After receiving the order from the coal yard, Song Anhao, amid her busy schedule, found time to have two hundred recruitment notices printed overnight.
In just three days by fast horse, recruitment notices were plastered across the main streets of four county towns, including Songhe County and Yanshan County.
Two people were dispatched to each of the four cities to spread the word in crowded areas, ensuring that even villagers who couldn’t read would get the news.
“The Suining City coal yard is hiring three hundred workers—men and women alike. Daily wages range from fifteen to twenty-five coppers, spots are limited, first come first served. Anyone interested, sign up here with me.” A newly appointed junior supervisor, just a month on the job, waved the recruitment notice vigorously at the city gate.
This recruitment trip came with a bonus—not only a daily allowance of fifty coppers, but an extra five coppers for every person recruited.
With three hundred slots split between two people, each stood to earn over seven hundred coppers.
A burly man carrying a shoulder pole heard the commotion and rushed over excitedly, asking, “Is this the same coal yard that County Princess Linghui recruited for a while back—the one that hired thousands at once?”
Hearing this, the junior supervisor’s chest swelled with pride.
He smiled and nodded at the man.
“This is our second round of hiring. The coal yard provides room and board for those who live far away, so the wages are a bit lower than before, but the food is excellent—meat at every meal.”
At the mention of room and board, the locals who had been worried about that very thing surged forward to confirm.
“You really provide room and board, plus over twenty coppers a day in wages?”
The junior supervisor quickly explained, “Female workers earn fifteen coppers a day, male workers earn twenty to twenty-five coppers, minimum twenty.”
The burly man who had asked first wasted no time, jabbing his finger at the registration book.
“My name is Gou Dali. I want to sign up—write my name down now!”
The crowd swarmed in, nearly toppling the table.
Another supervisor cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Don’t push—one at a time!”
Standing off in the distance, Zhao Jinmin, the magistrate of Qingxia County, watched the scene unfold. Beside him, his deputy, Hai Wenzhang, felt nothing but envy.
“They’re recruiting all the way out here in Qingxia County. The County Princess’s coal yard must be raking in money hand over fist.”
Zhao Jinmin shook his head.
“They’re using the coal to fire cement, so they won’t see real profits until they sell the cement after the New Year. Where would they get silver now?”
The mention of selling cement made Hai Wenzhang anxious.
“Your Honor, given your ties to Prefect Song, could Qingxia County get our cement for free?”
Zhao Jinmin rolled his eyes at him. “Not a single coin for free? Impossible. At most we’ll get a discount.”
Hai Wenzhang: “How much of a discount?”
Zhao Jinmin turned and walked away.
“The price hasn’t even been set yet, so how would I know? Earliest will still be after the New Year.”
Hai Wenzhang chased after him. “Can’t it be sooner?”
Zhao Jinmin: “…”
The three hundred slots filled up within a single day. The next day, watching those who had signed up follow behind the carts, those who had missed out were filled with regret.
“If I’d come to the county town yesterday, I might have gotten in.”
Amid the waves of lament, a man quietly slipped out of the crowd and sprinted home.
He burst through the door shouting, “Wife, steam me a few corn buns—I’m heading to Suining City!”
The woman on the kang, mending clothes, was startled by the door slam. Seeing it was her husband, her relief turned to worry.
She set aside the half-mended garment and walked into the room, only to find him grabbing clothes from the chest and stuffing them into a cloth bundle.
Bewildered and uneasy, she asked, “What are you going to Suining City for?”
The man kept packing as he looked up. “The county princess’s coal yard only hired three hundred people here in Qingxia County. I’m going to Suining City—they’re hiring a lot more there. I want to sign up in Suining City.”
The woman grabbed his arm to stop him. “Once the slots are full, they’ll stop taking people. Going to Suining City won’t do you any good.”
The man said with certainty, “Even if they’re full this time, there’ll be another round. Sticking around Qingxia County means I’ll always be late to the news.”
The woman saw his logic, but the thought of her husband leaving Qingxia County weighed on her heart.
“Maybe I’ll come with you?”
The man glanced toward the child asleep on the kang in the main room.
“If you come, what about the child? While I’m away, take the kid and move to my parents’ place. I’ll go tell them now.”
With that, he headed out the door, leaving the woman hesitating for a long while before retreating to the kitchen to steam the corn buns.
