Chapter 1162: Building High Walls (Part 2) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]
Shen Tang said, "Why can't we do both at the same time?"
First, they tricked Cui Hui into leaving, and then sold Cui Mi by weight.
She looked Cui Mi up and down, half threatening and half teasing, and said, "After all, even a small mosquito is still meat."
Not being able to fetch a high price doesn't mean there were no offers. If she were desperate for money, Shen Tang wouldn't mind "selling" Cui Mi off cheaply.
Cui Mi shuddered: "Sister Chen is so heartless."
I offered my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon shone on the ditch.
Why can't you see your own deep and unwavering love?
Shen Tang naturally didn't believe Cui Mi's nonsense.
Don't harbor any illusions about the heads of aristocratic families, and why should you have any biases towards their offspring? They are birds of a feather, sharing the same roots. As for Cui Mi, the free laborer, Shen Tang showed no mercy in exploiting him.
"Cui Erlang, deal with these matters as soon as possible."
If the government wants to resume operations, it needs capable people.
Shen Tang didn't expect to rely on Cui Mi to do things alone.
She wrote a notice by hand and posted it at the city gate.
The notice initially went unnoticed.
There were very few households in this area, and only a handful of literate people. The job posting had been sitting for three or four days without anyone coming to apply. Just as Shen Tang was about to give up and head to the neighboring county to recruit, a frail scholar in patched clothes arrived with an elderly man with white hair and beard. Both men were sallow and thin, their lips dry and chapped, and they seemed to be floating with every step they took.
He spoke weakly and listlessly, and his eyes were green with hunger.
Seeing their awkward and embarrassed appearance, Shen Tang took pity on them and handed them two pancakes: "Eat some to fill your stomachs first. Whether you get the job or not, the government will provide two meals for free."
"Thank you, Magistrate."
Neither the frail scholar nor the old man showed any courtesy.
Despite their hunger making them move hastily, as if they wanted to shove the flatbread directly into their stomachs, they still tried to maintain a semblance of elegance. Shen Tang then gave Cui Mi a wink, signaling him to bring them some water. Cui Mi, a scion of a prominent family, was quite adept at this kind of work, and there was no arrogance in his eyes.
He advised, "Slow down, you two, don't choke."
The frail scholar and the elderly man each ate three large pancakes and drank two bowls of warm water before stopping, feeling full.
Shen Tang then began interviewing the two of them.
"You came together? Do you know each other?"
The scholar's voice was barely audible, and he appeared quite shy and reserved: "Reporting to the County Magistrate, my two sons are grandfather and grandson, both locals."
The notice stated that local residents would be given priority in recruitment.
Shen Tang then asked, "Where do you live?"
The scholar, embarrassed, gave an address.
Shen Tang searched her memory for the relevant location. If she remembered correctly, it was a cluster of old, dilapidated houses. She had scouted the area before and knew that dozens of elderly people living there were widowed and alone. The able-bodied men in their families had either died in the war or gone to other places to make a living because they couldn't bear the burden. The houses were leaky and collapsed, and no one had repaired them.
Last summer was windy, and most of the houses collapsed.
Four elderly people were killed when a stone wall collapsed on them.
The county clerks wanted to make repairs, but they had neither money nor manpower.
They couldn't gather enough able-bodied men to help with the repairs, so in the end, a group of men and women in their thirties and forties helped to tidy up a few dilapidated houses that were barely habitable, temporarily settling these people in. Hearing that the grandfather and grandson lived there, Shen Tang asked, "I went there to check the population not long ago, and I don't think I saw you there."
The scholar clearly knew about this as well.
He explained, “My grandfather is old and frail. I originally wanted to take him to stay with his cousin who had married into a neighboring county, but his cousin is not at home. We have run out of money and have to come back.”
Shen Tang nodded.
They didn't pursue that question further.
When she went to check on the population of the dilapidated housing area that day, a neighbor mentioned a grandfather and grandson, which should refer to the two of them.
He would also make excuses if his cousins were not at home.
Most likely, the cousins will refuse to see them and will turn their backs on this poor relative seeking refuge. In the words of those elderly people, everyone is struggling financially; where would they find extra food to feed two mouths? It won't be long before they are sent back.
Shen Tang asked again, "Can you read?"
The scholar nodded and said, "I know."
His grandfather had studied at a local private school for a few years when he was young, earning a living by writing letters for the villagers and exchanging couplets for rice, flour, and cooking oil during festivals. Although it wasn't much, it was enough to provide his family with a decent meal. His grandfather also taught him about literature, and he attended school for two years before the only private school moved away, reading a few books and even learning to use an abacus.
Shen Tang asked the grandfather and grandson to write something for him to see.
He has no problem with basic reading and writing, and he uses the abacus quite well.
Shen Tang nodded in satisfaction: "Alright, stay."
The scholar looked up in disbelief, his dull and lifeless eyes suddenly lighting up: "County Magistrate, is this enough?"
Shen Tang nodded: "Mm."
However, some unpleasant things need to be said upfront.
