Reclaiming Wasteland: Carefree Mountain Farmer

Chapter 192 Competition
In the fall, it's time for the annual report to be released again.

At this time of year, newspapers sell very well, and many people like to buy the old issues of the newspaper.

Si Liuba sat happily in the pavilion, selling newspaper after newspaper.

One serving costs 0.2 copper coins. If you sell all 500 servings, you'll get 0.1 taels.

That's just enough to make a hundred-coin note. Now we have a lot of money saved up at home, and we count it every now and then.

Newspapers sold can be recycled, and a newspaper can be used as a minimum of ten coins.

The happiness on my face lasted for a little over an hour before it disappeared.

Why is nobody here?
498 couldn't help but come out for a stroll. Why was his newspaper business suddenly so bad?
Did I not shout?
"Give me today's newspaper."

"it is good!"

The continuous stream of business interrupted Sijiuba's thoughts.

From the moment he started selling newspapers, he was shouting and hawking his wares, and he didn't have time to think about anything else.

"Shan Nong Daily! Shan Nong Daily! This year's grain harvest is bountiful, we'll eat well every day!"

"Shan Nong Daily! Shan Nong Daily! Highway completed, first inner ring road under construction!"

"Mountain Farmers' Daily! Mountain Farmers' Daily! King Wu has once again arranged marriages for soldiers, workers, and peasants; less than one in ten palace maids remain."

With the shouts of "498," business has improved considerably.

The women who left Luoyang were women who didn't spend much money and only knew how to earn a living on their wages.

Now that the autumn harvest is over, production teams in various places have been given a two-week holiday, and some people have chosen to travel to Luoyang.

It's not just the people at 498 who have holidays; there are also many people who actually work.

The artisans' holidays were mainly during the New Year and summer, while the military households took turns resting, and the farmers took long holidays during the off-season, mainly between autumn and winter.

In winter, when it snows heavily, there are livestock such as cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep to take care of, so there is no time to go out.

Si Jiuba was busy from morning till afternoon. While talking to a regular customer who came to buy a newspaper, he saw Xiao Gua, who never did anything productive, run over.

Seeing her younger brother running over instead of working, Si Jiu Ba scolded him with a stern face: "Look at you, you're already eleven years old! And you're still not learning anything good! When I was your age, I would get up at five or six in the morning to sell newspapers, and after selling the newspapers, I would go to the production team to earn work points!"

"You finally got a household registration, and you're hanging out with Hu Yan all day. Don't you want your old household registration anymore?"

"I'm telling you one last time, if you ever act up again, I'll hit you on the head with the sole of my shoe, you idiot!"

Xiao Gua felt terribly wronged and hurriedly said aggrievedly, "I didn't slack off. Everyone in the team said that the newspapers wouldn't sell today, and that six people would watch the newsstand while the rest went to a meeting. I came to call you."

498 didn't care about wronging his own people, and Xiaogua wasn't wronged either. He just left things to others all day and only knew how to go out and play.

"Why can't they be sold? Is it because there are fewer people in the city and no one is buying them?"

Xiao Gua honestly replied, "I don't know."

498 had no time to be angry and immediately shouted, "Go and call Xiaoya over to watch the stall! All she does is run around like crazy all day. Marry her off in two years!"

As the three siblings grew up, the small house gradually became too small to accommodate the three teenagers who were about to grow up.

The issues of family division and marriage have gradually emerged in the last two years.

The housing problems caused by the baby boom will not erupt on a large scale until eighteen years after the Wu Dynasty. However, when children grow up to the age where they can move around on their own, a family of lively children will already create a normal demand for larger housing.

This need could not be met in most eras, and the most normal solution was to divide the family property and marry off daughters who could not work.

The jobs offered by Arctic Martial Arts School are only available to a portion of migrant farmers and a large number of people with public household registration.

In the Mountain Farmer Kingdom, not everyone has a job.

Many people farm their own land, especially those who own land or are men who cannot find work.

The closer you are to Luoyang, the greater your chances of finding a job.

