Chapter 78: System Change, Celebration

The three went to the Baron’s Manor to draw up the contract, and Fatty Cheng left Daming Village with satisfaction, taking the contract and a small pot of Lingzhi Wine for promotion.

Fatty left, but Mo Xiaobai and Li Ji had to stay behind to discuss the salary structure.

“Currently, the food and lodging of the Territory Citizens are still supplied by the Territory, so My Lord does not need to pay too high wages; it is enough for the Territory Citizens to replace a new set of clothes every month, or visit the brothel once every ten days.”

As soon as the two sat down, Li Ji spoke first: “Taking the farmers plowing the fields in Daming Village as an example, apart from food, clothing, and shelter, saving over a hundred copper coins a month is already quite a lot; My Lord can just pay two Silver Coins as monthly wages. Medicine farmers are generally slightly higher than plowing farmers, but three Silver Coins a month is enough. Villagers mining and logging can be paid the same as farmers. For other industries like the Mulberry Garden, kiln, and Blacksmith Workshop, My Lord can just add a little as appropriate.”

“All right, let’s not worry about whether this number is accurate or not for now; let’s set up the framework first.”

Mo Xiaobai nodded immediately, and after discussing specific details with Li Ji for a good while, they finally produced a complete plan for the first private ownership reform of Daming Village.

Everyone in Daming Village, except for Mo Xiaobai himself, including Li Ji and others, would receive wages.

Ordinary farmers received 2 Silver Coins per month, while medicine farmers and the five old farmers responsible for the Spirit Field received 3 Silver Coins per month.

Villagers engaged in mining and logging did not receive a unified salary; instead, a daily measurement and ‘more work, more pay’ model was used. This was done to avoid laziness and also to stimulate the villagers to work. Mo Xiaobai calculated that with normal work, the monthly salary would be around 2 to 3 Silver Coins.

Luo Pu in charge of the Mulberry Garden, Luo Qing of the textile workshop, Chen Shen of the carpenter workshop, Li Yi of the kiln, and Yi Rong and Li Xun of the Winery—Mo Xiaobai gave these six people a high monthly salary of 6 Silver Coins. The Territory Citizens working under these four were also paid 3 Silver Coins per month.

For Zheng Lun of the Blacksmith Workshop, Mo Xiaobai only gave him 7 Silver Coins; originally, he could have given more, but this guy ate several times more than others every day. If he wanted to give more wages, it would only be fair if he wasn’t provided with food. Zheng Lun’s assistant, Liao Yi, had a monthly salary of 5 Silver Coins, only slightly lower than Zheng Lun and the managers of the industries.

For the four old Chinese doctors invited from Juancheng, Mo Xiaobai waved his hand and set their salary at 10 Silver Coins. These doctors gave up their lives in Juancheng to run to this poor, remote place; they were old and had to work hard for the Territory, so Mo Xiaobai certainly would not treat them unfairly.

As for the remaining villagers responsible for cooking and cleaning, Mo Xiaobai was not stingy either; like ordinary farmers, they all received a monthly salary of 2 Silver Coins.

For the Village Soldiers and Rattan Armor Soldiers within the Territory, Mo Xiaobai tentatively set the monthly salaries at 4 Silver Coins and 5 Silver Coins respectively.

The Dong Family sisters already had an industry, so Mo Xiaobai did not give Dong Zhen a salary. As for the underage Dong Yiyi, Mo Xiaobai only planned to give her a few Silver Coins as pocket money every month, enough for her to feed her two divine pets.

In addition to these, He Chun’s monthly salary was tentatively set at 15 Silver Coins, and Li Guang was slightly higher than him, but only 18 Silver Coins. As the Vice Village Head, although Li Ji himself requested only to be equal to He Chun, Mo Xiaobai still determined for him the highest salary in the Territory, 20 Silver Coins.

After confirming all these scattered salary details, Mo Xiaobai didn’t think it was very high at first, but after looking at the total salary expenditure at the end, he could not help but click his tongue.

2737 Silver Coins, which meant a monthly expenditure of as much as 27 Gold Coins.

“Providing food and shelter and still giving so much money, is it set a bit too high?”

