readsfreenovel Chapter 97 Graduation Ceremony
Chapter 97 Graduation Ceremony
Chapter 97 Graduation Ceremony
Wang Wenzhou has been very busy these past few days, on one hand preparing for the wedding. He wants to make it a grand affair so he can earn a lot of money. In later generations, weddings have become a significant source of income for families. How could Wang Wenzhou let such a lucrative opportunity slip by?
Wang Wenzhou wasn't concerned about the soaring grain prices in Hanshan County these past few days, because the county's population had once again increased rapidly. Previously, the migrant population in Hanshan County mainly came from surrounding counties. This time, however, most were refugees fleeing hardship.
Ningguo Prefecture, which borders Hezhou, suffered a severe hailstorm. The crops that had just been planted were destroyed by the hail. With no way to survive, the people heard that there was a way to make a living in Hanshan County of Hezhou, so they flocked there with their elderly and children.
There are currently over 100,000 people from Ningguo Prefecture staying outside Hanshan City. Wang Wenzhou hasn't dared to let them into the city; his aim in attracting outsiders is to attract wealthy people. These refugees are practically penniless, expecting the outsiders to come and eat and drink for free. If this continues, Hanshan County's welfare system based on tax receipts will collapse in less than a month.
Wang Wenzhou could only order the construction of refugee camps outside the city for the refugees to temporarily reside in.
But many clever people sneak into the city, break the law, and end up in labor camps. Now the labor camps are overcrowded.
Wang Wenzhou had no choice but to allow some of the "advanced trainees" to graduate. Today is the graduation ceremony for the advanced trainees of the 1st to 10th sessions of the labor camp.
Wang Wenzhou stood on the high platform, his large belly protruding, his hands behind his back, and spoke with great passion: "Students, after two months of study and labor reform, many outstanding students have completely changed. They used to be rascals, rogues, and petty thieves, but now they are well-mannered and excellent students. I will now read out the graduation list. The students on the list officially graduate today."
Wang Wenzhou took out the list, glanced at it, and began to read: "First batch of labor camp, Wang Yue, Li Huili..."
Wang Yue, nicknamed "Two Blackies," watched the principal on the stage with tears in his eyes. "I don't want to graduate!"
One hundred students whose names were called by Wang Wenzhou walked out from their respective lines.
Wang Wenzhou began by saying, "Congratulations everyone, you have officially graduated today. Regarding your future plans, I offer two choices: one is to become a yamen runner—anyone who can run two laps around the county town within an hour can become a yamen runner. The other is that you can choose any profession you like. However, I must advise you: do not break the law in the future!"
"Thank you, principal!"
"I want to be a yamen runner!"
The trainees knelt down with tears in their eyes.
"Stand up, all of you!" Wang Wenzhou said angrily. "I've said it before, I hate it when people kneel! I'm not your biological parents, why should you kneel before me? Besides, I'm not your beloved pretty girl!"
"Haha..." The students stood up and burst into laughter. The principal was still as humorous and witty as ever.
"Erheizi, what do you want to do? How about we become yamen runners together?" Li Hu patted Erheizi on the shoulder and asked.
"Waaah..." Erheizi couldn't speak, so he could only nod in agreement.
"Yes! Everyone should become a yamen runner. Who's so stupid as to not take a government job when there's an opportunity?" Zhang Anran said with a smile.
"Exactly!" Li Hu grinned widely, overjoyed.
One-Eyed Li Hu used to be a street thug. Although he was doing quite well, he always had to bow and scrape whenever he encountered a yamen runner. Now that he could finally wear a handsome yamen runner's uniform, how could he not be happy?
Wang Yue, nicknamed Erheizi, was also dreaming about his future. Who could have imagined that a mute beggar on the street would one day become a constable in the government? Tears welled in Erheizi's eyes as he silently thanked Wang Wenzhou and Lord Wang. It was Lord Wang who had changed his life.
Zhang Anran was the same; he came from the eighth batch of the labor camp. He had voluntarily broken the law to enter the labor camp, and his fellow villagers all laughed at him. "How foolish! He actually committed a crime to become a prisoner; what else could he be but a fool?" Zhang Anran believed that in a few days, when he returned to the village in the uniform of a yamen runner, he would definitely make those who had mocked him drop their jaws in astonishment.
Wang Wenzhou addressed the other inmates in the labor camp, saying, "Don't be discouraged. Keep studying hard and reforming yourselves. Sooner or later, you will graduate early, just like these outstanding students, and return to society to start anew!"
"Clap clap clap..." The trainees burst into enthusiastic applause.
Wang Wenzhou recruited these outstanding trainees into the yamen runners for two reasons. First, to set an example for the other trainees, showing them that as long as they reformed themselves properly, they would one day be able to hold their heads high and live a respectable life.
The second reason is that the refugee camp outside Hanshan County is a huge time bomb. There's no telling when someone might riot. And the yamen runners haven't been increased in manpower since the last expansion. The labor camp trainees undergo daily military training, but those recruited as yamen runners don't even need training; they can start working immediately.
Wang Wenzhou's planned real estate project has now begun construction. Several "residential community" construction sites outside the city are starting work simultaneously. This has solved the employment problem for many people. The daily wage of fifty coins for construction work was considered high in the Ming Dynasty.
However, the number of unemployed people in Hanshan County was simply too high. Wang Wenzhou had Sheng Lei's Ting'ermei Clothing store hire some housewives. But there were still a large number of unemployed people in the city.
These days, thousands of refugees from Ningguo Prefecture are arriving in Hanshan County every day. The third refugee camp is already under construction.
Although Wang Wenzhou was a swindler in later generations, he couldn't bear to see the refugees starve to death. The refugees' daily food was provided by the government. Because of the recent soaring grain prices, the daily cost was not a small sum. Fortunately, there was revenue from the city entry tax; otherwise, the Hanshan County government would have gone bankrupt long ago.
Wang Wenzhou waved his hand and said, "Students, today's graduation ceremony is officially over. Finally, let's sing the labor camp song together."
"When the smoke of war rises, we look northward to the land..." The labor camp inmates sang in unison, their voices filled with passion and fervor.
Wang Wenzhou stepped down from the platform as the song played.
"Xiaoqiang, Xiaoliang, let's go check out the refugee camp," Wang Wenzhou said.
One hundred outstanding graduates watched their principal leave with tears in their eyes.
The principal's departing figure grew smaller and smaller.
Suddenly, Erheizi Wang Yue knelt down and kowtowed three times in the direction Wang Wenzhou had gone.
The other trainees, as if infected, all knelt down and kowtowed.
Wang Yue had wanted to kowtow to thank the principal for a long time, but the principal hated it when people knelt before him. So Wang Yue had to wait until the principal left before he kowtowed to express his gratitude.
Wang Zhixin watched the graduating students from afar, inwardly marveling at his young master's extraordinary talent. In just two months, he had transformed these scoundrels into promising individuals. Yet, the young master was somewhat unconventional; the magistrate of Hanshan County, the young nobleman of the newly established Earl's Mansion, insisted on marrying a courtesan, and even wanted her as his principal wife. This was only acceptable because the people of Hanshan County loved Wang Wenzhou; if word got out, they'd be laughed at!