Chapter 85

Chapter 86: Difficulties

The sky had already darkened when Zhao Cheng sneaked into the inner courtyard, looking furtive. "Second Young Master, you're back!" The night watchman, Little Huangmen, quickly opened the door and bowed upon recognizing the prince.

"Shh, keep your voice down, don't let the officials hear. If they ask, don't say I'm back!" Zhao Cheng hurriedly covered Little Huangmen's mouth, who nodded vigorously. Satisfied, Zhao Cheng released him and, seeing no movement in the Winter Garden where Huang Jingchen lived, he slipped into the Summer Courtyard. Little Huangmen turned and laughed at the prince's appearance.

Ever since Huang Jingchen returned from the capital, the Zhao residence had been bustling with activity. People from the capital who could speak to him all sought his help, begging him to secure a mirror for them, regardless of size, and without asking about the price, even offering him red envelopes. This 'scared' him so much that he dared not stay long, returning after just half a month. Fortunately, Zhao Cheng was prepared and had already stocked the first batch of goods, which managed to temporarily satisfy the ladies of the imperial palaces, the concubines of the princes, and the daughters of the prime ministers. However, those who didn't get their hands on the mirrors followed him here, staying in inns and waiting. Huang Jingchen had no choice but to urge Zhao Cheng to find a solution, which 'scared' Zhao Cheng so much that he didn't dare stay in the house for a minute, spending his days wandering outside.

"Your Highness, I knew you'd be back, so I've already had the kitchen prepare a meal. I'll serve you right away!" As soon as Zhao Cheng entered the courtyard, Huang Jingchen came out with a smile.

"Uncle Huang, let me rest a bit. The next batch won't be ready for at least twenty days!" Zhao Cheng said with a bitter smile. He had anticipated that the appearance of a magical glass mirror in the Empress's palace would attract a lot of interest. People in ancient times were still people, and they would naturally follow their leaders' preferences as a guide for their own consumption. However, he hadn't expected that there were so many wealthy people in the Song Dynasty. He thought he had set the price of the mirrors so high that it was practically being sold by the gram, but it still couldn't dampen people's enthusiasm for buying them.

"Hehe, no problem. I've kept them all at our tavern. They're spending a lot of money on food and lodging, so it's not a loss for us to have them stay longer. After all, we don't want to let the profits go to others!" Huang Jingchen waved for Guihua and the others to leave, personally serving Zhao Cheng as he washed up.

"Uncle Huang, I see you're getting smarter. Do they invite you to dinner? If they do, order our distilled liquor and the most expensive dishes. It's their money, and the more they eat, the more I'll give you a cut from the tavern!" Zhao Cheng, relieved that the old man wasn't pressuring him, said with a sigh. The mirrors he made used the most primitive method, attaching a very thin layer of tin foil to the back of the glass and then coating it with mercury to form a reflective surface. While the effect wasn't as good as modern silver or aluminum plating, it was much brighter than the copper mirrors of the time. Although the process was simple, mercury was toxic and evaporated slowly, making the production cycle long. Additionally, making flat glass was not an easy task, using the ancient 'blowpipe method,' which was even less efficient. Now, even with the cheeks of the two sugar blowers swollen, they still couldn't keep up with the demand.

"Your Highness, someone from the Inner Eastern Gate Office came to the palace today," Huang Jingchen said, seating Zhao Cheng and serving him a bowl of pork rib soup.

"Who are they, and why didn't they come to the residence?" Zhao Cheng, not understanding the role of the Eastern Gate Office, interrupted Huang Jingchen.

"The Inner Eastern Gate Office is a department of the Inner Service, a place that eunuchs dream of working in. It manages the entry and exit of people and goods in the palace, registers the quantity and value of treasures moved between different rooms and storerooms, and records all tributes and purchased items. It also issues benefits to you and other royal relatives and is responsible for palace construction and the organization of banquets and celebrations. They came to purchase items for the New Year, of course, they wouldn't dare to disturb Your Highness, a prince!" Huang Jingchen explained with a smile.

"Oh, that's a lucrative office. What did they come to buy? They can forget about the mirrors. No one can get them, even with the palace's backing!" Zhao Cheng said, clenching a piece of meat and chewing it fiercely.

"Your Highness, you don't understand how much prestige and profit it is to supply the palace. You're missing out!" Huang Jingchen said. "The mirror business has always been handled by me, and they didn't dare to approach me. This time, they came to buy fireworks. I've taken the entire order, which is worth over ten million strings of cash!"

