Chapter 436: Zhao Sheng on an Out-of-Town Assignment
Chapter 431 of "The Great Ming in the Box" opens showing developments: Xing Honglang kept her word and dispatched cavalry, escorting the salt craftsmen back to the... Keep reading!
Xing Honglang kept her word and dispatched cavalry, escorting the salt craftsmen back to the salt village.Then Iron Bird Flies spent some money and bribed the soldiers guarding the village entrance. That night while they were sleeping, they “dozed off.” When they awoke, they found the salt craftsmen in the salt village had escaped, dragging their children along, and almost all of them had fled, leaving nearly no one in the entire village.
Due to low pay and hardship, salt craftsmen throughout the Ming Dynasty were always on the run, so the whole village fleeing wasn’t a strange event.
The salt tax office paid no mind. They only needed to report how many households of salt craftsmen had escaped from such-and-such a village, and that was that.
The salt craftsmen quickly fled to the deserted shores of the Nitrifying Pond. There, they rebuilt thatched huts, ate the food brought by Xing Honglang, redid their salt pans, channeled lake water from the Nitrifying Pond into them, and cheerfully started making salt.
If Old Zhang Fei had still been active nearby, building a new village in the wild would have been deadly risky. But Old Zhang Fei was already killed at the ancient ferry dock, and the scattered bandits fled north to join the main group under Bu Zhan Ni. The salt craftsmen hiding by the Nitrifying Pond were thus quite safe.
At dawn in the ancient ferry dock, the hardworking common folk had risen.
The elderly and weak, women and children were busy lighting fires, cooking, and rushing about, while the strong young men sat by the river doing nothing.
“Ah, it’s been days with no work.”
“I’m feeling anxious again.”
“The big cargo ship has been gone for days; it’s about time it returned.” a Dock Worker said: “When the big cargo ship comes back, we’ll have Porter jobs.”
The only thing they could hope for was the big cargo ship arriving soon to give them work carrying goods.
Chinese labor folk, once jobless, would fear for survival. This was truly sad. Even today, many still hold this worry.
“Here it comes! Here it comes!”
A farmer pointed to the river in the north and called out loudly: “The cargo ship is back!”
Sure enough, that big cargo ship arrived with three more cargo ships.
People at the dock cheered loudly at once. Many rushed to the shore, squeezed shoulder to shoulder, and waved wildly at the river.
“Work’s here again!”
“At least we can carry for three more days and earn nine catties of flour!”
Amid all anticipation, the big ship docked. Curiously, a scholarly man stood on the bow this time, wearing a scholar’s robe with a small bundle on his back, reciting a poem: “Look at the ferry dock where sand sifts; how many it has ferried into the world!”
Gao Chuwu, Xing Honglang, Zao Ying, Old Nan Feng and others moved to the riverbank to greet him. They smiled at the scholar: “Hey? Isn’t this Mr. Zhao? Why are you here?”
The arrival was actually Dian Deng Zi Zhao Sheng: “The Deity said I’m a bold scholar, so he sent me to Shanxi on duty to oversee building the ancient ferry dock.”
Xing Honglang laughed: “True. This job suits only you, Mr. Zhao. Those other village scholars lack courage.”
Zhao Sheng sighed deeply: “I didn’t want to be so daring. It was forced out of me.”
By then, sailors had lowered a ladder at the ship’s side. Zhao Sheng climbed down it. With just that exertion, he panted again: “I… brought… the ancient ferry… puff… dock blueprint… hand-drawn by the Deity…”
The leaders were startled: “Sir, your health isn’t great. Coming to Shanxi must be hard on you.”
Zhao Sheng caught his breath: “It’s fine. I have medicine now. Have… medicine…”
He pulled out a prescription, shook it at them, and chuckled: “The doctor said this is ‘Dingchuan Decoction.’ If I take it long-term… I’ll get better…”
Gao Chuwu, being illiterate, mattered little. Xing Honglang, Zao Ying, and Old Nan Feng were literate. The three stared at the prescription and turned suddenly shocked: “What on earth is this writing? It’s total nonsense.”
Better to look at the Deity-designed dock diagram!
Everyone took out the blueprint for the ancient ferry dock. True to being a picture bestowed by the Deity from the immortal realm, every line was exquisitely detailed. Constructing according to this image was guaranteed to be flawless.
“The Deity even sketched a cement house,” Gao Chuwu pointed at the blueprint, “But we don’t have cement here in Shanxi.”
Zhao Sheng laughed, “No need to worry. I’ve brought several blue hats to teach folks here how to make cement. The Deity said cement doesn’t store or transport well. Wherever our work takes us in the future, we must build a cement factory locally.”
The group murmured, “Ah, that makes sense.”
Zhao Sheng continued, “I just wonder if the ancient ferry dock has enough manpower for all this.”
Xing Honglang chuckled, gesturing toward the crowd of commonfolk stretching their necks to watch by the riverbank. “Look at them, eager as geese for work to do. Mr. Zhao, the moment you mention building a cement factory, swarms will rush to join.”
Zhao Sheng smiled, “Well, that settles it. Let me talk to them.” Gathering his scholar’s robe, he made to sprint over.
The group broke into cold sweat, shouting urgently, “Don’t run! Aren’t you aware of your own health? Walk! Slowly!”
“But I’m in a hurry!” Zhao Sheng protested.
The group fell silent.
An asthma patient with an impatient nature—how could this sustain?
Xing Honglang gave a meaningful glance. Two blue hats, technical workers from the ship who’d come to teach cement-making in Shanxi, sprang ashore. They flanked Zhao Sheng, hoisting him up as if escorting a troublemaker destined for a labor camp.
Zhao Sheng cried out, “Hey-hey! This isn’t proper! Put me down!”
The two blue hats moved swiftly, carrying Zhao Sheng at a dash toward the crowd…
Soon, cheers erupted from the commonfolk, “Work! There’s work!”
“Count me in for that cement factory job!”
“I’ll go dig quicklime right now!”
“I know where to find clay! Let’s dig!”
“Is it still three jin of flour per day?”
“What? Master cement making and your pay jumps to craftsman level? Craftsmen earn more than Porters? Wow, I have to learn this!”
Before long, the ancient ferry dock transformed into “Gaojia Village Mode.” Large-scale construction kicked off frantically…
Once everything was arranged, Zhao Sheng quietly approached Old Nan Feng. Lowering his voice, he said, “The Deity knows of your great merit. He rewards you. He mentioned… you seem quite fond of a world of luxury.”
Old Nan Feng nodded vigorously, “After years of border guarding, worldly pleasures are all I crave now.”
Zhao Sheng beckoned him closer, “Follow me. Deep in the warship’s hold… there’s a special reward reserved for you. The Deity placed it there personally.”