The Imperial Age with the Resurgence of Han Style

Chapter 266 Women and men have their own destiny

When the passengers on the ship saw the tall lighthouse on Xiaomen Island (now Bathurst Island in northern Australia), they knew that they were not far from the mainland of Hanzhou.

Separated only by a narrow waterway, Xiaomen Island and Damen Island (today's Melville Island in northern Australia) are like a natural barrier, connecting the city with the largest population, largest urban area, and most developed economy on the Hanzhou continent. The city of Yecheng (now Darwin, a city in northern Australia) is perfectly shielded behind it.

There is a coastal defense guard post on Xiaomen Island, with more than 50 army officers and soldiers stationed there. In addition to daily guarding the lighthouse and telegraph relay station, they also undertake daily coastal defense guard tasks.

In fact, with Qi's current strong military strength and maritime dominance, it should not face the risk of invasion by foreign enemies. What's more, there are many overseas territories and naval bases on the periphery of Hanzhou's mainland to guard Qi's coastal defense. It is impossible for any enemy to sneak into Qi's core defense circle and threaten Hanzhou's mainland.

Maintaining a military presence on Xiaomen Island has more symbolic significance than practical significance. It is nothing more than a slightly comforting psychological effect for the millions of residents of Jianye Prefecture who are behind them.

However, in the past two decades, as the air pollution and environmental deterioration in Jianye City have become more and more intolerable, many wealthy factory owners and businessmen have come to Damen Island and Xiaomen Island to buy a piece of land and build buildings. In a villa, during the hot summer months or during leisure time, you can take a vacation here with your family and enjoy the original and beautiful natural scenery of the island.

Hiking, bird watching, encountering crocodiles and other wild animals, camping, barbecues, beach swimming, tasting local specialties, fishing... almost every day you can leave and come back to your heart's content, enjoying the happiness of the moment.

Many villa courtyards will be built facing the sea, surrounded by jungle. Standing in the room, you can enjoy the excellent sea view, and your whole body will be endlessly released.

During the day, three or five friends hold shotguns and explore every corner of the deep forest together. In the evening, they meet the sunset, enjoy a sumptuous dinner under the shadow of the dancing trees, and comment on the many major events happening at home and abroad. It is very pleasant. Especially when the warm sea breeze blows in, you will feel that the rhythm flowing in the air is full of soothing and healing energy.

"The last time I came to Jianye City was twelve years ago. I didn't expect that this city would develop so rapidly. It has become a little unfamiliar to me." Pan Guangfeng retracted his gaze from the side window and muttered to himself.

At this time, Jianye City had the largest industrial production system and scale in the world, creating extremely large material commodities for the city and even the entire world. Although everyone has different thoughts and different lives, it seems that everyone's faces are filled with longing for the future and love for life.

As the official carriage "driver" under the Civil Affairs Department of Jianye City, he has received countless dignitaries and has a sharp eye.

The original agricultural society has gradually disappeared and been replaced by a huge industrial system. The city center has turned into a steel and concrete jungle, with towering chimneys reaching into the sky and huge machinery factories brightly lit.

On the railway tracks, steam trains roared past, and their huge chimneys spewed white steam, adding a unique scenery to the city. Steel bridges span the rivers, connecting busy cities to distant markets.

Outside a shop, an old man sat on a chair, holding a fan in his hand and fanning it constantly. He looked inside from time to time, where a hired man was bargaining fiercely with customers who were selecting goods. A proud smile appeared on his face, squeezing the wrinkles on his face together.

The coachman sitting in front wanted to answer the conversation, but when he thought of the disparity in status between the two, the corners of his mouth moved and he held back.

The entire face of the city is completely different from that of the past few decades. This is an era full of vitality and hope, where people are creating unprecedented miracles.

On the edge of the city, patches of primeval forests and rural countryside have become extensions of factories. These places are also filled with machines and steam, where workers work to provide a constant supply of goods to the city.

After decades of industrial revolution, Jianye City has undergone earth-shaking changes.

Of course, such a leisurely and contented life is so out of reach for the vast majority of ordinary Jianye City residents. They have to worry about the hardships of life or the burden of their families every day.

