Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
When Gu Ying heard the news, he hurried from the academy to the foot of the mountain.
There were no longer any sharp edges or corners in the cave. It was relatively smooth and there was no problem walking through it normally.
The density of the rocks here was relatively high. MO Ruyue was already very satisfied with the result.
The completed mountain tunnel was about nine and a half feet (three and a half meters) high and twelve and a half feet (four and a half meters) wide, enough for two carriages to pass through at the same time.
MO Ruyue’s mountain-opening method had opened up a new world for Lu
Shen. He felt that this method could be widely used in the future.
“It would be best to put up a sign above this cave.”
“For example, the Coiling Silk Dao.”
MO Ruyue rubbed her chin and thought about a nice name.
“Let’s call it Bright Moon Mountain.”
“Very good.”
Lu Shen immediately agreed with Gu Ying’s suggestion.
County Magistrate Wu had already received the notice and had already come
over from the five-hundred-meter mountain path.
“Bright Moon Mountain, good, good!”
“This symbol is the mountain that our Princess Ming Yue opened, it couldn’t be better!”
This was a great convenience for the people in Lianshan County, West River Village, and even Kaoshan Town. This was all thanks to Princess Ming Yue!
“Princess Ming Yue loves it!”
The few old men were chattering away, not giving MO Ruyue a chance to speak at all. She simply couldn’t get a word in edgewise, so they named the mountain
Ming Yue Mountain.
“Old Lu, you have to write a memorial on this matter and report it to the
Emperor!”
“Of course, of course!”
“Oh, right, right. Can I also use this method to open up the mountain between Lianshan County and the government office? Wouldn’t it be much closer to the government office?!”
County Magistrate Wu was inspired by this and felt that Lianshan County and the state capital could do the same.
“So Lianshan County and the state capital are also in such a geographical location?
MO Ruyue hadn’t been to the state capital before, but she had passed by the capital twice, so she didn’t pay much attention to it.
“That’s right.”
“That’s definitely possible. However, this matter still has to be decided through the higher-ups.”
After all, she was only the landlord of Lianshan County.
“This is easy to handle. When this lowly official drafts this memorial, add it together.”
“Old Wu, you should also write another memorial. We can present it to the Emperor together. There should be no problem.”
Lu Shen had tasted the sweetness and felt a sense of accomplishment in opening the mountain like this. He wanted to try again so that he could master the technique more skillfully, so he agreed with County Magistrate Wu’s idea.
MO Ruyue didn’t care how they planned. She just needed those old men to discuss it themselves. She called a manservant and asked him to go to the town to find Foreman Fang’s team.
“Where do you want to build a house now?
“Don’t tell me to guess first.”
Upon hearing MO Ruyues instructions, Gu Ying couldn’t help but think of the little toys that she had asked him to bring back from the capital.
There were a few shops in the village that set up stalls every day, and many people came to visit them. She thought that he should have guessed it.
“Do you want to build some small shops on both sides of the mountain road’s exit?”
“Wow, I realized that you’ve become smarter. However, it makes sense. If you’re not smart, you can’t be both civil and martial. Hahaha.”
MO Ruyue was so happy today that she couldn’t help but praise Gu Ying.
Gu Ying listened to her praise for a three-year-old child and was delighted.
The hundreds of mountain diggers had worked for a month, but they hadn’t even obtained a single grain of gold sand. They didn’t care anymore. At the very least, they would earn at least 30 to 40 copper coins a day, which was enough for them to live a good new year.
In less than a month, it would be the new year, and all of them were smiling. Some of the workers looked worried. What could they do after the New Year?
Especially for those who had less land.
Each of them carried their own food and went home with their own thoughts.
They had only taken a few steps when they were discovered by Lu Shen. He left
County Magistrate Wu behind and hurriedly called out to these people.
“Everyone, don’t go yet. I have something to tell you.”
Those people stopped and waited for Lu Shen to speak.
“After everyone’s joint efforts, we were able to break through this mountain so quickly and successfully. Princess Ming Yue said that she would reward you!’
Lu Shen waved his hand, and a few people behind him carried two baskets to the crowd.
When everyone saw the basket, their eyes widened!
The basket was full of coppers!
“Everyone will be rewarded with 30 coins!”
This time, the workers all cheered. This 30 copper coins was equivalent to a days pay.
MO Ruyue hadn’t expected them to be able to clear the mountain so quickly.
She saw that many of them had lost weight. She could still remember some of them. Some of them were still chubby when they first came, but now they had become lean and skinny after a month.
According to the usual procedure of opening a mountain tunnel, each person would be paid at most 20 copper coins per day. However, such a
500-meter-long mountain tunnel would take at least three months to half a year. How much more would that cost?
Everyone was happy to receive an extra 30 copper coins.
“This thirty wen is for Princess Ming Yue to buy you two catties of meat and have a good meal at home!”
Lu Shen was also happy for these people.
After all, these people had been working for a month. Every day after they finished their work, they would line up to receive their money. Therefore, they had already lined up on their own accord. One by one, they came forward to receive 30 copper coins, and they were all happily showing their big teeth.
“Don’t leave after you get your money. There’s something else I have to tell you later.”
Something else?
Everyone was guessing what was good about this?
When the last person received the money, Lu Shen stood in front of them and pulled County Magistrate Wu over.
“Everyone knows County Magistrate Wu, right? Now, County Magistrate Wu wants you to open up another mountain. The mountain that you’re opening up is the one between Kaoshan Town and Lianshan County, which is about the same size as the one we’re opening up.”
“You guys have experience. Are you guys willing?
“If you’re willing, come to me and sign up. We’ll quit this year. It’s going to be the new year in a few days. After the fifteenth and sixteenth, everyone will come to work. The salary will still be the same as before.”
This time, those people all cheered. In the end, all of them actually came over to register.
On the 16th of December, the Hua family, the Qin family, and the county magistrate Wu all came to the princess’s manor with invitations.
These few people seemed to have an appointment as they all arrived at the door at the same time.
Moreover, all of these families had come, and all of them were dressed very formally.
The villagers of West River Village had also arrived under the leadership of the old village chief and Wang Tiezhu. Of course, some of them, such as the old village chiefs wife, Mrs. Wang, Mrs. Chen, and the others, had already arrived at MO Ruyue’s place. They had originally thought that they could help out in any way, but now that MO Ruyue’s family had enough manpower, there was no need for them to do anything. They were all treated as guests of honor.
When the villagers saw the scene, they all sighed. This was simply too different from the past.
Who would have thought that someone in the village would rise to such a high position and become such a noble?
Previously, when MO Ruyue returned from the capital, although they knew that she had become a princess and everyone was in awe of her, MO Ruyue had always been easy-going and approachable. She only dressed a little luxuriously, so they did not feel that deeply.
However, it was different now. This magnificent princess manor made them realize that only those with the status of a royal princess could live in such a good mansion.
And these people were even invited into the princess’s manor to drink house-warming wine.. This was simply a supreme honor!