Once you leave the three upper provinces, you'll have to find your own way.

There are only one hundred newspaper selling jobs. No matter how many people are in a family, there is only one job per household, and only one salary per job.

One person per household is allowed to do one job, but there is only one salary.

Work involving power and approvals shall be handled by appointed officials, and their children shall not be allowed to follow them.

The wife can follow, but the rule among the mountain farmers is that the wife does not see outside guests.

Beijiwu used to believe that modern systems were better at preventing corruption and maintaining integrity than those of ancient times.

However, practice has shown that the ancient system was more suitable for ancient times.

The most serious and troublesome corruption is when officials' wives accept bribes and drag others down with them.

This kind of problem was not likely to occur in ancient times.

It's not that it doesn't exist at all, but it's not that frequent or rampant.

As long as the Cheng-Zhu school of Neo-Confucianism is brought out, then the common people's well-being will be of little concern to the emperor, and at least the officialdom will be much cleaner.

Emperor Wu of the Northern Frontier forbade his harem from interfering in politics. He sent his wife and children to his hometown to live a peaceful life and did not allow his wife to live in the palace.

Consort Wan was a gift sent for a marriage alliance.

Yelü Poluo was also a link in the marriage alliance.

These two women were able to live in the palace because they were spoils of the power struggle within the imperial court, just like the other concubines and imperial consorts—playthings taken over by the victors.

The mountain farmers also generally do not hold any banquets, nor do they allow their wives to take charge of any major events.

The desire to live a good life is human nature.

This natural inclination is often unfulfilled.

As a result, some people took risks and found other ways to get rich.

"Someone is printing and selling newspapers without permission!!" Jin Yuzhen, a city woman, was extremely angry and slammed a newspaper with the wrong number onto the table. "These unorganized and lawless evil people are trying to shake the foundation of our propaganda team!"

"We must find these rats hiding in the sewers! We must protect our hard-won victory!!"

The more than one hundred people in the newspaper were outraged, and many men glared fiercely at Jin Yuzhen.

"Kill them!"

"Slaughter these beasts!"

"Fuck them! They dare steal our jobs, it must be those traitorous dogs!!"

"I sold over fifty newspapers today, and some people even brought me newspapers from a few days ago to buy back. What a bastard! He dared to cheat me out of my money!!"

"Find them and tear them to pieces!"

"Captain! I also received more than twenty fake newspapers. How do we calculate the cost?"

"What did the inspection team say? If this continues, our business will be finished! We'll all be unemployed!"

498 also shouted, "Grab them! Kill them!!"

His voice didn't make much of a difference in the messy room; when it came to fundamental issues of survival, there were plenty of people with louder voices than her.

For most newspaper employees, their jobs are the foundation of their livelihood, and these jobs depend on their household registration.

Now there are no problems with household registration, salary ratios, or rules for making a living, but there's a problem with rats stealing food!

Originally, there were 100 newspaper reporters and 50,000 newspapers to supply 600,000 permanent residents of Luoyang and tens of thousands of migrant workers every day.

Merchants and people from Chang'an and Zhengzhou pay attention to this matter, and the newspapers sell well every day.

The angry reporters went together to file a complaint.

No one dared to go to the palace to complain.

There was once an old woman who went to the palace gate to complain about her son and daughter-in-law's lack of filial piety. She was then exiled to the western frontier for disturbing King Wu's rest, while her son and daughter-in-law got away with nothing.

Today, Xinjiang Province and West Asia Province have become places of exile, specifically for exiling criminals of all kinds.

A group of people walked toward the governor's mansion, but were stopped by the army after walking only two blocks.

"Who are you? What are you doing gathering here?" Chai Boshi led his troops to stop them, preventing the situation from escalating.

Jin Yuzhen looked at the high-ranking official on horseback.

"We are propaganda team members directly under King Wu! I am the team leader, and I want to complain to the governor!"

Chai Boshi immediately said, "I am the Governor of Huaixi. A few of you come with me to the yamen to talk. The rest of you, disperse!"

