I studied in modern times

Chapter 897: Double Standards Zhao Xu

After talking with Zhu for a while, Zhao Xu went to visit his sisters and brothers.

Maybe because they hadn't seen him for a while, the two sisters felt a little strange when they saw him. They just bowed politely and called him "Royal Brother".

And now his younger brother Zhao Si, who is not yet four years old, is still at an age of confusion and knows nothing.

Zhao Xu held him and teased him for a while, completing his duty as a brother.

Then, Zhao Xu came to the residence of his sister, Sanniang, who had now been named Princess Wen.

As the emperor's elder sister, she has lived alone in the west hall of the Yusheng Temple since this year.

Even her given name was changed to 'Shu Shou He' - Shu Shou was her initial title, and it would be a name that would accompany her throughout her life.

The reason why Princess Shushou moved here was because she had reached adulthood.

She was born in the seventh year of Xining and will be fourteen years old this year.

In the Middle Ages, both men and women were considered adults at the age of fourteen and could start getting married.

This is also the reason why Zhu was anxious to choose a son-in-law for her.

Seeing Zhao Xu, Princess Shushou was obviously a little flustered, and hurriedly bowed to greet him: "Why are you here, Your Majesty?"

"Come and see my sister!" Zhao Xu looked around the place where his sister lived.

As the emperor's biological sister, she is also the eldest surviving daughter of the late emperor (the two princesses before her all died young).

The treatment Princess Shushou received was naturally the best among all the princesses.

Whether it is the displayed objects or the layout of the house, the royal family's restraint and luxury are evident everywhere.

Just ...

He walked to Princess Shushou's desk and picked up a book on the desk.

As soon as he saw the title, he muttered quietly, "Female Analects?!"

This book was written by the Song sisters in the Tang Dynasty. As the name suggests, it is modeled after the format of The Analects of Confucius.

However, its content...

All we can say is that this is a textbook for disciplining women in feudal society.

Such words as "Don't look back when walking, don't raise your lips when talking", "Pick up firewood and go to the kitchen early", and even "Compare your husband to the sky, the meaning of which is not light".

But this is just the more normal part.

What about those abnormal contents?

Let’s put it this way, the women’s books before "The Analects of Women" were also written in accordance with Confucian morality and ethics.

However, its main focus is still on moral guidance, and there are basically no regulations or restrictions on women's daily behavior.

This book "Female Analects" is different.

Based on etiquette, it defines the roles and behaviors of women in the family and society, and stipulates what women can do and what they cannot do.
At the same time, detailed punishment details are listed.

I can only say that when it comes to being cruel to women, it has to be women!
What Liu Xiang and Zhang Hua are so weak!

The Song sisters, with their own efforts, laid the foundation for the standards and requirements for the discipline of women in feudal society for the next thousand years.

As a result, the granularity of the rulers was perfectly aligned, the user pain points were directly addressed, and the ecological closed loop was completed with disruptive innovation.

How could the Song sisters not be prosperous? How could they not be admired by others?

Let’s look at the other books on Princess Shushou’s desk.

They are all books like "The Analects of Women". To be precise, they are books written by brainwashed women after the Song Dynasty in order to gain attention, following the path pioneered by the Song sisters.

In general, these books show an increasingly radical ideological tendency.

no way!
No matter what era, if you want to stand out, you must go one step further than your predecessors.

Otherwise, if you just rehash old stuff without being able to innovate or go further, who would follow you?

Zhao Xu was silent for a long time, then asked, "Sister, do you read these books on weekdays?"

"Yes..." Princess Shushou lowered her head and replied, "My sister said: These books were written by virtuous women in previous generations. They are the foundation for women to make a living..."

The corner of Zhao Xu's mouth twitched, and he thought to himself, "No wonder my elder sister did everything she could to plead for Han Jiayan in my previous life!"

The reason why Han Jiayan was not deposed in his previous life.

