Everyone felt that this wasn't work, but a real luxury! It even saved them money on firewood!
Village head Chen Sheng felt that his family should also build a heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed). He looked at Da Wa's house; it was so warm inside that you could take off your coat and not feel cold at all. They, on the other hand, could only light a brazier at home for warmth, and at night, crawling into a cold bed was truly unbearable!
The women and girls in the charity hall were also assigned tasks. Qin San Niang designed new styles of earmuffs and gloves, as well as scarves and hats, which were much more attractive and convenient than those currently sold in Dasheng. These tasks were then entrusted to them.
Guo Er was also quite shrewd. After discussing it with Er Gen and the others, they came up with a way to save labor and increase production: a division of labor and component cooperation system. Simply put, it's like processing ready-made parts and then assembling them.
They were divided into several groups based on their skill level. The younger ones did simpler tasks, while the more skilled ones did more complex embroidery. Each person was responsible for a different part, and they were finally assembled together. This greatly saved on labor costs, and specializing in one thing was much easier than learning the whole thing.
Sure enough, once this regulation was implemented, even young girls who had only learned embroidery for a few months were able to pick up needles and thread and earn money with ease!
Dong Xiaoyu's younger sister was also there. The prospect of earning money for the family thrilled her, and she was overjoyed, practically wanting to spend every day at the charity hall. As for his younger brother, he was also well taken care of, happily eating and sleeping with his friends. In the cold winter, the siblings sometimes didn't go home. This left Dong Xiaoyu alone at home! So, he went to the charity hall too. Guo Er and the others welcomed him, since he was strong and could help with the heavy work…
The colder the weather, the better the sales of warm items such as earmuffs and gloves. In addition, the products they make are stylish and affordable, and the daily income is enough to lift everyone's spirits! Everyone's enthusiasm is getting higher and higher, and some of the older women are even muttering that, having lived all these years, this is the first time they hope that winter will be cold!
The charity only takes three-tenths of the profits, and the rest is distributed by Guo Er and others as wages according to their different roles. Everyone is very satisfied with their wages.
As December arrived, the men from the Shiligou caravan returned, their faces beaming with smiles. It was clear their trip hadn't been in vain; it might even provide them with enough to eat and drink for a year. Qin Sanniang was also happy for them; the money was earned through their own hard work, and they deserved it no matter how much they earned.
However, they also brought bad news: this year, the north has experienced a winter of unprecedented cold, with wheat everywhere frozen to death and many people also dying from the cold. Many people have already begun to flee again, fearing that chaos will break out in the south again.
Upon hearing this, Qin Sanniang was also very worried. It wasn't that she herself desired to save the world, but rather that with the cold wave in the north, the Xiongnu people beyond the Great Wall would undoubtedly become even more covetous, and who knew when they might launch an invasion. If that were the case, Jingyuan, which they had finally managed to reclaim, might very well suffer another major battle.
The next day, Xiao Dingdang visited the Qin family again. Now he knew the place well, and many villagers in Shiligou knew him and knew that he knew Da Wa's mother. They would even check on him when they had time.
Since he could remember, Dingdang had lived among beggars and had no idea what kindness was. Now that so many uncles and aunts cared about him, he was so moved that his eyes welled up with tears.
When she saw him coming over, Liu quickly opened the door, took the towel hanging on the rack and wiped the dust off his body. This child without parents is so pitiful. In this cold weather, he is still wearing only trousers!
"You silly child, where did all the cotton-padded clothes and jackets that Auntie San gave you last time go?" Liu asked.
Qin San Niang originally wanted to take these beggar children into the charity hall, but they refused, saying they were used to a free life and didn't want to be so restrained. Besides, the leader treated them very well, and they couldn't be ungrateful.
Dong Hao clearly didn't want to be controlled by the charity, especially after learning from Da Bao about its many rules, which further dispelled the idea. Now that they had money, they bought several thatched houses, so they wouldn't have to worry about freezing to death this winter.
Qin San Niang didn't make things difficult for them, but she was still worried that they were too cold, especially the younger ones. If they caught a cold, it could be fatal. She hurriedly went to the charity hall and asked the women to make more than thirty sets of cotton-padded clothes. Although the style was simple, the materials were solid and warm.
The little beggars already had a very good impression of Aunt Qin, knowing that they were able to eat thanks to this aunt. So when they received the brand-new cotton-padded clothes, they all jumped up with joy. Most of them had no parents or relatives, and some had been abandoned. They had never worn any new clothes, let alone cotton-padded clothes.
Upon hearing Liu's question, Xiao Dingdang quickly explained, "Grandma, I've always been wearing it, but this time I'm going out of the city, and I'm afraid bad people will target my cotton-padded coat."
Qin San Niang and Liu Shi exchanged a glance, embarrassed. This child was willing to risk his life for a warm coat! No wonder, as the saying goes: "Don't flaunt your wealth!" For a beggar, a warm coat might be their greatest possession.
Liu quickly made him a bowl of brown sugar ginger water and told him to drink it immediately to avoid catching a cold.
Doraemon smiled, took the drink, and downed it in one gulp. After finishing, he smacked his lips, thinking to himself, "This brown sugar tastes amazing!"
"Auntie, this is a letter the boss asked me to deliver." Little Dingdang wiped his mouth, touched his hands, carefully took out the letter from his pocket, and handed it to her.
"Thank you for coming in this cold weather. After we eat, I'll have your older brother take you home."
"Thank you, Auntie. I can run fast, I can go back by myself." Little Dingdang said happily. Being able to eat at Auntie's house was something he had been dreaming of. He had never eaten such delicious food in his life!
Qin San Niang smiled and said nothing more. She decided to have Da Wa and Lu Song escort him to the vicinity of the city gate; otherwise, if they were exposed, it would be bad for him.
However, it's unclear why He Yingyuan wrote this letter, as it's only been less than a month since his last letter.
Qin San Niang was a little puzzled, so she went into her room to read the letter.
After reading it, she realized that a cold wave had indeed hit the north, and her previous guess had come true; the Hu people beyond the Great Wall, who had been eyeing the region with predatory intent, were now beginning to stir. Xiao Chang'an now held supreme military power in Yongzhou and was stationed in Qizhou. Qizhou was the gateway to Yongzhou and the northern gate of the Great Sheng Dynasty. If Yongzhou fell, the consequences would be unimaginable, and taking it back would likely not be easy!
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