Ever since Yang Fan gave the soldiers in the Beijing Camp a long vacation, paid them benefits, and allowed them to go home for the New Year, the soldiers were finally freed from the arduous training.
Zhao Yongtang wanted to take a nap, but it was not yet dawn, and when it was time to blow the morning bugle, he sat up all of a sudden. He rubbed his eyes and laughed.
It's a holiday, so I don't have to get up. Then he lay back down again.
But he was used to the schedule of the military camp, so he tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep. Simply put on clothes and got up. Pick up the broom and shovel the snow.
Clean up your small yard at home. It’s good to have a new atmosphere during the Chinese New Year.
Then he started cracking firewood. These firewood were cut from the wild mountains in the west yesterday.
It's a full sixty miles round trip. He hired a carriage to bring him back. Even though it cost one hundred and thirty copper coins. However, this cart of firewood is enough to burn for a whole winter.
No matter how cheap briquettes are, they are still much more expensive than the firewood you cut yourself.
Seeing the head of the household getting up, his wife also got dressed.
"Master, why are you up so early? You don't want to sleep for a while." My wife's face was rosy and she said a little shyly. The boss hasn't been back for a long time. This time I finally got rid of the pain of longing.
"I'm used to it in the military camp. When the time comes, I can't sleep even if I want to. So I just get up and crack some firewood. I'll take care of the firewood while I'm at home. It will be more convenient for you to use for cooking."
One of them was chopping firewood and the other was cooking, and they finished breakfast. The two of them continued to be busy until seven o'clock in the morning.
At this time, a man walked into the yard.
"Brother Zhao, happy New Year. Today is thirty. I will bring you two old hens."
"Ma Xiaoping, why are you here? Come in quickly, it's cold outside." Zhao Yongtang greeted quickly. He and Ma Xiaoping met during long-distance running and were assigned to the same team. The two of them knew each other well in the military camp. "Come here if you want. What are you doing with the things?"
"I'm here to see you during the Chinese New Year. How can I be empty-handed? This is my sister-in-law. Hold it carefully, sister-in-law. This chicken is very fat. The stew is especially good." Ma Xiaoping put two tied chickens into the hands of Zhao Yongtang's wife. .
She was a little at a loss, not knowing whether to accept it or not. Don't be afraid of hurting the guest's face. Accepting it is another favor.
She was so anxious that she kept looking at Zhao Yongtang. This is the first time that someone has come to give gifts during the Spring Festival.
"Take it, we are all brothers in the team, not outsiders." Zhao Yongtang said to his wife.
His wife thanked her profusely, and then took the two hens to the kitchen.
By this time everyone at home had finished breakfast. The children were all playing on the floor.
The old lady quickly asked Ma Xiaoping to sit on the Kang, and then turned on the iron stove to make the room warmer. Zhao Yongtang's wife gave them two bowls of red date tea using an iron kettle on the iron stove.
This thing is just throwing the red dates into the kettle and boiling it, and just pour it out when you need to drink it. My wife also specially added a tablespoon of sugar.
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"Brother Zhao, something good happened to our family members in Jingying. Have you heard about it?" Ma Xiaoping asked.
"What a good thing, haven't we just paid out the New Year's benefits?" Zhao Yongtang said doubtfully.
In fact, it’s not surprising that Zhao Yongtang didn’t know. He is not from the Jingying system. He is an outsider and has no information channels.
The Beijing Camp is different. They are all hereditary soldiers and have various relationships. If there is anything that involves their interests, they will know it immediately.
The imperial court is like a sieve. Things decided by the elders in the morning are spread out in the evening. The next day, there was a lot of discussion in teahouses, restaurants, and streets. There were even people who copied the newspapers and sold them for money, leaking confidential information, and Chongzhen was so angry that he scolded his mother.
"Uncle Dingyuan and the Queen have partnered to open a wool textile workshop. Construction will start after the Chinese New Year." Ma Xiaoping said.
"What does this have to do with us? We are all soldiers."
"Hey, Brother Zhao, you don't know something. This time the textile factory is recruiting female workers. There are no men in that factory. I heard that anyone who is a family member of the Beijing camp can apply. The basic salary is two cents a month. , in addition to piece-rate wages, you will be paid as much as you work. If you work well, you can earn five yuan a month. I am going to let my wife try it." Ma Xiaoping said.
"What, women can also work and earn so much money." Zhao Yongtang's wife was shocked.
"This is the grace of the Emperor and the Empress, a benefit specially given to the family members of the Beijing camp. People from outside have no chance to come here," Ma Xiaoping said.
This time Chongzhen really planned to take Beijing Camp into his own hands. In addition to paying them high wages, we are also preparing to arrange employment for their family members. If everyone in the family eats royal food, how can they be disloyal to the royal family?
Just in time, Daming Royal Weaving, a joint venture between Yang Fan and the Queen, is about to open. The factory is located beside the Gaoliang River outside Xizhimen. Because woolen mill production requires water.
Chongzhen simply recruited workers from family members in the Beijing camp, so that the good news would not go to outsiders.
"Sister-in-law, this news is absolutely true, but the wages are high. But the work is also tiring. It lasts four hours at a time, and there is no time to eat. It works in three shifts. Sometimes, you have to take turns to work the night shift. .”
Zhao Yongtang's wife hurriedly said: "Uncle, we come from a poor family and are not afraid of being dirty or tired. If we really pay so much, I want to try it as the head of the family."
Hearing the news, the family was a little happy. Zhao Yongtang earned one tael of silver a month after departure. What a great life it would be if his wife could earn another five pieces of silver.
Temporary workers in the Ming Dynasty only cost one and a half cents to two cents of silver a month. Only those who can write and calculate can earn more than three coins. Nowadays, except for the railway construction site of Dingyuanbo, no one can make much money from working as a coolie.
"Brother, if this thing starts to recruit people, you tell me and I will let your sister-in-law try it too." Zhao Yongtang said excitedly.
It’s time to set off after the New Year. Fighting is no child’s play. At least arrange a job for the family members first so that they can have enough food and clothing. I don’t have anything to worry about, right?
"Okay, just hang up. I'll let you know if there's any news." Ma Xiaoping drank the morning tea in one gulp and then left.
After seeing Ma Xiaoping off, the family wept with joy.
I didn't expect that Zhao Yongtang would have so many opportunities and benefits by pretending to be a fake person and sneaking into the Beijing camp. Now there is actually a good thing about arranging employment for family members.
It was noon, and the Zhao family was reluctant to spend money to buy firecrackers and fireworks. Just in the yard, I burned a few broken bamboos and listened to the sound. However, this bland taste of the New Year still makes the two children very happy.
Zhao Yongtang made an exception and gave each of his siblings a golden copper coin as lucky money, which they tied around their necks with a red rope. The siblings were jumping up and down with joy. This is the first time that they have received lucky money.
"Son, the pig's head is hot, let's worship our ancestors too."
"Hey, mother, I'll come, I'll come." Zhao Yongtang hurried over to move the pig's head. This big pig's head weighed twenty pounds, and my mother couldn't lift it.
The old lady wiped her tears, offered incense to her ancestors, and murmured a prayer in her mouth, saying: "Bless me, my ancestors, and bless my son to go out with the army. He does not ask for achievements, but he wants to come back with all his strength."
