They admired Shui Qing even more now, and were even more determined to protect this craft—if outsiders were to learn it, it would affect their entire Zhulin Village.
Shuiqing worked with eight women to experiment, repeatedly trying to add just how much charcoal to brown sugar water to make white sugar. After two days of trying, they finally succeeded in making snow-white sugar!
On the sixth day in Zhulin Village, after Shuiqing had mastered making both brown and white sugar, she asked Zhou Youzhou to go to Baijiazhuang to invite the village head and a few clever and capable people to come and learn.
As Bai Manshan had insisted, the people of Baijiazhuang only learned the brown sugar making technique.
The craft of making white sugar is only known to a few people in Zhulin Village. This is to prevent the core techniques from being leaked, and the fewer people who know about them, the better.
Secondly, Bai Manshan wanted to avoid suspicion, worried that if the source of the leak was someone from Baijiazhuang, he wouldn't be able to explain it to his friend, so he wanted to prevent the matter from happening at the source.
Shui Qing had no objection. If she and Bai Manshan were to switch places, she would probably do the same, so she agreed.
The sugar-making workshop and all the tools in Baijiazhuang were prepared well in advance. The people selected were the most quick-witted in the village. They learned how to make it on the same day and came back to ask for help if they didn't understand.
Shui Qing saw that the sugar mill was gradually getting back on track and prepared to go back tomorrow.
However, before returning to Shanshui Village, we need to clarify and arrange the specific details.
She gathered everyone in the courtyard of the sugar mill and announced: "The men responsible for carrying sugarcane will earn thirty coins a day."
The same applies to juicing and extracting sugarcane juice;
The women who boiled the food worked much harder, earning thirty-two coins a day.
Those in charge of sugar matters worked even harder, earning thirty-five coins a day;
The remaining odd jobs, such as cutting and packing, cost 23 coins a day.
Did you understand?
Sugar mills are different from toothbrush mills. They are not open all year round, but only during the winter season. Moreover, most of the work is physically demanding and tiring, so the wages can be appropriately higher.
Most of the people working at the herbal medicine shop and toothbrush shop were from Shanshui Village. They weren't her servants, and she didn't pay them. It was normal for her to give them clothes and a lunch as a benefit.
The village of Zhulin had already provided clothing materials, as well as food rations, land, and livestock, so they were self-sufficient and did not need any additional supplies.
The people in the courtyard couldn't hide their joy when they heard about the wages!
Although the pay varied, the men thought, "Just carrying sugarcane can earn me thirty coins a day? In the past, even unloading cargo was only worth about that much, and there was no guarantee of getting any work."
The men who squeeze the juice think that the oxen are pulling the millstone, while they are only responsible for carrying buckets of sugarcane juice. It's unbelievable that they can make this much!
The women never imagined that one day they would earn more than the men!
As for those who earned 23 coins a day, they were either elderly or in poor health and could only do light work. When they heard that they still had 23 coins a day, they were at a loss for words to express their gratitude.
They could make money by making toothbrush handles on a regular basis, but that was a livelihood for Shanshui Village. Once the population of Shanshui Village grew, they would no longer be needed. Although they made money, they were always worried that one day they would run out of it.
Now that they have the sugar mill, they know this is a livelihood that belongs to their Zhulin Village! As long as they do it well, no one will take it away from them.
Shuiqing also mentioned that Bai Manshan would come over before the New Year to discuss matters related to selling goods outside the village, and that they should just follow Bai Manshan's instructions.
Men who go out to work also get paid.
Everyone thanked Shui Qing profusely, and several people kept wiping away tears.
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