Chapter 325

The imperial grandson was deeply disappointed but was soon drawn in by the delicious dishes on the platter. The Fourth Prince paid little attention, but the Emperor cast a lingering glance at Wang Xiujin. Previously, he had heard from the imperial grandson about how amusing the younger brother of the royal merchant was, though he had never had the chance to meet him. At the time, he hadn’t given it much thought; now, it seemed that the royal merchant had done this deliberately. Otherwise, in such an opportunity, any other family would be eager to have their child show up in front of the Emperor to make an impression. The royal merchant’s ways were unlike those of ordinary people.

Wang Xiujin shifted the topic. “Bring some of the vegetables and rice stuffed inside the sheep’s stomach for the elder to try.” Inside the sheep’s stomach was a rabbit, and inside the rabbit’s belly were some mushrooms, corn kernels, and a little rice. Since the rabbit’s stomach was small, the contents were limited. Originally, these were meant for General Li to taste, but now some had to be shared with the distinguished guests first. The chef cleverly divided it into four portions. Though the old gentleman’s portion was not large, it was enough to satisfy without overwhelming him. The plate was also garnished with roasted vegetables in a colorful display, which was very appetizing.

“Is this tofu?” The Emperor picked up a piece and tasted it. He detected the flavor of tofu and was greatly surprised. Though he had never seen an entire block of tofu before, he knew tofu was soft. Yet the flavor he just tasted was tofu, often mixed with sauces and roasted to develop a different taste. “How can it be roasted into neat blocks like this?”

Wang Xiujin earnestly explained to the Emperor, and by the time the entire roasted lamb was consumed, Wang Xiujin hadn’t found an opportunity to sit down and eat. The Li family members hadn’t eaten well either. After seeing the Emperor off, the younger generation was sent to rest, while General Li went with his third son to discuss the Emperor’s sudden visit and what it might signify.

Wang Xiujin and Li Linshan returned to the bedroom, where their son was already asleep under the care of servants. They lowered their voices, speculating on the Emperor’s intentions. No one believed the Emperor had simply come to enjoy a roasted whole lamb. Unable to discern the reason, both elders and younger folk could only wait and watch how things unfolded.

The next day, during the morning court session, the Emperor spoke of the compromise proposed by Wang Xiujin. The civil officials welcomed it and praised the Emperor, also complimenting Minister Wang’s wise guidance. Minister Wang stood impassively, as if unaffected by the flattery. The officials were eager to promote the plan, but the Emperor declared it would first be piloted in several cities. He feared some officials might be negligent, so he ordered Minister Wang to establish a new supervisory bureau specifically to oversee this matter. If anyone was caught tampering with the process, they would be executed immediately as a warning to others.

The civil officials shuddered but still saw opportunities to exploit the situation and earnestly pushed for its implementation. Though limited to a few cities initially, it was enough for them to make some moves.

Minister Wang, representing the Censorate, agreed to the matter. As he looked at the line of officials, he narrowed his eyes. The officials shivered in unison. Had the tide turned? Why did they suddenly feel a chill in the air?

Outside the city, the Li family, having missed the feast earlier, prepared to have another roasted lamb meal that evening. To avoid further disturbances, the long convoy of the Li family made a trip back to their residence. The unaware would have thought the general’s household had returned. Onlookers lamented how incomprehensible the life of high officials was, then went back to their chores. There were few people or matters around which the townsfolk would gather to discuss these days, as everyone was busy with their own livelihoods. The townspeople all had work to do, and even the women at home spun wool to make clothes for the elderly and children, preparing for winter. The price for raw wool was much lower than for spun yarn. Making balls of yarn at home saved more than half the cost compared to buying them outside. Of course, the yarn sold externally was superior in quality and color, while the homemade yarn was just one uniform color.

Though busy with life, the townsfolk did not feel overwhelmed. On the contrary, everyone was full of vigor. Whenever a shop or workshop under the royal merchant posted recruitment notices, it was immediately surrounded by eager crowds. Even those already employed would push their way in. When asked, they would proudly reply, “No matter how much I earn, it’s never as much as working for the royal merchant.”

Recently, two workers had left Wang Xiujin’s workshop. One was sent to the border workshops to assist with management because the previous overseer wanted to retire for health reasons. Another followed the workshop manager and became a deputy manager. As soon as the recruitment notice went out, many people gathered outside, nearly halting business altogether.

