In the spring of the second year of Xingqing, there was a heart-enjoying pavilion in Jinling City.
Since the imperial court implemented the New Deal on Jiangnan East Road in the first year of Xingqing, and since the Jinling Lecture Hall and Jinling University Hall were successively established, a year has passed without realizing it.
The country is basically in the southeast, and the southeast is in Jinling.
It is undeniable that today's Jinling City is cleaner, neater, and much more lively and prosperous than before. As a result, many scholars and people in the Song Dynasty were talking about it.
Could it be that the Song Dynasty court is moving south?
I don’t know if the imperial court will move south, but the city of Jinling is changing with each passing day. The streets have been widened a lot, and the original dirt roads have been replaced by all-color cement roads. Not to mention smooth, and you don’t have to worry about getting your shoes wet when it rains. In addition, the streets are cleaned on time and are extremely clean.
The only thing that makes people feel a little pity is that the street seems to be too wide, enough to accommodate five or six carriages in parallel, so that it usually feels a bit empty.
The sewers on both sides of the street are also cement channels, with covers made of cement mixed with iron bars, which are extremely strong.
It is said that the emperor himself made this cement. I wonder what emperor can't do it?
Trash cans are standard, either square or round, with lids on the top. They are located on both sides of the street. The "sanitation workers" from the Jinling Street Department specialize in cleaning them on time to ensure the appearance and hygiene of the city.
The most curious thing is that you can see public toilets on both sides of the street from time to time. There is no charge and paper is distributed for free. The so-called "sanitation workers" under the street department clean and flush them from time to time to avoid "smells". ".
There were also some plainclothes officials hiding among the crowd. When they encountered the people who were spitting and throwing dirty things, they were caught and put on the uniforms of "sanitation workers" to clean toilets and sanitation as a form of punishment.
If you encounter someone who defecates in the open, it will be miserable. Not only do you have to clean the toilet and sanitation, but you also have to pay a fine of 50-100 yuan. It is a loss of face and money.
At the intersections of various avenues, there are "newsstands" and public notice boards. In addition to government orders, the public notice boards are also used for commercial purposes, such as recruiting workers, opening restaurants, renting and selling houses, etc.
The "newsstand" mainly sells newspapers, as well as some pens and ink and other four treasures of the study.
The biggest change is the growing trend of martial arts.
The first batch of students from the Jinling Martial Arts Hall is about to graduate, and the second batch of Jinling Martial Arts Hall and Jinling University Hall are about to take exams and start school. Compared with the rush of the first period, in addition to the second semester starting after the Lantern Festival, Jinling University Hall is also open to the public. In addition to mathematics, the courses involved include academic studies, geography, history, etc., as well as physical education. The requirements are more stringent.
Even so, the two Jinling schools, plus the Naval Academy, had an enrollment of more than 4,000 people. Young people from the north and south of the Song Dynasty flocked to it. Jinling City was overcrowded for a while. Many young people arrived at Jinling City early and wanted to go to Jinling City early. Prepare to win admission to either of the two schools in one fell swoop.
Due to the construction and opening of Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall, and also because the second phase of Jinling University Hall was opened to the public, schools and martial arts schools in Jinling City sprung up like mushrooms after the rain.
Although academies and martial arts schools must register with the government, some students from poor families have to study in some unlicensed institutions in order to get cheaper, which can be regarded as a way out.
As for the teaching materials, the student teaching materials of Jinling Martial Arts Hall and Jinling Academy are the basis for their teaching and learning.
Due to the concentration of people and prosperous commerce, a large number of "Jinling wandering" people are prevalent. Those who stay for a long time must register with the government, otherwise they will be treated as "blind flow" and deported.
In more than a year, the population of Jinling City has increased by more than tens of thousands, and the population has been growing. This has also caused the housing prices in Jinling City to skyrocket, and it feels like "living in the capital is not easy".
