: Quite Wealthy

The thought of everyone Zhang Yang had met walking around with their stomachs full of excrement made him feel utterly disgusted. In the words of the observation subjects—[What kind of bizarre stuff did the game designers cram into their brains' memory?]

She rubbed her temples, feeling a bit of a headache.

"Sigh, the samples only said that the game from sixteen years ago was full of shit code, but they didn't say that there was shit code in it."

Zhang Yang really learned a lot this time.

"However, the observers always say that game designers add their own little tricks in some unexpected places. Could this also be the product of their inspiration?" Zhang Yang sat cross-legged on the roof. It was clear that she had been lost in thought for a while. The scene just now had such a great impact on her that she still couldn't recover.

Zhang Dami rested her big head on her knees.

Just as it was comfortably snoring, its thick, powerful tail was suddenly grabbed. Completely bewildered, it was gently half-lifted up. The tiger's alertness and ferocity instantly kicked in; it instinctively wanted to turn around and slap the lecher, but the moment it saw who had grabbed its tail, it was subdued in one swift move. Zhang Dami endured the humiliation, forced to remain in a bent-over position for the other to admire.

Zhang Dami: "..."

Zhang Yang: "Dami, do you poop too?"

Zhang Dami: "..."

Do you want to hear this? Is this even human language?

Zhang Yang lowered Zhang Dami's tail, sighed, and sat back down. Zhang Dami wanted to leave but was afraid of being hit; it wanted to get closer but was afraid of being harassed, so it clenched its tail tightly between its buttocks. Zhang Yang raised her hand, and Zhang Dami naturally offered its head for her to pet; otherwise, a slap from her would be far more powerful than a tiger's claw. Zhang Yang scratched Zhang Dami's head while worrying again.

Creating a model of the excrement inside a person's stomach, making it tangible, might be seen as a clever little idea from a game developer by Zhang Yang. But to also model the excrement inside the stomach of an animal-shaped NPC like Zhang Dami: "Is this what immersive pastoral life is all about?"

Speaking of which, manure is also a type of agricultural fertilizer.

Modeling poop from a farming perspective—

Hmm, that makes sense, doesn't it?

Zhang Yang's brow furrowed and relaxed intermittently, sometimes revealing a deeper confusion, and even his usually reserved expressions became more varied. To verify his guess, Zhang Yang decided to investigate.

She patted Da Mi's tiger head and said, "Da Mi, take a dump."

Zhang Dami: "..."

Its tail was tucked even tighter.

Zhang Yang decided to investigate the other NPCs.

He flipped over and jumped off the roof: "Uncle Yan, where is the magistrate's den?"

Fan You was about to answer instinctively, but then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he almost lunged forward and pulled Zhang Yang inside. A fleeting, sinister glint appeared on his usually calm face. Others might have assumed Zhang Yang was simply asking for directions to the restroom, but having spent time with her, Fan You had a better understanding of her background. He didn't believe his lord's sudden inquiry about the restroom was for her own convenience.

I'm afraid she'll do something earth-shattering.

Zhang Yang calmly asked him, "What's wrong?"

Fan You took a deep breath: "Using the toilet is a very private matter."

Zhang Yang: "So?"

Fan You said, "It is not advisable to spy on them."

If Zhang Yang were to swagger in, he might just stumble upon some unfortunate soul relieving himself inside, his face flushed from straining, while she stood by, observing expressionlessly. Zhang Yang dared to do that, but he didn't even want to think about it: "That's indecent!"

Zhang Yang stood there, processing his words: "Isn't it indecent?"

Fan You's expression became even more ferocious and desperate.

Good heavens, so the lord really wants to do it.

However, Fan You really wronged Zhang Yang this time. She didn't intend to go see her; she just wanted to interview her or probe her indirectly.

Fan You, enduring a headache, took a deep breath: "Yes, it's inelegant. My lord is not a commoner. You are a person of status and dignity! Such words are not suitable to be used, as they are easy to be ridiculed."

He remembered Zhang Yang's weakness.

"The lord does not want to be remembered in history for having a 'fondness for spying on people' when he rules the world and leaves his mark on history."

Speak like a human.

"A fetish of spying on others while they use the toilet."

Zhang Yang said, "I didn't do it, how can you falsely accuse me?"

Fan You: "..."

He tried his best to nip the problem in the bud, but he was distracted all afternoon. When his shift ended, he suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked Xu Jin, "How many roadside toilets are there in the county?"

A roadside toilet is a public toilet.

Depending on the local conditions, the size, number, and style of roadside toilets vary. Most roadside toilets are quite rudimentary and charge a fee, which is also a source of income for the county. However, the more remote and impoverished the area, the fewer roadside toilets there are, and even with low prices, many ordinary people still choose to relieve themselves wherever they are.

