The two Song Dynasties were the richest dynasties in Chinese history. The peak fiscal revenue of the Southern Song Dynasty was close to 100 million yuan for the whole year, and they did not rely on agricultural taxes that exploited farmers.

The development of industry and commerce at that time also reached the peak of the feudal dynasty. In the last years of Shaoxing, the customs revenue of Guangzhou and Quanzhou alone reached 2 million yuan.

Among the major dynasties in history, levying agricultural taxes on a large number of farmers has always been the basis of national rule. The Song and Song Dynasties were the only ones that did not do this. It was not until the late Qing Dynasty that the income from industry and commerce exceeded agricultural taxes.

At this time, Lin'an City's commerce was very developed, with a population of nearly one million. After Zhao and Rui took to the streets, what they saw was: "There are thousands of buildings, there are no empty spaces, and the streets are crowded."

The history books of later generations recorded the prosperity of Lin'an in detail, but when he thought that a few decades later, with the invasion of the Mongolian cavalry, everything would turn into ashes, Zhao Yurui's heart became extremely heavy.

Because if he lives long enough, he may even have the opportunity to see it with his own eyes.

When will the time come to escape overseas with a boatload of little girls?

Zhao Yurui definitely doesn't want to go to Yashan and jump into the sea.

No, I couldn’t play anymore at that time? I must be 70 or 80 years old, right?

Zhao Yurui recalled it and didn't remember when the Southern Song Dynasty perished, but if he took good care of it, he might still have a chance to see it.

"Cousin." Suddenly Quan Yong's cry woke him up.

"Ah." Zhao Yurui came back to his senses and found that Zhou Lai and others were looking at him strangely.

"Let's go to West Lake." Zhao Yurui said loudly.

They had already inquired about the place before coming and headed directly towards the West Lake.

There is a large market next to the West Lake, where you can hire slaves and servants.

On the way to West Lake, Zhao Yurui recalled what they had recently learned from Emperor Li about the unique slave system of the Song Dynasty.

Let's put it this way, before the Song Dynasty and after the Song Dynasty, slaves were just like slaves, inferior people attached to the master's family. There was even a saying that "slaves are bitches, and they are better than livestock".

In the later Yuan Dynasty and Ming Dynasty, there were more types of lowly households, and they also stipulated what clothes the lowly households could not wear and what they could not do. In the Ming Dynasty, even lowly households had to be controlled when walking. They could not walk in the middle, but had to

Walking on the edge is really worse than a dog, because a dog can also walk in the middle.

The two Song Dynasties gradually improved the status of slaves and maidservants starting from the Northern Song Dynasty, and distinguished between slaves and maidservants (private slaves and maidservants) and good people (official slaves and maidservants). After the Southern Song Dynasty, the legal status of slaves and maidservants was unprecedentedly improved. They were good people and no longer untouchables. They were just because

The family is poor and the life is poor and they sign an employment contract with their employer. They no longer belong to the owner's private property. They only have a contractual relationship with the owner. Once the contract time limit expires, the slave will no longer be worked by the owner.

Since slaves in the Song Dynasty were no longer untouchables, slaves were no longer called slaves in law, but were replaced by the titles of "human power" and "female envoy".

So after Zhao Yurui arrived in the Southern Song Dynasty, some of the maids he saw called themselves names, or me, and no one called themselves 'servants'. Even the eunuchs in the palace all had official positions. Some called themselves lower officials, and some called themselves lower officials.

There are also those who call themselves small.

In order to protect the rights of slaves, the Song Dynasty also stipulated that when hiring female servants and servants, the contract should be signed for up to ten years.

Comparing it to other dynasties, no matter before the Song Dynasty or after the Song Dynasty, the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, slaves were not treated as human beings. They were just like livestock and could be disposed of at will by their owners. Even their life safety could not be guaranteed.

It can be said that the Song Dynasty was the best dynasty for slaves and maids among the feudal dynasties.

