Chapter 622 First Dividend
As we entered the twelfth lunar month, the weather grew increasingly cold.
That's how Dahe Village is; it's unbearably hot when it's hot, and bone-chillingly cold when it's cold.
Just like last year, we started recruiting people to dig lotus roots in the dead of winter. The treatment is the same: food and accommodation are provided, wages are paid, and winter clothes and blankets are given away for free.
Last year, the workers who made lotus root starch were the old women and maids in the house. It took them two months to turn all the lotus roots into lotus root starch, and they were all exhausted.
So this year, Cheng Wanwan recruited more women to do this job.
The lotus root starch was made inside the house, and there was a stove for heating. The wages were about the same as digging lotus roots, so the women were all willing to do this job.
In those days, lotus root was a relatively rare species. When it was made into lotus root powder, even a small box of it could sell for four or five taels of silver.
Moreover, it is said that this is a delicacy that only imperial ladies can eat, so many wealthy women and ladies in the market will buy some to try.
This year's lotus pond yield is slightly higher than last year's, with each mu producing more than 2,000 jin of lotus root, totaling more than 400,000 jin. This can yield about 40,000 jin of lotus root starch. A box of lotus root starch contains half a jin, which means that she can earn 80,000 to 90,000 taels of silver just by selling lotus root starch. Even after deducting various labor costs, she can still pocket at least 70,000 taels.
They were busy like this until the end of the lunar year.
On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, Cheng Wanwan gave everyone in the workshop a holiday, and everyone received a generous New Year's gift.
The snow fell heavily, and the plum blossoms in the flowerbeds contrasted beautifully with the white snow. Many people from the city came to admire the plum blossoms. Li Desheng, who was in charge of managing tourism in the village, was extremely busy. Although he was busy, he had a smile on his face. After finishing his work these past few days and tallying the accounts, he was sure that the revenue from tourism would be exceptionally high.
The village's tourism operations will remain open until the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month.
The newly appointed village head, Zhao Tiezhu, together with the accountant, Xu Kun, calculated the total public income of Dahe Village for the year.
Last year, the village's public revenue was low, so no dividends were distributed. This year, there should be a distribution, otherwise some people in the village will have objections.
On the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, the heavy snow stopped. The men in the village cleared the snow from the square with shovels and buckets, while the women brought out chairs, stools, and tables. Despite the biting cold wind, everyone in the village who could go out came and gathered in the square, making it a lively scene.
County Magistrate Zhao stood at the highest point, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
Two years ago, Dahe Village had just over a thousand people, and everyone wore coarse cloth clothes. Even during the Spring Festival, they couldn't afford a decent new outfit.
But now, the village has more people. In addition to people from other villages who have settled here, there are also many newborns. After the living conditions improved, more people in the village are willing to have children. Almost every household has children under three to five years old. These children who are still young and don't know anything run around in the square, which makes people happy to see them.
County Magistrate Zhao roared in a booming voice, "The New Year is almost here, aren't you all happy?"
"Happy!!"
The villagers gave him a lot of face and yelled back.
"Then I'll make everyone even happier!" Magistrate Zhao beckoned, "Xu Kun, come up here and give everyone the accounts!"
Xu Kun walked onto the stage with several thick ledgers. These ledgers recorded different categories, such as market rentals, inn operations, and tourism revenue. Over the course of a year, they naturally became a thick stack of ledgers. Fortunately, the ledgers were clear, and all the data was easy to see. He simply read them aloud to everyone.
"Just like last year, the village's public income consists of three parts. When Tiezhu and I did the accounting, we had already deducted all costs, and the following figures are all net profits."
"First, market rentals. Many warehouses were built this year, so the income is quite considerable. The total income for the year is 457 taels."
"Secondly, there is the income from the inn's operation. Because more and more merchants are coming to the village, the inn was also adjusted in June and July this year, and it was expanded three times. The inn's total annual income is 1,661 taels."
"Thirdly, there is tourism revenue. Everyone should know how popular the flowers planted in Dahe Village are. Tourists come all year round, and the income is naturally very considerable. The total income for the year is 3,798 taels."
"The total of the three income items is 5,916 taels."
After Xu Kun finished speaking, the people present were silent at first, and then a huge commotion broke out.
"I remember that my income for half a year last year was around 1,700 or 1,800 taels of silver, but this year it's almost 6,000 taels."
"My goodness, six thousand taels of silver! How much money is that? I've lived this long and never seen so much money."
"Who says it isn't true? I never imagined that our village market and flower viewing could be so profitable."
"So, does that mean we'll get a dividend this year?"
"..."
As they were discussing this, they saw Zhao Tiezhu leading several people over, carrying large boxes in pairs.
More than a dozen large boxes were carried and placed on the platform, attracting considerable attention.
Zhao Tiezhu stood in the center and coughed, saying, "The Lunar New Year is just around the corner. In order to ensure that every household in Dahe Village has a prosperous New Year, the village has decided to distribute dividends for the first time. Everyone whose name is called, come up and sign to receive your money... Cough cough, everyone, please be quiet. It's too cold outside. If we distribute the money quickly, everyone can go home as soon as possible, right?"
The villagers no longer felt cold; they were all excited, their blood boiling, their eyes glued to the large box.
County Magistrate Zhao said with a smile, "Then, next, please welcome Sui Gongren from Dahe Village to come and distribute money to everyone."
The crowd immediately applauded and spontaneously made way for Cheng Wanwan as she walked onto the stage.
Cheng Wanwan wrapped her cloak tighter, stepped forward, and reached out to open the first box. Inside were copper coins, strung together in groups of one tael of silver, and they felt heavy in her hand.
Holding the list, Zhao Tiezhu announced loudly, "Grandma Zhu's initial capital is fifty taels of silver, and her dividends are eighty taels."
Old Mrs. Zhu was filled with disbelief. She had been calculating for a long time but still couldn't figure it out. She estimated it would be around forty or fifty taels, but she never expected it to reach eighty taels. She had made back her investment so quickly, and this money would only increase every year... Their Zhu family's ancestral graves must be emitting auspicious smoke.
The old lady gave her grandson a push: "Tiger, hurry up and go get your money."
Zhu Huzi nodded, walked onto the stage amidst the envious gazes of the crowd, pressed his thumb into the inkpad, signed his name on the paper, and then took away eighty taels of silver.
"Manager Yan's initial capital was sixty taels of silver, and his profit share was ninety-six taels."
"Master Zhao's initial capital was twenty taels of silver, and his dividends were thirty-two taels."
"..."
One by one, the villagers were called by name, and each one of them went on stage with a ruddy complexion.
When the funds were initially raised, the person in the village who contributed the least amount of initial capital was half a tael of silver. That half a tael of silver back then can now receive a dividend of nearly one tael of silver.
Those "vagrants" who did not participate in the fundraising, though they did not contribute money, did contribute their labor. Their hard labor was converted into initial labor and they could receive five or six hundred coins.
The first dividend distribution in Dahe Village was a happy one for everyone in the village.
Those who had just settled in Dahe Village and were not eligible for dividends were filled with envy and jealousy.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