Spreading out from the city center, you can see countless factories and warehouses, as well as the homes and apartments of thousands of residents. These houses have different architectural styles, some are classical, some are modern, some are traditional Chinese, and some are imported from foreign countries, but they all have one thing in common, that is, they all have a smoking chimney.

You must know that Jianye is one of the two direct-controlled prefectures in the empire, and its political status is higher than that of domestic provinces or overseas governor-general territories. Moreover, the master of our Jianye Prefecture also has the title of cabinet participation in politics, and can interact with the cabinet. The princes and ministers faced him directly.

Several vendors came over, carrying baskets full of small commodities around their necks, shouting loudly. Not far away, a group of people stood at the door of a tavern. They seemed to be talking about something and laughing from time to time.

The official in the car was very popular. He looked like a high-ranking official in the ministry or a noble person from the royal family. When he was picked up from the entrance of the VIP hall of the pier, a group of port officials gathered around him diligently, with a flattering smile on their faces.

Horse-drawn carriages and steam streetcars shuttled continuously on the streets, and the noisy noise made by the wheels on the stone pavement and rails became part of the urban symphony.

We even vaguely heard greetings such as "The magistrate invites us to a banquet" and "Uncle is waiting for you" from their conversation, which shows that his status is very high.

The towering chimneys complement the dense buildings, and the busy roads are lined with rows of shops and gorgeous commercial buildings.

Well-dressed businessmen, workers in coarse cloth coats, young ladies in light-colored horse-faced skirts, solemn military officers, dignified-looking officials... Pedestrians of all kinds were walking through the bustling streets.

In the port, cargo ships are moored in an orderly manner, loading and unloading goods. The busy scene of the port is closely connected with the prosperity of the city. In the city center, tall skyscrapers compete with iron towers for height, and the glass curtain walls reflect the sunlight and intertwine with the clouds in the sky.

If such a guest can be invited to a banquet by our Jianye Prefecture magistrate, he must be a prominent figure in the country.

Speaking of which, as a "bus driver", what they fear most is to receive such high-ranking officials and dignitaries. If there is a slight mistake or mistake, it is very likely to cause big trouble for themselves.

The carriage is not driven smoothly, the speed is too fast or too slow, or the road is congested, or it collides with other vehicles or pedestrians, which can make these big men dissatisfied, and then turn their anger on them, the coachmen. Afterwards, a casual word from someone's mouth can put you into a situation that is beyond redemption.

However, although the job of a "bus driver" requires careful words and deeds, careful handling, trying to be deaf and dumb, trying to completely hide oneself in the driving seat and become a transparent person, this will inevitably make people feel Extremely depressed and depressed.

However, their job position is extremely lucrative. In addition to being able to get close to big people and use their power to solve many problems for themselves, they can also receive rewards from distinguished guests from time to time, ranging from two or three yuan to more. It's more than ten yuan, which is more than the monthly salary in a month.

What's more, if you meet some generous nobles such as princes or kings from foreign vassals, and directly reward you with a gem or a lot of gold coins, you can make a fortune immediately.

Therefore, whether it is a government "official vehicle" or a private carriage operating on the market, it is most popular to carry foreign guests, especially those with wealth.

Although I have never seen the world, I can't stand it. In order to save face, I will act unusually arrogant to gain your appreciation and gratitude.

Well, people are stupid and have a lot of money, so they are easy to fool!
However, to be honest, in the past decade or so, as a large number of foreign wealthy people have poured into Jianye, it has really pushed up local prices. Not only the prices of housing and land have increased three to four times compared with more than 20 years ago. , even consumer prices in the city such as catering, entertainment, accommodation, etc. have increased to varying degrees.

It's no wonder, who made Jianye the northern gateway to Hanzhou?
Those foreigners who flock to our country of Qi, whether they are wealthy businessmen or immigrants who come to seek a living, often choose Jianye as their first stop.

Jianye is the most economically developed city in our country, with many factories and trading companies. There are certainly many more opportunities to make a fortune than in other rural areas.

