Chapter 1052

"Grand Master, you have always been reasonable and understanding..."

Pan Yun: "I'm being reasonable too—I think it's because you're lazy. Paper is widespread now, but far from enough. How many scholars are there in the realm? Why can't we improve the craft further?"

Hu Cheng: "If the cost per sheet drops below ten cash, how will private shops survive? This is competing with the people for profit."

Pan Yun: "Just sell the formula to private shops. Of course, if the Ministry of Works wants to give it away for free, I have no objection."

Hu Cheng:...

Pan Yun spoke with solemn gravity: "Old Hu, I'm not saying this to scold you, but you must think long-term. The imperial court is launching a grand education initiative—how many new community schools have opened just this year alone? The court's goal is literacy; within fifteen years, we aim to universalize five years of compulsory education through community schools. So when costs drop, we can win by volume."

"If even government offices lack paper, how will the people manage? How can the education initiative ever spread?"

Hu Cheng pondered, and the craftsman summoned beside him couldn't help stepping forward: "Grand Master, if we produce cheaper paper, will everyone truly be able to read? Will every person really get five years of schooling?"

Pan Yun emphasized: "It must be mandatory—for boys and girls alike. Those who don't send their children to school will pay fines."

The craftsman's eyes lit up instantly: "I'll take this on—I'll revise the formula myself."

"Wait," Hu Cheng began to speak, then stopped, finally sighing: "Fine, fine, go ahead. But who will take over your electromagnetic materials?"

After a moment's thought, the craftsman said: "Li Zhou can handle it—he already has ideas, wants to use silicon steel for cores. He's been refining it these past few days, but the hot-rolling machine doesn't meet his requirements. I'm trying to find a solution for him..."

He paused, then added: "Even as I go to make paper, I'll still help him. My lord, rest assured."

Pan Yun looked at him in surprise: "What's your name? I've been in the Ministry of Works a long time—I've never seen you before."

The craftsman bowed respectfully: "Your servant, Chang An."

Hu Cheng explained: "He was promoted from Hanzhong Prefecture four months ago. Last year, in the Tools Competition, he submitted a gun barrel he forged himself. Unfortunately, the local authorities didn't recognize its value and gave him no ranking. Fortunately, when I re-examined the submissions from the provinces, I found it—his gun barrel was unmatched, with extraordinary precision. That's why I transferred him to the Ministry of Works."

This is a master machinist.

Pan Yun's eyes gleamed. She too felt such talent was wasted on papermaking—if he succeeded, fine; if he failed, wouldn't that be a waste of talent?

Pan Yun asked: "Can you make paper?"

Chang An replied: "When I served in the official Book Bureau in Hanzhong, I learned papermaking from my master, as well as woodblock carving, movable type engraving, and printing."

A multi-skilled talent.

Chang An said: "When the court needs papermaking studied, I'll make paper. When it needs firearms studied, I'll study firearms. When it needs generators built, I'll return to electromagnetic research."

Pan Yun was deeply impressed. She snatched the stack of formulas from Hu Cheng's hands and shoved them into Chang An's: "You are the empire's great craftsman—I entrust this to you!"

Hu Cheng also said: "List the personnel and materials you need—I'll provide them."

Chang An accepted, bowed, and withdrew.

Once Chang An was far away, Pan Yun said to Hu Cheng: "Minister Hu, Great Ming's future lies not only in culture, but in technology. Quickly devise a system to benefit the craftsman class—at the very least, the highest-ranked craftsmen should earn no less than the Chancellor."

Hu Cheng widened his eyes: "How is that possible?"

"Why not?" Pan Yun said. "Do you know how valuable these craftsmen's skills are? Once we abolish the artisan registry and let them move freely among the people, if official pay doesn't rise, will they stay in government service?"

Hu Cheng: "To avoid this disaster, the court will never lift the artisan registry."

Pan Yun stared at him, silent for a long moment, then said: "Precisely because of this, we must rebuild a system so that even after lifting the registry, craftsmen will still choose official service as their first option."

Hu Cheng didn't understand: "Why must you lift the artisan registry at all? In my view, raising their pay and reducing service time is already great virtue."

"It's great virtue, not perfect virtue," Pan Yun said. "During the Song Dynasty, papermaking was already advanced, and movable type printing had begun spreading among the people. Yet over two hundred years later, Great Ming has made no real breakthrough in papermaking—why?"

Hu Cheng replied as if obvious: "Because it's sufficient already."

