Zhao Ergou and Zhao Sanniu were drenched in sweat.
The two of them had successfully traveled to Hekou Town and Ping'an Town, collecting a total of one thousand one hundred copper coins. A large amount of copper coins jingled in the pouches at their waists. They walked around the streets once and felt as if everyone on the road was staring at their waist pouches; it was truly too dangerous. What if they were robbed or stolen from?
The two discussed for a while and decided to go to the money exchange to convert these one thousand copper coins into one silver ingot.
These two lads had never seen shiny white silver before.
Initially, their father's silver had amounted to twenty taels, but it had always been in the original owner's hands, and before it had even warmed his grip, it had been given to the Cheng family.
It could be said that they had never carried so much money on them in their lives.
One tael of silver was tucked into Zhao Ergou's chest, and the remaining one hundred *wen* coins were stored in Zhao Sanniu's waist pouch. The two sat motionless in the horse carriage, so tense that they were sweating.
Cheng Loanloan: "..."
Their inexperienced demeanor made her both amused and heartbroken.
In the future, if she had the chance, she would have to let the four lads go out more, see more, and then, of course, they wouldn't cause such a laughingstock.
Outside the room, the village head, whose head was covered in sweat, was answering the county magistrate: "Look how tired these two children are, they can't even walk steadily. This family is truly very poor, Your Excellency, please see. The roof has a big hole but it hasn't been repaired. A family of six has to live in a cramped and stuffy mud house, it's truly pitiful..."
The county magistrate observed carefully, then sighed.
Not only this house, but the house next door, and the one after that, were all mud houses with thatched roofs.
If there was a storm, this thatch would simply not hold up.
The village under his jurisdiction had actually become so poor.
"Find a water source, and you will be rewarded three taels."
"What?"
The village head's eyes widened.
Three, three taels of silver!
Had he misheard?
The *shiye* opened his mouth but said nothing.
If a water source could truly be found, and crops could be harvested, the county could collect more taxes, and the silver exchanged for the entire village's harvest would be more than just three taels. After all, this money was not personally paid out of the county magistrate's own pocket, and it had nothing to do with him.
Not long after, Cheng Loanloan led her two sons out of the room.
Zhao Ergou and Zhao Sanniu knelt down with a thud: "This humble commoner did not see Your Excellency just now, please punish me, Your Excellency."
The county magistrate waved his hand, indicating it was nothing, then looked at the village head: "Didn't you say there were five people? Call them all out, they might not be able to return for three or four days."
The village head quickly went to call people.
The village head, Zhao Ergou, the village head's son — Zhao Anjiang, and two strong men who had been particularly helpful in digging the ditch.
When he went to call people, without the county magistrate accompanying him, a group of village women rushed over.
"Village head, what's wrong?"
"Why did His Excellency come to Dashan's mother's house? What happened?"
The village head briefly explained: "His Excellency is looking for people to help with work. One hundred *wen* coins a day. Wang Yongcheng, Zhao Yougui, Zhao Anjiang, hurry and come with me."
Wang Yongcheng was the father of Niqiu, who lived next door to Cheng Loanloan.
Zhao Yougui was the father of Zhao Qian'gen, and Zhao Qian'gen was Sun Shuqin's lover. Everyone in the village was very envious.
"Working for His Excellency, why didn't you call my man?"
"My husband is strong and can also go along."
The village head angrily scolded, "When we first dug the canal, none of you stepped forward to help, and when you did work, you complained endlessly. I wouldn't dare to take you along. Just stay in the village and patrol diligently. Whoever does well, I will remember them first when good things come along."
Several women in the village pouted. Patrolling for no pay was bad enough, but it would also delay their farm work. They absolutely did not want their husbands to go.
But only a few women listened to the village head, returning home to instruct their husbands to be careful when patrolling and not to be perfunctory.
The county magistrate's carriage was neither too big nor too small. The inner compartment could seat six people, and the outer compartment could seat three more. The carriage sped towards Li Family Gully in the east.