Chapter 310: Volume 1, Chapter 310 — This Is What You Call Luck

Aristocratic families had to pay taxes to the court, but the taxes they paid each year were very little. Why?

Because aristocratic families had many unregistered households!

These unregistered households were tenant farmers and craftsmen of the aristocratic families who were not on the official rolls. As long as they were not on the registers, these people could avoid taxes, so every family's unregistered population was far greater than their registered servants.

Why were these people willing to remain unregistered?

Because being unregistered for an aristocratic family meant having food to eat and a place to live. Even if the food was coarse grain, the whole family could survive.

Having a place to live—even if it was just a shanty—still meant having shelter.

What was all this hardship for?

To stay alive.

But what if Rong Luoge gave them a second path?

A better, brighter road.

To be able to register openly on the household rolls, to walk upright in the sunlight, to earn high wages, to let the whole family eat fine grain and live in spacious houses—would these people still be willing to remain unregistered for aristocratic families?

Of course not!

So the most fundamental purpose of launching the affordable cloth was to let it reach every inch of land in the State of Xiao, to let everyone know what the craftsmen of the affordable cloth could eat, where they could live, and what wages and bonuses they could receive—to sway people's hearts, so that all those living as unregistered households would step forward.

However, this plan could not be publicly announced; it could only be carried out secretly, without alerting the aristocratic families. Once they grew wary, things would become very difficult.

Rong Luoge would not lay out such a grand plan to Kang Shufei either. After praising her contributions, she said to her, "His Majesty and I also feel that the common people have it hard. We don't seek to profit from this affordable cloth; we simply want the people to be able to wear beautiful clothes. Going forward, I must still trouble you, Kang Shufei, to continue selling this affordable cloth. In a few days, I will send a shopkeeper over, and from now on, outside matters will be handed to him. You can then focus solely on managing the Weaving Workshop and have an easier time."

Kang Shufei breathed a quiet sigh of relief upon hearing this. "That would be the best. It is not that I fear hardship, but truly I cannot manage it all. Many thanks to Your Ladyship for your understanding."

As a woman, she could not easily appear in public, so arranging a shopkeeper to handle dealings with people outside was naturally the most suitable arrangement.

"The first batch of cloth dyed by Dowager Liu at the dye works is also about to come out. It is all ramie cloth, dyed exactly as Your Ladyship instructed, with entirely new colors and patterns. What plans do you have for this batch, Your Ladyship?" Kang Shufei asked, looking at the Empress.

Rong Luoge asked, "How much is there?"

"About a hundred or so bolts."

The quantity was not very large. Rong Luoge thought for a moment, then looked at Kang Shufei and asked, "When the sample cloth is ready, bring it over for me to see."

"It should be ready by tomorrow," Kang Shufei said with a smile.

Rong Luoge nodded. "Alright, then we'll discuss it tomorrow."

Kang Shufei rose to take her leave. "If Your Ladyship has no further instructions, I will head back first."

"Go ahead, and thank you for your hard work." Rong Luoge was quite satisfied with Kang Shufei's competence.

"To share Your Ladyship's burdens is my honor. I dare not accept the words 'hard work.'" Kang Shufei blushed a little. She had merely run errands and placed orders; the ideas were all the Empress's. She truly dared not claim credit.

After Kang Shufei left, Rong Luoge had Que Cai go and invite Consort Xu over.

Consort Xu was in the middle of verifying accounts from the Inner Court Office, but upon hearing the summons, she came very quickly.

Rong Luoge saw her and smilingly invited her in to sit, then asked, "Are there any idle seamstresses at the embroidery workshop under the Inner Court Office?" She paused, then added, "No need to pull away the embroiderers—just those who can cut and sew garments will do."

Consort Xu was not sure what the Empress wanted to do. After thinking it over, she said, "I should be able to spare twenty or thirty."

Twenty or thirty people was a bit few.

Rong Luoge looked at Consort Xu. "Can there be more?"

Consort Xu shook her head. "I would need to go to the Inner Court Office and ask. I cannot decide this on my own."

Rong Luoge thought for a moment and said, "I recall the reported headcount at the embroidery workshop is a full three to four hundred."

Consort Xu nodded. "Yes, Your Ladyship. However, so many people must manage the clothing for the entire Hou Gong, including the garments of the palace staff, and they must also set aside those who make clothes for His Majesty and Your Ladyship. So the embroidery workshop is busy nonstop from morning to night."

Rong Luoge had not realized it would be this troublesome. After some thought, she said, "Summer clothes are light and easy to make. I need people to make a batch of garments here. Have them pull out a hundred people, just for a few days. Once done, they can return. See if that can work."

Consort Xu considered it carefully before saying, "Your Ladyship, the summer garments are actually mostly finished. The embroidery workshop is now mainly making autumn attire for the masters of each palace. Autumn clothes are harder to make than summer ones, so they take longer. Add to that the autumn clothes for the palace staff of each palace, and a long period won't do—but a few days should be fine."

"Alright, then go to the Inner Court Office first and settle the matter. The day after tomorrow, I need the people," Rong Luoge said.

Consort Xu did not ask what the Empress needed the people for. She immediately rose and said, "I will go right away. Rest assured, Your Ladyship."

"With you handling it, of course I'm at ease," Rong Luoge said with a smile.

Consort Xu left with a smile. Rong Luoge mulled over her plan and felt it should work, so she went to the study first. By the time Consort Xu returned, more than a shichen had already passed.

"I have asked, and it is doable, but the assignment can only last seven or eight days. Any longer and the autumn garments will be delayed," Consort Xu said, slightly out of breath.

Rong Luoge promptly had someone serve tea before saying, "Seven or eight days is enough. It's settled. The day after tomorrow, have them bring their cutting tools and go directly to the Weaving Workshop. Someone will be there to arrange things for them."

Upon hearing they were to go to the Weaving Workshop, Consort Xu smiled and said, "Your Ladyship's Weaving Workshop is now renowned. The Inner Court Office is all talking about it. Many people bought the affordable cloth you sold this time and especially loved it. Some have already had it made into clothes and are wearing them. I saw it too—it really is nice. Even I want to buy a couple of bolts to make some clothes. What's rare is that the patterns are fresh, ones I've never seen before."

Cloth like this—good patterns, good texture, and yet a low price—who wouldn't love it?

Consort Xu had followed the Empress for so many years, and still could not fully read Her Ladyship's thoughts, but she knew the Empress was a good person who could let all the common people wear such fine cloth.

"Really?" Rong Luoge was quite pleased. Her eyes flickered as she looked at Consort Xu and asked, "I recall your father was appointed River Patrol Commissioner this year, wasn't he?"

Consort Xu immediately said, "By His Majesty's favor and trust, my father was indeed appointed River Patrol Commissioner."

Rong Luoge's eyes lit up. What was this called?

This was what you called luck!

The River Patrol Commissioner had to inspect the banks of the Yellow River to prevent flooding. Patrolling all along the Yellow River—how many prefectures and counties would that pass through?

How could Rong Luoge not be excited?

It was simply a godsent opportunity!