The Second World in Ancient Times

I was in the palace, sorting out memorials from various places regarding the implementation of the new policy with Jinshu, my heart full of anticipation. At this moment, Wanqing ran over, her face beaming with joy.

"Your Majesty, great news! The new policy has already begun to show results in many places." Wanqing said excitedly.

I hurriedly asked, "Tell me quickly, what are the results?"

Wanqing said, "Your Majesty, according to the memorial, commerce is booming in the Jiangnan region due to the rise of cash crop cultivation and handicraft workshops. Many people no longer rely solely on farming for food, but have devoted themselves to industries such as mulberry planting and silkworm breeding, and tea processing. The production of silk and tea has increased significantly, and they are not only popular domestically but also exported overseas. A local merchant wrote to say: 'Your Majesty, since the implementation of the new policy, our business has flourished like mushrooms after rain. This silk workshop has employed many people, and they have a stable income and their lives have become more prosperous.'"

I smiled with relief. "This is exactly what I hoped for. As people's incomes rise, their lives will naturally improve. What about education?"

Wanqing continued, "Your Majesty, the educational reforms have also yielded remarkable results. In some towns, schools have added courses in natural sciences and the philosophy of the New Deal, and children's enthusiasm for learning has soared. A teacher wrote to me, saying, 'Your Majesty, students in schools today are no longer limited to the Four Books and Five Classics. They are curious about astronomy, geography, arithmetic, physics, and other subjects. This knowledge broadens their horizons, and they will surely become valuable talents for the country in the future.' Moreover, thanks to the court's support and rewards, more children have the opportunity to attend school, no longer constrained by poverty."

I nodded and said, "Excellent. Education is the foundation of a country. Only by giving children a better education can the country have a future. What about people's livelihood and welfare?"

Wanqing said, "Your Majesty, regarding public welfare, the establishment of nursing homes and orphanages has provided proper accommodation for the elderly, the weak, and the disabled. A local official reported: 'Your Majesty, the elderly in the local nursing homes have no worries about food and clothing, and they have dedicated care. The children in the orphanages can also read and write, and learn life skills. The people are very grateful to the court for this kind act.'"

I was delighted and said to Jinshu, "Jinshu, arrange for someone to spread this good news throughout the palace so that everyone in the harem will know the effectiveness of the new policy."

Jinshu took the order and left.

Soon after, everyone in the harem came to congratulate me.

One of the concubines said, "Your Majesty, this new policy is truly excellent. I am very pleased to hear that the people's lives have improved."

I said, "This is the result of the joint efforts of Your Majesty and all the ministers, and it is also the inevitable result of the new policies adapting to the development of the times."

At court, His Majesty addressed the ministers, "The new policies that the Empress and I have implemented are now beginning to bear fruit. This is a blessing for our dynasty and the people. You, my dear ministers, have made an invaluable contribution."

The ministers knelt and shouted, "Your Majesty is wise and wise, and the Empress is virtuous. This is the result of your Majesty and the Empress's good leadership."

However, amidst the joy, new problems also emerged. The commercial boom brought price fluctuations, and some unscrupulous merchants took advantage of the opportunity to hoard goods and drive up prices, affecting people's lives.

After learning this, I said to the Minister of Commerce, "Your Excellency, while commercial prosperity is wonderful, price fluctuations must be controlled. We could establish a price regulatory agency, much like the modern-day Price Bureau, to closely monitor market prices. Those who hoard goods and drive up prices would be severely punished, and their illegal gains confiscated. At the same time, we could encourage fair competition among businesses by establishing a business reputation evaluation system, offering preferential policies to reputable businesses to promote the healthy development of commerce."

The Minister of Commerce said: "Your Majesty, the selection of personnel and the exercise of power of this price regulatory body must be carefully regulated to avoid the breeding of corruption."

I said, "Your Excellency is absolutely right. Personnel selection must be fair and strict, and can be chosen from among honest officials and impartial individuals with business experience. The exercise of power must be subject to clear rules and regulations and subject to public supervision. This is like the construction of clean government and the checks and balances of power in modern times, ensuring fair and effective price regulation."

In terms of education, although students are enthusiastic about learning, the teaching staff is still weak, especially in some remote areas.

I said to the Minister of Education, "Your Excellency, the issue of teachers is crucial to the long-term development of educational reform. We could establish a teacher training center in the capital, select outstanding teachers and scholars to serve as lecturers, and provide regular training for teachers from all over the country. At the same time, we could encourage talented young people to teach in remote areas and provide them with generous pay and promotion opportunities. This would be similar to modern teacher training and support policies, improving teacher quality and promoting educational equity."

The Minister of Education said, "Your Majesty, the curriculum and training methods of this teacher training center still need careful planning."

