Chapter 204: Plan

The carriage entered East Hua Gate and stopped on the palace road.

Zhu Yong helped Guanyin Nu get off the carriage, and Zhu Huanhuan hopped and skipped beside them.

Xiao Zhu cradled Zhu Qiong Jiong, and the group headed toward Kunning Palace.

Inside Kunning Palace, Empress Ma was already dressed neatly, sitting in the main hall waiting for the grandchildren to come and pay New Year's respects.

When Zhu Yong's family entered, Empress Ma's face blossomed with a smile.

"Mother, Happy New Year," Zhu Yong said with a goofy smile.

Guanyin Nu also bowed and said, "Daughter‑in‑law, I pay New Year's respects to the Imperial Mother."

Zhu Huanhuan knelt down, like a little adult, performed a bow and said, "Huan Huan pays New Year's respects to imperial grandmother!"

"Alright, alright, get up quickly, Huan Huan has grown taller," Empress Ma personally lifted Zhu Huanhuan, kissed her little face and laughed.

The wet nurse brought Zhu Qiong Jiong forward; Empress Ma took him, looked him over, and laughed, "Jiong is chubbier now, his features look more like Yong Er."

Zhu Yong chuckled foolishly beside them.

Just then, Zhu Biao and Chang Wan arrived with their children.

Zhu Xiongying, five this year, wore a festive red robe, looking lively and bold; as soon as he entered, he went looking for Zhu Huanhuan.

"Huan Huan, sister!"

"Xiong Ying, brother!"

The two little ones crowded together, chattering away.

Zhu Wenwen, only two years old, was held by the wet nurse, not yet speaking much, just staring around with big eyes.

"Mother, where is Imperial Father?" Zhu Biao asked.

"He is ahead speaking with the ministers; he'll be back soon," Empress Ma replied.

Sure enough, before long, Zhu Yuanzhang strode in.

"Everyone here? Good, good," Zhu Yuanzhang was in a good mood, looked at each grandchild, gave Zhu Qiong Jiong another hug, and then sat down.

The family seated themselves according to seniority, the children performed the bow, and Zhu Yuanzhang began distributing red packets.

Zhu Xiongying and Zhu Huanhuan each received a big red envelope; even Zhu Wenwen got a small pouch containing gold token.

Zhu Qiong Jiong was too small, but also got a share, which Empress Ma kept for him.

After handing out the money, Zhu Yuanzhang looked at Zhu Yong and said, "Yong Er, I heard you went to the Ministry of Works, gave the craftsmen some ideas, and now you've hammered out new things?"

Zhu Yong felt something stir inside.

He hadn't spoken yet, how did Imperial Father know?

"The Ministry of Works reported that the so‑called steam engine can now run half a month without breaking, much better than before," Zhu Yuanzhang said.

"Oh, that one, it was improved by the Ministry of Works; I only gave an idea," Zhu Yong replied.

"Your idea and the craftsmen's skill made it happen; keep refining, we'll see what other good things you can create," Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

Zhu Yong responded with a nod, but inside he wondered how to tell his elder brother about those new items later.

The family banquet was set in Kunning Palace Side Hall, and they ate lively for more than half an hour.

After the meal, the children were taken to the Imperial Garden to play in the snow, while the adults sat drinking tea and chatting.

Zhu Yong found a chance and pulled Zhu Biao outside.

"Brother, I have something to tell you," Zhu Yong said.

Zhu Biao observed his expression, nodded, and the two brothers walked to the corridor.

"What's wrong?" Zhu Biao asked.

Zhu Yong lowered his voice, "Brother, I dreamed of that White-bearded Old Man again last night."

Zhu Biao's eyes narrowed.

In recent years, he had grown accustomed to his second brother occasionally bringing good things out of "dreams."

Each dream always yielded a gain.

"What did you get this time?" Zhu Biao asked.

Zhu Yong fished several sheets of paper from his chest; he had taken them from the system backpack on the way to the palace while no one was watching.

"Take a look at these items, brother."

Zhu Biao took them and examined each one.

The first sheet was a brief on the cowpox inoculation method, written by Zhu Yong himself; he feared revealing too much at once and might startle people, so he began with this.

"Inoculating cowpox to prevent smallpox?" Zhu Biao furrowed his brow.

He certainly knew how terrifying smallpox was, and now there was an official method…

"Brother, if this method is widely promoted, smallpox will no longer be a death sentence," Zhu Yong said earnestly.

Zhu Biao nodded and kept reading.

The second sheet was a brief on the alcohol extraction process, also written by him.

"Alcohol disinfection?" Zhu Biao looked up.

"On battlefields, wound infections are common; if three out of ten survive, that's good. Using this to wash wounds can let at least seven survive," Zhu Yong said.

