Suozi said this, and Zhao Liangcai could not say anything else, as these logistics matters were all handled by Suozi.
Grandma Qin and Old Man Hou looked at each other and were troubled.
After buying too many things in the northwest city, Grandma Qin only kept the money for Qin Sen's medicine, and the Hou family had also spent a lot because of Grandma Qin's excessive purchases.
After admiring Grandma Qin's expression, Suozi revealed the rest, "However, I also know everyone's situation. You can write an IOU first, and it will be deducted from your wages later."
"Wages?" Hou Jing immediately seized on the key point in Suozi's words.
As the eldest son of the family, Hou Jing had been worried about how their family would be arranged if three people went to mine salt, having to eat without wages. Hearing about wages made him a little excited, fearing he had misheard.
Suozi smiled enigmatically, "The number of people you send to mine salt cannot be reduced, and the working hours will be longer than those of regular salt miners. The Eight Departments will pay you wages."
"However, you will have to provide your own meals. After all, you will be working alongside those who are here for service, so there can be no special treatment."
Was this not special treatment?
Qin Junyao thought that they were practically being treated specially.
She and Qin Sen simultaneously looked at Zhao Liangcai, wondering why they were being treated this way.
Grandma Qin's eyes darted around, and she asked Suozi, "Young man, how are the wages calculated?"
"Three hundred coins per person per month, with one day off every ten days."
Grandma Qin counted on her fingers, then walked to Qin Sen and had him calculate how much silver they could earn in a year.
When she learned that they could earn three taels and six qian of silver in a year, her eyes widened even further.
The Hou family was even happier. With three people from their family working, they would have ten taels of silver entering the household annually.
Later, after Grandma Qin asked about the working hours, how much would be deducted monthly as repayment, and the distance of the work location from Yangshu Village, she waved her hand, saying they could choose whatever they wanted.
Deducting one hundred coins a month, they could pay off two large houses in ten years, which was a good deal.
Qin Junyao wanted to live in the cave dwellings above, which were truly warm in winter and cool in summer. If they chose a cave dwelling with a large courtyard, they could even dig more. However, Grandma Qin disagreed.
The houses below were convenient for fetching water and firewood, and they had more rooms. Each cave dwelling above had only one kang (heated brick bed), making it difficult to hide anything.
With her small arms unable to twist the strong thighs, they finally chose two large houses.
Qin Junyao and Qin Xiaoyu would share one room, the three bulls would have one room, Qin Father and Qin Mother, Qin Lin and Aunt Qin Er's couple would each have a room, and Grandma Qin and Qin Sen would each have one room.
There were two empty rooms left for storing miscellaneous items.
The Hou family also became Qin's neighbors. Since they had more people, they didn't want many houses, thinking of saving money to build their own houses quickly after paying off the debt.
This highlighted Grandma Qin's consumption habits, which differed from others.
After the houses were decided and the documents signed, the Qin and Hou families began cleaning the houses. Zhao Liangcai led Qian Shi and the others back to his courtyard on the mountainside.
"What is all this? Who lives in caves? It's full of dirt." As soon as Qian Duo entered the courtyard and saw the cave dwellings, she was disgusted.
Zhao Liangcai, despite holding the title of general, lived so meagerly.
Qian Duo had no idea that Zhao Liangcai's residence was the best cave dwelling in this area.
His were not rows of cave dwellings, but a large courtyard with two entrances.
Upon entering the main gate, there were rows of gatehouses and stables on the left and right. In the front courtyard, there were east and west wings built on the left and right, and further back were two ear rooms in the cave dwellings. Climbing the stairs led to a two-story main house, with cave dwellings on both sides of the main house.
Such a courtyard did not diminish the title of General Zhao.
It was important to note that the Salt Guard had a total of eight departments, each with a general. In Qing Country, generals were not particularly valuable.
The commotion at the entrance caused the people living in the courtyard to come out.
"Sir, Grandma Ma, I'm back," Fuzi, seeing the people who came out, immediately rushed over.
Among the two people Fuzi called out to, one was a middle-aged man wearing a long gown and a gauze cap. This was Mr. Zheng, whom Zhao Liangcai had hired to teach Fuzi.
The other was a woman around forty years old, wearing a white apron. She was a servant bought by Zhao Liangcai, responsible for taking care of Fuzi and cooking, Grandma Ma.
Mr. Zheng nodded in greeting, and Grandma Ma stepped forward to pick up Fuzi. The child she had raised for three years had been away for over a month, and she missed him dearly.
"Mr. Zheng, Grandma Ma," Zhao Liangcai called out to the two, introducing Qian Shi behind him, "Fuzi's mother, sister, and cousin."
"This is Mr. Zheng, who teaches Fuzi, and that is Grandma Ma, who is in charge of the kitchen."
"Grandma Ma, please arrange rooms for them. I have some matters to attend to," Zhao Liangcai said, then led Xiao Fei to the stable, took a single-handled sledgehammer and a long case, and entered the main house.
Grandma Ma, holding Fuzi, understood a bit from her master's attitude. With a smiling face, she arranged for Qian Shi to have a room slightly farther from the main house. Sudan Novel Network.
No matter how harsh Qian Duo's words were, Grandma Ma always had a cheerful smile.
After having their luggage taken to their rooms, Grandma Ma excused herself, saying she needed to prepare food for the distinguished guests.
When Qian Duo wanted to find someone to fetch water and clean the room, there wasn't a single person in the entire courtyard.
Down the mountain, Qin Junyao was squatting by the water bucket by the door, cheating and filling it with water.
Their residence was a distance from the well, and there was too much to wipe and wash in the house, making fetching water back and forth troublesome. She wanted to help with what she could.
"Younger sister, you'll be in charge of the family's water缸 from now on," Qin Erniu lifted the water bucket in front of Qin Junyao and poured half of it into the washbasin.
Grandma Qin stood behind Qin Erniu and hit him on the head, almost knocking him down. "Go fetch water with the carrying pole. You're splashing water out instead of carrying it in. Do you think those watching are fools? You have no brains."
Qin Erniu looked at the people watching from not far from the house, scratched his head, and obediently went to fetch water.
"This house is good in every way except for the lack of a courtyard. Yao Yao, can you conjure up brick molds?" Grandma Qin asked Qin Junyao, peering at the nosy people.
"No."
"Alright then."
After speaking, Grandma Qin suddenly squatted down and looked at Qin Junyao. Qin Junyao felt a chill down her spine.
"Grandma, is something wrong?"
"Jun Yao, Grandma forgot to buy grain. Conjure some up."
Qin Junyao breathed a sigh of relief, thinking nothing had happened, and readily agreed.
Grandma Qin was pleased. "Jun Yao, should I burn some paper for you?"
"Burn, what paper?" Qin Junyao didn't understand.
"Tsk, don't you need money to buy grain and vegetables? I bought a lot of yellow paper and joss paper in the northwest city. Grandma will burn it for you tonight so you'll have more to use."
Qin Junyao's spine truly felt cold this time, her voice trembling slightly. "Grandma, are you talking to me?"
"You child, who else would I be talking to?"
Qin Junyao swallowed. "But, I'm still alive. Even if you burn paper, I won't receive it."
"Won't receive it?" Grandma Qin looked confused and asked, "Then this water, this grain, did the Bodhisattva give it to you for free? Wasn't it given to you by the Bodhisattva using the translocation technique?"
"Ah~~ Grandma, you're right. I should burn paper. You should burn it for your granddaughter, Qin Junyao. I'll go help my mother with her work."
Grandma Qin turned to look at her granddaughter's retreating back, thinking that this child spoke so strangely.