Chapter 117 Our *Seeking Knowledge Daily* isn't like this…
"Pitifully, his clothes are thin, yet he worries that charcoal is cheap and wishes for colder weather."
Bai Juyi's poem "The Charcoal Seller" tells of the hardships faced by poor people trying to make a living. He sells charcoal for heating, yet he himself struggles to even keep warm.
"Half a bolt of red silk and a length of fine linen were tied to the ox's head to pay for charcoal." The palace market could buy a whole cart of charcoal at an extremely low price, exploiting the lower classes to the point that their lives were unsustainable.
Did a similar phenomenon occur when cotton was promoted in this dynasty? The people of Bianjing could grow and weave their own cotton, and the army could be provided with cotton-padded coats.
But after a long day of work, do the cotton-fluffing and clothing-weaving workers not even have the means to buy a cotton-padded coat?
When Fusu raised this issue in front of Emperor Renzong and several ministers, the Chuigong Hall fell silent.
The answer is, of course, yes.
Resource scarcity, government exploitation, and profit-driven merchants meant that the surplus value that reached the common people was minimal, often insufficient to sustain a basic livelihood. This was a common problem in every feudal dynasty, unaffected by the will of any benevolent ruler or capable minister. The "charcoal seller" always existed, differing only in number.
Because the answer was too cruel and contradicted the vision of a well-governed world held by Fan Zhongyan and others, no one dared to speak out. In the ensuing silence, only the Emperor calmly asked, "So, Su'er, what are your thoughts?"
Whenever Su'er raised a serious question, he was always prepared with a corresponding answer, never leaving the problem to others and shirking his responsibilities. Therefore, the Emperor believed that Su'er already had a solution in mind regarding how cotton could benefit the people.
Fusu said, "Everyone who weaves cotton clothes should have their own cotton clothes to wear. This is my view on good and evil."
He used a joke that only later generations would know, but everyone present nodded in deep agreement, then held their breath, eagerly awaiting his profound insights.
Have you ever heard of... suggested retail price?
This is another thing from later times. But the difference between modern people and ancient people lies not only in their understanding, but also in their intelligence. For example, Fu Bi showed a look of sudden realization: "Does Your Highness mean that cotton clothing, like salt and iron, is sold by the government?"
After he finished speaking, he frowned: "In that case, I'm afraid the merchants and wealthy people of Jiangnan will not be able to escape unscathed." Unless they are all incorporated into the imperial merchants, but that is impossible.
"No, that's not it. The state monopoly on salt and iron was to compete with the people for profit, and we don't do that kind of thing. Cotton-padded clothes don't need to be state-monopolized either; we should let the weavers sell them themselves. But the government will issue a regulation that the price cannot exceed a certain standard for the first three months, and after three months, the industry can set its own prices, depending on the cost."
"Of course, this guidance price cannot be too high. It must be maintained at a level that allows weavers to make a small profit and makes people feel that they would be losing out if they did not buy now. After three months, when everyone who is going to buy has bought, the rest of the people can do whatever they want with their cotton-padded clothes."
Fu Bi then asked, "What if the local officials outwardly comply but inwardly defy them, secretly raising prices and keeping the money for themselves?"
Fan Zhongyan laughed and said, "Yanguo, you are indeed too attached to appearances. Times have changed. Don't we have newspapers now? If we publish the prices, how can people below falsify them? His Highness the Crown Prince happens to be the editor-in-chief. He can do us a favor."
Fusu had just said "Yes" when he felt something was off: "Master, why are you teasing me like Su Xiaolang does!"
Fan Zhongyan laughed loudly.
Others, including Fu Bi and Emperor Renzong, were pondering something else: simply publishing government decrees in the *Qiuzhi Bao* would ensure widespread dissemination, leaving no room for those with ulterior motives to deceive the emperor. Could it be that His Highness Prince Su-er/Prince Seong's extensive publication of newspapers was all for this day?
Their gazes toward Fusu held a newfound reverence.
Fusu was completely unaware of this.
Subsequently, the price adjustment decree, following Fusu's idea, was implemented nationwide. The advantages of feudal autocracy were evident: the monarch's word was law, and there was no need to explain the origins of policies to anyone. Merchants in Jiangnan realized they had been cheated in cotton farming (in reality, they simply weren't earning as much as expected). But what could they do? They could only accept it. Their discontent was also something they could only endure.
Thanks to the "suggested retail price," newspaper advertisements, and the continuous expansion of cotton production, warm cotton-padded clothing gradually became available to every ordinary citizen of the Song Dynasty, with ownership once approaching 100%. A family might lack clothing for spring and autumn, but they would never lack cotton-padded clothing for winter—at that price, anyone who didn't buy it would be a fool!
This is precisely why Fusu dared to secretly send cotton-padded clothes to Yunzhou as relief supplies.
