Chapter 42: The Prototype of a Sweatshop

The heavens disappointed people once again. The dark clouds and fierce winds of last night dissipated under the morning sun. The red sun in winter was so glaring. Amidst the sighs of countless old farmers, a new day began.

The villagers of Zhangjiazhuang did not dare to complain about the heavens, for they were fortunate to have a living bodhisattva as their leader.

Old Ge did not get up very early, rising only after the hour of Chen (7-9 AM). After finishing a pile of household chores, he noticed the door of the eastern wing, where his younger son lived, was tightly shut. Assuming the couple had not yet risen, he stood at the gate of the bamboo fence courtyard and shouted in anger, "What time is it, still lying on your wife's belly? You'll starve to death sooner or later."

The door creaked open, revealing the head of his young daughter-in-law, who replied crisply, "Father, Erwa got up early. He spoke to the head of the craftsman household, Wen Bajin, about working on the construction site of the Divine Doctor's school. He left the house in the dark when the rooster crowed for the first time this morning. Didn't you hear the commotion?"

Old Ge was now embarrassed. Last night, to show respect for the elderly, the Divine Doctor had given half a catty of white liquor to all the grandfathers in the village, which had to be drunk on the spot, with no leftovers allowed. Old Ge, with his average alcohol tolerance, was carried back after drinking and slept deeply.

"Good, good, he's up." Old Ge turned around, his hands behind his back, and walked away, his face flushed. In his heart, he was delighted. Erwa was his youngest son, with two older sisters and an older brother. He had been spoiled as a child and was not very diligent. Now, he could get up early to earn money, all because of the Divine Doctor, the living bodhisattva.

Yuzhu deliberately got up a bit later. It was already past the hour of Chen, and the sunlight had crept through the window, but she still sat lazily on the bed, lost in thought. She kept thinking about what happened in the middle of the night. The young master had not taken her body, only using her hands and mouth. He also said that getting pregnant too young could lead to difficult childbirth and even death.

No matter what, Yuzhu was now the young master's woman, having beaten Yuhan, the little vixen, to it. The two had been bought by the Zhang family together, one staying in Zhangjiazhuang to serve the master, the other going to the Zhang residence in Dengzhou City. They had little interaction before, but Yuhan, being from the city, looked down on the country girl. As the two most beautiful maids under the Zhang family, they naturally did not get along.

After finishing her makeup with the cosmetics box given by the young master, Yuzhu smiled satisfactorily. She put on a string of snow-white pearl bracelets, and her smile grew even wider. The only regret was that her hair was not tied up. Yuzhu, of course, did not want to leave any regrets. Since the young master had not given her a new title, she was still a maid, at most a "concubine" in front of her name.

What Chen Xie considered a shameful act was a matter of pride for Yuzhu. Sleeping with the young master raised her status. Whether or not he had touched her body was another matter. Yuzhu could walk out of the young master's bedroom with a haughty air, as if she were above others.

Just like in TV dramas, when Yuzhu encountered Yuhan, the two stared at each other silently for a moment. One walked past with the air of a victor, chin held high, while the other fumed inwardly, thinking, "What's there to be proud of? If you don't get pregnant, you'll still be a maid for life."

No matter what, Yuhan's mood was terrible. Being outdone by this little wretch left a knot in her heart. All morning, Yuhan had a sullen face, and the servants in the Zhang family's main residence were careful not to become her punching bag. Yuhan now held considerable power, managing everything except the hospital. If she was provoked, she would simply say, "No food today."

Yuhan's counterattack was not what Yuzhu had expected. She called a few rough women and had them gather all the household managers at the courtyard gate.

Within half an hour, about eighty women had arrived, ranging from those in their fifties to those in their early twenties. Yuhan, dressed up, stood before the crowd, her pearl necklace shining in the sunlight, each pearl as big as a thumb. On the market, such a necklace would cost at least a thousand taels of silver, and the pearls were uniformly sized.

The village women did not know how much it was worth. Even ten taels of silver was an astronomical sum. Yuhan did not intend to educate them. After scanning the crowd, she spoke with a stern tone that belied her age, though it was somewhat immature: "Listen up. Yesterday, the master asked me why everyone in the village was dressed in rags. Is it because you have good clothes but are unwilling to wear them? What should I answer?"

The older women remained silent, looking at Yuhan numbly. Wasn't it obvious? When they couldn't even afford food, who would think about clothes? Being able to cover their bodies and go out was already a sign of good management.

