The Second World in Ancient Times

Looking at the slightly dilapidated palace walls and buildings, my heart was filled with worry about the current state of the country. At this moment, His Majesty came over and gently put his arm around my shoulder.

"My dear, the country is in ruins now. The road to reconstruction will be full of difficulties and obstacles." His Majesty sighed.

I shook His Majesty's hand and said firmly, "Your Majesty, although it is difficult, we must move forward. I believe that the first thing we need to do is to develop a comprehensive reconstruction plan. Just like modern urban planning and national development strategies, we must make coordinated arrangements."

His Majesty nodded. "My beloved concubine, what you said is quite true. Then, how should we start with this plan?"

I thought for a moment and said, "Your Majesty, regarding urban reconstruction, we can first divide the city into functional areas. Commercial areas should be centrally planned with shops and stalls to facilitate management and promote commercial exchanges, similar to the planning concepts of modern commercial pedestrian streets and shopping malls. Residential areas should be rationally arranged, taking into account lighting, ventilation, and sanitary facilities. We can emulate modern residential community construction and establish public wells, toilets, and other areas."

A minister stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, where will the manpower and material resources for this construction come from? Our people have just experienced war and are deeply weakened. I'm afraid they can't afford it."

I said, "Sir, regarding manpower, we can adopt the method of work-for-relief. Recruit civilians to participate in the reconstruction of the city and provide them with corresponding compensation or food. This will not only solve the labor problem, but also alleviate the people's living difficulties. Regarding material resources, the court can first allocate some from the national treasury reserves, then organize local mining of ore, felling of timber, and other resources. At the same time, encourage merchants to donate or invest in construction. This is similar to the modern public-private partnership model, mobilizing the forces of all parties."

During a discussion on farmland reclamation, I said to the Minister of Revenue, "Your Excellency, farmland is the foundation of our nation. We can send agricultural experts to various regions to guide farmers in reclaiming wasteland and teach them modern farming techniques, such as crop rotation and intercropping, to improve land utilization and yields."

The Minister of Revenue frowned and said, "Your Majesty, it's hard to find agricultural experts. And will the farmers be able to accept these new farming techniques?"

I said, "Your Excellency, we can select experienced and dedicated farmers from all over the country, train them together, and have them become local agricultural leaders. They can then teach other farmers how to use these techniques, much like modern agricultural extension workers. For farmers who adopt these new technologies, the court can offer incentives, such as tax reductions and exemptions, and provide high-quality seeds."

During a discussion on commercial revitalization, I told the Minister of Commerce, "Your Excellency, the prosperity of commerce depends on a good market environment and convenient transportation. We must repair roads and strengthen trade between regions. At the same time, we must formulate commercial laws to regulate merchants' business practices and combat fraud, monopoly, and other malpractices. This is like modern commercial law and transportation infrastructure development, safeguarding the development of commerce."

The Minister of Commerce asked, "Your Majesty, how should commercial regulations be formulated to protect the interests of merchants while maintaining market order?"

I said, "Regulations should clearly define product quality standards, price ranges, and trading methods. For example, merchants selling counterfeit and shoddy goods should be severely punished, and price gougers should be regulated. At the same time, commercial arbitration institutions should be established to resolve disputes between merchants, much like modern commercial arbitration tribunals."

In the harem, I gathered the concubines and said, "Sisters, we can't sit idly by during the national reconstruction. We can organize the palace maids to make some handicrafts, such as embroidery and weaving, and hold a small charity sale in the palace. The proceeds can be used to help the poor or support urban construction. It would be like a modern charity sale, and we can do our part."

A concubine asked, "Your Majesty, how can we publicize this charity sale so that more people can know about it?"

I said, "We could have the palace's painters create beautiful posters and post them in prominent locations around the palace and throughout the city. We could also invite scholars to write articles promoting the significance of this event and the exquisite palace handicrafts, hoping to attract common people and merchants to participate. This would be similar to modern advertising strategies."

His Majesty addressed his ministers in the court, saying, "The Empress and I have formulated numerous plans for the reconstruction of our nation. You, my dear ministers, must all work together. This is a matter of life and death for our dynasty. Only by working together can we restore our nation to its former vitality."

The ministers knelt and shouted, "Your Majesty is wise and wise. We will do our utmost!"

I also constantly encouraged the concubines in the harem: "Sisters, although we are in the harem, our every move concerns the country. We must face all this with a positive attitude, share the worries of His Majesty, and pray for the blessings of the country."

The concubines said in unison: "Your Majesty, we will obey your instructions."

As the reconstruction plan progressed, some areas began to show signs of improvement. A local official wrote, "Your Majesty, with the support of imperial policies, local people are actively participating in urban reconstruction and farmland reclamation. Commercial areas are taking shape, with many merchants beginning to come and negotiate business. New crops are also being planted in the fields, and the people are full of hope for the future."

After reading the letter, I said to His Majesty with relief, "Your Majesty, it seems our efforts are beginning to pay off. As long as we persevere, the country will surely recover."

His Majesty smiled and said, "My beloved concubine, your contribution is invaluable. I believe that under our leadership, this country will prosper."

However, during the reconstruction process, some problems also emerged. The uneven distribution of resources in some places caused dissatisfaction among the people, and some businessmen tried to exploit loopholes in business regulations for personal gain.

After learning about this, I addressed the relevant ministers, "Your Excellency, regarding the uneven distribution of resources, we must review the allocation plan to ensure fairness and justice. We can establish a supervisory group composed of local gentry and representatives of the people to oversee the resource allocation process. Businessmen who violate the rules must be punished strictly in accordance with the law and must not be tolerated. This is like a modern supervisory mechanism and the enforcement of the rule of law, safeguarding social fairness and justice."

