Lying in the pavilion drinking wine, Guo Pu could see the star-filled sky simply by looking up. He too saw the bright star in the night sky. After drinking deeply, he murmured, “A golden age approaches…”

Regarding suffering, the people displayed the strongest resilience. In just half a year, they had forgotten the pain brought by the flood in the first half of the year.

In their words: as long as you can still live on, you should live with a smile. Crying is one day, smiling is also one day – why not smile?

His Majesty was benevolent and had been helping them continuously. They could see hope.

So after the autumn harvest ended, they paid their taxes and discovered grain still remained at home. They became happy and were willing to take out some grain to reward their families.

The court reduced corvée labor this year. Some places organized labor service mainly through disaster relief and voluntary participation. The former meant signing up for labor service to receive disaster relief grain or money – essentially wages, just under the name of disaster relief.

The latter was mostly organized by village heads or village chiefs, mainly for repairing village roads, ditches, and such.

Beyond this, work teams even emerged in some commanderies and counties – meaning one person recruited fellow villagers or young laborers to take contracts from wealthy households, helping them build houses, dig ditches, excavate ponds, and so on.

Even county yamens would hire them.

Taking advantage of the agricultural off-season, many people earned money.

However, this could only continue until before New Year, because the weather was getting colder and colder. Areas north of the Central Plains were no longer suitable for travel, let alone labor.

This year’s snow fell very thickly. Guo Pu had forecasted it all in advance. Various regions had prepared for cold weather and disaster relief. Houses were reinforced before the heavy snow came, and homes prepared large quantities of firewood and charcoal. Though the snow was heavy, it didn’t cause major disasters.

Zhao Hanzhang let out a long breath and only then had the mood to say, “Auspicious snow heralds a prosperous year. Next year will surely be a bountiful harvest.”

Guo Pu looked at her in surprise and praised, “Your Majesty is impressive! I only just calculated it – the rainfall next year should be generally good. Though individual places will have minor floods or droughts, the problems won’t be major. For the whole country, it can still be considered favorable weather.”

Hearing this, Zhao Hanzhang was greatly pleased. The next day she shared this good news with the assembled ministers, instructing them, “After spring begins, we must do excellent work encouraging agriculture and sericulture.”

The hundred officials’ spirits lifted, and they all agreed. Was a stable situation finally approaching?

Years of rushing about had exhausted not only their bodies but also their minds. The officials’ eyes brimmed with tears, all hoping for the golden age to arrive.

After New Year passed, Zhao Hanzhang officially changed the era name. This year became the first year of Yuanzhen. At the same time, new and revised laws and new government policies were announced nationwide one by one.

The first item: Zhao Hanzhang abolished the system of live burial, strictly prohibiting burying living people with the dead. As long as anyone was discovered burying living people, regardless of the buried person’s status or the master’s status, all would be judged according to the crime of murdering良 commoners. Their three generations could not take examinations or enter office…

The first legal regulation made people feel Zhao Hanzhang’s forceful determination.

Zhao Hu in the capital’s heart pounded violently, suspecting Zhao Hanzhang had specifically targeted him with this law.

“Could she still be holding a grudge from back then?” Zhao Hu was somewhat dissatisfied. “Chengbo and I have already reconciled – what’s she still fussing about?”

Wu Yin thought to himself: You’re the master; Chengbo doesn’t dare not reconcile with you.

He hurriedly said, “It’s definitely not targeting the master. Your servant heard that many places practice live burial! Not to mention distant places – in Runan’s Chen family, when their old patriarch passed away two years ago, didn’t all the people serving him go with him?”

Only then did Zhao Hu’s mood improve somewhat. He looked at Wu Yin with regret, saying, “Alas, I had originally wanted you to receive offerings from my Zhao family’s descendants in the future, but now it seems impossible.”

Wu Yin’s eyes brimmed with hot tears. “This slave lacks such fortune and can only serve the master more while alive.”