Wang Xiujin thought he should discuss with his grandfather about those soldiers who had left the military camp. Those with land had gone home, but for those without land who didn’t want to farm, perhaps they could be organized into a special guard unit. These soldiers had all been to the battlefield and would stand guard at the workshop’s entrance, serving as a strong deterrent. Besides preventing disturbances at the workshop, they could also catch petty thieves. Wang Xiujin was essentially introducing modern security concepts into the ancient era. “Even if not from the discharged soldiers, some able-bodied youths would do, provided they are sharp and discerning. If they just stand there and don’t catch thieves, it’s better not to use them at all.”

“This matter requires caution,” General Li said. Even if feasible, it shouldn’t be the Li family taking the lead, nor Wang Xiujin acting under the royal merchant’s name. “This is competing with the official and private ‘teeth’ (armed enforcers) for jobs.”

Wang Xiujin pondered the era and understood that this plan would not easily succeed. He decided to hand the matter over to the Fourth Prince. This was clearly an opportunity for the prince to place people in various shops and workshops.

The Fourth Prince agreed immediately after hearing Wang Xiujin’s proposal. Whether official or private enforcers, they were essentially traffickers of laborers. Wang Xiujin’s point was to introduce not slaves but ordinary people seeking work. After some discussion, Wang Xiujin said he did not require a share of the profits. The idea was his sudden inspiration, and at the time, he wasn’t able to attend to many other affairs.

The Fourth Prince repeatedly thanked Wang Xiujin but insisted on giving him a share of the profits. Wang Xiujin considered it and told the prince to donate his share directly to the national treasury instead, ensuring annual contributions. The prince appreciated Wang Xiujin’s generosity, remarking that among all the people he knew, only Wang Xiujin gave freely without expecting anything in return—though Wang gave not to him but to the imperial family.

Unaware of the prince’s thoughts, Wang Xiujin’s reason for refusing profits was simple: once the share accumulated to a certain amount, it would still be donated. It was more convenient to have the prince donate directly and save trouble. The prince, however, saw it differently. Upon returning to the palace, he mentioned the matter to his father with deep admiration, saying, “When making friends, one should befriend people like Wang Xiujin.”

The Emperor nodded at his son and said, “People like the royal merchant’s kind—there may be only one in the entire realm.” The historian present recorded this statement clearly for posterity.

After parting with the Fourth Prince, Wang Xiujin returned to his estate. There was another roasted whole lamb feast planned for the evening! Having not fully satisfied his appetite the previous day, he intended to enjoy a proper meal this time. Before leaving the city, he noticed a long queue outside a medical clinic and grew curious. Could it be that the clinic’s doctors were extraordinarily skilled, attracting so many people? He casually asked a nearby servant, who promptly replied, “Young master, today the clinic is offering free consultations. The townsfolk now have some extra money, but many still cannot afford medical treatment.”

Wang Xiujin looked again at the long line outside. No matter the era, access to healthcare was always a challenge. This reminded him of the health insurance system from his previous life, which had been promoted throughout Greater Liang. Although he lacked the funds to implement such a system, he thought of establishing a designated clinic for his estate, shops, and workshops, where workers could receive free medical care. After further thought, he realized a 70-30 cost split would be better—the patients pay 30%, he covers the rest. Not because he was unwilling to spend, but because he worried about the absurdity of male doctors treating female patients and having expenses reimbursed by the workplace, as he had heard as a joke before.

Reflecting on this, Wang Xiujin felt the need to train physicians properly, so that the benefit would reach the individual patients, not involve entire families. Doctors could not be trained overnight, especially those practicing ancestral Chinese medicine—it took at least ten years to master the craft. He then asked the servant, “How old is your son this year?”

The servant was a native-born worker; the next generation would no longer be servants. Wang Xiujin considered that if the child were interested, he could send him to apprentice under a reputable doctor. With the child’s background known, he could later open a clinic with confidence.

“Just turned six,” the servant replied. Surprised by the question, the servant felt mixed emotions: joy and worry. If his son worked in the general’s mansion, under his protection, he wouldn’t be bullied. But after all, he was still a servant. Without that status, what livelihood could he pursue outside? He would need to save money for land and perhaps buy a shop. As for the household maid, the servant hadn’t given much thought, but he could at least provide a substantial dowry.

“How many children of servants in the estate are six or seven years old and native-born?” Wang Xiujin asked, sensing the servant’s tone. Why not use native-born children? Compared to those who had already shed their servant status, native-born children were easier to manage.

“There are over ten,” the servant replied. Since his son no longer needed to act as a servant, he had advised him to socialize less with native-born children and had taken note of their numbers.

Wang Xiujin said no more. This matter required consulting the elders before a decision could be made. If approved, he planned to select some children from the general’s estate and the Wang family. If this side couldn’t decide, he would ask his father. This was a project he was determined to realize.