Fan You hadn't paid attention before, having seen too many places with chaotic governance, worse than Xu Jin's, and was used to it. But now things were different. Zhang Yang was like a thunderbolt ready to explode at any moment; if she saw those things, who knew what kind of trouble she would cause. Right now, with the heavy snow and wind, commoners were afraid of the cold and dared not urinate or defecate in broad daylight, so the filth in street corners and wall corners was also covered up.

Once the seasonal disorder ends and the ice and snow melt...

The filth was about to be exposed.

No, it needs to be cleaned up.

Xu Jin hadn't expected Fan You to have specifically waited for him for this matter, and said awkwardly, "Due to various reasons, I'm not yet fifty."

He's not even fifty; he's actually just over forty.

This is far too small for the county's population.

Most of the roadside toilets were located near the two city gates, which was to facilitate the timely access to the gold juice for defense during wartime.

Fan You said, "Build more."

Build a hundred or two.

Especially in densely populated areas.

Xu Jin: "...Yes, this was ordered by the lord?"

Fan You said, "My lord is refined but not wild. If she were to see someone doing something indecent in broad daylight, it would be unwise. The filth in the city's street corners has also been cleaned up before the snow melts... I will approve all expenses for you here; you don't need to consult my lord."

He had complete control over the finances, which was very convenient.

Xu Jin readily agreed.

After all, it was a matter concerning people's livelihood, and since the county government wasn't allocating funds specifically for it but rather the prefecture was paying for it, he had no reason to refuse. If Fan You hadn't brought it up, Xu Jin wouldn't have thought of this for a while.

Fan You even drew a special picture.

"This is--"

"The public toilets will be built according to this design."

The county's central road toilet was quite rudimentary, surrounded by walls on all four sides, with separate rooms for men and women inside. The number and distribution of the pits were unreasonable, and because they were dug deep, they were not cleaned in a timely manner, posing a risk of falling into the pits and drowning. Fan You then modified it into a three-sided pit, with wooden planks separating each pit. Holes were dug out of stone slabs, and removable wooden cushions were placed on them, which could be washed when soiled.

Xu Jin said, "I will send someone to do it right away."

Fan You also asked about the situation of the person who had been kicked.

"The doctor examined her. There are some bruises on her abdomen, but there is no damage to her internal organs. It's just that she hasn't been able to defecate for a long time, and her anus was suddenly put under pressure, causing it to tear and bleed. After cleaning and applying medicine, she should be better in a day or two." If she hadn't been unconscious, she would have recovered in a few hours.

The person who is in a coma is not an ordinary person.

By actively circulating star power, this minor injury will heal quickly.

Fan You suppressed a slight, almost imperceptible sneer at the corner of his lips. Although the scene was quite indecent, he couldn't suppress his pleasure just thinking about who it might have happened to.

Xu Jin asked curiously, "Does Shuyan know this person?"

Fan You said, "We have some past grievances."

Xu Jin silently made a note of it.

The county is currently lacking in everything except manpower. If Fan You hadn't mentioned it, Xu Jin wouldn't have remembered that the county's roadside toilets were in short supply. So, this time, more than a hundred extra toilets were built at once, and the whole process was not hindered in the slightest.

Thinking of this, Xu Jin felt even heavier.

Building new roadside toilets requires selecting densely populated areas, where vacant land is scarce. In the past, this would have required consultation with nearby residents, but not now. This natural disaster has claimed many lives, some even entire families. Houses have become ownerless, and land can be expropriated without the original owners' consent.

Of course, these all fall under the category of paid corvée labor.

The county government had just posted a notice to conscript laborers, and within half a day, they had gathered enough men; everyone was scrambling for the available positions. This scene left the registrar and others both astonished and bewildered: "In the past, when conscripting laborers, everyone looked unwilling. If they couldn't get enough, they'd resort to coercion. Why are these people... practically fighting tooth and nail for it?"

There was no fight, but there was an argument.

For example, the person who tried to cut in line got a severe scolding.

The registrar never dreamed that someone would cut in line for corvée labor.

Colleague: "He must be a man of unparalleled benevolence and virtue, and the people's hearts are with him."

The registrar glanced at him sideways: "That prefect isn't even nearby. Who are you trying to convince with these sycophantic words? If benevolence were truly effective, it could make laborers willingly perform corvée labor, and even mice would recognize a cat as their mother. Do you even believe what you're saying?"

Another colleague said, "The document that Magistrate Xu wrote earlier, besides mentioning the relocation of the prefectural seat, also said that corvée labor would be conscripted, and that the laborers would be provided with food and lodging during the period of corvée labor, and would also receive a certain amount of compensation upon completion?"

They had all seen this content.

But nobody thought it was true.

