Chapter 365 An Attempt to Enrich Daily Life

This time, the scale of the military restructuring was unprecedented. A total of nearly 80,000 men would retire from active service, and the treasury had to shell out nearly three million guan for settlement fees alone. Gao Yuan's opportunity to develop Jiangnan had to be delayed once again.

However, with the previous investments, the Jiangnan area had already shown a scene of prosperity, gradually beginning to show signs of the saying 'When Jiangnan's harvest is ripe, the world has enough.'

Particularly in the Hangzhou area, with the completion of the flood control dikes, the issue of seawater backflow was completely eradicated. Combined with the completion of the dredging and widening of West Lake, Hangzhou alone added nearly 50,000 mu of fertile farmland in the 21st year of Great Qian.

What does 50,000 mu of fertile land mean? Taking the rice currently planted in Great Qian as an example, calculating based on one crop of rice and one crop of wheat per year on one mu of fertile land, it can produce 800 jin of rice and 300 jin of wheat, which is approximately nine dan and one dou.

A family of five consumes about forty to fifty dan of grain a year. The output of five mu of land is enough to ensure a family doesn't go hungry, and the output of six to seven mu is enough to keep them full.

In other words, the output of these 50,000 mu of fertile land is enough to keep 10,000 households from going hungry, or to allow eight to nine thousand households to eat their fill.

However, it was clear that the people of Great Qian were no longer satisfied with just eating grain; cheap chicken and eggs became meat dishes that frequently appeared on their tables.

Castrated pork, free of its rank smell, gradually became a new favorite of the people. Especially the delicacies originating from the imperial palace, such as Braised Pork Belly, Nine-Turn Large Intestines, and Pig Stomach Chicken Soup, became best-selling dishes in eateries.

With everyone eating their fill and eating well, they had more motivation at night to do the things they loved, so the birth rate across Great Qian remained high.

In the past, during Great Qian's peak, the population was only about 50 million, but even then, serious conflicts between people and land had emerged.

Land annexation was severe, and a large number of commoners lost their land, becoming tenant farmers or even selling themselves into slavery.

But in the new Great Qian today, even without unifying the north, there is already a population of nearly 40 million. This is only a rough estimate; the actual number might be even higher.

Seeing the memorial recently submitted by the Ministry of Revenue regarding grain production, fiscal revenue, and population status, Zhao Xiyao felt like going to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to report to Heaven, Earth, and the ancestors.

Initially, Zhao Xiyao was worried that Gao Yuan and her sisters would laugh at her. Unexpectedly, when she blushingly voiced this idea at the dinner table, she received everyone's unanimous support.

Gao Yuan took his wife's small hand and said with a serious face,

"Xiyao, if you want to go, then go. It's a good chance to let the ancestors see how women can rival men, and how women can be like dragons."

Zheng Wan also raised both hands in support.

"Yes, Sister, it's only through your hard work day and night that Great Qian has its current prosperity. It's time to let the ancestors and the people of the world see it."

Wu Xu also nodded, offering another reason.

"This will also let the officials and the people know what kind of wise ruler they are following, which will make them trust the court even more."

Yang Xin also raised both hands to show support.

"Exactly. Showing this off can give all Great Qian people more confidence in the court and the future, making it easier for the court to govern in the future. It can also reduce some of the pressure on Husband."

Thus, under the persistence of her husband and sisters, Zhao Xiyao's original plan for a small-scale ritual at the Imperial Ancestral Temple was turned into an extremely grand event.

Since Gao Yuan's New Deal reforms, all corvée labor had been abolished. The court and the imperial family had to pay money to hire civilian workers.

Therefore, for this grand sacrificial work, the court and the Inner Treasury took out nearly 100,000 guan, which served as a small stimulus for the market.

Although Panyu City was located in a delta region, it was not entirely flat plains.

Not far outside the city, there were hills of appropriate height, so there was no need to laboriously pile up earth to make a mountain.

However, they did work overtime to build a concrete stepped path to the hilltop for this purpose.