Mo Xiaobai had an impulse to tear up the detailed list in front of him, but thinking that after tearing it, he would have to bother to re-formulate the plan, he was too lazy to change it.

Twenty-plus Gold Coins, let it be twenty-plus Gold Coins; he did not lack these few Gold Coins, so just treat it as welfare for the villagers in his Territory.

The benefits are not obvious now, but wait until the Territory expands slowly and the Territory Citizens are no longer limited to activities within the village; once the ‘high salary and welfare of Daming Village’ spreads out, it will definitely bring him many surprises.

What’s more, once ‘private ownership’ started, the Territory Citizens would spend money within the village in the future, and apart from providing the simplest housing and three meals a day, he would not have any other free supplies.

If they wanted to dress better or eat better, they would have to start spending money.

Thinking of this, Mo Xiaobai could not help but chuckle.

The high wages paid out would eventually return to his pocket after going around.

“Maogong, let’s settle this matter for now; you go and announce it to the Territory Citizens. Also, it has been so long since our Daming Village successfully upgraded, we should hold a celebration, and the time is set for tonight.”

“Yes!”

Li Ji nodded with a smile; he knew very well what today’s changes meant.

Undoubtedly, Daming Village was becoming more and more like a truly mature and standardized territory.

…

At night, Daming Village was brightly lit again.

Except for the villagers far away at the Lingshi Mine and the Rattan Armor Soldiers led by Li Guang, all the other villagers gathered together to celebrate wildly this historic moment for them.

Far from their homeland and ‘stranded’ in the mountains, they had originally lost everything from their hometown, but today in Daming Village, they could once again possess private property and assets belonging to them personally.

Regardless of the amount of wages, everyone’s face was filled with joy.

Even Dong Zhen, who had no wages to receive, could not help but curl her lips slightly as she sat by the bonfire.

“Whoosh~ Quick~ Big Yellow, come quickly~ there is delicious food here.”

Dong Yiyi, who was always crazy when seeing people, rushed over with the Bear-Lion Dog, came to the bonfire where Mo Xiaobai and others were sitting, and reached out to grab the meat skewers that Cheng Liya had just roasted.

“Roar~”

A beast roar followed, and the Bear-Lion Dog stomped its four hooves heavily, and a cheer also came from its back.

Sitting on Big Yellow’s back was surprisingly Mo Xiaoyou, who had just turned 12.

“Xiaoyou, come down quickly.”

Mother Mo was right by the side; seeing her daughter playing so wildly, she glared in annoyance. Mo Xiaoyou stuck out her tongue and nimbly jumped down from Big Yellow’s back:

“Mom, I want to eat lobster.”

“Come sit properly, I will peel it for you.”

“Okay.”

Mo Xiaoyou was not afraid of her Big Brother, but she still listened to her mother’s words; she sat obediently on Mother Mo’s right hand, looking at the feast of game and seafood in front of her, her saliva almost flowing out.

“Maogong, Jianli, come, let’s drink!”

It was a rare celebration for the Territory, so Mo Xiaobai was too lazy to manage Little Dot, letting her make a fuss; he picked up the porcelain bowl in front of him and started drinking with Li Ji and others beside him.

This time Mo Xiaobai did not bring out the Lingzhi Wine, but drank ordinary rice wine; however, with Yi Rong’s improvement, even ordinary rice wine had a special flavor.

As for not drinking the ‘Lingzhi Wine’ brewed by Yi Rong himself, the reason was very simple.

Firstly, it was too easy to get drunk; before the fun was over, one would fall into a drunken sleep. Secondly, Mo Xiaobai did not want to be special; since the Territory Citizens around him were all drinking rice wine, why would he bring out Lingzhi Wine?

Drinking from large bowls and eating large pieces of meat.

Looking at the Territory Citizens laughing and jumping for joy, Mo Xiaobai could not help but feel a bit proud; in this life, under his efforts, the development momentum of Daming Village was still very good.

Not to mention Mo Xiaobai being proud, even Mother Mo on the side could not help but praise: “You brat really have the ability now; the Territory is so rich, and the celebration feast is so sumptuous that it can compare with those five-star hotel meals. If your dad knew we were eating lobster and large yellow croaker here, he would definitely be craving badly and would come over immediately.”