"That's natural. Girls especially need to be literate. Whether they get married or start their own households, being literate will make them indispensable. At the very least, they can read contracts and such, so they won't be easily fooled!"
In her time, women were more than just half the sky; they were practically men!
It's perfectly normal for women to be literate; in fact, it's best if they're proficient in a particular trade! In comparison, women in Dasheng face immense difficulties going out. Forget about running a business; even going shopping isn't a free activity. Although Qin San Niang didn't want her daughter to take a different path, she at least wanted her to have the ability to withstand risks so she wouldn't be trapped in the mundane details of daily life forever!
For a midwife like Liu to be considered a professional woman, it was all thanks to the previous dynasty! I heard that the king back then allowed women to study medicine. But since the beginning of the Great Sheng Dynasty, the new emperor issued a decree that women no longer had to show their faces in public; they were only required to be good wives and mothers. It was a return to the era where a woman's virtue lay in her lack of talent. It has to be said that this was a regression in history.
But the wheels of history always move forward in a tortuous way. Although Qin San Niang sighed with regret, she did not find it unacceptable!
She believed that sooner or later, women would be allowed to work freely, and even become officials!
Putting aside other things, the women of wealthy or aristocratic families all had girls' schools and female teachers. The idea that "a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent" seemed more like an attempt to suppress the daughters of the lower classes, forcing them to live obediently in poverty for generations. Even if they were to become slaves or maids, they would have neither the ability nor the awareness to resist.
Hearing her words, Chief Huang became even more thoughtful, and the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. He also had an eldest daughter at home, and he was a man who doted on his daughter. His daughter was indeed very intelligent, at least that's what Chief Huang thought!
Having traveled extensively and seen much of the world, Chief Escort Huang knew all too well how low the status of women was these days. If they married well, they might have a peaceful life until old age, but that required immense luck. If they married a heartless man, it was practically hell on earth. These days, people were filled with malice towards women who had been divorced or whose marriages had ended…
"Madam Qin is truly wise!" Chief镖头 Huang sincerely complimented. Just look at this woman; without a man, she managed to escape here with her children and elderly mother—that's no small feat! His large eyes darted around, and a new idea formed in his mind. If he could establish a connection with this family, that would be quite good. Not only did they have a scholar among them, but their children were also intelligent; who knows, they might have great fortune!
"How could I possibly possess the great wisdom you speak of? We're just ordinary farmers who have endured much hardship and figured things out!" Qin Sanniang laughed heartily. If possible, who would willingly force themselves to study so hard? Isn't it because they have no other choice? Being a leisurely, wealthy old man, lounging around all day, basking in the sun—how wonderful!
The head镖师 (bodyguard/escort) was named Huang Dali, and he lived in a village outside Jiangzhou City. Their destination for this escort mission was Jiangzhou.
After careful consideration, Chief Escort Huang said, "Madam Qin, I suggest you settle down in Jiangzhou. Although Jiangzhou isn't as prosperous as Lin'an, it's not far behind. Moreover, Jiangzhou offers good resettlement benefits for refugees. A new official has arrived, and he said they'll even provide grain seeds!"
This was something his wife told him last time he went home. He still remembers the sourness in her voice; his wife was very stingy and never let anyone suffer a loss. Hearing that the refugees received grain seeds while the original inhabitants didn't, he felt incredibly resentful!
Seeing that Qin Sanniang looked puzzled, Huang Dali continued, "Our population in Jiangzhou is not thriving, especially in the last two years, with wars everywhere. In addition to conscription, some families have continued to go south to make a living, which inevitably means they have to move away with their families. The harvests were also poor in the last two years. What can you do when God doesn't cooperate? Many people have starved to death!"
Qin San Niang was shocked. She hadn't expected that people could starve to death in the south! If that were the case, wouldn't they have to endure even more hardship after traveling such a long distance?!
Wu Chunhua and Liu were even more bewildered. In their minds, Jiangzhou was a paradise on earth. How could people starve to death here?
"Chief镖头 (镖头 is a镖头 is a term of endearment for a镖头 is a slang term ...)," Liu asked with a frown. She thought to herself, "This shouldn't be the case." She had already looked at all the land along the river, and it was indeed good land! Very fertile land! Comparable to the best fields in her hometown.
"Auntie, of course our land here is very fertile!" Jiangnan is a land of fish and rice, how could it be a barren place?
But how could Huang, the镖头 (bodyguard/escort), not know what Liu was thinking? So he patiently explained, "Most of those fertile lands are in the hands of noble families. We commoners are lucky to have even a decent paddy field! Not to mention the exorbitant cost of the land, the taxes after the harvest each year can be enough to crush a person! Otherwise, I wouldn't be out here escorting goods! It's a life-threatening profession! Don't you think so, Auntie?"
"That's true, this job is not easy! I never thought we could escape taxes no matter where we go! It's really killing the people!" Liu's heart was heavy.
Previously in Liujia Village, every year there were elderly farmers who were forced to sell their children or even their land because they could not pay taxes. However, this was just a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul, a desperate measure to quench their thirst.
Qin San Niang was also annoyed. She thought that she could settle down and live a peaceful life after coming here, but she didn't expect there to be so many troubles.
"Brother Huang, how much did they sell the land for?" Qin San Niang asked with concern, which was probably also a point of particular interest to Wu Chunhua and Liu Shi.
"Ten taels of silver for a mu of top-grade land, five to seven taels for medium-grade land, and four taels for low-grade land. Mountain land is even cheaper. We have many mountains in the south, but they are all barren and can't produce much crop. Besides, even clearing those mountains would cost a lot of money, plus fertilizing the land, which would cost another sum of money, and we would have to wait two years to see the money. It's not worth it!" Huang Dali explained in detail because he was eager to make friends.
A barren mountain?! That's great! Qin San Niang's skills have improved now. If it's a barren mountain, she can buy some fruit tree seedlings to plant fruit trees or even medicinal herbs! She can even use the books in her spatial supermarket.
Moreover, the barren mountains are vast; they could build a mountain villa there—wouldn't that be wonderful! As for the wasteland? It would be fertile in two years, and her assets would be more than enough to feed her family for two years!
"Brother Huang, thank you so much! Where in Jiangzhou City can we sell barren mountains? Preferably ones with convenient transportation. To be honest, I'm quite good at planting fruit trees, and mountain land would be perfect for an orchard!" Qin Sanniang asked with a smile.
The more she thought about it, the more feasible it seemed! Since she was easily ostracized in the village, she might as well develop her business in the mountains. Firstly, the mountains would provide cover, making things easier. She also wanted to cultivate wild mushrooms and medicinal herbs, after all, she was someone with power and influence. Secondly, it would save her from dealing with the original inhabitants and avoid being targeted by them.
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