Transmigrated into a female county magistrate during a famine, leading her country to prosperity

"Sir Shen, people don't just live, they need to...live. People have seven emotions and six desires, they have joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, they have their own family affairs. Whether happy or sad, it's all life."

"But people can't just work, and they can't be away from their families just to earn a little money to save their lives. And I don't want them to work as soon as they open their eyes and sleep as soon as they close their eyes. What's the meaning of life then?"

"They can clearly learn to read with their children after work, care for the health of the elderly, and send them to the doctor in time if they are unwell. They can also spend time with their families during their rest time, go outings with their loved ones, do handicrafts and read poems with their children, and even go to the capital city as a whole family to see a different life."

Shen Xingjian looked as if he had been severely traumatized, staring blankly at Shen Zheng.

Shen Zheng said the last sentence:

"They are just working for the cloth shop, not selling to it. They are also human beings and should have human rights. Why can officials and students take a day off, but ordinary people can't? Will our cloth shop close down if we are separated from the people for one day?"

will not.

Shen Xingjian opened his mouth, but he just couldn't utter these two extremely simple words.

what happened to him?

He always thought that he was in the Ministry of Revenue, and was pleading for the people, and was a good official serving the people.

But today, the person in front of him told him that ordinary people also have "human rights".

Only then did he understand that the length of working hours is a "human right", taking a break on time is also a "human right", and being able to accompany his family and manage the household is even more of a "human right".

He felt his throat was dry and it took him a long while to utter a word.

"I'm sorry... Lord Shen, it's my fault, it's my fault..."

He doesn't know how to admit his mistakes. Is he selfish or complacent?

"No problem."

Shen Zheng interrupted him, "Sir, people always have different ideas. Perhaps everyone's views on a certain thing are biased, after all, they have different standpoints. But I am standing on the standpoint of the people at this moment, and I think this is the best."

She paused and continued:

"After all, everyone is an independent individual, and when ideas intersect, there will definitely be collisions. If you think what I said makes sense, I am very happy. If you think I am talking nonsense, I will not be angry, but I will not change my mind either."

"You are right." Shen Xingjian blurted out upon hearing this.

He looked apologetic, looked into Shen Zheng's eyes, and said seriously:

"I am narrow-minded and inconsiderate to the people. Lord Shen, let's do as you say. However, if we do so, our cloth shop may have a deficit in the first three months."

He paused, a little tangled:

"And there is also the other aspect you just mentioned. Our cloth workshop workers have good treatment and benefits. If this gets out, it will inevitably cause unrest."

He put himself in their shoes and thought, if he were a worker in other prefectures and counties and heard that working in Tongan County was so lucrative, he would at least feel envious, but would be afraid that the workers would gather and cause chaos.

Shen Zheng smiled slightly and said something that Shen Xingjian would remember for the rest of his life.

"Every uprising and revolution by the lower classes of society is basically the result of oppression. They don't want wealth and glory, they just want human rights."

Shen Zheng calmed down a little and poured him a cup of tea.

"Sir Shen, our decision this time is far from the level of causing the people to revolt. We are officials, and His Majesty also has a share in the cloth shop. Our role is to target the capital class and keep them in check."

Yes.

The fog in Shen Xingjian's mind dissipated.

Shortening workers' working hours and giving them a few days off will not hurt the landlords and tycoons much. Instead, it will free up more workstations.

He looked at Shen Zheng and suddenly understood the expression on her face.

This is just the first step for her to lead the people out. In the future...she will definitely take consecutive actions.

But another issue suddenly flashed through Shen Xingjian's mind, which made people pay attention.

He asked, "You said... if we do this, will it cause the prices of goods on the market to rise? In this way, even if the people's income remains the same and their lives are a little easier, the price of goods will rise, which is equivalent to the silver in the hands of the people, becoming even less valuable. Then they can only work harder, do one, two or even three jobs."

Shen Zheng looked at him in surprise and murmured:

"inflation."

Shen Xingjian tilted his head in confusion, "Sir Shen, what is... inflation?"

Shen Zheng gave him a rough explanation, "...the currency circulating in the market is far greater than the overall market demand, which has caused prices to rise and the purchasing power of silver and money to become low."

Shen Xingjian blinked and looked at her, a little dazed.

"Currency... means universal currency?"

"That's about right." Shen Zheng gave him a reassuring look.

"That won't happen. We are taking the money from the landlords, they don't dare to raise prices. Besides, the common people use copper coins and small change. As long as the Ministry of Revenue doesn't issue too many silver notes, there will be no inflation."

This concept felt extremely novel to Shen Xingjian. He took out a pen and paper and looked at Shen Zheng.

"Sir Shen, please explain it to me in detail. I want to write a letter to inform the Minister."

Shen Zheng nodded and told him everything he knew.

She looked at Shen Xingjian's serious profile and thought that the people in the Ministry of Revenue did not fail to understand what inflation was, they just did not have a complete concept of the matter.

......

Shangjing.

Emperor Mingyang was reviewing memorials in the imperial study. After reading two or three, he became bored and threw the memorials aside.

Eunuch Hong lowered his head and walked forward to sort out the memorials one by one and put them in order.

Emperor Ming Yang said disdainfully:

"Forget about it. They are all bullshit. They are either asking me for money or asking if I am healthy or if the queen is healthy. Or they are asking about the whereabouts of my mother."

He swung his sleeves in anger, messing up the stack of papers he had just sorted out.

"Go, show me Shen Qing's letter again. It's been so long, and I don't know if Wei Que has arrived in Tongan County."

Eunuch Hong complained in his heart that it was only a few days and people might not be able to get there even if they flew, let alone take a boat.

The emperor is usually neither impatient nor slow in temper, but as soon as it comes to Tongan County, he becomes extremely impatient.

While complaining in his heart, he took small steps and handed Shen Zheng's letter to Emperor Ming Yang.

Emperor Ming Yang took the letter and began to dislike him again:

"You're sweating, right? I left marks on you. Wipe your hands clean next time!"

"嗻......"

Eunuch Hong secretly rubbed his palms on the side of his clothes again and again.

"By the way, has the notice from the Ministry of Rites been issued? That old fellow Guo Bizheng always procrastinates when it comes to doing things."