"The Farmer's Fat Wife": Fat Men Are All Potential Stocks (Part 6)...
The system was going crazy, but the villagers were all fired up, though they didn't know what they were fired up for.
Ye Xiqing trained everyone, teaching them sales techniques and sending them out to develop their own downlines. Surprisingly, quite a few of them came back.
Especially the newcomer, Wu Niang, probably because she had her own experiences to refer to, spoke wholeheartedly and sincerely, and talked about the most people.
The village, which should have gradually fallen into ruin, has instead become increasingly prosperous.
The villagers were quite happy that they had given up all their tenant farmland, even if it was only a small amount. They had bought the land themselves, and it belonged entirely to them.
As for the imperial court's plan to levy half the taxes... it's alright, it's alright, it's just a special period. They can work hard, take good care of the crops, and produce more grain.
If the yield is only one shi per mu, that's half the yield. If we work hard to grow two shi per mu, wouldn't we still have a lot left over?
As long as they are not pushed to the extreme, ordinary people will always find problems within themselves.
With more people joining, farming has become easier. The village harvested another crop of beans in the second half of the year, planted new wheat, and is now waiting for next year's harvest.
The imperial court levied autumn taxes again, but there was an extra supply, and rent was no longer required, making life a little easier.
In their spare time, everyone goes out to find some work to do in order to improve their lives.
Ye Xiqing doesn't accept the money the villagers earn from their side jobs; they keep it for themselves. When it's time to farm, everyone works together to ensure a basic food supply.
This was the norm for small farming families in ancient times. Farming was absolutely essential, and sideline jobs improved their lives, much like before.
With food security secured, everyone became more enthusiastic about sideline businesses. Some raised ducks, some wove cloth, some grew vegetables, and some made hemp shoes.
There are many ponds in Xiawa Village, where ducks can be raised free-range and children can herd them. The duck eggs collected can be pickled into salted duck eggs, which will keep for a long time without spoiling. They can be eaten by themselves or sold.
Even when ducks get old, you can still eat their meat. For the poorest people in this area, duck meat is the most affordable food.
It's easier for ducks to hatch than for pigs to give birth, but weasels are a real nuisance. They steal ducks when they get old, so duck farmers have to be extra careful when watching their ducks.
While everyone else had found a side job, Ye Xiqing also returned to her old trade, reselling goods in the county town.
This time, she won't carry the load herself to work in the city. There's an ox, so why not use it? At most, she won't ride it on the cart.
Call Wu Niang over and go into town with her.
Wu Niang is very good at dealing with people, not in the eloquent way, but because she is kind and honest. This kindness is even reflected in her appearance, and people often trust her a little just by looking at her face.
Wu Niang had just joined Xiawa Village and was eager to prove herself, so she immediately went with Ye Xiqing when he called her.
The villagers piled duck eggs, cloth, grain and other items onto the oxcart so she could take them to the city to sell.
Of course Ye Xiqing would take a commission. Not to mention anything else, there were tolls at the crossroads when entering the city, and the cattle also needed to be fed. She couldn't just give away her own money.
However, the cigarettes she smokes are definitely ones that everyone can accept. These days, as long as you don't exploit people to the point of exhaustion, you can be considered a great philanthropist.
Ye Xiqing took Wu Niang into the city to resell goods, eliminating the middlemen and allowing them to earn much more money.
First, people go to the grain store to exchange their grain. So much grain is taken from the people, so of course the price of grain rises, but it rises at the very top. Ordinary people are taken from several places, and they don't get much in their hands.
Ye Xiqing found ways to sell and exchange grains, trading refined grains for coarse grains. The more coarse grains he traded, the more he could exchange back, enough to feed the villagers for a longer period.
As for the money from selling the grain, Ye Xiqing handed it to Wu Niang: "This is public money, I won't touch a penny, you keep it safe."
"When we return to the village, I'll settle the accounts with everyone; this is public funds."
