The Sinful Woman's Golden Branch: The Jade-Faced Yama is Actually Me (Twenty-Two Chapters...)

How was a place described as wealthy in ancient times?

People didn't starve to death, and the rich became extremely wealthy, but the wealth of Dengzhou was incomparable to that of the past.

As a major coastal prefecture, Dengzhou's most prominent product is, of course, salt.

The salt produced in Dengzhou, blessed by the goddess of Wushan, is delicate, white, and free of impurities. Even though it is extremely valuable, it is still in short supply. The annual revenue of the salt administration cannot even fit into a single warehouse.

Dengzhou is also a major maritime port, and many countries have to land in Dengzhou to come to Yulin.

Although Dengzhou has a bad reputation for "plundering our women", its port system is the most transparent. Apart from the fact that some women come to Dengzhou and don't want to leave, no port has a more complete and transparent trade system than Dengzhou Port.

The thriving overseas trade not only provided numerous jobs for the locals, but also allowed them to exchange their cheap handicrafts for high-priced silver from foreign lands.

The government only levied taxes on customs duties and commercial taxes, and did not care about free trade in other areas, so the people and merchants were extremely wealthy.

While the local businesses were prosperous, they also hired a large number of migrant workers, offering not only generous wages but also strict adherence to government-mandated holidays.

For some reason, the Terengganu government cracks down very hard on this, strictly prohibiting vicious competition that lowers labor costs and not allowing low-cost, low-industry operations.

Even outside businesses that want to integrate with Terengganu must ensure that their employees comply with Terengganu's labor laws.

The selling price in transactions with foreign businesses cannot be set privately; it must be uniformly implemented according to customs pricing.

All merchants are only allowed to sell goods at a uniform price and are prohibited from using cheap labor to compete on price.

Otherwise, they will be prohibited from entering Dengzhou's commercial and trade sector. There will be rewards for reporting such behavior, and the penalties will be extremely severe. We will crack down on unscrupulous merchants who disrupt the market!

Of course, there's another condition: Dengzhou only accepts female merchants. No matter what you're really like outside, when you come to Dengzhou, we'll send you a female representative.

Because of this, many people in Dengzhou have side jobs. With ample holidays, they can work in workshops, take care of farm work, and some even run their own handicraft businesses, managing both farming and commerce.

There's no way around it; the working people are just too industrious. Even if you forbid them from competing internally, they'll still find a way to do something about it.

However, the anti-involution system is still somewhat effective. The people of Dengzhou generally have a more relaxed lifestyle, with many holidays and leisure time, which leads to higher consumption.

The problem of food supply was solved when the people of Dengzhou were granted land.

It was not only because she had her own private property, but also because after the princess took over Dengzhou, she organized the people and vigorously built water conservancy facilities. The yield of farmland was much higher than when the government was inactive and the land was abandoned everywhere. She also did not levy taxes arbitrarily.

After deducting normal taxes, each household can have a lot of grain left over, which they can then sell.

The ancients knew that "sowing one grain of millet in spring yields ten thousand grains in autumn." In fact, as long as the government doesn't mess things up, farmers won't starve. The money they earn from the competition can be used to eat well.

Restaurants are everywhere in Dengzhou, and they are all doing brisk business.

When people in Dengzhou have holidays, they like to go to restaurants to spend money. They eat three meals a day, and most of their meals contain meat.

There were special water suppliers who sold purified water to wealthy families for brewing tea. Ordinary families never drank raw water. Every family could afford firewood for boiling water, and they also kept a jar of medicinal wine from the government at home for warding off evil spirits and for castrating livestock.

So where did the enormous amount of supplies consumed by the people of Dengzhou come from in ancient times when resources were scarce?

They came from another state.

Dengzhou is not only a major trading center but also a major consumer market. Truckloads of seasonal fruits, fresh pork and duck, tea, textiles, charcoal, and matches can be transported to Dengzhou in the morning and sold out by the afternoon.

The neighboring states of Mississippi and Leicester could only watch as the fruits of their hard work were quickly given away to their neighbors, giving rise to a satirical poem—

"At cockcrow I rise barefoot, burdened with heavy loads on my shoulders. Why the rush? To deliver the goods to my neighbor."

The people of Missouri and Leicester are so envious of the kind of life their neighbors are living that they can't sleep at night.

They were so far apart, why weren't they the ones who were originally designated as the princess's fiefdom?

Men can only sigh in despair, but women are a little better off; they can go to Dengzhou to work.

