Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 551: The th Year of Kaixi (Special thanks to the monthly ticket of book friend Compressed DC!)

The ministers in the Chuigong Hall also felt that the legislation on commercial activities in the "Great Zhou Criminal Code" was too rough, and they all expressed their agreement immediately.

After a discussion between the emperor and his ministers, Chai Zongxun decided that Ding Wei, the second assistant and minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who was proficient in finance, would preside over the second revision of the "Great Zhou Criminal Code" to improve the commercial law therein.

Chai Zongxun explained three key points:

First, private property is sacred and inviolable. The laws of the Great Zhou protect the personal and family property of all people, regardless of their status.

Of course, the Jurchens, Shiweis and other ethnic groups who were classified as slaves are not included in this list.

Second, it is a top priority to protect the "spirit of contract" in commercial activities, impose severe penalties on violations in accordance with the law, and maintain the security of daily commercial transactions.

Third, the economic rights and interests of employees must be protected, and severe punishment must be imposed on those who withhold or defraud employees’ wages.

After receiving the order, Ding Qi sent a large number of people to provincial capitals across the country to collect cases of commercial disputes and to seek suggestions from owners and workers of workshops and businesses.

On November 16th of the 45th year of Kaixi, after seven levels of selection, 2,000 of the 300,000 beauties who came to the capital entered the final step of "selecting concubines".

In the afternoon, Chai Zongxun, along with Empress Dowager Fu and the two queens Fu Zhenzhen and Diwu Chaolu, went to the Huangyi Hall to "select concubines."

The girls who were able to enter the final step of "selecting concubines" from the more than three million girls participating in the national selection were all extremely beautiful girls chosen among millions, with impeccable looks. It all depended on the taste of the emperor Chai Zongxun and others.

After the greeting, Chai Zongxun looked around and saw that the temperament of these 2,000 beauties had improved significantly compared to the concubines selected nearly ten years ago. They were all much more confident and graceful.

Chai Zongxun thought:
“Institutions are the most important in the formation of national character.

On the surface, they preach the principles of benevolence and righteousness for the people, but in private they engage in corruption, privilege and oppression. The moral standards of the nation will only decline rapidly.

Only a fair, open and law-based system can make right and wrong clear and allow righteousness to fill the world, so that the people's moral character will naturally rise without the need for guidance.

My policies over the years have made the people confident, courageous in fighting against injustice and brave in safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests. They are no longer as timid and cowardly as they were in the early years of Kaixi.

We already have the spirit and outlook of the most powerful nation in the world."

After several hours of questioning and selection by Chai Zongxun and other four people, 212 beautiful girls headed by Li Nian from Jiangnan were finally selected to enter the harem. Except for Li Nian and the other five who became concubines, the rest were nine concubines and other ladies of various ranks.

Li Nian was born in the 28th year of Kaixi (987), is 17 years old this year, and is from Lin'an.

His grandfather, Li Yansi, served the Qian family of Wuyue and was the chief clerk of Jinhua County; his father, Li Rende, was the magistrate of Hangzhou.

In the more than one month before New Year's Eve, the Ministry of Internal Affairs successively held wedding ceremonies for Emperor Chai Zongxun to bring 212 concubines into the harem.

For the remaining beauties who were not selected into the harem but entered the eighth round of final selection, Chai Zongxun ordered that twenty beauties be given to each of the twenty or so princes who had been granted fiefdoms and established their own governments, and ten beauties be given to each of the three younger brothers of the emperor. More than five hundred important civil and military officials in the court were awarded one to two beauties.

As for the other beauties who came to the capital but failed the selection, Chai Zongxun gave each of them twenty taels of silver. After they had some time to travel in Bianliang, they were sent back to their hometowns with courtesy by the government.

On December 22, the 45th year of Kaixi, Xue Ying and his entourage, who were on a diplomatic mission to Bulgaria, returned to Bianjing after a journey of more than three months.

After completing his escort mission and sending Xue Ying to Zubu Prefecture, Hu Lian, the pacification envoy of Longxiang Guard, said goodbye and returned to Central Asia.

