Chapter 438: County Town Microcosm 2
Not long after, several patrolmen blocked the scholar in an alley. The scholar was tied up and escorted out, and the people around him pointed at him.
Some people said, "Why are you doing this when you have such a good life?"
"Who knows! Isn't it better to just stay home and write your own handwriting?"
"They just want us ordinary people to live a good life!"
"Yes! He might have been sent from the South!"
The crowd was saying all sorts of things, and several farmers followed the patrol team to the police station to collect the reward.
Several farmers emerged from the police station, each receiving their reward. One silver dollar each, that's right! At the suggestion of Zhao Xiaofei and Jiang Xiaomei, the capital established a silver dollar bureau.
Zhao Xiaofei bought a coin-making machine, which is used to make game coins in modern times. The silver coins produced were not as big as the later Yuan Datou coins. Each one was relatively small, about half the size of a Yuan Datou.
Several farmers happily went to buy food and cloth. They took the things they bought and walked home along the road.
On both sides of the road, there were large numbers of slaves repairing the road, clanging and hammering the stones with tools.
A farmer asked the oldest person in the area, "Brother Zhang, who are these people? Why are they building the road?"
"I heard from the village scholar that these are slaves captured from Liaodong. Look at them, they basically have no hair." Old Zhang said, pointing to the slaves who were digging the soil.
The man looked carefully and saw that the man was wearing a hat, but no hair was visible.
Old Man Zhang went on to say, "I heard from the scholar that they used to enslave us Han people. Now their little emperor has been captured and beheaded by the prince. Although we can't kill all these Jianlu people and former princes and ministers, we can't let them go easily either. We must make them work as hard labor for our Han country for generations to come, building roads and bridges, mining, and all the hard work. They deserve to die."
The man nodded after hearing this, and not long after, he saw two groups of people escorting a group of people south. The people being escorted were both men and women, their clothes tattered, and they kept crying and shouting along the way.
Some people still had signs hanging on their bodies, but the farmers were illiterate and had no idea what crime they had committed.
Old man Zhang and the group of farmers, none of whom were literate, felt it was strange.
Old Man Zhang bravely stepped forward and asked a man who looked like an officer, "Sir, who are these people you are arresting? What crimes have they committed?"
The person being questioned was a company commander of the Kenan Army. Because the Kenan Army had strict discipline, the people dared to speak to them. If they had met the old army, these farmers would not dare to approach them and would even stay away from them.
While the members of the Kenan Army didn't adhere to the discipline of later armies, they at least wouldn't actively harm the people. Furthermore, they were well-fed and well-paid, so they wouldn't cause trouble for the people. Officers, in particular, would have no hope of future promotion if they were reported.
The Kenan Army captain said, "These are all the families of traitors and traitors. Both men and women have been sold. If you have money, I can buy you a wife to warm your bed! Take a look, is there anyone you like?"
"Ah! Are all these people for sale? There are many women here who look like fairies, why don't you buy them? Doesn't your Kenan Army have the most adequate military pay?" asked Old Man Zhang.
"I already have a wife. Besides, even if I were to marry a concubine, I wouldn't choose one from the families of these traitors. If I were to marry, I'd marry a decent girl!" said the Kenan Army's company commander, with a look of disdain on his face.
"I don't care! I just want a wife. How much is a woman?" Old Man Zhang asked anxiously. He didn't care if the woman was a traitor's family member. He just wanted a beautiful woman to be his wife and warm his bed.
"Young women, five silver dollars. Older women, two silver dollars." said the company commander of the Kenan Army.
"Then wait for me, I'll go back and get the money! I want to buy that woman as my wife!" Old man Zhang said, pointing to a young and beautiful woman.
"You're really good at picking. This is the daughter of a pseudo-Qing magistrate. She's proficient in poetry, literature, music, chess, calligraphy and painting!" The company commander of the Kenan Army laughed.
"Leave this woman to me, I'll go back and collect the money." Old man Zhang shouted immediately.
"We will rest for an hour in front. No one will be waiting after the time is up!" said the company commander of the Kenan Army.
"Come back immediately!" Old man Zhang shouted as he ran towards his people.
Several other farmers asked, "What's wrong?"
"What's going on?"
"Why are you so hot?"
"Let's go back and collect some money! The people they are holding are the families of traitors, and they are going to take them to the capital to be sold. Five silver dollars for a young and pretty girl, two silver dollars for an older one. If you miss this opportunity, you will never get it again. If you don't want to be single all your life, hurry back and collect some money!" Old Man Zhang said loudly.
"Those are all rich ladies. Once you marry them, they can't do anything except have sex!" said a farmer.
"Are you stupid? Give her a couple of whips, and after a while, I guarantee she'll be able to go to bed and do work in the fields. And some of them are very knowledgeable. If they give birth to a son for you, you won't even have to spend money on a teacher. Maybe you can raise a successful candidate!" said a smart young farmer.
"That's right! Go back and borrow some money!" Everyone thought it made sense and agreed.
So Old Man Zhang and a group of farmers went back to borrow money. In less than an hour, Old Man Zhang and a few others caught up with the escort team.
Old man Zhang found the company commander and said, "I borrowed the money!"
"Okay! Quartermaster!" The company commander turned around and called the quartermaster with a smile. He was in charge of collecting money.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