Zhu Biao took a deep breath, carefully folded the two papers and slipped them into his sleeve.

"Anything else?" he asked.

Zhu Yong hesitated, then said, "There is more, but it must be done slowly; there is something called penicillin that can cure many illnesses, but it's too difficult to produce, so it must be tried gradually.

There is also a medical book I need to copy; I can't just pull it out all at once."

Zhu Biao stared at him for a while, then suddenly laughed, "Second brother, you're becoming more resourceful."

Zhu Yong scratched his head and gave a goofy grin.

He understood what his elder brother meant; before he was truly simple‑minded, now he pretends to be, but his brother can sense that he is slowly 'growing up'.

But Zhu Biao didn't mind that.

As long as Second Brother is still the same Second Brother who is willing to bring out all the good things, that's enough.

"How do you want to use these things?" Zhu Biao asked.

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and said, "For cowpox, we need the Imperial Hospital people to test it; for alcohol, the Ministry of Works can produce it; penicillin is the most troublesome, we must set up a separate Workshop and find someone who understands medicine and herbs to work on it slowly."

Zhu Biao nodded and asked, "What about that medical book?"

"I'll copy it first and give it to Elder Brother to look at; we can pick some simple ones and let the Imperial Hospital people learn them first," Zhu Yong said.

Zhu Biao pondered briefly and said, "Alright, Elder Brother will arrange this; you keep it quiet for now, and we'll talk after the items are ready."

"Hmm."

Zhu Biao patted his shoulder and said, "Second Brother, do you know how many lives these good things can save?"

Zhu Yong replied earnestly, "I know. So we must use them well."

Zhu Biao smiled and said nothing more.

The two brothers stood under the corridor, watching the children chasing each other in the distant Imperial Garden.

Zhu Xiongying was building a snowman with Zhu Huanhuan, while Zhu Wenwen was being held by the wet nurse, giggling beside them.

Zhu Yuanzhang, at some point, also came out, standing under the opposite corridor, looking at his grandchildren with a smile on his face.

"Father is also watching," Zhu Yong said softly.

Zhu Biao nodded and said, "Old men just like to see their children and grandchildren filling the hall."

Zhu Yong thought for a moment, then said, "Elder Brother, after Great Ming, things will keep getting better."

Zhu Biao turned his head to look at him.

"With Father, with Elder Brother, and with these good things, it will surely get better and better," Zhu Yong said naively.

Zhu Biao smiled and gave his shoulder a firm hug.

"Yes, it will definitely get better and better."

……

In the evening, Zhu Yong's family left the Imperial Palace and rode a carriage back to the residence.

Zhu Huanhuan, tired from playing, curled up in her mother's arms and fell into a deep sleep.

Zhu QiongJiong was also held by the wet nurse, sleeping soundly.

Zhu Yong rode his horse alongside the carriage, watching the sky grow darker.

In the system backpack lay the penicillin extraction method and other good items like the "Barefoot Doctor Handbook".

No rush, take it slowly.

Year after year, we can always bring them out.

The carriage entered Wu Wang Fu, and Hu Bo led people out to greet it.

"Prince, Princess Consort, the hot water is ready, and the dinner is prepared," Hu Bo said with a smile.

"Thank you for your hard work, Hu Bo," Guanyin Nu said.

Zhu Yong dismounted, took the hammer off the horse's back, and personally carried it into the residence.

When passing the storeroom, he paused.

Inside, besides his hammer, there were piles of various blueprints and seeds he had collected over the years, all placed there by him as a memento.

He suddenly recalled a sentence he had seen online in his previous life.

"Technology is the primary productive force."

Back then he deeply felt it, and now he truly understands what those words mean.

Zhu Yong smiled, carried the hammer into the back courtyard.

In the Warm Pavilion, the candles were already lit, and a warm glow filtered through the paper windows.

Zhu Huanhuan was taken to sleep, and Zhu QiongJiong was also settled.

Guanyin Nu was waiting for him on the couch; seeing him come in, she rose and said, "Prince, please have your meal!"

"Hmm."

Zhu Yong sat down, looked at the table full of dishes, and suddenly said, "Minmin, what do you think Great Ming will become in the future?"

Guanyin Nu was startled for a moment, then smiled, "Why did the Prince suddenly ask that?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and said earnestly, "I think it will become especially good."

Guanyin Nu looked at him and gently clasped his hand.

"If the Prince says it's good, it will certainly be good."

Outside the window, snowflakes began to drift again.

They fluttered and fell silently, landing on the eaves of Wu Wang Fu and on the streets and alleys of Yingtian Fu.

The first day of the tenth year of Hongwu passed just like that.

But some things have only just begun.