpa, my father is only a quarter of an hour away from the Imperial Manor. How about we finish our meal at the Manor today and then return to the palace?"<

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Zhu Yuanzhang raised his eyebrows and snorted coldly: "Even your father ran out. Is it because the chaos in Yingtian City has been eliminated?"
To be continued...