latelenovela Chapter 254 Businessman
Chapter 254 Businessman
The Empress was the honorary chairperson of the committee, and no one dared to say anything when she openly carried out relief work; in fact, they praised her for being considerate of the people.
He gained recognition himself and also brought honor to the Empress. Where else can you find such a good deal!
So Zhou Shunda invited the businessmen he knew to Zhengyanglou to discuss donating money for disaster relief.
Zhou Shunda was a very concerned man with his reputation and a big mouth who talked about it everywhere. His relationship with the royal family was common knowledge in business circles. Today, since Boss Zhou was hosting a dinner, everyone was showing him respect and came to attend.
Even many people who hadn't received an invitation rushed over, hoping to take this opportunity to get to know Boss Zhou.
The private rooms Zhou Shunda had prepared were simply not enough, so they had to book the entire third floor of Zhengyanglou.
"Everyone, please be quiet! To be honest, the reason I invited you all here is to raise funds for disaster relief!" Zhou Shunda stood up and called out twice, and then spoke after everyone quieted down.
"Her Majesty the Empress has always been a model of virtue for the nation, treating the people like her own children. She led us in providing disaster relief in Shandong. This time, with the heavy snow in the capital, Her Majesty was probably busy with the enthronement ceremony and has temporarily neglected it. It won't be long before an imperial decree is issued!" Zhou Shunda bowed respectfully to the north and said.
“But our relief committee cannot just sit here waiting for orders; we must take action first! The sooner we prepare, the sooner the disaster victims can benefit, and perhaps one less refugee will starve or freeze to death.”
"Our relief committee has limited capacity, so we are now launching a public fundraising campaign. We hope everyone can lend a helping hand and do their part for the refugees in Beijing."
In ancient times, subordinates would typically persuade someone to ascend the throne from the following perspectives:
First, they emphasize "the mandate of heaven." They would say things like, "The celestial signs are warning you, the Purple Star is shining, this is heaven's indication that you should ascend the throne and rule the world, this is an act in accordance with the mandate of heaven," linking the ascension to the throne with the will of heaven. By taking advantage of the ancient people's awe of celestial phenomena and other mysterious things, they make the person being persuaded feel that their ascension to the throne is arranged by heaven and has legitimacy.
Secondly, it discusses "the will of the people." For example, "All the people under heaven are eagerly awaiting a wise ruler, and the hearts of all people are turned towards a wise ruler. Now the people are suffering from the lack of a virtuous ruler to lead them. If you ascend the throne, you will surely be able to relieve the people's suffering. This is what the people are hoping for." This means that everyone expects the person being persuaded to become emperor to save the people, making the person being persuaded believe that his ascension to the throne is for the benefit of the people and is a just act that everyone expects.
Thirdly, it mentions "outstanding achievements." It might say, "You have fought in the south and north, pacified the four seas, and made unparalleled contributions. Only by ascending the throne can such great achievements match your accomplishments, and only then can you better implement your grand plans and ensure that the country enjoys lasting peace." By listing the past merits of the person being persuaded, it shows that they have sufficient qualifications and ability to ascend the throne.
The charcoal mainly used in the Qing Dynasty imperial court was called "Hongluo charcoal," also known as "Hongluo charcoal" or "Hongluo charcoal." It was mostly produced in Yizhou, fired by local kiln owners. The Imperial Household Department purchased it from factories in the production area and then transported it to the capital for storage in the charcoal warehouses of the Hongluo factories. This type of charcoal was made from high-quality hardwoods from the Yizhou area, characterized by its long burning time, minimal smoke, and silvery-white ash. It also produced a slight fragrance when burning, making it of exceptional quality. It was primarily supplied to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, and the imperial concubines for heating in their daily lives.
There is no clear record of the unit price of red charcoal, but its high price can be roughly inferred from the total purchase volume and expenditure recorded in some archives. For example, in the 46th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, 48,000 catties of red charcoal and 296 million catties of other firewood and charcoal were purchased for the inner court and the Yuanmingyuan Garden, costing a total of 15,800 taels of silver. In addition, there were strict regulations on the monthly supply of red charcoal to people of different ranks in the palace: 120 catties for the Empress Dowager, 110 catties for the Empress, 30 catties for princesses, and 20 catties for princes.
The Kunning Palace faces south and has a rectangular floor plan with nine bays across the front and three bays deep. Since the width and depth of ancient buildings were not fixed, based on research and architectural regulations of the Forbidden City, its floor area is estimated to be approximately 2400 square meters.