Chapter 009 If money is given and one still does not go to work, isn't that foolish

Chang Xixing, however, is not so optimistic, "But what should we prepare to eat? Those who are willing to spend money are also quite particular; will they appreciate what we make?"

Knowing that being wealthy is good, just keep quiet. You can't spend this money recklessly; in the end, it will all be given to your wife. You little brat, just because you have a bit of money, you start to act all high and mighty

The boss often expressed his thoughts: "If only we could really earn money, this work would take years to finish, right? With three hundred wen a month, one person could earn over three taels in a year, and still save on food. As long as we come back to help during the busy farming season, we can dig the riverbed during the rest of the time, and in a few years, we will be able to pay off the debts."

Although everyone thinks that Chang Xile is intelligent and often blindly obedient, they also believe that he lacks understanding of economic matters

Chang Xile has remained silent, observing everyone's performance. Based on his observations over the past few days, he is certain that regardless of the individual personalities within this family, they all share a common trait of being very diligent. Chang Xile firmly believes that hard work is rewarded by the heavens; as long as one finds the right direction, life can be prosperous.

The people present all inquired in unison

Chang Xile conveyed to everyone what he had discussed with Li Zheng today, "Li Butou said that this matter is not under the jurisdiction of the county. I plan to visit the county in a couple of days to see if I can gather some information."

"What if they don't pay us? Who are we going to argue with?" Ding Sansao, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up, and everyone instantly fell silent.

Chang Xisheng shot her a glance and said, "How can you speak to Fifth Brother like that? Fifth Brother, please don't be angry; your second sister-in-law just has a quick temper, and it’s not that she has any objections to you"

Cao Ersao's voice was loud and somewhat shrill, as if she were about to start an argument when she said this

Captain Li certainly did not tell the whole truth, and some information is not suitable for him to disclose. Chang Xile originally intended to make a trip to the county, and it was a good opportunity to gather information along the way

"Xiao Wu, did you hear any news at Li Zheng's house today?" asked Chang Lao San, as everyone's gaze turned in unison towards Chang Xi Le.

Father and Mother, Brother and Sister-in-law, please do not rush; let me explain first. The goods we sell are not aimed at the laborers, but rather at those small managers. They are wealthier than the laborers and are more willing to spend money. Their tastes are more discerning than those of ordinary laborers, yet they are not as particular as the officials. Meals from a communal pot are always unappetizing; they have to supervise there and cannot leave to enjoy a proper meal in the county, so they must be quite tempted. This presents us with an opportunity. Moreover, we are not just filling their stomachs; we are catering to their cravings. Digging riverbeds is exhausting, and even ordinary laborers would be willing to spend a little to reward themselves, so we need not worry about a lack of customers.

The Chang family's third branch had been living quite well before. Although Chang Xile spent a lot of money on education, in the years leading up to the incident involving Chang Xile, no one in their family had served in labor; they had all used money to substitute for labor. Chang Laosan had experienced it in his youth and understood the hardships involved, so as long as conditions permitted, he was unwilling for his own children to endure such suffering. The family's finances were not solely dependent on Chang Xile.

The ancestors of Taoyuan Village have all experienced the turmoil of war, and they were forced by local officials to escape to this remote valley, living a life isolated from the world. Although many years have passed, the distrust towards the government has been passed down to the present day. Moreover, they have indeed been deceived by unscrupulous officials in the past, which has led them to always harbor skepticism towards government decisions. While they do believe in Chang Xile's speculations, they still feel uncertain as long as the money has not been received. Furthermore, they have indeed been deceived by unscrupulous officials in the past, which has led them to always harbor skepticism towards government decisions. While they do believe in Chang Xile's speculations, they still feel uncertain as long as the money has not been received.

Chang Xisheng still shook his head, "To do business, one needs capital, but our family currently has not a single cent."

