After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times

Chapter 1283: Chapter 1250: Announcing the Solar Eclipse

Chang Ning and Zhao Hu had had old ties, Zhao Hu often suffered losses under Chang Ning’s command. He knew that Zhao Hanzhang valued Chang Ning and favored him in many matters, coupled with the fact that the other party always had reasonable grounds, so he didn’t want to offend him too much; and Chang Ning also knew that Zhao Hu greatly aided the Ministry of Revenue, and since he was a major taxpayer, he didn’t dare tear off their amicable facade.

So the two looked at each other unfavorably, yet were wary of one another, always maintaining a pretense of surface harmony.

At this moment, Chang Ning warmly received Zhao Hu with a smile and softly explained, "The court has separate regulations for geisha, thus temporarily suspending the issuance of city coupons, not specifically aimed at Seventh Grandfather."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Hu frowned and doubted, "Could it be that Third Lady wants to prohibit the brothels because there are many women there? That’s inappropriate. If she’s unhappy, I could open a male establishment to exclusively cater to women and ensure fairness. So, just issue the city coupon to me."

Chang Ning: "...Seventh Grandfather, you jest. How could the Great General refuse to issue city coupons for such a reason? Once the court decides, a notice will naturally be released."

Zhao Hu’s expression wasn’t pleasant, he said with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, "I’ve renovated the building, almost settled the wine, and even bought the staff, just waiting to open for business. And now you dismiss me with a mere ’the court hasn’t decided’?"

Seeing that Zhao Hu seemed intent on continuing the dispute, Chang Ning sighed and glanced outside, immediately waving for his subordinates to leave.

He walked to the window, opened it, and whispered to Zhao Hu, "Seventh Grandfather, this matter isn’t solely targeting the geisha industry, the Great General wants to establish eastern and western markets in Luoyang. In the future, restaurants, inns, and various shops will move to the market, and alongside each residential quarter, a small alley will be outlined for selling agricultural sidelights like vegetables, eggs, and chickens, this is called a collection. As for larger items like pork, lamb, and beef, they must be sold in the market."

Zhao Hu: "Setting up a collection inside the residential quarter, isn’t this just like a village?"

Chang Ning laughed and said, "The residential quarter is indeed akin to a village, so that’s not a wrong comparison."

Zhao Hu lowered his eyes and asked, "What about my shops..."

Chang Ning hurriedly replied, "The Great General hasn’t selected new sites to establish markets. Considering that commerce is already established, the general scope follows the previous residential quarter and market divisions, and most of your shops are within."

The quarter-market system had its beginnings during the Zhou dynasty and became established by the Han dynasty, but due to loose management, there were still many instances of markets inside residential quarters and people living inside markets.

By the current dynasty, the quarter-market system was essentially broken, shops opened everywhere and lacked standardized management.

During the Han dynasty, if someone planned a trip, they could gather carts, horses, and saddles in the eastern market, then go to the western market to find grain, cloth, barrels, and medicine. But now, because shops aren’t reasonably planned, one store sells saddles, the neighbor sells grain, and you have to cross half of Luoyang City to find a blacksmith.

Currently, Luoyang still has few people, commerce is only in the recovery phase, so buying items feels inconvenient with shops scattered.

Zhao Hanzhang plans to use the time when everything is still undecided to make regulations and avoid harming the people with relocations after the population increases and more shops open.

Moreover, the damaged eastern and western markets are almost repaired, the ground is renovated, most buildings repaired after being sold are almost done, and by separating residential quarters and markets, it benefits both the people and commerce.

Of course, Zhao Hanzhang’s purpose isn’t limited to this, she wants to abolish the brothels, although currently lacking funds and ability to arrange the next step for them, so she must back down and temporarily suspend issuing new city coupons, while sending people to take over the private geisha industry and command them to establish a geisha trade association.

Once she has money, she can spare time for this matter. There’s a large number of geisha, mostly women, but also a significant portion of men.

Men are easier to handle; once freed, they can return home, most can start anew, even anonymously.

In this era, rarely does someone inquire into a man’s past given the abundance of refugees.

But women face longer scrutiny, greater chance of gossip, and more pressure.

Some officials suggested directly dispersing them home, but Zhao Hanzhang disagreed.

She believes the majority of those who fell into this situation had unavoidable reasons within their families, they may not hate their original families, but she hopes they truly gain new lives, instead of returning to decay and take root within their original families.

Therefore, she waits, waits for her own resources and their awakening.

Chang Ning persuaded Zhao Hu and after sending him away, went to see Zhao Hanzhang, informing her that Zhao Hu had been dispatched.

Zhao Hanzhang asked, "Hasn’t Chen Si Niang returned to the Capital City to report for duty?"

Chang Ning: "...That’s a matter for the Ministry of Personnel, but I heard she’s preparing to return to the Capital City. She’s quite influential among the refugees and children in Jingzhou, the people there are reluctant to part with her, and she also wants to hand over affairs cautiously, hence the delay."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded gently, not urging further.

When Chen Si Niang returns, various chambers of commerce and guilds in the capital can start up, after Jiangnan’s return, the school experienced a wave of dropouts, many girls were taken back by their families without taking exams.

Later, the teachers brought the children back, Zhao Hanzhang issued a special notice, commanding the village chiefs and quarter chiefs to admonish, thus bringing most female students back to class.

Even with her overseeing Luoyang as such, what about in places beyond her sight and reach?

Because of fears of future wars and lack of food at home, children were sent to schools to study, at least securing their lives;

Now that peace has returned, families have saved some grain, they won’t starve the children, so when they need labor, they choose to bring girls home to help while leaving boys at school...

Her established five-year compulsory education targets all children of school age, regardless of gender!

Oh yes, her five-year compulsory education policy hasn’t been publicly released or completely finalized yet.

Alas, at the root of it, there’s a lack of money, teachers, and she must wait to pass this year’s crises.

Zhao Hanzhang looked at Zhao Yunxin, asking, "Was the solar eclipse published in the gazette?"

Zhao Yunxin replied, "Tomorrow’s edition."

Zhao Hanzhang estimated the time and nodded, "The timing is just right."

When the news spreads throughout the realm, the solar eclipse should occur, just giving people the impression that Guo Pu is a living immortal, once his reputation rises, many things can be leveraged through his words.

Zhao Hanzhang’s lips slightly raised, feeling less anxious.

When the gazette is issued, the people of Luoyang will be the first to see the forecast of the solar eclipse crammed into the small gaps of the report.

In taverns, an intellectual disdainfully said, "The child does not speak of supernatural things, Guo Pu is engaging in oddities, claiming a solar eclipse is forthcoming, utterly nonsensical. Now that peace has returned, Your Majesty is healthy, the Great General is brave and kind, how could such a calamity appear?"

Those who don’t believe in supernatural things exist, but so do those who believe, and in this era, actually most people do believe, even scholarly intellectuals are like this.