Chapter 9, Zhu Di is uneasy

During the Yongle period, Zhu Di was warlike, while domestic affairs were consistently managed by Zhu Gaochi. As for his two younger brothers, they were solely focused on military power and had never paid attention to the people's livelihood

There are numerous handicrafts, tea houses, brothels, and shops on both sides of the strait

Adjacent lies the banks of the Qinhuai River, where the scenery of Qinhuai can be clearly seen from the second-floor window

Being able to govern without causing disturbances later and smoothly ascend to the throne, Zhu Gaochi's political acumen is indeed far superior to that of his two reckless brothers

In the early Ming Dynasty, Nanjing was established as the capital, and thus the banks of the Qinhuai River began to flourish.

There are even quite a few riverside houses, which extend to the river. For instance, the teahouse that Zhu Ying is about to acquire is also one of the riverside houses

As of now, the Ming Dynasty banknotes have already shown signs of decline

Zhu Gaochi said with a smile, but what he said is also a fact

The continuous increase in river housing has led to the river surface being increasingly encroached upon, which is a primary reason why the Qinhuai River in later generations is only about 20 to 30 meters wide

The Ten Li Qinhuai is the heart of prosperity in Nanjing, and the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai, renowned during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, also gained fame here

On the side of the Zhu Ying Teahouse, there is a gathering place for renowned performers from the southern teaching guild, with notable establishments including the Old Courtyard and Pearl Market

Spicy and numbing soup, baked pancakes, soup-filled buns, pan-fried buns with eggs, crystal shrimp, congee, porridge, soy milk, and so on

Yao Guangxiao's expression remained calm upon hearing this, as everything was within his expectations

Many such favorable positions are generally held under the command of various feudal lords

With Zhu Ying's keen hearing, she could still faintly hear the sounds of warblers and swallows coming through

Then I thank the Grand Prince

Earlier, the Hongwu Tongbao was also issued; however, the design of the copper coins was poor and inconvenient for use, and the Ming Dynasty was also lacking in copper

In front of the two individuals stood a two-story small teahouse, covering an area of approximately half an acre, which corresponds to the later standard of 300 square meters

The Qinhuai River referred to here is the Inner Qinhuai River, not the Outer Qinhuai River

This teahouse is located in the center of the street, boasting an excellent position that cannot be measured in monetary terms; it represents more of a status.

Although most common people have two meals a day, in the bustling city of Nanjing, the majority have already begun to adapt to three meals a day

The increasing circulation of paper currency in the market has led to a flood, resulting in inflation in the year of issuance and rapid devaluation

The renowned Black-clad Chancellor of later generations is not merely a figure of empty reputation

This is the brilliance of Yao Guangxiao

Do not disdain this teahouse, for it is a place of harmony, images, and literature

In recent years, Zhu Ying has been quite particular about food, yet she does not wish to cook herself, essentially teaching Zhang Bo how to prepare meals

The subtle and silent methods employed by Yao Guangxiao often go unnoticed by the average person who has been manipulated by them

In a place like the capital, where every inch of land is as precious as gold, it is not simply a matter of having money to make a purchase

One can certainly see the resemblance in Zhu Ying's appearance at a glance

Yao Guangxiao's reputation was not prominent, yet he was the foremost contributor to Zhu Di's victory in the Jingnan Campaign.

Occasionally, when the wind rises, one can still smell the fragrance of rouge

"It truly is a great location," Zhu Ying remarked with some emotion

In the seventh year of the Hongwu era, Zhu Yuanzhang promulgated the 'Banknote Law' and established the Bureau for the Management of Precious Banknotes. The following year, the Great Ming Banknotes were issued

Zhu Ying did not mention the land deed, and it seemed that Zhu Gaochi had also forgotten about it.

Typically, breakfast is sold in the morning, while tea is enjoyed and books are listened to in the afternoon

Before the late Tang Dynasty, the Qinhuai River was located outside the main city, with no distinction between the inner and outer Qinhuai River

Whether this was influenced by Yao Guangxiao remains unknown

Huang Zicheng was the primary target of Yao Guangxiao's efforts

If it were not for his health, Zhu Gaochi would not need to be as cautious and careful as he is now

The expression on Prince Yan's face was somewhat gloomy; for him, obtaining certain information from the palace was not a difficult task.

