The two young girls were brought into the house and stood there doing odd jobs for Gu Shouxin. Gu Si ground ink, while Gu Xin registered on the other side.
Soon, the yamen runners led the people in one by one to report the situation.
The whole city mobilized, and almost every household obtained materials for making lanterns from the government office. These were brought back from Cizhou by Gu Shouxin's messengers on horseback.
Of the lanterns purchased, government officials accounted for 60% and ordinary people accounted for 40%.
As Gu Xin watched the people coming in, she felt that things had changed since she went shopping before the Lunar New Year.
The look in these people's eyes has changed; there is light and hope in them now.
Although each household didn't hand over much silver, they were genuinely happy.
In Gu Xin's view, one tael of silver couldn't even buy their family's set, but one tael of silver was enough for a family in Kuncheng to spend for several months.
She felt uneasy. She thought of the past: her father was an alcoholic and gambler, her mother was always depressed, her sister didn't like to talk to anyone, and she lived in fear every day.
What changed the home?
It seems that the whole family worked together, without the grandfather and uncle urging them. The father knew how to do things, and the mother also started thinking about ways to make money.
Therefore, Gu Xin believes that family unity is the most important thing, and secondly, one should not be afraid of hardship and should work hard so that life will get better.
Kuncheng is different from other prefecture cities. No one has anything to rely on for survival. Even if the people are united and not afraid of hardship, how will they make a living?
Farming? Doing business?
Gu Xin meticulously recorded the scattered incomes handed over by the people of Kuncheng, and an idea slowly took shape in her mind.
Aside from people from the five neighboring countries, few people come to Kuncheng. Even merchants from other prefectures don't stay here permanently.
They might as well do business with those five countries.
Those five kingdoms don't even hold lantern festivals normally, so their food probably isn't as good as that of the Great Zhou!
Gu Xin wrote while thinking, completely focused.
By sunset, almost everyone had finished registering.
Gu Xin rotated her wrists, twisted her neck, stood up, and stretched.
Gu Shouxin checked the accounts and carefully put away the loose silver and copper coins.
Gu Xin couldn't help but ask, "Father, haven't the people sent by the Emperor arrived yet? You have so many tasks to do by yourself!"
Gu Shouxin knew his daughter was worried about him, so he said cheerfully, "His Majesty sent a memorial saying that once the candidates are selected, they will set off after the New Year. I think His Majesty's intention is to select candidates from the newly appointed scholars last year, those who do not have families to support. That way, the journey will be faster, and they should be able to arrive before the New Year."
Gu Xin: "That's good, that's good! Dad, don't overwork yourself. When your little brother is born, you'll have to play with him and carry him around. If you get too tired, we won't help you carry him."
Gu Shouxin smiled helplessly: "You really are a little worrywart, you have to worry about everyone in the family. Now that your brother Yuanyuan is back, you can worry about him!"
Gu Xin said smugly, "I don't need to worry about Brother Yuanyuan! He's in the Peng family's military camp, and Grandpa Peng and the three uncles of the Peng family are enough to take care of him. By the way, Dad, Sisi, I just had an idea. Listen to it and see if it's okay?"
The two put down what they were doing and looked at Gu Xin.
Gu Xin said, "Let's start a food street! Grandpa and my sister know how to make a lot of snacks, and people from Qingzhou are coming soon. Let them learn from Grandpa and my sister. Once they've learned, they can teach the people of Kuncheng. Then we can expand the food street to the trading area, and we can earn money from the other five countries."
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