She said, "Because the county government's conditions are not good and the treasury has little savings, the monthly salary for the first year only consists of grain to provide you with three meals a day. During festivals, you will receive rice, flour, and cooking oil as rewards, but no silver or anything like that. In the second year, when the county government's economic situation improves, your monthly salary will be supplemented with the silver that your position should have."
If you can accept these conditions, you can start working.
The scholar nodded vigorously: "This humble subject understands."
The grandfather and grandson came here specifically for the three meals a day provided.
If we can solve the problem of food and clothing, and cultivate some crops on our two acres of barren land, we can barely get through this year.
The elderly man's eyes streamed with cloudy tears.
He led his grandson to bow and express his gratitude to Shen Tang.
Shen Tang said, "You don't need to go back to live there. Just prepare an empty room in the county government office for now. At least it won't be drafty."
The grandfather and grandson were extremely grateful.
Besides the grandfather and grandson, Shen Tang also hired a cook.
The cook was just over forty, but her temples were already mostly gray. She had a large frame and was very thin, her skin and bones giving her a somewhat unsettling appearance. Shen Tang, impressed by her efficient work, kept her on. Seeing the meager results after several days of hard work, Cui Mi couldn't help but feel sorry for her: "Sister Shen, do you really not want me to help you?"
Shen Tang asked, "A member of the Cui family?"
Cui Mi said, "No, we're classmates."
In chaotic times, the mortality rate is high, so powerful families have as many children as possible to ensure their continuation. However, apart from the main branch, the other branches, regardless of whether they are legitimate or illegitimate, are minor branches that cannot inherit much of the family fortune. Some of these minor branch sons work hard, hoping to make a name for themselves after the family splits, while others, like Cui Mi, simply give up and enjoy life before the family splits. There are probably two of these classmates who give up.
Shen Tang refused without even thinking.
"No, the temple is too small to accommodate a great Buddha."
Cui Mi said, "There are also those who came from commoner backgrounds."
Even the worst ones are still much better than the people she's hired in the last few days.
"We can't afford that."
Shen Tang is currently focusing on recruiting local people, mainly because he wants to leverage their kinship ties to facilitate communication. The common people under his jurisdiction don't trust Shen Tang's abilities, but they tend to trust those they know. Especially the grandfather and grandson who have helped many villagers write family letters and couplets; they can help the county government gain the trust of the people, making the work easier.
"However, I do need some manpower." Shen Tang changed the subject, patted Cui Mi's shoulder, and said with a grin, "Come on, help me write a martial arts contest notice for marriage. I want to set up a arena. Also, borrow your connections, Cui Erlang, and distribute as many notices as possible!"
Cui Mi: "???"
No, what notice?
He didn't understand why the topic had suddenly shifted to a martial arts contest to find a husband.
"But Sister Shen, marriage is a major life event, how can it be treated so casually? Even those rough and tumble knights don't do this..." Martial arts contests for marriage only exist in folk tales in the marketplace.
Such a casual decision about a major life event is utterly beyond the comprehension of a scion of a prominent family who value marriage and insist on matching social status. Shen Tang retorted, "What do you mean by 'casual'? I'm playing the long game. I'm forced into this situation! I haven't been able to find any laborers for days! Without a martial arts contest to find a husband, where will I find someone willing to be my slave?"
Kangguo's success led Shen Tang to rely on the Wudan infrastructure model.
Accustomed to the highly efficient work of martial arts masters, she couldn't tolerate the inefficient work patterns of ordinary people. Unfortunately, this remote and impoverished area lacked even able-bodied men, let alone martial arts masters. Shen Tang needed to find a way to attract martial arts masters!
After much thought, she decided to use her beauty to seduce him!
Wu Youyong's shell looks pretty good, with thick hair, and wearing a veil adds a bit of atmosphere.
Shen Tang instructed Cui Mi to write a notice for her to choose a husband through a martial arts contest.
They even asked him to draw their own portrait.
"Draw me however I am beautiful."
"As the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Cui Erlang keeps saying he likes me, so in your eyes I must be the most beautiful woman in the world. Yes, paint me to that standard! Use a portrait to depict my beauty, and use words to praise my stunning looks!" Shen Tang patted Cui Mi's shoulder, getting closer to threaten him, "You'd better paint me like Mi Fei in 'Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River,' then I'll believe you!"
"Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River?"
Shen Tang exclaimed, "Its form is like a startled swan, graceful as a swimming dragon. It shines like autumn chrysanthemums, flourishes like spring pines. It seems like light clouds veiling the moon, drifting like swirling snow in a flowing wind... Let me tell you, every romance novel about the white moonlight needs to copy this passage!"
It provided a great deal of material for describing classical beauties.
"She is beautiful and graceful, with a serene and composed demeanor."
Shen Tang took out a small bronze mirror from his bosom and continued to be engrossed in his own world.
Cui Mi felt his mind go blank: "And then?"
