During the Northern Song Dynasty, there was an extremely severe drought in Shaoxing one year, and the local officials decided to open the granaries and provide relief to the disaster victims. To ensure order, a rule was established: men could come to collect grain on odd days, and women on even days, with each collection covering two days' worth. For us modern people, this rule seems straightforward and not worth discussing. But in the context of the Northern Song, why was it based on gender rather than other standards? This is because, at that time, women had a very low status. In the face of a severe drought, they were the first to be driven out of their homes, sold, or even eaten. Separating the distribution of grain by gender gave them a layer of value and protection, ensuring that men, motivated by self-interest, would not push women to the brink of death. After all, without women, there would be a day when no grain could be collected. What would happen if modern society treated the interests of the rich and the poor, officials and commoners, in the same way?