My Daming New Empire

Page 361

The apprentices working in their official factory each received ten feet of cloth, a pair of shoes, a net hat, and a catty of sugar.

He has already worn the shoes on his feet. This kind of cloth shoes are really comfortable to wear.

Many apprentices also imitated the people of Ming Dynasty, using net caps to tie up their hair.If it weren't for the servant's clothes, he would really look like a Ming man.

The ten feet of cloth is enough to make two new clothes for the younger brother and younger sister. The younger brother has only worn a coat and shorts since he was a child, and has never worn a full set of clothes.

In fact, he used to be the same. Before he was ten years old, he never wore clothes.That is to say, since I came to the official factory as an apprentice, I will give out four clothes every year.

At first, he was not used to wearing clothes and felt uncomfortable.But now, he's used to it.In his view, wearing clothes and not wearing clothes is the difference between civilization and backwardness.

Malaka is backward, Ming is civilized.

The welcome ceremony was over, and Chawang quickly returned to his small house.This is Cao Sui's small courtyard, because he was so liked by the master, he also lived in this small courtyard, and lived in the front yard with two long-term followers.

These two long-term attendants have already married, and they have also become master's housekeepers. Their families also do some small businesses in the market, and their lives are very good.

This kind of life was also what he longed for. He had a home in the main city and served as a follower for the Ming people, so he would not be exploited by Rajas from now on.

But now, he wants to go to Daming even more, and wants to see that prosperous kingdom of heaven.

It is said that there, even the poor have clothes to wear.

He also wanted to follow the example of those Ming people and cover his hair with a net cap, but he couldn't do it for a long time, and finally gave up on this idea, tied the hair cloth and sugar with hemp rope, and raised In hand.

As soon as he walked out the door, he suddenly remembered the copper plates on the bottom of his bed. He quickly turned back, lifted the straw mat, and there was a string of nearly a hundred copper plates underneath.

As an apprentice, there is no salary, but Cao Sui likes to eat some snacks and fruits.Sometimes when his long-term follower is not around, Chawang will be asked to buy it.

As for the change coins, the master usually asked him to keep them. What's more, every time Chawang sent snakes over, Cao Sui would give him some rewards, which also gave him a certain amount of income.

Holding the copper plate in his arms, he patted it.Now it's time for him to find his second brother and call him to go home with him.

Along the residential area where the Ming people lived, we returned to the official factory area. At the entrance, there were several warehouses where the apprentices of the official factory lived.

The conditions here are much worse. There are only two rows of beds in one room, and each room needs to accommodate twenty people.

Everyone has no space of their own, and they all sleep together.If someone is sick and has a fever, they will be isolated and live in a separate small courtyard.

Along the way, he saw that many people had already put on net caps, and he regretted not putting them on, so he could ask his second brother to comb his hair.

"Chawang, come and find your second brother!"

"Chawang, let's catch snakes tomorrow!"

Cao Sui especially likes to eat snake meat. Chawang often goes out to catch snakes in the wild every month on holidays and returns to make soup for his master.

Chawang said hello to familiar apprentices, and chatted a few words when he met a good relationship.

Apprentices are also divided into three, six, and nine grades. Those who study well and are liked by the master will have a higher level in it, and they don't dare to bully them.

Chawang used to be thin and weak, and was often bullied.But once Cao Sui found out, he took him to tie up his other apprentice and beat him with ten lashes.

From then on, no one dared to bully him again.

And now he has learned a lot of big Ming characters, can understand official documents, can settle accounts, and has been reused by many eunuchs.Now that he is also a senior apprentice, no one dares to bully him, only he bullies others.

When he came to the window of the barn where the second brother lived, the window was too small and was blocked by the drying clothes. He called out to the second brother, but there was no response, so he entered the smelly barn.

A dark-skinned young apprentice saw him and said, "Yale went to the port to see the horses. His Royal Highness Taisun has a lot of horses, and they are being transported off the ship." Sun's concubine, so beautiful..."

Chawang rubbed his head with a smile and said, "Little guy, you know what beauty is!"

When they came to the port, many apprentices stayed in the shade of the trees by the roadside to watch the excitement.The constant stream of servants brought down many horses and various utensils from the ship.

They don't know what many things are, and they are guessing in a hurry.

He managed to find the second brother, and shouted, "Yale, it's already noon, mom knows we're going back at noon, and she's waiting for us to go back for dinner!"

Yale is stupid, he doesn't study as fast as him, and he doesn't like his master, so he hasn't been reused until now.

He said with a smile: "If you don't eat a meal, you can't die, but it is rare for a grandson to attend such a grand event. You are late, and the maids serving His Highness passed by just now, making people drool."

Chawang smiled and said, "Didn't Mom tell you to marry Xiadi last time, so you can watch later."

Yale curled his lips and said, "Shrimps are so black, how can they compare to women from Daming. The maids serving His Highness are all so beautiful, aren't those concubines as beautiful as goddesses!"

An apprentice named Mi Congee who had a good relationship with Yale next to him sighed regretfully: "It's a pity that I can't see it through the curtain of the carriage!"

After looking here for a while, Chawang finally persuaded Yale, and the two said goodbye to other apprentices, and walked out of the port area together, out of the inner city, the middle city, and walked southeast.

Their home is only five miles away from Malaka City, a village near the sea.

Seven years ago, the village searched all the family property and bought a [-] stone boat together, intending to go fishing in the ocean.But before the boat money was paid back, there was a storm in Beihai, the boat sank, and dozens of people died.

Half of the men died, and after that, life in the village became difficult.

Later, the village was annexed by neighboring villages, but people no longer dared to go to the ocean, and only dared to fish here in the strait at their doorstep.

Chawang's family was originally quite miserable, but the two brothers worked in the Daming government factory, and they were able to subsidize the family every now and then, so they can live on now.

Back home, there are two shacks, the big one is for people to live in, and the small one is for the kitchen.

There are less than ten iron pots in the whole village, and Chawang's family has one.Therefore, many villagers often come to Chawang's house to borrow iron pots for cooking.

When they were Taoists, there was still a queue at the kitchen.

The younger brother will come out.Some complained and shouted: "Second brother, third brother, you are too slow, I am going to starve to death."

His mother slapped him and said, "I know how to eat, go and chop the coconut you picked, and give it to the second and third brothers to drink."

The youngest sister is also ten years old this year. She has just lost her teeth and is afraid to smile recently.But she was closest to the third brother, and when she saw Chawang coming back, she stepped forward and hugged his arm. "Third brother, what did you take? Wow, so much cloth, what else is this?"

The youngest son brought by the stepfather is eight years old this year. At this time, he is also looking at the paper bag they are carrying with longing eyes.

There was also the stepfather and their mother's two little sisters, who also rushed over at this time, calling for brother.

Chawang smiled and opened a paper packet, revealing dark brown sticky sugar.He broke off a small piece with his fingers and stuffed it into his sister's mouth. "This is sugar, sweet or not?"

The younger sister tasted the candy in her mouth, her eyes narrowed with a smile. "It's so sweet!"

He gave the two younger sisters and the younger brother of the stepfather a small piece of candy each, and the children all laughed contentedly.

Their mother hurriedly put away the candy with some distress, and wrapped the paper again. "A catty of sugar costs thirty coppers! Don't waste it! There is still so much cloth, enough to make several clothes."

Chawang smiled and said: "This is all rewarded by His Royal Highness Daming, and the second brother and I each share."

Their stepfather said with a smile: "Your Highness Daming is so kind, he even sent us things, unlike our master who only asks us for things."