mtl008 Chapter 300 Consort Fucha
Chapter 300 Consort Fucha
Thanks to the efforts of Shuhe and others, the textile factory finally started operations smoothly.
Inside the factory, the looms hummed, and the female workers skillfully operated them, their faces beaming with confident smiles.
Wenyi, along with the princesses, was also busy preparing the "Great Qing People's Daily".
They disguised themselves and went deep into the countryside to collect materials and interview people, keeping themselves very busy.
Local governments were also actively responding to the imperial court's decree.
Post the "Regulations on Prohibiting Incestuous Marriages" to publicize the dangers of such marriages.
Imperial envoys traveled to various regions to oversee the implementation of the ban, and specialized agencies began to handle related disputes.
One day, a child suddenly appeared in the capital city, hawking newspapers everywhere.
The little boy shouted, "The Great Qing People's Daily! The freshly printed Great Qing People's Daily!"
It was founded by order of the Emperor himself, dedicated to giving voice to the people!
One penny a serving, only one penny a serving!
The streets and alleys of the capital city instantly became lively, with people flocking to the area.
Curious, I asked what this newspaper was.
The child briefly explained the contents of the newspaper to the person.
Everyone found it fascinating, but no one took out a coin to buy it.
Because they are illiterate
Seeing this, the child quickly said:
"Dear elders, this 'Great Qing People's Daily' was specially established by the Emperor for us common people."
It lists many things that are beneficial to us.
Although the characters may be a little difficult to recognize, you can buy it and have someone who can read read it to you!
Moreover, this newspaper only costs one penny, which is cheaper than buying a steamed bun!
In the crowd, an elderly man frowned and said:
“It’s not cheap at all. We poor people don’t have any spare money to buy newspapers.”
Besides, even if we bought it, we wouldn't understand it; wouldn't that be a waste of money?
The boy was sweating profusely and didn't know what to do when a young scholar stepped out from the crowd.
He stepped forward and took the newspaper from the child's hand.
Sitting at the tea stall, I ordered a pot of tea from the owner.
He started reading the newspaper.
The scholar's voice was clear and loud as he read the newspaper, occasionally explaining its contents.
The surrounding crowd gradually quieted down and listened attentively.
"Fellow villagers, the Qing Dynasty People's Daily says that the imperial court has now banned marriage between close relatives."
This is for the good of our future generations!
Children born from consanguineous marriages are more prone to illness; this is not an exaggeration.
The scholar pointed to the contents of the newspaper and continued,
"The newspapers also said that the imperial court would investigate women who had suffered because of consanguineous marriages in the past."
Get them justice! That's a great thing!
When the people heard that this marriage between close relatives could not produce a healthy child, they were shocked.
This caused quite a stir.
One aunt's daughter married her nephew, hoping that this would make her daughter's life a little better.
The old woman never imagined she would harm her daughter; she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her.
She almost fell to the ground, but an elderly woman nearby caught her in time.
The older woman was her neighbor and knew her family's situation very well.
"Madam Li, don't be in a hurry, ask clearly first."
After hearing what the old woman said, Li Niangzi managed to calm herself down.
He quickly squeezed his way to the scholar.
"Greetings, young scholar. My daughter is married to her cousin."
this……"
The scholar bowed to Lady Li and then asked...
"Greetings, ma'am. How long has your daughter been married? Does she have any children?"
Aunt Li hurriedly replied, "Young man, my daughter has been married for over a year."
She has not yet given birth to any children.
The scholar said, "It's actually a good thing that no child was born."
Let them divorce and each marry someone else.
"As long as your daughter is healthy, she'll definitely be able to have a son or daughter if she marries into a good family."
When the people around heard about the divorce and remarriage, they all started gossiping.
Some people wonder how this woman could divorce and remarry.
She should stay with her husband for life, otherwise she is not a virtuous woman.
However, some people expressed support, arguing that women are also human beings.
Since this marriage was a mistake, it should be set right.
Someone said to the scholar
"It's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage. How can you let the two of them get a divorce?"
"No, no."
The scholar smiled slightly and said,
"The old saying 'It's better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage' certainly has some truth to it, but it depends on the circumstances."
If this marriage is harmful to both parties,
If it even affects the health of future generations, then it shouldn't be forcibly maintained.
Some people argued, "How can this woman remarry? Isn't that unchaste?"
When Aunt Li heard that someone dared to slander her daughter, she was shocked.