He decided to secretly visit a Taoist temple outside the city tomorrow to establish a longevity tablet for His Majesty.

The second regulation abolished the death contract system for slaves, keeping only living contracts, and made detailed divisions of the rights and responsibilities of both masters and servants.

Zhao Hu read with stunned amazement, his first words being, “I don’t believe it! Does this mean Chengbo and Qinggu must also change from death contracts to living contracts?”

Zhao Hanzhang really did change Chengbo and Qinggu to living contracts. Wang Shi even wanted to cancel the living contracts entirely and directly restore them to commoner status.

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Mother, if they remain by your side, they must sign a contract – this is a living contract. They’re already commoner registration. Now between us it’s… an employment agreement?”

Wang Shi didn’t understand. “What is that?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “If you don’t understand, that’s fine. Just know they’re already commoner registration.”

Zhao Hanzhang didn’t specifically explain that she had abolished slave registration, but legally she had indeed given workers on living contracts commoner status.

Most officials didn’t react, let alone common people.

But there were also particularly perceptive people who noticed during the yamen runners’ census visits. They discovered that after servants changed from death contracts to living contracts, they automatically gained commoner status.

This meant that one day, if a servant no longer wished to continue, after the living contract term ended, they could leave. Taking their household registration to the yamen, relying on unallocated household registration, they could receive farmland to cultivate – completely without depending on the master’s family.

Furthermore, redeeming oneself from a living contract was easier.

In the long run, to employ servants, they would have to raise monthly wages – at least they could no longer use one hundred cash monthly wages to employ a servant as before.

Naturally, they also could no longer casually beat or kill servants. Now they had commoner status – killing a slave was equivalent to killing a commoner.

Most servants reacted faster than their masters. After all, the registration documents were delivered directly to their hands. They could more directly see that they had become commoners.

Those who thought deeply and had knowledge suddenly shed tears. Holding their registration documents, they returned to their rooms, placed them facing the direction of the capital, then knelt down and kowtowed.

If he was capable, being a steward, he could receive six hundred cash monthly wages. Then his master expected him to exchange his life for these six hundred cash – including his son, daughter, future grandchildren – all must sacrifice their lives for this.

What difference was this from modern society where taking three thousand yuan means you must stick a knife in both ribs for the boss and then offer up your heart?

The third item concerned female households.

The court didn’t restrict female households. Female households enjoyed the same rights and bore the same responsibilities as male households.

The new laws and regulations were many, but during initial discussions, these three items faced the most skepticism. Even after the court passed and promulgated them, many in court still held opposing views.

However, because Zhao Hanzhang was forceful and strongly advocated change, plus major ministers agreed, they had no choice but to pass them.

But the court ministers still couldn’t help worrying. Ji Yuan especially so. He said to Zhao Hanzhang, “These years Your Majesty has been busy with government affairs and rarely reads. This subject has written an interpretation of the New Mang era. Would Your Majesty help this humble subject check it?”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “Teacher wishes to remind me not to follow in the footsteps of the New Mang?”

Ji Yuan sighed, “Wang Mang’s New System reform failed, after which the realm fell into great chaos. Your Majesty’s steps today are also too rushed.”

Zhao Hanzhang said, “I also had such concerns, so before ascending the throne, I tested step by step – from when I became regent, to my wedding, to King An yielding the throne. I observed that court officials, aristocratic families nationwide, and common people’s tolerance was quite high.”

Ji Yuan: …

Zhao Hanzhang asked, “Why do you think Wang Mang failed?”

Ji Yuan naturally wouldn’t say things like he was cruel and inhumane, falsely benevolent and righteous – those historical verdicts. Instead, he directly said, “He seized food from the tiger’s mouth, seizing benefits from the hands of powerful families and wealthy clans nationwide, so he failed.”

