Chapter 1595 IF Scenario: What if Shen Tang woke up earlier (Part 9)

There were nearly a hundred people from Luo San's hometown.

They were all strong men, each over 1.9 meters tall. The sight of them standing there exuded a menacing aura, clearly indicating that they were not law-abiding citizens and had definitely seen blood.

Upon seeing Shen Tang, the group of people looked confused and uneasy.

Trusting Luo San, they still bowed in unison and addressed Shen Tang as "Lord," their unified voices creating a powerful and imposing atmosphere. Shen Tang stared at him for a long time, so long that Luo San thought she had noticed something amiss, and took the opportunity to lower his eyes to conceal the fierce look in them.

Just as he was about to speak, the seemingly otherworldly ruler asked in a serious tone, "Are you all literate?"

The crowd nodded and then shook their heads.

The leader, somewhat embarrassed, said, "I can only recognize a few characters."

This isn't a humble statement; it really only consists of a few words.

Even Luo San came from an unorthodox background.

Shen Tang then asked, "How much do you usually eat?"

Although the issues are jumpy, they are important to her.

She has to take care of these people's meals, and that adds up to costs.

The group assumed Shen Tang was intimidated by their physiques and quickly explained that they didn't eat much and didn't need fancy food; they just wanted a place to stay. They adopted a humble attitude, afraid of missing out on this opportunity. If other unscrupulous businessmen saw such humble and cautious job seekers, they would probably be plotting how to exploit them to the death. However, they had encountered a good boss, Shen Tang.

She waved her hand kindly: "No need to be so careful. Did Bert tell you about the position you are applying for and the job responsibilities?"

The group looked at each other in bewilderment.

I have absolutely no idea why Shen Tang asked such a pointless question.

These days, aren't people like them hired just to fight and kill enemies? Is the job the general is looking for even more dangerous than this?

While thinking this in his heart, he naturally couldn't let it slip out.

"I know, I know, I know."

"That's good. This is the work contract... The contract is a deed. Let's sign it so we can both feel at ease." Shen Tang took out a simple deed she had prepared beforehand. The contents of each deed were the same. "You don't know many words, so I'll have my people read it to you. If you think the contents are suitable, then sign it. You and I will each fulfill the contents of the deed, and neither of us can go back on our word."

Everyone: "..."

I had a vague sense of foreboding.

Where in my life have I ever encountered anything so formal?

In the past, weren't they just hired by the general and then worked as his men? Why are they being asked to sign some kind of contract this time? Could there be something wrong with this? The leader secretly gave General Luo San a look to ask, and Luo San closed his eyes to indicate that they could sign.

Just kidding, it's just a few bamboo slips.

It's not like I swore an oath to the Heavenly Dao or to my own martial prowess.

What can this thing restrict?

If you're unhappy with this woman, you can just turn your back on her and deny everything.

Wei Lou understood what these people were thinking, but he knew Shen Tang was completely unaware of it, and he didn't intend to warn her against falling into a trap. He opened the labor contract that Shen Tang had dictated and that he had written down for her. It simply stated everyone's daily working hours, wages, the time and amount of monthly pay, and bonuses for exceeding targets.

This looks like a scam.

This thought drifted through Wei Lou's mind.

He closed the contract, his tone flat and even: "If you gentlemen have no other questions, you may sign this contract."

The leader took it proactively: "Of course, no problem."

They weren't worried about the pit at all.

No matter how big the pit is, it's fine; taking down Chen Tang will solve everything.

Both parties, each with their own ulterior motives, signed the labor contract.

Shen Tang sighed, "Although I didn't see the person I wanted to see on this trip, I was able to bring back more than a hundred strong laborers, so clearing the land won't be a problem. Let's observe and train them for three months first. If they prove useful, I'll set up a literacy class for them so they can all go to school."

Wei Lou: "A literacy class?"

Shen Tang said, "Illiteracy can easily affect communication efficiency."

It's never a bad thing to study more.

Wei Lou: "..."

I have a feeling that this matter might still affect me.

The next second, his premonition came true.

Shen Tang looked at him with a smile: "I just looked at the contract written by you, Lord Junhou. The handwriting is neat and beautiful, just right to be used as a teaching model. Could you help me write some commonly used characters when you have some free time each day?"

She doesn't expect people to work for free.

Shen Tang directly offered a considerable "writing fee".

Wei Lou neither agreed nor disagreed: "The rest is easy to discuss, but does Your Majesty consider the tools for learning to read expensive? If we really teach them to read and study, we'll need to hire lecturers in addition to these, which isn't worth it."

Simply put, stop messing around.

Being a sucker isn't easy.

Shen Tang pondered, "Actually, besides them, the Gongxi clan also needs to learn. As for literacy tools? You mean pens, ink, paper, and inkstones? If it's just to learn a few simple characters, you can have a carpenter make some half-finger-deep wooden trays, spread sand evenly on them, and use the wood instead of pens for practice. Once you're familiar with how to write each character, you can use paper later. Speaking of which, how much does paper cost on the market?"

