Linxia

Chapter 200, Peace

Tian Wu returned home carrying pork stewed with radish and braised pork.

The three children came forward to greet them.

At first he listened to the advice and did not name his eldest son Tian Si, because the dish they had for dinner that night was beans, so his eldest son was named Tian Dou; by analogy, the dish they had for dinner on the night their third daughter was born was lettuce, so he was named Tian Lu; and the dish they had for dinner on the night their youngest son was born was winter melon, so he was named Tian Gua.

Tian Wu and his wife had six children, but only three of them were mentioned here. As for the remaining three, Shepherd's Purse, Artemisia selengensis, and Mustard seed... they were not raised.

Because of their young age, these three children were not wanted by factories or docks, so they could only do some work such as digging wild vegetables and chopping firewood outside the city to save some money for their family. Sometimes, if they were lucky, they could get some odd jobs, such as helping to pick up bricks when someone was building a house. Basically, they could have a meal, and some kind-hearted hosts could even give them a few cents.

His wife Tian Li also came out, but hadn't cooked yet. When Tian Wu saw this, he walked over and handed her some stewed pork with radish and braised pork, asking her to heat them up.

"Today we have a welfare meal, but this is pork stewed with radish? Why is there a pure meat dish?"

"This is called red braised pork, and it was made for me by Lord Fang. You don't know, at lunch today, Lord Fang, the boss of our factory, who is said to be a fourth-rank official, higher than our county magistrate, sat opposite me and talked to me, asking me this and that... I made Lord Fang very happy, and Lord Fang knew that I was an outstanding worker last year, so he made me a portion of this red braised pork... Look, it's so juicy and delicious!"

Tian Wu boasted and spoke very seriously, as if he was not the one who was so nervous that he could not speak at noon.

The three children had no idea and were stunned and full of admiration when they heard it. Tian Li knew her husband well but she did not reveal it and just listened as well.

Tian Wu was so exhausted that he waved his hand and said, "Okay, heat up these two dishes and we'll eat them tonight."

"Boss, both dishes are heated up? How about leaving one for tomorrow?" Tian Li was distressed and reluctant to give it away.

Really, what kind of family is this, dare to eat two meat dishes for one meal? Even the squires in their county wouldn't dare to eat like this, right?

"Hey, both dishes are hot. We are in a good mood today, so let's be extravagant and lavish for once."

The rice was almost ready and the dishes were being heated up quickly. Soon, the fragrant pork stewed with radish and braised pork were served, making people drool.

Speaking of which, two meat dishes, this is really great for the Tian family, and it is more sumptuous than previous Chinese New Year celebrations!
The three children, Tian Dou, Tian Lu and Tian Gua, all think that the capital city is great. They will never go hungry here and can have a good, greasy meal once every half a month. They really like it here.

Tian Wu invited his wife and children to eat: "Eat, everyone. How is the meat? Is it delicious?"

"Delicious!" They nodded repeatedly.

Nonsense, how can meat not taste good?
Not to mention meat, even if it's pork stewed with radish, when you put the radish in your mouth, you will slurp it again and again, chew it slowly, not wanting to drop even a bit of oil, greedily absorbing every bit of fat.

"Hey, don't give me some, eat yourselves. I work in the factory, how can I miss this? By the way, the factory is showing Journey to the West again today."

As Tian Wu spoke, he told the storytelling session at the factory today and what he remembered about Journey to the West.

——In fact, "Journey to the West" has been told twice in the factory. The first time, Tian Wu just listened and said it was good. He was not good at telling the plot clearly. The second time, Tian Wu tried to remember it consciously, but he spoke haltingly. When his children asked him about it, he was even more stuttering.

This time, he remembered a lot more clearly. He was so happy that his mouth seemed to be enlightened. He talked about today's events without any hesitation. If he really had no impression, he would just add some exaggerations.

His wife and three children were all fascinated by the story.

When Tian Wu saw his wife and children eating the delicious food he brought back and listening to the storytelling he memorized, there were smiles on their faces and he felt indescribable joy in his heart. This was the satisfaction of realizing his self-worth and the responsibility and happiness of being the head of the family.

After Tian Wu finished telling his wife and children what he remembered, he slapped his head and remembered two other good things today: "Master Fang said that our factory will build workers' dormitories... When the dormitories are built, we can live in them. Then, we will be close to the factory and we won't have to get up so early every day to rush over... In the future, we can buy the dormitories without interest, and then our family will be residents of the prefecture."

Because when I came back, I met Ma Wang and showed off to him. He told me the story once when he asked me about it. This time, it was clearer when I told my family members.

Tian Li understood and said, "This is really a great thing!"

