Chapter 332 Lord He Wants to Eat Wolf Meat
The job postings were put up in Dahe Village, but no one paid any attention.
Every villager who passed by the notice spat in disdain.
"He's an official, yet he's so stingy with his wages. He only pays twenty coins a day, while Aunt Dashan pays at least thirty coins a day."
"Look at what this notice says. We have to start work before dawn and can't go home until dark. There's no time to rest at noon. We have to do hard labor for seven or eight hours a day. They're treating people like animals."
"Stop talking! If Lord He's lackeys hear this, we'll all be in deep trouble."
"Anyway, we from Dahe Village won't sign up."
"..."
Of course, some people wanted to sign up, especially those who were neither in the soap workshop nor the patrol team; the twenty coins were very tempting.
However, the mainstream in Dahe Village is not to associate with Lord He. Those who are slightly tempted can only suppress their thoughts. After all, they are also members of Dahe Village, and no matter how great the immediate benefits are, they must stand with Dahe Village through thick and thin.
As a result, the people of Dahe Village started spring plowing ahead of schedule.
Spring plowing usually begins in February, but it's only the 20th of the first lunar month, and the villagers have already started plowing and fertilizing the fields to prepare for spring planting.
The notice had been posted for two whole days, and not a single person had signed up.
"Sir, I've done some undercover investigation and finally figured out what's going on," the henchman reported in a low voice. "Doesn't Madam Sui's family have a soap workshop? Villagers go there to work, four hours a day, for eight hundred coins a month, and they get four days off. With that soap workshop as a comparison, no one will even look at our twenty coins."
He Yan narrowed his eyes: "This soap workshop is quite interesting. It can charge such high wages, so it must be very profitable... How has Madam Sui been feeling these past two days?"
"I asked Physician Zheng, and he said it was a sudden attack of anger that was difficult to cure with medicine."
"Hmph, indeed women and petty people are hard to deal with. She actually got sick from anger." He Yan's eyes revealed disdain. "Add fuel to the fire, make her fall seriously ill and die, and then, it will be natural for her to swallow up the soap workshop. Such a profitable business should belong to our He family."
When he was in the capital, he heard about soap. A small bar of honey-scented soap could cost as much as five taels of silver, and the profit margin was immeasurable.
"I heard from the villagers that Lady Sui's family keeps two wolves, is that right?" He Yan smiled. "I have lived for thirty-two years and have never eaten wolf meat. Later, take a few men and catch those two wolves."
The henchman nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "How should we handle the recruitment?"
“If no one signs up, then we’ll conscript them.” He Yan fiddled with the ring on his thumb. “Doesn’t the government have a quota for corvée labor every year? Since they don’t want the money, then let them work for free. They’re all shameless and just asking for trouble.”
"Your Excellency is wise, truly worthy of your title! I understand!" the lackey flattered. "I'll go catch the wolf right away and have Lady Sui's daughter-in-law personally make you a wolf meat soup."
For the past two days, Cheng Wanwan has been lying in bed, with her eldest daughter-in-law bringing her food and drinks. She is living a very leisurely life.
Lu Yingxue sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) and said with relish, "I have already written a letter and had it sent to my parents. Although the Lu family is not a wealthy family, we still have some capable people under our command. The matter of Dahe Village will definitely be widely known in Huzhou. There are many businessmen in Huzhou, and they may take these rumors to the capital. The He family is a second-rank official in the court. How can they allow a illegitimate branch of the family to ruin their reputation? They may send someone to clean house."
Cheng Wanwan picked up a candied fruit and put it in her mouth.
She didn't know what kind of family tradition the He family had, but the fact that an outstanding young man like He Xiao was kicked out of the He family was enough to show that the He family was in chaos.
Such a chaotic family might not be willing to clean house on its own initiative.
She created public opinion not to put pressure on the He family.
Instead, it's about building momentum for themselves.
She hadn't realized it before, but ever since Lord He came to Dahe Village, she has come to understand a principle: in ancient times, no matter how right you are, a person of low status cannot contend with a person of high status.
Her status as a ninth-rank lady might sound impressive, but it only allowed her to wield power in Dahe Village and Ping'an County. Once someone with even a little status appeared, her status as a ninth-rank lady was completely insignificant, and Lord He could crush her with a flick of his finger.
She could indeed ask Magistrate Shen for help. Even if Magistrate Shen were not in Ping'an County, he wouldn't dare to go against Lord He.
The quickest way is to get the help of a fourth-rank prefect.
But the prefect couldn't possibly be unaware of the He family's origins, so why would he openly become an enemy of the He family just because of the people of Dahe Village?
In everything, profit is the primary consideration. If you offer the prefect a "profit," he will surely be willing to give it a try.
"Sister Wanwan, there seems to be a murderous glint in your eyes," Lu Yingxue asked curiously, resting her chin on her hand. "Are you planning something again?"
Cheng Wanwan countered, "Have you seen what the village has been like these past two days?"
Lu Yingxue sighed: "People are filled with anxiety and fear."
With both the village head and Cheng Wanwan fallen, the villagers seemed to have lost their backbone, and everyone's face was filled with fear and unease.
Those whose houses were occupied lived in temporary thatched huts. The once spacious and tidy Dahe Village now looked somewhat dirty and messy with these thatched huts.
The officials brought by the He family patrolled back and forth in the village, their swords at their waists making them look very imposing, while the village's patrol team had disappeared without a trace.
Although the soap workshop did not stop production, it lacked its former enthusiasm, and a somber and painful atmosphere lingered over Dahe Village.
“I asked Xiao Zheng, and the magistrate is in Huzhou dealing with urgent matters. He should be back in about three days,” Cheng Wanwan said. “In three more days, things will become clear.”
Just then, the voice of an official came from the doorway.
Lu Yingxue's face darkened: "These people are really too arrogant. You're already so sick that you can't get out of bed, and they still come looking for trouble!"
Two officers stood in the courtyard, their faces fierce and menacing: "I heard that Madam Sui is keeping two wolves?"
Zhao Dashan stood in the courtyard, head bowed, and replied, "Officer, you must have misheard. We don't keep wolves."
"Hmph, stop trying to fool Lord He!" The officer snorted. "To tell you the truth, Lord He has taken a fancy to the two wolves in your house. He wants to taste what wild wolves are like. You must bring a bowl of wolf meat soup tonight, or else... hmph, don't blame us for being impolite."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Zhao Dashan was so angry that he wanted to chase after the two officials and smash their heads.
Cheng Wanwan's eyes turned cold.
She seemed unable to wait even three days; she wanted He Yan and his men to get out of Dahe Village right now.
Once there was no more noise outside, she spoke up, "Hui Niang, make meat soup with pork instead and send it over."
Wu Huiniang looked indignant, but still agreed: "Yes."
"Er Gou," Cheng Wanwan called her second son in, "have Doctor Zheng come over and tell him I vomited blood and fainted."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
