"Those two men brought by Officer Wei, they dare to do that? Aren't they afraid of offending people?"
"They probably aren't anyone important. Those two kids are always opportunistic. If someone were truly capable, would they be bossing them around like this?"
"But I wonder what this newcomer ate to grow up like this, how come he's so strong?"
"Exactly, that hand-held platform must have weighed at least 200 pounds, and she just lifted it up like that. I think she's probably stronger than Ah Liang."
"Yes, Ah Liang looks strong, but you can't judge a book by its cover."
The Ah Liang they were talking about was also a menial soldier in the military camp, a strong man who was eight feet tall. Ah Qing standing in front of him was like a giant and a dwarf.
Zheng Quchi put the wood down, and it slammed to the ground with a loud "thump," the heavy sound so deep that it dented the ground.
Mu Gaoyi and Shi Hetong's hearts trembled as it crashed down.
He swallowed.
This kid doesn't look like someone to mess with.
With that kind of strength, no matter how big or small your body is, one punch can kill.
Seeing them standing there in a daze, Zheng Quchi asked curiously, "Master Shepherd, what do you plan to do with this ironwood?"
Just now, they asked Zheng Quchi to organize a few laborers to move a piece of ironwood from the warehouse, but she felt that she could do it herself, so she didn't bother anyone to help and dragged it over by herself.
Without thinking, Mu Gaoyi blurted out: "Wheel".
But Shi and Tong bumped him with their elbows, and he immediately fell silent. He looked around and was relieved to see that not many people were peeking in their direction.
Don't assume that small groups have no vested interests; wherever there are more than three people, everyone has their own agenda.
Seeing their secretive behavior, Zheng Quchi asked, "Are you developing some new machinery?"
Shi Hetong put on a stern face: "You don't need to worry about it. Just do whatever we tell you to do. Remember, the three of us are a team. If any other craftsmen come to ask you anything, you must keep quiet and not mention it, understand?"
Zheng Quchi didn't understand: "Is there anything we can't tell them? Right now, isn't our camp's top priority to create something for the general that can be selected at the Jichun Craftsmen's Guild? By pooling everyone's efforts, can't we generate more ideas?"
"Look at your selfish face, I never expected you to be so naive," Shi Hetong said in surprise.
Zheng Quchi: "..."
I really appreciate his praise for her selflessness.
She just felt that with such a tight schedule, it was a waste of time for them to form these small cliques and mind their own business.
Seeing that she really didn't understand, Gao Muyi pulled her aside and said to her, "You're new here, so you don't know how many people there are here."
How many people?
"The entire army, including the garrison and border defense, has 2,000 craftsmen and 500 miscellaneous soldiers, while Guangchangxunpo has 100 master craftsmen. Do you think any of us can accomplish anything?"
"Not at all. Every year, a group of people are eliminated, replaced, or exiled as punishment. There are too many monks and too few porridge. If we don't find some way to earn some military achievements, we will face being discharged from the military and leaving the camp."
This... I really didn't expect that the artisans in the military camp could be so competitive!
“I know that the craftsmen are also responsible for the maintenance, replenishment and manufacture of bows, crossbows, arrows, swords, armor, helmets, arrowheads and so on. This will inevitably require a large number of craftsmen. You will not be discharged from the military, will you?”
"What do you know? What good future do you have as a craftsman? Every day you're forging iron, casting tools, burning charcoal, and working by the fire, sweating profusely and suffering terribly. You can't even retire. It's a lifelong chore. We just want to stay in the army!"
Oh, she understands.
As the saying goes, there are no commoners under the emperor's feet. The craftsmen who followed Yuwen Sheng could only do design and creation work, besides showing off their power and receiving the respect they deserved.
Furthermore, they recruited military craftsmen to serve in the military through an employment arrangement, and these craftsmen could also receive military pay based on their merits.
This is far better than those artisans who suffer various forms of exploitation and oppression from the ruling class, who not only receive low treatment but are also exploited by government officials and private bureaucrats.
Thinking about it this way, she understood why these people had their own selfish motives.
Collective achievements are certainly not as secure as individual achievements.
As long as Mu Gaoyi and Shi Hetong's works stand out in this Jichun Craftsmen's Guild and qualify Yuwen Sheng for the competition, their positions in the camp's craftsmen's group will be secure.
"So, you all form cliques and create your own works in private. But what if, in the end, all your works are unusable? What will happen to General Yuwen?" Zheng Quchi offered a reasonable hypothetical scenario.
Everyone thought they could do it, but no one thought that if they failed in the end, or if what they made was not appreciated by the Jichun Craftsmen Association and could not be selected as a work, wouldn't the whole craftsmen group be doomed?
Don't blame her for thinking the worst. The main thing is that Yuwen Sheng is not a kind person at all. In his eyes, useless people or things are all garbage that needs to be eliminated.
"You underestimate us too much. Hey, why am I wasting my breath talking to you? What do you even know, or do you think you can do it all?" Gao Muyi said impatiently.
She remained silent.
Shi Hetong walked over and said, "People are all selfish. Nobody wants to have a bad life. Nobody wants to fight or grab? You can convince us, but can you convince everyone?"
Zheng Quchi said, "I didn't think that way. Actually, gathering a wide range of ideas and letting a hundred flowers bloom are both fine, but right now time is tight and there is no chance to try and fail, so I think the former is safer."
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