Chapter 131: If Dead Trees Are Not Cut, They Will Fall and Kill People

Removing the shackles of household registration and achieving career freedom is an inevitable trend.

However, the lock that old Zhu has created is quite sturdy. According to the normal course of history, it would take several decades, maybe even centuries, before this lock begins to rust and weaken, eventually discarded and ignored.

Of course, in the current Ming Empire, Zhu Yunwen acknowledges that some have already managed to break free from this chain, using desperate measures to escape and preserve their lives!

This system will decay in despair and crumble in struggle.

It not only restrains the people of the Ming Dynasty but also restricts its productivity and future.

Although the son of a tiger is still a tiger, and the son of a dog remains a dog, Great Yu’s son was Emperor Yu, Qin Shi Huang’s son was Hu Hai, and Li Wen Zhong’s son was Li Jing Long.

You can’t expect that just because the father is a hero, the son will automatically become one too.

Old man Wang was from a military household. He could consume three jin of rice at a single meal and wield an eighteen-jin big knife on the battlefield. However, his son turned out to be weak, consuming only three jin of rice every half month, and he often dropped his fire stick. How can he be a good soldier like his father?

Zhao Lao Wu took over his father’s profession as a craftsman, but he had no knowledge of carving. After eight years of work, all his art pieces turned out to be failures. So, what is the use of having someone like him as a craftsman?

He doesn’t even know the basics of wire drawing. What can you do with such a craftsman?

Cleaning?

Chopping wood?

They don’t create any value and even affect the Ming Dynasty’s GDP, right?

If someone is not proficient in a certain trade, they should be encouraged to switch to a different occupation and seek reemployment opportunities. Tying them down to the household registration system for generations means you won’t have to worry about issues for the next eighteen generations, is that so?

Zhu Yuanzhang put too much emphasis on stability, and he was overly idealistic and bureaucratic. He believed that the tree he had planted would certainly survive and thrive for thousands of years.

Now, as Zhu Yunwen looks at this somewhat withered tree, there’s a trace of worry in his eyes.

The household registration system is no child’s play, as it involves many complexities.

If he implemented a dual household registration system, with both agricultural and non-agricultural registrations, similar to later times, maybe a few decades later, he still alive, the memorial impeaching him would arrive again.

Crossing over the current complex household registration system and establishing a dual household registration system, how would the work related to permanent residence, temporary residence, births, deaths, migration out, and migration in be managed?

In this era, there are no computers, and there’s no way to input all household registration information, including their place of origin, current residence, family members, and contact information with just a few keyboard strokes…

Although Zhu Yuanzhang had also established a household registration and archival system for the Ming Dynasty, it took him ten years to compile the “Huangce” (Yellow Register), which was then stored on Xuanwu Lake.

If Zhu Yunwen were to work at the same efficiency as Zhu Yuanzhang, he estimated that he might not live long enough to conduct a full population census.

However, not cutting down a dead tree could lead to it falling and killing people.

The current household registration system has always been causing harm. Instead of this, why not choose a dual registration system?

True, the dual registration system has many flaws, such as dividing urban and rural areas, creating urban-rural conflicts and disparities, but strictly speaking, these issues become more pronounced with high levels of urbanization.

However, for the current Ming Dynasty, the urbanization rate is only in the single digits, and even in the late Ming period, it did not exceed two digits.

Of course, in certain regions like the southeast coastal areas, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the two capital cities, etc., there are higher urbanization rates, but they are still far from the levels seen in later times.

Considering the pros and cons, Zhu Yunwen’s gaze became resolute as he looked at Huang Eryue. He asked, “Do you like to read?”

Huang Eryue nodded slightly and replied timidly, “The sage Zhu said, ‘The way to learning is none other than getting to the bottom of the principles. The crucial thing in getting to the bottom of the principles is to read books first.’ I think there are many things in books that I don’t know, and it feels good to read them.”