Wei Lou hasn't paid attention to these things for a long time.

I can only recall the prices from decades ago based on my memory.

The quality of paper nowadays is extremely poor.

A small number of high-quality papers are reserved for the wealthy and powerful.

Shen Tang was silent for a few seconds. Just when Wei Lou thought she had given up, she said, "...That is indeed expensive. It's not cost-effective to purchase it. I'd rather find someone to build a papermaking workshop myself and save money."

Wei Lou: "...The Queen knows these things?"

Shen Tang said, "So what if you know these things? Anyone who doesn't get distracted during nine years of compulsory education should know the general idea, right? However, the specific proportions, steps, and details will probably require someone to try and adjust them. Even if we use exhaustive methods, we can always find the best way."

Wei Lou: "..."

He didn't understand many of the words Shen Tang used, and could only guess their meaning based on the individual characters. Rationally, he knew that Shen Tang's reckless actions were unlikely to succeed, but he still chose to observe before making a judgment.

Ji Mo Cong did not expect His Highness to return with such a grand entourage.

There were only a few people when they left, but more than a hundred came back.

Each of them was full of vigor and bloodlust, clearly seasoned warriors who had seen countless battles and taken countless lives: "Your Highness."

"Miaoming, how's the project going?"

Ji Mo Cong smiled and said, "The project is now complete."

The irrigation canals have been fully completed, and the reservoir is now largely in place. The original tenant farmers have received their land according to the standards, and over a thousand more have come to join them after hearing the news. Ji Mo Cong is currently worried that there isn't enough reclaimed wasteland to distribute, and some people are causing trouble.

"Is someone causing trouble? Who?"

"They were refugees who sought refuge there later."

The original tenants received priority for the fertile land, leaving only land with relatively poor fertility. When it came to the refugees who had fled, naturally there wasn't much good land to be allocated. A normal person wouldn't see anything wrong with this, but some took advantage of Shen Tang's soft heart and caused trouble.

Making a scene is the best way to deal with someone who is both shameless and soft-hearted.

Shen Tang asked, "Are they not satisfied with those fields?"

"Yes, I think the fields are too barren."

Shen Tang: "Then please ask them to leave."

Those who have no objections can stay; those who have objections can leave.

This answer drew Wei Lou's attention. Before Ji Mo Cong could speak, he said, "I thought the Queen was the kind of person who loved everyone."

Shen Tang frowned in disgust and said, "Being charitable doesn't mean being a sucker. They've already taken advantage of me. If I agree to everything and compromise on everything, won't they take advantage of me in the future? Since they have no shame, why should I give them any face?"

She hates unreasonable demands the most.

It's not like she owes anyone anything, so why is the other party making a fuss?

Wei Lou: "..."

He subconsciously looked at Ji Mo Cong—the high priest who revered Shen Tang as a god—thinking that Ji Mo Cong would be uncomfortable with Shen Tang's words, but to his surprise, the high priest didn't show any emotion at all: "Does the high priest also think that this makes sense?"

Ji Mo Cong: "I don't think Lord Wei is a benevolent person."

Why would someone have such a cowardly thought?

Wei Lou: "..."

Shen Tang asked Ji Mo Cong to make arrangements for Luo San and the others.

Their lodgings were next to the Gongxi tribe's camp.

Food is supplied by the canteen at fixed times and locations.

The head cook was from the Gongxi tribe, and fearing they wouldn't be able to handle the workload, they hired over a hundred tenant farmers' women. The job posting caused quite a stir; a group of men came forward, saying they were physically stronger and better suited for the kitchen work. Their strong reaction stemmed from two reasons: firstly, kitchen help was indeed a desirable job; secondly, many of the original tenant farmers were bachelors with no female relatives to apply for. Families with female relatives could see a significant improvement in their lives through this work, instantly creating a gap between themselves and others.

The Gongxi clan member in charge of recruitment listened silently. After everyone had talked themselves hoarse, he slowly said, "Well, I'm sorry, but our clan believes that you Mamas are more capable of this kind of work."

The protesters: "..."

The person in charge said, "Only when Mama, as a mother, is healthy and has a stable income can she better raise her family of children."

They weren't hiring to do more work with fewer people.

If a hundred are not enough, we can hire more to share the workload.

The problems these people are worried about are not problems at all.

The protester was momentarily stunned: "But...but..."

The person in charge asked, "Do you have children at home who need your care?"

"N-nothing..."

The person in charge asked, "Then what are you here for?"

Mamas with children to care for need to work to support their families, while those without children need to work to prepare for their future families. From any perspective, none of these women are the ideal choice; it's unclear what they're doing here.

The protester: "..."

