The Ming Dynasty started with caution

Shortly after nightfall, a crescent moon hung in the sky.

A large sedan with a red roof and four carriages stopped at Yan's Mansion. He Neng held a lantern in his hand and said with a smile: "Young Master, we have arrived at the Mansion."

In the courtyard, Li Qing'e and the maid were waiting behind the door: "My husband is on duty?"

"Um."

Wow~

An extremely heart-wrenching voice broke the silence, and Yan Chengjin frowned: "Is there an assassin?"

Recently, Wang Yanzhao was recommended to go north to the grassland. Is Wang Hao trying to take revenge on him?

Li Qing'e shook her head: "The lady from the neighboring government has bound her feet and been calling her for a day."

Foot binding began in the Song Dynasty and rose in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the Ming Dynasty, softness was still considered as beauty.

From the queens in the palace to the women in the streets, when they are four or five years old, the soles of their feet are bound to prevent them from turning into men's big feet.

Women are afraid of foot binding.

Yan Chengjin was curious and said: "My husband has always been curious, why are the soles of your feet different?"

Li Qing'e was born in the Li Mansion, so she should have her feet bound, but she didn't.

"Qing'e has been wandering with her mother since she was a child. Her feet were bound and it was inconvenient to walk. When she wanted to bind her again, she was already over the age." Li Qing'e lowered her head slightly, fearing that Yan Chengjin would not like it.

The fat maid held her hand: "When the young lady entered the Li Mansion, she was already ten years old. She can no longer be pestered. My uncle cannot dislike the young lady."

"My husband doesn't like to have his feet bound either. Please beg for your husband. Let's abolish this system."

Foot binding not only harmed women, but also seriously affected the court's agricultural tax revenue.

In his previous life, men went out to work to earn money, and women were responsible for the farm work at home. He had seen that one person could cultivate more than ten acres of land alone.

I have heard that if a person joins the army, the whole family will be honored, but I have never heard that if someone joins the army, the family's land will not be able to grow.

The Ming Dynasty is expected to be like this, with men serving in the army and women doing farm work.

Li Qing's eyes moved to Yan Chengjin: "This matter has been going on for a hundred years. If we change it, we will be against the princes."

"There is a way for my husband."

Yan Chengjin thought about it carefully. Foot binding had become a common practice in the Ming Dynasty. What he wanted to fight against was not the princes, but a social custom.

To abolish it, the imperial court must issue an order to ban it.

But women's status in ancient times was not high and they could not go to temples, let alone let the princes discuss this matter in temples?

The next day, it was early in the morning.

Yan Chengjin came to the Household Department to check the room, and Wang Qiong was thinking energetically, "Mr. Yan, why do you have time to come to my Household Department?"

"I have something and I would like to ask Mr. Wang for help."

There was a hint of vigilance in Wang Qiong's eyes, but he said with a smile on his face: "What's the matter? You tell me first and I'll see if I can help you."

"I want to increase the tax revenue for the treasury."

"This is a good thing!"

"In the morning, I will ask Lord Wang to beg to abolish the bad habit of foot binding and liberate the productivity of the Ming Dynasty." Yan Chengjin said seriously.

Wang Qiong thought of a big stone, blinked, and was stunned.

The temple is a place of elegance. How can women's affairs be discussed in the temple?

Besides, what does it have to do with depositing money into the national treasury?

If it could be abolished a hundred years in advance... Yan Chengjin said: "Nowadays, there are many young men from Jiubian, and the fields are deserted and no one returns. If women can work in the fields and go out to do business, why worry about no taxes?"

The decrease in the number of men will certainly lead to a decline in agricultural and commercial economic activities, but if women can fill the role, it will not lead to a serious loss of vitality.

It gradually declined in the late Ming Dynasty due to many factors, one of which was that women's foot binding became extremely popular.

Women were unable to work in the fields and their productivity dropped sharply.

Wang Qiong is not stupid. Why didn't you say it yourself and come to see me?

"Sir Yan, please be careful. If you mention this matter, you will really be criticized by the public."

"If Mr. Wang wants to increase the tax revenue of the treasury, he can make suggestions in the hall. I can't guarantee the rest, but he will definitely leave his name in history."

Wang Qiong hesitated a little.

Although Yan Chengjin was slippery, everyone in the court knew that he did not lie.

