kvmb Chapter 210 Arrival in the Northern Desert, 3 Forces
Chapter 210 Arrival in the Northern Desert, 3 Forces
With a mix of trepidation and excitement, I arrived at the gate of the Prefectural Governor's Office in the northern desert.
Lord Zhu took out the official seal in his hand and handed it to the guard at the gate.
"I am Zhu Chongba, the escort officer from the capital. I have come here with more than two hundred exiled prisoners to report for duty. Please take a look, Prefect Hu!"
The gatekeeper glanced at the long line behind Lord Zhu and called to his colleague beside him.
"Li Zi, take the lord and the new residents to the side hall to rest. I'll go and inform Lord Hu." After saying that, he turned to Lord Zhu, "The lord, please wait in the side hall. I'll go and inform the Prefect!"
After saying that, he turned and went through the gate.
......
Northern Desert, the Prefectural Government Office.
Prefect Hu was sitting upright in his armchair, toying with a blood-red stone in his hand. On the table in front of him were two other stones, one green and one blue.
Master He, holding Lord Zhu's seal, walked up to him and whispered, "Sir, the new residents have arrived!"
Lord Hu put down the red stone in his hand and picked up the green stone. "The batch from the capital?"
"Yes, there are more than two hundred people in total, waiting in the side hall."
"Only two hundred people, not enough to go around." Lord Hu put down the green stone, picked up the blue stone, pursed his lips, and said helplessly, "To be fair, giving each family fifty or sixty places is enough. We can discuss the rest later."
Master He replied with a smile, "Yes, sir, I will do as you command."
......
The prefect's side hall.
Lord Zhu was waiting with more than two hundred people.
Outside it was freezing cold, but inside there were still several braziers.
Therefore, the room was very warm.
Such drastically different treatment caused all the prisoners to appear extremely cautious. Ever since entering Mobei City, everyone's nerves had been on edge; the people here were truly strange.
Instead of scolding or beating the criminals from the imperial court, they were treated with warmth and a smile.
They dared not relax until the truth was revealed.
Even Wen Yuanqian had a serious expression.
The information he received seemed to be somewhat outdated and deviated from reality.
However, before things become clear, the best course of action is to wait and see.
Therefore, Wen Yuanqian gave his family members meaningful glances, keeping their eyes down and their minds at ease, and they all waited quietly.
Fortunately, they didn't have to wait too long.
Footsteps came from outside the side hall door.
As the footsteps drew closer, the yamen runner Li Zi's voice rang out, "Master He, you've arrived."
"Li Zi, take Lord Zhu and the brothers to the post station to settle in and rest for a day or two."
"Yes, Master He."
After giving his instructions, Master He strode into the side hall.
As soon as Master He entered the side hall, he went straight to Lord Zhu, cupped his hands, and said, "Lord Zhu, our lord is very busy. Please forgive him. Let Li Zi take him to the post station to rest for a day or two. Is that alright?"
"Thank you for your help, Master He."
Lord Zhu led his men out of the side hall and, guided by Li Zi, headed towards the Mobei Post Station.
The prisoner has arrived in the northern desert and the official seal has been handed over, indicating that the handover procedures have been completed, so his mission is considered finished.
The yamen runners and soldiers left the side hall one after another.
A moment later, in the side hall, besides the prisoners, there was also Master He.
Master He was short and stout, with a goatee, and he looked at everyone with a beaming smile.
"Don't be afraid, everyone. Relax. This place in the northern desert is not the same as before. Now that you're here, you're new residents. You've all seen it when you entered the city, right? The residents here live a very comfortable and prosperous life. It might even be better than your lives before!"
Among the prisoners, there were always those who couldn't hold back their questions. Seeing Master He's kind face, they couldn't help but bombard him with questions.
"Master He, are we criminals? Aren't we required to perform forced labor?"
"Master He, what specific labor is involved?"
"Master He, what do you mean by 'new residents'?"
"Master He..."
With so many people asking questions, the side hall suddenly became noisy, and Master He had to call the yamen runners outside to maintain order.
Snapped!Snapped!
The bailiff raised his whip high and lashed it out at the air, while simultaneously telling the officer, "Raise your hand before you speak."
The long-absent sound of a whip rang out, and the side hall immediately fell silent.
They looked at each other, exchanged glances, and silently made a mental note.
Master He stroked his beard and said kindly, “Listen to me, everyone. You are indeed criminals. The labor for criminals is mining. Every adult must hand over five thousand catties of iron ore every month, with the elderly and children receiving half that amount. We have many mines here, so you can mine as much as you like. As long as you pay this amount each month, no other government office will interfere. However, there is one condition: you need to buy your own tools. If you really can't afford them, you can rent them. There are many shops on the street where you can rent them.”
Like a thunderclap out of nowhere, it completely energized everyone.
In light of the earlier warning, someone quietly raised their hand.
"Master He, what's this about the new residents?"
“Oh, this…” Master He drawled out the last syllable.
Having piqued everyone's interest, he continued, "A new resident is a new identity within Mobei City. With this new identity, someone will collect and record the iron ore you mine each month, so you don't have to transport it to the government office yourself. Moreover, someone will also help collect any excess ore you mine, and if you exchange it for goods or money, someone will help you, so you don't have to worry about it at all."
Such a good thing?
Wenwen didn't believe it.
However, some people still raised their hands out of curiosity.
"Master He, how can I become a new resident?"
Master He thought to himself, "Finally, they've asked the right question."
"Listen carefully, everyone. There are three families in Mobei City that can help you obtain new resident status: the Tang family, the Meng family, and the Xie family. The Tang family is in charge of the western mountains of Mobei City, the Meng family is in charge of the southern mountains, and the Xie family is in charge of the eastern mountains. The northern mountains are reserved for criminals who do not yet have new status."
After finishing speaking, Master He pursed his lips, stroked his beard, and continued.
"These families all have fixed mines and can provide tools and accommodation, saving you the trouble of finding mines and renting tools yourself. The conditions of each family are similar. The Tang family requires that in addition to the 5,000 catties of iron ore required by the government each month, they must provide an extra 1,000 catties of iron ore. Any excess will be bought back by the Tang family at 200 wen per 100 catties. Other types of ore will be bought back at market price. The new resident status is valid for three years. The Meng family requires an extra 800 catties, with a buyback price of 150 wen for five years. The Xie family requires an extra 1,000 catties, with a buyback price of 300 wen for five years."
After Master He finished speaking, his eyes were still smiling as he looked at all the prisoners. His kind appearance gave everyone the courage to ask questions.
"Master He, what about three or five years from now?"
"Whether you continue or not is up to you. You can also choose another place, it's up to you."
Wow, what a great thing!
Isn't this just a disguised form of long-term labor?
Wen Yuanqian suddenly remembered that Yang, the constable, had said a few words to him silently before leaving the side hall.