The late Ming Dynasty in the living room

Chapter 26 Windmill and Axiu
Li Shun felt very nervous when he thought of his son's eager eyes when he was lying on the bed and drinking those few mouthfuls of porridge.

If I can't bring something back today, my mother-in-law and son will be hungry all day again.

Li Shun had no choice but to hold on to his last hope and followed other people in the county to the outside of the city.

In order to show his "normality" to the recruiter, Li Shun did not bring the wooden crutch. At this time, his feet were high and low, and he was walking very hard.

People on the road were also here to work. Seeing Li Shun's appearance, some showed sarcasm, while others deliberately turned their heads away from him.

Everyone knows that no employer is willing to hire a person with inconvenient legs and feet.

A table had been carried out in front, and an old man was sitting behind the table. The old man asked everyone to line up and said they would come one by one.

It seems that the job recruitment here is true.

Li Shun felt a little happy in his heart and quickly moved to a place not far from the table while the crowd was still in confusion.

"Everyone, listen up. We are now hiring people to dig reservoirs and ditches. The wages are one cent and five cents a day, and they include two meals, dry food and meat."

After the old man shouted at the top of his lungs, the crowd suddenly burst into uproar.

Li Shun also opened his mouth slightly and stood there in shock. Such treatment was unprecedented for a coolie.

Most wages in Laishui County are only seven cents of silver (seventy cents). If you meet a more generous employer, you can get one cent.

There are also food packages, but two dry meals also include meat... Why does it sound like nonsense?
"It's higher than the ones in the county. Are the wages paid on the same day?" Sure enough, someone was already mumbling.

"You will get money after work." The old man promised.

"It doesn't matter if it's meat or not, what are you eating for two meals, buckwheat or milo?"

"Rice and white flour steamed buns."

"What you said is serious. Are you trying to deceive us?"

"really."

...Although many people are still asking questions, Li Shun already believes it.

Look at these so-called "refugees". All of these people speak with great energy, especially the old man, whose face is glowing red.

You can't look like this just by eating buckwheat porridge.

Soon the people at the front began to be selected. There were many people wanted here, and almost no one was rejected.

Li Shun occupied a good seat and it was about to be his turn.

At this moment, his heart was beating wildly, hoping that the old man would ignore his disability. Li Shun's body was shaking slightly under the excessive tension.

It's his time.

Old man Zhao glanced at Li Shun's legs and said, "Young man, it's not that I don't want to recruit you, but the job of digging ditches requires carrying a load and climbing up and down. You can't do this."

Li Shun begged: "My lord, I can help you drive the cattle and horses. I don't want a salary of [-] cents. As long as you can give me some grains, the salary is only [-] cents."

It was Fang Yu's decision to give them a salary of one cent and five. For example, the helpers in the tailor shop also received one cent and five. Old Man Zhao always felt that the payment was too high.

After all, he is a freeloader. Hearing that Li Shun only wanted seventy cents, he couldn't help but hesitate.

However, after thinking about it, he still shook his head and said: "One cent and five cents is the minimum wage set by my young master, and no one dares to make an exception."

Li Shun wanted to ask for a few more words, but was pushed away by the impatient people waiting behind him.

"I'll assign you to dig drainage ditches. The earthwork will be counted in the evening. As long as the earthwork is enough, you will be paid one cent and five cents. Do you want to do it?"

"I do it, I do it."

"Then you go with him, next!"

Listening to the voice behind him, Li Shun could only smile bitterly.

He limped away from the crowd, went to the moat and found an open space to sit down, thinking of resting for a while before going back to the county seat.

But at this time, who else would want people?Li Shun recalled in his mind the places where he had helped before, and he couldn't find a good place to go after thinking about it.At this moment he saw a little girl running over here giggling.

This little girl wears two horns, embroidered clothes, and the longevity lock hanging around her neck shines with silver.

At this moment, she was holding a small windmill made of bamboo strips in her hand, and she was very happy when she saw the windmill starting to spin around while running.

"I wonder why a child from a wealthy family came here alone?"

This little girl looked very lovable, and Li Shun couldn't help but feel warm in his heart when he saw her happy.

Seeing her running faster and faster, Li Shun thought to herself, don't fall... As soon as this thought occurred, the little girl stumbled and fell to the ground.

Li Shun had difficulty with her legs and feet, so he quickly stood up and went to help her.

Fortunately, the little girl didn't fall hard. She just cried twice and got up on her own. However, she saw that the windmill had been crushed by her and fell apart, so she cried sadly again.

Li Shun limped to her side and comforted her: "Don't cry, don't cry, I'll make another one for you."

As he said that, he picked up the windmill on the ground.

Upon closer inspection, the branches of the windmill have been broken, and the pieces of the wind leaf above are scattered and cannot be closed.

The windmill can't be made now, but it can be made into other things, Li Shun thought to himself.

Li Shun sat down cross-legged, first pulled off the pieces and placed them on the ground one by one.

Then his hands flew up and down, and he quickly made up something.

"Axiu", "Axiu!"

Li Shun heard someone shouting and turned around to see a dozen people running towards the other end.

Two young people seemed particularly anxious. Their faces turned red. As they ran, they pointed at Li Shun and yelled: "Who are you? Get out of here and stay away from her!"

These two people are Gao San and Liu Ji.

Unable to withstand Axiu's threat, they quietly took her to the recruitment office outside the camp.

Who would have thought that the number of dozens of people would turn into more than 200 in a short period of time, and the scene would be so chaotic.

Seeing that Old Man Zhao was just picking people up front, Gao San and Liu Ji helped him maintain order.

The two of them were actually very careful, always paying attention to Axiu around them.

Until two groups of people got into a fight over cutting in line, the two of them were distracted for a while. When they looked back, Axiu had disappeared.

Senior high school students and Liu Ji were so frightened that they were covered in white hair and sweat.

There are so many outsiders here today. What if someone has evil intentions and takes Axiu away?
The two of them couldn't care less about anything and hurriedly went to the nearby construction site (homestead) to call some people and hurriedly found them.

Fortunately, they didn't have to look far before they heard Axiu's cry.

Following the sound, I discovered that the person was on this side of the moat, and there was an unfamiliar man next to him.

Gao San and Liu Ji thought it was Li Shun who had taken Axiu away, so they looked at Li Shun with a fierce expression on their faces.

Li Shun was afraid that the two men would make a move, so he quickly raised the bamboo dragonfly in his hand and explained: "Her windmill broke. I saw that she was crying, so I made a new one for her."

Gao San and Liu Ji had disbelief on their faces. It was not like they had never heard of the trick of using small things to abduct children.

Liu Ji hugged Axiu over and asked, "Did you come here by yourself, Axiu, or did he carry you here?"

By this time, the people behind had also arrived.

Not only those before, but also Fang Yu and Gao Er also heard the news and came after them.

Nearly 20 people surrounded Li Shun, looking unkind.

(End of this chapter)