Dengzhou strictly prohibits low-paying, light-job work. When workers from other places come, they are also subject to Dengzhou's wage and holiday standards.

Working in Dengzhou earns more than a year's worth of work back home, and the work is much easier. More and more people from other places are flocking to Dengzhou, providing not only labor for the locals but also rental income.

For these reasons, the population of Dengzhou nearly tripled in a short period of time.

Dengzhou is a famous matriarchal society with such a large population base, so population growth is a normal thing. However, these newly added households are not newborns, but rather those who have fled taxes, famine, or males, as well as a large number of migrant workers.

Dengzhou has very lenient conditions for women to settle down, which has attracted a large number of women who could not make a living in their original hometowns to come here or work in the area in a short period of time.

They came from afar, didn't know anyone, and settled down directly, enjoying great success.

Unfortunately, it's located near Terengganu, so it's easy for them to be tracked down and sent back. They have no choice but to work in Terengganu.

Every time I return to my ancestral home from Dengzhou, it feels like going from heaven to hell. How can two worlds exist at the same time?

Because of this word-of-mouth tradition, the number of people in Dengzhou increased, and they were all able-bodied adults.

In ancient times, population was the best indicator of the prosperity of a state or county.

But as a modern person, looking at the ever-growing population, Ye Xiqing even developed a phobia of population.

Having finally arrived in ancient times, a land of vast land and sparse population with a total population of only 40 million, they suddenly find themselves surrounded by crowds of people everywhere.

Seeing the growing number of people, Ye Xiqing immediately realized that urban planning was needed, otherwise demolition would be difficult in the future.

In ancient times, there was no specialized profession for city planning. Planning was carried out by a highly capable person with exceptional talent and wisdom.

Logically speaking, Ye Xiqing should be the capable person by the princess's side, but she is not capable in the sense of being all-around capable; she has not studied urban planning.

No problem, just find a professional plumber to do it. She will provide some ideas for zoning based on her past experience, but you'll still need to find a professional for things like the drainage system.

In addition, an excellent painter should be found to be in charge of the art, and that's how Shangguan Lanyi came from the capital.

As the emperor's favorite painter, Shangguan Lanyi, who was specially summoned to paint for him, was undoubtedly the best painter of his time.

Li Wenyuan also missed her daughter very much. After listening to Ji Siyin's rambling letter, she immediately ordered Shangguan Lanyi to go to Dengzhou, firstly to help her daughter with city planning, and secondly to bring back the jade statue of the princess.

Shangguan Lanyi came here not only to paint people, but also to paint objects.

She would make a point of drawing people, and when drawing objects, she would follow the "three-person group that eats and takes" at banquets.

As the saying goes, "A scholar should be looked at with new eyes after three days' absence." The trio, now wearing official hats and completely transformed, smiled at her and said, "Lord Shangguan, welcome to Dengzhou."

Shangguan Lanyi: ...

Horses moved slowly as a large group of people filed out of the inn.

Shangguan Lanyi rode his horse along the road to Dengzhou, marveling at the scenery all the way.

She was a noblewoman from the capital, and had never been unfamiliar with prosperity. But when she arrived in Dengzhou, she realized what Dengzhou's wealth truly meant: the wealth of its people. From top to bottom, everyone looked rich and happy, radiant with joy.

Of course, besides wealth, Shangguan Lanyi could also appreciate other unique characteristics of Dengzhou.

Those walking and working in the market are mostly women, with few men.

The women were all tall and robust, without makeup, dressed simply, and some were even unrestrained, working shirtless with great enthusiasm.

In contrast, the men on the road were dressed in flamboyant attire, with flowing ribbons, graceful figures, and many of them had their faces covered with white powder and adorned with flowers. Their manners were charming and they were very beautiful, making it easy to glance at them a few more times without realizing it.

Ye Xiqing rode alongside her, and seeing her expression, he couldn't help but laugh and say, "What, Lord Shangguan, have you also been attracted to my Dengzhou's flower-adorned gentleman?"

"Although Dengzhou does not encourage sex trade, with Lord Shangguan's talent and looks, if someone is willing to sincerely seek him out, perhaps someone will voluntarily follow you back to the capital."

"Our Dengzhou Zanhualang has a unique feature: all of them have undergone purification measures, making them very safe to use, unlike those outside."

Shangguan Lanyi: ...

No, no, no! She's a decent person!

However, before this, Shangguan Lanyi had learned about the culture of Dengzhou and knew that the purification method was partial castration, so she couldn't help but wonder: "How could a man voluntarily castrate himself?"

