I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 278: Giving up fame and fortune! The most benevolent husband's family in the Song Dynasty

July 22nd.

On various bookstalls in Bianjing City, there are thick stacks of "Pictures of Giving Birth without Lifting Up Children".

at the same time.

The latest issue of Kaifeng Fufu Daily is also on sale today. It analyzes the reasons for childbirth infertility in the southeast region.

"Man is drowned mostly because of his wealth, and girl is usually drowned because of her rich marriage style."

Many street tabloids also began to publish news about the inability to give birth.

For a time, this matter was all discussed in Bianjing City.

This is Su Liang's plan.

To break the custom, you must first build momentum and attract people's attention.

Public opinion is a double-edged sword that can harm people as well as save them.

After some rectification of the street tabloid, the Imperial City Bureau asked it to publish some content, which they really wanted.

"The government has reduced 40% of the sex fee in the southern region. It is estimated that the situation of drowning boys will be alleviated, but the drowning of baby girls will still continue!"

"A rich marriage is only suitable for the rich, but if the rich follow the trend, the people at the bottom will follow suit, and they can't help but break up their family and marry a girl!"

"This trend of comparison must not increase, otherwise more baby girls will die in the future. It is really cruel!"

"I already have four babies at home, and I just want a girl. I wonder if I can go to the southeast to find someone who wants to abandon their babies and adopt one?"

"The imperial court has set up Futian Yuan to take care of those old, young and poor. But when it comes to taking care of babies, the conditions are still insufficient!"

……

There was a lot of discussion in the streets.

And after He Tan was scolded several times in the Runan County Prince's Mansion, he finally met Zhao Yunrang.

Although he was asked out after less than half an hour of speaking, Zhao Yunrang had already listened to some of his words.

And this day.

Zhao Zongshi, a coach of the Thirteenth Regiment, followed Su Liang's plan and went to Wu's house in the west of the city.

……

July 24th.

Su Liang wrote a 3,000-word long article called "On the Style of Marrying Richly", which was printed and copied into thousands of copies by Liu's Bookstore, and then circulated in the market.

This article severely criticizes the current trend of generous marriages.

He also pointed out: When marrying a wife, you should marry a lady, and when choosing a son-in-law, you should choose a virtuous person. It is better not to marry just for money.

Originally, Su Liang wanted Ouyang Xiu to write this article.

But after all, Ouyang Xiu had a scandal of embezzling his niece's dowry, so Su Liang had to take action personally.

For a time, Bianjing paper was expensive.

This article brought the discussion among the people of Bianjing to the climax, and it was almost a one-sided trend. Everyone was against the trend of generous marriage.

Rich people are also afraid of comparison.

When Empress Cao got married, the Cao family borrowed money to marry off their daughter, which is the most obvious example.

……

July 25th.

The Wu family in the west of the city made a high-profile announcement: The Wu family wants to marry a lady, regardless of the dowry (i.e. dowry). They sincerely ask the king of Runan County to give her a small gift, and the Wu family will treat their daughter well.

This news quickly spread throughout Bianjing City.

This is the first wealthy family in Bianjing City to speak out against the trend of generous marriages, and his prospective in-laws are still members of the current clan, the Prince of Runan County.

Although the Wu family is rich.

But rejecting such a huge fortune from the Runan County Prince's Palace was unexpected.

There are not many families in Bianjing City who can achieve this level of courage.

The Wu family's move immediately attracted praise from many scholars and scholars.

The family's reputation instantly jumped a lot.

Even some of the Wu family's poorly operating shops have become prosperous as a result.

……

Runan County Prince's Mansion, in the living room.

Zhao Yunrang shook his head after learning that the Wu family implored the Runan County Prince to marry off his daughter lavishly.

"The Wu family doesn't want a generous dowry. It's their idea, but whether we give it or not is our idea. From my point of view, I still have to give it. Otherwise, it will appear that I, Zhao Yunrang, have no money to marry my daughter. What should I do if I am bullied in the future? "

Zhao Yunrang looked stubborn.

……

The next day, it was nearly noon.

Another thing happened that shocked the whole city.

In order to appreciate the Wu family's fine style of "regardless of generous dowry", Zhao Zhen ordered someone to give the Wu family a Feibai book written by himself.

There are eight characters in Fei Bai's book: The most benevolent and good husband's family in the Song Dynasty.

These eight words are worth thousands of gold.