She immediately turned red with anger and pointed at the man, yelling:
"Bullshit! My daughter is a good girl, how is she not a virtuous wife?"
"You're the one who's not behaving like a proper woman."
The scholar quickly stepped forward, smiling slightly.
"Auntie, please calm down, please calm down."
Auntie, don't worry.
This villager may not be familiar with the situation, so let me explain it to everyone.
He turned to the villager who had objected and said in a calm tone:
“My fellow villager, you’re right. The saying ‘It’s better to tear down ten temples than to break up one marriage’ does have its reasons.”
However, we must also understand that this statement is not absolute.
Marriage is a union of two families, and also for the purpose of procreation.
Cousins marrying may have difficulty conceiving, and the children they have may not be healthy.
This is a tremendous loss for both families. Now the imperial court has issued a decree...
The prohibition against marriage between close relatives is precisely to prevent such tragedies from happening.
As for a woman remarrying, that is perfectly reasonable.
A woman divorces and remarries in order to give herself a chance to start over and also to have healthy offspring.
This marriage was a mistake from the start, so we shouldn't continue down that wrong path.
The man said, "That woman shouldn't remarry either; a woman shouldn't serve two husbands."
If she remarries, she will be unfaithful to her husband.
The scholar frowned. "Sir, do you have no daughters or sisters? How can you be so heartless?"
Why must such a young woman remain a widow?
The scholar took a sip of tea to moisten his throat and continued.
"Grandpa, are all the men in your village married?"
The old man shook his head, but it didn't matter to him that others couldn't find wives.
"Sir, how many men in this world are unmarried?"
These women remained chaste and unmarried after their divorces.
Wouldn't that be a complete waste of resources?
If they all stay single, how many fewer children will be born?
The scholar lowered his voice again, "If war breaks out, many men will have to go to the battlefield."
What will the future hold if there are no newborn children?
Those around him fell into deep thought after hearing the scholar's words.
At this moment, the tea seller, who had been listening silently, spoke up:
"What this scholar said makes sense. The court issued this ban for the good of us common people."
Everyone should stop being so stubborn and follow the court's policies; things might get better and better that way.
We also have the ability to confront the imperial court. We only stay safe by doing whatever the court tells us to do.
Everyone nodded in agreement after hearing what the tea seller said.
Aunt Li was also determined to have her daughter divorce. She held the scholar's hand gratefully and said:
"Brother, thank you for explaining these principles to me."
I'll go back and talk to my daughter and son-in-law, and tell them to get a divorce.
The scholar smiled and nodded:
"Auntie, don't worry, this is a good thing."
If your daughter doesn't want to remarry for the time being, she could try working at a textile factory.
This factory was run by the princesses of the palace, and all the workers are women.
The work environment is great, you don't need to worry about her safety, she can learn a skill, and she won't have to worry about getting married in the future.
Aunt Li's eyes lit up; she had never imagined her daughter could have such a way out.
She nodded quickly: "Okay, okay, I'll go ask my daughter what she thinks."
If she's willing, let her give it a try.
The others immediately became interested when they heard that it was a government-sponsored event.
"Young scholar, is this princess one of those princesses who led the vaccination campaign last time?"
The scholar nodded upon hearing this, "It is indeed them. The current emperor knows that our people are living in hardship."
They specifically had the princesses set up factories so that it would benefit our people.
This textile factory not only allows women to earn money, but also teaches them skills, so their future will definitely get better and better.
Moreover, the cloth woven by machines in this textile factory is very cheap.
It's much cheaper than handwoven fabric, so everyone will be able to spend less money on fabric in the future.
Someone in the crowd asked, "Is this textile factory hiring?"
I also have a daughter at home, and I'd like to give it a try too.
The scholar smiled and nodded: "Of course we're hiring. The female workers in the textile factory are all recruited from nearby villages."
You can go to the factory and ask. If you meet the requirements, you can get a job.
At this moment, a middle-aged man stepped out from the crowd and said somewhat hesitantly.
"What are the conditions for this female worker? How much will she be paid?"
The scholar smiled slightly and patiently explained:
"The requirements for recruiting workers in textile factories are very simple: as long as you are healthy and willing to learn, you can apply."
As for wages, at the beginning you could earn five coins a day, and after you became skilled, you could earn eight coins or even more a day.
Moreover, the factory provides free lunches, so there's no need to worry about going hungry.
