Chapter 705: The women of Ming Dynasty can hold up half the sky
Zhu Xi closed his mouth.
Ever since he became a king and a vassal, he knew that he should no longer participate in matters above the court.
Although he has been working as an errand in Beijing in the past few years, he has always adhered to one principle.
Whatever the old man and eldest brother ask me to do, I will do it.
Now, whatever the nephew of the emperor's grandson asks me to do, I will do it.
Lao Zhu's family is now a big family.
There is a division of labor between who should make decisions for the family and who should do things.
Zhu Xi has a clear understanding.
So even though he had killed many people over the years and was hated by many people, his family would never talk about the things he did. They would even take him to the Ancestral Temple from time to time as a punishment to the outside world.
Zhu Yunxi reached out, drained the teapot in front of him, and prepared to make tea again.
He kept moving his hands and said softly: "Actually, this matter is related to another matter."
"Oh?" Zhu Xi was very cooperative, with curiosity on his face: "What's going on?"
"A while ago, at the cabinet summary meeting at the end of the year, the Zhili Governor's Office and Yingtian Mansion presented a memorial, emphasizing that Yingtian Mansion's various industrial workshops and various projects have begun to have large-scale labor difficulties."
Zhu Yunxi moved his hands skillfully and naturally, and soon he had made tea and poured a cup for himself and his second uncle.
Take a sip.
Then his face showed satisfaction.
This is tea.
He really didn't understand how the second uncle could make the tea taste so bad when he was just making tea.
Zhu Yunxi continued: "The local people cannot give up farming and go to work in factories and construction sites. The court will not allow this, and the people themselves cannot completely abandon their fields.
However, industry and court projects require more and more manpower.
In the past two years, the number of government-run workshops in Yingtian Mansion has increased from a dozen to nearly 300, mainly in the military industry system.
The number of private factories has also increased from a few hundred at the beginning to nearly 2,000.
Government-run workshops are all large-scale, with at least three to five hundred people working at the same time. Private factories are large and small, with thousands of people in large ones and dozens of small ones, but the total number is quite a lot."
Zhu Xi held the tea cup and tasted it while warming it. He felt that there was no difference in the tea in his mouth.
He nodded and agreed: "If you do the math, it will take a lot of people."
Zhu Yunxu snorted: "The latest statistics show that the combined number of workers in Yingtian Mansion's government-run and private factories has exceeded 100,000.
There is still a big gap. In fact, it is feasible to move people from other places. But when the people come, the court will eventually need to allocate fields, which squeezes the survival capacity of Yingtian Mansion."
There is currently no way in the Ming Dynasty to completely separate the people from the land and make money to support their families through work.
The change of people's ideas requires long-term cultivation, and it must also ensure that Yingtianfu's economy is always on an upward curve and can stabilize these people who have changed from farmers to workers in the long term.
Zhu Yunxi continued: "At the summary meeting at the end of last year, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Household Affairs also said that they would increase investment and industrial construction in Yingtianfu this year to support the industrial development of surrounding prefectures and counties, which requires more people.
So after much deliberation, for the present plan, there is only one way to go."
"What way?"
Zhu Xi finally became truly curious.
Zhu Yunxi also said directly: "Those women who can only choose to stay at home for various reasons!"
After finishing speaking, Zhu Yunxi leaned on the chair, holding the teacup, and stared at Zhu Xiang silently.
Due to Neo-Confucianism, many women nowadays can only stay at home. Women from ordinary families spin yarns and farm at home, while women from wealthy families hide in the boudoir.
There were many textile workshops in Yingtianfu, and even in Suzhou and Hangzhou, where a large number of women worked, but the overall number did not have much impact.
Even in the textile industry in Suzhou and Hangzhou, it is more common for women to take the raw materials home from their employers, and then do the weaving work at home. Finally, they take the finished products to the employer, and after the employer inspects them, they can get them.
wages.
Yingtianfu should be more advanced.
In order to implement the standards set by the government-run textile workshops, the textile factories in Yingtianfu all let women work in the factories.
But for various reasons, most of the time there are only women in the factory.
Then the surrounding villages with a large number of people will send village elders to keep an eye on the factory.
As for other industries?
They are all used by men.
