Chapter 20: Mr. Yang's Plan

  Han Biter understood Han Er's words and relaxed his tense face: "Han Er, this sentence makes sense. Our family's golden egg-laying hen, how can we let others have it cheaply? They're not our father, right? No mistake, the adults said that no matter what method is used, even if it's cheating or kidnapping, as long as they come, the adults will naturally find a way to keep them here. If they don't stay, it has nothing to do with your credit..."

  When the old soldiers heard Yang's cold and unbridled words, they began to sweat on their foreheads, but in their hearts, they immediately started calculating how to lure those artisans to Ma Family Village without mentioning the salt pond, so as not to let their own second fool get involved. They might as well just bind those artisans and bring them over. After all, once the master has spoken, he will take responsibility for whatever happens.

  Seeing the military dependents scatter like rabbits with their tails on fire, Han Nai'er patted the mud on his lower body and stood in place for a while, stunned. Earlier, he had sighed that Miaojiatun was going to change its sky, and now it really has changed into a different world. Looking at these military dependents who have been familiar with each other for generations, they have changed into completely different people in just a few days, and the original numbness and dullness are nowhere to be seen.

  "This is what grown-ups say, giving them a chance to live on and live better... Hope, that's it, hope?"

  These two days, the village of Maojiatun has been quietly surging. Last night, as soon as it got dark, the whole village was silent, not even a dog barked, and the military households who had worked hard all day went to bed early. Now, however, they are walking from house to house, partly because they didn't exert themselves much during the day and were idle, and also because of the recent news about the hundred households' leader. They need to find someone to chat with. On the small paths between villages, torches are lined up like a dragon, many people's courtyards are filled with chairs, and everywhere there are voices greeting each other.

  Not keeping them waiting for too long, Yang Bo's new rules came down quickly and the soldiers in the garrison received the news immediately.

  As mentioned earlier by General Han, Yang Bo's rules were simple and clear. The young and strong who were selected to join the salt protection team were allocated four blocks of land per household. The craftsmen who passed the screening test also received four blocks of land per household. Those who were willing to settle in Majiatun were treated equally. Some artisans who were not skilled but not ordinary military households were treated equally, but they could participate in the newly established artisan group and receive a reward of one block of land after a certain period of time. Ordinary military households received two blocks of land per person, and allocation was not allowed to overlap...

  Everyone saw this and was slightly dissatisfied with the high treatment of the craftsmen, but since the adults were willing, they had nothing to say. Next came the most concerning issue of the share money. All quotas were allocated equally per household, regardless of how many salt pans each family got. This point made many people unhappy, but based on the principle of "putting in as much effort as you get benefits", no one dared to object. Moreover, considering the current salt production of the salt pans, that share allocation was simply a drop in the bucket. In addition to the quota, each salt pan also had to pay 30% of the shares, which would be completely owned by individuals after three years...

  "What does 'fully owned by individuals' mean?" Han Er trembled with his lips, looking at a neighbor who was good at speaking.

  "It's all yours, the Han family's, the adults said that as long as you pay enough for three years, that pond is yours, when dividing the ponds, the adults will personally give you a guarantee. The young man looked around the yard with a smug face, meeting the envious eyes of others, he had just been selected to join the salt protection team, and his family had divided four ponds, many people who used to look down on him were now being very polite."

  Three wins! Only three wins!

  Everyone has decided that after going back, they will set up a memorial archway and burn some high incense. For generations, the Mao family has lived in Majiatun, what kind of numerous taxes and miscellaneous fees have they not seen? Now the adults openly want 30%, clearly and publicly, personally guaranteeing it, as long as after three years it will be returned to their own home. The hundred households are hereditary, if after three years the adults do not keep their word, from then on in Majiatun it would be slapping their own face.

  The key is not these, what really moves them is that the adults said that now it's just the beginning, and later on, the coastal areas of Majiatun will be planned, and those salt pans will all be allocated to them! In fact, many people have already started calculating in their hearts, looking forward to a happy life with seven or eight salt pans in the future...

  "Let's hear what Third Uncle has to say, shall we?" Han Erjie was pouring tea and adding water on the side, she had no bottom line in her heart and didn't dare interrupt these old masters' discussion, so she made a detour.

  "Yes, let's hear what Uncle has to say..." Han Er turned his expectant gaze towards San Shu Gong, who was rolling his eyes on the side.

  San Shu Gong's eyes seemed to be covered with a white membrane, and he was somewhat intimidating under the oil lamp. However, San Shu Gong's grandfather had been the head of the Maojia Village clan before, so he had some prestige.

  Third Uncle Bai blinked and opened his mouth: "I'll ask you all a question first, is this Yang official a good official?"

  This question is a bit big, and for the time being, everyone doesn't know how to respond.

  "Whether he is a good official or not depends on whether he will harm the common people." said Third Uncle slowly and calmly.

  "Can't be, right? The grown-ups haven't bullied anyone either?" a young man chimed in.

  "What I heard was..." Han Erjia's family saw that everyone's eyes were on him, and he said in a low voice: "What I heard was that the scholar secretly watched Wang's widow take a bath?"

  "You're just a gossipy woman, shut your stinking mouth! Watch me tear it to shreds!" Han Er furiously cursed.

  "The widow Wang also said that it looks like, but not necessarily the scholar's wife? Besides, the scholar's wife didn't go to find Miss, why did he run to peek at you, a woman in her 40s taking a bath?" An old soldier was dissatisfied and went to register with the scholar in the afternoon. Although he wasn't selected, the scholar treated him politely, doesn't one have to know how to repay kindness?

  They can't think of any other evil deeds, at least after Yang Bo came, they didn't have to do the hard work of chopping wood and cooking seawater. They even helped those who knelt down with their own hands, and Mr. Bi, a good friend of the adults, even took out his own silver to buy rice for everyone. At least for now, Lord Yang has basically met the standard of being a kind and fair official.

  Just then, a torch was moving swiftly on the dirt road outside the yard. Huang Er's voice echoed through the night sky "Good news! More good news..."

  Huang Er waited until he had caught his breath, wiped his mouth and then hastily said: "The master has spoken, we are preparing to open a private school..."

  Everyone's face was originally full of expectation, but after hearing this, they couldn't help but look at each other and wonder what was wrong with Huang Er. What's so exciting about an adult running a private school? Who can afford to go when we can't even eat our fill?

  Han Er interrupted him dissatisfied: "Er Man, who is the adult you're talking about? Don't you dare to falsely report military information"

  Huang Erman looked at Han Er in confusion: "As Zhang Gou'er said, sir is planning to build a private school, reading books doesn't require silver, and you'll even be given silver..."

  "What?" Er Mazi fell to the ground with a thud, and all around him were gasps of surprise. What kind of rare thing was this? Even his ancestors had never heard of it!

  "Second Master, have a sip of water first and tell Second Uncle what's going on? Is it about the money for school?" Han Er hastily poured another bowl of water over.

  "Master Dog said that Master wants to build a private school, and all of us in Maojia Village who are under 13 years old can go to study. Each person will receive two taels of silver every three months, which is... "

  "Eight ounces!" Han Erjia's family may not have read books, but they calculated this faster than anyone else.

  Splash

  Another jaw-dropping moment...