"Is it true? According to Lord Fang, my outstanding worker last year can get his rent reduced!"

"Master Fang is such a kind man! What kind of dormitory is this? When can we move in?"

"It hasn't been built yet. I think it will take several months!"

"Then you, the boss, have to do a good job!"

"Yes, I have worked very hard and I want to get the title of Excellent Worker this year!"

Tian Wu looked at his three children who were also happy and said, "Master Fang said that our factory will hold some classes... Yes, it is a skills training class! Douwa, Guawa, Dad will save up some money and send you there in the future."

He didn't mention Tian Lu. Tian Lu was a girl. Although this era was gradually becoming more open and free, women still rarely went out to work. There were very few women in the factory, most of them were widows. There were very few young women like Fang Lin's cousin Ren Xiu'er, and there was no one who could be a manager.

"Isn't that the school?"

"It's not a school. Those who go to school will become officials in the future. Lord Fang's is a steward."

Tian Wu thought for a moment and explained according to his own understanding: "Studying in a school can help you become an official, but it costs a lot of money and takes a long time, and it may not be successful; Lord Fang's class is faster, and it is said that it only takes two or three years. If you study well, you can become a small manager. Even if you don't study well, you can find other ways out."

"Which class is suitable for our family? We have to let Douwa and Guawa get in."

"Yeah, I can't do that in my lifetime, so I just hope they can get better and have a bright future. It's not enough to hang out on the street, they have to go to that skills training class."

Tian Wu learned from the party leader and the storyteller in the cafeteria that only with education can one succeed, so he made up his mind to send his two sons to the school and find a good future for them, even if he had to live frugally and tighten his belt.

"It sounds good to build dormitories and hold classes, but will the nobles in the city agree? They just can't stand seeing Lord Fang being kind to us poor people."

Tian Li said, worriedly: "Didn't it say earlier that Lord Fang didn't dare to give us high wages openly, so he could only give in and subsidize us in various ways? This time, what if those nobles do something bad again..."

"They dare!" When Tian Wu heard this, he slammed the table, clenched his fists, and the veins on his forehead became prominent. It was so hard to have a hope. If someone dared to destroy this hope, he would really want to kill someone.

At this moment, he was filled with anger and suddenly had a thought: "If you don't let me live well, then we can all just quit!"

However, it was only a moment, and he retreated in an instant, but a seed was planted. "Alas, Lord Fang is a good person, and I hope Lord Fang will get better and better." Tian Wu sighed.

Now they eat Lord Fang's food, and in the future they will live in Lord Fang's house, and their children will go to Lord Fang's class... Naturally, they sincerely hope that things will get better and better for Fang Lin, who protects them from the wind and rain.

——People like Tian Wu will gradually realize that all their bright future depends on Fang Lin, and only when Fang Lin is well can they be well.

"Yes, Lord Fang is blessed with great fortune. Everything will be fine. We will also get better and better. Everything will be better and better."

The family was eating and talking.

Outside the window, the last ray of sunlight gradually disappeared, and boundless darkness like a giant beast enveloped the house. Inside the house, the candle that was drawn in a lottery last year and was a rare luxury to take out today was lit. It burned quietly, emitting a bright light that illuminated the entire room and dispelled the deep darkness from them.

……

Tian Wu is just an ordinary member of Fang Lin's "First Quality Weaving Workshop", and the Tian family is just a microcosm of many families in the workshop. Tonight, there are many families like the Tian family who are talking about this matter.

Outside the city of Huai'an, the river flows eastward and converges into the sea, just like countless destinies are converging, and will eventually form a vast and unstoppable torrent of humanity one day in the future.

……

Xixiang Hutong, Fang family.

Fang Lin was also talking about the factory. Today he announced that there would be no reduction in wages, cancellation of benefits, and two other new benefits would be introduced in succession.

Fang's mother sighed, "They are just like your aunt, they are all miserable people. Linzi, you should be nicer to them. After what happened with Madam Ou, I believe in karma. Doing good deeds is also a way to accumulate blessings for yourself."

Father Fang said, "Let's take care of ourselves. Linzi knows what's going on. Let him figure it out for himself."

At the dock, he had seen too many miserable people and knew that he could not control them all. Often times, being soft-hearted would not bring him any good rewards, but instead he would bear the sins of others on himself.

——It can be said that the past one or two years at the dock have really brought about a huge change in Fang’s father.

"Dad, Mom, I understand what you said." Fang Lin nodded.