“He failed because he couldn’t persist, failed due to constantly changing orders, chaotic governance and law,” Zhao Hanzhang said. “If he hadn’t been so virtuous, hadn’t retreated whenever someone raised objections, but had been more forceful, pushing the new policies forward – even if there were deficiencies, there wouldn’t have been so much resentment.”

“Yet even though his new policies failed and common people were disappointed in him, while he lived, common people among the masses still mostly supported him. Commoners, humble clans, poor aristocratic families – they all chose to support Wang Mang. Why?”

Ji Yuan said nothing.

Ming Yu walked out from behind, saying, “Because only Wang Mang could lead them to break through the restrictions of the powerful and wealthy families of that time. They only saw hope in Wang Mang.”

Zhao Hanzhang’s lips curved upward. “Correct. And today in the realm, they can only see hope in me. The realm is still composed mostly of commoners, humble clans, poor aristocratic families, and slaves. Women make up half the realm’s population. Teacher Ji, how many are the opponents, and how many support me?”

“Even if they’re dissatisfied, facing popular sentiment and the court’s will, they must submit. What we must do is not follow Wang Mang’s reform-era mistakes of constantly changing orders and rushing to produce achievements.”

Ming Yu spoke before Ji Yuan could: “Your Majesty is sagely wise!”

Even Zhao Ming said, “If we don’t act, so be it. But having already made a move, there’s no path of retreat or regret – otherwise that would be eternal damnation.”

Zu Di supported it with both hands even more strongly, volunteering Jizhou to go first – let the new policies first unfold in Jizhou. Other provinces could slowly push forward, using Jizhou as the example.

Zhao Hanzhang was greatly pleased, saying, “Then let’s focus primarily on Sizhou and Jizhou. Other provinces can slowly implement.”

As long as Sizhou and Jizhou succeeded, other provinces would immediately accelerate.

Zu Di immediately requested permission to return to Jizhou.

He was Minister of War and concurrently Regional Inspector of Jizhou. But at this time the Ministry of War had few matters, and now with radio, urgent matters could be communicated by radio. Non-urgent matters could be handled even when letters reached Jizhou.

Zhao Hanzhang permitted it.

After this round of discussion, Zhao Hanzhang selected Ming Yu, Zhao Ming, and Chen Siniang as heads of reform, commanding them to lead reform policy, with Zu Di, Fan Ying, and others assisting from the side.

They were all firm reform faction members.

As soon as Zu Di left, Zhao Hanzhang transferred Liu Kun to the capital, appointed Dai Yuan as Regional Inspector of Xuzhou, appointed Zhao Shen as Regional Inspector of Guangzhou, and also ordered Zhao Yong and Shi Lei to return to the capital to report on their duties.

Dai Yuan, who had been stuck in Guangzhou all along, received the order and was so moved tears streamed down his face. He immediately stuffed a large red envelope to the messenger who brought the imperial edict.

The messenger’s eyes crinkled with smiles. He quickly tucked the red envelope into his sleeve, smiling as he said, “General, His Majesty values the general highly and permits you to select two thousand men from your subordinates to go to Xuzhou together. His Majesty has also sent you a radio.”

Dai Yuan’s eyes suddenly brightened. A radio! He had coveted one for so long. Two years ago during the war between armies, he had seen one but never had the opportunity to obtain it.

Clearly Yangzhou had received one, yet Guangzhou hadn’t. Dai Yuan had always been somewhat dissatisfied about this.

Now he finally had one too. This meant he could talk with the Emperor in real time?

Dai Yuan asked, “Should this general immediately go take up the post, or first return to the capital to report on duties?”

The messenger said, “His Majesty’s meaning is that traveling north from Guangzhou will definitely pass through Xuzhou. Since the general now has a radio, you can directly use it to report to His Majesty. First take over Xuzhou, then after the autumn harvest return to the capital to report – that’s not too late.”

Dai Yuan understood perfectly. “This general will immediately set out for Xuzhou. But I wonder when I can contact His Majesty – how does this radio work?”