Ye Xiqing chuckled lightly: "Who knows?"

“They were given land, and as long as they worked hard, they could get rich. But there were always people who wanted to get something for nothing. Anyone with a bit of looks wanted to dress up and curry favor with high-ranking officials and wealthy families. Some even wanted to marry a princess.”

“The government has repeatedly issued orders to prohibit men who have not yet offered their children from privately castrating, but this has been repeatedly prohibited and has become a common practice.”

"They did it willingly, so what can we do? We can only let them be. Anyway, there are plenty of foolish women willing to support them."

"Perhaps for them, it's something to be happy about—to achieve instant success with just a little pain, avoid hard work and toil, and have someone to rely on for life."

Shangguan Lanyi couldn't help but marvel at how vast and wondrous the world truly was.

The men outside regard that thing as a treasure, heavier than the sky, while the men here would actually castrate themselves. How strange, how strange.

Putting aside this strange trend, Shangguan Lanyi also observed other local customs and traditions. Just then, a theatrical troupe was performing a charity show on the public stage. Looking at the people on the stage, Shangguan Lanyi thought they seemed to be two women.

It's not that there are two actresses playing the roles; the characters are two women.

The characteristic operas of Dengzhou, "Two Lifetimes of Joy" and "Three Visits on Horseback," are very popular in the capital, but it seems there are no scripts for them.

Ye Xiqing never expected that those two plays would become popular in the capital. How would our emperor feel after watching them?

Suppressing a smile, she patiently explained to Lord Shangguan, "This is a new folk play called 'Sea Romance'."

"It tells the story of our great Captain Peng Liangong, who sailed to India and brought back to China the most beautiful noble lady, Lakshmi. It is based on a true story, and the two really did get together."

"Miss Lakshmi's arrival not only brought India's unique songs, dances, and musical instruments, but also a magical seed to Dengzhou, a magical crop that can be used to keep warm in winter."

"Although in Dengzhou, most households are still settled by mothers and sons or women and men, the government does not prohibit women from settling down together."

"It's a beautiful love story, and we all wish them well. We wrote a play to commemorate it."

"Lord Shangguan designed the city walls of Dengzhou, and his contributions were immense. Even after you are gone, the people of Dengzhou will remember you in this way."

Shangguan Lanyi: ...

The people of Dengzhou are so open-minded...

And please, no more commemoration! I have nothing on me to write about!

Ye Xiqing chuckled, it was unclear whether he had taken it to heart.

Shangguan Lanyi followed her with a chill running down her spine. After arriving at a desolate beach, they encountered something even more unimaginable: "You mean, this is a cemetery?"

Ye Xiqing nodded.

Dengzhou is a coastal city, so natural disasters are a major concern. Therefore, Ye Xiqing wants to build a number of coastal protective forests to resist typhoon salt spray.

With advanced modern technology and a large population, planting is something that can be done easily.

In ancient times, the population was small, so starting a project alone would be a huge undertaking.

So, in order to save money, effort and manpower, she canceled the traditional burial and switched to tree burial.

After the body is burned, the bones are placed in a jar and a tree is planted on top.

When you miss your ancestors, go and tend to the trees. When you come back, pick some pine cones. It's a sign of their blessings. Even if your family has fallen on hard times, you can still make a decision against your ancestors: cut down the trees, sell them for money, and make a comeback.

Of course, remember to dig out the roots and plant a new tree.

If you're short of money, your ancestors won't blame you, but you can't let them become homeless.

For the sake of our ancestors, for the sake of the ecosystem, let's plant a new one.

As for cremation, Ye Xiqing didn't even want to be cremated.

Humans consume countless living beings in the world, and after death, their flesh and blood turn into nutrients, which is only natural. The corpse becomes fertilizer, and the trees grow even more vigorously.

However, if we don't burn it, we're afraid of polluting the water and soil, which could lead to a major epidemic.

Ancient methods for dealing with plagues were too limited; to be on the safe side, burning was still necessary.

Shangguan Lanyi stared at Ye Xiqing in disbelief: "Then how did you convince the people to agree?"

People in this era place great importance on where they go after death. How could anyone agree to such a heretical idea?

Ye Xiqing smiled and said, "There's no need to persuade them. The people of Dengzhou have all benefited from the Goddess of Wushan. They will naturally follow the Goddess's instructions."

"The Goddess of Wushan is a goddess of nature; she reveres life more than death."

