Daming: Dad, you are really not good at governing the country

Chapter 389: The changing situation before Mr. Song went to the palace to petition (Part )
During the prosperous Ming Dynasty, all walks of life flourished, among which the jewelry industry occupied a unique and important position.

The jewelry industry has been closely linked to wealth and glory since ancient times.

In the picture of Ming Dynasty's social economy, it is like a bright pearl, shining with unique light.

Jewelry shops are lined up on the bustling streets of Yingtian Prefecture.

Those exquisite pearl, jade and other jade products are not only symbols of status for dignitaries, but also treasures that wealthy businessmen compete for.

Jewelry is an indispensable embellishment during important festivals, weddings, funerals and other important occasions.

Its value is not only reflected in the material aspect, but also in the social and cultural significance it carries.

For ordinary people, the jewelry industry seems out of reach, but it is actually closely related to their lives.

Many skilled craftsmen make a living for their families by relying on their skills in this industry.

The raw stones mined from the mountains are carefully carved by craftsmen and turned into exquisitely crafted pieces of jewelry.

Then it is sold by merchants and circulated among the people in the market.

This process promoted the development of many related industries, such as mining, transportation, and carving tool manufacturing, injecting continuous vitality into the economic prosperity of the Ming Dynasty.

However, with the growing prosperity of the Ming Dynasty, social wealth gradually accumulated.

A trend of extravagance is also quietly growing and spreading in the jewelry industry.

In Yingtianfu's most prosperous commercial district, the jewels displayed in the display windows of jewellery shops are becoming more and more gorgeous and luxurious.

The hairpin that originally only needed a few pearls to be embellished was now inlaid with dozens of round and large pearls and surrounded by exquisite gems.

The complexity of the craftsmanship and the luxury of the materials used are astonishing.

In order to show off their wealth, some wealthy businessmen customize jewelry that is extremely exaggerated.

Not only do they pursue top-quality and rare materials, but they also tend to pile up various precious materials in design, completely disregarding the practicality and aesthetic value of the accessories themselves.

This trend of luxury is not limited to the wealthy class.

Some high-ranking officials even go beyond this. They compete with each other and take pride in owning more gorgeous and unique jewelry.

Whenever there were palace banquets or official gatherings, the trend of comparison among the ladies was prevalent.

Whoever wears more valuable and exquisite jewelry seems to be able to come out on top in this invisible social battlefield.

This trend has become increasingly serious and has gradually formed a bad social atmosphere.

This has caused the jewelry industry to gradually deviate from its original development track and rush towards the direction of excessive pursuit of luxury.

Zhu Yuanzhang, the emperor who rose from the bottom and established the Ming Dynasty after overcoming numerous hardships and obstacles, hated this extravagant lifestyle.

He had witnessed with his own eyes the bitter lesson of the previous dynasty's excessive extravagance, which led to the people's miserable lives and the decline of the country.

Zhu Yuanzhang knew very well that once this trend spread, it would pose a serious threat to the Ming Dynasty.

In his memory, the court inside and outside the palace were immersed in a life of decadence and debauchery in the last years of the previous dynasty.

Jewelry and jade were squandered in large quantities, while the people struggled to survive in hunger and hardship.

Those high-ranking officials were only concerned with satisfying their own selfish desires and constantly increased the taxes on the people to maintain their extravagant lives.

This eventually led to the intensification of social contradictions and public resentment, and the country was heading towards destruction in this decadent atmosphere.

Whenever Zhu Yuanzhang thought of this, he would feel a strong sense of mission, and he vowed not to let the Ming Dynasty repeat the same mistakes. It was based on such historical experience and deep concern for the Ming Dynasty that Zhu Yuanzhang decided to rectify the extravagant trend in the jewelry industry.

The implementation of this policy is not without reason and preparation.

In recent years, many knowledgeable people in the court have realized the harm of the extravagant trend in the jewelry industry and have mentioned this issue many times during court meetings.

They pointed out that this trend not only caused a large amount of social wealth to be wasted on luxury goods that had no practical value, but also exacerbated the gap between the rich and the poor in society, causing increasing dissatisfaction among the lower-class people towards the court.

At the same time, some literati and poets criticized this extravagant lifestyle through poems and articles among the people, calling on society to return to the spirit of diligence, thrift and simplicity.

These voices of public opinion gradually gathered into a force, pushing the court to face up to this problem.

In addition, when formulating policies, Zhu Yuanzhang also referred to the lessons learned from previous dynasties in dealing with similar issues.

He is well aware that simple bans often fail to achieve the desired results and may also cause turmoil in the industry and resentment among the people.

Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang decided to adopt a more moderate and guiding policy approach, which was to curb the extravagance in the jewelry industry while protecting the livelihoods of craftsmen and merchants who relied on the jewelry industry as much as possible.

Against this background, the imperial court promulgated a series of policies targeting the jewelry industry.

These policies are aimed at regulating the production process and material standards of jewelry, limiting overly luxurious designs and decorations, and also regulating the transaction prices of jewelry to a certain extent.

Once the policy was promulgated, it caused an uproar in the jewelry industry.

Yingtian Jinwang Mansion.

A Yu rushed into Zhu Gang's study at a trot, his steps so hurried as if there was a ferocious beast chasing him.

As soon as he entered the room, he knelt down hurriedly and bowed deeply.

Then A Yu crawled to his feet, his face full of anxiety and helplessness.

Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, and he kept saying, "Your Highness, this is incredible!

Mr. Song is so worried that his hair is turning white. The business in his store is like a grasshopper in autumn.

It's getting worse day by day and it looks like it's going to fail completely!
Those craftsmen who had followed him for many years also sighed.

Like eggplants hit by frost, they are all worried about losing their jobs and how they will live in the future. "

As A Yu spoke, he kept rubbing his hands. His hands turned red as if they were about to burst into fire.

His eyes revealed the worry and anxiety common to ordinary people in the stock market. His eyeballs rolled around as if he was eagerly seeking a solution.

At this time, A Yu's tone of voice was high and urgent, with obvious panic.

He looked like he was worried about the plight of others, yet at a loss.

Zhu Gang, sitting behind the desk, was flipping through an ancient book in an elegant manner.

He was wearing a brocade robe of fine texture, and the brocade shone with a soft luster under the candlelight.

The collar and cuffs are embroidered with extremely gorgeous cloud patterns, and every stitch and thread seems to tell of the royal luxury and nobility.

The jade belt tied around the waist is even more dazzling, and the jade inlaid in it is warm and delicate.

With Zhu Gang's every move, slight collision sounds were made, which were crisp and pleasant, and further demonstrated the noble status of his status.

(End of this chapter)