Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Wang Erzhu felt as if he had been struck by lightning!

He had imagined being rejected for reasons like not understanding technology or being illiterate.

But he never expected to be unable to work because he was too old.

At thirty-five, he was a strong laborer anywhere!

Although the average lifespan was short in this era, that was just an average; as long as ordinary people survived the perilous periods of birth and development.

After the body matured, it was quite common to live to sixty or so with good health, no disasters, and a general supply of nutrition.

But he had only just entered society and hadn't even had a chance to work; was he not even going to get the chance to experience unemployment?

Emperor Jing also asked curiously, "You don't hire at thirty-five? How do older people survive here?"

"It's just that we don't hire them here; other places still do. It's mainly because there's too much work now and we need to rush, so we only want young people. Otherwise, what if an older person dies from overwork?" Liu Tieniu explained.

Seeing that he had said enough, Fang Zheng immediately interjected, "Brother, since you earn so much, you must have bought a house, right?"

He had to quickly trick some laborers into helping him work!

Liu Tieniu shook his head: "Alas, I can't afford it. After a few more years, I'll buy a small house nearby, and then life will be good."

Hearing this, Fang Zheng gave a thumbs up and said loudly, "It's good that you haven't bought one! It's better not to buy!"

The surrounding people looked at Fang Zheng with strange eyes.

People haven't bought a house, and you're saying it's good? Are you deliberately causing trouble?

Liu Tieniu's expression also showed a hint of anger: "What do you mean by that?"

Fang Zheng explained with a smile: "Brother, I'm a businessman. I'm telling you that buying a house is not a good thing!"

"I'm considering it from your future perspective. If you buy a house, it will definitely be more disadvantageous than your coworkers who haven't bought a house."

"How so?" Liu Tieniu asked quickly, and the others also pricked up their ears to listen.

"First of all, it's unlikely that you'll work in this one workshop for the rest of your life, right? With your talent, I think you can completely jump to another workshop with better conditions," Fang Zheng said eloquently.

"If you buy a house near here, it will affect your motivation to go to a better workshop in the future! Not only that, but you might not even get a raise in the future. The owner will think, since you've bought a house nearby, he'll definitely give the limited money to those who are more likely to leave, in order to retain talent."

"As for you, you live nearby, and you can tolerate a lower wage in order to save trouble, so the owner will definitely not give you a raise unless he has to, and even if he does, it will definitely be less than others!"

"To put it simply, your wage is equal to the market price of you as a person minus your cost of changing jobs, understand?"

"So... are you saying you're buying a house? You're buying a weakness! When you have a wife and children, you'll be even less likely to move. From the house to your family, you'll be vulnerable all over!"

Damn it!?

Liu Tieniu and the nearby workers were shocked.

It seemed like that was the case! The house had become a burden?

"Of course, I'm talking about your younger years. People of your age should go out and take risks, do business. I see opportunities to get rich everywhere in Pingwan County."

"If you buy a house, you'll easily be confined, and you'll also lose your capital."

Liu Tieniu listened in a daze: "But there are risks in doing business..."

"Risks? There are risks in eating and drinking! My dad and I traveled north and south and started from scratch. We went wherever there was a chance to get rich. Pingwan County is full of gold, and the risks can be said to be negligible!" Fang Zheng said with ease.

"You're all so young, don't you even have the courage to think, the desire to succeed? I'm different from you. I was born with the drive to fight. When I'm poor, I look at fair skin and beauty; when I'm rich, I watch scallops spit water."

It was the first time Emperor Jing had seen Fang Zheng tricking people like this, and he felt inexplicably nervous. Besides nervousness... he also wanted to stab him a few times!

You're not in the capital anymore, are you? Why are you throwing out all sorts of dirty words?!

Wang Erzhu was even more unbearable.

His mind was a mess.

Didn't you two come out to do business because your families were in decline?

At this moment, many people in the courtyard stopped what they were doing and listened carefully to Fang Zheng's boasting.

