Chapter 80 The Third Master Wants a Job but is Rejected
Taohua Village, surrounded by mountains and rivers, has hundreds of households, and a rough count of the population, young and old, is nearly a thousand.
The village chief only had to shout in the village, and the villagers who had been eagerly waiting for the news rushed to tell each other. Soon the news spread throughout the village in an instant, like a gust of wind, blowing the villagers into action.
Soon, crowds of people poured in from all directions, converging towards the village chief's house. It was so densely packed and bustling that those who didn't know what was going on might have thought it was a riot.
Everyone was discussing the job enthusiastically, their excitement evident in their expressions.
"Oh, Mr. Gu, you are here too? Do you want to sign up for work?" A young man joked with the old man next to him with a smile.
The old man, called Master Gu San, was hunched over and walked shakily with a cane. Hearing someone talking to him, he nodded slowly, his voice hoarse but full of persistence. "Why? I can't come? I'm not from Taohua Village?"
Everyone burst into laughter, their laughter echoing in the air. "Haha, Third Master, that's true, but you're almost seventy, what can you do there? They're looking for workers, not to support your ancestors. You should just go back and rest."
How could Mr. Gu San give up? Hearing this, he immediately flew into a rage and raised his cane to hit him. "Get out of here! I'm going to sign up. I want to see if Gu Huangping dares to refuse."
Uncle Gu was not only old, but also of a higher generation, and Uncle Gu still called him "Uncle." So when they saw him really angry, they didn't dare to do anything and just ran away laughing.
The village chief looked at the surging crowd in front of him, groaning in his heart, and wiped the sweat from his forehead with his hand. If these people were allowed to squeeze into his house, wouldn't this small yard be broken?
So, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "Stop crowding! Let's all go under the big banyan tree in the village!"
Everyone was annoyed by the crowding and turned around to leave immediately after hearing this.
The village chief breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the villagers had moved. Fortunately, there was such a spacious place in the village.
When the villagers arrived under the big banyan tree, Hu Zi and Gu Yushan had already set up the table and chairs, and the table was equipped with pens, ink, paper and inkstone. Everything was ready.
Hu Zi is tall and strong, exuding a heroic air, like a towering mountain.
He was a martial artist, and at this moment, he used his internal strength to send out a clear voice: "Dear fellow villagers, please don't crowd around, and listen to me!"
The originally chaotic and noisy scene was gradually brought under control after Hu Zi's shout.
The villagers stopped walking, their gazes fixed on Hu Zi. For a moment, there was complete silence under the banyan tree.
"Fellow villagers, I am a servant of the Gu family, and I am currently working with the master of the Gu family to recruit workers for the construction of the house. This project is massive, and requires a large number of workers. However, we have some requirements. Men aged 16 to 40, healthy and able-bodied, are welcome to sign up. The wages are 20 wen a day, including lunch and dinner. If you perform well, there will be additional rewards. Women who are married and aged 35 to 35, healthy and able-bodied, are also welcome to sign up, as long as they don't mind. The wages are 15 wen a day, also including lunch and dinner!"
Hu Zi explained the recruitment requirements and remuneration in a clear and organized manner, his voice so loud that it echoed for a long time under the banyan tree.
"Those who do not meet the above requirements please step back. Those who meet the requirements and want to work please come and line up to register." Hu Zi added.
In order to prevent a riot, Hu Zi not only used his internal energy to make sounds, but also brought a sword.
He was already tall and strong, and now holding a sword, he looked majestic and intimidating.
The villagers who were originally trying to squeeze forward, fearing that it would be too late, suddenly remembered the dispute between Gu Jiayue and Hua Pozi on the day he first arrived in Taohua Village.
At that time, it was also Hu Zi, with a ferocious look on his face, holding a sword and ready to go forward and chop Hua Po Zi.
Thinking of this, everyone involuntarily stepped back. For a moment, there was a deserted area around Hu Zi and the other three, and no one dared to step forward.
What if he gets excited and hurts himself with the sword?
Seeing this, Hu Zi couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. Could it be that he had used too much force?
These villagers are too timid.
He smiled helplessly, trying to lighten the mood, and said softly, "Don't be afraid, everyone. I'm just maintaining order. I won't hurt you. Just follow the rules and register."