Jin Yuzhen was a public household member, so she did not kneel before officials. Moreover, she was the captain of the cultural propaganda team that followed King Wu, so naturally she was not as afraid of officials as ordinary people.

"Alright! I'll go!" Jin Yuzhen shouted to the group of people behind her, "You all go back and continue selling newspapers, and ask around in the city who's selling newspapers illegally!"

Seeing this, Si Jiuba and the others stopped, and seeing that the captain had left, they all dispersed. Zhang Xianglan wasn't there; she usually sold newspapers honestly and didn't get involved in such things. Sometimes, when she felt tired or hot, she would have the children watch the stall while she slept and rested at home.

Several six- or seven-year-old children wanted to earn pocket money and take turns going out to play, so they were all very enthusiastic about working.

On the way back, 498 kept a sharp eye on his surroundings, trying to find the thief who was stealing and selling newspapers.

If the newspapers stop selling, the whole family will starve!
Not only 498, but the entire team of 99 people and thousands of family members and relatives were searching for suspicious persons on the streets.

Losing your job is a big deal, and it's worth everyone coming together to fight for honor!

498 wandered around the streets for a long time, her eyes scanning over every suspicious person, causing many people to avoid her gaze.

"Popsicles! Twenty coins each! Come in and buy a popsicle, and get a free newspaper!"

A shop with a sign that read "Rock Sugar Shop" was open for business, and a middle-aged man was standing in front of the door calling out to customers.

498 glanced at the candy shop, a place that sells candy and popsicles, a shop frequented by children from wealthy families.

After thinking about it, Si Jiuba went in anyway.

While thinking about the investigation, he touched his pocket.

He definitely had twenty coins; he must have at least several thousand coins from selling newspapers.

It's okay to eat something nice occasionally.

Just as Si Jiu Ba was about to buy an ice pop to try, he found that the place was already full of people.

There were young ladies who appeared to be from official families, and young men with children, though they were few in number.

498 immediately spotted Arctic Martial sitting at a table with his child.

Upon seeing this person, 498 quickly walked over.

"Why are you still eating popsicles here? Don't you know something terrible has happened outside?"

Beijiwu, who was enjoying some sweets with his son and daughter, looked up with a puzzled expression at the young woman who was staring intently at him.

"who are you?"

Arctic Martial had long forgotten about 498; the last time he saw 498 was two years ago.

I didn't have a strong impression of her to begin with, as we only met once. Plus, the girl was going through a period of rapid growth and change, so naturally I didn't recognize her.

Several girls at the next table looked over. These people were dressed more like Han Chinese, and they found the argument between the mountain farmers interesting.

For a moment, Si Jiubayi didn't know how to introduce himself.

Beijiwu's third son, Xiao San, introduced her, saying, "She sells newspapers, number 498. I and her younger brother, Xiao Gua, are classmates."

Because of a momentary lapse of judgment, he named his son "Element Table," which led to Beijiwu himself no longer calling his son by his real name.

The students' names were not based on the North Pole; they were all based on the character "武" (Wu).

Beijiwu saw that she was the older sister of his son's classmate and also the newspaper seller in the production team, so he nodded and said, "Sit down, order whatever you want to eat, it's on me."

Suddenly, Si Jiuba wasn't in a hurry anymore. Seeing a five or six-year-old girl squeeze in to make room for him, he sat down as well.

"How much do you earn a month? I heard that officials earn more than ten taels a month."

Beijiwu laughed and said, "Your imagination is too limited. Think about it a hundred times higher."

498 looked astonished and began to slowly calculate the accounts.

A dozen taels plus two zeros...

With a smile, Beijiwu ordered the shopkeeper who approached him, "Give me a bowl of fruit-flavored cheesecake."

The shopkeeper bowed happily and said, "Alright, sir!"

After sitting down, Si Jiuba looked at the happy boys and girls next to him, and then at Beiji Wu, who hadn't eaten much fruit.

"How much does this... cost?"

Beiji Wu casually said, "One and a half taels of silver is nothing for me to give the children a little something now and then. Don't go around telling other children about it."

