Free Web NovelChapter 460: Chapter 253: Year’s End; Fourth Grade
Time passed in a flash, and the sky over Jade Peak County Town was soon veiled in a faint, cold mist, filling the air with a crisp chill.
After half a year of recovery, led by the efforts of the County Town’s major powers, Jade Peak County Town had now returned to its pre-disaster prosperity.
In West City, a seemingly endless line of cargo carts queued up on the main road, waiting to enter the Da Yi Commerce Association’s transit warehouse to unload their goods.
The winters in Xiangyang Prefecture were milder than in the north, but the biting southern winds still posed a considerable challenge for the common folk who worked outdoors.
Clad in only slightly thicker clothing, the workers in the transit warehouse braved the biting wind, tools in hand. They shuttled back and forth between the carts, carrying and lifting goods to designated storage areas under the direction of the foremen.
As they moved the cargo, the Commerce Association’s foremen constantly shouted warnings to be careful. The crates might contain precious goods from the headquarters in the Prefecture City—porcelain, silk, tea, and medicinal materials—or they might hold daily necessities for the locals, such as oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, grain, and warm winter clothing.
In the frigid weather, the workers’ breaths formed white clouds of mist in the air.
To ward off the cold, some of the Commerce Association foremen occasionally rubbed their hands and stomped their feet, or gathered around a simple bonfire to warm themselves briefly.
Other foremen stood by, strictly supervising the work to ensure every laborer completed their tasks on schedule.
Despite the bitter cold, satisfied smiles would occasionally grace the workers’ faces.
They knew that their hard labor earned them good wages, the source of their families’ livelihood.
Besides, compared to the days before last year, having food to eat, clothes to wear, and not freezing to death was already a tremendous improvement.
And for all this, whenever the workers had a spare moment, many would look toward a young man in the center of the transit warehouse, who was in discussion with a few other people.
That was the Boss of the Cheng Family, a truly good man who was considerate of them. Not only did they earn one tael of silver a day, but they also received two catties of rice to take home.
This was why they worked so quickly and without the slightest delay.
In an open area in the center of the transit warehouse, a group of men had gathered to discuss business.
"...Uncle Chen, don’t worry about those things. There are still seven days until the end of the year. It won’t delay the Commerce Association’s grand opening. Besides, we’ll also be holding a festival in West City to celebrate the new year."
Chen Kaishan shook his head. "I don’t care about any festival. Everything must be ready by the last day of the twelfth month. We open for business on the first of January, New Year’s Day. That makes it easier for headquarters to keep their records. Besides, you rascal, you were in secluded cultivation for months and only came out three days ago. If I hadn’t just gotten back, I would have assumed you were overseeing things this whole time."
After his last drink with Cheng Zongyang, he had left Jade Peak County to return to headquarters and arrange for supplies. He hadn’t been in the County Town for the past several months.
He only learned upon his return that Cheng Zongyang had actually been in secluded cultivation the entire time. This greatly displeased him, as he felt it showed a lack of concern for the Da Yi Commerce Association’s establishment. To say nothing of the fact that the young man was a Steward of the Commerce Association.
Cheng Zongyang laughed heartily. "Uncle Chen, you have trustworthy people working under you, and so do I. Look at them. There’s no need to worry."
Cheng Zongyang’s gaze swept over the men around him: Zhou Zhendong, Li Lu, Li Xuejin, Zhang Chuchu, and Li Yihuo. These were the men who helped him manage his affairs.
While he had been in secluded cultivation, they had handled all his affairs. Everything was orderly and progressing steadily. It made his life much easier.
Chen Kaishan shook his head. "Alright, I won’t waste any more time with idle talk. The shops still need to be stocked. Do you have enough people?"
Hearing this, Cheng Zongyang replied, "Don’t worry, the Celestial Break Gang has already organized three hundred men. The Commerce Association’s people will guide them, so there won’t be any mistakes."
"Fine. Then that’s settled. There’s still a lot to do, and I need to see to it all personally. We can talk later when we have time." Chen Kaishan did not linger.
Cheng Zongyang chuckled. "I have things to attend to as well. I’ll let you get to it, then."
After they parted ways, Cheng Zongyang led his men—Zhou Zhendong, Li Lu, and the others—over to several carriages waiting at the intersection.
Watching the busy workers, steam rising from their bodies in the cold, Cheng Zongyang turned to Li Lu. "Brother Li, make sure those workers are paid in full. That’s money earned through blood and sweat. If anyone dares to skim from them, you deal with it."
Li Lu smiled. "Don’t worry. The gang rules Steward Li put in place are very effective. Our men aren’t a bunch of ruffians and scoundrels anymore; they’re all trained. They know the code."
At these words, Cheng Zongyang glanced at Li Xuejin, who followed them silently in his long black robes. "It seems placing the Master in charge of the Celestial Break Gang was the wisest choice."
"You praise me too highly, Boss. I am merely doing my duty," Li Xuejin said, cupping his fist.
"Zhendong," Cheng Zongyang continued as he walked, "I’m planning to establish a holiday soon, called the Spring Festival. Later on, you, the Chief Shopkeeper, and Steward Zhang are to come to my home. I’ll give you your assignments then."
The three men who were named heard his words and agreed without question.
’This world doesn’t have a Spring Festival,’ he thought. ’There’s only the "New Calendar Festival" celebrated by various nations, which marks the beginning of the new year on January first.’
’But now that I have the territory, the influence, and the power, I can establish a Spring Festival. It would fulfill a long-held desire of mine.’
’I won’t even change the date. I’ll set it for the first day of the first lunar month. As long as we celebrate it every year, it will gradually become a tradition.’
Once they returned to the County Town, the men went their separate ways to attend to their duties. The most important task at hand was arranging for the upcoming grand opening of the Da Yi Commerce Association.
