Chapter 3023: Grabbing a Job
"The county government has taken care of it," Zhao Ming handed them three written plaques. "See? These are your identification plaques. We know you're just looking for work, so we, the county magistrate, won't admit you to our household registration for now. This is also because the autumn harvest is almost over, and the next step is to pay taxes, so we don't want to mess up the roster."
The three of them breathed a sigh of relief when they heard this. It was better not to enter the house. They were also afraid of entering the house now.
"This sign is like your household registration and travel permit. It contains your name, age, and appearance. It's only valid within Beihai County. Take it." Zhao Ming said, "Alright, take the sign and wait in the next room. Someone will take you downstairs to your accommodation."
The three of them left the room with the sign and waited for a while next door before an officer came to lead them downstairs. However, they wandered around in the alley and arrived at a place filled with the aroma of medicine.
The door was very wide, with a high threshold. As soon as they stepped in, the people queuing inside just turned their heads to glance at them and then looked away.
Wen Tiandong, who had already finished examining the patient, saw this and waved to the three of them, "Come forward."
The officers urged them, “Hurry up.”
The three of them didn't know what this was for, but they still went forward obediently.
Wen Tiandong felt their pulses and examined their bodies, then said, "You've been hungry for too long. No need for medicine. Just eat some food to nourish yourself. Eat more porridge and noodles."
They said this as if eating was an easy thing. They had been begging all the way here, and it was already very good to be able to ensure that they had something to eat every meal.
The officer took his diagnosis and stuffed it into his arms, then gave Wen Tiandong a flattering smile, "Master Wen, you see how dirty they are. Should we give them a piece of medicated soap?"
He said, "I just looked carefully and there are a lot of lice on my hair."
Wen Tiandong: "...Didn't your county government just take away a batch not long ago?"
Speaking of it, it was Zhou Man who asked Wu Yue to make the medicated soap. At the beginning, it was because many of the people who came to seek medical treatment had lice and rashes on their bodies, so she asked someone to make the medicated soap.
Later, the county government registered all the beggars and refugees in the county. Those who were able to work were directly hired, and those who were unable to work were sent to the Yushan Hall.
Beihai County also had a Yushan Hall, but the county government was poor. Even when County Magistrate Lu was in office, it could only ensure that no money or grain was in arrears, and expansion was impossible.
But after the inspection, Bai Shan directly ordered people to clear the vacant land on both sides of the Yushan Hall, build houses, and renovate the previous houses. All the beggar children in the county town, regardless of gender, were sent to the Yushan Hall. Zhou Man took care of their health, and he hired someone to teach them some things.
Some of those children had not had a bath or washed their hair for two or three years. After Zhou Man went to see them, he had their hair shaved, changed them into new clothes and shoes, and washed them with medicated soap for a while before they recovered.
Therefore, the Medical Department has recently received many orders from the county government. For this purpose, Zhou Man also recruited many women in the county town to work in the Medical Department.
The rich girl was among them. She carried a bag of soap nuts and went to the backyard. Wen Tiandong frowned when he saw her and hurried forward to take the soap nuts. Because they were heavier than he expected, he pushed down with his whole body and almost sprained his waist.
"...Madam Ma, don't do this kind of heavy work alone in the future. As for Hu Dalang, have him and Aunt Sun go together to help."
Hu Dalang is the young man who pushed his paralyzed mother to the hospital for medical treatment, and Sun Daniang is the young girl who stayed here to take care of her father who has tuberculosis. Both of them are now helping out in the medical office and are paid every day.
Ma Dahua smiled and said, "This isn't a heavy task. I can do it myself. The other two have their own work to do."
Wen Tiandong: "...Don't ignore my advice. Now that you're young, you feel like you have endless energy, but when you're older and your back starts to hurt, you'll realize how wrong you are."
Ma Dahua agreed verbally, but it was not certain how much she took it to heart.
When the young man waiting on the side heard this, he immediately stepped forward, picked up the bag of soap nuts, and walked to the backyard.
Seeing this, Ma Dahua quickly followed, "Here, here, bring it over here. Oh, how come you can carry it all by yourself..."
The young man placed the soapberry in the backyard, then quickly ran to the front to find Wen Tiandong and said to him, "Look, sir, although I am thin, I am very strong."
He looked at Wen Tiandong eagerly, "I don't eat much, so you can pay me less..."
So you won't accept me?
When the other two young men heard this, they also looked at Wen Tiandong eagerly.
Wen Tiandong: ...
Ma Dahua, who was about to go out and carry more things, heard this and immediately looked at him angrily. She hurriedly said to Wen Tiandong, "Master Wen, I can do what he can do. I am also quite strong."
She was still a little resentful when she said this, "I could have carried it directly to the backyard, but you stopped me and put it down."
Wen Tiandong: ...
Seeing this, the officer beside them quickly stopped the three of them and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Your job is not in the hospital."
He didn't even wait to get the soap, and urged them, "Hurry up, we have to leave the city."
Wen Tiandong stopped them and went to get three bars of medicated soap. After recording them, he said, "Wash your hair and don't use your clothes. If you get sick in the future, you can come to the medical office with the sign. The treatment and medicine are free."
Since they are long-term workers recruited by the county government, they are included in the county government’s account.
The officers dragged the three of them away and led them straight out of the city, scolding them on the way: "Do you think anyone can get into the hospital? It's hard for us who have local household registration to get in..."
The young man was stunned and asked, "Is that the place they just mentioned where they offer free medical treatment?"
"Yes, but you are not registered in this county. Otherwise, if you have Qingzhou household registration, you can also see a doctor here. If not, you can only use your own brand for treatment, and the final medical expenses will be paid by the county government."
The officers took them outside the city, which was a very spacious area with many houses built on the ground and many people walking around.
The officer led them directly to the first wooden house and said to the clerk sitting inside, "These are new arrivals, refugees without household registration. We will give them some clothes, shoes, and socks. You can make arrangements for them."
The clerk took their ID cards and looked at them. Seeing that they had no special skills, he said with a flourish, "Then go and farm."
The clerk gave each of them a set of clothes, shoes and socks, then called over a man and said, "These three are under your charge. Take them downstairs to wash and start working in the fields tomorrow."
The man led the three people down and asked, "What are your names?"
The leading young man said, "I don't have a name. My last name is Zhu, and I'm the third child in my family."
(End of this chapter)
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