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The guild hall next to Taoye Ferry is divided into two parts. The outer part is where paintings and embroidery are exhibited, and both men and women can enter to visit.
Men have to stop once they enter, because that is the place where Concubine Gu in the palace receives female guests.
After viewing the paintings and embroidery, the visiting ladies can enter the inner courtyard and ask Lady Gu for advice.
Gu Hanyan was dressed in palace attire, gentle as water, elegant as poetry. She treated every woman who came into the inner courtyard to ask for advice with warm words and patiently explained.
This was the first day of the painting and embroidery exhibition. Those who came in to visit were basically ladies of high socialites and rich young ladies. The flowers were in full bloom and all kinds of beauties formed an array. Naturally, at such an occasion, Empress Xiang, who was the embodiment of all love and favor, was indispensable.
Yun Qiao'er was also wearing a palace dress, looking graceful and elegant, about thirteen or fourteen years old, with a waist as slender as a willow in early spring;
Her embroidery skills were average, but she was good at talking and helped explain, which made the gentle and shy Gu Hanyan feel a lot more relaxed.
After watching the painting and embroidery, Xu Ruoshi was deeply fascinated by this elegant art and also went into the inner courtyard;
But she soon discovered that the courtyard had apparently become a place where noble ladies and rich girls came to curry favor with Gu and Yun. Words of praise and flattery were heard endlessly, but there were few people who actually took the time to learn painting and embroidery skills. This made her frown secretly, and she stood quietly aside without squeezing in.
Xu Yongshun and Han Zanzhou were old acquaintances. Some time ago, after being beaten by Qin Mu, Han Zanzhou deliberately distanced himself from Xu Yongshun and other dignitaries of the previous dynasty, but generally speaking, he was not doing well now and did not have the glory and power of the eunuchs of the previous dynasty.
Invisibly, he couldn't help feeling a sense of sympathy with Xu Yongshun and the others. Besides, the matter of the art exhibition was not a secret, so Han Zanzhou told Xu Yongshun everything.
Normally, such a painting and embroidery exhibition should be very popular among scholars, but today there were not many scholars coming to visit.
Xu Yongshun was concerned when he heard about this. Hehe, what you are resisting is what I pursue and support! What is this called, when one is in trouble, one's integrity is revealed... Or, it is better to say that strong winds reveal strong grass, and turbulent times reveal loyal ministers...
"Don't worry, Eunuch Han. Since you are in charge of this matter, I will naturally support you with all my strength and teach you to run the painting and embroidery exhibition in a decent manner."
Xu Yongshun was still young, but he was no ordinary person to be able to support such a large Xu family in such a turbulent time.
He was concerned about other people's needs and thought about other people's concerns. For Han Zanzhou, the most important thing at the moment was to organize the embroidery exhibition entrusted by the King of Qin.
He had the honor of participating in the discussion between the King of Qin and Sima An, and naturally understood how important this matter was to the King of Qin. He would naturally be grateful for Xu Yongshun's full support in organizing this painting and embroidery exhibition.
"Chengzhang. What's your idea?"
Chengzhang is Xu Yongshun's pen name, and Han Zanzhou called him very affectionately. Xu Yongshun smiled and said, "Eunuch, the King of Qin asked you to host this painting and embroidery exhibition. This shows that the King of Qin attaches great importance to this exhibition. The King of Qin probably wants to increase his influence through this move and pave the way for what will happen later."
"It is true. It is true."
"Father-in-law, isn't it just about increasing influence? If those pedants don't come, is there no way to increase influence? Of course, if they come and write a few poems and spread them, the influence will definitely be significant, but without them, we can still achieve this goal through other means."
"What's the solution? Tell me quickly, Chengzhang."
***
Wuyi Lane. Since ancient times, this has been a place where high-ranking officials and dignitaries gather.
The mansion of Zhuge Min, the Second Assistant of the Cabinet, is located in Wuyi Lane. This luxurious house was originally the mansion of Wang Duo, the Assistant Minister of the Cabinet during the Hongguang Dynasty. After Wang Duo and Qian Qianyi and others surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, their homes were ransacked together. This mansion was then given to Zhuge Min by Qin Mu.
The whole house is intricately carved with red walls and green tiles. The pavilions and terraces in the garden are all built by the water, and some pavilions are directly out of the water, full of the characteristics of the Jiangnan water town.
The pond in the garden is clear and vast, with lotus flowers planted everywhere. There are shady trees around the pavilion and vines growing on the waterside. Although it is only early spring, the garden is full of scenery.
As a popular second assistant in the cabinet, there were naturally countless people who came to visit him for various purposes. Zhuge Min had always been relatively low-key in his actions, but as he was in a high position, he could not avoid some social engagements.
On the pavilion, Zhuge Min sat and drank with the imperial official Ma Weizhong and the Ministry of Rites Shen Qingyang who came to visit him. Although the spring chill was still there, the three of them were in high spirits, and the maids beside them frequently poured wine for them.
"My Lord, I'm afraid the King of Qin is going to really take action this time." Ma Weizhong said with a slightly worried look on his face.