498 laughed and said, "Why am I saying this?"

Beiji Wu simply gave the order casually; in reality, not many people knew about it, and even if they did, it didn't matter.

The entire city of Luoyang, including the imperial palace and the area from the palace to the city gate, belonged to the territory and gardens of Beijiwu.

People like 498 are servants of Arctic Martial.

"What do you want from me?"

Before the ice cream tub arrived, Beijiwu asked about the important matter.

498 had no sense of secrecy and immediately said seriously, "Someone is selling newspapers illegally! Our newspapers were selling well yesterday, but suddenly they're not selling at all today! It all happened in just one day! Can you believe how scary that is? What will we do if newspapers stop selling in the future?"

Si Jiuba was extremely worried. The newspaper business was a matter of life and death for him, something he had been doing since childhood and planned to do for the rest of his life.

Beijiwu asked curiously, "I don't know about that. I'm on vacation today, so I don't care about this."

498 looked at Arctic Martial anxiously and said angrily, "At a time like this, you still have the mood to take a vacation? Hurry up and go to work!"

Beijiwu smiled and said, "We'll talk about it tomorrow."

Si Jiu Ba was so angry he couldn't speak, feeling that this person was definitely not a good official!

"What exactly do you do?" 498 wanted to know how high the rank of the Arctic Martial Arts was, and what kind of official could earn more than three hundred taels of silver a month.

Several young ladies and women who were eating nearby listened quietly to the conversation.

Beijiwu smiled and said, "I'm in business."

"Liar!" 498 rolled his eyes at Beijiwu. "If you don't want to talk, then don't. If you were in business, would you have checked 496 before?"

At this moment, Beijiwu remembered when they last met.

“People change.” Beijiwu smiled. “Not everyone does the same job for life. Just because I worked yesterday doesn’t mean I can’t sit here and rest now.”

"Among officials, there are those who manage public security and those who manage the military. I manage the freight business, and I'm not doing any supervisory work now."

Upon hearing this, 498 sighed, "Then I've come to the wrong person."

Beijiwu laughed and said, "You didn't come to the wrong person. At least you can eat something good. I'm rarely in Luoyang. It's not easy for you to see me."

498 didn't care about anything else, "Okay, I'll treat you next time! How come you have so many kids in your family? You don't look much older than me, how old are you?"

Beijiwu replied, "I got married at twenty-five, or seventeen or eighteen. I had many women and many children."

“She’s almost ten years older than me.” 498 suddenly realized this person was quite old, and quickly asked, “497 is your woman, right? How many women do you have?”

Beijiwu shook his head. "They all came to me on their own. I don't care about these things."

Si Jiu Ba nodded and said, "That's right. King Wu has given away women several times. People like you with high household registrations will definitely get more, and you can't refuse."

Before long, a large, milky-white bowl, resembling a fish soup bowl, was placed on the table.

The bowl contained milky white ice cream, various fresh fruit slices, and honey syrup.

"Eat."

Seeing the eagerness in the children's eyes, Beijiwu readily let the women and children eat first.

Sijiuba picked up a spoon and, together with the child who wasn't eating this for the first time, scooped up a spoonful of the sweet ball and put it in their mouth.

The icy-sweet taste in his mouth gave Sijiuba an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.

Just as I was feeling happy, I saw Beijiwu ask for a newspaper and start reading it.

Si Jiu Ba finished eating the dessert in his mouth without scrambling to grab it from the nearby children who were quickly grabbing it.

"Why aren't you eating? There's almost none left."

Even a huge bowl of ice cream couldn't stop six little kids fighting over it like piglets.

Beijiwu looked up, smiled, and said, "I don't like this."

At that moment, I felt that Beijiwu was a really good person, saving the best for his family.

Several young women and ladies in the neighborhood felt the same way.

People cannot understand each other, and people in times of hardship simply cannot understand what it means to not like to eat.

How could anyone not love such delicious food?

They still saved the best for their family.

(End of this chapter)