What this person is saying seems to have some substance!

Fang Zheng said loudly: "If you want to get rich, you need to dare to think and dare to do. I see that many of you are about the same age as me, so why can I sit on an equal footing with your owner, but you can't?"

"The reason is very simple. I have a life motto, and that is that I will never be poor in my life!"

"I don't have time to work for others."

"Life is short and fragile. A few decades will pass in the blink of an eye!"

Fang Zheng raised his arms and shouted: "Besides, your black-hearted shopkeepers make a lot of money, but they only spend two or three taels of silver each month to buy out all your dreams and time. Isn't that sad! This is naked exploitation...."

"It's fate that we met today. I'm going to tell you about my get-rich-quick experience, as well as the business opportunities in Pingwan County, and how to help you quickly get a raise! Everyone, do you want to listen?"

"We want to listen!!!"

As soon as these words came out, all eyes lit up instantly!

The whole courtyard was made to boil with enthusiasm.

Seeing that the mood was right, Fang Zheng smiled slightly, took out the drawing of the gift box from before, and handed it to Liu Tieniu.

"Brother, I'm looking for your shopkeeper to order woodwork. This is the drawing, and there are material requirements on it. I've already given him the money."

"I can't stay here for long, and I can't delay my business. Let the brothers listen to me while they work."

Liu Tieniu was stunned for a moment, looked at the half-made wheel under his feet, and nodded hesitantly.

Screw the construction period... Anyway, I earn a fixed wage. You bought me out for three taels of silver?

A get-rich-quick experience, business opportunities, and a quick raise, not listening would be a loss of one hundred million!

Seeing the drawing being passed around the courtyard, and workers bringing wood, Fang Zheng cleared his throat and said: "Okay, everyone work first, I'm going to start."

Everyone nodded in unison.

"My ancestors were all farmers, I am the son of a farmer...."

...

Half an hour later, dozens of craftsmen gathered at the entrance of the workshop and packed apples into gift boxes.

Then they neatly stacked them on the donkey cart.

Finally, they watched the success guru leave the workshop.

Coincidentally, the shopkeeper returned, holding a brand new "Winning in Taoyuan" in his hand, with a visible signature on the cover.

Seeing a group of his own workers gathered at the door, he couldn't help but angrily say: "What are you all loitering around here for! Have you finished all your work?"

Hearing his bossy tone, Liu Tieniu and others, with their arms crossed, sneered: "Work? We won't work until the wages are in place! Shopkeeper, let's talk."

"You.... you're going to rebel!!!"

...

On the road, Emperor Jing looked at the gift boxes piled up beside him and worriedly said: "It's right and proper for people to want their own house. Besides, Pingwan County is developing so well, and land prices may continue to rise. Wouldn't that be delaying them?"

Fang Zheng smiled: "You're overthinking it. Our Da Jing people all have an obsession; they must have their own place to live in their lifetime. My few words can't change anything. When they calm down, they'll do what they need to do."

"What about the workshop owner?" Emperor Jing asked, "You're making people collectively revolt and demand a raise; aren't you hurting him?"

"It's not hurting him; it's called promoting a reasonable distribution of profits. And this is an opportunity for him. If the wages are high, then he'll have an advantage in attracting talent. As for how to resolve it, it depends on his vision."

"If he doesn't have that ability, we can leave and I'll compensate him some money."

"...... Alright, but the money is all spent. Where will we stay tonight?" Emperor Jing asked again.

"Wang Erzhu still had more than one tael when we came, I saw it. Erzhu... let's find a better restaurant to stay at, and I'll take you to get rich tomorrow."

"Young Master Lu... this is all my savings. How about we squeeze in the cart?" Wang Erzhu carefully took out the only money he had left.

He felt a little gloomy... It seemed like he hadn't earned a penny on this trip, and he had spent all his money.

What if the apples don't sell?

"Give it here!"

......