After listening to Xue Ying's detailed account of the mission in Yanfu Hall, Chai Zongxun said with a smile:

"Lord Xue is both courageous and wise.

Samuel and other Bulgarian monarchs and ministers were not stupid at all, and they saved me the trouble of sending troops to attack.

What kind of living conditions did Xue Aiqing see in Bulgaria? "

Xue Ying said:
“Your Majesty, Bulgarians and other Europeans are all relatively tall, with high noses and deep eyes.

They eat bread and beans as their staple food, and the houses they live in are much simpler than those of the people of our Great Zhou. Under the king, there are many noble lords, each with their own fiefdom and people.

Bulgaria's tax rate is not heavy, but after years of war with neighboring countries, the death toll is extremely high, the country lacks labor, and development is very slow. Most people are illiterate, and they have to ask local Nestorian priests to write letters for them. "

Chai Zongxun nodded slightly and said:

“It is important to note that the long years of war have resulted in a huge number of deaths.

If a country wants long-term stability, it must maintain good and peaceful relations with its neighboring countries.

If we look around and see enemies everywhere, then we will be isolated and the only thing that awaits us is isolation, backwardness and misery for the people.

My dear Lord Xue, thank you for your hard work on this trip. I will confer the title of Viscount on you and reward you with ten thousand taels of gold.

The rest will all receive rewards.”

Xue Ying was overjoyed, thanked the emperor, and left the hall.

The rare treasures and hundreds of beauties from various ethnic groups that were brought as tribute from Bulgaria were all taken into the harem.

A few days later, New Year's Eve of the 46th year of Kaixi arrived.

Ever since Chai Zongxun returned from conquering the Mayan continent and pacified Kievan Rus, there has been no war in the Great Zhou for more than three years.

With the economy booming and the people peaceful and prosperous, the literary style of the Zhou Dynasty flourished. In the past two years, the trend of making friends through poetry has gradually become popular in major prosperous places such as Bianliang.

On New Year’s Eve, people who have been busy for a year would take the Dazhou rail car to visit relatives and friends after celebrating the New Year together.

When scholars and literati get together, they must go to brothels and restaurants in famous places to feast and sing poetry.

On the night of New Year's Eve, Chai Zongxun held the annual "New Year's Eve Banquet" in the imperial palace. This year, more than 4,800 concubines and concubines attended. Two new princes were added in the year, making a total of 98 princes.

There were three new princesses, bringing the total to just over a hundred.

After several rounds of drinking, Chai Zongxun raised his cup and invited everyone in the imperial family to drink together, saying:

"It has been forty-six years since I ascended the throne.

Thanks to my diligent work and enterprising spirit, our great Zhou now has a prosperous people, a strong country, thriving businesses and a harmonious society!

The key to a country's ability to stand at the top of the world for a long time lies in the people in power who lead the country's development.

I, the descendants of the imperial family, must bear in mind my ancestral precepts of "putting the people first and the world for the public", and take the interests of the vast majority of the people as the interests of the imperial family. In this way, I will surely be able to ensure that my Great Zhou country will continue to prosper for thousands of generations!
Officials represent the emperor in exercising the power to govern the people. They must not be allowed to become hereditary and become stubborn interest groups that steal public power for their own benefit! "

All the princes and princesses said:
"I, your sons, will follow your father's teachings and set an example.

We must pass on our father’s ancestral teachings of “putting the people first and the world for all” to the descendants of the imperial family of the Great Zhou Dynasty from generation to generation! ”

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Crown Prince Chai Jiyu, Crown Princess Sun Tong, Crown Grandson Chai Meibang and two princesses entered the palace to pay New Year's greetings to their father, mother, and the Empress Dowager.

Chai Meibang was born in the 38th year of Kaixi. He has two older sisters and is just eight years old this year.

The family was chatting and having a great time.

Chai Zongxun asked:
"Is Bang'er studying in the mansion now?"

(End of this chapter)