Chapter Forty-Seven: The Female Worker

"I'm back!" Dressed in purple, she didn't wait for the carriage to stop before leaping out, brimming with joy. Mo Dun, however, was far less cheerful. He suppressed his nausea and only began to feel comfortable once his feet touched the ground of Mo Family Village.

Carriages of this era had neither suspension nor tires, and the official roads were uneven, making the ride unbearably rough.

"This carriage is too bumpy," Uncle Fu commented as he descended slowly, holding his waist. Iron An was completely unconcerned, unharmed by the journey.

"Young master has returned!" Li Yi, upon hearing the news, hurried over at once.

"Uncle Li!"

Once on solid ground, Mo Dun had no desire to remain in the carriage and, accompanied by Li Yi, slowly walked toward the manor.

Returning to Mo Family Village, Mo Dun discovered the place had transformed; the entire village was like a construction site, bustling with activity everywhere.

"This year, we're planning to build more houses. So many young men have gotten engaged, and we can't have them marrying without new homes—it would be a laughingstock!" Li Yi explained, pointing at the vast construction area.

After the New Year, as the weather warmed, it was the perfect season for breaking ground and building houses. Mo Dun walked closer and saw that ten foundations had been laid at once!

He nodded thoughtfully. "Prioritize those who are engaged; solving the issue of bachelors is crucial. But we must also consider villagers whose homes are in disrepair."

Li Yi nodded, "Don't worry, young master. I keep a close eye on these matters."

After a brief tour, Mo Dun saw that progress was smooth and returned to the Mo residence.

Once settled, Mo Dun brought up the matter of recruiting for the bun shop.

"Recruiting?" Li Yi was stunned to hear the young master had opened a thriving bun shop in just ten days.

"Not just one—three more are about to open!" Ziyi added from the side.

"But spring plowing is just around the corner. The young men will be needed in the fields, and there's the construction of the fish wharf at Shibi Lake—Old Zhang constantly needs more hands. The village guard is also recruiting," Li Yi said, frowning. Mo Family Village was still mainly agricultural, and spring plowing required many workers. With all the ongoing construction, manpower was stretched thin.

"No one left?" Mo Dun frowned.

"Now, only women, the elderly, and children remain in the village," Li Yi replied.

"Women can do it! Bun shop work is even more suited to women," Mo Dun said, his eyes lighting up.

"Young master! That won't do," Li Yi protested. "How can women be seen working openly? It would invite gossip!"

Uncle Fu nodded in agreement, finding Mo Dun's suggestion far too bold.

"We are the Mo family; why should we follow all those rigid Confucian rules?" Mo Dun retorted.

"I doubt the women themselves would agree. Few would want to work publicly," Li Yi said, frowning. In the Tang Dynasty, only widows typically worked outside, and most women avoided such exposure for fear of criticism.

"That's easy to solve. Tell the women they'll work in the back kitchen, away from the public eye. Besides, the bun shops are partially owned by three noble lords—no one would dare cause trouble. And the pay is equal to the men’s," Mo Dun promised.

"Equal pay?" Li Yi couldn't believe it.

"Rest assured, Brother Li. You don't know how well these bun shops are doing, and with three more opening soon, it's a major source of income for Mo Family Village!" Uncle Fu patted Li Yi and smiled in agreement. This would remove any worries the women had.

With Uncle Fu's reassurance, Li Yi finally believed in the bun shop's potential. Utilizing the women would nearly double the available workforce.

"If the pay is truly so good, some will definitely be willing," Li Yi agreed.

Mo Dun nodded; recruiting female workers had long been his plan. More villagers were working in Chang’an, leaving mostly women and children in Mo Family Village—a situation that could lead to trouble in the long run. If families could work together, wealth would accumulate quickly. It was a win-win solution.

"This is wonderful! The biggest source of income for Mo Family Village has been the live fish business, but the secret recipe for live fish will soon be revealed. We'll lose our most crucial income. Now that the young master has opened bun shops, it's a timely rescue," Uncle Fu sighed in relief.

He managed the village finances, bearing the expenses for five thousand people—a heavy burden indeed.

"Don’t worry, Uncle Fu. Even if we lose the secret of live fish, the business won’t fail—at worst, it’ll take a hit," Mo Dun comforted him.

"Rest assured, Uncle Fu! The artificial fish farming at Shibi Lake is progressing smoothly—there’ll be plenty of returns. And this year, we plan to reclaim another five hundred acres. As long as heaven doesn’t bring disaster, the village’s crisis will pass," Li Yi promised.

Only then did Uncle Fu relax. Compared to last year, Mo Family Village was now the wealthiest it had been in twenty years. They had nearly a year’s worth of grain in storage and various businesses outside; poverty was gradually becoming a thing of the past.

Mo Dun had truly underestimated the power of wages. When Li Yi announced that the bun shops in Chang’an were recruiting female workers with pay equal to the men, the women of Mo Family Village were immediately stirred!

"I want to go!" Guo Xiaomei was the first to sign up. Li Xin often traveled between the village and Chang’an, and had spoken often of the city’s splendor. She had long yearned for such a life, and with Li Xin traveling, she needn’t worry about being separated.

With the first volunteer, many others followed—wives of fish shop workers, those in urgent need of money, and those who simply dreamed of life in Chang’an.

Soon, two hundred had signed up!

"Please don’t rush, everyone. We’ll keep records, and priority will be given to the young and capable. Don’t lose heart; there will be more opportunities in the future."

In the end, Li Yi raised the selection criteria, but it did little to stem the enthusiasm.

"Young master! We have fifty more candidates than needed!" Li Yi said, troubled. Even after filtering out those who didn’t qualify, there were still too many suitable applicants.

Mo Dun waved his hand decisively. "Take them all! Consider it talent training. The food business will keep expanding, and we’ll never lack for workers!"

His plans for culinary ventures went far beyond buns. He intended to bring future delicacies one by one—eventually creating a Mo Family Food City. When that day came, even the village’s women workers might not be enough!