April 15th.
Inside the Royal Ironworks, workers gathered in their respective workshops according to their assigned groups.
Because today was payday, everyone was beaming with joy, chatting and laughing with their fellow workers.
Worker Wang Xiao approached team leader Li Si and asked with a laugh, "Old Li, our team produced the most iron last month, so our wages must be pretty good, right?"
Li Si smiled and said, "That's for sure. I estimate that, including wages and bonuses, each person in our group will earn at least 4,500 coins."
"real?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaolian and the workers around him couldn't help but get excited.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Great Han!!"
As they spoke, some of the workers bowed towards the palace without prior arrangement.
You should know that before entering the Royal Ironworks, these workers might not be able to save four thousand five hundred coins even after a year of hard work.
Now, a month's work yields more than a year's harvest used to, enough to ensure the well-being of the whole family and even support the education of one's children.
This stark contrast in their experiences still fills these people, who have escaped suffering, with immense gratitude towards the current emperor.
Just as everyone was discussing this, an official in charge of supervising the ironworks and a eunuch, along with several key personnel from the factory, walked towards the factory building.
Behind them followed several horse-drawn carriages, each carrying a few wooden crates.
The workers' eyes were all on the wooden crates; they knew they contained their wages.
"Huh? Team leader, something's not right. We used to have more than twenty horse-drawn carts every time we transported money, but today there are only four? And the wooden boxes are much smaller!"
Looking at the carriages, Wang Xiao asked with a puzzled expression.
Li Si chuckled. "Heh~, what's wrong with that? Are you worried about losing your wages?"
Wang Xiao shook his head: "No, our factory belongs to His Majesty. How could we be shortchanged? I'm just curious!"
Li Si smiled and waved his hand: "Don't be curious, you'll find out in a moment!"
Soon, several supervisors arrived at the entrances of each factory and set up tables. Li Si and the other group leaders handed over the recorded work attendance information to the supervisors.
"Wang Xiao!"
"Hey~, here it comes!"
Wang Xiao, who was the first to be called out, ran over excitedly.
The person in charge glanced at Wang Xiao's work record, then picked up a pen and wrote "four thousand five hundred and twenty-three coins" on a piece of paper.
"Alright, go over there and collect your money!"
As he spoke, the person in charge handed the note to Wang Xiao and then pointed to the place where the wooden boxes were placed behind him.
"Thank you, sir!"
Wang Xiao bowed respectfully to the person in charge, then walked happily toward the wooden crates.
"Wang Xiao, the wages are quite high!"
Looking at the note Wang Xiao handed over, the person in charge of distributing the money smiled and then took out four silver coins and five hundred and twenty-three copper coins from behind him.
"Sir, what is this...?"
Wang Xiao hesitated for a moment when he saw the silver coins handed over by the person in charge, and did not dare to take them.
"Don't worry, this is a new coin manufactured by His Majesty's order. One coin is worth a thousand coins. If you don't like it, you can take it to any shop of the Royal Trading Company to exchange it for copper coins!"
The person in charge smiled and explained the details of the silver coins to Wang Xiao.
"Since it was ordered to be made by His Majesty, I can rest assured!"
Upon hearing the emperor's name, Wang Xiao stopped thinking and happily accepted the four silver coins and the copper coins.
Like Wang Xiao, the other workers were initially hesitant when they saw the silver coins, but when they heard that it was a new currency issued by the emperor, they immediately dispelled their doubts.
This shows that the emperor's prestige had deeply penetrated the hearts of the people, leading these workers to choose to trust him without reservation.
As dusk fell, Wang Xiao, having finished his work, happily pocketed his wages and headed home.
As Wang Xiao passed a clothing store, he stopped and looked at the several beautiful clothes displayed inside.
This is a shop belonging to the Royal Trading Company. The clothes inside are all made by the Royal Clothing Factory, using the finest satin. The cheapest piece costs around four hundred coins.
However, thinking of his wife and daughter's worn-out clothes, Wang Xiao gritted his teeth and walked into the shop.
"Welcome, sir. Are you buying this for yourself or for your family?"
Upon seeing the visitor, one of the shop assistants warmly greeted him.
"I want to buy an outfit for my wife and daughter!"
As he spoke, Wang Xiao told the other person about the height and build of his wife and daughter.
The shop assistant nodded and then helped Wang Xiaoxuan choose two pieces of clothing.
Looking at the vibrant colors and beautiful patterns on the clothes, Wang Xiao nodded in satisfaction: "How much?"
The waiter chuckled, "Two items for a total of six hundred and twenty coins!"
Wang Xiao felt a slight pang of heartache, then took out a silver coin and handed it to the shopkeeper.
"Oh my, do you work in the royal factory?"
Looking at the silver coins Wang Xiao handed over, the shopkeeper couldn't help but ask.
Wang Xiao nodded: "Yeah, how did you know?"
The shop assistant laughed and said, "Only people from our Royal Trading Company have this kind of new money; no one else can produce it!"
Wang Xiao couldn't help but ask, "Really? So, besides us, there's no one else?"
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