Traveling through time as a peasant girl to turn things around

A few days later, the village's eastern wall was erected. Sun Gui specifically instructed Xiaodong to build two large gates at the entrance, with two smaller gates on either side. The wall, both inside and out, was immaculately clean. It was two and a half meters high and forty centimeters thick, running straight from south to north. Then they built the gates.

Sun Gui said, "Today the whole village is having a meal in the school to celebrate the completion of the village wall! Kill five pigs!" "Good!" "Good"... The villagers were happy and rushed to tell the story. Women came to the school with vegetables and helped to cook big pots. Old Zhang, an expert in butchering pigs, took a few young men to kill pigs and brought them to the east of Chai's house near the weir. Old Mrs. Li boiled hot water, and the young men carried buckets of hot water to wash the pigs. After washing, they put the pigs in baskets and took them to the school. Sun Gui took the opportunity to say, "The autumn harvest is over, and the village wall is built. Anyone who wants to grow greenhouse vegetables, or several families can build one together, can form a group, and start building it the day after tomorrow. In the evening, wages will be paid here. The gatekeepers, the carpenters who cut wood for the farm,..." "Good, hello, village chief!" Before Sun Gui finished speaking, the villagers shouted "good".

Now that Taohua Village pays wages every two weeks, everyone is vying to work more. Now they can earn money without having to travel far, and everyone is happy. Sun Gui didn't say much and discussed it with Chai Zhen. Chai Zhen also said, "Pay the wages of the female workers at home during this period as well."

At noon, the villagers ate in waves, each with tables and chairs. Hundreds of people ate at once, like a buffet. It took four waves for the entire village to finish eating. Finally, Sun Gui, with the knife in hand, distributed a piece of meat to each family as they left, before taking it away. Families with more people received more meat, while those with fewer received a fair share. Everyone was happy, and no one argued over how much they got. The school cafeteria also left some meat.

In the evening, after an early meal, people brought their small stools to the school. Friends sat together and chatted. Chai Zhen and Sun Gui arrived early, setting up tables and stools on the raised platform. Sun Gui, seeing that most people had left, said, "Now that it's quiet, let's first pay the bricklayers their half-month wages." He had exchanged copper coins at Chai's house. "Our village is well off. Fifty wen a day, fifteen days in half a month, seven hundred and fifty wen plus bonuses, that's one tael of silver per person. Qin Bingbing, Zhang Liang... forty people in total. Each grinned with joy as they stepped forward to receive their pay. Some of the people below remarked, "Only one tael of silver for half a month—that's a lot!" "Why don't you tell me how tiring the work is? It's all hard work." "Yes, it's not easy."

Next, "Everyone who goes up the mountain to cut wood will receive fifty coins a day plus bonuses, a total of one hundred coins a day. The soldiers from Old Wang's family will receive one ounce of silver and five hundred coins every fifteen days." Soldier Wang happily stepped forward to receive his payment. Sun Gui said, "Work hard and you'll have a wife by the New Year." Soldier Wang said, "Thank you, Village Chief." Sun Gui replied, "No need to thank me. It's your own diligence and dedication." "Next up, Zhang Xiaobao. One ounce of silver every ten days." Zhang Xiaobao was delighted! He'd earned so much in just ten days. Next up, "Ma Ming. One ounce of silver every fifteen days and five hundred coins." Ma Ming happily stepped forward to receive his payment. "Thank you, Village Chief." Sun Gui replied, "Work hard and you'll get better and better!" "Okay, got it, Village Chief." There were many woodcutters, about forty or fifty. The number of days worked varied, so the pay varied. The daily pay was one hundred coins. Chai Zhen asked Sun Gui to also pay the women who made the clothes, twenty coins a day, and thirty coins for those who worked overtime at night. The women had been working for half their lives, and this was the first time they could earn money. They were overjoyed. ...Guarding the school gate for thirty wen a day. Sun Gui also gave him one tael of silver and said, "There's a reward." "Thank you, Village Chief." Sun Gui said, "You've been helping with the cooking, boiling water, and doing odd jobs. You've done a lot of work, so you're getting a reward this time. You deserve it." The farm workers were paid eighty wen a day. Sun Gui said, "We raise a lot of pigs and chickens, so it's tiring, so the pay is high." Five people were paid one tael of silver and five hundred wen a month for half a month. The five took the money and said, "Thank you, Village Chief. We're leaving now to go back and look after the pig farm." Sun Gui said, "Okay, go ahead. Tell me if you need anything." The five men happily took the money and left, eager to return to the pig farm. "The pay is high this time," another person said, adding that there was a reward. "The skilled workers who are building the houses will receive fifty wen a day, and the laborers will receive thirty wen a day. But there are also bonuses. Each skilled worker will receive one liang of silver. People from the Ministry of Works will also be there. Over two hundred people are participating in the village wall construction. Each skilled worker will receive two liang of silver, and each laborer will receive one liang of silver." Sun Gui continued, "This includes the bonuses. Everyone who participates in the village wall will receive one." Sun Gui called out names and distributed the money, and the workers from the Ministry of Works came forward to receive their pay. Everyone received two liang of silver, all skilled workers. Xue Zhi received five liang of silver. Sun Gui said, "This is the general construction commander." Xue Zhi was delighted; he hadn't expected to receive wages here. It was still half a month. Xue Zhi pocketed the money and returned to his seat. Farmers from the Ministry of Revenue each received one liang of silver, all participating in the village wall construction. The teachers from the school each received five liang of silver. Li Jingwen asked his grandson to collect it for him. He was delighted. The high wages were high for such a small village, which showed how well life was here! The village was wealthy! Sun Gui said: "Now we are giving out children under 18 years old, both boys and girls, one or two taels of silver each. Children can come and get it themselves." "Okay!" Someone shouted, and Sun Gui called out the names one by one. Someone asked: "Are there any children you are holding?" "What? Who said that?" Sun Gui said: "Yes, five hundred coins, I have all the children whose names are written here. Unless you just gave birth, I don't have any." "Hahaha," someone laughed. "Hurry up and give birth to the child and tell the village chief the name!" Someone said with a smile. "Weaving Department

"Subsidy, thirty wen a day, we'll divide the money after the goods are sold. We're giving subsidies now, plus a bonus of five hundred wen for half a month. If it's less than half a month, it'll be calculated daily." Li Guang gave the list to the village chief, so he could remember who went each day and how many days. He also gave these elderly people a living allowance. The carpentry department also paid wages per person. Sun Gui: "Next, we'll distribute subsidies to the special skills masters." Zhang Qing, Zhang Ying, Chai Ye, Chen Jun, Li Jingwen, Xue Zhi, the head of the Ministry of Revenue, He Shouyi, and others, ten taels of silver each. Don't think it's too little! When the village builds more, we'll process the money." Sun Gui took the money bag and walked down to distribute it one by one. "Thank you, Village Chief!" They were not easy to take, especially the one distributed by the emperor. Sun Gui wanted them to teach the children of Taohua Village well. "Here are a few of our village's veterans with special talents: Li Guang, Li Dongjia, He Chaidong, Chai Xin, Qin Han, Huo Hua, Kong Ziwu, Zhang Bingquan, Chai Zhen's second uncle, Jia Le Jiayu, and Qin Binbin. Each will receive a subsidy of ten taels of silver," Sun Gui handed out. "That's all for today. One more thing: all students will have an exam tomorrow, and there will be rewards. Meeting adjourned." People happily talked about how wonderful life was and how much money my family had earned! Hahaha, laughter spread throughout the village!