But in the current Ming Dynasty, Yingtian Mansion actually had a labor shortage problem.
Although this is somewhat surprising.
But Zhu Yunxi feels that only by allowing more women to get out of the house can this problem be truly solved.
For example, the gunpowder factory jointly run by the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War.
Those delicate processes of making gunpowder can be left to more careful women.
Another example is the production of the Ming army's iron armor and face armor. In the early stage, the iron and steel aspects could be done by men, but in the later stages of assembly, it could be completely left to women.
Especially the connection of armor and the sewing of face armor are easier and more meticulous for women to do.
As for those private workshops.
For those things that involve the daily life of the entire Ming Dynasty society, there are more processes that can be left to women.
Zhu Xiang pondered for a long time.
In his opinion, no matter who is doing the work, as long as the court needs people to do things well, then there is nothing to worry about.
but……
"But..." Zhu Xi's face was solemn and he looked at Zhu Yunxi with a deep look: "Not to mention whether the old Neo-Confucian die-hards above the court will object to this matter, even the men in the factory will definitely do so.
opposing."
Zhu Yunxi had to nod his head and agreed with Zhu Ping's statement.
Except for the objections of the old Neo-Confucian diehards in the court.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Even men who do ordinary work are very likely to disagree.
Because this is not just about letting the women in their families come out to work and make money.
There is another point, that is, if women can do various things to make money, what will these men think, and what changes will occur in a most basic family.
Husband and son.
This is the common understanding of the Central Plains people for thousands of years.
Women should respect their elders at home, help their husbands, and take care of their children, instead of being in public and thinking about making money to support the family.
This is why all the textile factories in Yingtianfu, including government-run workshops, will stop working during busy farming periods so that the women can go home and take care of their families.
Some deep-rooted thoughts cannot be changed in a short period of time.
Zhu Xi thought for a while and said, "So, you want those three girls outside to follow you and show their faces outside, and then let them work in the factory?"
Zhu Xi's idea is very simple.
Whether it is the little girl from the Song family in Wuxi or the other two little girls who were sent to the capital, at the lowest, they are all girls from poets and writers.
If such a woman were known to everyone and worked in a factory, she would definitely have a great impact on ordinary people.
but……
Zhu Yunxi shook his head.
"No!" Zhu Yunxi smiled: "Not only do we want the three of them to work in the factory, I mean, we want the three of them to start a few big businesses under the eyes of everyone in the capital.
Afterwards, the three of them are the big factory owners that everyone in the capital praises, and they are the female owners who make a lot of money with everyone."
Letting three little girls from well-born families work in factories may have a huge impact on the minds of ordinary people.
But it is far worse than letting the three of them, Song Liuhong and all the women, set up a factory together to make money.
In the past, the most women could do was to show their faces outside and set up a food stall or the like. No matter what, they would sit at home and sit behind the scenes to do accounting and business matters.
Let women set up factories and lead everyone to work and make money.
This is something that almost never happens.
What Zhu Yunxi wanted to do was to set a benchmark for the world.
Even the women of the Ming Dynasty could hold up half the sky!
Zhu Fang snorted twice and felt that it was still necessary to dampen the eldest nephew's enthusiasm: "Then have you ever thought that maybe you can help the three of them set up the factory, but it is impossible to recruit a male worker, or even even a male worker?"
It’s also difficult to recruit female workers.”
The reason is simple.
Those male workers can naturally accept working under male bosses.
But it is difficult to accept that he is working under a female boss.
"Even if you pay people higher wages!"
Zhu Xi added another sentence.
Zhu Yunxi just smiled slightly, drank the tea in the cup, and then said: "So, I will give the three of them the status of female officials, and then set up a government-run factory."
Zhu Ming finally sneered at this: "There are many female officials in the palace. Your uncle has not seen them in these years, so the people have some reaction and discussion about them."
Zhu Yunxi is still as stable as Mount Tai.
Under Zhu Xi's gaze.
Zhu Yunxi asked: "What if this female official position is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Personnel?"
After all, the nuns from the Wuxi Song family and the nuns from the other two families failed to enter the clan mansion.
They can enter Yingtian Magistrate's Yamen with the help of their master's family behind them, but there is no need for the Zongren Mansion to give them a good look.