Shen Tang snapped the small bronze mirror away and stuffed it back into his arms: "Sigh, Cui Erlang is still too young. There are two things that many men in the world can't stand the most: one is that a beautiful woman is in another man's arms, and the other is that another man is stronger than them. A martial arts contest to choose a husband, the winner can take the beautiful woman home, and only those with the courage and strength to fight can participate. The winner is a winner in life, and the loser has to accept the loss and become my slave."
Cui Mi: "To be treated like a cow or a horse?"
Seeing that he didn't get it, Shen Tang could only explain in detail: "A martial arts contest to choose a husband. If you win, you become the groom. If you lose, you have to pay a price. It's not too much to ask you to work for me for a month, is it? Oh, by the way, write this string of words smaller. I reserve the right to the final interpretation."
Cui Mi couldn't understand what a month-long temporary job could accomplish.
However, this move does attract quite a few people.
He worriedly asked, "What if we lose the martial arts contest to choose a husband?"
Shen Tang said, "How could I possibly lose if I'm defending my title?"
Cui Mi: "..."
He recalled the scene he had just witnessed; the man before him, with his indomitable and destructive demeanor, was indeed unlikely to lose.
Shen Tang urged him, "Hurry up."
It would be best to give her the title of the most beautiful woman in a certain place.
Shen Tang's outrageous actions also alarmed Cui Zhi.
Cui Zhi was secretly observing how Shen Tang could make up for the three-year-old debt, and what he waited for was a farcical martial arts contest to find a husband. Cui Mi knew his limits and did not spread the news throughout the entire Qi Kingdom; the news only circulated among wandering knights. At first, no one believed it, but upon hearing the seemingly ethereal description, even those who were not interested became intrigued and flocked to join the fun.
The trusted advisor said, "This move is absurd, but it's effective. That place lacks able-bodied men, and now people are going there, aren't they?"
Sending people is useless.
These young men were mostly unruly and rebellious wanderers, the most defiant and defiant of all. Once they realized they had been tricked, Shen Zhongli would face a backlash! Her trusted advisors felt she was taking a risky gamble that might be difficult to recover from. What if she accidentally lost the martial arts contest to find a husband?
Cui Zhi didn't think Shen Tang would lose.
She is Qi Yuanliang's person, so she has considerable strength and resources.
only--
Cui Zhi closed his eyes in deep thought: "Send someone to find out what's going on."
Perhaps we can use "Shen Zhongli" to test the true nature of Qi Shan.
His trusted advisor nodded; that was exactly what he was thinking.
Cui Zhi also used the Cui family's connections to spread the news that "a stunning beauty is going to hold a martial arts contest to find a husband," emphasizing the beauty's breathtaking looks. Miao Ne, who was secretly keeping a close eye on Shen Tang's movements, also received the news. As a citizen of Kang, she immediately saw what her king was planning and breathed a sigh of relief.
My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.
When Miao Ne learned that Shen Tang had gone to a remote and impoverished area to serve as a county magistrate, lacking both manpower and funds, she was worried that Shen Tang's mission would be unsuccessful. She never expected Shen Tang to take such an unconventional approach.
No normal person would come up with this method to lure people!
[A martial arts contest to find a husband and make friends through martial arts.]
Competition comes first, friendship second.
Shen Tang did not set a time limit for the martial arts contest to find a husband. As long as no one succeeds in the contest, the arena will remain there!
You can fight as soon as you step into the ring; you don't even need to make an appointment.
Within just a few days, the number of outsiders had reached half that of the indigenous population.
As more and more wandering warriors approached the same destination, and learning that they were all there to fight in the arena and marry beauties, many of them were filled with apprehension: "With so many people, have they succeeded in the arena battle?"
"The arena is still there."
"Alas, even if it were still there, the hope would be slim."
He saw several people whose auras were stronger than his own.
There's no chance of competing with these people.
"But since we've already come all this way, wouldn't it be a pity if we didn't see this Consort Mi?" Many people thought this and gave up the idea of leaving.
No one expected that this would be a major stain on his life.
A contract must be signed before the competition begins.
Shen Tang failed to defend his title and accepted his defeat.
If she successfully defends her title, the challenger will accept the outcome of the bet.
The contest should be limited to a limited time and no killing is permitted. Given that swords and spears are indiscriminate, any accidental injury is simply bad luck and a consequence of being outmatched. Once the contract is signed, neither party can renege on their obligations!
Shen Tang was covered by a white veil, revealing a pair of beautiful, smiling eyes.
"Heaven bears witness, and I will never go back on my word!"
|ω`)
Hehehe, although it's raining really hard today, the good news is that Line 3 is suspended due to road construction or something, so only Line 2 and Line 1 are running.
I waited from 8:30 to 12:40 before finally taking my driving test (Part 3). It was a long wait, but the result was good. I passed the test on Line 2, and only lost 10 points because I was more than 30cm from the side. I still got 90 points! (*^▽^*) I passed Part 3 on my first try.
I didn't take the driving test (Part 4) on the same day because the exam ended too late. Part 4 and Part 3 are in different locations, so I planned to check the test center and pass on the first try if I was confident.
P.S.: Thank goodness, we finished the battle before the students took their driving lessons for the college entrance exam.
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