“I…”
The village chief paused, slapping his thigh hard.
Ordinary villagers might not know Qing Mu Lan’s identity, but the village chief’s family did. She was Qing Huai’s sister, someone they couldn’t afford to offend.
Yet, with his daughter being lured away by Qing Mu Lan, the village chief couldn’t swallow his anger.
While he was conflicted, he suddenly noticed Jin Feng standing by the cart, watching the commotion.
“Brother Feng, you be the judge!”
The village chief ran over and grabbed Jin Feng, “Tell me, isn’t Miss Mu Lan going too far?”
Jin Feng, “??”
He was enjoying the spectacle, so why was the main character dragging him into it?
“Village chief, I have some business to attend to. I’ll head off now.”
Jin Feng was all for Qing Mu Lan mobilising every eligible woman in the village to fight bandits. Why would he undermine her?
He quickly slipped away with Tie Chui and the others.
But just as they reached the village entrance, Tie Chui suddenly tapped Jin Feng’s arm, “Sir, look over there.”
Jin Feng turned and immediately spotted Qing Mu Lan leading a group of women soldiers, marching aggressively down another path.
“No escaping now.”
Jin Feng’s face soured, and he turned back with Tie Chui and the others.
Qing Mu Lan was a fierce woman. If she ended up beating the village chief, things would escalate.
“Old Liu, I heard you’re not letting Xiao Yu join the women’s militia. Why not?”
Qing Mu Lan’s voice arrived before she did, laced with hostility.
“She’s my daughter, and she has to listen to me.”
Though wary of Qing Mu Lan, the village chief couldn’t back down with so many people watching.
Unable to vent at Qing Mu Lan, he pushed Xiao Yu, “Come on, you’re going to the textile factory with me!”
“I knew it. You won’t let me join the militia because you want me to earn money for you!”
Xiao Yu, eyes red, broke free from the village chief’s grip, “I’m not going. You might as well beat me to death!”
“You…”
The village chief’s beard trembled with rage. He raised the broom, but Qing Mu Lan snatched it away.
“What, are you going to interfere with me disciplining my own daughter, Miss Mu Lan?”
The village chief glared at her.
“Are you stopping Xiao Yu from joining me just because of money?”
Qing Mu Lan asked, eyes narrowed.
“What’s wrong with money?”
The village chief, clouded by anger, blurted out, “I raised her all these years. It’s only right she earns money for me.”
“Indeed, that’s fair.”
Qing Mu Lan nodded, turning to Xiao Yu, “How much do you earn at the textile factory each month?”
“Last month, I made forty-one wen. This month, Brother Feng said wages would double, and I’m faster at spinning now, so probably about ninety-five wen.”
Xiao Yu answered honestly.
When the textile factory started, women earned one wen a day. After Tang Dong Dong switched to piece-rate pay, the women’s enthusiasm surged, and with growing skill, many earned over forty wen a month.
“Ninety-five wen, right?”
Qing Mu Lan nodded, “Xiao Yu, I’ll give you three hundred wen a month, plus the same benefits as the veteran soldiers under Brother Liang. What do you think?”
“Three hundred wen?”
Xiao Yu covered her mouth in shock.
The onlookers erupted.
“Good heavens, three hundred wen a month!”
“Even the guard team doesn’t pay that much!”
“Miss Mu Lan is too generous!”
“Xiao Yu’s struck gold this time!”
The villagers were stunned by Qing Mu Lan’s generosity.
Most men in those times earned less than a hundred wen a month.
“Miss Mu Lan, is your women’s militia still recruiting?”
A woman in her early thirties asked excitedly.
Her husband had died in battle, leaving her with a lame mother-in-law and two children, relying solely on her to support the family.
The hardship was unimaginable.
Though she now worked at the textile factory, she had no time to farm, and with her mother-in-law ill, the money wasn’t enough.
Hearing three hundred wen a month for joining the militia, she was immediately tempted.
“We are recruiting, but you must pass our assessment.”
Qing Mu Lan said, “If you join me, you’ll be fighting bandits. I don’t want weaklings!”
“I’m no weakling. I’ve been working in the fields since I was twelve, stronger than most men!”
To prove herself, the woman, A Pei, grabbed the nearby Third Aunt, lifted her overhead with ease, scaring Third Aunt into screaming.
“Alright, alright, you’ve got strength.”
Qing Mu Lan said, half-laughing, “Put Third Aunt down.”
“A Pei, are you trying to kill me?”
Third Aunt, legs trembling, swatted A Pei frantically.
A Pei, knowing she was in the wrong, shrank back and let Third Aunt vent.
When Third Aunt stopped, A Pei smiled and asked, “Miss Mu Lan, what do you think of me?”
“You’ve got the strength, but we also need discipline and obedience,” Qing Mu Lan said.
“Miss Mu Lan, don’t worry. As long as you pay, if you tell me to go east, I won’t go west,” A Pei promised.
“Alright, come to the back hills tomorrow morning. If you pass the endurance test, you’re in,” Qing Mu Lan said.
“Will I also get three hundred wen a month?” A Pei asked quietly.
“Yes, everyone who passes my assessment gets at least three hundred wen. Become a captain or earn merits, and you’ll get more!”
Qing Mu Lan announced loudly, “Plus, we’ll build dorms for the women’s militia, one room per person, just like the men. If anyone’s injured or dies on duty, I’ll take responsibility.”
A Pei’s eyes lit up.
Many of the watching women were also tempted.
“Miss Mu Lan, you make it sound great, but what if you run off if something goes wrong?” one woman asked.
Her words made others wary.
They trusted Jin Feng because he had factories in Xihe Bay. He couldn’t run away.
But Qing Mu Lan wasn’t local. If she left, where would they find her?
“This…”
Qing Mu Lan knew the villagers didn’t trust her and looked to Jin Feng for help.
Jin Feng smiled, nodded, and said, “If Mu Lan runs off, I’ll take responsibility.”
Joking aside, Qing Mu Lan was the sister of a provincial governor. How could she lack money?
Maintaining a team of about a hundred was no issue for her.
Even if she did leave, there was still Qing Huai.
With Jin Feng’s guarantee, the villagers’ doubts vanished. A Pei immediately said, “Miss Mu Lan, I’ll be at the back hills tomorrow morning on time!”
“Good, I’ll be waiting!”
Qing Mu Lan nodded, looking around, “Anyone else want to join? My militia plans to recruit only fifty people for now. Thanks to Mr. Jin, I’m giving our village first dibs. If you don’t join, I’ll recruit from other villages. Once we’re full, don’t blame me for not giving you a chance!”
