Fen Niang waited for Zhang Liu to finish reading and asked, "Husband, what is written here?"
Zhang Liu smiled and said, "You won't understand anything else I tell you, but this white paper from my lord is the most exciting!"
Fen Niang said nothing, waiting for Zhang Liu's next words.
"You see, when the First Lord was in power, Jingzhou had never done a census before. It only said that the population was one million and the armor was one hundred thousand. I don't know the specific population at all."
"But what about now? After my lord came to power, he carried out reforms, strictly implemented the system of dividing a small person into an acre, and strictly conducted population censuses!"
"Jingzhou now has more than 260,000 soldiers and horses! The population has exceeded three million!"
Fenniang covered her mouth, a little surprised, "So many?"
Zhang Liu smiled, shook the newspaper and continued, "The most important thing is that the lord explains here the changes in Jingchu now and in the future!"
"What's the change?" Fenniang asked curiously.
"Madam, let's go sit down at the tea shop in front and have something to eat. I'll tell you slowly!" Zhang Liu pointed to the tea shop in front and said to Fenniang softly.
"Guest sir, please take a seat!"
The person taking care of her was not a waiter, but a young girl who looked like she was only seventeen or eighteen.
"Are you the boss's daughter?" Zhang Liu asked Fen Niang after he sat down.
The girl smiled, showing her shallow dimples, shook her head and said, "I am not the boss's daughter, nor his relative. Sir, you are not the first person to ask me this question."
"and you……"
Before Zhang Liu finished speaking, the girl interrupted him, "I do some odd jobs here to earn some money to support my family. You must want to ask me how a girl can do such things in public, right?
?”
While pouring tea for the two of them, the girl continued to smile and said, "This is also thanks to the Marquis of Chu, who planned a special commercial street and business activity location in Xiangyang City."
"There are too many people engaged in business. How can men alone take care of them? The Marquis of Chu also encourages women to go out to work. Firstly, they can gain more knowledge, and secondly, they can also earn some money to subsidize the family!"
Fenniang took out her handkerchief and wiped the tea stains on Zhang Liu's mouth, paused and asked, "Then your family isn't worried about you?"
The little girl put the teapot on the table, "The Marquis of Chu established a police station. Now the security in Xiangyang City is much better than before."
"When it gets dark in Xiangyang City, except for the mansions of wealthy families, how can you see any light in the entire city?"
"Now that the night market is open, you can go shopping in the evening. It is brightly lit and very lively! There are many sellers of tea, cakes, jewelry, rouge and gouache..."
Zhang Liu heard this and took Fenniang's hand and said, "Madam, you have suffered with me for half your life. I will take you for a nice stroll tonight! I will buy you some good jewelry!"
Fenniang shook her head and said sternly, "Husband, I am very satisfied that our family can have what it is today. How can I be blessed with a life of suffering and hands that work hard?"
When the girl next to her heard this, she puffed up her cheeks and said, "What this lady is saying is wrong. The Marquis of Chu even advocates that everyone should spend money and not save money!"
The common people of China have been in the habit of accumulating wealth since ancient times, especially poor people. Even if they become rich, they will still eat vegetables.
Liu Cong once ordered that newspapers should be published to encourage people to save money while also being willing to spend money on necessary places, such as medical treatment and children's education.
When it came to the little girl's mouth, the taste changed a bit. Xiao Xiao misinterpreted Liu Cong's words and encouraged Zhang Liu and his wife to spend money.
Zhang Liu laughed loudly when he heard this, and praised the girl for being right, "Girl, I think you are quite knowledgeable, you seem to have some knowledge?"
The little girl twisted her hair around her temples and narrowed her eyes, "I also come from a poor family. I don't know much about it. I just read it in the newspaper. Most of the tea drinkers here are
They all brought newspapers with them, and I listened to them often, so naturally I learned a lot about them."
Only then did Zhang Liu come back to his senses, picked up the newspaper on the table, and said awkwardly to Fen Niang, "Madam, look at my memory. I actually forgot what I promised to tell you."
"Then I won't disturb you two. Why do you need to see me again?" Upon hearing this, the little girl wisely put down the teapot and walked away.
Fen Niang was still looking at the girl going away, "The world is really getting better and better, and little girls like this can come out to work."
Business in the Song Dynasty was developed, and the government encouraged business development. As a result, although the territory of the Song Dynasty was small, the financial level was higher than that of the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties in later generations!
This also created a situation where women would come out to work when there were not enough men. Although the status of women in the Song Dynasty was still low, it was much better than that of later generations.
"Isn't that right? The Lord's white paper is talking about the changes in the world!" Zhang Liu smiled when he heard this.
Fen Niang withdrew her gaze and looked at the newspaper held by Zhang Liu, "I've heard you say it so many times, tell me now."
"Hey, hey."
"Title: Jingchu's present and past comparison white paper!"
"In the schools in Jingchu in the past, going to school required all kinds of rules. You even had to bribe teachers, and to study, you also needed someone to give you or own books.
In the current schools in Jingchu, all teachers’ salaries are paid by the government, and books, tuition fees, and accommodation are also funded by the government. People only need to send their children to study!”
"In the clinics in Jingchu in the past, most of the doctors were quacks. They cheated people out of money, but they couldn't cure the diseases!
Today’s hospitals are established by the government, employ famous doctors, and set up medical schools to continuously train talents for the medical care industry. People’s medical treatment is also guaranteed!”
"There were nearly a million tenants in Jingchu in the past. I could only keep half of the food that I worked hard to grow, and the government only collected 10%! The remaining 40% belonged to the aristocratic families. The tenants' bodies, life and death all belonged to the aristocratic families.
Not to mention personal freedom and owning your own land!
After the government ordered a population census and allotment of land, the common people each had their own land. They only had to pay 10% of the tax to the government, and the remaining 90% belonged to the common people. In this way, the common people could live a happy life.
Looking forward to it!”
"In the past, Jingchu had only a few hundred thousand troops. Some places were almost autonomous, following orders but not propaganda. Arms were depleted and the army had not been trained for a long time. It was simply difficult for the central government to issue effective political orders to these places!
Now, all the three states of Jingchu are under the unified management of the central government, and there are 260,000 troops! Soldiers receive salaries and their social status has been greatly improved. They just need to train and win battles! Warriors of Jingchu, have confidence.
Have the ability to defeat all invading enemies!"
"The people of Jingchu used to be called millions, but in fact most of them have been hidden by powerful families, and they can only live a rough life.
Now, all policies and systems of the government have the top priority of serving the people. The military is even on the front line of emergency rescue and disaster relief! The people do not need to be exploited and can enjoy all the good policies of the government!"