Who gets these eight words?

That means that from now on, they will be "the most benevolent husband's family in the Song Dynasty" designated by the imperial court.

This is an unprecedented reputation.

in the future. It will definitely make the Wu family famous in history.

For a time, there were many envious people. Some wealthy families who were planning to marry a daughter-in-law also followed the example of the Wu family and proposed that they would not consider a generous dowry in order to gain a good reputation.

……

These eight words are also Su Liang's plan.

He was certain that the Wu family would sacrifice fame and fortune.

In the letter Su Liang wrote to Zhao Zongshi, a coach of the Thirteenth Regiment, he promised: If the Wu family is the first to stand up against the trend of thick marriages, the officials will write these eight words for them.

The value of these eight words.

No less than the Wu family’s ancestral tombs rising into smoke.

The Wu family lost their dowry, but gained such an unprecedented reputation.

Therefore, they dare to stand up firmly against the trend of thick marriages.

It was not easy for Su Liang to get these eight characters.

It is impossible for Zhao Zhen to give this title away completely according to Su Liang's wishes.

Su Liang also made a promise to the officials: within five days, the people in the city would discuss not having children, and most people would reject the trend of generous marriages.

In this way, the trend of generous marriages can be restrained to a certain extent.

Zhao Zhen readily agreed.

Su Liang fulfilled his promise, and Zhao Zhen also sent these eight words.

to be honest.

All public opinions are Su Liang's plan.

The results of the people's discussion were all within his expectations.

……

afternoon.

Bianjing City, Nanmen Street.

In a private room on the second floor of a teahouse.

Zhao Zhen stood at the window and looked at the bustling streets filled with people, feeling very good.

This time, Su Liang's approach opened up a new world for him.

It turns out that controlling public opinion is so easy.

The booksellers who sell tabloids on the streets, the young scholars who are good at conversation in teahouses and restaurants, and the gentlemen who commentate on books in Goulan are all people from the Imperial City.

Zhao Zhen serves as an official.

Some of the imperial skills in his mind were beyond the reach of scholar-bureaucrats and officials.

Sometimes, he sided with the people.

Sometimes, he sided with the scholar-bureaucrats.

Sometimes, he would take the side of his clan relatives.

This time, the experience he learned was——

In the future, if there are political opinions that are inconsistent with those of the scholar-officials, public opinion can be created to check and balance the scholar-officials.

Many times, public opinion can make scholar-bureaucrats compromise more than monarchy.

……

At this moment, Su Liang didn't think too much.

He only came up with the idea of ​​manipulating public opinion because he was victimized by public opinion not long ago.

And asked the Imperial City Division and Kaifeng Mansion to help him complete the planning of such a hot event.

At the moment, Su Liang only thought that Runan County Prince Zhao Yunrang could compromise.

If the girl he marries next month can live in a light and simple manner, the dowry will be reduced by six to seven points.

Only then can the opposition to the trend of lavish marriages have a relatively happy ending and gradually change the trend of lavish marriages among the people.

……

Runan County Prince's Mansion, inner hall.

Zhao Yunrang took the main seat and He Tan took the lower seat.

At this moment, Zhao Yunrang was very confused.

He thought that the officials would order him to marry richly, but he didn't expect that the officials would give his prospective in-laws a white letter with the words "The most benevolent husband's family in the Song Dynasty".

The officials forced him, but he dared to refuse. After all, this was his family matter.

But now, if he still insists on marrying generously, the officials might get angry and accept this Fei Baishu.

The Wu family may even break off the engagement directly for this good reputation.

Zhao Yunrang, so shameless.

But if he were asked to reduce the dowry, he felt that it would be unbecoming of a prince.

On the side, He Tan persuaded with a smile: "My lord, it is indeed a general trend to get rid of the trend of generous marriages. If you take the lead, you will be the first of our married women's families in Bianjing City, and the most benevolent natal family in the Song Dynasty. This is a story that will be passed down through the ages!”

"Not only did you save money and gain a reputation, you were even able to save the lives of countless baby girls. It can be said that you have led a country with good customs. This is a great achievement, and it is rare to find..."

……

After Zhao Yunrang hesitated for a moment, he said: "That's all, let's change the style of generous marriage in the Song Dynasty starting from me!"

He Tan was overjoyed when he heard this.

Finally, he no longer had to listen to Zhao Yunrang's "scolding" from across the wall.

(End of this chapter)