Chapter 219 Waiting in Line

The man knew his attitude was bad, and looking at Xu Zhenying's clear eyes, he felt a little scared. However, Xu Zhenying seemed unconcerned. "Don't worry, fellow villagers. Jinzhou Prefecture is not like Lan County. Lan County only has a dozen villages, but Jinzhou Prefecture has fifteen counties and over a hundred villages. We are currently very short of officials and teachers. But I have already sent someone to handle this matter. Don't worry, wherever I go, the first thing I do is to promote education for all."

Qian Zhenniang, standing nearby, also smiled and said, "Village heads, the city lord is even more anxious about this than you are. We in Lan County have done a great job with universal education, and many village heads are jealous. You are the first group today, but do you believe that people from other villages will come tomorrow? After all, this concerns the education of our children. Which family wouldn't take this seriously? We're all afraid of being a step behind others, and that means we'll be a step behind for the rest of our lives!"

Qian Zhenniang's words made the village heads nod their heads frequently. "Yes, yes, we are doing this for the children. In the past, going to school was a life-threatening task. There were no teachers, no books, no writing brushes, and most importantly, we were poor. We couldn't even feed ourselves, so how could we dare let the children learn to read and write? The city lord's promotion of universal education is truly a great cause that benefits both the country and the people!"

"Don't worry, uncles. We are gathering people and sorting out the village. Go back and compile a booklet about the children and hand it to us as soon as possible. We will determine the order of priority based on the situation. If there are few children in the village, we will have to follow the principle of proximity and send them to the nearest village to go to school together. In short, start studying first!"

The village chiefs were deeply moved. This time, they were no longer afraid of Xu Zhenying. Instead, they burst into tears of gratitude and said, "The city lord is right. No matter what, we must first let the children learn to read and write!"

Several village chiefs even winked at each other.

Sure enough, what those people in Lan County said was true!

Holistic education is real!

It’s true that the city lord is kind!

The old man in green robe was no longer restrained as before, and now he finally dared to observe Xu Zhenying boldly.

Yes, he is indeed as young as the rumors say.

It's just that her dress is very strange, and she looks androgynous, especially her hair.

However, there were also rumors that Xu Zhenying was a girl, so he naturally didn't want to ask.

This man has his own method in doing things, and his subordinates are well-trained. Unlike the officials in the government office in the past, who would just scold and send people away from a distance, if you want to go in to see the master, you must give him some silver. A few copper coins are not enough, and you have to pay a lot of money before you can send him in to report.

How could they be like the soldiers standing in front of the mountain king's gate now?

Not only were they all tall and strong, but they also greeted them warmly from afar, and even seemed afraid that they would run away, so they kept holding them back and refused to let them go, insisting on calling the city lord over.

In the past, they were the only ones who begged to see the Lord of the Mansion, but today they were being held down and not allowed to leave. If this were to be spread out, it would probably become a good story.

"City Lord, when we entered the city today, we saw notices being posted in many places. I noticed they seemed to be recruiting officials."

"That's right. This exam is open to everyone over thirteen, regardless of gender. Anyone with talent is welcome to join me, Xu Zhenying. I also ask you to help spread the word back home and see if there are any literate people in the village who can apply."

Someone was stunned and asked, "Can women also apply to be civil servants?"

Xu Zhenying glanced sideways and said, "Here, we only look at the ability to do the job, not the gender."

A female soldier nearby laughed and interjected, "Old man, we in Lan County not only have female doctors and female clerks, but also female soldiers—"

It seemed that they just realized that these girls were actually female soldiers.

I was so confused just now that I didn't even notice that the clothes they wore were the same as those of the male soldiers!

"How can a woman enter the barracks?"

"Why not? This time when we occupied Jinzhou Prefecture, our female soldiers followed the male soldiers into the battlefield and transported supplies. Many of the accompanying military doctors were also female. Old man, your ideas are all outdated. Our city lord strongly advocates equality for both men and women, and for everyone. Regardless of gender, age, or status, as long as you have talent and knowledge, the city lord has plenty of opportunities for you."

The old man shook his head. Although he did not refute, he obviously disagreed.

How can this girl be a soldier?

What a bunch of scoundrels without any moral principles!

