NOVEL WEB Chapter 86.1
In the Great Xia Kingdom, Lin Beifan held supreme power, so when his command was issued, all the gambling houses and brothels suffered a blow. The people inside were driven out, and the establishments were all shut down.
However, at this moment, Lin Beifan saw Wang Xiangjun sigh deeply.
“My beloved consort, why do you sigh?” Lin Beifan asked.
“Your Majesty, from the order you just issued, your servant has been reminded of some matters!”
“What matters?” Lin Beifan inquired.
Wang Xiangjun replied with a bitter smile, “Your Majesty, in this world, the common people suffer, but women suffer even more. For women, the best way to improve their lives is to marry into a good family and devote themselves to their husbands and children!”
“But if a husband dies and children are lost, then everything is reset to the beginning! In this era of frequent wars, such situations are not uncommon, and many women thus lose their means of livelihood, finding life difficult and hard to endure!”
Lin Beifan and the others listened intently, involuntarily nodding in agreement.
“To survive, many women have no choice but to fall into the dust, engaging in the body exchange for money! But given a choice, which respectable woman would wish for such a life? They do it out of sheer necessity!”
Wang Xiangjun turned to look at Lin Beifan: “Your Majesty, closing down the brothels is a good deed, but if there are no brothels, where will these women go? Do they have any other means to survive?”As a woman, Chai Yuxin couldn’t help but sigh.
As a woman, she understood women best.
She could see the hardships of women at the bottom but often felt powerless to help.
Due to physiological differences, women were not as suited as men for farming, laboring, or fighting…
If life was already so hard for men, how much more so for women?
“Your Majesty, please help them if you can. After all, they don’t have it easy!”
“You’re right, in fact, I’ve had a solution for a while now! The time is ripe to implement it,” Lin Beifan said.
“What’s the solution?” both women asked in unison.
“Every woman has some skill with needlework, so I plan to open the Textile Workshop, organizing women across the land to cultivate mulberry trees, rear silkworms, weave fabric, and make clothes! With work, they will be able to support themselves!” Lin Beifan said with a smile.
“Your Majesty is wise!” the two women exclaimed in unison.
After returning to the imperial palace, Lin Beifan immediately issued an order to open a textile workshop, recruiting female workers to plant mulberry trees, raise silkworms, weave fabric, and make clothes.
As long as you engage in sericulture, you will receive a subsidy from the imperial court.
As long as you weave fabric and make clothes, the imperial court will purchase as much as you produce at market price, with no upper limit.
If you don’t have the tools, you can also work at the textile factory specifically set up by the imperial court.
The same principle applies: the more you work, the more you get paid.
The wages for driving are not low; if you work according to the normal workload, you can earn an income of 200 wen after a month.
If you do more and do it well, there will also be commissions.
When this imperial edict was issued, the women of Great Xia went crazy.
Who doesn’t want to earn a little more money?
Who doesn’t want to live a little better?
Now, with such a rare opportunity presented before them, many women signed up to participate!
Many women with men in their households also encouraged other women to sign up to earn a bit more money!
So, this matter became a sensation throughout the entire Great Xia!
However, many people seemed to be laughing at it.
“That foolish emperor has come up with another absurd idea, opening a textile workshop to recruit women to work!”
“I heard that there are already 500,000 women who have signed up!”
“And they’re offering such high wages, each month they’re paying out 100,000 taels of silver! It’s just too wasteful. Which Emperor dares to do such a thing? Isn’t he afraid of ruining himself?”
“I heard that he did this because he listened to the whisperings of a consort; that’s why he made such a crazed decision!”
“Indeed, it’s still the same foolish emperor who loves beauty more than his kingdom!”
“I just have one question: what does he intend to do with all these clothes he’s producing?”
Due to the overwhelming popularity, the situation was somewhat out of control, and the official in charge, Heshen, came to report to Lin Beifan.
“Your Majesty, the number of women who have signed up has already exceeded 500,000, and that’s no small number! The wages we pay out each month exceed 100,000 taels, which adds up to 1.2 million taels a year! We have many other projects that require funding, and the national treasury is under some pressure. Should we perhaps stop this?”
