Chapter 36: “Proclamation to Pacify the People” (3)

Master Tong, battered and bruised, was dragged home like a dead dog by Zhu Neng.

Zou Fulai, turning to the crowd that had finally quieted down, raised his voice: "And then there is this seventh article: the abolition of the four-class household registration system of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Henceforth, citizens will be identified by their professions. This means the children of artisans and merchants may sit for the imperial examinations, and farmers will no longer require travel permits or official passes to move about."

A young man dressed as a scholar hugged a wealthy merchant and wept, "Father, I can finally take the imperial examinations!"

The merchant, torn between resignation and joy, replied, "If the land is gone, so be it. As long as you make something of yourself, that is enough."

The surrounding crowd buzzed with chatter.

"What is the use of this? Where else could we go besides farming?"

"Old Man Li, are you a fool? Once the land is divided, there will be more grain than we can eat. Every household will have a surplus. Are you going to just sit on it, or wait until the grain rots and you have to feed it to the livestock?"

"Aunt Wang, that is a terrible thing to say. How can you waste human food on animals?"

"The eighth article: the abolition of all checkpoints and station-master offices within the jurisdiction of the Military Governor's Office. We will build straight concrete roads. Aside from a fee of five parts per thousand based on the weight and value of commercial goods—to be used for road maintenance—travel will be free for all citizens."

A merchant from Suzhou and Hangzhou was ecstatic. Life was difficult for businessmen; every time they went to procure goods, the bribes required along the way were enough to make one's skin crawl. As for the itinerant peddlers, their range was essentially limited to their own villages.

Zhu Shuang, hailing from the future, understood the simple truth that to grow rich, one must first build roads. In the past, the post roads were reserved for military and state matters, off-limits to the common people—a waste he considered the height of feudal folly. As for abolishing the station masters, as the second-generation leader of the greatest rebellion in the world, he cared little for the likes of Li Zicheng or Zhang Zicheng.

"The ninth article: All people are born equal. The laws of the Yuan Dynasty and the classification of the 'four classes' are abolished. Regardless of whether one is Han, Mongol, or from any other ethnic minority, all shall abide by the 'Code of Public Peace.' Before the law, there shall be no distinction between noble and base, nor between men and women."

Compared to the previous bombshells, the crowd remained calm at this. Every dynasty had shouted the slogan "The prince who breaks the law is punished like the commoner," yet what did it ever amount to? The people were used to such empty talk.

Seeing the lack of reaction, Zou Fulai continued, "The tenth article: Gender equality and equal pay for equal work. Women may engage in any legitimate profession, including serving as officials in the Military Governor's Office. In cases where women are equally qualified, they shall be given priority in hiring."

Zhu Shuang was no modern social activist; his reasoning stemmed from the fact that under the official orthodoxy of Neo-Confucianism, the status of women had plummeted from mere dependents to objects—legally bought and sold. Most of the agencies in the city dealt primarily in women. Since the Song Dynasty, many concubines of the literati were treated as playthings to be shared with guests. As a man from the future, he knew that without the right to participate in politics, all talk of equality was merely a slogan.

The crowd erupted again. "Ha! What would those women, with their 'long hair and short insight,' know about anything? If we let them be officials, wouldn't the world fall into chaos?"

Aunt Hu slapped her husband across the face in a rage. "Why can't women be officials? Is your own mother not a woman?"

A scholar jumped up and cursed, "A woman on the throne brings ruin to the state! The disasters of Empress Lü and Wu Zetian are like events of yesterday!"

A young lady from a wealthy family retorted angrily, "Was the virtuous Empress Zhangsun not a woman? Is the current Empress Ma of the Ming not virtuous? You, Scholar Chen, have actually looked down on women all this time! I am breaking off our engagement today."

With that, she tore a love letter into pieces and trampled it into the dust.

Scholar Chen repented, "Miss Cheng, I was wrong!"

Miss Cheng spat on the ground, turned her back on him, and said, "Get lost."

From the top of the Drum Tower, Zhu Shuang rubbed his temples, thinking that the past and the future were not so different after all. The chaos was threatening to turn into a brawl, and he was just about to order a stop to it.

A refined woman in a black pleated skirt and a moon-white long gown stepped through the crowd, curtsied, and said, "I, Zhang Hongqiao of the Shihua Pavilion, wish to hear the rest. Please, give this humble one some face and calm your anger for now, will you?"

Her voice was cool and melodious. Zhu Shuang was stunned—was this not the woman Minmin had been impersonating?

As soon as the crowd saw her, the rough men who had been raising their fists instantly transformed into well-behaved, timid scholars.

"The lady is right, everyone stop fighting."

"Yes, yes, if you must fight, go home and do it."

"It costs fifty taels just to see Lady Zhang; anyone who starts trouble is disrespecting me!"

"I, Luo, officially support Lady Zhang."

Zhang Hongqiao covered her face with her sleeve and bowed. "Then I thank you all." She then added softly, "Please continue, Master Zou."

That sweet, tingling "Master Zou" made the sixty-year-old man's knees go weak; he almost lost his soul.

The bailiff, Hou Liu, couldn't watch anymore and kicked him. "What are you dazed for? Keep talking! Once Lady Zhang leaves, what will you have to look at?"

Zou Fulai came to his senses. "Oh, oh! Which article was I on?"

Zhang Hongqiao whispered, "The eleventh."

"This eleventh article: Children between the ages of six and twelve, regardless of gender, shall receive two years of compulsory education. For every year the Military Governor's Office is established, one more year of schooling will be added, up to six years of primary education. Tuition will be paid by the Governor's treasury, and a meal will be provided at noon. This shall be a permanent rule."

Children aged six to twelve did not do much heavy labor at home anyway. For families who often only ate one meal a day, having one less mouth to feed and getting a free meal at school was a welcome relief.

Zhu Shuang had expected this to be the most controversial point, yet it passed with the tacit acceptance of the crowd. His eyes were fixed on the people, so he did not notice Zhang Hongqiao, hidden behind her veil, gazing intently at him atop the building.

"The twelfth article: The implementation of a silver standard. We will establish a National Bank and issue 'Great Ming Treasure Notes.' These notes can be exchanged at any time for Hongwu Tongbao coins or silver at their face value."

The people did not cheer; instead, their excitement vanished. The collapse of the Yuan Dynasty was partly due to the notes issued by Tuotuo; they had used pieces of waste paper to harvest the wealth of the common people.

The failure of paper currency since the Song Dynasty was not limited to the Yuan notes—the notorious notes of the Great Ming Emperor Hongwu also played a part, which was why Zhu Shuang had deliberately avoided the word "note."

"The thirteenth article: From today, all citizens in areas liberated by the Peacekeeping Army or under the jurisdiction of the Military Governor may exchange Yuan-issued notes for the new Treasure Notes at a ratio of one hundred to one. Those holding Ming-issued notes may exchange them at fifty to one. This offer is valid for one year."

This caused a real explosion. The dense crowd vanished in a flash, leaving only a dozen children sitting on the ground crying.

Zhu Shuang broke into a cold sweat. *Thank goodness for my quick thinking; I'm glad I left that for last.*

Zou Fulai wiped the sweat from his face as he looked at the children rolling on the ground. Zhu Shuang came downstairs and pointed to the bailiff, Hou Liu. "Take some men and see if you can find their homes. If you can't, bring them back to the office until their families come to claim them."

Hou Liu replied excitedly, "I obey your command, Your Highness!"

Just as Zhu Shuang was about to board his carriage, someone called out to him.

"Your Highness, please stay your step."