Once the young couple's printing tools were ready, they officially began printing books.
After the first batch of people were selected and trained, and after producing thousands of books, the printing speed increased, and everyone became proficient.
Cheng Hao was also good at managing people. Since the men of Shan'ao Village no longer went out to work, he simply assigned them the printing tasks. He paid them generously and provided meals. As for accommodation, they insisted on paying for themselves, so he didn't force the issue and paid fair wages.
Everyone knew his character, so not a single person was unwilling to work for him. Most of them eagerly sought the opportunity, seeing it as a great thing. No one complained about the work or felt it was too tiring.
In this era.
They didn't know if they could have a stable few days. They absolutely couldn't refuse such a new way to earn money and expressed their gratitude.
Gao Dashan said with a smile, "It's truly thanks to the Cheng family. Not only did they save us, but we also rely on them for earning money. Otherwise, what could we men who only know how to farm do?"
The people of Shan'ao Village sat around the courtyard, all nodding in agreement.
No one forgot the young couple's contributions!
They would remember it for a lifetime.
Gao Dashan naturally echoed, "Everyone has become much more skilled recently, and the work is much easier now. But remember not to be lazy and continue to work diligently for them. They treat us so well, truly a good person that generations might not encounter!"
The villagers certainly agreed heartily.
They even said with a smile, "Aren't the young master and young madam Cheng our benefactors now? The men of Shan'ao Village earn money by printing books, and the women earn money by making pastries. We eat from the communal pot for every meal, which tastes good and is plentiful. We can eat our fill every day. I never would have dared to imagine this before! Aren't they benefactors? They are living Bodhisattvas!"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Gao Dashan's wife also chimed in, "More than that. We don't have to work day and night. They not only teach us how to earn money but also teach us to read. Don't all of you waste their good intentions!"
She was reminding everyone not to forget about knowledge while working.
Their work was now very regular.
In the past, they would go out early and return late, toiling in the fields all day. Now, they woke up early to work and rested before dark. During the hottest part of the day at noon, they didn't have to work and could take a nap, and also study.
Consolidating what they had learned.
The main reason was for the children in the convoy to study, a schedule set for them. But due to the large number of illiterate people in the convoy, adults who wanted to learn could join in, and it wasn't exclusively for children.
However, the adults were clearly a bit resistant. They scratched their heads and grinned sheepishly, saying they were too old and their brains weren't as nimble as children's, and it was for the children to learn!
The women also secretly rejoiced.
Because of the loving example set by Cheng Hao and Su Miaomiao, the relationships among couples in the convoy had improved significantly. Their past conflicts were mostly over trivial matters. Now that they had some money in their pockets and weren't lacking food, their relationships naturally improved.
There were far fewer couples resorting to physical fights, and the children felt much happier.
Poverty makes couples grieve over a hundred things.
Ultimately, money is what matters.
After a round of joking, the villagers began to discuss more serious matters. In this large city, news traveled much faster. They learned that the border battles had reached a stalemate, which had stabilized the surrounding cities, towns, and villages.
The mass exodus had slowed down, becoming less rushed.
People were taking shelter locally.
Fewer people were pouring into Quezhou City, but many had arrived earlier, so Quezhou City remained very bustling.
There were minor disturbances every few days.
However, fortunately, the Cheng family's business was doing well. They had also formed connections with the servants of the five major families through their pastries, which allowed them to live in peace. After all, their pastries had attracted many customers for those families.
Naturally, they would maintain good relations with the young couple, so trouble wouldn't reach them. And the people of Shan'ao Village, who relied on the Cheng family for their livelihood, could also live peacefully. Speaking of this, they once again marveled at having followed the right people.
Recently, with so much business to attend to, time had flown by quickly. In the blink of an eye, summer had arrived, with intense sun. The days of late spring cold seemed to have just passed, and the weather change was quite alarming.
The sunlight grew more scorching with each passing day.
The temperature was highest at noon, making people feel lazy.
Gao Dashan convened the villagers for a chat, also to discuss this matter. "Young Master Cheng and Young Madam Cheng asked me to relay a message: everyone should drink plenty of water and use herbal fumigation to ward off mosquitoes and insects, as many people in the city have been bitten by venomous insects and are suffering from high fevers..."
He often served as a messenger.
Nowadays, his job was much easier, as everyone was very obedient to the young Cheng couple.
They basically did as they were told.
Even the most stubborn people in Shan'ao Village listened to the young couple, which showed their strong influence. It was their abilities that had earned the villagers' complete trust, so they listened to whatever the young couple said.