Chapter 008: The foremost issue to address now is how to ensure that the members of the Chang family’s third branch have enough food to eat

Chang Xile nodded, deep in thought.

The document states that the court intends to organize people to dig a canal, which will connect the marine area of Seafood Prefecture directly to the capital, passing through Pumpkin Manor, with a section located less than ten miles from Peach Blossom Village. The court is now conscripting labor, requiring each household to provide one able-bodied man, with no option to pay for a substitute, although it is permitted to find someone to take their place, thereby exempting the entire family from labor service for that year. Unlike regular labor service, although each household is compelled to provide one man, this is compensated; each person will receive a monthly wage of three hundred wen. If there are individuals beyond the allocated quota who are willing to work, they will also enjoy the same benefits. The court is now conscripting labor, requiring each household to provide one able-bodied man, with no option to pay for a substitute, although it is permitted to find someone to take their place, thereby exempting the entire family from labor service for that year. Unlike regular labor service, although each household is compelled to provide one man, this is compensated; each person will receive a monthly wage of three hundred wen. If there are individuals beyond the allocated quota who are willing to work, they will also enjoy the same benefits.

The village head rarely sought the opinions of Chang Xile on ordinary matters, primarily out of concern that it might interfere with his studies. However, now that Chang Xile has some free time, he is inclined to hear his thoughts. Although Chang Xile is still young, he possesses knowledge and continues his education in the county, which certainly gives him a different perspective compared to those who have only dealt with land. It must be said that the village head is a person of insight, yet like many others, he tends to hold Chang Xile in somewhat excessive regard. If the original person were present, these mundane affairs would indeed be beyond his comprehension. It must be said that the village head is a person of insight, yet like many others, he tends to hold Chang Xile in somewhat excessive regard. If the original person were present, these mundane affairs would indeed be beyond his comprehension

Now that this opportunity has arisen, as the village chief, he is certainly tempted. However, he also fears that the court may say one thing and do another, and if they fail to provide funds and leave people stranded, it would be a loss without gain

Chang Xile also agrees that while digging the riverbed can be profitable, it should not involve too many people. Taoyuan Village is currently impoverished due to its large population, but in the future, this large population can become an advantage as development progresses. Before the canal is opened, Taoyuan Village must develop itself in order to better utilize the canal later on

***

Everyone turned their attention to Chang Xile, who nodded and said: "It is indeed written in the document, three hundred wen per person, including food and accommodation"

The village chief nodded and said, "That is also true, but for the sake of caution, it is advisable that initially only one person from each household participates, to avoid any unforeseen circumstances"

This canal was constructed to facilitate north-south communication, strengthen control over the southern regions from the capital, and facilitate the transportation of grain and supplies. Land transportation is slow, has a limited capacity, and incurs high costs, which cannot meet the demands. Therefore, the construction of this canal became necessary. Once completed, it is certain that numerous vessels will traverse it, creating abundant business opportunities. Although there is still a long way to go until that time, it has paved a path for the future of Taoyuan Village

Captain Li explained, "What would I gain by deceiving you? This document clearly states everything; if you don't believe me, you can ask Scholar Chang."

Your words make sense. If we want to work, we can only go to Daoxiang County. What can we do there? If the shipping route opens up, we can go to even farther places! Didn't Captain Li just say that if the shipping route opens, it will take less than ten days to reach the capital, and only a day's work to get to the prefecture, while it only takes two quarters of an hour to get to the county? This means that the sooner the canal is completed, the sooner our Taoyuan Village will have hope

Chang Xile cupped his hands in return, "Captain Li, you are too kind. Captain Li has come, but is there any instruction from the county?"

This is indeed a great thing; in this day and age, earning money is not easy, and a monthly wage of 300 wen is quite good

At noon, the large bell in the center of Taoyuan Village was struck, prompting everyone to hastily put down their work and gather under the great banyan tree in the village center. The bell is only rung during significant events in the village. From a young age, the children of Taoyuan Village are taught not to touch the bell. There was once a mischievous child who struck it recklessly, resulting not only in a severe beating but also in repercussions for their parents. They were warned that any further offenses would lead to the entire family being expelled from the village. The bell is only rung during significant events in the village. From a young age, the children of Taoyuan Village are taught not to touch the bell. There was once a mischievous child who struck it recklessly, resulting not only in a severe beating but also in repercussions for their parents. They were warned that any further offenses would lead to the entire family being expelled from the village

Chang Xile asked: "Will they really distribute money? What if they end up deceiving people and using various excuses to withhold it?"