To the south is Jilong Mountain and Fuzhou Mountain, to the north is Jubao Mountain and Tianyin Mountain, to the east is Banshan Temple and Jiangshan Mountain, and to the west is Bailuzhou. It is surrounded by mountains and rivers. There are more houses, prosperous markets, and literati and dignitaries. , the "Jinling Piao" clan gathered here one after another.
Especially in the Bailuzhou area in the west of the city, due to the dense flow of ships at the ferry, all kinds of goods are concentrated here, merchants from all over the world and all kinds of appearances come and go, and all kinds of carriages and trucks shuttle, making it the most lively and crowded place outside Jinling City.
However, things in the world are changing too fast, and there are often some things that people cannot accept, which leads to the feeling and helplessness of "China is not China".
Since the beginning of the first year of the new emperor's reign, Liu Kezhuang, who is the head of the Propaganda Department, will give out the same helpless sigh every time he passes Bailuzhoutou.
"Good Bailuzhou, how did it end up like this?"
Although he is a doctor in the Propaganda Department, he often meets Zhao Hong and is considered an "official family member." But seeing the black smoke billowing into the sky on the beautiful island, I still couldn't help but feel dissatisfied.
Outside the blue sky with three mountains half-fallen, black smoke billows from Bailuzhou?
Isn't this burning the harp and boiling the crane, which is a great disgrace to the scenery?
However, this is the emperor's order to build the factory, who can stop it?
Standing on the attic of the Heart-Enhancing Pavilion, Liu Kezhuang also secretly shook his head with regret.
Isn't there a way to get the best of both worlds?
"Brother Liu, you have to look at the bright side in everything. The weapons manufacturing department is an important weapon of the country. If there is no steel and no gunpowder, how can we deal with the cavalry of the nomadic people in the north? How can we regain the lost territory?"
Yuanwailang Zeng Ji's views were obviously more positive than Liu Kezhuang's.
If you can't change, just adapt and accept the better side, which seems to be more positive.
"Everything has advantages and disadvantages. I heard that the iron plant was built in Daye, and tens of thousands of people around it will have something to do. Tens of thousands of people are tens of thousands of households. Everyone has something to do, and the people's life will be much better."
Dai Fuxu, who newly joined the Propaganda Department, seemed to appreciate what the court had done.
At least from the perspective of improving people's livelihood, what this dynasty has done is much better than the previous dynasty.
"The development of commerce depends on the prosperity of industry; the prosperity of industry depends on the development of industrial technology; the strategy for China's prosperity lies not in the prosperity of commerce, but in the prosperity of industry. The emperor's words came from the Jiangnan Arms Manufacturing Department and Daye Iron Factory, you can see it.”
Ye Shaoweng, another Jianghu poet, echoed Dai Fushi's remarks.
Only when industry is developed and economic breakthroughs are made can the land tax on farmers be reduced and the people can live and work in peace and contentment.
"Everyone, I am just complaining. In fact, since the implementation of the New Deal on Jiangnan East Road, exorbitant levies and miscellaneous taxes on the people have been abolished. The people have praised it and the government's wealth has increased greatly. I am also very pleased."
Liu Kezhuang laughed out loud and nodded in agreement.
All of them are literati, and Dai Xiuxiu seems to be more free and easy and pragmatic.
Several high-spirited young men wearing the uniforms of the Jinling Lecture Hall went up to the attic. Each of them carried a sword and leaned on the railing at the balcony to watch. As they spoke, they attracted the attention of Liu Kezhuang and others.
"Li Siyu, you have to think about it. The northwest frontier fortress is different from Jinling City. It is desolate and remote, and there may be a war. Don't force it."
One of the students with a heroic appearance said, his voice was clear, his hair was tied up and he was wearing a crown, he seemed to be a woman.
"Huiyu, you don't need to persuade her. Zhang Zhongxia went to the northwest frontier, so of course she just followed her husband!"
Another student with a round face said with a smile and a female voice, obviously a woman.
Liu Kezhuang and others looked at each other. No need to ask, this is a female student from the Jinling Martial Arts Hall.
