Great Tang Idyll Volume 02 Chapter 75
Shout out to Yaro for commissioning this chapter!
Chapter 75: The Two Zhang and Wang Families Cannot Topple Over
Jia Wei'ran nodded. He knew about these advertisement things. In fact, the idea was the same as finding people to holler out promotions in some places--- the only difference was that these ones were drawings and words. Those who were literate, could read the words, and those who were illiterate could look at the drawings. There were also pulled carts that had the ads too. He asked curiously, "Then how much do they give you a month?"
The coachman waved the riding crop again, and he hesitated for a moment before he said, "This is hard to say; sometimes more, sometimes less. For example, if you ask me to take you to the capital, I will earn money from driving you, but I will also earn another 10 coins. Usually, if I stay in the local area, I will earn 20 coins a month. This month, I made two trips outside the area, so I’ll get an extra 16 coins. In total, that’s 36 coins."
"Why do you get so much?" Jia Wei'ran didn’t understand. Everything about this matter sounded unusual. He believed that it would be useful to tell his father once he figured it out.
"It's a far trip; this lets outsiders know that there is a fabric shop here, so naturally, the pay will be higher. I also have to help pass out a hundred pieces of printed things, and that’s it."
The coachman replied concisely, and then he took out something from his arms, and handed it to Jia Wei'ran to see. Jia Wei'ran took it. He was literate; he read what was written on the cloth, and said that when this piece of paper is brought to the fabric shop when buying fabric, then the person wouldn’t have to pay money when riding carriages in the San’shui County.
It was really astonishing. How could there be such a good thing? If the person didn’t need to spend money, who would pay for the fares then? Could it be possible that the coachmen would work for free? "This fabric shop is owned by the Zhang and Wang manors?"
"No, they don’t sell fabric. You actually want to ask who would pay for the fares, right? Of course it is the fabric shop. Those of us who drive the carriages have set up contracts with them. As long as we bring people over, regardless of whether they buy or not, the fabric shop will still pay us money. The cost is lesser though: only half of the usual.
Not only the fabric shop, but also the other grain shops, meat shops, and garment shops. As long as someone holds a piece of paper like this, we will bring them to the shop and the shop will pay us the money. In addition, in the San’shui County, there are set prices for certain distances.
For example, three people going from the Little Luo’shui to Between the Water and Clouds will only be charged for the cost of one carriage---it doesn’t depend on the number of people--- so, it would only cost 17 coins. From the Little Luo’shui to the Administrative Office is only two coins. There's a bridge at the Little Luo’shui; if you insist on riding a carriage from here to there, then you need to pay a coin. If you keep going to the place that sells incense paper, it is also a coin."
The coachman took the trouble to explain. While listening, Jia Wei'ran switched between phases of understanding and phases of feeling confused, "Then how much is the least? How much is the most?"
"The least is a coin, but it is hard to say what’s the most. If a person insists on going to the land of Ba’shu, I guess it would cost 50 or 60 taels. Also, if you think this speed is slow, we can go more quickly, but the money has to be increased. Once the horse becomes tired, it wouldn’t be able to run for the next few days."
The coachmen memorized this really well, and when others asked them, they were all able to recite it without even thinking.
The carriage was pulled by a mule, but it was usually also called a horse. It was not too slow , and it did not stop to eat when it passed by the grass. The road was not too good, and it was a bit bumpy since there was no shock absorption equipment on the carriage.
Jia Wei'ran swayed around as he listened to the coachman talk. He wanted to understand the situation, but he found that the more he thought about it, the more confused he was. So, he continued to ask, "Why is the price so much more expensive to go to a place that far? If I go by myself, twenty or thirty tael of silver should be enough for the whole journey."
"That's different. We’re afraid that something will happen. Young Master, if you want to let my carriage go to that place, even if there is only one passenger, we would still need two carriages and two horses traveling together. The price I mentioned is actually too low. One horse will be half a li in front of the carriage, and the horse will be one li behind. The other carriage will be an empty one that follows along. If the carriage in the front breaks, then the carriage in the back can substitute it. If there are any dangers on either side, then the horse rider on one side will be able to notify the other side.
This is the rule. For example, at night, the price will be higher than during the day. We can only travel when we can find a companion to accompany us, otherwise, if we encounter robbers, there will be no one who can call for help. "
The coachman was excited to talk about this. This was a rule for all coachmen. Rules like this never existed before; Magistrate Cheng discussed these rules with the owners before he left. Now, they were no longer scared of driving their carriages at night.
The Administrative Office’s bailiff trained some good horses during the summer this year. Regardless of whether it was day or night, there were people who patrolled the whole county all the time. These things were paid by the tax money provided by the wharf. Some more bailiffs were also hired. There will be bailiffs riding their horses past anywhere in the county, even in the most remote villages, every two hour or less.
The coachman felt that the matter did not have to be kept secret, and told Jia Wei'ran more.
Jia Wei'ran was irked when he heard about this. No wonder the tax money was not handed in this year. The submitted reports only emphasized the drought in the county, but did not mention anything about the money at the wharf. When it came to reporting about the wharf, just a brief statement about someone doing good deeds was written down. The money was spent on buying horses and recruiting people. Bailiffs do not need to be assigned by the Imperial Court, and can be found by the county itself. How much money would this cost?
