People in the Ming Dynasty are lawless

Chapter 749 Don’t look at what you say, look at what you do

Gradually, sobbing sounds were heard in the workshop.

A young female worker wearing a blue headscarf suddenly covered her face and said, "My mother scolded me for being shameful last night. Now... now she must believe it!"

Zhu Youwei raised her hand to wipe the corners of her eyes, turned around and pushed open the lattice window. The morning breeze blew in, blowing away the sobs from the loom. "Did you hear that? From now on, we must weave the cloth more densely and spin the thread more evenly." She grabbed a bunch of cotton yarn, "Let the world see that it is not shameful for a woman to make a living by her craft!"

There was a commotion outside the courtyard gate. Several men in shorts crowded around the fence and looked out. The dark-faced man in the lead scratched his head and shouted, "Is my wife in there? Tell her that the village head just passed the word from house to house that the prince praised the Women's Workshop as 'beneficial to the country and good governance'!"

The sound of the loom suddenly stopped, and another round of cheers broke out. Xiao Tao clung to the window frame and laughed out loud, but tears fell on the back of her hands.

At noon, Prefect Zhao personally brought a vermilion lacquered plaque with four golden characters "惠工育德" inscribed on it.

The yamen runners beat gongs to clear the way, attracting half of the city's people to watch.

When Zhu Youwei took the plaque, she caught a glimpse of a few shop assistants from Xu's Cloth Shop huddling in the crowd, hiding dejectedly.

"Wait." She suddenly raised her voice, pointed at those people and said, "Please tell Manager Xu a message.

Three days later, the Jinguo Workshop will open for sale of cloth. The first 100 pieces will be sold at a price 30% lower than the market price.

The crowd was in an uproar. A merchant in a silk shirt squeezed out of the crowd and bowed anxiously, "My Lady Princess, can we order this low-priced cloth?"

"Of course." Zhu Youwei stroked the wet paint marks on the plaque. "As long as you sign the contract and promise not to oppress the weavers or deduct the wages of the female workers, you will be an ally of the Women's Workshop."

The merchant rolled his eyes and clapped his hands, saying, "Okay! I'll go back and throw away those broken looms at home, and only sell the cloth from the Jinguo Workshop!"

Amidst the laughter, Xiao Tao quietly pulled Zhu Youwei's sleeve: "We don't have enough inventory..."

"Don't worry." Zhu Youwei lowered her voice, "Last night, the cargo ship from Jinling arrived at Qiantang River. The additional batch of 'Quanqing Cloth' ordered by Prince Mu's Mansion is just the right stock for the opening of the market."

She looked towards the river bank and narrowed her eyes. "Some people think that they can shut down the workshop by cutting off our raw materials, but they don't know that the prince's fleet has already transported the Nanyang cotton yarn into the government warehouse."

As dusk fell, a long table was set up in the backyard of the workshop.

The female workers shared the mutton soup from coarse porcelain bowls; the meat was a "reward" sent by Prefect Zhao.

Aunt Liu scooped a spoonful of meat and handed it to Xiao Tao. Suddenly she sighed, "My mother used to say that a woman's life is like a grass seed. It will be where it lands. But now, our grass has taken root in the cracks of the eaves of the Golden Palace!"

Everyone laughed.

Zhu Youwei put down the bowl and pulled out a roll of jute paper from her sleeve. "This is a copy of the prince's handwritten order. It will be hung in the main hall of the workshop. If anyone comes to make trouble again, just point at it and ask -" She shook the paper, revealing the bright red seal at the end, "Ask this Hongwu imperial seal, is it against the law for a woman to weave cloth to support her family?"

The aroma of mutton soup filled the backyard of the workshop. The big iron pot was boiling with milky white soup and golden oil floating on it. The female workers sat around the long table, holding coarse porcelain bowls and blowing away the hot air carefully.

Aunt Liu scooped a spoonful of soup and took a sip. Her eyes suddenly widened and her lips trembled slightly. "How much spices are in this soup? My tongue is almost peeling."

Chun Xing, who was sitting next to her, held the bowl and sipped it in small sips, fearing that she would lose the taste if she drank too fast. "I've never eaten such delicious mutton." Her voice was very soft, as if she was talking to herself, "When I cooked meat at home before, I could only drink the dregs of the soup."

The yard suddenly became quiet. The female workers all lowered their heads, staring at the mutton in the bowl. Someone quietly wiped the corner of her eyes.

"Last year, when my father was still alive," a girl wearing a blue headscarf suddenly spoke up, "we stewed a chicken at home. My mother served me a bowl of it, and my father smashed the bowl on the spot. He said..." Her voice choked, "He said that girls don't deserve to eat good food, and told me to gnaw on the chicken feet."