The female soldier was unconvinced. "Old man, don't look down on female soldiers. We female soldiers only get one or two taels of silver a month! Whether you're on the battlefield or not, as long as you're injured or disabled, you'll get free medical treatment. For someone like me, who's unmarried and childless, if we die on the battlefield, our parents will receive a generous pension every month until they die of old age. Now that Jinzhou Prefecture has just been occupied, we must expand our staff. If you have any brave and fearless girls in your family, you can send them to us!"

"One tael of silver a month?!" The old man's eyelids twitched, and then he looked at Xu Zhenying in disbelief. "That's twelve taels a year! My God, that could be exchanged for three acres of land in our countryside! Three acres a year, not as much as those officials working in the government offices!"

The female soldier seemed very satisfied with the old man's performance. Even the male soldier next to her said, "Uncle, don't underestimate these girls. They are very ruthless! In the past, every time we had an exam in our camp, those girls studied like crazy. Many male soldiers not only had lower academic scores than the female soldiers, but also had lower physical fitness than some girls. I heard that there was a female soldier named Zhang Qiuchan who could run ten kilometers while carrying a 60-pound load."

"Oh my—" All the old men opened their mouths in shock.

Seeing the old men's shocked expressions, the male soldier winked at the female soldier who had spoken earlier.

The female soldier couldn't help laughing.

Although there is constant criticism of female soldiers from the outside world, their male colleagues in the army have gradually changed their views and even speak up for them in front of outsiders.

It was thanks to the unyielding perseverance and countless sweat of countless female soldiers that they gained the respect from their opponents.

Qian Zhenniang also said, "Not only that, as long as you work for our city lord, he will treat you unfairly. Take me for example, I currently receive ten taels of silver a month, which is probably much higher than the salary of a low-ranking county magistrate."

Xu Zhenying narrowed his eyes. Wow, Qian Zhenniang, a senior secretary, actually had a salary almost as high as that of a county magistrate in a lower-class county in the Great Zhou Dynasty?

Xu Zhenying even suspected that Qian Zhenniang was simply asking for a salary increase in disguise!

Seeing that the village heads seemed stunned by this string of news, Xu Zhenying coughed softly, "That's right. My officials here are selected regardless of gender, regardless of appearance or family background. Even if you are from the lowest class, you can take the exam. As long as you have the ability, you can break free from the shackles of society. I would like to ask the village heads to spread the word when you go back and see if you can help us recruit some ambitious people—"

Xu Zhenying had said this, and the village heads finally bowed and said, "No, no, no!" but they didn't mention anything more about men and women. Instead, the old man in the green robe seemed very interested in the civil service examination. "May I ask, City Lord, how many people are being recruited for this civil service examination? The children in our village are a step behind others, so they definitely won't get a chance this time. But will there be another chance?"

The words of the old man in green robe finally made everyone present realize that if they were one step slower now, they would be one step slower for the rest of their lives.

If they don't recruit in the future, then the children in Murakami will have no chance.

When the village heads thought of this, their expressions immediately changed, and they all looked at Xu Zhenying sadly.

Xu Zhenying quickly said, "This is only the first large-scale civil service exam. Comprehensive education has been implemented in Lan County for a long time. Most of those who pass this exam are definitely from Lan County. But don't worry, there will definitely be civil service exams in the future. When we expand again, we will definitely need a large number of civil servants. You should go back and wait for news. Let the children study hard first."

The next expansion?

Everyone seemed to hear Xu Zhenying's ambition.

Ming Xiaoshuang had already run over breathlessly under the leadership of the soldier. From a distance, he saw Xu Zhenying and several old men sitting at the door, seemingly having a pleasant conversation.

He quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Seeing him coming, Xu Zhenying waved at him with a smile, then stood up and offered him his seat. "Xiao Shuang, please sit here. These are the village chiefs under Jinzhou Prefecture. They came here specifically to ask about your pig farming."

Several old men quickly stood up to greet him. Ming Xiaoshuang didn't dare to sit in Xu Zhenying's seat. A soldier nearby immediately brought a stool. Ming Xiaoshuang wiped the sweat off his forehead nervously.

Several village heads also secretly observed Ming Xiaoshuang, and only then did they discover that the people under Xu Zhenying were very young. For example, Ming Xiaoshuang was only in his early twenties.

But they all look very friendly and easy to talk to.

The village heads were preparing their conversation, unsure how to proceed. As soon as Ming Xiaoshuang sat down, he immediately assumed a businesslike demeanor and began to speak. "Village heads, what do you want to know about the pig farm? Do you want to raise pigs in the village?"

