OBS Chapter 368 Consort Fucha
Chapter 368 Consort Fucha
If we want to increase the population, we could actually implement a monogamous system.
Although the Qing Dynasty is now powerful, there are still many men who cannot find wives. If they can't even find wives, how can they have children?
Meanwhile, officials and wealthy young men had many wives and concubines.
With so many people in the inner quarters, infighting is inevitable, and with so much infighting, children often suffer losses.
If monogamy is implemented, more men will have the opportunity to start families and build careers, thereby promoting population growth.
Fucha Peiyun immediately thought of the six concubines in Hongchang's harem.
Over the years, Empress Liang Wanyi has performed well, and the six concubines have also behaved themselves and given birth to their children safely.
The six concubines had done nothing wrong; it wouldn't be right to depose them without cause.
Furthermore, allowing concubines to return home is beneficial if they are young, beautiful, and adaptable.
These concubines could either return home and remarry, or find another way out.
But what if these concubines grow old and lose their beauty, or become ill?
Let them out; they're used to a life of luxury, how will they survive outside?
Fucha Peiyun frowned, holding her teacup absentmindedly.
Yongding had always been close to Mama Fucha Peiyun, who was also very thoughtful.
They noticed it very quickly.
"Grandma, what are you thinking about? Is there anything you can tell your granddaughter?"
Yongding's words attracted everyone's attention.
Hongchang, always filial, noticed that Fucha Peiyun's brows were furrowed, as if she were preoccupied, and asked with concern:
"Your Majesty, what are you thinking about?"
If you have any worries, feel free to share them, and we can discuss and solve them together.
Fucha Peiyun sighed softly and gently set down the teacup.
His gaze swept across everyone's faces, finally settling on Hongchang, and he said:
"I'm thinking that if we want to increase the population, we could actually implement monogamy."
However, this would likely be difficult to implement in the Qing Dynasty.
Fucha Peiyun continued,
"Hongchang, your six concubines have all borne you children over the years."
It contributed to the continuation of the Qing Dynasty's lineage.
If monogamy is to be implemented, how should the harem be arranged?
Moreover, those officials and wealthy young men had numerous wives and concubines.
If they are to be allowed to release their concubines and return home, what will become of those concubines?
After hearing Fucha Peiyun's words, everyone fell into deep thought.
Princess Wenyan broke the silence first:
“What the Empress Dowager says is absolutely right; this matter is indeed thorny.”
However difficult this matter may be, it must be implemented; fewer wives and concubines in the family will mean less infighting.
This child would naturally have a higher survival rate, and the development of the Qing Dynasty was inseparable from a large population.
"Without population growth, the future of the Qing Dynasty is bleak."
Princess Wenyan's words were met with nods of agreement from everyone.
The princesses are no longer the timid and cautious princesses of the past.
They had long been disgusted by men having multiple wives and concubines, and their philandering.
The woman, however, was expected to remain faithful to her husband and endure humiliation.
Thinking back to those chastity arches, for the sake of that damn archway...
Such a fine young woman, forced to become a widow at such a young age.
Some families, in their quest to produce a virtuous woman, have driven their daughters to their deaths.
This made them even angrier.
Now that the Qing Dynasty has abolished these outdated customs and practices, they naturally hope that the Qing Dynasty can be more fair and progressive.
Hongchang fell into deep thought after hearing Princess Wenyan's words.
After a long pause, he slowly spoke:
"The Empress Dowager's concerns are not without merit; this matter certainly requires careful consideration."
However, for the long-term development of the Qing Dynasty, monogamy was imperative.
Hongchang wanted to set a good example; he was not attracted to beautiful women and had a good relationship with the Empress.
The selection of six concubines during the imperial concubine selection process was for two reasons: firstly, to produce offspring, and secondly, to maintain balance.
But the six consorts have done nothing wrong over the years; if he were to depose them, it would surely chill people's hearts.
They were caught in a dilemma.
Princess Shuhe then said:
"As the ruler of a nation, Your Majesty considers the succession of your descendants to be of paramount importance."
The six concubines in the palace are meritorious officials of the royal family, and therefore cannot be dismissed.
However, the implementation of monogamy was crucial to the long-term development of the Qing Dynasty and had to be put on the agenda.
How about this, we can proceed in two steps.
"The first step is to start with officials and ordinary people and gradually promote monogamy."
For officials, we can establish a transition period.
From this day forward, officials are prohibited from taking concubines.
Concubines who have borne children or are over twenty-five years old
She could stay at home and be supported by her husband, but she was not allowed to take any new concubines.
For those concubines who were childless and relatively young,
They can be given some financial compensation to help them reintegrate into society.