"Joy, come here." The village head saw Chang Xile and quickly waved to him

Will we have to pay the summer tax in advance? Isn't there still one month left until m.hetushu.com?

Everyone began to discuss this matter, and the scene was quite lively. They could barely make ends meet through farming, and it was extremely difficult to have cash on hand. If this were true, it would be a tremendous blessing. They may lack other resources, but they possess a good amount of strength, which allows them to find work and make their lives a bit less strained. Moreover, regardless of their willingness, every family must send at least one person; naturally, they would be pleased to earn money now.

In every era, corrupt officials are never in short supply; policies from above are met with countermeasures from below. After layers of exploitation, there is hardly anything left for those at the bottom. Chang Xile is a scholar who enjoys the freedom to express his opinions without fear of punishment for speaking out, which is why he dares to make such statements

Dredging the river channel is an opportunity that he must seize firmly

Captain Li said: "The court places great importance on this canal, and has directly dispatched an imperial envoy to oversee it, not allowing anyone from the county to interfere. Therefore, it is unlikely that anyone would dare to tamper with it. Some of my relatives are eager to give it a try."

However, at present, he is not able to expand the business to that extent; the immediate priority is to ensure that the members of the Chang family’s third branch have enough food to eat

The explosive growth of the population has rendered land insufficient, and Taoyuan Village, surrounded by mountains, finds it difficult to cultivate new land. It cannot expand outward and is confined to the fields left by its ancestors. Therefore, while there are able-bodied men in Taoyuan Village who could leave the fields to work elsewhere, the village is isolated and far from towns, making the cost of going out extremely high. Moreover, there are few pathways available; over the years, only a handful of individuals like Chang Laosan have managed to break free, and they can be counted on one hand. Furthermore, when Chang Laosan returned, he was in quite a dire state; had he not escaped quickly, he likely would have been caught up in guild disputes and unable to extricate himself.

Is the salary settled monthly? Can someone who is not on the quota go after a month? If they go and work for a while, can they return midway with the books?

Daoxiang County is not large, and opportunities are even fewer

Captain Li noticed the scar on Chang Xile's face, and a hint of regret flashed in his eyes, though it did not show on his face. "I have long heard of Scholar Chang's great name, and now that I see him in person, he truly is a hero of the younger generation"

Note: The reference to the "night-blooming jasmine" is recorded in "Dream Liang Lu, Volume 13, Various Miscellaneous Goods," which documents the situation in Hangzhou during the Southern Song Dynasty. In the city, every industry had its own guild, and one had to go through the guild to enter a profession; it was not simply a matter of wanting to do a job.

Captain Li directly handed the official document issued by the court to Chang Xile, stating, "There is indeed a matter at hand, and it is a significant one."

Although Captain Li's words contain elements of incitement, they are not entirely false

If the county magistrate of Ke Ruo collects the summer tax in advance, it can only be attributed to two reasons: either there is turmoil in some areas, prompting the court to urgently collect taxes; or the magistrate of Taoyuan County is a person who acts recklessly. Regardless of which it is, neither is good news. Unfortunately, the original self has too little memory of the magistrate, leaving Chang Xile unable to obtain useful information

After Captain Li announced the conclusion of the matter, he was taken home by the village head for a meal, and Chang Xile was also invited. The economic situation of the village head's family was similar to that of the third branch of the Chang family before, and in order to entertain Captain Li, the dining table was filled with fine wine and dishes, abundant fish and meat, which delighted Chang Xile, who had been eating coarse grains and wild vegetables for quite some time. Fortunately, his usual habits prevented him from being too rude.

It can't be a deception, can it? In the past, when we went for labor, we sometimes had to bring our own provisions. Where have we heard of receiving money? It would be good enough if they didn't ask us for money.

