Chapter 118 Kunlun Slave (asking for monthly votes on the last day)
"Quick, come here!"
At the gate of Jinshan County, several women in common clothes trembled a few times, and then slowly left after being called by a big man.
Jinshan County was formerly the Jinshan Guards. In the early years of Shaowu, all the guard posts in the country were abolished and turned into counties and towns. Yamen were also set up here.
The former military households have now become civilian households, either fishing or farming, and their lives have become much happier.
"Brother Zhao, you are my cousin, don't lie to me!" One of the women twisted her handkerchief, glanced at the queue at the city gate, and said beside the big man.
"Why are you lying to me? Come with me!"
The big man led the way without fear, and the women followed cautiously behind.
"Brother!" The queue was very fast. The big man approached the guard and stuffed two silver coins.
"There are three of you!" The guard glanced at the three women in civilian clothes and pursed his lips.
"Why did the price increase?"
"It's all going up. If you don't give me anything, leave!" The guard was too lazy to say anything.
If there is no way to lead, can we not let others take advantage of us?
The big man gritted his teeth, stuffed another silver dollar, and then let him go.
In this way, only one man and three women can enter the city.
After taking him to the county town, he turned a corner and finally arrived at the sound of machines.
There is a cover: Mingde Hat Making Workshop.
Several women were brought inside and were somewhat panicked and allowed themselves to be manipulated.
The steward came over and asked about the knitting technique a few times before letting me go.
He looked at the big man, shook his head and said, "Why are there only three?"
"Master Zhang, what can we do? There are few female workers in Jiaxing Prefecture, let alone those who have come to Songjiang Prefecture. I had to persuade them to bring them here."
The big man said with a mournful face: "There is another cousin of mine, otherwise I wouldn't have come at all!"
"Forget it, it's better to have it than not!"
The steward shook his head, took out the money bag from his arms, counted out fifteen silver coins and gave it to him.
The latter held up his hands and stared at them tightly, reluctant to let go.
It's a pity that no matter how long I wait, I can't see the whereabouts of the silver dollar.
"Remember, there will be at least five people next time, otherwise I will only give you four dollars per person!"
Wow!
When the silver dollar falls, the crisp sound is extremely pleasant.
"No way!" The big man said with a smile: "With money, I have to continue to work hard..."
After he left, the steward turned away and saw the boss who was singing Shaoxing opera.
Needless to say, the tone is all about emotion.
"Okay!" the steward shouted, his palms turning red.
"Hey, that's it!" The boss took off his cloak and said, "Autumn is here, how about our hat shop?"
"I just sent three, but I can barely do it."
"How much? Eight dollars!"
"It's too expensive!" The boss' fat face wrinkled and he felt distressed: "It's almost four months' worth of monthly payment."
"There is nothing we can do, there are almost no female workers."
The steward also looked distressed: "Our family's hats cannot be delayed."
"The only choice is to start somewhere else..."
Here, after her cousin left, Xiaolan was led to the dormitory by several women:
When the black muddy doors and windows are opened, the first thing you see is the dust in the sun, which makes people cough uncontrollably.
Upon entering, a large long shop comes into view.
The bed, which is nearly three feet long and made of hard soil, is mostly covered with mats and a layer of quilts on top. Although they are all thin quilts, they are much better than those at home.
"Two yuan a month, including food and accommodation!"
"Start at Chen time in the morning and stop working at You time in the evening. You are not allowed to ask for leave without any reason..."
The woman has a fierce look and a sinister face. She is not easy to mess with at first glance. She is quite impatient:
"Remember, don't fight, don't steal, don't make a fuss, and remember to get up early in the morning..."
At noon, multigrain rice with pickles, shredded potatoes, and Chinese cabbage made the three girls full.
"Xiaolan, it's so worth coming here..."
The other two female companions said happily: "If I can eat enough every day, I can also save a dowry..."
Xiaolan nodded.
In her hometown, she was not loved by her mother and father, so she expected to get married when she grew up, and even planned to exchange marriages.
In Jiangnan, if there is no dowry, it will be difficult for a woman to stay in her natal family and she will never find a matching man.
In this way, she followed her cousin's advice and went to work, so that she could save her dowry and go back.
In the afternoon, the three of them joined together to play.
"Remember, this wool must be sewn inside and cannot leak..."
"Both ear curtains must have buttons!"
Xiaolan was busy all afternoon before she realized what she was doing.
Make a felt hat.
It is filled with wool and is very heavy and warm. It is very popular in Northeast China, Suiyuan, Chahar and other places.
"Sister, how much does a hat cost?"
The woman on the side whispered: "Each one gets at least two cents!"
Xiaolan was shocked.
She can make ten in one afternoon, which means twenty in one day. Isn’t that four yuan?
How much is a month?