Wu Niang took the money and patted her chest to assure him, "Don't worry, sir!"
In those days, the market was still not without its share of thugs and hooligans, but when they saw Ye Xiqing's robust physique and the short knife at his waist, the skinny thugs in their groups were immediately stunned.
Before they could even see the real deal, Ye Xiqing just glanced at them, and the group of people pulled each other away.
The newcomer was puzzled: "With so many of us, why are we afraid of just one person?"
The leader slapped him aside. Didn't he have any sense of propriety? He was clearly a guy who had seen blood before.
Why pick on the tough one when there are so many easy targets on the street?
Ye Xiqing watched as a group of people pulled and tugged at each other as they passed by, completely puzzled. What was going on? She hadn't even seen clearly yet.
Wu Niang was overjoyed: "My lord, you are so mighty, so incredibly mighty!"
Wu Niang was a shrewd businesswoman, selling cloth and eggs there. Ye Xiqing sat on the rock, acting as a lucky charm.
Once she entered the city, she realized that the desolation was her own. In this small county town, there was still a bustling crowd, and the cries of the lower classes did not reach her so quickly.
After selling for a whole morning, they sold quite a lot, and Wu Niang was very happy. The commission and share were split between the two of them.
After closing up shop, Ye Xiqing didn't go home immediately. Instead, she went from house to house asking, "Do you have any pigs to slaughter?"
In ancient times, butchering was an absolutely lucrative profession, with people making unimaginable amounts of money. Ye Xiqing, however, did not sell pigs; she only slaughtered them.
The fourth world's Tu Si Niang was doing roughly the same kind of business. Slaughtering pigs was a high-barrier skill in ancient times, and it had a large market.
Ye Xiqing's massive physique and fierce aura were enough to convince people without any further sales pitches, and someone immediately asked, "What's the price?"
"No matter what, meat costs fifty coins per head; if you have meat, it costs thirty coins."
Upon hearing this, the pig farmer thought, "I'll get 20 less coins for the meat?"
That's great!
They immediately welcomed her inside.
After raising pigs for a lifetime, it was finally time to slaughter them. Ye Xiqing felt around the pig's neck, picked up the sharpened knife, and killed it with a single, clean stroke.
A chorus of praise immediately arose from the side: "What excellent craftsmanship!"
The pig farmer's family members hurriedly grabbed basins to catch the blood, while Ye Xiqing picked up a clean burlap sack and wiped the blood off the knife.
He took another cleaver, butchered the pork, and after finishing, looked at the pig farmer and said, "Prepare the meal."
Pig farmers know this much, so they quickly prepared food and drinks.
The best cuts of pork are meant to be sold. Pig farmers will offer tenderloin to butchers, who understand, as everyone is struggling in the lower classes.
Ye Xiqing asked for twenty coins less, and the pig farmer was initially very happy, but he only realized what was going on when he saw Ye Xiqing eat four bowls in a row.
No wonder they charged twenty coins less; they didn't work for nothing!
Seeing how much Ye Xiqing could eat, Wu Niang didn't stand on ceremony and followed suit, showing off a large bowl of braised pork tenderloin with preserved mustard greens.
The pig farmer, on the verge of tears, served the wine. Ye Xiqing was a health-conscious person and generally did not drink alcohol.
However, given the drinking conditions in ancient times, rice wine was probably considered a high-class beverage, and Ye Xiqing still drank a bowl of it.
Just one bowl, enough to rinse my mouth, that's all.
After a hearty meal and pleasant conversation, the pig farmer took a few coins from the copper coins offered to him and said, "Could you please wrap some bones for me?"
Modern people like to eat pork ribs, but people in ancient times did not. Pork ribs weigh more and contain less meat, so pig farmers would remove the bones and sell them cheaply.
Although Ye Xiqing ate a lot, her cooking skills were unanimously recognized by the pig farmers. Upon hearing this, they immediately and attentively wrapped up a lot of bones for her and even added a pair of pig ears.
