Chapter Seventeen: Taking Shape

“What are you doing here, trying to join in the fun?”
Qin Zhen couldn’t help but laugh as he asked.
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you coming with me to catch fish?”
The textile work had been arranged by Qin Zhen specifically for the women and children in the village. They didn’t have the strength to venture out like the men, but weaving at home was a decent way to earn a living.
Only then did Honest Li come to his senses.
That’s right! He was supposed to go out fishing with Qin Zhen! A single fish fetched forty coins—who would bother weaving cloth?
Embarrassed, he scratched his head and stepped aside.
“As agreed before, those who helped me chop wood get priority.”
Qin Zhen, fair and open as always, selected more than thirty of the women who had contributed the most labor.
Of course, he wouldn’t have them work twelve hours straight; instead, he divided them into three shifts, taking turns at the looms.
Anyone wishing to work extra would have to seek the consent of the others.
According to Qin Zhen’s calculations, a dozen or so looms should yield more than twenty bolts of cloth a day. Based on the current market in Dashang, even the lowest quality cloth fetched at least ten coins per bolt, and those with brighter colors or finer quality could go for more.
After subtracting costs, their daily income would be about seventy coins.
It was worth noting that Dashang’s textile industry was quite primitive, meaning cloth was scarce on the market and sales were guaranteed.
This was a business that couldn’t lose money.
Now, those who had previously turned up their noses at such work and hadn’t helped with the timber were growing restless.
They began to clamor and protest.
Once Qin Zhen promised to build more looms and hire them, the women of the village were finally satisfied. They resolved to keep a close eye on Qin Zhen, never letting him slack off and jeopardize their earnings!
Qin Zhen couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear.
With so many people eager to help him make money, how could he not be pleased?
From that day forward, from dawn till deep into the night, the rhythmic clatter of treadles filled the air.
Women who had idled away much of their lives now worked as if possessed, night and day, with a fervor that seemed either the machines would break down or they themselves would collapse first.
Qin Zhen was both amazed and alarmed.
By contrast, the men of the village had a much more leisurely life.
Each morning, they either gathered at the head of the village or lay about in the mud, gazing into the distance.
Qin Zhen saw this and thought it wouldn’t do; he couldn’t let all those able-bodied men go to waste! So he immediately gathered all the men, young and old.
“Our village is better off now, and those of us with strength must take responsibility. We’re forming a village guard—if you’ve got the courage, sign up with Old Chen. You’ll be paid in kind, two meals a day, with meat.”

Who would risk their life just for a meal with meat?
As if they’d never eaten meat before!
Let the bandits come—only a fool would die defending this place.
Of course, for every skeptic, there were those who joined without hesitation.
Just as Qin Zhen expected, most who volunteered for the village guard had wives working in his weaving workshop. There was no need to buy loyalty with money; as long as their interests were tied to his, they understood that defending the village meant protecting their own families.
Under Chen Shu’s training, they might not become fierce warriors who hacked down intruders on sight, but they would at least become men who would fight for their village if threatened by bandits.
“If you don’t want to join the guard, that’s fine. The fishing crew is also hiring. Payment isn’t monthly but by the catch—one hundred coins for each trip. Sign up with Liu Quan if you’re interested.”

Fishing was a dangerous job, not just because of the sea, but because of the perilous times.
A hundred coins might not seem much to Qin Zhen, but to the impoverished villagers, it was an unimaginable fortune.
Many immediately clamored to join.
Those who neither joined the guard nor the fishing crew were left standing idly by, punished with doing nothing.
Qin Zhen, a modern man, still respected the villagers’ choices.
Not wanting to waste anyone, he proposed a third option.
“The village is in ruins and needs repairs. If you don’t want to join the guard or the fishing crew, you can help dig ditches, build walls, and reclaim wasteland. I have tools. You won’t work for nothing—three meals a day.”

Considering the physical strain, Qin Zhen even offered an extra meal.
Many were tempted by this offer.
Only a few lazy men remained unmoved, picking their noses and grinning foolishly.
For such people, Qin Zhen could only let them be, respecting their chosen fate.
Under Qin Zhen’s leadership, the once lifeless fishing village was abuzz with activity, transformed from bleakness into vitality.
During this time, the old village chief came to visit Qin Zhen.
“Zhen, I know you mean well for the villagers, but don’t let yourself take a loss, all right?” The old chief, having heard that Qin Zhen was using his own money to provide work, felt both pleased and worried. He knew Qin Zhen had made a fortune killing a bear, but even that wouldn’t last if he kept spending like this.
Today, the villagers all praised him, but if Qin Zhen ever lost money and couldn’t pay wages, who knew what they’d say?
The old chief was concerned that Qin Zhen was too young to understand how easily gratitude could turn to resentment.
“I also heard you plan to do business with those ruffians from across the sea?” the old chief advised earnestly. “People out there aren’t like those in the village. Who knows how black their hearts might be? If it doesn’t work out, just give it up—don’t risk yourself. If something happens to you, what will Juan’er do?”

At the time, Qin Zhen was working on a repeating crossbow. He felt a wave of warmth at the chief’s concern.
“Don’t worry, Chief. I know what I’m doing.”
Seeing Qin Zhen’s determination, the chief could only sigh and pray for the young man’s safety.
Just then, Chen Shu arrived.
“Zhen, the buyers for the pelts have arrived. Do you want to take a look?”
These days, Chen Shu had been leading the village guard on training runs up the mountain, and they’d hunted quite a few wild animals, accumulating a pile of hides.
Qin Zhen had asked Chen Shu to find buyers to turn the stockpile into cash.
Now, the buyers had finally come.
“Let’s go!”
Qin Zhen stood up and tossed his finished crossbow to Chen Shu.
The village chief hurried to follow.
At the village entrance, a crowd had already gathered.
A caravan of seven or eight carts blocked the road, their black-skinned mules snorting clouds of steam.
Villagers were already selling their accumulated pelts.
Bargaining was lively, the air thick with shouts and flying spittle.
“Old Chen!”
The leader, a lean middle-aged man in a blue jacket, his skin dark and weathered from years in the mountains, waved from afar.
“Let me introduce you,” Chen Shu said to Qin Zhen. “This is the acquaintance I mentioned—Lin San.”
He then turned to Lin San and said in a deep voice,
“Old Lin, this is my brother, Qin Zhen.”