I said, "The curriculum should cover teaching methods, subject knowledge, and educational concepts. Training can be conducted through a variety of methods, including classroom lectures, practical teaching, and exchanges and seminars, so that teachers can truly improve their teaching abilities. This is similar to the modern teacher education curriculum system and training model, ensuring the quality and effectiveness of training."

In terms of people's livelihood and welfare, with the increase in the number of people in nursing homes and orphanages, management and financial pressures are gradually increasing.

I said to the minister in charge of public affairs, "Your Excellency, the management and funding issues of nursing homes and orphanages need to be properly addressed. Regarding management, a comprehensive system can be established to clarify staff responsibilities and reward and punishment mechanisms. For example, staff who diligently care for the elderly and children can be rewarded, while those who fail to fulfill their duties can be punished. Regarding funding, in addition to government funding, private charitable donations can be encouraged, such as establishing a charity list to commend donors. This is similar to modern social welfare management and charitable operations, ensuring the smooth operation of public welfare institutions."

The ministers took the order and actively addressed these emerging problems.

In the harem, I continued to ponder how to further consolidate the success of the new policies and benefit more people. I told the concubines, "Sisters, even though we are in the harem, we can also support the new policies in some ways. For example, we can create some handicrafts and hold charity sales in the palace, donating the proceeds to nursing homes and orphanages to contribute to the welfare of the people."

The concubines responded one after another: "Your Majesty, we are willing to follow your arrangements."

As these problems were gradually resolved, the new policies achieved ever-more remarkable results. Business flourished in more regions, education developed, and people's livelihoods improved. Public support for the new policies grew stronger and stronger, and the country emerged as a vibrant and vibrant place. Your Majesty and I watched the nation's transformation unfold, filled with confidence in the future. We knew that with continued effort, the nation would surely reach an even more prosperous future. And in this historical journey, I, armed with modern thinking, knowledge, and experience, will continue to tirelessly strive for the well-being of our nation and its people, writing my own glorious chapter.

While focusing on the management and funding of welfare institutions, I was reminded of the importance of sustainable agricultural development to the new policies. I addressed the Minister of Revenue, "Your Excellency, agriculture is the foundation of our nation. While cash crop cultivation is showing success, we must also prioritize sustainable agricultural development. We can promote ecological agricultural concepts, such as rational fertilization and the use of natural pest enemies to control pests and diseases. This, like modern green agriculture, can both improve the quality of agricultural products and protect the environment."

The Minister of Revenue said, "Your Majesty, the concept of ecological agriculture is relatively unfamiliar to the people, so it may be difficult to promote it."

I said, "Sir, we could first conduct demonstrations in some pilot areas and organize farmers to visit and learn from them. At the same time, we could compile easy-to-understand agricultural technology manuals and distribute them to farmers. This would be similar to the modern agricultural technology promotion and demonstration base construction, allowing farmers to gradually accept the concept of ecological agriculture."

In the harem, I organized the concubines to learn some basic agricultural knowledge so that they could promote the concept of sustainable agricultural development in their correspondence with their families. I told them, "Sisters, by learning this knowledge, we can help our families encourage local farmers to adopt new agricultural techniques, which will also contribute to national agricultural development. This is like the modern-day family farming knowledge dissemination and social impact, extending from the harem to the general public."

The concubines said, "Your Majesty, we will study hard and contribute to the country's agriculture."

In the process of consolidating the results of the New Deal, I fully utilized modern thinking, knowledge and experience, and actively coordinated between the palace and the court. From business supervision to education improvement, from people's livelihood protection to agricultural development, I tried my best to introduce modern concepts and methods, hoping to make the results of the New Deal more solid and lay a solid foundation for the long-term development of the country. On this historical stage, I will continue to write my own legendary story and contribute all my strength to the country's revival and development.

While encouraging sustainable agricultural development, I also considered the role of technological innovation in driving commercial prosperity. I spoke to a minister skilled in mechanical engineering and other arts, saying, "Your Excellency, technological innovation can elevate commerce to a higher level. For example, developing new textile machinery can improve silk production efficiency, and improving tea-making techniques can enhance tea quality. This is like the integration of modern technology and commerce to enhance commercial competitiveness."

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

I said, "Your Excellency, the court will increase investment in scientific and technological innovation and establish a scientific and technological research and development reward fund. Artisans with innovative inventions will be generously rewarded to encourage them to actively carry out research and development. At the same time, exchanges and cooperation between artisans and scholars will be organized to promote the application of scientific and technological achievements. This is similar to the modern scientific and technological research and development incentive mechanism and industry-university-research cooperation, promoting scientific and technological innovation and business development."

In the harem, I also organized the concubines to participate in some technological innovation and creative activities. I told them, "Sisters, we can also use our imagination to contribute ideas for technological innovation. For example, designing some novel silk patterns or tea packaging styles can also provide inspiration for business innovation. This is like modern-day creative stimulation and business support, contributing to the prosperity of commerce from the harem."