Chapter 565: People of Gaojia Village
Get a glimpse of "The Great Ming in the Box" Chapter 559: The matter of the Gaojia Village tour group immediately swept across the entire village like... Continue the adventure now!
The matter of the Gaojia Village tour group immediately swept across the entire village like a gust of wind.At this time, the villagers of Gaojia Village had become extremely wealthy. Ordinary craftsmen had received wages of three taels of silver per month for several years, and many had substantial savings.
But when they saw the tour expense of ten taels of silver, they still felt their purses tighten and did not dare sign up.
Spending over three months’ wages on a trip was not something they could bring themselves to do!
Even though it was proposed by the Saint Lady, everyone was reluctant to participate.
However, there were always a few people with money to burn and a desire to try everything—like the Old Village Chief of Gaojia Village.
The Old Village Chief wore a pair of bamboo sandals and a ragged vest, looking like a poor old man. But he walked straight to the sign-up point and immediately slammed ten taels of silver down in front of Dong Xue. “I’m signing up,” he said.
Dong Xue said, “Ah? Elder, you should reconsider. The hardships of travel—what if you face trouble along the way…”
The Old Village Chief hmphed, his white beard puffing high. “What’s this? Think I’m too old? It’s precisely because I’m old that I need to go out and see more. When I was young and poor, the farthest I ever went was the county town. Now that I finally have money, if I don’t hurry out and see the world, I’ll die having been nothing but a mountain rat!”
Dong Xue said, “Er, but your physical condition…”
The Old Village Chief pulled out a bamboo stalk and snapped it barehanded with a crack. “What about my physical condition?”
Dong Xue replied, “Please, go ahead!”
The Old Village Chief’s signing up immediately drew a flood of wealthy villagers.
Gao Laba came. He had run his rice noodle shop for years, raking in heaps of money. Hearing of a chance to travel and broaden his horizons, he couldn’t resist—he came himself and brought his wife and children. Slamming down thirty taels of silver as the fee.
Next came someone unexpected: Liu You, owner of the Fresh Water Hele shop. He too brought his wife and children, slapped down thirty taels of silver without blinking, and said cheerfully, “Call me Rich and Wealthy.”
Then Master Zhang, head of the Daoqing troupe, arrived. Strangely, he even brought key troupe members—singers, dancers, and fiddle players—all coming for what seemed like team building.
“Mom, let’s go too,” called out Gao Sanwa from afar, pulling Gao San Niang toward the sign-up point.
Gao San Niang looked a little flustered. “Son, let’s not join the crowd. It’s ten taels of silver per person—twenty for both of us. Mom isn’t as rich as your Uncle Laba.”
Gao Sanwa grinned broadly. “I have money now! My comic book Breaking the Sky is selling like hotcakes. I earn cash just sitting at home! Plus, my second book, The Fist Sets Heaven and Earth Alight, will be published soon—then I’ll strike it rich all over again. Twenty taels means nothing to me, haha! I’ll take Mom out to enjoy life, eat well, and see Huanghe Bridge.”
Gao San Niang was overjoyed. “My son is truly capable! Let’s go then.”
On the other side, Madam Bai tugged at Young Master Bai. “Son! Come travel with me for fun.”
Young Master Bai pulled his hand back fiercely in the opposite direction. “No, no! I’m too busy. The steam small train’s improvement plans are at a critical stage. I’ve no time to wander off. This is a key invention for Gaojia Village’s future!”
Hearing this, Madam Bai loosened her grip and released him. “That’s true…work…work comes first. You’re an important man, your time is precious.”
Young Master Bai freed himself and turned to leave. But abruptly, he sensed his mother’s mood shift. He glanced back—Madam Bai was secretly wiping away tears.
Young Master Bai froze instantly. Two seconds later, he gave himself a hard pinch, then grabbed Madam Bai’s arm, dragging her toward the sign-up point. “I’m taking a break from research for now! I’ll accompany Mother to see Qiachuan Port and Puzhou City’s new district!”
Madam Bai was ecstatic. “My son is so filial!”
Even Thirty-Two arrived, holding his daughter’s hand. The father-daughter pair made no troublemaker fuss, calmly paying the fee—three portions, clearly including Third Lady.
They acted as though this were routine, but as they walked away, Thirty-Two was overheard murmuring to his daughter, “Bring your mother over tomorrow to join the trip. By the way, dear girl—can your chemical factory brew a medicine that…cough…well…restores a man? Chemistry is powerful, right? It should be doable.”
Third Miss retorted, “There are potions that can poison a man to death directly, you know.”
Thirty-Two sighed, “Oh…never mind then.”
Third Miss rolled her eyes. “A man your age ought to let go. Stop being so disgracefully immature.”
Thirty-Two chided, “Don’t parrot your father’s words—a young lady shouldn’t speak like that!”
Third Miss grinned, “That is closeness fostering virtue!”
Simultaneously, Thirty-Two declared, “That is closeness nurturing vice!”
Father and daughter exchanged glances, laughed, and strode off splendidly.
Three days later, the Gaojia Village tour group set out formally.
Gao Yiye did not go—she could not mobilize the guard casually. Dong Xue was made the leader. Thus began the journey of a group packed with “rich folk.”
First, they reached Heyang County, indulging in a feast of Heyang delicacies. Then they rushed to Qiachuan, where they beheld the “Gaojia Village Naval Forces” at Qiachuan Port. The magnificent warships filled everyone with pride in Gaojia Village’s might.
Next came Linyi Yellow River Bridge!
Long rumored, standing on it now, feeling the river winds, they agreed the ten taels of silver were worth every coin.
The following day, the group rode carts toward Puzhou City.
Even before nearing Puzhou’s city gates, they spotted factory-centered towns—each factory forming a miniature city, workers swarming, giving each town vibrant energy.
Tour members bought meal tickets, tasting boxed factory lunches, relishing a woman’s masterful wok-tossing technique.
After a trek, they finally reached Puzhou City.
It was already dark. Most felt exhausted and headed straight to rest at an inn.
But the elderly sleep lightly!
Unable to sleep and restless, the Old Village Chief of Gaojia Village slipped out alone. As he strolled, he overheard talk of a concert in the city.
Of course, he went to investigate…
The next day!
Teahouses in Puzhou buzzed with tales: during Miss Cai Lin’s concert, a mysterious big shot had tossed a one-hundred-tael bar of snowy-pattern silver onto the stage amid chaos. No one claimed it—the identity of this older brother remained unknown.
The brother vanished like a flower blossom, reappearing nowhere for ages. Yet tales of Big Brother lingered in Puzhou’s showbiz circles.