After Chang Xile finished speaking, everyone shook their heads. Even Sun Pozi, who usually supported Chang Xile, said: "Xile, your idea is good, but this matter is difficult to handle. The documents have stated that the library is responsible for the meals; who would be willing to spend money on food? Even if it is just chaff and wild vegetables, everyone would be happy to eat it if it were free."

Old Chang San could not be bothered with him, "This matter is settled as it is. If Old Wu can make money from it, he should also get a share. He is a scholar and certainly cannot do this kind of work himself, but since the idea came from him, it is only right that he receives a portion. At that time, no one should complain."

Chang Xixing felt a bit flustered, thinking that his father might believe they had grievances regarding the favoritism shown to Chang Xile, which was why he acted this way. He quickly spoke up, saying: "Father, I do not want this money. We have not divided the family assets, so how can we keep private property?"

At this moment, everyone finally understood the true intention behind Chang Laosan's decision. It was all for the sake of Chang Xile, while also considering the feelings of the other brothers, thus striving for a balance as much as possible. After all, although Chang Xile received rations every month and brought considerable benefits to the family, he did not take care of the household chores, and the expenses for studying and writing were substantial. In the past, when Chang Xile aimed to take the imperial examination, everyone was indifferent, but now it was no longer the case. Therefore, having their own private funds to manage their affairs meant they no longer needed to gossip about others.

On this night, Taoyuan Village was destined to be restless, as every household was discussing the matter of the river excavation, and the same was true for the third branch of the Chang family

This is indeed a significant issue, so initially, our family will probably have to send someone to work. However, whether to send more people will depend on how much profit my small business can generate in a month, and we will make a decision based on whether we receive funds from that side. I have not collected my monthly grain allowance, but in a couple of days, I will go to the county town to collect it and sell it, which should yield a few hundred wen. Although it is not much, saving it can help cover the initial expenses. The food I plan to prepare will all be from what we grow in our fields, so it should not require much capital. At the beginning, we will just be dabbling, as we have no capital and are still unclear about the situation, so there is no fear of loss.

Old Chang San shook his head and said, "Do you think this money is easy to earn? That work is much more exhausting than the work in the fields"

Chang Xiangwang also said: "Yes, Father, what are you trying to do? Outsiders might think there is a conflict in our family."

Everyone was taken aback by these words. In the past, all the produce from the household was deposited in the public treasury, managed by the matriarch, and the family had no private funds. As long as the family had not been divided, this was essentially the prevailing model.

Chang Xile did not care and smiled, saying: "I understand everyone's thoughts. It's not just that I find this work difficult and therefore do not let you participate, but rather that I am considering another method. If it can succeed, it would also be profitable, and we wouldn't have to worry about not getting paid"

Everyone was eagerly expressing their opinions, all wanting to earn that 300 wen.

Chang Xile speaks with such caution, rather than boasting, which makes everyone more convinced

Chang Xiangwang was invigorated by these words, "Father, how about I go to the county town with Xile that day? If this matter is reliable, I would like to dig the riverbed. There isn't much work left for our family now, and if we could really earn three hundred wen a month, we wouldn't have to live so frugally."

If other companies suddenly say they want to do business, it may not go as smoothly as expected. It seems a bit far-fetched, after all, the current state of the world is a typical case of like begetting like; children tend to follow in their parents' footsteps regardless of their own willingness, making it difficult to break free from the established class structure. However, Chang Laosan has ventured out before, so he does not feel that anything is amiss.

Ding Sansao did not express any opinion upon hearing this; she merely lowered her head and held the child, revealing no discernible expression

Chang Xiangwang felt embarrassed after being reprimanded in person and quickly defended himself, saying: "Father, how could I be that kind of person..."

Cao Ersao was displeased, "Fifth Uncle, you are well aware of our family's current situation. If we are to receive money and yet do not go to work, wouldn't that be foolish?"

Chang Xiangwang, however, did not take it seriously, saying, "I have nothing but a bit of strength. If I get tired, so be it. Besides, it's not like I have to go alone. My family has few children, and there aren't that many matters to attend to, so just let me go."

