After leaving the kitchen, Zhang Chi stood in the yard, looking at the busy crowd, feeling a little lost for a moment. Once upon a time, he actually became a rich man. Living in a spacious house with bright and clean windows, the family is happy and happy. Thinking back to the past, I couldn't even imagine such a life.
After being promoted to the supervisory level, Zhang Chi now earns a monthly salary of 50%, which is more than enough to support the large family. However, Wang Xiaolie does not encourage people to live together in groups and encourages small families. Nowadays, in every aspect, small families are more advantageous. Just like Zhang Chi, he lived in an official house. There were six rooms on the upper and lower floors of the main house. The east wing was the kitchen and the west wing was the utility room. There is a yard of about half an acre in front of the main house, where some flowers, plants and vegetables are planted. In a small family, it is comfortable for a couple to raise their children, and it is also possible for parents to live together. But if brothers and sisters live together, it will be a bit crowded.
Most of the civil and military officials under Wang Xiaolie lived in this kind of official residence. If you can't live there, you'll be given a subsidy of one or two dollars a month and you can rent a house by yourself. Where officials live, the houses that can be rented with subsidies are far inferior to official residences.
Regardless of whether it is a city or a country, taxes are basically calculated on a small family basis. If large families live together and their wealth is not divided, just calculating taxes every month will be annoying to death. In the Song Dynasty, it was not popular for large families to live together. Coupled with policy factors, family separation quickly became popular when children grew up.
The sun went down, and the last ray of light slowly disappeared. The refreshing breeze blowing in the yard makes people feel refreshed.
Ding Niang came to Zhang Chi with some freshly picked cucumbers and other vegetables. He whispered: "My uncle came from the countryside to a place like Xinye. How can he adapt to it all of a sudden? Don't argue with them, just go along with it."
Zhang Chi said: "I'm not making any noise, as long as they feel at ease. It's just, alas -"
Having said this, Zhang Chi shook his head and sighed.
Ding Niang said: "Not to mention that my uncle and aunt are old, even I am not used to it after being here for a few months. Most of the people living in Xinye are military officers or businessmen, and things are really expensive. For example, food, a bowl of wontons , it costs ten cents elsewhere, even in Xiangyang it only costs fifteen cents. Here in Xinye it costs twenty cents. When I first arrived here, I didn’t want to eat or drink, and I couldn’t sleep well. I thought, where in the world is there such a place? If it is so expensive, who would buy it? In fact, their business is very good. As time goes by, you will gradually get used to it."
Zhang Chi said: "There are few people around Xinye, so things are naturally expensive."
Ding Niang shook her head: "Officers, that's not the truth. Later I figured it out. You officers are paid real money every month, but you still can't let your family live here. What are you doing with the money without spending it? Just like you guys Officers who are in love with them will drink alcohol every time as long as they are not in the military camp. How can ordinary people dare to spend so much money? With people like you here, it makes no sense that things in Xinye are not expensive. "
Zhang Chi couldn't help but be stunned after hearing this. This was something he didn't expect.
The officers in Wang Xiao's hunting army are generally young, and many of the generals at the first level are only in their twenties. They were not allowed to keep prostitutes or hire slaves, and there were not even any singers in the surrounding restaurants. Not to mention there is no gambling. What else can you do with your money besides eating and drinking? These officers are used to spending money lavishly, and prices of goods have also gone up.
Ding Niang said: "This time you are going to reorganize the army. If you can't go home for a few months, I will simply go back to my hometown to raise my baby. Otherwise, how can I stay here without you? When I go home, I will spend less money. , live happily all day long.”
Zhang Chi said: "Aren't you happy here? Seeing that you are so busy, you don't have anything to worry about."
Ding Niang smiled and said: "If you are here, I will be here naturally. The days just go on day by day. What's wrong with you? Well, don't think too much. When you come back, the child will be born. By that time We live happily.”
Zhang Chi nodded and said nothing.
In just one or two years, Dingniang grew from a shy little country girl to a noble lady. Now, no matter what he says or does, he is very generous, and there is no shadow of the past.
Wu Lang walked around in and out, and finally got tired of walking. He took a melon, ran to Zhang Chi, and said, "Second brother, you live well here, why do you want to go out for a few months? You haven't been fighting recently?"
Zhang Chi said: "In order to fight, the army has no time to spare. There are always several months of the year when we are away from home."
Wulang said: "In that case, there is nothing good about being a soldier. Being away from home often is not a good thing."
Zhang Chi said: "Being a soldier is about protecting your family and country, not just a child's play. In order to win on the battlefield, you don't know how much hardship you have to endure and how much sweat you sweat. How can you compare with ordinary people? If you want to be a soldier, just Don’t be afraid of hardship.”
