Chapter Seventy-Five: The Prototype of the Royal University City

The Wang Gong Factory was situated in the southwest corner of the Imperial City. Originally, the environment there was poor due to the presence of the Gunpowder Bureau, but after the bureau relocated beyond the city walls, the area immediately became suitable for habitation. Zhu Youxiao personally undertook the planning: following a layout reminiscent of later times, he first designated a main road, then divided the adjacent land into residential zones, educational areas, supporting commercial districts, and green spaces. As for other details, he found himself powerless, only insisting that the roads be paved with cement and that all buildings be uniformly three stories high.

The person in charge was Wei Chao, a close brother of Wei Zhongxian. Wei Chao had once served under Wang An and maintained a very close relationship with Wei Zhongxian. Wei Zhongxian told Zhu Youxiao, “Wei Chao might not be perfect in all respects, but he is not greedy. If Your Majesty entrusts him with this task, I can guarantee that the accounts and labor records of the Wang Gong Factory will be meticulously maintained.”

Once Wei Chao assumed his position, he immediately brought a pleasant surprise to Zhu Youxiao. After surveying the surroundings, he proposed to the emperor that bricks, tiles, sand, and stones could actually be obtained without cost. Merchants from outside were eager to supply these materials for free, provided they could advertise in the weekly gazette. Zhu Youxiao was surprised by the strong advertising awareness of the era and instructed Wei Chao to coordinate with Wang Cheng’en.

Soon, advertisements for the Imperial Brick Factory, Tile Factory, and Sand and Stone Factory appeared in the weekly gazette. Using only a tenth of the original price, Wei Chao acquired a vast amount of raw materials—still a result of Zhu Youxiao’s repeated instructions not to take anything for free, though merchants had been willing to supply without charge.

Regarding labor, Wei Chao recruited a large number of Liao people from Denglai and, under the supervision of palace artisans, began construction of the Wang Gong Factory. Zhu Youxiao ordered that workers be paid fairly and fed well, warning against mistreatment of the Liao laborers.

With sufficient funds and manpower, the groundwork proceeded smoothly. After more than a month, Zhu Youxiao saw a vast expanse of leveled land with neatly arranged cement roads running straight and perpendicular, and he was greatly pleased. He praised Wei Chao heartily and promised that if the construction of Wang Gong Factory met the required standards in both quality and quantity, Wei Chao would be permitted to adopt a son from his clan to carry on his family line. This promise invigorated Wei Chao, who vowed to build the school and residential areas of Wang Gong Factory even more perfectly than the emperor demanded.

Following Zhu Youxiao’s suggestion, Wei Chao collaborated with Sun Yuanhua to create a gantry crane using pulley systems as the main component, greatly increasing construction efficiency. Wei Chao also recruited numerous bricklayers, carpenters, and stonemasons to form an imperial construction team.

The team included literate eunuchs responsible for coordination and overall planning, ensuring that every worker could maximize their contribution. They were also trained in the use of the gantry crane, the properties of cement, and methods of making concrete.

When the imperial construction team entered the Wang Gong Factory site, their speed astonished the veteran craftsmen of the various guilds. Every worker knew their place and responsibilities clearly, and there was no idling. The introduction of cement allowed for architectural styles previously impossible to realize.

When the first three-story building made with cement was completed, Zhu Youxiao inspected it personally. He saw that the structure was brick-walled, with thick wooden floorboards. Although he preferred concrete floors, he understood that the precious steel could not be spared here, and wooden floors had their advantages, so he was satisfied.

Zhu Youxiao’s requirement for the school buildings was that they be sturdy and practical, while the residential area had to be exquisite. In his vision, the university town would include student dormitories, so the outer residential area was intended for wealthy citizens of the capital, and thus should be as luxurious as possible.

Hearing this, Wei Chao quietly suggested, “Your Majesty, if these are to be sold to the wealthy, might we consider adding small courtyards around the residences? Enclosing them and separating from neighbors could add an air of nobility.”

Zhu Youxiao considered this; indeed, in later times, upscale residential districts had independent courtyards. He agreed, saying, “There should be courtyards. The residences need only be two stories, following the layout I have drawn. Especially, the glass windows must be large, and the fireplaces well installed. I want a new style that blends East and West—it will surely attract many buyers.”

Zhu Youxiao noticed that this era seemed colder than later times, and heating was somewhat troublesome. Using stoves raised safety concerns, so he decided to introduce fireplaces, believing such houses would appeal to buyers.

This style would at least interest Western missionaries. Jin Nige had yet to persuade Long Huamin to revise missionary strategies, so he wrote to the Holy See detailing their disagreements, requesting changes to certain missionary regulations in the Ming realm—particularly the prohibition on ancestor worship. No reply had yet come.

Meanwhile, translation work at the Translation Bureau progressed smoothly. Although Jin Nige’s "Western Scholars’ Ear and Eye Treasury" was unfinished, the completed portions were sufficient to train translators. Of the seven thousand volumes, some works related to practical learning—mathematics, architecture, astronomy, mechanical physics, mining, medicine, navigation—had been partially translated. Zhu Youxiao emphasized mathematics, mechanical physics, and mining as the top priorities for translation. He intended to promote these three disciplines first at the university, as they were most likely to advance Ming technology. As the saying goes in later times, mastering math, physics, and chemistry ensures confidence anywhere in the world.

Of course, students could not simply study translated volumes directly; they had to begin with the basics, requiring textbooks. This was a complex task. If Zhu Youxiao handed over all his high school knowledge to students, it would be impossible—they only knew some basics, lacking understanding of the entire scientific system. For example, if textbooks stated how gravity worked, but students asked why, there would be no answer—this was a problem.

Therefore, only missionaries could compile textbooks. Zhu Youxiao dispatched Hanlin Academy scholars to collaborate with missionaries to create accessible and simple textbooks. For example, mathematics began with the four operations and vertical calculations, with the most advanced topics being area and volume calculations. Physics focused mainly on mechanical knowledge—basic concepts of force—with Newton’s laws far beyond reach. Mining textbooks certainly could not cover the periodic table or chemical transformations, but only surface-level content such as iron smelting. This troubled Zhu Youxiao greatly, but there was no alternative. He realized that although he once thought some subjects simple, truly grasping their principles was exceedingly complex.

To encourage missionaries to devote themselves fully, Zhu Youxiao promised Jin Nige that if the issues of ancestor worship and Confucius rites were resolved, a church school would be established within the university town. This promise thrilled Jin Nige, who pressed Long Huamin relentlessly, and even Long Huamin began to waver.