Yes, from the perspective of Jianye people, the rest of the country is rural.

Even Daxing (today's Brisbane City) and the capital Chang'an, which claim to be the second city in the country, are just a slightly lively "large rural area".

I think back then, when our Jianye established the most complete industrial system in the empire with one city and contributed more than 90% of the country's fiscal revenue, Daxing and Chang'an were just barren woodlands and meadows.

Moreover, our Jianye City also served as the capital of the empire, and it lasted for nearly forty years (Qi State began to move the capital in 1670, and it was only completed in 1674).

Even though it has now lost its status as the political center of the empire, with its superior geographical location and strong economic strength, Jianye is still the core regional center in northern Hanzhou and even the entire Nanyang region.

"Is this a girls' school?"

When the carriage passed a street intersection, many young and beautiful women poured out of an independent four-story building next to it. With cloth bags slung on their sides, they walked briskly across the streets in small groups, attracting the attention of countless people on the street.

"Tell me, sir." The coachman gently reined in the reins, slowing down the carriage slightly. Then he tilted his head slightly and replied respectfully: "This is not a girls' school, but a telegraph training school. ”

"Oh, telegraph training school? Are all the students recruited female?"

"Yes, sir. With the extension of telegraph lines, telegraph stations have been built all over the country, including many overseas territories. Therefore, the demand for telegraph operators is also huge. To this end, the government has organized many telegraph training The school trains professional telegraph operators for various places. Because the job of telegraph operator is light and labor-saving, and requires carefulness and conscientiousness, it is most suitable for women. Therefore, the students recruited are mainly women. "

"Very good." Pan Guangfeng nodded, "I didn't expect that the rise of telegraphy would create a new job opportunity for domestic women."

"Who says it's not the case!" The coachman agreed with a smile: "I heard that the telegraph operator's monthly salary is quite high. He can earn almost twelve or three yuan a month! Hey, this is as much as a worker in the factory. The salary of a skilled worker. If there is a woman in this family who can be a telegraph operator, she will be very important!"

"Think about it, among all the countries in the world, only the women of Qi can earn such high salaries, just like men, they can support their families and improve the living standards of the whole family." Pan Guangfeng sighed, "This is very important to our country. It is actually a win-win situation for the people. It not only fully mobilizes domestic human resources, but also effectively improves the income level of ordinary people. Well, this is a great benefit!”

During this period, if we were to talk about which country had the highest status of women and relatively equal rights between men and women, it was the women of Qi.

As early as the founding of the Qi State, due to the serious shortage of human resources, not only men and indigenous coolies were used like livestock, but even those weak women were fully utilized to do everything within their capabilities.

From tilling fields, grazing and raising chickens, chopping firewood, sewing and weaving, to even building houses and cities, and working in factories, women are involved in almost all construction work, except for particularly heavy and unwieldy tasks.

When Qi State developed for several years and its population slowly increased to hundreds of thousands, in order to take care of women and enable them to reproduce better, women gradually withdrew from some of the heavy physical labor and work in difficult environments. Instead, they were engaged in light industrial industries such as textiles, printing and dyeing, clothing, leather, and food production, as well as a large number of auxiliary and service jobs.

Later, job opportunities in education, medical care, sanitation, back office, housekeeping, catering, finance, social security and many other industries were gradually opened to women, causing the proportion of women in Qi to participate in the social division of labor to increase year by year.

What's even more rare is that during the Taizu period, the "Song Xingtong" was also used for reference, which stipulated that women had the same inheritance rights to family property as men under certain circumstances. Even married women also had the right to inherit their father's land, which greatly protected the Qi State. Women's rights and interests also indirectly improve women's status in the family and society.

Driven by decades of turbulent large-scale industrial production, Qi's social productivity has developed rapidly and tremendously, and its commodity economy has become highly developed, which has shaken and disintegrated the traditional patriarchal hierarchy for thousands of years to some extent. Women The awareness of rights is also gradually increasing.

The ancient and traditional feudal ethical system of "obey your father at home, obey your husband when you marry, and obey your son when your husband dies" has already existed in name only in the newly born empire.

(End of this chapter)