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Years of continuous warfare had depleted the male population in the Kang dynasty. To stimulate population growth, the imperial court mandated that men aged eighteen and above, and women aged seventeen and above, were required to marry. Failure to comply would result in a threefold increase in land tax.,Leading the procession were five county officials and a woman dressed in flamboyant red. Behind them trailed over twenty young women carrying baggage.,Although this young woman's clothes were more worn than the others, her face was fair and delicate, with striking features. Her bright, watery eyes made one feel pity for her.。