Shen Qingyang, the Minister of Rites, said, "It has been the fundamental policy of every dynasty to emphasize agriculture and suppress commerce. Now the King of Qin wants to transfer private capital to industry and commerce. This is a move that will shake the foundation of the country. Merchants do not engage in production, they value profit over morality, and they take shortcuts to gain without working. Whenever there is a disaster, merchants hoard goods, drive up prices, harm the country and the people, and seek personal gain. Such things happen one after another, but the King of Qin turns a blind eye. If this continues, it will be a recipe for disaster."
Zhuge Min stroked his beard with one hand and said calmly, "Don't get excited, the King of Qin may just have this idea but has not put it into practice. There is still room for maneuver."
"Oh, my Lord, food is the first necessity of the people, and agriculture is the foundation of the country. Only by paying attention to the foundation of the country can the people live and work in peace and contentment, the population prosper, and the national treasury and granary be filled. There will be no worries about food shortages and unrest at home, and no worries about foreign invasions. Such a major matter concerning the foundation of the country cannot be taken lightly.
The King of Qin has this intention, which is dangerous in the first place. Now he even asks the beauties in the palace to do embroidery. This clue has already appeared. The cabinet minister is the pillar of the country and he should correct the mistakes of the monarch. "
"Yes, since ancient times, women have been required to follow the Three Obediences and Four Virtues. The King of Qin wants to recruit women as doctors and to establish a school for women. Isn't this against the principles of morality? Will there be peace in the world in the future?"
Zhuge Min sighed and said, "To be honest with you two, I have already advised the King of Qin, but... ... Alas."
The imperial court established the Imperial Officials and the Imperial Censors to take the responsibility of correcting the emperor's mistakes and refuting the inappropriate policies of the cabinet ministers. Ma Weizhong and Shen Qingyang became more and more excited as they talked, as if they were taking the responsibility of the whole country.
Ma Weizhong generously said: "I will contact my colleagues and submit a letter of advice together."
"Okay, I'll go too." Shen Qingyang followed suit.
Zhuge Min seemed to have said nothing, but he had invisibly drawn Ma Weizhong and Shen Qingyang into the discussion. When they were slightly tipsy, the two spoke passionately and said that they would contact their colleagues as soon as they returned and jointly submit a petition to advise the emperor against his mistakes.
***
During the Lantern Festival, the royal palace would also set up some lanterns to share the joy with the people.
Qin Mu had just finished a day of government affairs in the imperial study and was about to return to the backyard to spend the holiday with Yang Zhi and the others when Yan Gaofei hurried in and whispered to him, "King Qin, the imperial censors are colluding, and the students of the Imperial College are also talking about it..."
Qin Mu's face suddenly darkened. After whispering a few words to Yan Gaofei, he said, "Go ahead. I will keep an eye on the movements in the capital and the entire Jiangnan area. Don't be careless."
"Yes, King Qin."
After Yan Gaofei took his leave, Qin Mu stood alone under the eaves, lost in thought.
Emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce was indeed necessary in ancient China. In the past, productivity was low, and too many people were engaged in industry and commerce, which would lead to insufficient labor for farming and low grain output, thus endangering national stability.
The policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce was first introduced by Li Kui in the reform of Wei State. Later, Shang Yang put forward the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce for the first time in the reform of Qin State, and put it into practice as the basic content of vigorously promoting the policy of agriculture and war. Later, rulers of all dynasties regarded it as a model for governing the country.
It is undeniable that the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce played a positive role in the development of agriculture and social economy and in the consolidation of the regime of the emerging landlord class in the early feudal society.
For example, Shang Yang's reform actively promoted the policy of agriculture and warfare, adopted various means to implement the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce, encouraged the development of agricultural production, thereby promoting the continuous strengthening of Qin's economic strength and laying a material foundation for the later unification of the six kingdoms by Qin Shihuang.
However, with the development of productivity, the sprouts of capitalism had already appeared in the middle and late Ming Dynasty. In particular, with the promotion of high-yield crops such as corn in Daqin, grain output had greatly increased, and the commodity economy became more active.
At this time, it is obviously wrong to still adhere to the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce, and to set the development of commerce and agriculture against each other.
If we continue to implement a series of measures that are not conducive to the growth of capital under the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce, it will undoubtedly violate the laws of economic development.
In order to grow capital, technology needs to be improved and the labor force needs to be sufficient.
Judging from the current situation, unless the role of women is released, it will be difficult to ensure sufficient labor in the short term. Qin Mu does not want to traffic some black people from Africa to China.
However, the inherent ideas have continued for nearly two thousand years. It is not easy to change them overnight!
Now I just whispered to a few ministers, but I didn't expect it would cause a turbulent undercurrent...
Qin Mu snorted coldly, then took a few deep breaths to relax his facial expression before walking towards the backyard.
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ps: It’s the last week, whether I can hold on depends on you brothers, please vote for me. Haozi is afraid of falling in the last mile, please support me brothers!
.(To be continued..)
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