Wulang said: "There are gold thieves everywhere in the north now, and I don't see you going to fight them. You are lying to children about protecting your home and country, right?"
Zhang Chi said seriously: "It is precisely because of the raging golden soldiers that we have to train all the time and stay vigilant. Once we train well, we will naturally drive the golden thieves out of the Central Plains! War is not a trivial matter. We don't just fight when we want to. We must always fight. Just look for an opportunity. I have been a soldier for less than three years, and I have fought dozens of golden soldiers on the battlefield, and I can only achieve control by talking about military merit. You kid, don’t talk nonsense!"
Seeing Zhang Chi's serious expression, Wu Lang did not dare to say anything more. The so-called children's talk is unbridled. When these children get together, they usually talk about anything. Wulang didn't know where he heard these words, so he casually mentioned them to his brother.
After a while, Wulang said again: "Second brother, do you make a lot of money now?"
Zhang Chi said: "It's okay. Why do you ask? Do your parents give you a small pocket money?"
Wulang said: "No. We also have a village school in our village, which teaches people to read a few words, learn some arithmetic, etc. My qualifications are mediocre, and I am not very good at learning. I heard that in the city of Dengcheng County, someone started I went to a school that I had to pay to go to, and the teaching there was really good. I want to study there, and I can always learn something. I heard people say that if you study well now, there are many good jobs."
Zhang Chi said: "This is a good thing. As long as you are willing, I will pay to send you to study! By the way, what do you want to do after you study?"
Wulang said: "There is a school in Xiangyang city that teaches people how to make agricultural machinery. I want to get admitted there. A few days ago, someone came to our place with an agricultural machinery to demonstrate, and it looked amazing. I heard people say that if you do this, Make a lot of money a month.”
Zhang Chi was stunned: "There is still such a school now? Is there such a business?"
Wulang said: "Yes. Many schools have opened in Xiangyang this year. Not only do they teach agricultural machinery, but they also teach people how to farm. There are also cooking, medical practice, writing, painting, and yes, there are also There are people who teach people to play the piano. Really, I heard that there are people who teach everything. Some of these schools charge money, and some don’t charge a penny. As long as you pass the exam, you will be taught for free.”
Zhang Chi thought for a while and said: "Don't worry, as long as it is good for you, I will definitely pay for it. However, I want to inquire about this matter, and I can't just listen to what you say here. In the past two years, many new ones have been released in Xiangyang and Dengzhou. You have to be careful with things."
Wulang smiled and said: "I asked someone about it. The person said that as long as you complete your studies, you can make money on your own, or you can work in a factory run by the government. It's great to be able to do what you like and make money at the same time. !”
Zhang Chi nodded and said: "As long as it's really good, I will definitely send you to study! Just don't worry!"
Wulang sat on the stone bench, crossed his feet, and swayed. Said: "In the past two years, you have become an official, and we have also become a family of officials. The third brother opened a reed mat making company in the village and bought several machines. The business is very prosperous. Many things have changed all of a sudden. The appearance has changed. I often hear the old people in the village say that the world has suddenly become unfamiliar to them."
Zhang Chi, the Weixi Club opened by Sanlang, naturally knew about it. Zhang Chi borrowed the money to buy the machine. There are more than two hundred strings in total, which is really not cheap. I have only heard that those machines are very easy to use, and one person can be used by ten people. Zhang Chi has never seen them before. It was precisely because the machine was so expensive that many people around him looked at Saburo's business with envy, but they could not afford the machine.
Zhang Chi said: "Speaking of which, I haven't seen Saburo for many days. I originally wanted him to come with us this time, but he refused."
Wulang smiled and said: "The third brother borrowed a lot of money from the second brother to build that club. Now he is only thinking about making money to pay off his debts. He rarely goes back to home, so why would he come here? Even if it only takes ten days to get here, it won't be long." Make a lot less money."
Zhang Chi said: "My brother, what's the difference between these ten days and a half month?"
Wulang said: "Second brother doesn't know how prosperous his business is! It's summer now, reed mats are selling well, and the supply and marketing cooperative is urging the goods every day. Third brother is so tired that his eyes are red and he can't do it. It's all money, how can he do it? I’m willing to give it up!”
Zhang Chi didn't know what to say for a moment. The two or three years since I left my hometown have changed a lot. Although the people's grain taxes are still quite high, all excessive and miscellaneous taxes are exempted. That's not all. Although fifty laborers a year is a lot, it's still easier than the previous handymen. After completing the labor service, if you work for the imperial court, your wages will be settled on the same day. There is slowly more living money in the hands of the people.
The world is slowly entering a new era, a new era that Zhang Chi has never seen before and is not familiar with. The new era is both exciting and scary. Some people seize the opportunities of the times, while others do nothing. Mobile phone users please browse to see Kingdom of Tianhan for a better user experience.