Pan Yun sneered: "Sufficient? Pfft. How desperate are local authorities for paper? Can't you see that at all?"

She said: "Because craftsmen don't care—they have no path for advancement."

"Yourself and Kuai Xiang..."

"Can you compare yourself to Kuai Xiang?" Pan Yun said. "You study firearms; Kuai Xiang builds architecture. In seventy years since our dynasty's founding, only you two craftsmen have risen to high office. How many craftsmen are there in the realm? How many crafts?"

Hu Cheng pondered.

Pan Yun said: "To inspire craftsmen across the realm—and even more intelligent people—to study technology, we need another incentive system."

"Can't we grant them official titles?" Hu Cheng thought of his subordinates one day becoming officials, the court hall filled with craftsmen, and couldn't help chuckling.

Pan Yun glanced at him, instantly seeing his thoughts written on his face. She said nothing: "Each has his own specialty. Are you asking them to govern the state?"

"They needn't govern, but granting them honorary titles is fine. Then they'd be like in the Ministry of Works—submit their research projects, and the Ministry funds them; or the Ministry assigns tasks," Hu Cheng grew more enthusiastic: "An honorary title raises their status and protects their rights—a win-win."

Pan Yun waved her hand: "Figure it out yourself. Go talk to Yu Qian too, then submit memorials to harass the Emperor."

Hu Cheng hurried after her: "What if the Emperor disagrees? What if court ministers refuse?"

"Submit memorials every few days. This sort of thing always takes time—proposal, decision, implementation—won't be done in less than three or five years."

Pan Yun said: "Even the imperial clan reform pilot has only expanded to Nanjing and Taiyuan after three years. Full implementation? Won't take less than ten."

Hu Cheng understood, nodding vigorously: "Yes, yes—patience brings success. First, we must propose it."

In that moment of distraction, Pan Yun was gone.

Looking at the empty courtyard, Hu Cheng scratched his head: "The Grand Master's speed keeps increasing. She tells me to be patient, yet she herself rushes ahead."

Pan Yun had already returned to San Bao Ding Prefecture.

Seeing Miao Zhen stayed alone in San Bao Ding Prefecture, like a fish entering a pond—perfectly at ease.

San Bao Ding Prefecture was a crucial junction between north and south—the final stop before Jingcheng, and the first stop after leaving the capital.

Moreover, merchants traveling east-west to the capital also passed through here.

Thus, it was the major goods distribution center before entering the capital.

Goods here were complete and cheap. Miao Zhen, with money in hand, followed her list and bought everything in sight, filling her space to bursting. Still unsatisfied, she rented a warehouse to store more goods, waiting for her junior uncle to arrive so he could take them all.

Pan Yun packed them away, ignoring Miao Zhen's constant muttering beside her, and replied absently: "When I find suitable materials, I'll make you more space artifacts. Why buy so much? How many people are there in that little town of Tie Liang Gutai? Can they even consume it all?"

"We're going to two other places too—both on the steppe, in winter, with scarce supplies. They'll sell out," Miao Zhen said. "Plus, there's Hami Garrison—goods from central and southern China are expensive there too."

Pan Yun pondered: "Wang Cong has been doing maritime trade these past two years—I forgot land trade is also profitable. For Great Ming, vast inland regions are both production centers and markets."

Miao Zhen understood: "I've specially brought extra grain and tea. This year's steppe famine might let us appease some tribes, weakening Yisan from within."

Pan Yun gave her an approving look: "Many steppe tribes oppose Yisan precisely because he's not of the Golden Family. This is indeed a good moment for division."

"Let's go pick up Zhao Shizhu and Hu Ning."

Pan Yun and Seeing Miao Zhen had assumed it would take effort to retrieve the two, since they'd only just returned three days ago and might want to spend more time with their families; yet no sooner did they appear at the village entrance than Zhao Shizhu and Hu Ning immediately packed their luggage, grabbed their bundles, and stepped out amid a crowd of villagers.

Pan Yun froze, forcing a smile as she bid farewell to each villager one by one.

Whether elderly or child, every villager clung to them, pleading: "Why not stay a few more days?"

"It's nearly dark already—setting off now means you won't get far. Stay until tomorrow."

Zhao Shizhu declined with excuses; they knew the State Preceptor had deliberately chosen nighttime travel to avoid attention, and if they moved swiftly, they could reach their destination in a single night.