She only earns two yuan a month!
In the evening, she returned to the dormitory after a tiring day. She was exhausted, her back ached, and her young body was not used to it for a while.
There was only one vegetable pancake and a bowl of porridge for dinner, which barely filled my stomach.
What puzzled her was that several roommates were eating meatloaf.
"That was sent by someone else's man."
The woman sleeping nearby said with envy: "I have made an appointment in advance, so I don't want her to suffer."
"So good?" Xiaolan was equally envious.
"They are worried about the dowry!" the woman said angrily: "I have been working for three years, and I can buy several pieces of land for just a few dozen yuan..."
During this period of envy, the female steward suddenly shouted: "Zhao Cuihua, your father is looking for you!"
A slender woman stood up, stepped on her shoes, and said impatiently: "I know!"
After a while, she came back with a stinky face.
"What's wrong?" Xiaolan was puzzled.
"Her father and brother are just lazy, they just rely on her to support them. They have been working for two years and all their money has been spent. How can there be a dowry?"
The eldest sister looked at her and advised: "Xiaolan, if your family is like this, get married as soon as possible and then save money to raise a son. Isn't it better than raising a brother and sister-in-law?"
Xiaolan received so much information in one day that her mind could not turn around. She closed her eyes to rest her mind and fell asleep without realizing it.
But she kept one thing in mind, get married as soon as possible...
With the arrival of autumn, the vast north is getting colder day by day. As the world's most famous place for clothing and quilts, Songjiang Mansion, orders are coming in like snowflakes.
Years of peace have allowed the north to accumulate a lot of wealth, especially cattle, sheep, and furs from the grasslands, and grain, timber, and medicinal herbs from the northeast. As shipping moved southward, exchanges became increasingly frequent.
The surge in population and wealth has greatly increased consumption power, and naturally the demand for clothing has increased.
In such a market, cotton and linen prices rose accordingly.
That’s it, after all, it’s nothing if you can buy it with money.
If Jiangsu doesn’t have enough, go to Anhui to buy it; if not, go to Jiangxi or Hubei.
However, due to the traffic environment and road guidance system, labor shortages swept across Songjiang.
The road control system was loosened, allowing people in a government to circulate freely.
Factory owners basically only have three options: find male workers, find female workers from other households, or buy slaves.
However, it is not worthwhile for men to work, and it is illegal for women to work in other countries.
Not to mention the buying and selling of slaves, the rising tide lifts all boats, and the price of women soars.
You know, the factory has to buy raw materials, pay monthly salary, and bear sales risks. Naturally, funds are tight.
And buying slaves in large batches is also very conspicuous.
The court will not turn a blind eye.
With the increase in orders, the manpower shortage in Songjiang Prefecture has not eased, and these two groups of businessmen have no choice but to go to Zhejiang.
At this time, smart people will see the opportunity to make money.
At the dock, dozens of large factory owners suddenly gathered.
A large number of carriages stopped, almost blocking the street for half a day.
"Everyone, everyone, I know that everyone has a lot of money, but now they are all encountering difficulties, such as labor shortage!"
In the courtyard, a man with a beard came to Shi Shi. He was wearing silk clothes and pretending to be holding a paper fan in his hand.
Looking at its style and calligraphy, you can tell it is a Japanese fan.
The bosses sitting here disagreed.
A Japanese fan costing thirty or fifty yuan is nothing.
But his words attracted everyone's attention.
"How to say?"
"Everyone knows that the imperial court restricted slave contracts to only five years. To renew the contract, you have to pay a sum of money to the master, otherwise it will not be recognized."
"And it can't hurt his life."
"Lots of trouble!"
The man stroked his goatee and said with regret on his face.
These words were approved by everyone.
This is not buying slaves, this is hiring laborers!
Even if you encounter a young lady selling herself to bury her father on the road, not many people will take action.
Businessmen will not do a deal that is not cost-effective.
"This one is different!" Wu Liang held a paper fan, stroked his beard, and said with a smile:
"We know everyone's situation, so we immediately brought in a group of female slaves from Qi State!"
"Where is Qi State?"
"I don't know, is it a vassal state?"
When the discussion started, Wu Liang said calmly: "Although these natives look black and black, they are still human beings. They eat whole grains and grains and look like humans."
"In the Tang Dynasty, they were Kunlun slaves. Only the nobles bought them."
"For more than half a month on the road, I taught them how to speak, but they could barely understand. They will definitely be good at becoming weavers in the future."
"What's more important is that once they buy it, it really belongs to you. There is no time limit, as long as the person doesn't die."
"If you buy it back, it will work for at least twenty years!"
"Stop being so nagging, tell me how much it is!"
The bosses below were aroused and immediately started shouting.
Wu Liang then stopped talking and said hurriedly: "Fifty yuan per person and good health can make back the money in half a year."