During the Ming Dynasty, the most popular figures were storytellers, and it is from this tradition that Tang poetry, Song lyrics, Yuan drama, and Ming novels originated

This teahouse, even if merely leased out, is likely to generate an income of over a hundred silver coins in a year

Even if there are some suspicions, there are only a few clues, and it is impossible to confirm them afterwards

... ...

However, the act of the Emperor allowing Zhu Yunwen to guard the spirit felt somewhat unsettling to Zhu Di

Though it is called a tea house, it is actually not much different from a breakfast stall

Your Highness, do not be anxious. After the mourning tomorrow, His Majesty will certainly make all the arrangements.

Influenced by Zhu Yuanzhang, the princes showed little interest in engaging in commerce. Generally, they left their shops to subordinates without further management, and most merely collected rental fees, which were not as high as the income from a few acres of fiefdom.

Huang Zicheng, as Zhu Yunwen's trusted teacher, had already begun to gradually influence him from an early stage.

This may be a bit too extravagant. Zhu Ying, despite her considerable wealth, still feels somewhat flattered and surprised in the face of such a teahouse

This is the teahouse belonging to Zhu Di. After obtaining his father Zhu Di's consent, Zhu Gaochi took the land deed and today presented it to Zhu Ying.

Zhu Gaochi appears to be honest and simple, yet in reality, he harbors considerable depth of thought, after all, he often had the opportunity to meet his uncle Zhu Biao

In these five days, Zhu Ying also welcomed the day when the teahouse was about to open.

At this time, the quality of the paper is poor, making the Ming Dynasty banknotes difficult to endure.

During the Ming Dynasty, tea houses offered a wide variety of services

In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, the Qinhuai River was not the mere twenty to thirty meters wide as it is in later times, but rather a full width of over one hundred meters

It is not uncommon for certain nobles to have four meals a day.

Zhu Ying also had no inclination to create any novel stories; her ambitions lay elsewhere

The teahouse is named Ping An Teahouse

In the blink of an eye, five days have passed

It can be said that without Yao Guangxiao, Zhu Di would have suffered greatly in many aspects behind the scenes, particularly in the realm of political maneuvering, all of which is attributed to the contributions of Yao Guangxiao

Zhang Bo is a commendable shopkeeper and chef

After all, that is the place where he grew up, and there are always a few young eunuchs with whom he has a good relationship

Even the properties owned by his family in the capital had not yet received the consent of his father, Emperor Zhu Di, before he openly expressed his intention to gift them to Zhu Ying

Opposite the teahouse lies the historically renowned Jiangnan Gongyuan.

However, Zhu Gaochi did not ask his father anything; he simply became friends with Zhu Ying

Later, after Zhu Yunwen became the Jianwen Emperor, he insisted on adopting the strategy of first weakening the vassals through Huang Zicheng, and then planning to confront the strong vassals with military force

Later, when the highest administrative officer of Nanjing, Xiu Xincheng, enclosed the Qinhuai River within the main city, he also excavated a moat outside the city, which is now known as the Outer Qinhuai River

With the severe devaluation of banknotes, silver has inevitably become the primary currency for both public and private transactions

This teahouse is of no use in the hands of my father; you see the bustling activity all around, yet this teahouse is as empty as can be

News has come from the palace that my nephew is keeping vigil alone for his elder brother

Zhu Ying and Zhu Gaochi are standing in front of a tea house

The convenience of small silver currency has helped to curb the inflation caused by the chaotic currency system in the early stages, allowing the monetary economy to develop

By the Qinhuai River

Moreover, the currency of the Ming Dynasty is issued without being collected, with no demarcation and no redemption of old notes, and the issuance quantity is unlimited

His target positioning is precisely those in the noble class.

However, Zhu Ying's pricing for these breakfast items is more than double that of other tea houses

... ...

Since Zhu Di's arrival in the capital, Yao Guangxiao has been leaving in the early morning and returning only at night, his dexterous nature keeping him exceedingly busy

Zhu Ying asked Zhang Bo to find a storyteller and then did not pay any further attention. After the influence of later generations, the current storytelling has lost much of its significance, merely seen as something novel.