This required the telegraph personnel. The messenger handed Dai Yuan a sealed letter. “This is His Majesty’s confidential letter to the general.”

Dai Yuan received it. That very evening, he contacted Zhao Hanzhang. He dismissed everyone around him, keeping only the telegraph personnel, and through the radio had a confidential conversation with Zhao Hanzhang for half a double-hour. Besides their respective telegraph personnel, no one knew what they discussed.

Dai Yuan reviewed the translated telegram one final time. After memorizing everything, he threw it all into the fire to burn completely.

Receiving the telegram and learning he could finally return to the capital to report on duties, Zhao Yong was extremely excited. He rushed back to the city from the military camp to find Xie Shi. “Teacher, Teacher, I’m returning to the capital!”

Xie Shi said, “I know.”

Zhao Erlang said, “Teacher, you’re so pitiful – Sister is having you guard Chang’an.”

Xie Shi said, “This is my official duty, and moreover, I’ve brought my wife and children here. What’s pitiful about it?”

Zhao Erlang thought for a moment. “Won’t Teacher miss me? Isn’t that pitiful?”

Xie Shi choked. Truthfully, he wasn’t pitiful at all.

Though Zhao Erlang could now shoulder responsibilities independently, as his teacher, Xie Shi still tirelessly taught him military strategy and tactics, along with various classics and texts.

Of course, having him read and comprehend on his own was impossible. Xie Shi broke everything down to explain it to him, plus his personal servant had to read to him daily. By now, Zhao Erlang had accumulated quite a bit of learning.

But teaching him was truly exhausting.

Though he was just one person, teaching him was comparable to teaching one hundred students in difficulty. So learning that Zhao Erlang would return to the capital to report on duties, Xie Shi felt no reluctance – only liberation, happier than getting half a month’s vacation.

He said gently, “Erlang, take your time on the road – don’t rush. In the first month the weather is cold and snow remains on the roads. Pay attention to safety.”

“That won’t work – reporting on duties has time requirements. I must reach Luoyang within three days.” Zhao Erlang looked distressed.

Xie Shi said, “Then three days it is.”

Zhao Erlang said, “But I feel I could make it in two days. Luoyang isn’t very far. I miss my sister and mother.”

Xie Shi was speechless and simply cut off his words. “If you’re not preparing your baggage for returning to the capital, why come find me?”

“To bid Teacher farewell! They’re all packing my baggage – they don’t need me. I’m reporting to the capital for at least half a month. Not seeing Teacher for half a month, I’ll miss him.”

Xie Shi: …

Xie Shi’s heart surprisingly surged with a thread of reluctance, with a faint parting sorrow.

He vigorously shook his head, feeling he must be crazy. How could he be reluctant? It was only half a month, not half a year.

But he still instructed Zhao Erlang on many matters. For example, “Listen to His Majesty’s words. Whatever His Majesty tells you to do, do it. Associate less with the capital’s wastrel young masters, especially avoid the Wang and Sima families’ children. No matter what outsiders say, you must remember – your future goal is to become a Great General, to campaign across battlefields for His Majesty. Being Emperor is very exhausting for His Majesty, very mentally taxing. We shouldn’t cause her trouble.”

Zhao Erlang nodded repeatedly, asking, “Anything else?”

Xie Shi sighed and said, “Nothing else. Be careful on the road.”

Zhao Erlang grew anxious. “Teacher, don’t you have local gifts for me to bring back to Sister?”

Xie Shi: …

Xie Shi then called over Zhao Erlang’s attendants. Upon inquiry, he learned Zhao Erlang had spent all his salary again. The imperial edict came suddenly – he had no money to bring gifts for his mother and sister.

Xie Shi resignedly went to prepare local gifts for him. After stuffing the gifts into the carriage, he said, “When you return to the capital, have His Majesty find you a wife. Single people can’t save money. You need to marry.”

—