“A person can only enjoy worldly offerings while they are alive. Yet people outside the world regard death as a major event in life and make a big fuss about it, while they regard life as filth and avoid it like the plague. Isn’t this putting the cart before the horse?”

"The Goddess of Wushan is a goddess who reveres life, so she cherishes women and values ​​childbirth, but does not emphasize the rituals of death."

"She once said that when a person dies, it is like a fallen leaf returning to its roots, returning to its homeland, like a great dream, and then being reborn in the spring of a certain year."

“The dead soul will eventually be reborn, and the departed spirit can see through thousands of years by the eyes of the tree spirit.”

"No matter when, only the earth of life is the land where living beings reside. We must never be attached to the dead, treat the living poorly, or compete with the living for land."

"If you miss your ancestors, plant a tree with your own hands to commemorate them. The longing of your loved ones will allow the spirits of the deceased to linger on the tree, coexisting with it for thousands of years."

Shangguan Lanyi listened intently to Ye Xiqing's narration.

I used to think that the "Witch Cult" practiced in Dengzhou was strange and bizarre, but now I find that this sect is actually so grand and magnificent!

In comparison, the outside world of Dengzhou, which is said to have reversed yin and yang, truly seems to have reversed yin and yang.

Yes, why do we value the dead more than anything, yet deny the living a chance at life?

Outside, funeral music and festivities filled the air, while inside, a woman giving birth was driven to the woodshed, forced to endure in silence. Is this truly a scene that should exist in the countryside?

Shangguan Lanyi looked at the people who had come to pay their respects at the funeral.

Funerals in Dengzhou are not about loud crying or commotion; those who want to cry can cry, and those who don't need to perform.

The crowd quietly dug the hole, buried the tree, added soil, and watered it, thus completing the funeral.

There are forest rangers nearby who help look after the trees, and the government pays them a salary.

If the tree survives, it doesn't matter; if it dies, notify the family to replace it with another one. If that's too much trouble, you can hire a funeral service.

The funeral industry is a new type of funeral service that has emerged to replace coffin shops. It collects ashes from various places and provides a one-stop service of planting trees and protecting forests at tree burial sites.

The disadvantage of burying a tree yourself is that it costs money, but the advantage is that it's worry-free. If there are any problems with the trees later, the forest ranger will directly notify the burial company to handle it. If there are no problems, the burial company makes a pure profit.

Tree burials use black pines, which are very resilient and have an extremely high survival rate. The funeral industry organizes people to cultivate the trees in a unified manner, which is cheaper than individual tree cultivation. It's similar to the principle of insurance; if you don't lose money, you've made a profit.

Of course, the tree's assets still belong to the family. The funeral arrangements only cover the tree until it reaches adulthood. After that, it will still need to be maintained and additional expenses will be paid. If the family falls into poverty in the future, they can still make a decision that goes against their ancestors' wishes.

Because it is extremely convenient, not only locals in Dengzhou use this method for burial, but some funeral homes have also expanded their business to other places, collecting ashes from other areas, mainly focusing on small profits and quick turnover.

Ye Xiqing would not refuse anyone's help in planting protective forests; Dengzhou accepts ashes from anyone.

The funeral rites outside kill a tree, but the funeral rites of the witch's cult bring a tree back to life.

Shangguan Lanyi was unaware of Ye Xiqing's true thoughts. She was simply overwhelmed with emotion and went back to spread out her canvas and pick up her brush to paint.

According to Ye Xiqing's vision, Peng County should have a large, centralized city with roads wide enough for ten horses to ride abreast, serving as a gateway to welcome visitors.

Other border counties should also have small towns to facilitate the lives of the people.

The people lived in clusters every few miles, and these clusters were loosely connected yet not scattered, making it easy for the people to take care of each other.

While ensuring residents' daily lives are protected, we must not forget about the environment. We need to designate special ecological zones where we can plant mulberry, hemp, and pine trees.

A matriarchal society would certainly not overpopulate, so there would be no need to worry about people having nowhere to live or where to farm in the future.

According to the original agreement, Dengzhou will only need to pay taxes and tributes to the imperial court as before.

Now that Dengzhou's wealth is renowned throughout the land, the tribute is still paid according to the original regulations. Only Ji Siyin himself knows how much has been "concealed."

With its abundant finances, Dengzhou was able to complete all the urban construction and renovation projects; it had no shortage of money for infrastructure development.

But familiarity breeds contempt, and after so many years away from home, the princess was starting to miss her family.

Seeing the familiar faces from the capital, he couldn't help but ask, "How is my mother, the Empress?"