novelSusiti Chapter 1233 - 194: Extra Story 1
Chapter 1233 - 194: Extra Story 1
After Zhao Yao ascended the throne, the miracle of Swamp Prefecture played out in many places of Great Zhou. Formerly poor areas gradually became wealthy, and the lives of the people improved every day. Areas that were already good became even more prosperous.Over the past five years, Great Zhou has been thriving, already showing signs of a golden age. Both ministers and people alike praise Zhao Yao without reservation.
Among the populace, Zhao Yao’s reputation has surpassed that of the Supreme Emperor, even exceeding the most virtuous Emperor Xia of the previous dynasty. To this, Zhao Yao merely smiled, without pride or complacency.
To him, he simply did what he ought to do. If as an emperor he couldn’t even ensure the people had enough to eat, then what good was being an emperor?
In recent years, Zhao Yao has been involved in infrastructure development in many places, building roads, rivers, bridges, and reservoirs among others. This has made life increasingly convenient and increasingly prosperous for the people.
The money for infrastructure development did not cost the people a penny, nor did it use any funds from the national treasury; it was all spent from the gold and silver brought back from Japan.
Japan’s gold and silver mines are very rich, enough to mine for hundreds of years. In previous years, Zhao Yao used the gold and silver brought back from Japan for infrastructure development and business in Swamp Prefecture.
Every year, gold and silver were transported back from Japan in tons, eliminating any worries about money shortages.
When ministers saw tons of gold and silver returned from Japan, they were agape in astonishment, unable to believe their eyes.
They didn’t expect the Emperor had planned to take advantage of Japan so early, mining gold and silver there early on, no wonder Swamp Prefecture had become so affluent during those years.
Japan had long been secured by Zhao Yao’s people, so there was no need to worry about Japan’s gold and silver being stolen by others.
Zhao Yao’s mining of gold and silver in Japan was unknown even to the Supreme Emperor. When he found out, he scolded Zhao Yao for concealing it for so long.
Infrastructure development requires not only money but people. The local government hired people to work, not only paying them wages but providing meals and lodging. Naturally, the people were willing to labor hard.
In these five years, infrastructure development in many places of Great Zhou has done well. Not to speak of other places, just talking about the capital, it has undergone dramatic changes. The things Swamp Prefecture had, the capital now has too.
The capital’s main thoroughfares have multiplied, and the roads have become very broad and tidy. Previously, the capital’s main street, Vermilion Bird Avenue, could only accommodate two carriages side by side, but now it has expanded to five carriages.
The shops along the street have also increased several times. To facilitate business, the East Market and West Market of the capital have expanded several times over, and now have become the commercial center of the capital.
Besides shops, there are schools, clinics, libraries, Fusheng Hall, among others. There are also free schools in the capital, regardless of whether you are an adult or child, as long as you want to study, you can attend a free school for three years. After three years in a free school, you can go to an academy run by the local government or a private school to continue your studies.
At the academy hosted by the government, tuition is very cheap, almost everyone can afford to study. There are various subsidies and rewards in the academy; as long as you study well, you can receive these benefits.
Tuition at private schools is a bit expensive, but most families can afford it. Whether there are rewards in private schools depends on the generosity of the private school.
Besides letting people read and write, there are academies and private schools for taking imperial examinations, as well as the Medical College, Military Academy, and various Skill Colleges. The tuition for these colleges is also not very expensive, the people don’t need to worry about not being able to afford the education.
During the reign of Emperor Yong’an, the inland cultural lineage became withered. After Zhao Yao ascended the throne, the cultural lineage of Great Zhou became more flourishing, leading more and more foreigners to travel thousands of miles to Great Zhou to study.
In Great Zhou, men can study, and women can study too. There are special girls’ schools in the capital and other places where women can learn. There are many types of girls’ schools so that women can learn various skills.
In the capital, there are two Imperial Colleges. One is for men, and the other is for women.
The Imperial College is not easy to get into for ordinary people. Of course, entering the Imperial College to study depends not on one’s background, but on one’s learning. As long as you have the ability to pass the Imperial College entrance exam, even if you are a beggar, you can go in to study.
Men go to the Imperial College to study for future official positions to serve the country. Women enter the Imperial College to study also to become officials. Although women cannot yet serve as officials in the court temporarily, they are allowed to serve as officials elsewhere. Not mentioning other places, but in the palace, there are many female officials.