The spring sunshine was warm and bright. The wicked man stood in the courtyard of the Grand Commandant's mansion, holding a decree that Ying Zheng had just issued, his brows slightly furrowed.
The imperial edict stated: "I observe that the lands of the six states are vast, yet their populations are sparse, and fertile fields lie fallow, which is a great calamity. Currently, grain supplies are plentiful, and the people's livelihoods are gradually improving, but the population is sluggish, making it difficult to increase national strength. You, as Grand Commandant, are in charge of military and national affairs; you must devise methods to increase the population and make our Great Qin even more prosperous."
The wicked man put down the imperial edict and fell into deep thought. Increasing the population sounds simple, but in practice, it involves countless complexities. Especially in this era of poor medical conditions and extremely high infant mortality rates, rapidly increasing the population is by no means an easy task.
"What are you thinking about, sir?" Meng Tian, a retainer, asked curiously as he entered the courtyard.
The wicked man looked up at the future general and said with a wry smile, "His Majesty has ordered me to find a way to increase the population, but how easy is that?"
Meng Tian pondered for a moment, then said, "Sir, why don't you first understand the current situation? For example, the population distribution in different regions, marriage and childbearing customs, causes of infant mortality, and so on. With this basic information, we can prescribe the right remedy."
The wicked man's eyes lit up: "You're right. Information is the foundation of decision-making; I need to understand the actual situation first."
Immediately, the wicked emperor ordered all counties to compile household registration data, investigate marriage and childbearing situations, and dispatched trusted confidants to various regions to understand local fertility customs and difficulties. At the same time, he also convened scholars from various schools of thought, including medicine, Confucianism, and Legalism, to discuss strategies for increasing the population.
Ten days later, the wicked man convened his first meeting at the Grand Commandant's residence.
"Gentlemen, I have invited you all here today to discuss strategies for increasing the population," the wicked man said bluntly. "Please begin by introducing what you know."
The physician Bian Que spoke first: "Grand Commandant, according to our observations, the infant mortality rate in rural areas is extremely high, especially in impoverished regions. This is mainly due to several reasons: first, mothers lack basic hygiene knowledge; second, newborn care is inadequate; and third, diseases are frequent and there is a lack of medical care and medicine."
The wicked man nodded: "This is indeed a serious problem. If we can reduce the infant mortality rate, the population will naturally increase."
The Confucian scholar continued, "Grand Commandant, another problem is that early marriage and childbearing are not widespread among the people. Many people postpone marriage and childbearing due to poverty, war, and other reasons, or even remain unmarried for life. This has greatly affected population growth."
The Legalist representative also offered his opinion: "Grand Commandant, the population loss from the former territories of the six states is also a problem. Many people have fled to remote areas or neighboring countries out of fear of the harshness of Qin laws. How to retain these people is something we need to consider."
A representative from the farming community added, "Grand Commandant, the phenomenon of favoring sons over daughters still exists in rural areas. If a daughter is born, some families may not value her, leading to a higher infant mortality rate for girls. Over time, this will cause a gender imbalance and further affect population growth."
The wicked man listened carefully to everyone's opinions, pondered for a moment, and then said, "What you all say is absolutely right. It seems that increasing the population requires a multi-pronged approach: reducing the infant mortality rate, encouraging early marriage and childbirth, attracting immigrants, and changing the preference for sons over daughters, among other things. We need to formulate a comprehensive policy."
After the meeting, the wicked man pondered day and night and finally drafted a "Policy to Increase the Population" which he presented to Ying Zheng.
The imperial edict received a swift reply; Ying Zheng greatly praised the policy of increasing the population and ordered its immediate implementation. Evil Fu was appointed as the chief administrator in charge of this matter, receiving ample power and resources.
The wicked husband began by addressing the infant mortality rate. He gathered medical experts to compile a concise and easy-to-understand "Infant Care Guide," which included basic knowledge on prenatal care, delivery hygiene, and newborn care.
"This book should use the simplest language and easy-to-understand illustrations so that every new mother and her family can understand it," the wicked husband told the medical expert in charge of compiling it. "In particular, we must emphasize key points such as handwashing, boiling water, and maintaining a clean environment."
Following the wicked husband's instructions, the medical experts quickly drafted a first draft. After personally reviewing it, the wicked husband made some revisions to make it more accessible and easier to understand.
"Grand Commandant, this book is finished. How should it be promoted?" a medical expert asked.
The wicked man pondered for a moment, then said, "The government can fund the printing and distribution of these to midwives and village doctors. At the same time, each county should regularly organize training sessions to teach these midwives and village doctors the correct methods of childbirth and care."
Subsequently, the wicked man devised a series of supporting measures: establishing medical offices in various counties to be specifically responsible for women's and children's health; sending medical disciples to the countryside to teach basic medical knowledge; and establishing simple clinics in densely populated areas to provide basic medical services.
These measures quickly proved effective. In just six months, the infant mortality rate in the areas surrounding Xianyang dropped significantly, and many families gained a healthy newborn.
Next, the wicked husband set about solving the problem of early marriage and early childbirth.
Although early marriage was common at the time, many people postponed marriage or remained unmarried for life due to economic pressures. The wicked husband knew that to encourage marriage and childbirth, the economic problem had to be solved first.
He suggested to Ying Zheng: "Your Majesty, I believe that marriage taxes and fees should be reduced, and newlywed families should be given some financial support, such as a one-year tax exemption or a small amount of grain. This would alleviate the financial burden on newlywed families and encourage more people to get married sooner."
Ying Zheng readily agreed: "Your suggestion is excellent. I will immediately issue an order that all newlywed families be exempt from their annual rent and taxes, and each will be granted five shi of grain."
The wicked man then suggested: "Your Majesty, I believe we could also establish a reward system for 'adding a child to the family.' Families that have children could receive certain rewards, such as tax reductions or land grants. The more children they have, the greater the reward."
Ying Zheng pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "This proposal is feasible. As you have suggested, issue the 'Addition of Offspring' decree to encourage childbirth."
Soon, an edict titled "Imperial Edict for the Introduction of New Offspring" was promulgated throughout the country: those who gave birth to one son would be exempt from tax for one year; those who gave birth to two sons would be exempt from tax for two years and be granted three mu of land; those who gave birth to three or more sons would be exempt from tax for three years, be granted five mu of land, and be granted ten shi of grain. If a daughter was born, there would also be corresponding rewards, to show that the court treated everyone equally, regardless of gender.
This edict immediately caused a great stir among the people. Many young people accelerated their marriage plans, and married couples were more willing to have more children. In rural areas, the allure of land and tax exemptions was particularly strong.
However, problems arose as well. Some families falsely reported the number of children in order to obtain rewards; some local officials took the opportunity to line their own pockets and withhold rewards; even worse, some families had too many children and were unable to support them, resulting in children ending up on the streets.
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