In addition to the pressure from the court officials, the biggest reason that made Zhao Xu give up his mission was the pleading of his sister who was now in front of him.

Even though Han Jiayan had already laid hands on her.

But she still cried and begged Zhao Xu not to punish her husband and took all the responsibility on herself.

She acted as if "I will not live if I accuse my husband."

In this situation, what can Zhao Xu do?

You can only lift the board high and put it down gently.

Now, the reason has been found!

It turned out that there was something wrong with Zhu’s education!

She probably applied the education she received as a child to her daughter.

wrong……

Zhao Xu narrowed his eyes.

Because he remembered that all the princesses of the Zhao family seemed to be like this.

Generation after generation, they are all the same (except Princess Fukang, who has a rebellious spirit, but Fukang is Renzong's favorite daughter and has been spoiled since childhood)

The root is here!
Perhaps, every princess has been disciplined and educated in this way since she was a toddler.

Reading these books to them from a young age makes them grow up in an environment bound by rules and etiquette.

Modern animal experiments have proven that it is possible to shape the behavior and personality of animals.

And humans are also animals.

Nature can also be trained.

Princess Shushou saw Zhao Xu's expression and asked cautiously, "Your Majesty...what's wrong?"

"Sister..." Zhao Xu lowered his head.

"Hey!"

"Do you remember the intention of the emperor to confer the title of Princess Shushou on you?"

Princess Shushou shook her head.

Zhao Xu said softly: "The Emperor loves my sister very much..."

"So, I ordered the Imperial Academy Scholar Yang Hui to write a verse for my sister!"

"It says: Virtue is the essence of goodness, and longevity is the precursor of happiness!"

"The Emperor hopes that my sister can grow up happily, get married, and have children..."

Zhao Xu held the copy of The Analects of Women in his hand and said, "Instead of staying in this boudoir every day, reading these whining words!"

Zhao Xu is a person who has always been hypocritical.

If his concubines, maids, etc. read these books.

He would only say, "Read well! Read carefully! Read seriously!" But his own sister read these books and brainwashed herself into becoming a pendant of her future husband. No matter what his character was like or how he treated her, she would accept it and enjoy it.

Then Zhao Xu can only say - rubbish!
Princess Shushou was shocked by Zhao Xu's words, and her body was shaking: "Your Majesty...you can't say that..."

"These are all written by virtuous and heroic women throughout the ages..."

Zhao Xu smiled.

He thought of Princess Baoan who was humiliated and killed by Wang Shen.

He also remembered that Princess Baoshou (Guo Xianqing's wife) would express her gratitude to him every time she saw him every time she entered the palace.

He also recalled how Princess Shushou had pleaded for Han Jiayan in front of him in his previous life.

"Sister..." Zhao Xu said meaningfully, "You are my biological sister, and the eldest daughter of the Emperor!"

"Like my father, I just want my sister to grow up happily, get married, and have children..."

"And to achieve this, Sister needs to become stronger!"

"And how can I become strong enough to ensure that I will be happy and cheerful throughout my life?"

Zhao Xu narrowed his eyes and looked at Princess Shushou.

Princess Shushou raised her eyes cautiously and looked at her brother, the emperor.

The master of this world.

This is her and her mother's greatest support for the future.

For some reason, her heart was beating rapidly.

It was as if something was touched.

"How about this? I'll have someone send some books to my sister tomorrow..."

"Sister, just read the books I choose for you from now on!"

After ten years of studying abroad in modern times, Zhao Xu realized that as long as a woman has control over the financial power, she can take a dominant position in the family.

So how can we take control of the family finances?

The answer is - copy the homework of the women in the Song Dynasty.

Why are those women able to be independent?
Because they are good at managing finances and running businesses.

Therefore, Princess Shushou can become competent by reading various financial books.

After she gets married, as long as she demonstrates her talent in financial management and with her special status, everyone, including her aunts, uncles, and husband, will have to listen to her arrangements.

