Qin Sang didn't go to listen to what the Village Chief said to the villagers. She sent the brothers Tian Dazhuang and Tian Sangui instead. After they returned, the two told Qin Sang about the outcome. Half of the villagers had decided to start harvesting grain tomorrow, but there were also those who didn't believe it, saying that if a locust plague were coming, it should have arrived long ago rather than waiting until now.
In addition, the Village Chief arranged a Patrol Team. Each household would provide one person, with six people per squad. Each squad would stand guard at various points around the village for two hours a day. This way, it wouldn't interfere with work or rest, and would mainly serve as a warning system.
During the evening meal, Qin Sang planned to have the two brothers take turns. San Gui tried to shirk the responsibility:
"Mother, I'm only fifteen. If refugees really come, I won't be able to stop them."
Tian Dazhuang didn't think for a second that his third brother was trying to be lazy:
"That's right, Mother. San Gui and I already discussed it on the way back. I'll join the Patrol Team, and he'll stay home to make mosquito coils."
Qin Sang gave them a faint glance, her gaze landing on San Gui:
"Fine then. Eldest, you go to the Patrol Team. San Gui, you stay home to harvest the grain. We can't let the locusts get the crops in the fields for cheap; start harvesting tomorrow."
San Gui got anxious:
"Wait, Mother, I think I'd better take turns with Big Brother on the Patrol Team after all."
Qin Sang found it amusing—as if she couldn't handle him:
"You're young. If refugees really come, you won't be able to stop them."
San Gui hurriedly explained:
"If I can't win a fight, I can run! Mother, I'm fast on my feet and I'm not afraid. We'll take turns, otherwise Big Brother will be too tired."
"Then the fields at home..."
San Gui ultimately couldn't bring himself to say that Eldest Brother's Wife or Si Jin should do the work, so he shut his mouth and listened to the arrangements.
Tian Dazhuang patted his chest:
"Mother, the patrol only takes two hours a day. I can go harvest the rest of the time."
Eldest Brother's Wife also stepped forward:
"We can go to the fields to harvest grain too."
Si Jin felt that wasn't right:
"Mother, we still have to make mosquito coils at home. If everyone goes to the fields, how will we deliver the goods in three days?"
Qin Sang wasn't in a hurry. It was good to let them think of a solution; if they ever got separated in the future, they would be able to use their own brains to solve problems:
"Then what should we do?"
Third Brother's Wife had the most schemes and immediately thought of something:
"Mother, how about we hire people to harvest our land? There isn't much grain in the fields anyway. If we hire someone to do it and give them half the harvest, then the family can focus on making mosquito coils. The coils are worth more than the output of those few fields."
The family all expressed their approval of this method. After leaving the task of hiring people to harvest the grain to Eldest and San Gui, Qin Sang announced another matter:
"Today's mosquito coils sold for five taels of silver. We've agreed to deliver another batch to Tongfu Inn in three days. I've thought about it—everyone has put in effort to make the coils, so I plan to reward everyone well. Since the coils sold for a high price, the reward shouldn't be low either. Tell me, what amount do you think is appropriate for this reward?"
If this family were compared to a company, then those currently working were the backbone of the group. When a company landed a big order, bonuses naturally had to follow.
Hearing this, the gloom from having to go on patrol vanished from Third Brother and his Wife:
"Naturally, it's whatever Mother says. We have no objections."
"Right, Mother won't treat her own family poorly after all."
Si Jin nodded along. Eldest Girl and Wen Mo were very conscious of their place and didn't speak up. Qin Sang looked at the eldest, and only then did Tian Dazhuang speak: "Mother, I think the rewards you gave before were already enough. We're all one family, and the money is only safe in your hands. There will be many places where the family needs money later, so there's no need for more rewards."
Eldest Brother's Wife also nodded. The life she was living now was already something she hadn't dared to dream of before; how could she dare to ask for more rewards?
Any more and she would feel she didn't deserve it.
Which family's daughter-in-law didn't work every day? And which daughter-in-law could get silver in her hands before she was in charge of the household?
She was very content.
Qin Sang had expected this couple to say that:
"Eldest and his wife are right. There are many places where the family will need money later, like buying a cow and building a house. So this reward..."
Third Brother and his Wife were extremely disappointed:
"Mother, it would have been better if you hadn't mentioned it earlier."
"Only Big Brother would think there's too much money."
Qin Sang swept her gaze over the two of them, and they immediately shut up. Only then did Qin Sang finish her sentence:
"Rewards won't be given out every day anymore. Every time we deliver to town and receive the silver, everyone will get fifty wen. Da Zhuang and Da Hua will get an extra twenty wen."
The few people sitting at the table were all stunned, then became incredibly joyful. Eldest Brother and his Wife, however, were extremely anxious:
"Mother, how can we take so much? I don't want it."
Qin Sang picked up her chopsticks:
"It's settled then. Eat."
She was now the undisputed authority in this house. Once she said it was time to eat, there was no more room for discussion.
Tian Dazhuang decided that he would do more work and make more mosquito coils in the future to be worthy of the reward Mother gave.
Eldest Brother's Wife felt the same, wishing she could immediately give Qin Sang a big, fat grandson.
Having been here for so many days, Qin Sang really wanted to take a proper bath. But water was so precious now that a lavish bath was out of the question; she could only secretly use a wet cloth to wipe herself down in her room.
While she wasn't in the main room, the room wasn't idle. With the oil lamp lit, everyone was busy with their own tasks, having already developed a certain level of coordination.
Wen Mo was young, so he did the same work as Eldest Girl, using a small bamboo knife to organize the cut mosquito coils and handling the demolding and drying. Gripping the small bamboo knife in his hand, Wen Mo always felt something was off; his hand should be holding a brush pen.
When would this kind of work end?
From what Mother said, these mosquito coils would be made for a long, long time. Did this mean he wouldn't have to go to the private school to study anymore?
No, he had to think of a way.
After thinking for a while, he spoke up:
"Eldest Girl, Fourth Sister, do you want to know what books I used to read at the private school?"
Eldest Girl and Si Jin both looked up with some surprise, though they were curious from the bottom of their hearts. Previously, Wen Mo wouldn't even look at them, and they didn't dare speak to him. Now that Qin Sang had changed, the two of them dared to nod truthfully.
"Little Uncle, studying must be very hard."
"Little Five, why are you saying this?"
Wen Mo saw that not only were Eldest Girl and Si Jin looking at him curiously, but even his other brothers and sisters-in-law were casting envious glances at him. That old sense of pride from being envied and feared by everyone resurfaced. He couldn't help but puff out his chest, putting the hand holding the bamboo knife behind his back:
"Since you're curious, and Mother also said you just didn't have the chance to study, I plan to teach you how to read and write. Are you willing to learn?"
He tried his best to speak like the master at the private school, but he was too young. The sophisticated act put on by an eight-year-old boy seemed quite out of place.
However, this didn't stop Eldest Girl and Si Jin from nodding repeatedly: "Yes, we're willing!"
Since they were old enough to understand things, the most honorable person in the family besides Grandma was Wen Mo, the 'scholar seed'. People who could study were precious, not to be trifled with, and could become high officials. It wasn't just Eldest Girl and Si Jin who thought this; the other families in the village thought so too. That was why when the villagers were looked down upon by the Original Body, they could only endure it without being able to talk back; such was the pressure brought by the title of 'scholar'.
Now that they had a chance to study, they were naturally willing.
Wen Mo gave a light cough:
"Fine then, I'll start by teaching you the Rhyming Song. Listen carefully: Clouds match rain, snow matches wind, the evening glow matches..."