The younger women were a bit bolder. The woman whom Chen Xie had seen nursing her child stepped forward timidly and said, "Sister, isn't it clear? There was little rain in the spring, and the wheat harvest was not enough to pay the rent. Only in Zhangjiazhuang did the Divine Doctor reduce the rent, so we didn't owe any this year. If it weren't for the brick kiln the master opened, my husband wouldn't have been able to earn a few coins, and we would have had to sell our eldest daughter to give her a place to eat."

Yuhan nodded in satisfaction. The woman's words were a perfect natural support.

"Reasonable. I told the young master the same thing. But he said that if the weather was bad, the rent should not be collected, and the imperial taxes should also be waived. How could everyone go hungry?" At this point, Yuhan paused, and all the women laughed, even the most composed ones. It seemed like a very funny joke. Not collecting rent? Not paying imperial taxes? There was no such thing. The tax collectors would not listen to reason, and the rent collectors were as fierce as hungry wolves.

Yuhan also laughed, then wiped away tears, leaving everyone stunned.

"I told the master, no, the imperial taxes cannot be reduced. As for the rent, it's up to you in Zhangjiazhuang, but I don't know about other places. The villagers have had good luck this year, earning a few coins and being able to eat a meal of radish and cabbage dumplings for the New Year. The more diligent ones can mend their children's clothes and make them presentable. The master shed tears and said, 'Yuhan, how can this be? During the New Year, not eating meat dumplings or wearing new clothes is a sin.' I told the master, there's nothing we can do; that's the fate of the villagers."

At this point, Yuhan paused again, and the crowd looked at her expectantly. The woman stepped forward again, providing timely support.

"Sister, what else did the Divine Doctor say? Please hurry up and tell us, don't keep us in suspense."

"Right, Sister Yuhan, please hurry up and tell us." The crowd was also anxious. By this point, no one was foolish enough not to see that Yuhan was a kind-hearted person, speaking indirectly to help them. They did not expect anything too good, just like yesterday, working hard for a full meal.

"The master said that every woman in the village who can sew, regardless of age, can sign up with me. After the New Year, the master will open a clothing factory, a workshop for making clothes. Did you see the cloth yesterday? That's the raw material for the workshop. For the first three months, there will be no wages. Two meals a day will be provided, and at the end of the month, five feet of cloth can be taken home. If you don't meet the master's requirements after three months, you'll have to go back to your previous work. The workshop doesn't accept fools."

These words ignited a spark of hope. The women began to calculate in their heads. Free meals would save on food, and they could take home five feet of cloth. Even if they couldn't stay after three months, they could still earn fifteen feet of cloth, enough for new clothes for the family. There was no reason to hesitate.

The women with fewer laborers at home were hesitant, like the woman nursing her child. Her family had only two able-bodied men, and no elderly to help with the children, which was why she had to carry her child to the cargo yard yesterday.

"Sister, there's a lot of work in the fields in the spring. My husband and I can't manage it alone."

Yuhan was extremely satisfied with the woman, who always provided timely follow-up.

"Sister Cuifhua, your husband is doing well at the brick kiln. If you join the workshop, you can stay as a regular worker after three months, earning three pounds of sorghum flour daily, with three meals provided. The workshop will ensure you have enough to eat. At the end of the month, if you work every day without missing a day, the master will reward you with five feet of cloth and ten pounds of millet. If you don't want millet, you can have three pounds of white flour."

The crowd erupted in noise, women discussing among themselves, the volume rising.

"Quiet down! Let Sister Yuhan finish speaking!" The woman had a good voice, and her shout silenced the crowd. Yuhan was extremely satisfied with this woman named Cuifhua. If it weren't for the day she exposed her breasts to the young master, she would be even more satisfied. Was the young master interested in nursing? Maybe she should ask him to hire her as a wet nurse.

Yuhan, who was devoted to the master, had no qualms about such thoughts. Drinking her milk was a sign of respect and favor.

"Alright, I've said what I needed to. Think it over. Those who want to try can come to me early tomorrow to sign up. For the first three months, whether the master is satisfied and rewards you with a full meal depends on your own efforts. By the way, the young master is kind. Those who sign up tomorrow will receive their trial wages in advance. Also, any children under fourteen, regardless of gender, should go to Changsheng to have their measurements taken. The young master said he will make school uniforms for the children."

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The page turns, and the advertisement ends.