Chapter 363: Three Courtyards

You…

Jiang Yunchu didn't go on speaking; she only felt her heart grow more sour—this era's mistake, what fault do they have?

But she can't control the era, nor her own abilities, nor can she manage Da Ning; so she'll just take care of her own people, letting them live free of illness and disaster, living well.

"One courtyard can serve as a canteen; we can hire a few skilled sister‑in‑laws to work there, with wages paid directly from the workshop and the cooking ingredients also coming from the workshop."

"All the workers eat for free, but… for family members we can collect a token amount—just the cost of the food ingredients—and that's enough."

Like this…

The workers won't have to worry about whether their children have food to eat, or whether anyone at home is full?

Many men and women work at the workshop, with only the children staying home; this situation lets them all work with peace of mind.

"Host, let me kowtow three more times for you." Hearing that, the steward immediately wanted to kneel.

But this time Jiang Yunchu was prepared; she quickly grabbed his arm, and the steward couldn't kneel down, his face turning red.

"Alright, just look after the workshop—that's better than kowtowing." Jiang Yunchu said, laughing and crying at once.

The steward looked at the host, his heart stirred—who would leave such a good host?

That's wolf‑hearted and dog‑gutted, that's heartless; he would bring people to beat them to death, dig a pit and bury them—whether human or ghost, they must belong to the workshop.

"The third courtyard—I'll set up a school there." As Jiang Yunchu's words came out, the steward's eyes grew redder; that honest man silently wiped his tears.

A school!

He could become a steward because he was an educated man with good grades, but his family couldn't afford to keep him in school, so he voluntarily quit, returned to the workshop, and took the position of steward.

His child attends school; even if money flows like water, as long as the child does well and wants to learn, he grits his teeth to support them, not wanting his own regrets to appear in his child.

"I will hire a teacher; the children of our workshop can attend school for free."

Children attending school pay nothing, seeing a doctor costs nothing, and workers' meals are free.

These three free provisions solve the workshop workers' food and clothing, medical care, and also the children's schooling problem.

Which workshop host could do this?

"Host, I can't do this for everyone, but personally I thank you." The steward knew the host didn't want him to kneel, yet he still bowed deeply.

A man, a true gentleman, yet his eyes quietly reddened—simply because the emotion in his heart left him overwhelmed.

"Now it's all a process; we'll take it step by step, first building the houses, then the canteen—that's easier."

"Teachers and doctors are hard to find; I'll need to search slowly, mainly checking their character—we can't keep anyone of bad character in our workshop."

One rat dropping can spoil a pot of soup; she couldn't do something like that.

"Yes!"

The steward walked out with head held high; since the host had already arranged it, this matter would certainly be done.

Just earlier or later.

However, those three courtyards need advance planning, and he also needs to find people to handle these matters.

Although his shoulders suddenly bore more responsibilities, these are all things that make everyone happy; he isn't afraid of hardship or quantity, and hopes there will be even more of such things.

"Let me announce that the host has awarded everyone a bonus today!" The steward stood on the platform, looking at the eager faces below, deliberately pressing his hands down to quiet everyone.

"All workers, regardless of gender or age, will receive this month's bonus of two taels of silver each." After the steward said that, he deliberately paused.

The crowd below seemed as if hit by a pause button—everyone's faces froze, and in unison they oddly pulled at their ears, as if they'd misheard.

How much?

Two taels of silver? Impossible!

One by one they couldn't help but chuckle, "Steward, hurry up and tell us—don't joke with us."

The steward looked at everyone's expressions, which were exactly the same as when he had first heard it.

He also couldn't help laughing, "You didn't mishear—each person gets two taels of silver."

……

After the brief pause, the crowd below burst into cheers; the silent period was over, and everyone knew the steward wouldn't joke about this—meaning that this month each person could receive two taels of silver.

Two taels!

That's no small sum—before, they couldn't even get two taels in a year, and after food and drink there were hardly any copper coins left.

But now the host's single bonus is directly two taels of silver.

"I haven't finished yet—you're getting ahead of yourselves." The steward pressed his hands down and looked at the crowd below.

After hearing that, the people below quieted down one by one; they were already ecstatic, so what could make them even happier?

"All family members can receive a bonus of one tael of silver."

……

Silence fell below: "Family? One tael of silver?"

Some people involuntarily spoke up—not because they didn't believe, but because it was unbelievable.

"Yes, family members can get a one‑tael silver bonus—and moreover!"

The steward's "moreover" stretched everyone's anticipation, making them afraid to breathe.

"All children from newborn to ten years old each receive a bonus of one hundred copper coins."

One hundred copper coins is little compared to one or two taels of silver, but a hundred copper coins are enough to feed three children for a month.

In other words, this month's copper‑coin bonuses for the children are enough to feed a whole family, leaving the silver to be saved.

Each worker, each family member, each child—right now they're all excited, jumping up and down.

"Host, host, host!"

The people below raised their arms one by one, calling out loudly; Jiang Yunchu could hear them clearly in her own room.

"These folks are rather adorable." Bai Zhi laughed heartily.

Jiang Yunchu nodded and said, "What they want is actually simple: as long as they aren't born ill‑intentioned, they merely seek enough to eat and wear, and to live better."

They work for me, I provide them security, letting them have no worries about food and clothing.

That's enough.

She cannot change this era, but she can change her own workshop, let her own people live free of worries about food and clothing, let them no longer worry about food, no longer be distressed from illness and lack of money, no longer be delayed from being unable to attend school.

Only this, that's all!

Even if she lived two lives, even if it was what her mother did to let her survive, but her past self is also her.

It was not in vain that she lived a lifetime.