Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 148 - 147: Press-Ganged Three Thousand Laborers
On the night when the soap was made, heavy rain began to fall.
Stirred awake by the chill, Qin Yao rolled up in her warm bedding, thankful she hadn’t hung the soap under the corridor.
Otherwise, three days of effort would have been wasted with the storm overnight.
The rain poured all night, only slowing into a drizzle at dawn, with no sign of clearing.
"One autumn rain brings one degree of cold," pushing open the door in the morning, Qin Yao immediately felt the ’cold’ in that saying.
September had already passed halfway.
Today was the fifteenth, the day to distribute last month’s wages to the workers.
After breakfast at home, Qin Yao changed into a thick cotton outfit and took the ledgers and silver to the factory.
Though she hadn’t visited for half a month, with Liu the carpenter there, everything at the factory was still running smoothly.
Seeing Qin Yao carrying the ledgers under her arm, the workers shook off the gloom brought by the rainy weather, showing undisguised excitement.
Qin Yao first found Liu the carpenter to verify the accounts of recent half-month, then took out a draft paper to calculate the workers’ wages.
Before finishing work at dusk, the workers’ wages were entirely distributed, bringing festivity throughout the factory. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
The workers took their wages and gradually left, with Qin Yao and Liu the carpenter being the last to leave after finalizing some details, locking the door and heading home.
Having received wages today, every household added extra courses to their meals. As Qin Yao traversed the village, various delicious aromas tickled her nose, quickening her pace home.
On arrival, Da Lang had already prepared dinner, and seeing her return, promptly set the table.
Perhaps influenced by the village’s joyous atmosphere, the five hailed the simple meal as delightful.
Yet, just as everyone relaxed in the joy, the summoning bell unexpectedly tolled.
The five of them, having just finished eating, were simultaneously taken aback.
"What’s going on?" Qin Yao muttered suspiciously.
The four siblings looked baffled, unaware.
"I’ll go check." Qin Yao signaled for Da Lang and the others to stay home, donned her straw hat, and quickly left.
On the road, she encountered Old Liu and Liu Bai, exchanging glances of doubt and unease, they headed to the village assembly hall together.
The village’s summoning bell rarely rang; for important notices, the village head usually sent someone with a gong to summon the villagers.
The last time the bell rang was during the bandit attacks.
In the past, such a sound heralded fresh rounds of military conscription or corvée labor.
Only just having experienced a semblance of peace, the villagers of Sheng Country recalled, Sheng Country merely reduced labor and taxes, not exempted them entirely.
An instant before, everyone had been joyously celebrating the receipt of monthly wages with special meals.
The next moment, they gathered solemnly in the assembly hall, dripped by drizzle, eyes fixed on the village head holding the register.
Gazing at the representatives from every household in the courtyard, the village head sighed deeply, forced to announce the news he had just received.
"Desert Barbarians have invaded, border conflicts have resumed, Zijing Mansion has issued a decree that all counties under its jurisdiction should swiftly assemble three thousand civilian laborers to deliver provisions to the border...."
"Every household, male over twelve and under fifty, should send two out of four men, one from fewer than three, exempt the only child; urgency in time, discuss at home tonight and report by seventh morning, departing in three days."
Following the announcement, the village head immediately opened the register to call out household names, specifying how many men each had, and how many should be sent.
Upon reaching the Liu Family’s old house, eligible to the age, four men needed to send two.
Qin Yao had not yet observed Old Liu and Liu Bai’s expressions when her house’s turn came.
"Liu Ji’s family has one eligible man, should send one."
"Liu Dafu’s family has four eligible men, should send two..."
Every mentioned household member involuntarily bowed their heads.
The sky continued to drizzle, weighing heavily on everyone’s hearts, the atmosphere suffocating in oppression.
Provisions transport labor, among the reluctant tasks during corvée, just slightly better than conscription, being logistical, but not free from danger.
The gravest risk being military deadline; failing to deliver provisions completely and promptly can cost lives or implicate three generations.
After reading the long list, the village head sighed repeatedly with a gloomy face.
His family had five eligible members, should send two; without titles or ranks, ordinary people couldn’t skirt labor service.
However, he managed to secure a certain quota reduction for everyone.
Calling out to rally everyone’s spirit loudly, the village head proclaimed:
"This county has thirty-five prisoners; six taels of silver can secure one replacement quota, first come, first served, those with silver hurry up!"
These thirty-five quotas were from previous bandit extermination, awaiting execution post-autumn.
If the decree were to come later, money couldn’t buy quotas!
The originally hopeful villagers gasped upon hearing the figure of six taels.
Yet despite this, those capable of gathering the sum vowed to make every sacrifice, if only to fight for a chance.
With money gone, hardship can still be endured.
If a person perishes, there indeed remains nothing.
Old Liu and Liu Bai clenched their fists tightly, rushed home to gather silver.
Fortunately, this year’s harvest was plentiful; otherwise, it would be impossible to gather the twelve taels needed; failing which, at least one person must go.
Mrs. Qiu was due soon, definitely excluding the second son’s possibility.
Liu Fei was still young, a mere child contributing minimally, encountering anything unexpected on the road, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Ultimately, the quota was bound for either Old Liu or Liu Bai.
Both were grateful that the harvest yielded the necessary silver this year.
Still, daring little hope given merely thirty-five quotas amidst thousand conscriptions for labor, racing for a chance left no room for delay.
Father and son hurriedly exited the assembly hall, suddenly recalling Qin Yao, Liu Bai darted back inside to urge her to swiftly return home and fetch silver.
"Just six taels of silver, Sister-in-law, don’t hesitate; hurry and hand it to the village head, or else the third must transport provisions, that’s a perilous task!"
Having delivered the message in haste, Liu Bai followed Old Liu home.
The father and son assumed Qin Yao understood the gravity of the matter, certain she would return home to fetch silver for Liu Ji’s replacement quota.
Yet unaware, Qin Yao wasn’t anxious, instead revealed a faintly curled cold smile.
Liu Ji, this time let’s see if you can escape death!
"Mother!"
Seeing figures far down the hill, Si Niang couldn’t contain a loud call.
Qin Yao waved, "Go inside; it’s raining out here!"
Si Niang didn’t move until Qin Yao arrived, then held onto the corner of her clothes into the house.
The young girl’s eyes filled with worry, raising her head to look, "Mother, did something bad happen?"
Da Lang and his brothers also turned towards, anxious.
Qin Yao removed her straw hat, patted water off, smiled: "Nothing, just the government seeking civilian labor to transport provisions to the border for soldiers fighting the barbarians."
Sanlang, Si Niang, breathed lightly, naïvely remarked: "Oh, is that what it is."
