Craftsman Huang Jiuer carried two bags of pastries and bought three bunches of candied haws. After wrapping them in a white handkerchief, he hurriedly walked for more than an hour before he saw the shadow of Jinchuan Gate. After leaving Jinchuan Gate, he arrived at his home outside the city. It's noon.
"Grandma, dad is back. Dad, give me a hug."
A seven or eight-year-old girl ran out of the door and threw herself into Huang Jiuer's arms.
Huang Jiuer picked up his little daughter and wanted to kiss her.
Unexpectedly, the younger daughter covered her face, shook her head and said, "No, it's a prickly beard."
Huang Jiuer laughed heartily, looked at the old mother walking out of the door, put down his daughter, knelt down towards the mother, and shouted: "My son has paid his respects to his mother. I hope my mother is in good health."
"Get up, a craftsman, how can he learn sour words?"
Huang Jiuer's mother Liu paused the crutch in her hand and said.
"Father."
"Father."
At this time, the eldest son Huang Erjin and the second son Huang Ergyue also ran out and shouted happily.
"There are some pastries here. Take some for grandma and sister to try first. By the way, there are also some candied haws here."
Huang Jiuer handed it over and looked at the smile on the child's face, his eyes full of happiness.
Mrs. Liu sighed and said, "If you can't die if you eat a few bites less, why spend the wasted money? Now that Erjin has grown up, there is always something you can spend on getting married. If you don't have money in your hands, isn't it going to be difficult?"
Huang Jiuer's face looked a little gloomy, and he immediately smiled and said: "Mom, I will be more economical. It's not like I only have time to go home once a month."
Mrs. Liu shook her head and said to Huang Erjin who was eating pastries: "Go and see, why hasn't your mother come back yet? It's rare that she ran out without working."
Huang Erjin agreed and left the small courtyard.
Huang Jiuer helped his mother sit down, then moved a small stool and said with a smile: "Mother, I see the emperor."
"Have you met the emperor?"
Mrs. Liu looked at Huang Jiuer, shook her head and said, "Let me think about it, mother. It must be hundreds of steps away, right? Can you see clearly what the emperor looks like?"
Seeing that his mother didn't believe it, Huang Jiuer said depressedly: "Mother, I really saw the emperor, right in front of me, as close as you and me. The emperor also said that craftsmen are great, and so am your son. great."
Mrs. Liu raised her old hand, touched Huang Jiuer's forehead, and frowned: "I don't have a fever. What nonsense are you talking about in broad daylight? The emperor is the supreme body, how could he go to your shabby place?"
"
real……"
"Okay, really."
"I……"
Huang Jiuer looked at his mother who was perfunctory and didn't know how to explain it.
Mrs. Liu looked at Huang Jiuer and sighed: "Jiuer, craftsmen are not great, they are hardworking. As far as your father is concerned, he is not a live-in craftsman, but a shift craftsman. How hard it was back then, you should Remember?"
Huang Jiuer lowered his head.
There were two types of craftsmen in the Ming Dynasty. One was the resident craftsman, who was the resident craftsman in the capital. One type is shift craftsmen, that is, craftsmen outside the capital.
The imperial court organized the shift craftsmen into classes, one every three years, and they took turns entering the capital to work.
Some people may think that it is a good thing to go to the capital to work. Maybe they can make more money and buy more acres of land back home.
However, don't rush to see the three-acre land of the Li family. If you hear that the imperial court has summoned your group of craftsmen to Beijing, you'd better hug your wife and children first, explain your funeral arrangements, and then stand there. At the east end of the village, there was a "windy" farewell.
For example, this craftsman is from Zhangzhou Prefecture in Fujian Province. After receiving the order from the court, he should set off.
Wait, should I prepare five taels of silver first and ask my wife for it? My wife pitifully took out three taels of silver.
This is your last fortune, so save some money.
It was more than two thousand miles, and considering the many twists and turns along the way, my feet hurt from walking too much during the day, and it was not safe at night and I needed to rest, it would take at least a month and a half to get to the capital.
Three taels of silver, which equals sixty yuan a day.
A cooking cake is less than ten cents, so at least it is enough to eat.
Go, hit the road.
I ate three cakes on the first day, which cost me twenty-five cents. It's night, have you found a place to sleep?
There is an inn in front of it. It is official and craftsmen are not allowed to stay there. However, there is an inn next to the inn, which can be used for a night.
When I asked about the price, the minimum was twenty cents. It was right next to the stable. If you didn't want to live there, you could just leave.
In the middle of nowhere, there was nothing we could do but pay.
Looking at it this way, one day doesn't cost much. After walking for more than ten days, the shoes are worn out. You can take out new ones from your luggage. This foot is broken, what can you do?
Yesterday I ran hundreds of miles, but today I can only walk fifty miles?
The journey was slow, the money was tight, and due to the lack of food and sleeping in the open air, he was malnourished. After twenty days, he fell ill.
After finally recovering from his illness, he saw that there was no money left.
There is nothing you can do about it. Even if you die of illness and exhaustion on the road, no one will send you a coffin, so just keep going.
I had been begging for almost two months before I arrived in the capital. I was so hungry that I was only half alive. Fortunately, the court gave me some rice, so I wouldn't starve to death.
You work for the court, you take care of your food and shelter, your body is well taken care of, and your work is done. Okay, dust off the sawdust on your body and get ready to go home.
only……
How can I get home if I have no money?
He looked at the palace eagerly, but the man in the palace was so stingy that he was not willing to pay the official's salary. Who dared to go to him?
Alas, three months of voluntary labor and no pay.
Forget it, exchange the remaining rice for a dozen steamed buns and hit the road.
It's a pity that my physical fitness is not up to par, and the weather is cold again. If I catch a cold, the doctor here won't prescribe medicine because I don't have much money. The pharmacy is also shady and won't give me medicine for even a penny less.
So, die.
No, the death of an official is called "death"; the death of a common man is called "death".
You are a craftsman with no official position, and you only deserve to die.
Of course, the imperial court will not feel sad for your death. After all, "hereditary replacement" means that you will still have your son after your death. In a few years, your son will have to come to the capital, and the imperial court will not suffer any loss.
Huang Jiuer's father is a shift craftsman, but he is luckier than other shift craftsmen. His ancestral home is Huizhou Prefecture, which is close to the capital. Moreover, his father is more courageous. When he went to Beijing for the second shift, he took it with him. The family moved to the capital.
Later, his father performed well and was selected from the shift craftsman position to serve as a craftsman in the Lijing Factory. Later, due to overwork, he fell ill and passed away.
Therefore, Huang Jiuer succeeded his father and entered the economics factory.
From Liu's eyes, all craftsmen are sad, miserable and hopeless.
Not to mention meeting the emperor, even meeting the Jade Emperor is the same.
great?
Can greatness solve tummy problems?
Can you be a matchmaker for your grandson?
Huang Jiuer sighed, and as soon as he stood up, his wife Wang's voice came from behind him: "Brother Jiuer, your friend at the economics factory is here to see you."
"friend?"
Huang Jiuer was a little confused. Although there were a few decent clerks in the factory, those who had the day off were all rushing home to be with their wives and children. Who had time to visit?
"Sir, please come in..."
Mrs. Wang greeted quickly and arranged for her child Huang Erjin to move the stool.
Huang Jiuer's eyes widened when he saw the person coming, his legs went weak, and he knelt on the ground...