A large three-story pavilion was also built on the hilltop, capable of accommodating hundreds of people for rest.

Not only that, Gao Yuan also planned a garden and a park for keeping rare animals.

Not counting that three-story pavilion, those two gardens alone would cost nearly 50,000 guan.

When Gao Yao and Yu Qian learned of Gao Yuan's plan, they also raised objections.

In daily life, Gao Yuan—or rather, the entire imperial family—lived quite simply.

The Empress, the Prince of Tang, and the seven consorts eating together would have ten dishes at most.

The most extravagant act was Gao Yuan building himself a large bath, where he would soak every few days.

In an era where firewood could be used as currency, this was considered very extravagant behavior.

But considering this was Gao Yuan's only hobby, they really couldn't bear to take it away.

But this time, to build a walkway and a pavilion just for a sacrificial ceremony, Gao Yao and Yu Qian could no longer sit still.

These two giants both had reputations for upright characters in history. Yu Qian stepped forward and directly criticized,

"Your Highness, is it not too extravagant to undertake such massive construction just for a single sacrificial ceremony?"

Although Gao Yao was also an upright man, he was clearly more tactful and strategic than Yu Qian.

"Your Highness, currently the army is fighting everywhere, and the development of Jiangnan, road construction, and water conservancy all require money. The treasury is somewhat overextended;"

"I believe that if it is only for Her Majesty to rest during the ceremony, perhaps building a simple gazebo would suffice."

Seeing the two of them looking clearly indignant, Gao Yuan quickly waved his hand to signal them to sit. Only after the Female Soldiers served the tea did he speak.

"Do you think I've become depraved? That after a few days of good life, I've forgotten the past of hard-earned entrepreneurship? That I've become a fatuous ruler?"

The two looked at each other and didn't speak, but Gao Yuan could see from their eyes that this was exactly what they meant.

Gao Yuan knew they were just doing their duty as ministers, so he wasn't angry, only saying with a smile,

"Why don't we make a bet? If the money spent on building this pavilion cannot be earned back, I won't soak in the bath for a year. How about it?"

The two giants looked at each other. Although they didn't want to believe it, the stakes Gao Yuan offered were very tempting.

Not soaking in the bath for a year—the money saved on firewood in that year alone would be quite a lot.

Thus, the three of them clapped hands to seal the oath and set the bet.

At dinner, when Gao Yuan mentioned this matter, Yang Xin and Chu Yue, who had come to scrounge a meal, laughed.

"Brother-in-law, are you planning to open a zoo and botanical garden?"

Gao Yuan naturally knew his plans couldn't be hidden from the two of them, so he nodded with a smile.

"As the saying goes, 'When one is warm and well-fed, one's thoughts turn to pleasure.' Now that the people's lives are better, they will naturally have higher pursuits;"

"So I'm planning to give it a try and see if I can provide a new line of thinking;"

"Thinking it over, a zoo and botanical garden would be good. Children like them, and it can broaden their horizons;"

"As for that building, later it can serve as a place to rest. Selling tea and pastries there should bring in quite a bit of money."

Chu Yue was clearly very interested in this plan and immediately volunteered to take charge of the project.

Seeing her so interested, Gao Yuan agreed to her request, but he also had Mu Qing assign dozens of Yulin Guards to protect her.

Thus, in the autumn of the 22nd year of Great Qian, the sacrificial ceremony, merged with the Autumn Harvest Celebration, was grandly held outside Panyu City.

This autumn, except for a few places with minor disasters, most parts of Great Qian had a bumper harvest, which made Zhao Xiyao feel even more confident.

And those invited to observe the ceremony included not only capital officials like Yu Qian, Gao Yao, and Mu Sheng.

For the first time, a large number of local grassroots officials, runners, and many representatives of the common people were also invited.

This was also Gao Yuan's idea; the invited representatives of the people came from different regions, covering various industries and age groups.

This also became one of the standard procedures for all of Great Qian's sacrificial ceremonies thereafter.