Gu Yushan had never seen such a scene before. He was at a loss for a moment and didn't know what to do.
Fortunately, the village chief was on the scene. He stepped forward first, a kind smile on his face, and said loudly: "Fellow villagers, did you all hear what Hu Zi just said? Anyone who meets the requirements and is willing to work, please step forward and line up to sign up. Don't panic, don't fight. As long as you are from Taohua Village and meet the requirements, there will be work."
With the village chief as a guarantor, everyone was not so worried.
A villager asked loudly, "Village Chief, can you really pay me 20 wen as wages? And two meals included?"
The village chief nodded vigorously and said firmly, "It's absolutely true. Don't worry, I've confirmed it all."
"Then I'll sign up!"
“I’m signing up too!”
Everyone responded, their voices rising one after another.
They all had a calculation in their minds: if they went to the county town to find a job, they could earn at most twelve cents a day, and that did not include food and accommodation.
In order to save money, they were reluctant to stay in the county town, so they had to set out from the village before dawn every day and return in the middle of the night. They were exhausted at the end of the day.
But now I am in the village, I can go home every day, I have two meals, and I can earn twenty cents a day. If I am not a fool, how could I not do it?
The requirements are a bit strict. You only need to be under 40 years old, or the whole family can work together, and you can earn 180 cents a day.
Those who do not meet the requirements can only leave with a sigh of regret.
Everyone understood the situation and no one wanted to cause trouble.
This requirement was actually quite generous. After all, there were always one or two suitable candidates in a large family. If someone caused trouble and displeased the host family, would they still hire them? They might even refuse to hire even those close to them.
You won't get anything then and will be blamed by others.
So no one would do such a stupid thing, and even if they were dissatisfied, they would not say it here.
However, there are exceptions.
"Uncle San, you really don't meet the requirements. You'd better go home early." The village chief held Uncle Gu San's arm, with a helpless look on his face and earnestness in his eyes.
Master Gu San ignored him and said with his neck stiff, "What's wrong with me? I'm just a little older, but I still have strength and I don't eat much. So what if you just give me a spot?"
Although the village chief was annoyed, he still kept a smile on his face and patiently explained, "Yes, yes, I didn't say you didn't have the strength, Third Master. But they just asked for it, and I can't change it just for you. Otherwise, how will the other villagers look at me? What if they also want me to change my request? "
Mr. Gu opened his mouth. He knew he was being unreasonable, but there was really no other way.
If he doesn't make any more money, his grandson's life will be in danger.
"I don't care. You have to find me a place anyway. I want to work and earn money." Mr. Gu threw away his cane and sat down in front of the village chief. He tilted his head and looked like he was taking advantage of his age.
"Third Master! I respect you as my elder, so I advised you kindly. Miss Jiayue doesn't have to recruit workers in the village. With the conditions she offered, where can we not find workers? She just sees that our Taohua Village is poor and wants to help us. If you continue to make trouble, she will stop recruiting workers in the village in anger. What will happen to so many people then?" The village chief was really angry and his words were very harsh. There was no respect for his elders in his tone.
Most of the villagers gathered here, and after hearing this, they all nodded in agreement.
As for Mr. Gu San, he is of a high generation, and many people in the Gu family dare not say anything, but people with other surnames do not have this concern.
"Third Master, please leave now and stop causing trouble. You can't even walk steadily, how can you do any work? Don't let yourself die on the construction site and cause trouble for the master."
"That's right, don't try to take advantage of your age. There are people older than you. If you keep making trouble, I'll carry my grandfather over to you to argue with you."
"Ping boy, if you agree to register for the Third Master, then I want to register too." Someone with older seniority directly called out the village chief's name.
The village chief was sweating profusely, his face turning pale and red. When he looked at the Third Master again, he couldn't help but plead with him. "Third Master..."
Mr. Gu's body was shaking more and more violently, and his lips were trembling slightly. "You, you...Okay, okay, I'm leaving! I'm leaving!"
"I'm old, haha."
He picked up a crutch beside him and struggled to get up. The village chief reached out to help him, but he shook him off.
Third Grandpa slowly left the crowd. His originally hunched back became even more bent, and his steps staggered, as if he would fall at any time. Every step seemed to be stepping on the vicissitudes of time.
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