What’s left is a reputation!

At Mao hour, all officials crossed the Jinshui Bridge and walked into the Fengtian Hall.

Emperor Hongzhi felt a little depressed and worried about the war in Jiubian, and said: "Is there any news from Jiubian? Is there any trace of the prince?"

"Not yet. I sincerely ask you to worship the ancestral temple and study in the Imperial Academy, so as to bring blessings to the Crown Prince and the border troops." Liu Jian bowed slightly.

When the Tatars go to war, they will definitely sacrifice to the Immortal God, and the Ming Dynasty cannot lag behind.

"Order the Prince Consort Cai Jin to take care of it!"

Zhang Sheng responded and retreated after receiving the order.

Wang Qiong lowered his head and looked at the toe of his shoe, hesitating in his heart whether to give advice or not. After a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, since this is a sacrifice, how about blessing the world?"

"How lucky?"

Emperor Hongzhi's eyes shone brightly, and all the officials turned their heads and looked at Wang Qiong.

No matter what the occasion, Wang Qiong could talk and laugh with ease. At this moment, her tongue was a little knotted.

"Issuing a ban to abolish...abolition of women's foot binding."

hiss!

All the officials looked at Wang Qiong with shame and anger, discussing such things in the court, it was an insult to the gentlemen!

Emperor Hongzhi's smile gradually faded, and he became as serious as a stone.

Wang Qiong lowered his head, Yan Chengjin, you owe me a big favor.

Yan Chengjin bowed slightly: "I second the proposal!"

Li Dongyang's eyes flickered, and it was probably this son's idea. Among the daughters, only Qing'e was not involved, so he thought it was related to Qing'e.

Emperor Hongzhi whispered: "This matter is the will of the people, why should it be mentioned in the court?"

Yan Chengjin said: "Your Majesty does not know something. This matter is related to the imperial tax. Now there is a war between nine sides. I don't know when it will stop.

The fields are deserted, and this is where the strong men join the army.

Why did the court rely so much on men? It was because the custom of foot binding was becoming more and more popular, and women could not do farm work.

There were countless women and children in the world. If they could serve as laborers at home, why worry about the fields being barren? "

Now, iron tools and cattle are available.

If we want to further liberate productivity, we can only start with people. Women's foot binding makes it impossible for them to work in the fields.

Those who do not bind their feet are ridiculed, forming a mental confinement, which is no different from coercion.

Emperor Hongzhi looked suspicious.

The hall was noisy. It was unexpected that such a meeting would be held in the court.

Yan Chengjin continued: "Your Majesty and gentlemen, have you ever heard of a matriarchal society?"

No need to ask, Yan Chengjin also knew that they had not heard of it. The matriarchal society was speculated by archaeologists and it was more than 40,000 years ago.

The Ming Dynasty was technologically backward and it was impossible to infer such a long history.

The officials pricked up their ears and were full of curiosity.

Emperor Hongzhi opened his mouth slightly and said seriously: "What is a matriarchal society? "

Yan Chengjin said seriously: "According to the rumors of the barbarians, there was a dynasty where men and women farmed together ten thousand years ago. They did not distinguish between men and women, and women even created more wealth than men."

Matriarchal society cannot be explained in a few words.

The more you say, the more likely it is to arouse suspicion from the officials. Where did you get all this knowledge?

So, he only picked out the key points.

Emperor Hongzhi showed a look of horror: "There is such a dynasty?"

"How long is ten thousand years? The Xia Dynasty is only more than two thousand years ago. You actually said ten thousand years. Isn't it nonsense?" Chai Sheng was a little skeptical.

All the officials nodded. Just based on this point, they could judge that Yan Chengjin was talking nonsense.

"How can Lord Yan prove it?"

One of the officials asked.

Yan Chengjin said to Emperor Hongzhi: "I can't prove the existence of a matriarchal dynasty, but I can prove that the per-acre yield of the fields cultivated by women is not lower than that of able-bodied men. I implore Your Majesty to issue an order to ban this bad habit! ”

The weather is unpredictable. I took off a piece of clothing for lunch break and caught a cold. I haven’t been in a good condition these two days. My nose is stuffy and I feel sleepy as soon as I sit in front of the computer. I feel that the chapters I wrote these two days are not on point. Sorry~~ Everyone, please keep warm. Finally, I ask for votes as usual