Chang Xile said: "Originally, I planned to gather information in the county before speaking, but since it has been brought up today, I will share my thoughts with everyone. The excavation of the river channel will certainly require a lot of people, and it is not far from our village. This work is not easy and will likely take quite a long time. When it is close to our village, we can sell food there. Although a small business may seem insignificant, it can still be quite profitable. At first, everyone might not have thought of this, but if we take the initiative, we need not worry about making money." When it is close to our village, we can sell food there. Although a small business may seem insignificant, it can still be quite profitable. At first, everyone might not have thought of this, but if we take the initiative, we need not worry about making money.

What method is this

Chang Xiangwang said: "Of course I think money is good, but ... ... "

However, business varies in scale. At the beginning, his demands were low; as long as there was some income, it was manageable.

Although Chang Xile is a unique presence in this household, the one who truly makes the decisions is still Chang Laosan, and everyone looks towards Chang Laosan.

Cao Ersao quickly said: "Fifth Uncle, do not overthink it; I just want to earn a little more money for the family"

At this moment, Chang Xisheng, who had been silent, spoke up: "If money is really being distributed, we can go together. Didn't we say that we could sign up ourselves? The work at home is manageable most of the time; as long as we return during the planting and harvesting seasons, it will be fine"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone's eyes lit up. Granny Sun slapped her thigh and said, "So it seems this might actually work. Those young men without wives or children are the least able to save money, and they are the most greedy when it comes to food."

Chang Xiangwang was displeased upon hearing this; both brothers were eager to dig the river channel.

Seeing that no one was speaking, he finally spoke up: "Even if money is offered, our family does not need to earn this hard-earned money. Perhaps at the beginning, one person will need to work for a while, but after some time, we can spend money to hire someone to take over."

Old Master Chang San, unwilling to explain, said with a stern face: "If you want to take it, then take it. Are you afraid the money will burn your hands?"

Chang Xixing said: "Father, let me go instead. Third brother has only one daughter with *Tu*, and it seems that this task will take a while, which might delay having children. Huai Zi has grown up now and can help with the matters, so I don't need to worry about it."

Others also chimed in, and Chang Xile laughed and said: "Elder brother, rest assured, I already have some ideas in mind. The sisters-in-law are all excellent cooks; as long as we have the recipes and ingredients, they can prepare a grand feast. I know a few recipes from outside, and when the time comes, I will experiment with the sisters-in-law a few times, and we will definitely be able to make it. In a couple of days, I will go to the county to buy the ingredients, and we can study it together."

This statement gets straight to the point. Chang Xile was previously most troubled by the lack of capital. He had not originally planned to start a business so early, but now the opportunity is right in front of him. If he does not seize it quickly, it would indeed be a great pity

Sister Cao Er also said, "Isn't that so? If the matter of providing meals is false, then the wages certainly won't be paid, and no one would be willing to buy it either"

Cao Ersao was also very interested: "I wonder if women can go? I am stronger than many men, so I don't need three hundred wen; just provide me with meals and two hundred wen will be fine."

Upon hearing this, everyone chose to blindly trust Chang Xile again, believing that although he had never worked in the kitchen, he had spent a long time outside and knew a lot, so he would surely come up with good solutions

Cao Ersao said proudly: "What my uncle said is true; my cooking skills are indeed the worst among the wives, but the food I make is no less tasty than that from those small stalls in the county."

Elder Chang San pondered for a long time before finally speaking: "Since Lao Wu has suggested it, let us give it a try. If it truly works out, it could be a way out. I still have two taels of silver left, which is what remained from Lao Wu's medical expenses. I originally intended to save it to repay debts, but since Lao Wu has this idea, we might as well use it for now. Digging the riverbed is not an easy task; one person from our family is enough. We will start with the eldest, each person will go for three months, and by taking turns, everyone will have a chance to rest. If money is indeed distributed, two hundred wen will be given to your mother, and the rest you can keep for yourselves."