Most of the servants who were transferred had never met Zhou Man, the village owner, and some of them happened to be at the market that day, so they met her once.
Many people stopped what they were doing and secretly raised their heads to look at her.
Man Bao looked at the progress and was very satisfied. She went to look at the food. Wu Wulang said: "The staple food is steamed buns and pancakes. There are three meals a day, and there is some meat in every meal."
There is not a lot of meat, just to ensure that they have oil and water. Wu Wulang has been buying for his own restaurant, and he can buy a lot of meatless bones every day. After stewing soup and blanching some vegetables, the taste is also very good.
The main reason is that he is willing to put salt.
Where there is salt, there is strength, not to mention that he still has meat. The dissatisfaction in the heart of the servants who were transferred has long since dissipated. There will be another ten days until the end of the slack season, and this year's labor time will be full.
Serving in the county government, the food is not as good as it is now.
Man Bao saw it and was very satisfied, and said to Zhou Wulang: "If you don't have enough money, you can ask Li Jun to get it, and you can have more meat."
Friday Lang nodded in response.
Only then did Man Bao go up to watch the soldiers repairing the road, and when she saw that they all stopped what they were doing, she nodded slightly to them and said, "I know, spring plowing is just around the corner, and you all have some opinions on serving at this time, and it's also because This, I and Xun county magistrate specially selected 300 servants from households, we will be responsible for this section of the road, and we will repair it separately from the top, middle and bottom, and it can definitely be repaired in ten days."
She said: "After the road is repaired, your eggs, vegetables, and fish and shrimp caught in the river can be sent to the new city in the shortest time. These things may not be sold in the market, and they may only be exchanged for some." It’s very cheap, but in Xincheng, you can sell it for a higher price.”
"Not to mention that after the road is completed, there will be more scholars and businessmen coming and going between the capital and Yongzhou. At that time, even setting up a roadside stall to sell some steamed buns can make money."
The servants were stunned, and one of them couldn't help asking: "The owner of the roadside stall, who buys these things?"
"Yes, can't they buy it in Yongzhou and the capital?"
Man Bao looked up at the sky at forty-five degrees, and said melancholy: "There will always be some people in this world who get up late for some reason, and then miss the time to eat breakfast..."
Bai Shanren on the side smiled, and just said that it would be good to just sleep in
The servants listened very carefully. This passage was a bit complicated. Although they didn't quite understand it, the more clever servants had already thought about it. When the road was repaired and the spring plowing was over, they made steamed buns and brought them to try.
If you can't sell it, just keep it for yourself.
After Man Bao finished his speech, everyone's enthusiasm increased again, and they started working with more energy.
The village owner was right. She didn't often walk this road, but they did. This road was built for them.
Man Bao nodded in satisfaction. After getting on his horse, he went to the next section of the road. After running for a short distance, there were another hundred people. There was only the foreman here. Salute, "The villain pays homage to the village lord."
Man Bao got off his horse and said with a smile, "Get up, how is your road repairing?"
He has worked as a foreman for many years, and this is the first time he has seen a village owner come to check the quality of the road, but he also has experience, so he immediately led the person to the road they just repaired for Zhou Man to look at, "Under The first floor is paved with stones, and the top is piled with yellow mud. We rolled and rolled the stones back and forth twice to grind the road surface tightly. If you don’t believe me, you will know by stamping your feet.”
Man Bao didn't stomp her feet. She led the horse for a walk on the road and found that there was not much dust raised, so she nodded with satisfaction.
Generally, official roads have to be repaired every few years.
Bai Shan poked the road with his toes and nodded, and went up with Man Bao to watch them laying stones and loess.
Man Bao looked at it and asked, "Where did you get this soil?"
The foreman said: "Half of it was dug from the expanded road, and the other half was dug from the ditch according to the instructions of the chief."
This can also pass through the ditch by the way.
Man Bao nodded in satisfaction and asked, "How many years have the ditches in the nearby villages been closed?"
"It's been three or four years," said the foreman, "there is a big water conservancy, and the Huangzhuang side needs labor every year, so the water conservancy of the ditches here can't be turned on."
Man Bao was stunned, "Does Huangzhuang also want to serve Ding from the county?"
"Yes," the foreman said with a flattering smile, "That's the emperor's father. If His Majesty wants to employ someone, how can the magistrate refuse?"
The emperor is too lazy to care about this kind of thing.
Man Bao felt that he had to talk to Ming Da later, she couldn't compete with her.
But the last time I passed by Huangzhuang, there were not many people inside. In other words, what would they do if they encountered spring plowing
Mingda was also worrying about manpower at this time, Zhou Man and Xun County Magistrate all got into action, Mingda knew that her Huangzhuang was short of manpower.
Not to mention spring plowing, even the laborers for this road construction can't come out.
She couldn't help asking the steward of Huangzhuang with a bitter face, "Then where did you get the manpower for spring plowing and autumn harvest in previous years?"
"The servants and tenants in the village will do it first, and then the county will send some people to help."
Mingda asked: "A counting order?"
"Yes, the service order."
Mingda couldn't help asking, "But isn't the dispatch order to avoid spring plowing and autumn harvest?"
"Oh, my princess, our Huangzhuang draws servants for spring plowing and autumn harvest. If we avoid them, what kind of servants do we have?" The steward said, "The ability to work for the royal family is something they have cultivated for several lifetimes." Blessings, it’s too late for them to be grateful.”
Bai Erlang at the side looked at him and asked, "Have you settled the wages for the servant?"
How else would they appreciate it
"No," the manager of Huangzhuang said sullenly, "my son-in-law, I've never heard of conscripts being paid wages."
Why should they be grateful? "So your food is good?"
"They bring their own dry food."
Hey, Bai Erlang was taken aback, this is not even comparable to the county government's service order.
Bai Erlang became interested, rubbed his chin and thought, so are they really grateful, or fake? Or is it just the steward's own imagination
Mingda also became curious, and couldn't help asking, "Will Huangzhuang have to transfer servants because of the shortage of manpower?"
"Yes, it has been like this in all dynasties." The steward of Huangzhuang seemed to have noticed something, and quickly explained: "Your Highness, our Majesty is generous, and we didn't let them directly enter Huangzhuang, but only transferred servants. If the previous dynasty, Whichever piece of land Aidi likes is directly enclosed, together with the people inside, all become royal."
"But being able to eat royal food is also their blessing."
Shirajiro: ...
Even Ming Da, a member of the royal family, thinks this is unreasonable. Who would be a good citizen and think that being a slave is a blessing