Chapter 40: The Second Batch of Laborers

Zhang Yuan's selection of the ten locations was indeed thoughtful; they were all situated downwind and distributed evenly throughout the camp.

Meng Changqing praised him without stint: "Captain Zhang is indeed thorough in his considerations."

Zhang Yuan led over a thousand men to build the latrines. The latrines were easier to construct than the kitchens; as long as the four walls were erected and a pit was dug, they were done.

In just over a day, all ten latrines were completed.

It was on the afternoon of that same day that Li Ting arrived with over three thousand more men.

There was no need for Meng Changqing to make arrangements; Yang Zheng and the guards naturally took charge of the three thousand men. Following the previous method, they first distributed tools to them, allowing them to dig out their own sleeping quarters, then provided a dinner before integrating them into the three-shift work rotation the following day.

"Head Constable Li," Meng Changqing stepped forward to express his gratitude. "Thank you for your trouble."

"Don't say such things, Lord Meng. We could only bring three thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven people this time. Our superior is very concerned about the shortage of laborers."

"I have caused the Prefect to worry."

Li Ting took off his bundle and handed it to Meng Changqing. "This is your package, sent from the capital to the Liangzhou Station."

Meng Changqing took it and saw it was items sent by his steward, Uncle Dongwen. "Thank you, Head Constable Li."

"It was a small matter, there is no need for politeness, My Lord," Li Ting said. "The Prefect specifically instructed me to check on the progress of the city wall."

Meng Changqing immediately led him to the wall.

Since construction began nearly three days ago, the city wall, standing three zhang high, had already extended for over a li.

Li Ting inspected various parts of the wall, observing not only its quality and length but also the state of the guards and the laborers.

"These laborers work with great vigor, and the guards are strict. Lord Meng governs with great skill." Li Ting offered a few polite words just as Yang Zheng arrived to verify the roster for errors. "Lord Meng, the Prefect's office has other matters to attend to. I shall take my leave."

After Li Ting left, Meng Changqing went to inspect the second batch of laborers. Among them, most wore expressions of profound misery.

They swung their tools with resignation and obeyed the guards' commands with resignation.

That evening, as Zeng Laosan emerged from his quarters, preparing to head to the kitchen for some porridge, he was suddenly called out by a familiar voice.

He looked toward the sound. "Baoshan? Why are you here? Didn't you hide in the mountains?"

"Sigh." Qian Baoshan lowered his head and sighed. "I was reported. I didn't want to implicate my father and mother, so I had to come down from the mountain. The government really won't let us live. My wife isn't even pregnant yet, and they've dragged me here. If anything happens to me, my family line will end."

Zeng Laosan spoke to him while holding his bowl. "I remember you just married your wife during the New Year."

"Yeah." Only then did Qian Baoshan notice the bowl in Zeng Laosan's hand. "Where are you going?"

"To the kitchen for porridge."

Qian Baoshan sighed. "We haven't started work yet; I'm afraid there won't be anything to eat."

"There is food!" Zeng Laosan said excitedly. "The night before work starts, we get millet rice. From then on, as long as you are on shift, you get three meals of millet rice."

"But you just said you were going for porridge."

"I'm not on shift right now," Zeng Laosan explained. "I work the morning shift. I've already had my three meals of millet rice; the porridge I'm going for now is a different kind."

Qian Baoshan was bewildered. "How many meals a day can one eat here?"

"I don't know about the other shifts, but on the day shift like mine, I get four meals a day." Zeng Laosan glanced over and saw the line outside the porridge kitchen growing longer, so he spoke faster. "This place is different from elsewhere. You eat your fill and sleep warm. As long as you work efficiently, the guards won't hit you for no reason. Hurry back to work!"

Four meals a day? Such a good thing existed? Qian Baoshan had many more questions, but Zeng Laosan had already vanished.

"What do you think you're doing!"

Before Qian Baoshan could mutter a word, a whip lashed out beside him. Though it didn't strike him, it scared him half to death, causing him to drop the shoulder pole he was carrying.

"Mercy, Officer! Mercy!" Qian Baoshan knelt on the ground, fumbling out a corner of silver hidden in his sleeve and holding it above his head. "I only spoke a few extra words to someone from my village. Please, Officer, have mercy!"

Seeing the silver in his hand, the guard's eyes darted around the surroundings, only to find with horror that the County Magistrate was watching right beside him.

The guard raised his whip and lashed at Qian Baoshan. "Slacking off is one thing, but attempting to bribe a guard? What is your name! Which village are you from!"

Qian Baoshan cried out in sudden pain, and the silver slipped from his hand, rolling away.

Qian Baoshan felt both terror and regret. That piece of silver felt as if a piece of his heart had been torn away.

Meng Changqing stepped forward and picked up the silver, blowing the dust off it in his palm. Seeing that the man on the ground had already been struck firmly four times by the whip, he said, "Enough. A moderate lesson is sufficient; as long as he knows the pain."

"Yes, sir." The guard stopped and pulled the man up to lead him away.

"Wait. Leave this man to me. Go back to your duties."

"Yes, sir."

Hearing the retreating footsteps, Qian Baoshan finally released his head from his hands and kowtowed repeatedly to Meng Changqing. "Thank you for saving me, Great Lord! Thank you, Great Lord!"

"Do you know who I am?"

Meng Changqing was not wearing official robes, and his face was covered by a scarf, leaving only his eyes visible.

"This lowly one does not know."

Meng Changqing returned the piece of silver to him. "I am the Magistrate of Beishan County. You attempted to bribe a guard right in front of me; how could he not strike you?"

"I deserve death. Please, Honorable Official, spare my life," Qian Baoshan pleaded miserably. "My parents only have me as a son. I have no heir yet; if I die, my family line will end."

"What does your lineage have to do with me?" Meng Changqing said. "In the very place we stand, countless soldiers have lost their lives. When they died, did they ever think about whether their lineage would end or continue?"

Qian Baoshan gripped the silver tightly, shrinking into a ball on the ground. Even though the places where the whip had struck his hands burned with pain, he had no mind to care.

"Rather than asking me to worry about your descendants, you should focus on doing what you are supposed to do—work hard without slacking or being idle."

"Yes, yes, yes! This lowly one will certainly not slack!"

With a nod from Meng Changqing, men from all sides stepped forward to help him up.

"What is your name?" Meng Changqing asked.

"This lowly one is Qian Baoshan, from Qianzhuang Village under Liangzhou Prefecture." Qian Baoshan covered the wounds on the back of his hands.

"Which group are you assigned to?"

"Replying to the Great Lord, Group 201."

"I will remember you. I shall frequently ask your group's guards about your progress." Meng Changqing's gaze fell upon his hands. "Looking at your hands, you do not look like a farmer."

"That is true. I studied for two years and kept accounts at the Qian Family Rice Shop in Liangzhou City. I am not used to farm work."

"Once you come here, everyone must work. I will not make your guards make things difficult for you, but you should abandon any thoughts of bribing others. Go back now."