Neither side could understand the other's thought process.

Fortunately, these people were all tenant farmers who had suffered greatly before. Now that there was a glimmer of hope for a better life, none of them dared to cause trouble and offend the important person. Seeing that the person in charge wouldn't budge, the group could only leave sheepishly. They secretly comforted themselves that they had also been allocated fertile land. If they could manage these fields well, as long as next year wasn't a year of disaster, they could live a better life than they had ever dared to dream of before. At least there was hope.

Luo San and the others settled in.

Go to the cafeteria for lunch at the time specified in the notice.

The layout of the entire cafeteria was unfamiliar to them, queuing for food was even more unfamiliar, and the plates full of chicken, duck, fish and meat were even more frightening: "Can you taste it? Are you sure this is duck meat?"

Is it really not some other meat that's being impersonated?

"Uncertain, but it's definitely not what we're thinking."

If there were really a problem with the meat, why would they give out so many pieces in one spoonful? At most, they'd just taste some soup. You have to understand that there are two large canteens at the camp, with more than two thousand people eating there. If each person gets a piece of meat, how many people would it take to gather that much meat?

"That's true..."

Besides meat, there was also a delicate wheat porridge that you could bite into without worrying about biting into a pebble. Even an ordinary wealthy man couldn't afford such a delicate wheat porridge, could he? The more everyone ate, the more hesitant and uneasy they became.

"When did we fall under the spell of the illusion?"

This is not something that would happen in the normal real world.

Meanwhile, Luo San, seemingly calm in the corner, was actually secretly tense, wary of any potential danger. The others didn't have his composure and could only frantically shovel their food while worrying about traps. It must be said, this illusion was truly amazing; even the smell and texture of the food were mimicked so realistically. It was just a pity that this very illusion became its biggest weakness.

Everyone was cautious and ate only half full.

The rest can be overcome with willpower and martial arts skills.

Wooden plates should be put away in one place after use.

The cafeteria lady asked in surprise, "Is this all you've eaten?"

They're all tall and big, but their appetites are so small.

"Yes, I'm full."

Upon hearing this, the woman did not offer any further advice.

There was even some joy.

The canteen prepares meals daily based on the approximate appetite of the number of diners. Since these people eat so little, there will definitely be a lot of food left over. These people surnamed Gongxi are not only kind-hearted but also thrifty, avoiding food waste, and allowing them to take away all the kitchen scraps.

Thinking of the child with fuller cheeks, her smile deepened.

Luo San then found Shen Tang.

He implied to Shen Tang that he was quite familiar with his fellow villagers, and that the lord could allocate a piece of land for them to train (work). If they trained well, they would definitely charge into battle bravely in the future. He was making empty promises to Shen Tang without batting an eye.

Upon hearing that they were to be on duty, Shen Tang was pleased to have such conscientious and good employees: "Okay, this afternoon then."

Luo San nodded, accepted the order, and withdrew.

He then informed his subordinates that the enemy would reveal their true intentions that afternoon.

result--

Luo San stared blankly at Shen Tang's mouth, wondering if he was hallucinating: "My lord, could you repeat yourself?"

Shen Tang: "Huh? Didn't you hear me?"

That's alright, it's not a big problem. I'll say it again.

"Bert, are there still any questions?"

"This is... the job the lord was talking about?"

Shen Tang was puzzled by his reaction: "Yes."

Luo San fell silent again, then asked tactfully, "My lord... with so much land, aren't you afraid of being... plundered by bandits crossing the border?"

Shen Tang said, "Of course I'm worried."

Luo San: "How does my lord intend to respond?"

"Naturally, I'll kill anyone who dares to come. If I don't teach them a lesson, they'll really think I run a buffet restaurant here."

The Gongxi clan can handle all the fighting.

Shen Tang didn't recruit Luo San and his group to fight.

Luo San remained motionless.

Shen Tang asked suspiciously, "Does Bert have another problem?"

Looking into her eyes, which were so serious they couldn't be more serious, Luo San stiffly tugged at the corner of his mouth and said, "No, no problem."

Shen Tang finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She was quite worried that these employees would leave because they didn't like the pay.

"Since there are no problems, then—shall we begin work?"

Shen Tang pointed to the area she planned to reclaim.

"good."

Luo San's reply was very soft, yet it sounded like it was being squeezed out from behind his back teeth. Shen Tang mistakenly thought he was dissatisfied with the work, but looking at Luo San's expression, he seemed quite nonchalant. Strange, was it just her imagination? Shen Tang scratched her head and walked away, puzzled.

|ω`)

I've submitted a book application; the cover is being uploaded...

P.S.: Last month's fan title event had over 200 participants, but there were only 90 spots available, so many people didn't get one. Today, I've created a new post to promote the book, so readers who didn't get one can participate (it's still under review, but it should be released tomorrow).

(End of this chapter)