Chapter 469: Gao Piao
Chapter 464 of "The Great Ming in the Box" opens presenting twists: Although standardization and increasing the number of schools could solve manpower issues, they were distant... Keep following!
Although standardization and increasing the number of schools could solve manpower issues, they were distant water unable to quench immediate fire. For the moment, the quickest way to address the labor shortage was to aggressively recruit outsiders and bandits.Li Daoxuan realized his next key task should focus on population growth.
The prison was a critical point. The speed at which it could reform labor offenders into good citizens directly impacted Gaojia Villageâs manpower growth.
However, the prison ultimately required time for transformation. The method that could immediately supplement the workforce was still recruiting âgood citizensâ from elsewhere.
Good citizens were ready to use immediately; no reformation needed.
But poaching good citizens was truly difficult, exceedingly so.
As he pondered this problem, he suddenly noticed someone in ordinary cotton clothes enter the Main Fortress of Gaojia and approach Thirty-Two. The man offered a thick stack of papers with both hands: âThird Manager, I have drawn a story and would like you to look it over, to see if it can be printed.â
Thirty-Two: âHuh? You are⌠Old Shi Si, I remember you!â
The name Shi Si rang a faint bell for Li Daoxuan too. Where had he heard it? He thought hard, harder, and suddenly remembered: on the very day Ground Rabbit arrived in the village, this same Shi Si had been carrying New Year gifts, heading to the artisansâ well to seek an apprenticeship. On the way, he was knocked out by five men who stole his things. Ground Rabbit took people to capture those men.
Li Daoxuan had assumed this man became a blacksmith afterward. Who would have thought he was now drawing?
Thirty-Two was clearly also surprised: âOld Shi Si, what have you been doing all these years? One moment I see you learning blacksmithing, the next carpentry, then cooking⌠Now how come youâre drawing? This is called being fickle-minded.â
Old Shi Si wore an embarrassed expression: âI donât know whatâs wrong with me. I canât master any skill, I donât last at any job⌠A few days ago, I heard Gao Sanwa drew a comic book. It sold really well, he made a fortune all at once⌠so.. I thought Iâd try drawing again. Anyway⌠drawing seems like something even an illiterate could do.â
Thirty-Two didnât know whether to laugh or cry: âWhile drawing might be possible for an illiterate, crafting a story isnât simple. The storyâs rising action, transitions, pacing, moments of tension and release â itâs all an art. For an illiterate to handle all that well would be as hard as ascending to the sky.â
Old Shi Si looked a bit sheepish: âI⌠I just drew some everyday domestic stuff.â
Thirty-Two: âVery well, let me take a look first.â
He looked down. The book in his hand had a strange title: âGao Piaoâ.
Li Daoxuan nearly laughed out loud from his place on high. Gao Piao? That name was interesting. Could it mean the same as âBei Piaoâ?
Thirty-Two: âWhat does âGao Piaoâ mean?â
Old Shi Si: âIt means drifting in Gaojia Village.â
Thirty-Two felt immense pressure: âJust from the name, I have a feeling this book of yours might be a piece of shit?â
Old Shi Si: âPlease, please donât call it shit without even reading it! Iâll cry, I really will cry.â
Thirty-Two reluctantly opened the book and examined it closely. It told the story of a poor man named Shi Si who, unable to survive, wandered begging for food. By a stroke of chance, he heard about a place called Gaojia Village that took in refugees. He left his hometown and traveled a great distance to reach Gaojia Village.
Here, people were actually distributing congee to aid the needy, but more importantly, there was work to be had. Shi Si started diligently laboring at various jobs. Yet he was naturally untalented, doing poorly at everything and unable to earn much money. Friends around him became blacksmiths, carpenters, even gunpowder makers, each starting to make good money and grow wealthy.
Only Shi Si remained incapable.
Finally, one day, he found work that suited him: becoming a house painter. âI am a painter, painting mighty strongâŚâ
Shi Si found a sense of accomplishment in work he enjoyed. He finally earned money, moved into a big house, acquired a beautiful wife, and had a daughter.
The End!
Thirty-Two: âPfft! Such an ordinary story. Utterly like a running account. No, no. I canât print this story of yours. It has no high points at all.â
Shi Si: âHuh?â
Seeing this, Li Daoxuan was amused: Kind of interesting!
Though admittedly a bit bland, with a story lacking dramatic peaks, it had one advantage: it depicted the life of a commoner in Gaojia Village through many small details.
For example, Shi Si arriving in Gaojia Village, eating aid and food, sleeping eight people crammed in one tiny refugee shack.
Then doing casual labor, working on road construction, moving into an employee dormitory, trying to learn skills from the blacksmith, attempting various jobs, taking the train to work, eating rice noodles and watching plays at the Gaojia Business Circle when tired, buying a piece of candy or meat after paydayâŚ
It told a very ordinary personâs story from a perspective that was deeply rooted in everyday life, very close to the common people.
It portrayed the vast environment of Gaojia Village so thoroughly! The detail was almost frightening.
Li Daoxuan didnât know if this book could be a bestseller. If the village treasury funded its printing and sale, it might even cause the treasury to lose money. But⌠if it succeeded, it could potentially become Gaojia Villageâs promotional handbook.
This was far more suitable than Gao Sanwaâs âDestroying the Celestial Poresâ for depicting Gaojia Villageâs current state to outsiders.
Li Daoxuan smiled and shifted his gaze to the watchtower: âYiye, Yiye, come out working!â
Gao Yiye was idling away when she heard Li Daoxuanâs call. Thrilled, she jumped onto her balcony: âAh, Deity? Are you calling me? I thought⌠after descending in physical form, you wouldnât need me anymore.â
Her tone turned a little melancholy at the last sentence.
Li Daoxuan smiled: âHow could I descend just to play anytime? Iâm quite busy, Iâm busy right now, for instance.â
âAbout busy eating ribs by hand?â The girl could still see him, even if he was outside the box; her vision penetrated through to see him beyond.
Li Daoxuan: ââŚâ
Well, that was awkward. But it didnât matter. A thick skin was the armor against all awkwardness.
âYiye, focus!â
âYes, Deity!â
âTake a trip over to Thirty-Two. A man named Old Shi Si has drawn a comic book called âGao Piaoâ. The plot is rather flat, and Thirty-Two doesnât agree to publish it. But I feel this book isnât entirely without potential. We should support the blossoming of all kinds in culture and art. We canât just chase thrilling tales; some down-to-earth works are needed too. So⌠go tell Thirty-Two that the village treasury wonât pay for this bookâs printing. You, the Saint Lady, will pay for it yourself. You bear the profits and losses.â
Gao Yiye: âOh, oh, I see! I can handle this.â