Zhu Youwei's hands tightly grasped the chopsticks, her knuckles white. She looked at the female workers in the yard. These girls who were once said to be "unworthy" were now holding hot mutton soup, but their eyes were red because of the memories of the past.

"When I was ten years old," Xiao Tao said softly, "there was a wedding next door, and they gave me a piece of wedding candy. I couldn't bear to eat it, so I hid it under my pillow. Later, my brother found it, and he said that a cheap girl didn't deserve to eat candy, so he threw the candy into the toilet."

Chun Xing's tears fell into the soup bowl. "When my mother was sick, she wanted to eat something sweet. I stole a piece of rock candy from my employer, but was caught. They made me kneel in the yard and told me that I was not worthy of eating candy in my life."

Aunt Liu suddenly put the bowl down heavily on the table, making a loud bang. "Bullshit!" she cursed in a hoarse voice, "Now we not only eat candy, but also meat! The best meat!"

The female workers were all startled by her, and then someone laughed out loud. The laughter seemed to be contagious, and soon the whole yard was laughing, but this laughter was mixed with tears.

"That's right!" A round-faced female worker raised her bowl, "We can eat as much candy as we want now!"

"I bought three pounds of candied fruit for my daughter last month," said another female worker, wiping away tears, "so she can eat as much as she wants!"

Zhu Youwei stood up, walked to the big pot, and filled herself with a bowl of mutton. She returned to the table, picked up a large piece of meat with chopsticks, and put it into her mouth in front of everyone.

“Delicious.” She chewed slowly, her voice clear and firm, “We deserve the best things in the world.”

The female workers looked at each other, then picked up their bowls and drank the soup. Some began to imitate Zhu Youwei and eat only the meat.

"I've decided," Chun Xing said suddenly, "Next month when I get my salary, I'm going to buy a whole leg of lamb and stew it for my mother."

"I want to make a new dress for my daughter," another worker said, "using the best 'Qianqing cloth'."

Xiao Tao smiled and looked at Zhu Youwei: "Princess, do you think we can eat better food in the future?"

Zhu Youwei put down the bowl and looked around at the women workers in the yard. There was a gleam in their eyes, a gleam of hope.

"Of course." She said word by word, "As long as we continue to weave and earn money with our own hands, there is nothing in this world that we don't deserve."

As the night deepened, the sound of looms in the workshop continued. The women workers took turns to drink mutton soup, and then returned to their looms. Their movements were more powerful than before, and their eyes were more determined.

Zhu Youwei stood in the yard, listening to the sound of the loom. She knew that from tonight on, these female workers would no longer feel that they were "unworthy".

They will remember the delicious mutton soup, remember the vows made tonight, and remember that they deserve the best in the world.

The aroma of mutton soup wafted through the yard, and the female workers held their bowls with satisfied smiles on their faces. Zhu Youwei looked at them and gently put down her chopsticks.

"Sisters, do you know why we can eat such delicious mutton today?"

The female workers looked at each other, and someone whispered, "Because the princess is kind and gave it to us as a reward."

Zhu Youwei shook her head: "No, it's because the road has been repaired. These sheep are beach sheep from Ningxia. It used to take a month to get to Hangzhou, but now it only takes ten days." Chun Xing opened her eyes wide: "Ningxia? That far away?"

"Yes, this is the reform my husband Chen Han implemented." Zhu Youwei's voice was clear and powerful. "He led people to repair the official road, dredge the canal, and improve the carriages. Now goods from all over the country can be circulated quickly, and people's lives have become better."

Aunt Liu scratched her head: "What is reform?"

Zhu Youwei smiled: "To put it simply, it is to change the old rules so that everyone can live a good life. For example, canceling excessive taxes, encouraging merchants to trade, and for example..." She looked around, "For example, establishing a women's workshop like ours."

The female workers quieted down and listened attentively.

"The Duke often said that if the Ming Dynasty wants to be strong, it is not enough to rely on men alone, and women must also play their role." Zhu Youwei picked up a piece of cloth, "Look, the cloth we weave is sold to Southeast Asia, and we get silver in exchange. The court has tax revenue, and the people have a livelihood. This is the benefit of reform."

Xiao Tao thought thoughtfully: "So the road is repaired, the sheep come quickly, and we can eat such good meat?"

"That's right." Zhu Youwei nodded. "Reform is like weaving cloth. Every stitch and thread must be solid. Road construction is one thread, workshops are another thread, and there are also schools, improved farm tools, and the development of commerce... Only when these threads are woven together can the Ming Dynasty become stronger."

Chun Xing asked timidly: "Then can we women help?"

"Of course!" Zhu Youwei raised her voice a few notches. "The cloth you weave every day is contributing to the reform. The Duke said that women are not limited to taking care of their husbands and children. We can also create value."

