Chapter 66: Work as a Relief
Translator: 549690339
After the Magistrate left, Chen Yang looked at Chen Xuan.” Grand Elder, go and send a message. My Chen family can get food. Tell them not to panic.””
“As long as we follow the footsteps of the Chen family, we definitely won’t let them starve.”
“Yes.”
Time continued to pass by for a month. During this month, because there was still surplus grain in each household, nothing else happened.
However, this is the end of the game, there are already many people who have bumped into the courage to ask the Chen family, where is the food?
The county magistrate also looked for Chen Yang several times to ask the Chen family to open the granaries to supply grain.
Yang Chen rejected the magistrate with the excuse that the families still had surplus grain and that it would be a waste of food if the disaster relief was carried out in advance.
As for the outside world, the price of grain in the trading firm had already risen to an astronomical price. Moreover, many merchants had stopped selling food. When the food supply was truly cut off, they would make a good profit.
The various aristocratic families also knew that this was not the time to distribute food, so they did not move.
However, it was only this month. As the grain was gradually consumed, some aristocratic families had already opened their warehouses to sell grain.
Moreover, he knew that this was the food that the royal family supported, so he did not dare to sell it at a high price.
At the same time, because they didn’t know where to buy grain, they didn’t dare to sell too much. Everyone had a purchase limit.
Some aristocratic families gave out food for free. Of course, there was not much food each time. It was basically enough for one day.
In the meeting hall, Chen Xuan looked at Chen Yang and said,” Family Head, it’s almost time to open the warehouse and release the grain. If you wait any longer, I’m afraid the people will starve to death.””
“It’s about time…” Yang Chen’s eyes flashed with a profound light.
When Chen Xuan saw this, he quickly smiled and said,”Alright, I’ll immediately arrange for the granary to be opened to release the grain.””
“Yes, I am. Hey, wait a minute, First Elder, are you planning to release it for free?”Chen Yang pulled Chen Xuan back.
“Otherwise, could it be that the family head plans to sell it? However, the Great Qian Gold is not of much use to us, so we might as well gain a good reputation.”
Chen Xuan was a little puzzled. Didn’t Chen Yang value the Chen family’s reputation in Chen City? Why didn’t he distribute food for free now?
“First Elder, please sit down.”
Chen Yang pulled Chen Xuan to a chair and handed him a cup of tea.” Great Elder, opening the granary to release grain might gain a good reputation in a short period of time.”
“But what if it takes a long time? When the time came, if they ran out of food or gave too little, there would definitely be more curses than praises.”
“You should know that the grains of rice are the enemy of the grain of rice.”
Chen Xuan held the tea and thought carefully for a moment. Suddenly, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
He had already thought of what Yang Chen had said. If there was really a shortage of food, the first thing those unruly people would do was not to understand the difficulties of the Chen family, but to suspect that the Chen family had taken the food.
Or they deliberately didn’t want to give it to them and wanted to sell it elsewhere to earn money.
Thinking of this, Chen Xuan quickly took a sip of tea and said,”Patriarch, do we sell food too?”
“Selling food? Didn’t you just say, Grand Elder, that the Great Qian Gold is of little use to us?”Yang Chen smiled.
Chen Xuan was a little confused by Chen Yang. He could not do this or that. Could it be that he wanted them to starve to death?
“First Elder, don’t be anxious. We don’t need the Great Qian Gold, but there’s one thing we really need.”
“Is there something we really need?” Chen Xuan frowned. He really could not figure out what the Chen family needed these people for.
“Patriarch, I really can’t think of what the Chen family needs them for.”Chen Xuan said honestly.
“There are a lot of them. For example, their strength. We can let them work for us and pay them food according to how much they work.”
“I call this method work-for-relief.”
Chen Yang briefly explained the method of providing work for relief in his previous life to Chen Xuan.
After Chen Xuan heard this, another question popped up,”But Patriarch, our Chen family doesn’t have much work for them to do.”
“Why not?” Yang Chen pointed at the map on the wall.” We have taken one-third of Gongsun City’s territory. Naturally, the scope of Chen City will also expand.”
“When the time comes to expand the city walls and build roads, which one doesn’t require labor?”
“Just the construction of the city walls and the laying of roads are enough for the people of Chen City to work for a few years. As for the warriors with cultivation, those with low cultivation would build the city walls together.” “Those with high cultivation can be guards for our Chen family in exchange for food.”
After listening to Chen Yang’s description, Chen Xuan had a new understanding of work-for-relief. He immediately said,”Alright, we’ll do as the patriarch says.”
“But we won’t push the people to other cities like this.”
Chen Yang knocked on the table and smiled at Chen Xuan.” Don’t worry. It’s hard to leave your hometown. Not many people are willing to leave their hometown.
Besides, we’re exploiting them. How much labor they put in, how much food we put in, it’s fair and just.”
“With our Chen family’s reputation in Chen City, we will at most have some complaints. As time passes, these complaints will disappear.”
“If there are still people who want to go to those cities that distribute food for free, then let them go. It will be difficult for them to come back in the future.”
After hearing Chen Yang’s words, Chen Xuan gritted his teeth.” Alright, I’ll make arrangements immediately. I’ll try to summarize the standard of how much work I can do and how much food I can get in the shortest time possible.”
“Then I’ll have to trouble First Elder.”
Chen City, notice boards everywhere.
After a day of discussion, the Chen family had temporarily planned out the specific ‘salary’ treatment. They immediately contacted the county government and issued a notice.
“Mr. Liu, can you take a look at what’s written on this notice?”
At a certain notice board in the north of the city, the people surrounding it pushed an old gentleman who had studied to the front of the notice to let him see what the notice said.
After reading the notice, the old man said to the people around him,”This notice says that everyone can work for the Chen family, and their wages are food.”
“As for the specific criteria, you need to go to the specific place and listen to the instructions of the leader there.”
“As for what we need everyone to do, it’s on the streets of the Chen family. There are no Chen family members in charge of this.”
As soon as these words were said, the people immediately boiled over.
“I say, the Chen family can’t forget about us, right? How is it? Isn’t there food now? I have to hurry over. If I’m late, there won’t be any seats.”
“But I heard that this grain is not given by the royal family?”
“Even if it was given by the royal family, it would still be given to the Chen family. Why? Do you still intend to let the Chen family give it to you for free?”
“That’s right, that’s right. You still need to work when you farm. Why, are you quitting working for the Chen family now?
Just from the fact that the Chen family was willing to protect us during the demon wave, I’m willing to work for the Chen family.”
“Humph! A bunch of idiots. Other cities gave them away for free, but they still foolishly worked for the Chen family. Anyway, I plan to go to other cities..”