Such a straightforward opening saved the trouble of greeting. The old man in the green robe immediately said, "Sir, we just want to—"

Ming Xiaoshuang quickly said, "No need to be so polite, just call me Director Ming. That's what we all call you here."

The old man in the green robe immediately responded, "Director Ming, to be honest, we just want to ask for advice on pig farming. Some young people from our village went to Lan County before and said that many villages there are raising funds to build factories."

"Have you ever heard of Lanxian pigs?"

"I know a little bit about Lanxian pigs. They're known for their fast growth and quiet temperament. They can reach 100 to 200 kilograms in just over six months! Plus, the pig farm's manure can be used as fertilizer in the fields, which is quite effective. So, we'd like to ask what the rules are for this joint venture?"

Xu Zhenying made some room and listened attentively to Ming Xiaoshuang.

Although Ming Xiaoshuang had only recently taken over Fang Xun's position, the handover had gone smoothly, and he quickly got the hang of things at the farm. He patiently explained, "We do have a partnership with the village. The reason we're setting up a joint venture is because our city lord wants to improve the lives of the people and increase their income. This is purely a concession from us. Currently, we have two options."

The old men listened attentively and wished they had not brought the young man with good memory today. At this moment, they could only force themselves to remember every word Ming Xiaoshuang said.

"The first method is for the village to take the lead, with the government providing support. This approach is suitable for villages with surplus grain. Villagers pool their capital, and future profits are distributed according to the initial investment. In this case, we provide manpower and technology, assist with management, and take 20% of the profits."

Ming Xiaoshuang explained it in a simple and easy-to-understand way, and everyone nodded frequently. "Twenty percent...that's not much."

The old man in green robe said, "It's more than just a small amount. This is clearly the city lord giving benefits to the common people. Director Ming, is there another way?"

"One method is for the government to take the lead, with the village as a supplement. This method is aimed at relatively poor villages. If the villagers can't afford it, we will provide funds and labor, but we will give priority to hiring people from the village. At the end of the year, we will pay 20% of the profits to the village to use for bridge and road construction, school construction, and relief for the orphans and widows. Of course, this money will be under our supervision."

"That's right, that's right."

Judging from the expressions of the audience, Xu Zhenying clearly believed that the latter was more popular.

Although the former has huge profits, the flood last year affected such a wide range of people and so many people were affected that the people of Jinzhou Prefecture must be left with only one word left.

That's poverty.

Very poor.

To use a phrase from my previous life, I was so poor that I had nothing but my underpants.

The old man in the green robe said, "In other words, one option is that the villagers pay the money, the government provides the prescription, the government keeps 20%, and the hired workers are also from the village. The second option is that the government pays the money, the villagers do the work, and keeps 20% in the village."

"That's roughly it. Of course, we need to analyze each case individually, depending on the situation in each village."

"If the villagers pay for it, does that mean the pig farm will be managed by the village?"

Ming Xiaoshuang smiled and shook his head. "No matter how much the villagers contribute, the prerequisite is that they recognize the pig farm as a government asset. This will ensure the independent operation of the pig farm and avoid being involved in disputes within the village. It is also a means to increase our treasury revenue. Don't worry, the money collected will be directly added to the treasury. When the time comes, it will be used to build water conservancy projects, develop education, and ensure city defense. You are all eager to hire village teachers now, and these village teachers need to eat, so their wages will also be paid from the treasury."

The green-robed old man blushed slightly at these words, and the other village heads said, "These two methods are indeed beneficial to the village."

Ming Xiaoshuang smiled: "That's not the case. The ultimate goal of our breeding is to make life better for the people. This way, we can all live a good life and enrich the national treasury at the same time. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"

"Director Ming is right. I just don't know when this farm will be operational. Our villages are quite far away, and since we've finally made it to the city, we want to get everything done right away."

The old man looked ashamed, as if he was afraid of bothering Ming Xiaoshuang. But Ming Xiaoshuang said, "Thanks for coming early. You're the first to come here. So, later, I'll go with you to register and make a clear record of the village situation. You'll be the first in line. We've finished recruiting this batch of officials, and once they're on duty, we'll start this work immediately. I'll personally lead people to your village according to this registration order to take a first-hand look at the situation before we discuss anything else."