Aunt Liu suddenly slapped her thigh and said, "I understand! Just like my daughter working in a workshop, she earned money to build a new house for her family. This is the benefit of reform!"

Laughter rang out in the yard. The eyes of the women workers gradually brightened. For the first time, they realized that the shuttles in their hands were not only for making a living, but also involved greater significance.

"Starting tomorrow, we will weave more cloth and better cloth." Zhu Youwei stood up, the moonlight shining on her face, "Let the world see that women can not only support themselves, but also contribute to the Ming Dynasty."

As the night deepened, the women workers returned to their looms one after another. The sound of the shuttles was more powerful than usual, as if telling of their new determination.

The next morning, a new notice was posted at the door of the workshop: All female workers in the workshop can recommend one girl to study in school every month, and the expenses will be borne by the workshop.

Xiao Tao stood in front of the notice, her fingers gently stroking the words on it. She knew that the seeds of reform had taken root in the hearts of these women and would eventually grow into towering trees.

……

A month later.

The morning light shines on the courtyard of the Hangzhou Women's Workshop, spreading the ground with golden light. Xiao Tao stands at the door of the account office, holding a stack of brand new banknotes in her hands, and can't hide her smile on her face. In the past month, the sound of the looms in the workshop has been heard from morning to night, and no one dares to cause trouble.

"Sisters, it's time to get your wages!" Xiaotao's clear voice echoed in the yard.

The female workers put down their work and gathered around. Their faces were filled with anticipation and their eyes were shining. Aunt Liu squeezed in the front, rubbing the corner of her clothes with her rough fingers.

"Aunt Liu, this is yours." Xiao Tao counted out a few notes and handed them over. "The basic salary is three taels, and the bonus is two taels, a total of five taels."

Aunt Liu took the banknote, her hands shaking violently. "Five taels? I've never earned so much money in a month in my life."

The female workers behind exclaimed, and some stood on tiptoe to look forward. Chun Xing squeezed to the front, took her share of the wages, and suddenly burst into tears.

"If my father knew I could make so much money, he wouldn't have sold me to that old widower."

The yard was quiet for a moment. Xiao Tao patted Chun Xing's shoulder and said, "Now you can live well on your own without having to rely on anyone else."

The workshop gate was gradually crowded with people watching the excitement. Neighbors craned their necks to look inside, whispering to each other.

"I heard that the least they got was three taels of silver?" "That's right, my niece is in there, she said she earned more than four taels last month." "Oh my God, my husband works as a porter at the dock, he only makes two taels of silver a month."

There was a scholar in a long gown in the crowd, his face was uncertain. He stared at the cheerful female workers in the yard, then suddenly turned around and walked away. After walking a few steps, he bumped into the oncoming worker of Xuji Cloth Shop.

"Mr. Li, what's wrong with you?" "Humph, a woman should take care of her husband and children. How can she show herself in public like this!" "But..." The waiter rubbed his hands, "My wife said she also wants to work in the workshop..."

The scholar's face turned pale and he walked away with a flick of his sleeves.

In the workshop yard, Zhu Youwei stood in front of the second-floor window, looking at the lively scene below. She held a letter that had just been sent from Jinling in her hand, and the corners of her mouth slightly raised.

"Princess, please look at this month's accounts." Xiao Tao ran upstairs excitedly, holding the account book in her hand, "We wove 8,000 pieces of cloth, 2,000 more than last month."

Zhu Youwei took the account book and gently stroked the numbers with her fingertips. "Sisters are all working hard."

"That's right!" Xiao Tao's eyes sparkled, "Aunt Liu can now manage three looms by herself. The cloth woven by Chun Xing is selected as the best and sent to Prince Mu's Palace."

There was a sudden commotion downstairs. A middle-aged man in silk clothes squeezed into the yard, followed by several servants.

"Who's in charge? I want to order a thousand pieces of cloth!"

Xiao Tao hurried downstairs. The man was stunned when he saw her, "You...you are the manager?"

"I'm Xiaotao, the manager of Hangzhou Women's Workshop. What do you need?"

The man looked Xiao Tao up and down, his eyes full of suspicion. "I heard that the cloth you have here is good, and I want to order some. But..." He lowered his voice, "Can we talk to a male manager instead?"

Xiao Tao straightened her back and said, "I am responsible for all matters in the workshop. If you want to order cloth, just talk to me."

The man touched his nose awkwardly and took out a list from his sleeve. "Well... then I'll trouble you, the manager."

This scene was clearly seen by the people outside the courtyard. Someone whispered: "Even the owner of Zhouji Silk Shop has to be polite to a little girl. The world has really changed."

"That's right. I heard that the prefect had to bow when he met the female manager of the workshop."

There were several young girls in the crowd, staring at the yard without blinking. One of them suddenly pulled her companion's sleeve and said, "Shall we also sign up?"

……

(End of this chapter)