He felt distressed for a while when he thought of the money his father had spent to earn others’ favor to help gain this position. He came to this supposedly rich county, thinking that he could gain something good, but he didn't expect that before the previous magistrate left, he used the tax money already. Wanting to get a better understanding at how much money was spent, he inquired further,
"In that case, then there should be over a hundred bailiffs in the county? Is that the same for the horses? I don't understand how they are able to arrive at the furthest place in less than two hours. Two hours would not be enough to go from the Administrative Office to there, right?"
"One hundred bailiffs? That’s nowhere close to being enough. The original number was already around a hundred; now there are more than 400 bailiffs in the San’shui County, and each person has a horse. The child from my third uncle’s family always fooled around, but this time, he has been recruited to be a bailiff. Originally, he frequently quarreled with my uncle and aunt, and made my uncle worry all day.
But he’s better now, he became more honest and he now knows how to respect his parents. Now that he has a proper job, he’s happy all day long, and he doesn’t go gambling anymore. I heard that on the second day of working, my aunt went to visit him at the Administrative Office, but he quarreled a few words with her, and in the end, he was punished with twenty hits.
The county magistrate said, ‘How can people who don’t respect their parents be good to the people and work hard for the people’s safety?’ For places far away, a bailiff is sent out every two hours. That is, when the previous bailiff has left for nearly two hours, another bailiff will ride over. There are many people, so it's easier to do.
In Little Luo’shui and Tu’qiao Village, basically two bailiffs will pass by every quarter of an hour. In particular, the bailiffs sent to the Tu’qiao Village are all of the original bailiffs. The County Magistrate said that nothing is allowed to happen there. "
When the coachman talked about topics he liked, he said a lot in one go.
After hearing this, Jia Wei'ran was taken aback, and then he suddenly became happy, and asked, "Why are so many good bailiffs sent to the Tu’qiao Village? Is it because that place is chaotic?"
"How can it be chaotic? There are two manors that belong to the Zhang and Wang families there. Everyone knows that they have two children there that are so precious. Little children are so easily tricked, what if someone kidnaps them?
Today I heard that those two little children have arrived in Little Luo’shui. We have agreed that as long as we spot them, then someone needs to follow them. Absolutely nothing is allowed to happen to the two of them. How many people are relying on their two manors to live? Young Master, perhaps you have not seen them yet, but those two children are really good looking. They’re much better than the child in my family. They’re incomparable. Ah~!"
When the coachman talked about Zhang Xiao’bao and Wang Juan, he had a smile on his face, but Jia Wei'ran’s face was full of sadness. The two children were very strange and scary. They were no different than adults when they talked and did things. They would be abducted in their own manors only if the sun came out from the west.
There were hundreds of residents there, and in addition to the ones from those two families, the ones from the Ge Manor will definitely not turn a blind eye. Between The Water And Clouds was also right next to them. He heard that the two children have whistles on them. Once it is blown, anyone who hears it, will run to them. Only a person who doesn’t want to live anymore would go there to kidnap people.
It seemed like this was something he could make use of. Why would a manor be able to make the best bailiffs of the county go over there on patrols? That was right, he could use this matter to cause them trouble.
Thinking of this, Jia Wei'ran asked again, "Then are they not afraid of others reporting to the top, saying that they are using government officials privately?"
After saying this, he waited to see how worried the coachman would look. After all, the coachman was fond of that place.
However, in the end, he was left disappointed. The coachman laughed twice, and said, "How is it for private use? There are two seventh-rank officials there. The bailiffs are not there to protect them specifically, but to protect the place that had auspicious omens. Furthermore, I heard that one of the Emperor's nephews is there. With more bailiffs, wouldn’t he be more safe? Who would dare to talk nonsense?"
"Eh? Things can work like that?" Jia Wei'ran was stunned. Why was that place so complicated? Any kind of mess could happen.
"Young Master, judging by what you have said, do you have any ulterior plans? If so, then you should get off the carriage quickly. I won't charge you for the distance we have just travelled, otherwise, by the time you get into trouble, I will suffer too. If you want to attack the two Zhang and Wang manors, it is like attacking our hearts. Thousands of people follow them to seek a way to survive. If they fall, what would we do?"
The coachman was not stupid. When he heard that words coming from the person in the carriage were all about the two manors, he responded unhappily.
"No, no, I don’t have any plans. I'm curious, I'm just curious. Let's talk about the snacks here." Jia Wei'ran looked at the outside of the carriage--- they were in the middle of the wilderness. How could he dare to confess? If he was thrown here, then wouldn’t he die from exhaustion by the time he finds a place where he can catch another ride?”
*
"Xiao’bao, hurry up and find someone to go to the capital to ask how the new county magistrate was appointed? We need detailed information about him. Money can influence a person’s heart. If that's the case, they’re not allowing a good place to have a good official."
Wang Juan and Zhang Xiao’bao left the restaurant, and were now standing on a small boat, looking at the river that rippled in the rain. They were a little dissatisfied that the county magistrate was replaced with an outsider.
"Mmm, someone has been arranged. Don't be anxious, He should be more worried than us. This is our playing ground. You will understand once you look at the surrounding boats."
Zhang Xiao’bao pointed to the dozen or so small boats next to them, which seemed to want to pass but also wanted to turn away. Some of those boats would leave after a while, and new ones would join. It looked normal, but if inspected closely, one will notice that these boats were sort of protecting him and Wang Juan's boat.
If another boat wanted to rush over, no matter from which angle, at least three boats needed to be sequentially knocked over.
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