"Ten people are buying and selling in batches. There are 500 people on this ship. You should hurry up."
Immediately, a group of indigenous women wrapped in rags were pulled up and looked at like livestock.
Their dark faces and shriveled bodies were not enough to stop these pot-bellied men.
The calluses on your fingers are the most important thing.
Fortunately, these local girls are all in good health and have a lot of calluses.
Five hundred native girls were all sold out.
Even those who did not want to lose money also bought some male natives, saying that they could go home and look after their homes and homes.
Seeing that the sales situation was very good, Wu Liang immediately brought in another 3,000 people from Qi, Luzon and other places, but it was still sold out.
For a time, many factory owners directly contacted Qi State and Luzon to purchase in large quantities.
In the blink of an eye, Kunlun slaves spread across all factories in Songjiang Prefecture.
Although Kunlun slaves are actually slaves, they appear to be contract workers.
This is because the Ming Dynasty's slave contract was only for five years, while the Kunlun slave's contract could last for twenty years. In fact, it was undoubtedly a contract of betrayal.
…
Beijing.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the emperor moved back to the Forbidden City with his palace and harem like migratory birds.
At this time, the number of his princes also exceeded thirty, reaching thirty-seven, surpassing Taizu's eleven.
The number of princesses is also twenty-nine.
The total number reached sixty-six, which can be described as an exaggeration.
Naturally, the number of concubines also exceeded forty. Under the emperor's love, almost everyone was pregnant.
However, the completion of a building in Beijing forced the increasingly lazy emperor to move.
That is the temple of the emperors of the past dynasties.
The so-called Temple of Emperors of the Past Dynasties, as the name suggests, is to worship emperors and famous ministers of all dynasties. It was first built during the reign of Zhu Yuanzhang. At that time, it was determined that sixteen emperors were worshipped.
There are five niches inside, with the main owner but no statue.
In the middle niche are the three emperors, Fuxi, Shennong, and the Yellow Emperor; in the left niche are the five emperors, Shaohao, Zhuanxu, Emperor Ku, Yao, and Shun; in the right niche are the three kings, Xia Yu, Shang Tang, and Zhou Wu
.
The two niches on the left are the thrones of Han Gaozu and Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty; the two niches on the right are the thrones of Tang Taizong, Song Taizu, and Yuan Shizu.
During the Jiajing period, Emperor Shizu of the Yuan Dynasty was moved out of the Imperial Temple.
Not long ago, Zhu Yixi was wandering around and noticed this building, so he ordered the Yuan Shizu to be moved into it again, including Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, Chengzu Zhu Di and other former Ming emperors.
After the final expansion, the number of people exceeded twenty.
In desperation, the temples of emperors of all dynasties were expanded again.
Zhu Yixi was aware of the political significance of the Imperial Temple, so he requested that all monarchs who have made achievements in the past dynasties, whether they are the ones who established or founded the temple, can enjoy the incense and worship.
In this way, the First Emperor of Qin, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, Taizu Taizu of the Liao Dynasty, Taizu Jin, etc., and even Yelv Dashi of the Western Liao Dynasty, etc., all entered the temple.
Zhongzong of Shang, Emperor Gaozong, King Cheng of Zhou, King Kang, Emperor Wen of Han, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Emperor Xianzong of Tang, Song Renzong, Song Xiaozong, Ming Xianzong and other guardian lords also entered the temple.
The number of emperors easily exceeded fifty.
Four out of fifty.
There were 120 famous officials accompanying the ceremony, such as Boyi, Jiang Shang, Xiao He, Zhuge Liang, Fang Xuanling, Fan Zhongyan, Yue Fei, Wen Tianxiang, Wang Anshi, Yu Qian, etc.
To show respect, the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors not only had shrines, but also erected stone statues in front of the temples, which were lifelike.
This is their prerogative.
Of course, during the Qianlong era in history, the view that "the unification of China will never be disconnected" was put forward, and emperors from dynasties not involved in the temple were also selected to be enshrined.
After several adjustments, the number of emperors to be sacrificed was finally determined to be 188.
Zhu Yixi did not mean this, it was just to praise the emperors of the past dynasties, and all the virtuous emperors and ministers of the past dynasties were involved.
As soon as you step in, you will see the screen wall and the temple gate are majestic and the green glazed flower decorations are exquisite.
Zhu Yixi crossed the threshold and entered.
Jingdezhong Temple comes into view.
The hall is a double-eaves verandah-style building, which is on the same level as the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The main hall is 21 meters high, with a width of nine rooms and a depth of five rooms, symbolizing the imperial etiquette of "nine-five-year-old kings".
The stone statues of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors in front of the palace made Zhu Yixi couldn't help but stop and look at them: "Yes, they are majestic!"