Alternatively, they could be given training to acquire a skill and become self-reliant.
As for the six concubines in the palace, how many children have they borne for Your Majesty over the years?
They have made tremendous contributions to women's education, and their status and treatment should not be changed.
The Emperor, as the ruler of a nation, is inherently special.
The emperor's harem can be treated as a special case.
But from then on, the emperor stopped selecting concubines.
In the future, imperial heirs will also only be allowed to marry suitable women.
No further acts of concubinage are permitted.
As soon as Shuhe finished speaking, Wenyi was the first to agree.
"Sister Shuhe makes a lot of sense. Although it is said that many children bring many blessings..."
However, with too many members of the royal family, the problem of passing down the throne from generation to generation might lead to the same problems as the Ming dynasty's imperial family.
The previous imperial clan had many members who became too powerful to control, ultimately leading to frequent internal strife and a decline in national strength.
If it weren't for the Emperor's timely rectification of the imperial clan and the Eight Banners...
These members of the imperial family and the Eight Banners continued to enjoy their privileges.
Without ambition and by living off past glories, the foundation of the Qing Dynasty had long been shaken.
"Sister Wenyi is right. The troubles caused by the Ming imperial family are indeed a lesson."
Princess Wenting nodded in agreement.
"Moreover, the social atmosphere in the Qing Dynasty is much better than before."
The people's minds gradually became more open-minded.
If we properly promote the benefits of monogamy, I believe many people will accept it.
The children born to Princess Shuhe and others all bore the surname Aisin Gioro.
Including the children in the palace, this generation already has enough children.
When these children grow up and have children of their own, that will be a very large number.
After listening to everyone's opinions, Hongchang gradually came up with some ideas.
He pondered for a moment and said:
"Since everyone believes that monogamy is inevitable..."
Let's do it that way then.
The following day at the court assembly, Hongchang announced...
Establishing banks, banning brothels, and promoting monogamy.
Upon hearing Hongchang's announcement of the three major measures, the civil and military officials were immediately abuzz with discussion.
Most ministers expressed their approval of establishing a bank.
The Qing Dynasty is currently experiencing rapid infrastructure development, resulting in a huge demand for funds.
Establishing a national bank to issue government bonds can not only solve the immediate crisis but also regulate the financial market, which is beneficial to the country.
Some officials well-versed in economics were even more eager to get started.
They were prepared to dedicate themselves to contributing to the financial development of the Qing Dynasty.
But the official whose family owned a money exchange or bank frowned, a vague sense of unease creeping into his heart.
After all, money shops and banks were the economic pillars of their family.
The establishment of the national bank may have some impact on their interests.
However, they also understood that
The economic development of the Qing Dynasty needed a more standardized and powerful financial institution to support it.
The emergence of a national bank is an inevitable trend.
They can only follow the trend and seek new development opportunities.
Moreover, given the Emperor's forceful methods, their opposition is likely futile.
Officials reacted differently to the ban on brothels.
Some upright officials applauded the act, believing it to be a benevolent act that purified social morals and saved an innocent woman.
They all expressed their full support for a thorough investigation into the forces behind brothels to ensure that the law is strictly enforced.
However, some officials looked hesitant, displaying their typical male nature.
Although officials are forbidden from visiting prostitutes, who hasn't secretly gone to brothels to find a few top courtesans?
For them, seeking pleasure and enjoying the company of beautiful women, the abolition of brothels would undoubtedly mean the end of their "fun."
Moreover, some officials had brothels in their families, which were registered under the names of relatives or managers.
Running a brothel is extremely profitable; if brothels are banned, they will lose their source of income.
As for the implementation of monogamy, officials with multiple wives and concubines felt extremely uneasy.
They felt this was a deprivation of their "rights".
Since he can't go to brothels for fun, and he's not allowed to take concubines, is he just supposed to spend his days with his old, haggard wife at home?
What's the point of living like that?
In the imperial court, voices of opposition rose and fell, and some officials even argued heatedly.
An older official stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said:
"Your Majesty, although banning brothels is for the sake of morals..."
However, many women in these brothels ended up in such a state because they were forced to make a living.
If this practice is forcibly banned, how will they make a living?
They all spoke with high-sounding words, never mentioning their own shameful desires.
Hongchang had anticipated this reaction.
He glanced at the officials in the court and said sarcastically:
"My beloved ministers, I know your concerns."
However, I have already given this matter of banning brothels a thorough consideration.
I will establish a special resettlement agency to provide training and employment opportunities for those courtesans.
If these courtesans were no longer physically impotent, they could still marry and have children.
To contribute to the population growth of the Qing Dynasty.
I hope that certain people can clean up the mess at home.
Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless later.