Ye Xiqing carried the bones home, and when she got home, she gave the pig's ears to Wu Niang.
Wu Niang was overjoyed after eating a large amount of meat with her and receiving gifts. She planned to develop some more downlines for her to repay her when she had some free time.
Ye Xiqing handed the remaining ribs and the money she had earned to her mother. Hua Xigu finally smiled and quickly stewed the bones.
The aroma of meat wafted into the village, making everyone envious. Some even started to feel a little envious, wondering if they could go with her to slaughter a pig!
Ye Xiqing was naturally happy to agree. Wu Niang was soft-hearted and couldn't bring herself to do it. She needed someone who dared to use a knife to assist her.
Ye Xiqing's pig slaughtering business spread like wildfire, with more and more people seeking her out to slaughter pigs, and she also took the opportunity to promote castrated pigs.
She wants to promote the idea that castrated pigs are ready for slaughter faster and taste better to everyone.
Slaughtering a pig costs fifty coins, and castrating a pig costs twenty coins. Over time, this adds up to a considerable sum. Moreover, when slaughtering a pig, you can also enjoy a "pig-killing feast," with plenty of meat.
Originally, the main theme was weight loss, but Ye Xiqing stuffed more and more meat into her mouth. The only good news was that the meat she put into her mouth didn't just turn into fat, but also started to move into muscle.
Ye Xiqing resolutely refused to ride in an oxcart, walking several miles to the county town every day to harvest wheat; he didn't work for nothing.
The energy I just ate was digested in no time, and my body became firmer.
Lacking ample fat and rounded edges, it appears somewhat fierce from a distance, which explains why those petty thugs are so sensible.
Ye Xiqing has changed a lot. One day, even Hua Xigu realized it. She looked up at Ye Xiqing's imposing appearance and said, "Daughter, why does your face seem to have changed a bit?"
Ye Xiqing calmly turned around: "Isn't this all your doing? You always made me do all the work, and now you've exhausted me."
Hua Xigu: ...
Ye Xiqing was not entirely satisfied with Li Sanyue's physique. His strength was great because he carried a huge load, but his endurance and agility were not very good.
Ye Xiqing used a slow, aerobic walk along the road from Huajia to the county town to get her body used to the weight.
At first, I had to find a place to rest after walking a short distance, but now I can walk the whole way without any breathing problems. The progress is encouraging.
With the collective support to mitigate risks, the new and old residents of Xiawa Village truly enjoyed a period of peace and tranquility, having enough grains to eat and duck eggs and meat to eat—experiences they never had when the breadwinner was alive.
However, training can be done gradually, but the imperial court's exploitation doesn't take into account whether the people below can bear it. When taxes are levied the following year, the amount is increased by another 10%.
After the villagers joined the collective, they saw hope and were overjoyed. They thought that if they had a good harvest the following year, they wouldn't have to pay rent and would live a better life. But then the imperial court suddenly intervened again.
Because of the previous good momentum, Xiawa Village now has more than fifty people. The new and old gathered together, looking at Ye Xiqing in bewilderment: What should we do now...?
Ye Xiqing lowered his head deeply, pondered for a while, then slammed his fist on the table, his face full of grief and indignation, and said: "The imperial court doesn't treat us like human beings at all. We can't just obediently listen to it anymore. If we want to survive, we have to find some other way!"
The crowd, already harboring resentment, were immediately enraged by her instigation: "Boss, just say it! What do you want to do?!"
Ye Xiqing glanced at everyone. In ancient times, the system of collective punishment was implemented. If one person committed a crime, the whole village would be guilty, forcing the villagers to report him.
Under such a high-pressure system, what can an ordinary person do if they want to break the law?
They'll take the whole village with them and commit the crime.
One person breaking the law is breaking the law, but when a whole village breaks the law, it becomes part of the village's business.
Ye Xiqing looked at everyone and said, "Let's go sell smuggled salt."
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