The Princess of Northern Land

Chapter 164 - 164 164 Showcasing Skills (7)_1

?Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Showcasing Skills (7)_1 Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Showcasing Skills (7)_1 “So that’s how it is.” Zige suddenly understood.

“How is that little rascal so lucky.” In the Ma Family house, Mrs. Yan knew about Lin Ziyin’s trip to the city. She watched the gifts being sent to the Lin Family from afar and was so envious that her eyes practically turned red. “Zhicai, you must try harder. Lin Zige is now useful to you. If you are discontented with her, endure it. Once you become an official in the future, you can marry as many women as you please.”

“Enough, if someone hears these words, it will ruin the good fortunes of our son,” Mr. Ma admonished immediately after hearing Mrs. Yan’s words.

“Mother, disaster comes from the mouth,please speak less and refrain from gossiping with the women in the village,” Ma Zhicai was even more displeased. Ever since he suffered a loss at Lin Zige’s place, his heart had been in turmoil.

Perhaps Lin Zige had indeed changed her mind.

It wouldn’t be easy to win back a woman who had changed her heart, so what could he do? He was unwilling to give up the meat that was at his lips. Many scholars in the world want to take a shortcut to becoming officials, but those shortcuts are few and far between. Now, an opportunity was right in front of him, and he wouldn’t be foolish enough to let it go.

“Mother, in a few days, go to my uncle’s house and bring their cousin here,” Ma Zhicai suddenly suggested.

“Why should we bring them here?” Mrs. Yan asked displeasedly. Although they were her nieces, having them visit would surely require her to provide for their meals and drinks, which she could not afford.

“Isn’t Lin Zige engaged to Wu Dayou? If Wu Dayou has a change of heart, do you think the Lin Family would still want this marriage?” Ma Zhicai asked with a ferocious smile.

“What are you planning?” Mrs. Yan asked, surprised.

“Just do as Zhicai says. Why are you prying?” Mr. Ma thought Ma Zhicai’s idea was good. A real man doesn’t sweat the small stuff, and with such quick thinking, he wouldn’t lose out even if he became an official in the future.

“We will go in a few days,” Mrs. Yan agreed.

Though the Lin Family had become wealthy, and the village was undoubtedly envious, the villagers were contented with their current lives, assisting the Lin Family in developing uncultivated land. The Lin family announced that the wages would be settled every ten days. Thinking about the daily income of a family, many villagers were all smiles even in their dreams.

Everyone genuinely wished the Lin Family could reclaim more uncultivated land so that they wouldn’t have to leave the village to earn money.

However, the Lin family’s decision soon instilled a sense of crisis.

“The cows are easy to handle.” The old man said happily.

The cows were rotated to work in the uncultivated land while the children in the family cut grass for them in the evening, which was very convenient.

The Lin Family were not harsh landlords who worked their laborers to death. For children under ten, the old man didn’t ask them to do anything. Only the children who were eleven or twelve helped with tasks that were within their abilities.

The people from Cui Da’s family were grateful to their new master, so they worked even harder. However, they sometimes felt a little guilty.

The seven cows bought by the Lin Family finally provided an opportunity for the children to be useful.

There were five children under ten in the family. With the exception of the youngest who was only three years old, most of them were eight or nine, and they fought to go out with the older children every day to cut fresh grass to feed the cows.

“Grandpa, what do you think about hiring workers from the market?” Lin Ziyin asked at a good time, noting that if they had more people, they could reclaim more uncultivated land. After the harsh summer sun, it can be used next spring. As for the uncultivated land along the Heihe River, Lin Ziyin planned to use them in some days.

“Sure, let your brother and Dayou go to the market to hire workers tomorrow,” replied the old man.

“What if they ask to be paid according to the acreage?” Lin Changshu asked uncertainly. He didn’t blame him for his doubts. The villagers were closer to the wasteland, so it was understandable for a family to go there to dig a hole. But would it be inconvenient for people from other villages to come?

“If they are willing, it is possible,” Lin Ziyin responded.

After discussing, the next early morning, Lin Changshu and Wu Dayou got up early and took their own carts to the market.

Since it was summer and the crops in the field hadn’t matured, there were many strong young men looking for work at the market.

Lin Changshu used to be one of these men.

Many of the workers had greeted him as he arrived.

“You young man, why are you only coming now, we haven’t seen you for a long time.” A man came up and friendly slapped Lin Changshu’s shoulder.

When Lin Changshu turned his head, he found that the man was from Guo Huiniang’s village, a former working colleague with whom he had a relatively good relationship. He had not expected this man to still remember him, and felt touched, “The weather is too hot, and it’s not easy to find work or to do it.”

Before Lin Changshu could answer, another dark-skinned man interjected.

“Today, I am not here to find work. I am here to recruit workers for my home,” Lin Changshu awkwardly replied.

“Really? You’re wealthy now?” the dark-skinned man shouted in surprise, his eyes wide. They all used to work together, so they knew very well about the previous conditions of the Lin Family. They didn’t expect that in such a short time, the Lin Family had come to recruit workers.

“What kind of work? Changshu, do you think we brothers are capable?” The first man who spoke was smart and self-nominated as soon as Lin Changshu finished speaking, “You’ve been with us brothers for a while, you should know that we earn our money from hard work. We definitely won’t be lazy or cheat.”

“Actually, I’m here to recruit workers for my sister.” Faced with the familiar people, Lin Changshu didn’t make an impulsive promise but chose to say it straight out, “It’s for clearing the wastelands. Daily wages are twenty-five copper coins, meals are not included, and if calculated by acre, it is fifty-two copper coins per acre.”

The wages were not low! As soon as Lin Changshu finished speaking, all the surrounding men who heard his words were moved.