The economy, technology, civilization and culture of the two Song Dynasties were also the pinnacle of the feudal dynasty. Except for being a little unfriendly to military personnel, they were far superior to other dynasties.

Although the comments of later generations are different, and even more people ridicule the two Song Dynasties, they are worthy of support just because they treat slaves and maids as human beings.

"Such a Song Dynasty must be protected." Zhao Yurui came to the east side of the West Lake at this time. Looking at the dense crowd in front of him, he had the idea of ​​​​protecting the Song Dynasty and protecting civilization for the first time. There was no way, who made him now?

The clan of the Song Dynasty.

There is a huge square on the east side of the West Lake. This is an officially designated place, allowing men and women who want to sell their labor because of poor family conditions to come here to recommend themselves.

Of course, many people cannot come every day, so there will also be intermediaries.

Not long after Zhao Yurui and Zhou Lai arrived, several Ya people came over.

"Do you want a female envoy for a junior official? I have a young and decent one on hand."

"Sir, would you like to see the envoy?"

"There is a young lady here. Do you want to take a look at her?"

When the Ya people saw Zhao Yurui, who was young and dressed in fine clothes, with three followers at his side, they all crowded forward to recommend the female envoy.

Zhao Yurui thought that Yu Tianxi had sent eight of them at once. Although they might all be undercover agents sent by Shi Miyuan, he really did not need so many maids in his house.

Quan Yong beside him suddenly whispered: "Cousin, who pays for the eight female servants in the family?"

".." Zhao Yurui was stunned by his question, and then said: "Mr. Yu sent it, they should pay for it."

I can't afford it.

Besides, he didn't get the contract, so he definitely didn't pay for it, but this also has a disadvantage, which proves that these people are all Shi Miyuan or Yu Tianxi's people.

Want to get Xiaotao's contract another day? Zhao Yurui thought to himself.

"Don't look at the female envoys. Are there any tall and strong young men?" Zhao Yurui said: "It's fine if they are fifteen or sixteen years old."

Some of the people shouted yes, and some turned around and left. It was obvious that they only had the female servants on hand.

The two men came up to them, with flattering expressions on their faces: "Young official, I have many young men on my hands. They are all fair and tender, good-looking and well-behaved. They are well-behaved and obedient."

".." Zhao Yurui's mouth twitched: "I want to be tall and strong, and able to fight."

".." The two Ya people looked at each other, but immediately said: "Yes, yes, there is everything a small official wants."

"This way please."

The two pointed in two directions, and then stared at each other.

"Don't worry, look at them one by one, here first." Zhao Yurui pointed in a random direction. The fat Yaman was overjoyed, and the other Yaman could only quickly follow Zhao Yurui.

"What are the prices for men and women now, and how do you charge them?" Zhao Yurui asked in front of Liangya.

The two Yaren looked at each other, and the fat Yaren whispered: "Based on age, within fifteen years old, three to five guan per year, a woman is 500 to 800 li less than a boy, but the monthly

You can pay it annually, or you can pay it annually." That is to say, the minimum is more than 200 Wen per month. The salary is quite low. The low salary is beyond Zhao Yurui's expectation. The last time Zhao Yurui bought a chicken, it cost 75 Wen. Compare this to

The price is just ridiculous.

He used to watch TV and movies, where rich people would pay a few taels to buy a maid or a book boy. That was not paid, and it might have been made up randomly.

In fact, in the Song Dynasty, the masters had to pay wages to their servants and maids. Of course, they did not have to pay them, but paid them in one go. For example, the Song Dynasty stipulated that the contract of selling one's body should be limited to ten years at most. If it was calculated as three times a year, you could pay thirty in one time.

You can get the right to use a servant for ten years. After expiration, the contract will be automatically terminated and the servant will be free. You can also pay wages month by month, but no matter how you pay, you have to cover their food, accommodation and even clothing.<
Chapter completed!