Chang Xile could not help but frown upon hearing this. Although he was exempted from the land tax due to his success in the imperial examination and the labor service for himself and two male members of the Chang family for one month each year, there were still two labor services that could not be exempted. The labor service was extremely arduous, often requiring one to leave home. Moreover, the family was short of two laborers, which represented a significant economic loss. The labor service was unpaid, and if one were unfortunate enough to encounter a harsh superior, they would have to bring their own provisions.

Upon seeing the constable, everyone began to discuss among themselves

Bang bang bang

The voice of Captain Li was very loud, and those nearby could hear it, all feeling quite surprised

Chang Xile thought for a moment and said: "If the court does not act recklessly, the construction of this canal would be a great benefit for our Taoyuan Village. There is a saying: to become prosperous, one must first build roads. If this canal is completed, it will be much easier for us in Taoyuan Village to go out and do whatever we want."

In the past, their family used money to pay for labor, but now there is no money for this "additional tax". Recently, every member of the Chang family has been working hard to gather this sum of money, rather than the summer tax that Xing'er mistakenly heard about before

Chang Xile hurried over as well, where a considerable crowd had already gathered. The village head stood on the high platform beneath the large banyan tree, accompanied by a constable with a sword at his side

Chang Xile smiled slightly, noting that the benefits were not limited to these. However, Chang Xile did not intend to say much more at this moment, not because he feared that the village chief would not understand, but rather because he currently knew too little about this world, and he had not yet begun to undertake any tasks. The things he might say would feel like boasting to him. Moreover, those matters were still distant; he needed to focus on doing well with the current tasks first.

Excavating the river channel is a significant matter, and it is certain that many people will need to be recruited. The funds are not managed by the county, yet the county offices are instructed to inform the public of the documents one by one. It is presumed that this is a deliberate act by the sovereign, intended to prevent the officials in charge from becoming arrogant; otherwise, it could lead to trouble if the laborers were to cause a disturbance later on

Are there still such good things? Will money still be distributed?

Isn't that so? This year ... ...

Li Zheng did not expect Chang Xile to think so far ahead; his original intention was merely to inquire whether the payment was reliable

Joy, what are your thoughts on this matter

Captain Li chuckled, immediately understanding what Chang Xile was up to. "Chang He, the scholar of the Tu Shu, is indeed quite cautious. I only know that the wages are settled monthly; beyond that, I am not very clear. The county cannot directly intervene in this matter, as the funds are managed by high officials sent from the capital, so our knowledge is quite limited."

"This is Captain Li, and this is our village's Chang Xile," the village head introduced, his face filled with pride as he spoke of Chang Xile

In this world, productivity is low, and opportunities to earn money are consequently very scarce. For those who possess no skills beyond manual labor, a monthly wage of three hundred wen is already considered a generous price, and such jobs are not always available. Rural areas are self-sufficient, and only in towns are there opportunities for labor, similar to modern times. The difference lies in the fact that the labor opportunities in this world are far fewer than in later generations, as they are monopolized by the urban population. Even those who collect night fragrance have their own patrons and do not dare to encroach upon one another; should there be encroachment, the patrons will surely contest it, and in severe cases, it may lead to major lawsuits, only ceasing after a victory.

After the constable left, the village head finally spoke in a normal, cheerful, and serious manner

Chang Xile stepped forward, and the constable greeted him with a bow, displaying a very courteous demeanor. Although Chang Xile had been disfigured, he held a title, which set him apart from ordinary people. Despite the constable's reputation for being overbearing, he did not dare to act recklessly in front of a scholar. While scholars may find it difficult to appoint officials, they can still engage in clerical work within the county office, thus placing them above the constables.

Isn't that so

Upon hearing Chang Xile's words, Li Zheng also fell into deep thought

Chang Xile took the document and, after a careful look, furrowed his brows only to smooth them out again, then furrowed them once more. A seriousness that belied his youthful face emerged.

Taoyuan Village was established by refugees fleeing from the chaos of war. At that time, they found this place to be picturesque, with clear mountains and waters, fertile land, and surrounded by mountains. There was only one cliff entrance leading out, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack, which is why they chose to settle here. Initially, there were fewer than one hundred people, but after several generations, the population has grown to over one thousand, becoming a large village

Who knows, if it really comes to this, it will be troublesome; our family cannot afford it right now