The second term of the Jinling Martial Arts Lecture Hall has not yet started. These women should be graduates of the first term, or about to graduate.
"Sisi, you think everyone is like you, going to the border just to meet your lover. We want to serve the country and share your worries."
There were outsiders around, so Shi Huiyu quickly rectified the names of several of her own.
If others heard this, they would think that they were attending the martial arts hall just to find a lover, not to learn.
"There are 13 of us, 2 left and 11 are left. Xuan Yuehua stayed in school, 3 of us went to Shukou, and Liu Fanning and the others went to Huaidong and Jinghu. It's really sad to think about it."
Li Siyu's eyes were red and seemed a little sad.
Thirteen female students, Du Hui and Zhao Manqing, were expelled from school. As for the reasons, they knew very well. Among the remaining 11 female students, only Xuan Yuehua was retained as a teacher because of her academic excellence.
The remaining 10 female trainees, together with the male trainees from other medical departments, will be assigned to the Third War Zone of the Great Song Dynasty.
"There's no such thing as a banquet that never ends, it's inevitable."
Wei Sisi comforted Li Siyu, shook her head and said:
"I just can't understand why Wu Min didn't ask to go to the northwest frontier fortress? Did she and Zhen Zhidao have a falling out?"
"Zhen Zhidao wants to go to the weapons manufacturing department, and Wu Min wants to go to the frontier fortress. Wu Min looks down on Zhen Zhidao, so we can only part ways."
Shi Huiyu shook his head, looking very helpless.
Wu Min's spirit is completely different now. She went to the Huaidong frontier fortress, while Zhenzhidao went to the Northwestern Lizhou Arms Manufacturing Department. The two sides were far apart, so it was obviously impossible.
"Last year, the Martial Arts Hall only recruited 13 of us. In the second phase this year, more than 50 people were recruited. This is much more than last year!"
"What's there to be happy about? There are only more than 50 women out of 1,200 students, which is too few!"
Wei Sisi was very dissatisfied with Shi Huiyu's excitement.
Female students make up less than five percent of the total number of students, which is really frustrating.
"It will be fine in the future. I heard that female students will also enroll in Jinling University Hall this year. If things go on like this, it will only get better and better."
Li Siyu said quietly.
"The principal is touring the southeast and will come to Jinling in the next few days to attend the graduation ceremony and opening ceremony. I heard that the principal will bring a group of officials to Sichuan, and some of them are dudes from Jinling University. I don't know what you think?"
Wei Sisi's tone was very disdainful.
In her mind, Jinling Martial Arts Hall is much "higher" than Jinling University Hall. The Jinling Martial Arts Hall was where the young talents of the Song Dynasty were located, while the Jinling University Hall was just a group of second-generation officials.
"There are a lot of articles in the newspapers and the Propaganda Department is hyping it up. Of course it's true!"
Shi Huiyu immediately picked up the topic.
"If the principal wants to implement the New Deal on Sichuan Road, Jiangnan West Road and Liangzhe Road, of course he must have a group of capable people. Also, don't call those graduates of Jinling University a playboy. They have studied for a year and are already different from what they used to be. .”
Liu Kezhuang and others looked at each other with excitement.
From this point of view, the Propaganda Department still deserves some credit for campaigning for the New Deal.
When the emperor takes his capable generals to Sichuan, Jiangnan West Road and Liangzhe Road will naturally not be left behind. The emperor's drastic measures also made them look forward to it.
"Okay, okay! They are not playboys, they are the pillars of the imperial court. After shopping for a long time, I feel hungry, so I'd better go find a place to eat!"
After studying at the Jinling Martial Arts Hall for a year, Wei Sisi's temperament seemed to have changed a lot.
"Sisi, why didn't your father stop you when you went to the northwest frontier?"
"Graduation is all voluntary. The principal will personally take care of it. My father has no control over it. As the vice principal, he has no such power!"
"Your father must be so angry that his nose is crooked!"
Several female students left while talking, full of youth and enviable youth.
