Chapter 218 -210: Hiring Laborers

Zhao Lan hadn’t believed it was possible to grow potatoes this season, but now, she had to.

‘Zhi’er has really changed so much,’ Zhao Lan thought. ‘So much that even I, her own mother, almost don’t recognize her. But it’s a good thing. She’s only changed for the better, and everything is moving in the right direction. My daughter is still my daughter—even more thoughtful and caring than before. What do I have to worry about?’

Ever since the foundation was dug for Bai Zhi’s house, it had been the talk of the village. A constant stream of people came to see it every day. After all, it was the first brick-and-tile house in the village, and they were all curious how city folk built such things.

The village had its own masons, but they typically only worked on mud-brick houses. It was simple labor that didn’t require much skill, the kind of thing anyone could learn. So when word got out that real master masons were in the village, these men saw an opportunity. They started showing up at the construction site from dawn till dusk, offering to work as laborers for free just to learn some proper masonry techniques—a skill they hoped would one day make them rich.

Song Gong was a practical man. Seeing how sincere they were about learning and how willing they were to work hard, he let them join the crew and decided to pay them a laborer’s wage: fifteen copper coins a day.

But word that Song Gong had hired the villagers Wu Jiang and Li Cheng spread like wildfire, as did the news of their pay—fifteen copper coins a day. It was the slack season for farming, and most of the village’s able-bodied young men were idle at home with nothing to do. Naturally, they all wanted in on the action.

But building a house wasn’t just any old job. Even the laborers needed some basic know-how; it wasn’t something just anyone could do. Besides, Song Gong had already brought a sizable crew with him—more than enough to get the house built quickly. He didn’t need any more laborers.

But the villagers wouldn’t have it. As people of Huangtuo Village, they considered themselves the local power. To them, these outsiders were already stealing their jobs. Now they were offering to help, and he was refusing? What was this if not a slap in the face?

And so, the situation devolved into a commotion, forcing Song Gong and his men to stop working entirely. They couldn’t get anything done.

When Wu Jiang and Li Cheng saw how things had escalated, they knew their gossipy and boastful wives were to blame. If their wives hadn’t been bragging all over the village, who would have known how much they were earning each day?

Wu Jiang stepped out from behind Song Gong and shouted, “I was already a mason to begin with! I came here to learn some real skills from Song Gong. I was working here every day before this without taking a single coin. Why didn’t any of you show up then? Now that Song Gong has seen my hard work and decided to pay me for my time, you all come swarming in. What’s the meaning of this? Can’t you stand to see someone else get ahead? Does Wu Jiang owe you something? Or does Song Gong?”

Xu Laosan yelled back, “Nobody owes us anything! We’re not here for a handout. We’ll work too! We’ll do whatever you’re doing. What’s the matter? This is Huangtuo Village’s land, a Huangtuo Village house. Do you really think only outsiders should be allowed to earn money here? Are the locals not allowed to make a living?”

Hearing this, a furious Li Cheng, who was standing nearby, threw down the brick in his hand and strode right up to Xu Laosan. “Xu Laosan, can you try talking some sense? Song Gong is the master craftsman Zhi hired! These men are his regular crew. They work together every day. Not only are they skilled, but they’re also a perfectly coordinated team. You want to join? What can you do? Can you lay bricks? Can you tile a roof?”

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