Fang's mother is a soft-hearted, kind and honest person, but if we really adopt Fang's mother's idea of ​​"goodness", we will not be able to adapt to the society and we still need some means; Fang's father's current idea of ​​"respecting the fate of others" is good to some extent, but it also depends on ability, identity and status. When it comes to Fang Lin's situation, some responsibilities on his shoulders cannot be shirked.

In short, it is 'a heart of a bodhisattva, with the means of a diamond', with a bottom line and conscience, and never deduct what cannot be deducted, never exploit what cannot be exploited, but also never retreat at all where it should not be retreated, and never show any mercy where it cannot be shown, with both softness and hardness, and both firmness and softness.

But these are hard to say. It is enough to let Fang's mother remain kind, let Fang's father keep his own ideas, and do things smoothly at the dock.

"It takes three to make a fence, and it takes three to make a hero. Linzi, your squad has been opened, so send Hezi and the others in as well." Fang's father said.

He felt that his son seemed to have been planning something big. Although he couldn't see it clearly, he knew that it would never be a wrong thing to have more helpers.

"Yes, I am planning to send He Zi in for some training. As for Xiao He, her brother Meng Jiang can also be sent over."

In the past, Fang Lin thought Fang He was okay, but from the last quarrel between the couple, he found out that Fang He had character flaws. He couldn't even take care of his own family, so how could he be trusted to entrust him with more things?

If it were an outsider, he would probably have given up directly, but these were his own family, the same clan, and if they rebelled they would all be beheaded. In certain situations, loyalty was more important than ability, so he decided to train and cultivate them a little more and see the effect.

On the contrary, Meng He's brother Meng Jiang seems to be calm and steady in his work, and he can also be observed and trained together.

"I will also help Brother Lin. I have recently learned how to keep and check accounts."

"Yeah!" Fang Lin took Tian Xuan's hand and smiled, "Sister Xuan, let's start tomorrow and try it out. We can't just talk about it on paper all the time."

"Okay!" Tian Xuan smiled with her eyes curved. She is less than 20 years old now and has given birth to a child. She has a mature and youthful look, and her every frown and smile is full of moving charm.

The couple were chatting and laughing, and Qiuqiu in their arms seemed to feel ignored. He cried out, and the couple quickly stuffed a spoonful of soup into the little guy's mouth.

Next to her, Huahua was chewing on a bone, her tail wagging from time to time; she was obediently focusing on a bowl of rice soaked in chicken soup, wolfing it down.

Today, this guy Guaiguai came back with his front paws and lips covered in blood. Fang Lin and the others had experience and knew that this guy was in estrus and was jealous outside.

On a summer night like this, the family was chatting about family matters, the sounds of cicadas rose and fell outside the window, occasionally mixed with the chirping of some insects, and time passed like the bright moon reflected in the water, creating ripples.

……

When Fang Lin's "First Quality Weaving Workshop" announced the construction of workers' dormitories and the opening of skills training classes, the enthusiasm of the factory workers was greatly mobilized. Even though these two benefits had not yet been implemented, they had already become competitive and were trying their best to become an excellent worker, which made the party leader smile from ear to ear and even flatter Fang Lin.

Those workers who had been dismissed in the past naturally regretted their decision when they heard the news, and tried various methods to come back. However, Fang Lin's "First Quality Weaving Workshop" was not a place that would take in garbage, so it would naturally not accept these bad apples.

For all this, the Gu, Ma, Shao and Duan families did not use any tricks.

Firstly, Fang Lin has a strong background, and the Zhang family's experience is not far away; secondly, there are many people in the city now, and no matter how good the welfare of Fang Lin's "First Quality Weaving Workshop" is, it can only accommodate so many people and cannot affect them at all!
In this situation, would the Gu, Ma, Shao and Duan families have nothing better to do than to deal with Fang Lin?
Their reaction was to pretend they didn't see it and continue doing what they were supposed to do. Behind their backs, they secretly despised Fang Lin for raising his own costs and called him a fool.

Oh, as for the "skill training class", Gu, Ma, Shao, and Duan learned that it did not teach the Four Books and Five Classics, but was just to train stewards, so they had no extra thoughts. In their opinion, it was not a formal school, and it was not worth their attention to take the imperial examination. They also secretly despised Fang Lin for being a nouveau riche, unlike them who had inherited from generation to generation and had loyal servants.

Fortunately, Fang Lin was still nervous, fearing that the four parties might notice something. He was prepared to suspend or cancel the plan in case the other party overreacted. Who knew that he would end up fighting a battle of wits and courage with the air.

He knew that the secret had been kept secret. Under the circumstances, he would naturally not provoke the four families and cause trouble.

In short, under mutual contempt, Fang Lin lived in peace with the four families of Gu, Ma, Shao and Duan.

……

(End of this chapter)