“In my opinion, Zhu Xi isn’t really a sage, but opinions vary,” Zhu Yunwen said with a smile. He then turned to Huang Erjin and said, “Since you like business, and Eryue likes reading, in the future, you can engage in business and read books…”

Huang Jiuer trembled with excitement and took a few steps back. He was about to kneel down but then heard Zhu Yunwen say, “Sit down and have your meal. There’s no need for so much formality!”

Madam Liu and Madam Wang both looked at Huang Jiuer in confusion, thinking that he was behaving very unusually today.

“Not that I’m being disrespectful, but you’re saying that my two grandsons can engage in business and read books just because you said so? What’s your rank? Can you manage such significant matters? Don’t believe him, son. Escaping the registration is a grave crime, and it could cost us our lives,” Madam Liu said, knocking on the table with an unhappy expression.

Huang Jiuer rolled up his sleeves, wiped away the tears from his eyes, and choked out, “Mother if he said it’s possible, then it must be possible. He won’t harm us.”

“Big Brother, I like eating candied haws on sticks. Can I eat them all the time from now on?” Huang Ying blinked her big eyes, looking at Zhu Yunwen.

Zhu Yunwen burst into laughter, ruffled Huang Ying’s hair, and said, “You like candied haws on sticks, right? No problem, but you’re still young, so don’t eat too many. It might hurt your teeth. How about you have them four times a month?”

“Four times? Does that mean I’ll get to eat a lot of candied haws on sticks, like one, two… so many? Mother, Big Brother said I can eat a lot of candied haws on sticks.”

Huang Ying smiled with her eyes crinkling as she looked at Madam Wang, Huaniang.

Wang Shi responded halfheartedly with a “fine” and then turned her gaze towards Zhu Yunwen, saying, “Let’s have our meal. It’ll get cold.”

“Right, let’s eat. It’s just that our home is a bit humble, and the food is plain. Please, don’t mind it, my lord.” Huang Jiuer quickly added.

Zhu Yunwen wasn’t one to stand on ceremony, and even though it was just a simple country meal that couldn’t compare to the delicacies of the palace, he knew that there was a unique charm to it.

“I’ve heard that Lady Huang worked at the outer laundry bureau. Is it going well?” Zhu Yunwen inquired after taking a few bites.

Madam Wang shook her head and replied, “They’re planning to lay off some employees at the outer laundry bureau. I’m afraid I won’t be working there for much longer. I went out today to inquire about job opportunities in the market.”

“They’re planning to lay off employees? How come I don’t know about this?” Zhu Yunwen was surprised.

The outer laundry bureau was personally established by the Empress to take over the majority of the functions of the original laundry bureau, with only one-third of the staff. So how could there be layoffs?

Huang Jiuer also looked at Wang Shi in astonishment, asking, “What’s going on?”

Madam Wang forced a smile and replied, “It’s nothing. Let’s eat for now.”

Zhu Yunwen furrowed his brow. It seemed like there was something wrong at the outer laundry bureau.

After a simple meal, Zhu Yunwen stopped Madam Wang, who was about to clean the dishes, and said to Huang Jiuer, “You clean up. Madam Wang, how did you find out that they plan to lay off employees at the outer laundry bureau?”

Wang Shi, noticing Zhu Yunwen’s assertive attitude and the unusual compliance of Huang Jiuer, couldn’t help but glance at Zhu Yunwen a few more times before she replied, “The outer laundry bureau’s responsibility is to wash the palace’s clothing. If there are no clothes to wash, and everyone is idle, there’s no point in keeping them, right?”

“No clothing? Is there a shortage of clothing from the palace?” Zhu Yunwen furrowed his brow.

Although his and the empress’s clothes weren’t sent to the outer laundry bureau, the clothes of Consort Ning, Consort Xian, palace maids, various officials, and the clothing of other kings are all supposed to be sent to the outer laundry bureau. How is it possible that there are no clothes to be cleaned?

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