Upon hearing Hongchang's words, those with guilty consciences were startled.
His face showed panic, thinking of the shameful things that happened in his family.
They were all thinking that once they got back, they would quickly deal with those shady things so that the emperor wouldn't find any fault with them.
The affairs of brothels are dishonorable, but taking a concubine is also for the sake of having offspring.
Someone stood up and said loudly:
"Your Majesty, taking concubines is for the purpose of continuing the family line. If taking concubines is not allowed, how can the family line prosper?"
Hongchang sneered, his gaze sweeping over the crowd like a knife, and said in a deep voice:
"To continue the lineage? I'd like to ask that."
With so many wives and concubines in your household, are your offspring really that numerous?
I don't think that's entirely true!
He paused, then continued:
"The implementation of monogamy was for the long-term development of the Qing Dynasty."
I know that implementing this will face many difficulties, but my mind is made up!
"From this day forward, I hereby decree that the practice of taking concubines is prohibited throughout the entire country."
Whether officials, commoners, or royalty, everyone must abide by this decree; those who violate it will be severely punished!
"As for the concubines I already have, I will make proper arrangements for them."
If the woman has children or is elderly, the husband is responsible for supporting her.
Young women without children will be provided with financial compensation to help them reintegrate into society.
"I hope that all of you ministers will prioritize the overall situation."
Do not let personal desires hinder the progress of the Qing Dynasty.
The imperial court was completely silent.
The officials looked at each other, still feeling resentful.
However, faced with Hongchang's tough stance, they had no choice but to give up for the time being.
The emperor has been on the throne for over a decade, and has not done what he wanted to do.
Everyone knows what didn't work out, and there's no use in opposing it; we can only bite the bullet and carry it out anyway.
However, this ban on brothels and the promotion of monogamy...
This truly caused quite a stir in the Qing Dynasty's officialdom.
Let's first talk about the abolition of brothels. Those who were originally virtuous and clean-living...
Officials who never frequented brothels naturally gave their full support.
Take active action and cooperate with the imperial court's decrees.
A thorough investigation was conducted into the forces behind brothels, resulting in the dismantling of one brothel after another.
And those officials who secretly went to brothels...
At first, they were well-behaved, but as time went on, they started to develop cunning schemes.
If there were no brothels, they'd go to prostitutes, and one by one they'd get caught red-handed.
Those officials who are investigated will face consequences ranging from dismissal and investigation to exile overseas.
In an instant, the atmosphere in officialdom was renewed.
No one dared to openly go out to seek pleasure anymore.
As for those officials whose families owned brothels, they were even more panicked.
They tried every possible way to protect their source of income, but all to no avail.
Under the court's severe crackdown, brothels were shut down one by one.
The women were also properly resettled; some found work in factories.
Some learned a trade to support themselves, while others voluntarily went to new overseas territories and started new lives.
Now let's look at the matter of promoting monogamy.
Although there was strong opposition at first, people gradually accepted this reality over time.
Officials with numerous wives and concubines began to adjust their family arrangements in accordance with the court's regulations.
Some officials voluntarily released their concubines to return home and provided them with generous financial compensation.
Some officials arranged for their concubines to learn skills so that they could live independently.
At the same time, the Daqing Bank also rapidly established branches in various towns and cities.
By attracting private funds and issuing national bonds, it provided strong financial support for the infrastructure construction of the Qing Dynasty.
People's lives have been getting better and better over the years.
There are more and more ways to make money, and I can save some money in my pocket.
I heard that the Qing Dynasty Bank was proposed by the Emperor and the Princess.
The people didn't hesitate much before depositing their money in the bank to earn interest.
They all believed that following the emperor and the princesses would be the right thing to do.
Moreover, putting money in a bank to earn interest is safer than keeping it at home.
They'll be even happier when they see the increased interest when they withdraw their money.
More people are depositing their earnings into banks.
The establishment of the Daqing Bank not only standardized the financial market,
It also boosted commerce, with business activities becoming increasingly active in various places.
The economy is showing a thriving scene.
Against the backdrop of the Qing Dynasty's continuous territorial expansion, naval operations were also put on the agenda.
After detailed reconnaissance and meticulous planning, Hongchang finally decided to take military action against Java Island.
Java's strategic value and abundant resources make it an ideal expansion target.
Prior to the operation, the Qing navy underwent rigorous training and equipment upgrades to ensure its formidable combat capabilities.
The war horns sounded, and the Qing navy, under the command of princesses Shuhe and Wenyi, who had fought on numerous battlefields,...
They marched toward Java with overwhelming force.
The warships of the Qing Dynasty sailed across the sea, like giant steel dragons, with a magnificent momentum.