Lin Beifan waved his hand dismissively: “No need to stop, continue recruiting. We’ll take as many as come!”
Heshen spoke anxiously: “But Your Majesty, if we don’t stop, the number of applicants will keep increasing! Your humble servant estimates that it could eventually exceed 1 million, and our national treasury really can’t handle that!”
Lin Beifan continued with a grand gesture, rebuking with conviction, “Who says we can’t handle it? I have plenty of money, and I wish to spend it like this! I want to support all the women in the world with my own resources!”
Heshen was so anxious that he was sweating profusely, “But what’s the point of producing so many clothes? Our court doesn’t need that many!”
“It doesn’t matter, if it comes to it, we can just distribute them to the common people during the New Year as a gesture of warmth from me, a welfare gift to the citizens of Great Xia!” Lin Beifan said with pride.
Heshen: “F*ck!”
He was completely in despair!
Before, the financial issues caused by mining, reclaiming wasteland, and digging canals were barely resolved with the construction of concrete houses, and now you’ve gone and made another deadly move!
You’re not stabbing Great Xia, but my very heart!
Which Emperor would do such a thing, recklessly throwing money away?
My life as Heshen, how did I end up with an Emperor like you?
At this moment, Lin Beifan waved his hand: “Minister, go ahead. I trust your abilities!”
Heshen struggled: “Your Majesty, let’s discuss this matter a bit more!”
“No need for further discussion, it’s a happy decision! I’m off to accompany the Consort, so you may take your leave!”
Heshen: “…”
……
The textile mill was bustling with activity. Heshen was so busy he barely had time to touch the ground, while Lin Beifan was living a life of leisure and comfort, spending his days with the Consort in enviable bliss.
It was during this time that Chai Yuxin came running over: “Your Majesty, I have a matter to discuss with you!”
“What is it?” Lin Beifan asked.
“Your Majesty, look, women are now working, so shouldn’t our army consider recruiting female soldiers as well? It would provide another livelihood for women at the bottom of society!” Chai Yuxin blinked her large eyes, filled with anticipation.
Lin Beifan was taken aback: “You want to recruit female soldiers?”
“May I, Your Majesty?” Chai Yuxin clung to one of Lin Beifan’s arms, speaking in a delicate tone.
Lin Beifan shook his head: “No, that won’t do. Women are not as suited for battle as men; unless you’re an expert, three women might not even be able to defeat one man. Recruiting female soldiers would be a joke! There has never been a precedent for women soldiers from ancient times to the present!”
“Why can’t it work? Look at me, haven’t I become a general?” Chai Yuxin retorted.
“That’s because you possess innate strength, your father is the current Grand General, and you have my support. That’s why you can hold your position! Otherwise, try switching with someone else and see!” Lin Beifan said.
“As for the issue of strength, don’t worry! I will select women with a natural talent for martial arts and then teach them a set of breathing and energy circulation techniques! After cultivating, they will definitely not be weaker than men and may even be stronger!”
“It still won’t work. I will not joke with my own country!” Lin Beifan shook his head.
Chai Yuxin’s gaze intensified, filled with danger, she said, “Do you really refuse?”
“I refuse indeed!” Lin Beifan stated.
Chai Yuxin became furious: “Don’t force me to take action!”
Lin Beifan said disdainfully: “Don’t talk about taking action, even if it’s not just verbal, I’m not afraid!”
Chai Yuxin trembled with anger: “Fine! Remember, you asked for this!”
Saying so, she dragged Lin Beifan into the small grove.
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, both of them came out.
Lin Beifan’s face was as red as if it were dripping blood, covered in lipstick marks.
Chai Yuxin’s face was equally red, flushed with embarrassment.
“You’ve already promised, no going back on your word!”
“Rest assured, I am the sovereign of a nation, my word is as precious as gold and as beautiful as jade, I will absolutely not go back on my word!”
We are currently recruiting. CN/KR/JP Translators/MTLers are welcome!
Discord Server: https://discord.gg/HGaByvmVuw