If this goes on, in two or three years, everyone in my husband's family will know who is the real master who keeps his word!

In this way, Shushou's marriage should be ensured to be happy.

Even if we take a step back and let the husband we marry be incompetent, the family finances are in Shushou's hands and he can't do anything wrong!

……

After returning to Funing Palace, Zhao Xu sat in his study, his mind somewhat confused.

But there is nothing he can do!

Because the Song Dynasty was not a normal unified dynasty.

From the beginning of the country's founding, every aspect was deformed.

The Song Dynasty inherited the shortcomings of the late Tang and Five Dynasties. This is not just empty talk, but a fact!

Therefore, the Zhao officials had to rule the world together with the literati and officials, and also share wealth and honor with the military officials.

We also have to find a way to feed the hundreds of thousands of imperial guards and millions of auxiliary troops.

Therefore, even the emperor needs to compromise with others in all aspects.

But the emperor, being a natural despot, would certainly try to concentrate power.

What should I do?
They had no choice but to work with the scholar-officials and military officials to squeeze the blood and marrow out of billions of people in the prefectures and counties across the country.

Only in this way can we find enough flesh and blood to feed the literati, military officials and warriors with knives, so that they can be satisfied with their vested interests, obey the emperor's rule and suppress all kinds of resistance forces.

And the princesses are the victims of this awkward system.

Because the imperial power needed to declare its position to the military officials and literati through the princesses' submission and obedience in their husbands' homes.

We are in the same group.

look!

I even educated my own daughters and sisters according to the teachings of the saints.

Therefore, Zhao Xu's teacher once commented that the Zhao Song Dynasty was a republican dynasty of scholar-officials, military aristocrats.

The emperor, the literati, the military officials and the nobles shared all the power and resources of the dynasty.

In exchange for this, they gained the full support and cooperation of the scholar-official, military and aristocratic groups.

Theoretically, as long as there is no external force and the company does not fall into the Malthusian trap and implode.

They might be able to play this game mode for five hundred years or even a thousand years.

"such a pity……"

“This game won’t last that long!”

Zhao Xu looked to the northeast, then turned his head to look.

The Jurchens in the deep mountains and forests of Northeast China, and the Mongols on the grasslands.

They are all dormant, and will bring a little shock to the whole world.

"Times have changed!"

"I must make the Song Dynasty strong before all that happens!"

Thinking of this, Zhao Xu walked to a bookcase in the bedroom of Funing Palace. He picked up a thin book from the bookcase.

This is the data compiled by Shi Deyi's Investigation Department over the past two months on the number of workers in textile workshops in Bianjing, as well as the number of female workers who made or purchased "Taimu carts" to spin yarn at home.

Of course, this is just a rough estimate.

But, it's still amazing!
In just eight months, there were more than a hundred textile workshops of various sizes in the city of Bianliang, employing workers ranging from a dozen to hundreds.

More than 60% of them are female workers.

The number of individual female workers has reached an astonishing hundreds!
Looks like less, right?
But you have to know that in the medieval city of Bianjing, people who could own a place to spin yarn and buy the raw materials and machines needed for spinning were all families with certain savings and property.

This point alone excluded more than 80% of the people in Bianjing City.

At the same time, it is obviously impossible for middle and upper class housewives to spin yarn themselves.

Therefore, the remaining people can be counted on one’s fingers.

Among such a small population, hundreds of households can take the lead in taking action.

Needless to say, these families' efficiency and desire to get rich are evident.

And so many women participated in production and began to create a lot of wealth.

what does this mean?
Zhao Xu knows it very well!
After thinking about it, he decided to add fuel to the fire, so he found a piece of Yuanshu paper, wrote an imperial edict on it, and then summoned a eunuch and told him: "Send it to Kaifeng Prefecture and give it to Jia Zhongmin of the Street Office, and order him to obey the order!"

(End of this chapter)