The officers and soldiers who came directly to the guard at the door said, "Where are the servants from? How dare you enter the clan's house with such shame?", and they scolded the three families until they were embarrassed.
The place where the descendants of the Tian family are managed is really not accessible to ordinary people.
At this time, Zhu Yunxi had quietly slipped out through the back door of the Zongren Mansion.
Then he didn't go anywhere else.
Instead, we went to the Libu Yamen next door to the Zongren Mansion.
"impossible!"
"This is absolutely impossible!"
"This is an ancestral law that cannot be changed!"
"This is something that would never happen to our Central Plains dynasties!"
"Even if Wei Chen has ten heads, he would not dare to agree to what His Highness said. If His Highness insists on forcing him, Wei Chen will have no choice but to resign from the position of Grand Scholar of the Cabinet and Minister of the Ministry of Personnel!"
In the official hall, Zhai Shan, a bachelor of the Ming Dynasty cabinet and the official minister, was shocked and spoke out his objections to the Ming emperor's grandson with determination.
His attitude was extremely determined.
His face was full of the look of, "If your grandson forces me again, I will die for you."
"But...Wu Zhao became emperor."
Zhu Yunxi said silently.
When he was thinking about this matter, he had already thought of the reaction of Zhai Shan, the official minister.
Zhai Shan was obviously stunned for a moment, and his tone became hesitant: "That's... that's just one case... this is different."
"But Wu Zhao became the emperor."
"This is different! This, this, this... these are two different things..."
"Wu Zhao became emperor."
"Your Highness, you are trying to kill me..."
"Emperor Wu Zhao."
"Weichen... Weichen, think about it again..."
"Wu Zhao."
"My lord...try?"
"..."
Zhai Shan looked like he was beaten by frost, and his face looked like he was about to die.
Zhu Yunxi finally picked up the tea cup and took a sip of tea.
"Zhai Pavilion will be famous in history from now on!"
The corner of Zhai Shan's mouth twitched: "Your Highness... I just hope that after this experience, it will be a blessing that no one will dig up your grave after your death..."
"You will go down in history!"
Zhu Yunxi reiterated one sentence emphatically again.
Afterwards, Zhu Yunxi went to the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ming Dynasty Commercial House, the Ming Dynasty Bank, and finally returned to Taisun Mansion outside Xi'an Gate from the Governor's Mansion.
The thirty-first year of Hongwu.
The eighth day of the first lunar month.
The imperial court had already begun official business at this time.
At a court meeting.
The Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ming Dynasty Bank, the Ming Dynasty Commercial House, and the Metropolitan Governor's Office jointly submitted the petition.
After deliberation among the four ministries, the second rank, and the first government, due to the development needs of the government-run industries of the imperial court, the yamen of each ministry have now decided to formally request the imperial court to appoint Song Liuhong, Luo Shuyun, and Qi Yongdi as the ninth-rank female officials to host marriages.
The appointment and removal of officials of the ninth rank can actually be done with the approval of the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
However, because this official position of a female official in charge of marriages did not exist before, it still had to be approved by the decree at the court meeting before it could be realized.
On the spot, the die-hard civil servants and Neo-Confucianists at the court meeting immediately came out to oppose it.
The imperial court had previously allowed Zhang Ergong and his gang of craftsmen to enter the officialdom and grant them official positions, which originally caused many people to object to this.
However, considering that Zhang Ergong and others were all beneficial to the court, and they were all men, they were given official positions.
But now, Zhai Shan, a bunch of confused bastards, actually want to grant three women official positions in the court.
Isn't this something that everyone in the world will laugh at?
For a time, shoes and socks were flying all over the court.
If it weren't for the tall and thick picket censors, who were waiting with their wat boards in their hands, this battle would have been fought.
In the end, at the court meeting, Zhai Shan, the leader, proposed that the Ming Dynasty set up a group of female officials. Their force was superior and they won.
The imperial court also issued decrees, and the cabinet issued instructions to various ministries and bureaus. From then on, the Ming Dynasty had three female officials under the management of the Ministry of Personnel, which were under the jurisdiction of the Ming Dynasty Commercial House, the Ministry of Industry, and the Ministry of Household Affairs.