Indeed, since Pan Yun had broken through to the Third Marquis realm, her travel speed had greatly increased—now, if she went to Wa Country, she no longer needed to stop midway; she could fly straight there, even farther.

If not for the Great Ming's war with the Oirats, she truly would have ventured overseas—just thinking of it made her happy.

Pan Yun suppressed her desire to play, led the three to a secluded spot, and entered the Three Treasures Cauldron.

As the Three Treasures Cauldron soared into the sky like a falling star streaking across the heavens, she finally had time to ask the two: "I thought you'd be reluctant to leave—yet you seem even more eager than we are."

Zhao Shizhu said calmly: "My parents are both gone, my childhood friends scattered—there are few people here I still know. I've seen my brother, paid respects to my parents—I'm content."

Hu Ning said: "We've been away too long; there's no place for us here anymore. Better to return to Tieliangguti—there are familiar faces, and we can continue serving the nation."

Pan Yun had nothing to say.

They returned to Tieliangguti at dawn; the Three Treasures Cauldron landed directly on their rooftop.

It was the coldest, quietest hour of the day—sunlight had not yet appeared, but beneath the moon, the snow-covered earth glowed with a hazy white.

Zhao Shizhu stepped out of the Three Treasures Cauldron, involuntarily shivering as he exhaled.

White mist curled upward; before his eyes, all was misty—this place still carried the familiar scent he knew.

The four quietly opened the small hatch on the roof and descended.

To save lamp oil, no lights were lit inside the building. Pan Yun snapped her fingers, and four balls of flame appeared out of thin air, illuminating the ground around them.

Zhao Shizhu and Hu Ning no longer flinched—they walked calmly, following the flames back to their rooms.

The flames were almost sentient, drifting themselves into the fireplace, igniting the firewood, then merging seamlessly with it.

The people inside the building didn't learn of their return until morning.

Zhao Shizhu and Hu Ning's three adopted sons were astonished, repeatedly asking: "Why didn't we hear any noise? Who let you in?"

Zhao Shizhu said: "We climbed over the wall."

The adopted sons: …

Before they woke, Seeing Miao Zhen had already placed a batch of goods in the first-floor warehouse; now the three adopted sons would carry the items to the shops.

Seeing Miao Zhen wasn't Pan Yun—she charged for everything: "I supply the goods, you sell them—seven-three split, I take seven, you take three."

The eldest adopted son immediately responded: "How often do you deliver?"

Seeing Miao Zhen stole a glance at Pan Yun, then said: "Every six months. Our family's trading house is Wang Shi Trading House."

Seeing Miao Zhen decided to help her senior brother expand his trade network.

Meanwhile, Miao He and Tao Yan Bai had also gained much in these three days.

"Smallpox has broken out here repeatedly," Miao He said. "In the past, some took scabs from recovered cattle to induce smallpox and gain immunity—three out of five survived; success rate was low, similar to the human variolation practiced in our Central Plains."

The Great Ming folk tradition of human variolation existed, but was only popular in a few regions; elsewhere, people trembled at the mere mention of smallpox.

Yet among commoners, especially merchant families who frequently traveled and might venture beyond the pass, they often variolated their children while young;

or if smallpox was rampant in a region, many families in those years chose to variolate.

In short, it was always regional and sporadic.

While traveling and treating patients, Tao Yan Bai had often thought: if only there were a method to grant immunity to smallpox while ensuring survival rates—then the people of the Great Ming would no longer fear the lands beyond the pass.

Tao Yan Bai said: "Miao He and I focused only on post-variolation remedies, but forgot—human variolation isn't the only way. Cowpox can be used too. If cowpox works, what about monkeypox or swinepox?"

Pan Yun: "... I'm too shallow to know—do monkeys and pigs even get smallpox?"

Tao Yan Bai shook his head: "We're too ignorant—we've never seen it. So we plan to test it."

Pan Yun: "You—you aren't thinking of…"

"Exactly. We plan to stay here and research. This place and neighboring Chalhan Kingdom have frequent smallpox outbreaks—easier to find cases than in the Central Plains."

What could Pan Yun do? Naturally, she encouraged them.

Hearing this, Seeing Miao Zhen turned and immediately sought out the eldest adopted son: "I'll give you an extra ten percent discount, and deliver at least every three months. You must guarantee my senior brother and sister's safety here."

The adopted sons had no objections.

Compared to the eccentric Seeing Miao Zhen, Miao He and Tao Yan Bai, who could heal, were immensely popular here.