Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1093 - 128: Water Mill (2)

"Your Highness, I’m not here to complain, but we’re simply too busy." Following the trade conference, the Ministry of Industry has been swamped with erecting schools, homes, libraries, commercial zones, fixing roads, and more. Lately, they’ve also been tasked with raising water mills and opening shops along the Lingnan River’s banks—they’re utterly overwhelmed. "Your Highness, the Ministry of Industry was already short on manpower, and now you aim to create commercial districts on both sides of the Lingnan River; it’s... truly more than we can bear." The commercial district inside Swamp Prefecture City remains unfinished, and Your Highness now pushes for a commerce city flanking the Lingnan River—it’s completely wearing them out.

Witnessing the Ministry of Industry’s Chief of Staff nearly in tears, Zhao Yao sensed some guilt. He brought a fist to his lips, coughed softly twice, and remarked, "Ahem, there’s truly no alternative. Simply rent out the land along both sides of the Lingnan River and allow them to erect the shops on their own."

"That matches my exact thoughts." Letting merchants construct the shops themselves would avoid heaps of hassle.

"However, they cannot erect whatever they please. Your Ministry of Industry needs to define standards and ensure they build the shops to those guidelines." Permitting merchants to construct freely might lead to bizarre structures. Ugly, haphazard shops lining both sides of the Lingnan River would ruin the city’s look entirely.

"Your Highness, why not adopt the standards from the commercial city inside the city?"

"That won’t do—all commerce cities looking identical would defeat the purpose." Zhao Yao shot a stern look at the Ministry of Industry’s Chief of Staff. "For the commerce city along both sides of the Lingnan River, your ministry must craft a design, then make the merchants follow those rules in building the shops."

"Yes, Your Highness." Planning a commerce city beats building it hands-on any day.

"Oh, and the commerce city along both sides of the Lingnan River absolutely requires a Goulan Court."

The Ministry of Industry’s Chief of Staff blurted out, "Goulan Court?"

"What’s going through your mind? Forget the Goulan Court; that’s not a brothel like you’re picturing." Zhao Yao drew inspiration from the Song Dynasty’s Goulan Market in his dream from another world. "A Goulan Court is dedicated to shows—like operas, tales, acrobatics, shadow plays, and similar acts—all staged inside." At heart, a Goulan Court serves as an entertainment spot.

Upon hearing Zhao Yao’s clarification, the Chief of Staff flushed red in shame. "I get it now, Your Highness."

"The commerce city needs a night market too..." Zhao Yao described the full layout of the commerce city on both banks of the Lingnan River to the Chief of Staff in great detail.

The Chief of Staff paid close attention and jotted down thorough notes.

"With the commerce city finished, we’ll end the curfew." Swamp Prefecture’s ongoing builds mean the curfew persists for now. After the city’s commercial district wraps up, Zhao Yao intends to scrap the curfew.

"Your Highness, won’t lifting the curfew cause issues?" Curfews have ruled since ancient times, lifted only for Lantern Festival, never otherwise.

"Nothing wrong with it at all. Nights bring the real excitement." Zhao Yao declared, "Lifting the curfew is key to making Swamp Prefecture thrive even more."

The Chief of Staff figured curfew matters weren’t his to fret over. Plus, Swamp Prefecture City’s commercial district isn’t done, so fretting about the curfew feels premature.

After briefing the Chief of Staff on various points, Zhao Yao dismissed him. Next, he called in Zheng Qian and Wen Daoji to hash out commercial taxes and laws.

Last year’s Swamp Prefecture launch brought initial commercial taxes and legal setups, yet today’s needs demand expansions and refinements.

With trade booming for the people, solid laws must shield them from scams. Buyers too deserve safeguards against shady sellers.

Zhao Yao isn’t stifling business, but commercial taxes can’t trail agricultural ones—they should exceed them. Still, Lingnan’s commercial tax stays below inland rates to draw merchants from the heartlands.

Zhao Yao urges the people to take part in trade to make money, all while boosting grain prices to give farmers assurance in their farming. He intends to cut agricultural taxes as well. Lingnan's climate proves perfect for producing numerous grains and fruits, yet without profits, farmers will flock to business for gains too, leaving the question: who will then cultivate the grains and fruits?

He promotes women's participation in business too. Women involved in business gain a one-third tax cut.

For women's safeguards, numerous protective measures have been introduced. Firstly: women possess equal inheritance rights to men. Of course, women and men alike bear support duties. The old idea of married daughters as spilled water vanishes.

Secondly: Women hold land rights just like men. When a daughter weds and leaves, land may form part of her dowry.

Thirdly: Women can pursue studies like men, and parents lack authority to bar daughters from school.

With free schools established, girls from age six onward may enroll.

Fourthly: Safeguarding women's assets. Post-marriage, a woman's dowry stays safe from her husband's family seizing it, nor can her own kin misuse it freely.

Upon her husband's death, a woman claims inheritance from his property. Even remarrying doesn't let her late husband's kin reclaim what she rightfully inherits.

Fifthly: Post-marriage, should a woman suffer spousal abuse, she may seek divorce via officials. Husbands guilty of such violence face harsh penalties. If she slays him amid the violence, no crime attaches.

Sixthly: Rape of a woman brings the death sentence to the offender.

Seventh: ...

Zhao Yao had planned to let women sit for imperial exams and serve as officials. But the moment isn't ripe yet. Pushing it now would spark backlash. Even women's schooling stirred massive resistance from ministers before. In a few years, once more women thrive in business, suggesting women in office will fit better.

Refining trade taxes and laws demands more than a day or two. Zhao Yao first sketched the key areas needing bolstering, then tasked Wen Daoji and Zheng Qian with suggesting extras as needed, gathering for talks to confirm practicality.