He cared deeply for the people, but he wasn't a saint. He couldn't bring himself to generously help outsiders when his own family was starving. So, when he received intelligence from the Imperial City Guard stating that without the Song army's aid, ordinary impoverished families might only have one piece of clothing for each member, with whoever went out wearing it while the rest remained indoors barely clothed, he was deeply moved.
Fusu was filled with emotion.
He traveled from the feudal era to the modern era. Many modern films and television dramas romanticize ancient times too much: the whole family has neat clothes to wear, they throw eggs and rotten vegetable leaves to prisoners on the road, and they can eat four dishes during the New Year... If this kind of living condition were applied to ancient times, he would definitely be a landlord. And a landlord with a lot of land.
But what is the truth?
Fusu then picked up his pen and wrote: "The people of Yunzhou are usually poorly clothed and pale. Whenever there is a drought, not only do they suffer, but they also have to pay tribute with their hard-earned grain to support the nobles of Liao. When I heard about this from my friends in the north, I couldn't help but feel a deep sorrow."
If the article were published here, it would surely be met with a barrage of criticism: You, the Crown Prince, sit high in the imperial court, yet you only have time to sympathize with the residents of the north, while turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to the cries of the people of the Song Dynasty.
Fusu further wrote: And who is the culprit behind all this? It is, of course, the incompetent and tyrannical Liao monarch and nobles. They are supported by the blood and sweat of the Han people in the north, but only superficially treat them as citizens. When the dynasty is truly in peril, their true colors are revealed. Therefore, it is best for the Han people to return to the rule of the Central Plains dynasty.
From this perspective, the stance is no longer problematic, is it? Criticizing the Liao Dynasty's incompetence and tyranny falls within the normal scope of pre-war mobilization. The call for the early return of the Sixteen Prefectures of the North to the Song Dynasty is even more so.
However, this made the article optional; anyone could write it. Therefore, in his concluding remarks, Fusu wrote: "The common people are the common people; there is no difference between the people of the Sixteen Prefectures and the people of the Great Song. They are not our enemies; they are people who also have aspirations for a better life. Today they are Liao citizens, but tomorrow they may be Song citizens."
Because any ruler who is immoral and tyrannical should be resolutely abandoned by the people, who should then choose a virtuous and capable ruler. This is a universally applicable principle. No one can stop the people from striving for a better life. This applies to officials and emperors alike.
Even though the Northern Song Dynasty consistently treated scholars and intellectuals well and had a relaxed attitude, and did not hold literary inquisitions, the author of this absurd article that so blatantly claimed "rebellion is justified" and "revolutionizing oneself" never received a high position in his life.
...But the person who wrote it happened to be the crown prince of this dynasty!
What does he want to do?
To incite the people to rebel against the Song Dynasty?
Wang Anshi held the still-wet ink of the article in his hand, his mustache trembling slightly, his expression complex and unspeakable: "Aren't you afraid that after the people read it, their hearts will be agitated, and it will be used by those with ulterior motives, causing a great disaster?"
Fusu's face was full of innocence: "But I don't think the people's hearts will be agitated because of this."
In recent years, the Song Dynasty has enjoyed favorable weather and abundant harvests. The widespread cultivation of cotton and potatoes has greatly reduced the number of people who have starved or frozen to death. The living standards of the Song people have risen significantly. Are the people not growing potatoes or carding cotton simply bored and have nothing better to do than rebel?
Wang Anshi rubbed his temples: "..."
That cannot be refuted.
The achievements of the imperial court in recent years are evident to everyone who cares.
"but……"
He was about to say, "What if the Song Dynasty produces a tyrannical ruler later?" when he suddenly stopped himself. Such a remark was tantamount to a curse, and it was inappropriate for a subject to utter it.
But then again, Your Highness, aren't you the Crown Prince of this dynasty? Isn't the Song Dynasty your destiny? Why are you so carefree and relaxed?
He was caught in a dilemma: whether to log in or not.
Wang Anshi's expression shifted between light and dark, causing Fusu's heart to leap into his throat: "What's going on? Is it not going to be published? But our 'Seeking Knowledge Daily' shouldn't be that sensitive, right..."
“No, it can be published. There’s a space available in this issue.” Wang Anshi seemed to have thought of something and wiped his face. “I’ll have someone go and do the typesetting.”
He took the article and left in a hurry.
Things went too smoothly; it was almost unbelievable. Fusu stared at his departing figure, sensing something fishy was going on. Oh well, never mind, as long as he made it to the top.
Two days later, retribution—or rather, Sima Guang—arrived.
This man, who had been entrusted with an important position by Fusu and transferred from the Censorate to head the review system with a promising future, fiercely and mercilessly rebuked the nobleman who had promoted him: "Your Highness, why do you write such a treasonous article?"
Fusu: "..."
He immediately understood what was going on. "You, Wang Anshi! No wonder you didn't say anything back then; you must have guessed your nemesis would definitely try to stop me. You were waiting for me here!"
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Author's Note: [Dog head carrying a rose][Dog head carrying a rose][Dog head carrying a rose] Happy Qixi Festival! Red envelopes will be given out in the comments!
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