Chapter 512 Sui'an People Are Recruiting Workers
Cheng Wanwan's family harvested a total of 50,000 to 60,000 jin of cotton this year. Some of it was used to make cotton linings, which were then taken by merchants to all parts of the country and sold very well. The profits from this part have already been received.
She used the remaining majority of her money to make winter quilts and winter clothes, products she intended to make available to the people. The quilts were filled with cotton and covered with hemp cloth. They were very cheap, with winter quilts costing between one hundred and two hundred coins, priced by weight, and winter clothes costing between fifty and one hundred coins depending on size.
She rented a shop in the newly built market, specializing in selling winter clothes and quilts. The villagers in Dahe Village all make these at home, so they don't need to come to buy them. The main consumers are farmers from the neighboring villages.
It can be said that the villagers of several nearby villages have also benefited from the development of various industries in Dahe Village. They no longer need to go to the city to find manual labor for twenty coins a day. As long as they come to Dahe Village, they can find work. The coal mine recruits workers all year round. If they are lucky, they may be able to enter the workshop of Sui'an people. That would be a blessing from their ancestors. If a girl knows some embroidery, she can work hard to enter Cao's Embroidery Workshop.
Because the villagers nearby made money, they were naturally willing to spend money to improve their lives, and the sales of winter clothes and quilts were quite good.
However, there are only so many farmers in the surrounding area who can afford to buy. Even if every household buys, they can't clear out much of the inventory. Not to mention, many people only buy one set for men and one set for women in order to save money. Whoever goes out in the family wears it. Anyway, the coldest part of winter only lasts for a month, so they can just get through it.
You should know that she brought 40,000 catties of cotton to make winter clothes and quilts, 5,000 winter quilts and 10,000 winter clothes, which was roughly the population of the poor people in the nearby counties and towns. However, many people did not receive the news, and many people could not even come up with 100 coins.
In the afternoon, Cheng Wanwan braved the freezing cold to go to town.
Ping'an County had a good harvest this year, and the county also arranged to distribute porridge. Right at the city gate, some ragged beggars were queuing up. Because there weren't many beggars, the porridge was quite thick. Two meals a day were enough for these people to get through the day.
She entered through the city gate, and the scene inside the city was quite nice, with the New Year's goods being sold in a lively atmosphere.
We walked through the bustling streets and entered the county government office.
Before she arrived, she had Cheng Jia come ahead of time to inform the people at the county government office; otherwise, she would never have run into Magistrate Shen.
Magistrate Shen was truly busy. He was either reporting on government affairs in Huzhou or handling various cases in the villages under his jurisdiction. Apart from holding court hearings during the day and sleeping at night, he was basically never in the county office.
Upon seeing Cheng Wanwan walk into the courtyard, Magistrate Shen quickly stood up.
When he's busy, he can forget many things, including his son who went to the capital to take the imperial examination, and the woman who has always been hidden deep in his heart.
He stared at her for a while, but when Cheng Wanwan approached, he immediately looked away and adopted a businesslike demeanor: "The people from Sui'an must have important matters to discuss with you."
Since the two families became relatives, the Sui'an man has always visited his elderly mother directly; this is the first time he has come to see him.
Cheng Wanwan smiled and nodded: "I came here today to ask Lord Shen for a favor."
Magistrate Shen immediately replied, "People of Sui'an, don't be so polite. As long as it's something I, Shen, can help with, I will do my best."
Cheng Wanwan took out the paper from her sleeve: "Lord Shen knows that I have two hundred acres of lotus ponds, right? Winter is the season for digging lotus roots, but this work requires manpower. Everyone in the village is busy and can't gather that many people, so I was thinking of recruiting people in the city. Those homeless beggars and those poor people struggling to make a living can come to Dahe Village to work. It's fifteen copper coins a day, including three meals a day. In addition, if you work for ten days, you will receive a warm winter coat. If you work for twenty days, you will receive a thick quilt."
The average wage in Dahe Village is thirty or forty coins a day. The reason she offered fifteen coins was to discourage those who were relatively well-off. The fact that they were willing to come to Dahe Village for fifteen coins meant that their families were really struggling to make ends meet. Her winter clothes and quilts were prepared for this group. On the surface, they were given away, but in fact, she got free labor. If you calculate carefully, she didn't lose money.
After reading the announcement, Magistrate Shen sighed, "Every November and December, the canal transport stops, and many people in the city lose their livelihoods. The poorest people have no way to make money... This action by the people of Sui'an has given them a way to survive."
“It should be said that Lord Shen has done immeasurable good deeds,” Cheng Wanwan said. “Many places do not provide porridge in winter, but Lord Shen provides two meals of thin porridge every day, saving countless lives.”
After exchanging compliments, Cheng Wanwan finally left.
Magistrate Shen ordered his men to copy the announcement and post it in all the nearby counties and towns.
It was afternoon, and the people who had been left on the streets were either seeking shelter and warmth in dilapidated temples or begging on the streets. Although the county magistrate had distributed thin porridge, it was only enough to fill their stomachs. If they could beg for some more food, they could fill their bellies.
In every sheltered spot on the street, there are three or four beggars squatting.
Just then, a sudden commotion broke out.
Pedestrians on the street gathered in one place, surrounding the notice board.
"Oh my god, Sui'an is hiring! I have to go. If I get hired, I'll never have to worry about anything again."
"Hey, calm down. Look carefully. This is a short-term job. It's fifteen coins a day. You can earn more than that by carrying heavy loads at the docks all day."
"However, families in Sui'an provide three meals a day, and I've heard the food there is pretty good."
"Want to eat your fill? It's easy. The magistrate provides porridge every day. It's nothing to brag about. The wages are too low. It's not worth the trip."
"Fifteen coins is far too little, so I won't go. You all can do as you please."
Several men dispersed; they were indeed out of work, but they wouldn't stoop to doing a job in the village for fifteen coins a day.
A group of people gathered around and continued discussing it.
"There's nothing for a cat to do at home in the dead of winter, so fifteen coins a day can improve its life, right?"
"The notice also mentioned sending winter clothes and quilts. Our quilt has been used for more than ten years, it's time to replace it."
"Hey, let's give it a try, brothers."
A group of men from poor families made a pact to travel to Dahe Village.
The common people at the bottom of society, and the beggars wandering the streets, would not complain that fifteen coins were too little. With food, drink, clothes, and wages, they could not miss such a good thing.
Of course, there are also lazy homeless people who, since the magistrate provides two free meals a day, why should they do hard labor themselves...
Even before dawn, many people had already arrived at Dahe Village.
Because Cheng Wanwan had given instructions beforehand, the village entrance did not stop them. After registering their names and hometowns, they were all taken to the lotus pond.
The lotus pond in winter is almost completely dried up, with only a shallow layer of water. The bottom of the pond is silt, and you can sink into it with your feet. This is why digging lotus roots is so difficult. In modern society, high-pressure water guns are used, which makes it much easier. In ancient times, it could only be done by hand.
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