"Cough, cough!" Zhao Cheng choked, his face turning red as he pointed at Huang Jingchen and coughed uncontrollably. Huang Jingchen quickly patted and rubbed his back until he could breathe again. Zhao Cheng, furious, said, "Uncle Huang, are you really treating me like a god? An order worth over ten million strings of cash means we need to produce about forty thousand boxes of fireworks. Even if I push, we can only make about twenty thousand boxes in a month. With only a month left until the New Year, where am I supposed to get them from?"

"Your Highness, I didn't think of that. Can our workshop really not produce them? Can we hire more people to speed up production?" Huang Jingchen, taken aback, quickly suggested.

"Uncle Huang, making fireworks isn't like making pancakes. A few more people won't do. One small mistake and they could explode, causing deaths!" Zhao Cheng said with a bitter smile.

"What should we do? The Emperor specifically requested our fireworks. Old Li was afraid we wouldn't provide them, so he came to me. I agreed because the price was good, and I forgot about this. If it's not possible, I'll have to decline. After all, they can't do anything to us!" Huang Jingchen thought for a moment and said.

"I'll think about it. It's a shame to turn away such a big opportunity!" Zhao Cheng put down his chopsticks, and Huang Jingchen nodded vigorously, his face full of anticipation.

Zhao Cheng paced around the room, thinking that the main issue with his workshop was the lack of skilled workers. With enough workers, he could complete the order. In the past, newspapers and TV had constantly proclaimed that China would become the world's largest factory. If he subcontracted his products to smaller fireworks factories and repackaged them, he could handle even more orders.

"Uncle Huang, I have a plan!" Zhao Cheng said. "Jianxi, call all the managers to the meeting hall immediately, not a single one can be missing!" he shouted to the door.

It was the end of the year, and the Zhao residence, which had been quiet for three years, was now bustling with activity. The various estates were also mobilized. After three years of effort, the once impoverished area had transformed. The lives of the tenant farmers had greatly improved. The construction of water facilities, the use of machinery, and the fertilizers produced by livestock had increased crop yields and freed up labor. Many people had entered the workshops to work, earning a relatively stable income. Even the women, by raising chickens and pigs or working in the textile factories during their free time, could support their families. Although they hadn't yet reached the level of eating meat every day, they could now have some meat every day. A commercial center had even formed around the docks, where various goods were traded, turning the area into a bustling town.

After the New Year's Eve dinner, Zhao Cheng did not stay up with everyone as he had in previous years. Instead, he sat alone in his study, looking at the stars outside the window. Another year had passed. If the world hadn't changed because of his穿越 (time travel), Aguda in the northeast would have already succeeded as the leader of the Jurchen alliance and would be heading to the Fish Head Feast on the Hun River, where he would refuse to dance and sing for the Emperor of the Liao Dynasty, leading to a conflict and his rebellion against the Liao. He would begin the founding of the Jin Dynasty, and within ten years, the entire Central Plains would be under his control, while the Song Dynasty remained oblivious, still indulging in peace and prosperity.

"What should I do?" Zhao Cheng had asked himself this question many times. The enemy had already appeared, and with his current capabilities, he could not stop his rise. However, he could not sit idly by. It was time to implement his next plan.

This year, his residence had earned no less than ten million strings of cash, and his mother had ascended to the position of Empress. Money and power were no longer issues. The time was ripe. Zhao Cheng stood up and pushed open the window. He needed to establish his own army, but how should he go about it?

In this age of cold weapons, the Tanguts in the northwest, the Jurchens in the north, and the later Mongols were all nomadic peoples who learned to ride and shoot from a young age. By the age of sixteen, they were already qualified warriors. The cavalry they formed was an unstoppable force. In contrast, the Song army was composed of farmers. Although it was said to number a million, it was no longer the battle-hardened force of the founding era. A century of peace had turned it into a tool for the wealthy and powerful to make money. Most importantly, they lacked horses, losing their mobility and being forced into a passive position, unable to compete with the fierce nomadic tribes.

The biggest challenge was how to form an army. Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, the royal family had been strictly controlled, given no real power, and never allowed to lead troops. Privately forming an army was a capital offense, and even a son would not be spared. Did he have to wait until the enemy was at the gates and the country was in chaos? Zhao Cheng was stumped by this more practical problem.

"Difficulties or no, I must push forward. No one can stop my struggle!" Zhao Cheng pounded the table, determined. Time was not on his side. As a former soldier, Zhao Cheng knew that building an army was not something that could be accomplished overnight. From selecting and training personnel to actual combat, it would be a long process, especially in an era where war was universally detested. Cultivating a capable army would be extremely challenging.