The ministers took their orders and left, actively addressing the issues. In the palace, I continued to ponder how to further refine the reconstruction plan and enable the nation to rise more quickly from the ruins of war. Whether it was urban construction, farmland cultivation, or the revival of commerce, I would apply modern thinking, knowledge, and experience to contribute even more to the nation's reconstruction and protect this land and its people.

While addressing the issue of uneven resource distribution, I was reminded of the importance of education in national reconstruction. I addressed the Minister of Education, "Your Excellency, education is crucial to national reconstruction. We must quickly reopen schools across the country so that children can learn to read and write. We can also develop educational materials related to reconstruction, such as teaching agricultural knowledge and architectural techniques, to cultivate children's understanding of and participation in national development. This is like combining modern vocational education with quality-oriented education to cultivate practical talent for the country."

The Minister of Education said, "Your Majesty, compiling these teaching materials requires time and manpower, and the teaching staff is relatively limited."

I said, "Your Excellency, we could gather scholars and experienced craftsmen from across the country to jointly compile textbooks. Regarding teaching staff, we could select knowledgeable young people and give them a short training period before they begin teaching. Furthermore, we could establish an education reward system to reward teachers with outstanding teaching achievements and students with outstanding academic performance, thus encouraging more people to devote themselves to education."

In the harem, I organized the concubines to learn some basic medical knowledge and nursing skills. I told them, "Sisters, during the process of national reconstruction, injuries and illnesses are inevitable among the people. By learning these skills, we can provide basic medical care to injured artisans, soldiers, and others in the palace. This is like modern first aid training, which will be useful in critical moments."

The concubines all expressed their willingness to learn: "Your Majesty, we are willing to contribute to the country."

During the process of national reconstruction, I, drawing on modern thinking, knowledge, and experience, traveled back and forth between the imperial court and the imperial court, collaborating with various factions. Whether in urban planning, agricultural development, commercial revitalization, educational restoration, or harem management, I diligently introduced modern concepts and methods, hoping to quickly help the country escape its difficulties and restore its former glory. In this process, I continuously exerted my wisdom and strength, becoming a key driving force in the national reconstruction.

While focusing on education and harem medical training, I also considered the significance of cultural heritage in national reconstruction. I addressed the Minister in charge of cultural affairs, "Your Excellency, culture is the soul of a nation. During reconstruction, we must prioritize cultural heritage. We can repair war-damaged cultural relics, organize ancient texts, and host cultural events like poetry festivals and calligraphy and painting exhibitions, allowing the people to experience cultural comfort and strength amidst hardship. This, like modern cultural heritage preservation and cultural industry development, strengthens national cohesion and cultural confidence."

The Minister of Culture said, "Your Majesty, the restoration of cultural relics and the compilation of ancient books require a large amount of funds and professional talents."

I said, "Sir, regarding funding, we can allocate special funds from the imperial treasury, and encourage donations from wealthy private merchants. Regarding talent, we can gather skilled craftsmen and scholars from across the country to form a dedicated restoration and renovation team. Furthermore, we can attract more people to pay attention to cultural heritage through the holding of cultural activities, such as modern cultural publicity and promotion activities."

In the palace, I also organized cultural heritage activities for the concubines. I told them, "Sisters, we can copy ancient texts and create culturally relevant paintings in the harem. These works will not only be used for palace decoration, but can also be displayed at cultural events to spread cultural knowledge. This is like modern cultural creation and dissemination activities, starting from our own homes to promote national culture."

The concubines responded one after another: "Your Majesty, we will do our best."

During the hectic days of national reconstruction, I fully utilized my modern thinking, knowledge, and experience, working diligently for the nation's recovery in every detail. From macroeconomic policymaking to micro-level involvement in the harem, I sought to inject new vitality into the nation, allowing it to rise from the ashes of war and forge ahead toward a prosperous future. I will continue to write my own legendary chapter on this stage of history, striving tirelessly for the well-being of our nation and its people.

While promoting cultural heritage activities, I thought again about the role of science and technology in national reconstruction. I told a minister skilled in mechanical engineering and other arts, "Sir, science and technology can aid national reconstruction. We can develop new construction tools to improve the efficiency of urban construction and improve agricultural tools to enhance farming results. This is just like how modern technology drives productivity and accelerates national reconstruction."

The minister said, "Your Majesty, this technological research and development requires the innovation of craftsmen and the support of the court."

I said, "Sir, the court will provide ample financial and material support. We can establish a science and technology reward fund to reward craftsmen with innovative inventions and stimulate their enthusiasm for innovation. Furthermore, we can organize exchanges and collaborations between craftsmen and scholars, integrating theory and practice to promote the development and progress of science and technology."

In the harem, I encouraged the concubines to incorporate technological elements into their cultural heritage activities. I told them, "Sisters, when painting, we can try new pigment production methods and painting tools; when copying ancient texts, we can explore new papermaking techniques. This is like the integration of modern culture and technology, adding new charm to cultural heritage."

After hearing what I said, the concubines all expressed their curiosity and interest: "Your Majesty, we will definitely try it."

During the process of national reconstruction, I have been constantly exploring and practicing, combining modern thinking, knowledge and experience with ancient national conditions. Whether in culture, science and technology, education, agriculture, commerce, urban construction, etc., I have strived to seek innovation and breakthroughs, hoping to lead the country out of the haze of war and into a new and glorious era. I will also continue to leave my own unique mark in this long river of history and contribute all my strength to the country's revival and development.