The scholar's words silenced those who had initially wanted to criticize women for showing their faces in public.
He swallowed all those harsh words; the family's money-losing daughter.
Working in this textile factory can earn so much money; it's much more lucrative than working as a laborer.
They'll have to hand over all their money to their families then. The question is, what kind of food do they eat at the factory?
Can I take it home?
The middle-aged man's eyes lit up upon hearing this. He scratched his head and said:
“Then my daughter can give it a try too.”
She's just sitting at home doing nothing anyway; if she could earn some money, it would help ease the burden on her family.
The scholar smiled and nodded: "Of course."
The working environment in the textile factory is very good, and there are even experienced instructors to teach everyone how to operate the machines, so there's no need to worry about not being able to learn.
You can go to the factory and sign up, give it a try.
The middle-aged man smiled slightly upon hearing this and turned to the person beside him, saying:
"Let's go and take a look at the textile factory."
The person next to him nodded in agreement, and the two walked together toward the textile factory.
Many people were tempted to send their daughters to work in this textile factory.
Then someone else asked, "Young man, are there any age requirements for working as a factory worker?"
The scholar smiled slightly and patiently explained:
"Textile factories do not have strict age requirements for female workers; generally speaking..."
Any woman who is 15 years of age or older and in good health can apply.
Of course, those who are younger but already sensible and hardworking can also be considered.
Someone in the crowd immediately asked, "What about older people?"
For example, if I'm already in my twenties, can I still go?
The scholar smiled and nodded: "Of course."
As long as they are in good health and willing to learn, older women can also participate.
Actually, older female workers might be more patient and learn the skills more easily.
Some people in the crowd began to whisper among themselves, and one of them said:
My daughter is already twenty years old, and she still hasn't found a suitable husband.
"If I could get a job in a factory, I might even meet a good family."
Upon hearing this, the scholar smiled slightly and said:
“This villager is right.”
Working in a textile factory not only earns money, but also broadens the girls' horizons.
Maybe I really can find a good family to marry into.
At this moment, a middle-aged woman pushed her way out of the crowd and said hesitantly:
"Young scholar, my daughter is only thirteen years old this year, is she able to go?"
The scholar frowned slightly, thought for a moment, and then said:
"Thirteen is a little young, but if she's developing well..."
She's sensible and obedient, so you could give her a try working in a factory.
However, the factory will assign her some relatively easy work so she can gradually adapt.
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged woman's face lit up with a hint of joy, and she said:
“My daughter is young, but she is very sensible and hardworking. I’ll take her to the factory to give it a try.”
The scholar smiled and nodded: "Okay, as long as the factory agrees, I can give it a try."
However, the factory will take special care of the younger female workers, so don't worry.
Someone in the crowd asked, "Young scholar, is this textile factory far from here?"
Is commuting to and from work convenient every day?
The scholar said, "The textile factory is in the suburbs, not far from here."
If it's too far, you can live directly in the factory. The factory has dedicated dormitories with decent conditions.
If possible, it's safer to live in the factory.
If you are interested in sending the women in your family to work in the textile industry, you can go to the factory to learn more.
Someone there will explain the factory situation to you.
The discussion among the crowd grew increasingly heated, with everyone showing great interest in the textile factory.
Taking this opportunity, the scholar quickly drank another large gulp of tea to moisten his throat.
Then someone asked what other interesting things were published in the *Da Qing Bai Xing Bao* (People's Daily of the Qing Dynasty).
The scholar put down the teapot and said, "There are still stories to read in this newspaper."
This tells a story about a woman who married her childhood sweetheart, her cousin.
After their marriage, the couple initially enjoyed a sweet and inseparable life.
But two years later, the woman still hadn't conceived.
Both sets of parents were subtly pressuring the woman to have a child, and the mother-in-law even had a doctor examine the woman.
However, they discovered the woman was healthy; the doctor only said it was a child born to the two of them, and that their fate was not meant to be.
Seeing this, the mother-in-law had no choice but to invite back the Guanyin Bodhisattva who grants children, but it was still to no avail.
The mother-in-law brought more medicine for the woman to drink, but it was still ineffective.
By this time, the mother-in-law was already very dissatisfied with the woman and began to arrange for her son to take a concubine…
After the story was finished, the scholar said
"Everyone can buy a newspaper to take home and read; if you can't read, you can ask someone to read it to you."
With this newspaper, even the children in the family can learn a few words.