After Zhao Yue took Xie Rong Zhaolian to several snack shops, they went to the famous Zuixiang Tower in the capital.
As soon as they arrived at the door, Changfeng came to report first: "Zuixiang Tower has been booked for a cultural event today. Do you want to go and take a look, Prince?"
Zhao Yue is a military commander. Although he has been studying since he was a child, he does not like the arty poetry gatherings of literati. "Guobao, do you want to take a look?"
Xie Rongzhao shook his head like a rattle: "Please spare me, my father forces me to study and practice calligraphy at home every day. Now that I finally come out to play, do you still force me to listen to those poems and songs? Uncle, I’m a young lady, and I won’t be able to become an official if I don’t take the imperial examination, so there’s no need to be so cruel, right?”
Zhao Yue was amused by her little eyes full of resentment.
This kid really has his taste!
That's right, you work so hard normally. Since you are out to play, why bother to join in this kind of fun that you are not interested in?
Changfeng whispered again: "Your Majesty, Miss, Xie Juren is also inside."
Since it was a cultural gathering organized by Xie Lin, Xie Xiuwen was naturally there.
Xie Rongzhao was still not interested. She was still a child and couldn't do anything to help.
Even if she has Prince Zhao behind her, it doesn't mean that she can interfere in her father's affairs at will.
She believed that with her father's ability, even if she encountered difficulties, she would be able to resolve them properly. After all, her father was a Jie Yuan, so he couldn't just immerse himself in studying.
Zhao Yue saw that Xie Rongzhao had no special reaction, so he teased: "Aren't you worried about your father?"
Xie Rongzhao looked unconcerned: "Since this is a literary event organized by the Xie family, I shouldn't embarrass my father even if he sees the same surname. Besides, I heard my father say that Xie Lin is a talented man with good moral character. If you are so good, how can you do something that damages the reputation of a scholar?"
Zhao Yue raised his chin slightly, this little girl is not simple!
Even so, Zhao Yue still left two people here to keep an eye on the goings-on here, and then took the little boy to play elsewhere.
What they don't know is that the literary meeting has just begun, and dozens of talented people inside have just been aroused. Some are composing poems, some are thinking of pairs, and some are talking about ancient and modern sages, etc. , the excitement has just begun to appear.
Zhao Yue took the little boy and bought a lot of snacks, turned a corner, and entered through the back door of Zuixiang Building.
There was no plaque here, so the little boy didn't even know they were in Zuixiang Building. After being invited up the stairs in the corner to the second floor, she realized that this was actually Zuixiang Building.
Xie Rongzhao's mouth was so shocked: "Uncle, can't you say it?"
Zhao Yue smiled mysteriously: "I'm really curious. The capital hasn't been so lively for a long time."
Zhao Yue thought about it and felt that what he said was wrong: "It should be said that I haven't encountered such a lively cultural gathering for a long time. Last time around the Spring Festival, I was out helping the Lord on errands. When I came back, it was almost May. Well, naturally I didn’t appreciate such a lively scene.”
Xie Rongzhao's mouth twitched, somewhat speechless.
Since you, old man, are interested, then come in openly and openly!
What's going on so quietly? It always feels like being a thief!
The lobby on the first floor was busy, and there were also many people standing on the second floor, gathered around the railings. Some were chatting energetically, some were in groups, and some were alone and seemed to have some insights.
All in all, the atmosphere here is quite harmonious.
Xie Rongzhao ignored what was going on outside the window and only focused on competing with the delicious food in front of him.
It's a pity that she is a little baby. No matter how much she wants to try new things, she has to be defeated by her small stomach.
There was a table of dishes, and after one or two bites of each plate, I felt full in my stomach.
"Don't be in a hurry, dear. I'll have someone deliver a table like this to your home later. There's no need to rush."
Xie Rongzhao felt a little aggrieved. If she had known these dishes tasted so good, she shouldn't have eaten so many snacks before.
"Oh, I wish I had grown up."
Zhao Yue laughed loudly.
After eating and drinking, the arguments outside seemed to be getting louder and louder. Zhao Yue ordered someone to open the door, but because there was half a curtain, people outside could not see who was in the room.
"Since ancient times, merchants have been a lowly family. Since the founding of the Great Zhi Dynasty, His Majesty the Holy Ancestor has been kind and virtuous. The status of merchants has been greatly improved compared to the previous dynasties. Even so, there are still some merchants who are not satisfied and actually try to use merchants as merchants. Or maybe the descendants of merchants are taking the imperial examination to become officials. This is an attempt to undermine our great governance. If it is found out, it would be best to cut off their fame immediately!"
It turns out that there was an incident in Yanzhou last year where the son of a merchant changed his household registration and then participated in the scientific examination.
According to the law of this dynasty, merchants within three generations are not allowed to take scientific examinations.
Moreover, the laws of the Dazhi Dynasty were very strict in this regard. Unless they received special permission from the Holy One because of their great achievements, this was an iron law that no one else could shake.
In the previous dynasty, the emphasis was on agriculture and suppressed business. Merchants had complicated taxes. They often worked hard for a year and could earn hundreds of taels of silver. However, the miscellaneous taxes alone would cost about 50%, and the rest had to be dealt with in various ways. There are really not many left in the hands of the bureaucracy’s gentlemen.
When the emperor of the Dazhi Dynasty founded the country, he received help from several Confucian businessmen. Later, the status of businessmen was elevated. At least some inexplicable miscellaneous taxes were banned, and the merchants of the previous dynasty were accepted as lowly and their status was low. The merchants no longer have to grovel everywhere.
Merchants who have obtained the status of imperial merchants will naturally have a higher status.
However, Emperor Shengzu still adopted a policy of focusing on agriculture and suppressing business, because merchants were not allowed to purchase fields.
Merchants can buy houses, shops, and servants, but they cannot buy fields.
Generally speaking, if an elder in a family is registered as a merchant, then all members of the family are registered as merchants, and no one can have land in their name.
And if the parents are still alive at home and someone in the younger generation is registered as a merchant, then unless the family is separated, the same will happen.
The reason why the Holy Ancestor Emperor had such a national policy back then was probably because he was afraid that during the Great Rebellion, like the previous dynasty, the land would be annexed by the powerful and merchants, leaving the farmers with no land to farm.
Because of this national policy, the status of merchants has been improved since the founding of the Dazhi Dynasty, but it is still restricted; while farmers can steadily make a living by farming, and they can be regarded as performing their duties.
Of course, all national policies have loopholes that can be exploited.
For example, some merchants are trying their best to hoard land for themselves.
They and their relatives cannot have land in their names, but they will find ways to buy servants with good status.
To put it bluntly, if there is land in my servant’s name, and the servant belongs to me, then the land is mine.