For no other reason than that no one had ever done this before. Corvée labor was meant to exploit laborers for free; only in very prosperous and wealthy areas might a small amount of food be provided to reduce the loss of laborers during the service. As for compensation? No one had ever heard of it, and instinctively assumed Xu Jin was lying.

But now, things are a bit uncertain.

They let one person squeeze to the front to see the notice.

The notice clearly stated the number of positions and job requirements for this labor service, and that applicants must meet the age and skill requirements to be accepted. If accepted, laborers living outside the city would receive an additional housing subsidy, which was not much, but it was frightening enough.

"This is really a case of having too much money and it's burning your hands!"

Ah, no, it's that too much grain burns your hands.

With the seasons in disarray, food is the only true currency, determining survival for the coming year. Money? Food is scarce; no amount of money can buy enough to sustain life. What truly fuels the enthusiasm of these laborers eagerly taking on corvée labor is the payment of grain!

Besides grain, there was also cloth.

These are all treasures that could keep a family alive.

The registrar calculated mentally using his fingers.

There are only a few corvée labor projects at present. The largest is the construction of a new prefectural government building, followed by the expansion of the city walls, and then the repair of dilapidated houses in the county and the construction of more than a hundred roadside toilets. These projects will all start soon, and the number of laborers required will be considerable.

According to the benefits stated in the notice—

The registrar couldn't help but gasp.

"The Prefect is indeed very wealthy." It's unknown how much of this wealth came from contributions by local rich families. However, taking from the people and using it for the people is reasonable. It's just that it's unclear whether the prefectural government, led by Zhang Yang, is genuinely giving it away or just lying.

We'll probably only know for sure after the corvée labor ends.

Tsk, it's not uncommon for officials to default on their debts.

Can ordinary people fight against the government?

The registrar thought darkly and unconsciously spoke it aloud. A short while later, he noticed several unfriendly gazes directed at him, their expressions seemingly indignant. The registrar and his companions suspected that if they weren't at the entrance to the county government, these commoners would probably have punched them.

He said, "Where did I say something wrong?"

Most people ignored him and looked at him with disgust.

Only one kind-hearted person explained, "The Prefect has specially ordered that, out of pity for our families who are waiting for life-saving food, we be granted daily wages. As long as we work one day, we will receive one day's pay..."

Registrar: "Daily settlement? Nonsense! Would the accountant even agree to that?"

How much work would that be? Not only would the accounts be easily confused, but personnel management would also be chaotic and unstable. What if people started working sporadically, or were instigated to stage a large-scale strike? That would be disastrous! The pay is already outrageous, let alone daily wages.

"How can you be so confused? You can't tell what's good for you."

Before the kind-hearted person could say anything more, he was pulled away by his fellow villager.

The registrar could still hear his fellow villager scolding him in a low voice: "What did you say to him? Don't you even look at his clothes? He's obviously some rich idler from some wealthy family, the most rigid and mean-spirited. How can he compare to the Prefect's tolerance and open-mindedness? Can everyone in the world be the Prefect?"

The registrar paused in stroking his beard, his face darkening further.

"Registrar, don't argue with these troublemakers."

The group then quietly conducted an on-site investigation.

The construction site has men and women, young and old.

Most of them are ordinary people.

"He's too old; according to our laws, he should be exempt from corvée labor. How much can such a young child move?" The registrar only realized after speaking that the Dou Kingdom was already a mere shell of its former self. He stopped the child, whose head barely reached his waist. "Where are the adults at home?"

They're conscripting people for such a small amount of corvée labor; it's outrageous!

The child, carrying a bamboo basket with blocks of wood on his back, was still within his weight and didn't get angry when stopped. Seeing that the registrar was elderly, she politely said, "There are no adults in the family."

Registrar: "..."

Are they all dead?

It was a fellow worker who helped explain.

The county prioritizes assigning corvée labor quotas to elderly people whose families have lost their able-bodied members, and young children who have lost their parents. The focus isn't on how much work they can do, but primarily on providing them with food to prevent them from starving: "It's said that orphanages and nursing homes will be built soon, specifically to accommodate these elderly people who have no one else to care for them."

Currently, this policy is only applicable to residents of this county.

The expressions of the registrar and his men became increasingly complicated.

The coworker said, "It was the Prefect who said something about the elderly having support and the young having care... basically, nice things we don't understand."

The registrar and his men remained silent for a long time.

On the way back, no one spoke first. Finally, someone spoke, saying, "The Prefect's family is quite wealthy..."

They really know how to spend money.

The registrar scoffed, "If you had that much wealth and were in that position, would you be so generous?"

No, there are plenty of wealthy people in this world, but they'll only complain about having too little, not too much. The vast majority of their wealth is extracted from the people, squeezed dry. Given that, who would spend it on the common folk?

"It depends on the person."

Only someone with a mental illness would do something like that.

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