Wang Xiao Ma said, "Madam, my father always says to kneel to heaven, earth, and parents. We also kneel to our benefactors. Madam, you are our benefactor, and it is not wrong for us to kneel to you."
"Yes, Madam, you are our great benefactor! We sincerely wish to kneel to you!" everyone echoed.
Bai Sheng smiled and said, "I am only providing you with an opportunity for advancement. All future endeavors will depend on your own efforts. Work hard, and I will not mistreat anyone.
However, I will not let go of those with ill intentions.
Furthermore, we at Hong Shu Po have prepared uniforms for all our long-term workers. Yang Ming will distribute them to you later; each person will receive two sets. Please go to the bathhouse and wash yourselves thoroughly. From now on, well water is available for your use. Therefore, I hope you will all pay attention to personal hygiene. Only by keeping clean will you fall sick less often and maintain good health."
Near the latrine with the septic tank, two bathhouses, one for men and one for women, were constructed. The bathwater could flow directly into the septic tank, but carrying water was a bit troublesome. Therefore, Bai Sheng specifically prepared several wooden carts for transporting water. Since carts would be needed to transport water for tree planting later, preparing them in advance ensured they wouldn't be caught off guard.
When the children heard this, their eyes welled up with tears. They could actually take baths, something they had never dared to imagine before.
Yang Ming distributed two sets of clothes and a piece of soap to each person. "Your bathwater must not be poured out randomly; it must be directed into the septic tank."
Wang Gui's son shouted, "Brother Yang, my bathwater can definitely fertilize two mu of land."
"Mine can fertilize three mu!"
"Mine can fertilize four mu!"
...
Bai Sheng thought that the septic tank would need to be expanded.
After the seven people finished bathing, Yang Ming gathered everyone for a short meeting.
Including Yang Ming, all eight were wearing identical green shirts. The words "Hong Shu Po Planting Department" were embroidered on the back of their clothes. From a distance, they looked quite impressive.
The people of Hong Shu Po had unified attire, but the planting team was the first to wear them. The kitchen and logistics team's uniforms were currently being sewn. The logistics team's uniforms were white, the weaving team's were yellow, the road construction team's were gray, the garment and shoe-making team's were blue, and the carpentry team's were brown.
Each had its own distinct color, making them very vibrant.
The planting team members looked at their new clothes, feeling immensely proud.
Other road construction workers looked at them with envy in their eyes.
"Master is truly clever; he even thought of this," a young girl praised shyly.
Another young woman added, "Wearing clothes like these makes us feel more energetic when working. Master is truly good at managing people."
"Madam is so fortunate to have found a man like Master; she has truly fallen into a nest of good fortune."
Zhao Da Zhuang, who was not far away, overheard these discussions and turned back, saying coldly, "These are all Madam's ideas. Madam manages all the affairs of the household; Master primarily handles matters outside."
The girls fell silent.
Zhao Da Zhuang rolled his eyes at them, thinking, "Why don't they pee and look at themselves? They can't even compare to Madam's little toe, yet they still dream of getting close to Master. Bah!"
Zhao Da Zhuang felt he needed to find time to talk to Sister Du. They shouldn't hire those flirtatious women for work; seeing them was disgusting.
On the other side, under a thatched pavilion, seven planting members sat on stones. Yang Ming, holding a thick notebook, explained the planting work to them.
"The first task for our planting department is to learn how to prepare soil. There is a soil preparation pit by the septic tank. The method for preparing soil is as follows: take seven parts of sandy soil, two parts of loamy soil, and one part of manure. Mix them evenly!"
Everyone turned to see a small pile of soil beside the septic tank. It was said that this soil was purchased by Master and Madam from elsewhere. They had to plant these trees well, otherwise, they would suffer a significant loss.
"The second task is to learn how to dig pits. The pits should not be dug too deep, as the seedlings will be buried too deep and will not survive easily. Nor should they be dug too shallow, or the roots will be sun-dried and die even faster. The depth of the pit should be determined by the height of the seedling..."
The members listened intently, occasionally sketching on their hands, hoping to remember the instructions better.
"The third task is to line the pit. What is lining the pit? It means putting some of our prepared soil at the bottom of the tree pit, perhaps a bit thicker. Then, spread a layer of fermented dry straw. This straw has strong water absorption and can retain some moisture when watering later."
"This method is excellent; Madam is truly smart," several of them couldn't help but praise. After hearing about "lining the pit," they became even more convinced that they could make the trees survive.
Yang Ming coughed to signal everyone to quiet down and continued, "The fourth step is to transplant the seedlings and fill the pits. The soil used for filling the pits also needs to be prepared soil. Be careful not to break the tree roots..."
In the thatched pavilion nearby, Sister Yang and Qian Zhao Di were sewing clothes. Sister Yang glanced over and saw her younger brother holding a notebook and systematically explaining things to everyone, looking very capable. She couldn't help but smile.
Madam trusted her brother so much, and he seemed to have grown up overnight.
Her brother was the same age as Madam, and Madam already had children, but her brother hadn't even seen a shadow of a wife yet. Sister Yang felt she should start looking for a girl for her brother.
She glanced at Qian Zhao Di. Although Zhao Di was only three years younger than her brother, Sister Yang felt she was not suitable for him. Zhao Di seemed diligent and capable, but she had high aspirations and would surely not be content with a simple man like her brother.
Sister Yang gently shook her head, mentally ruling Zhao Di out.
In the evening, Sister Yang called Yang Ming over. "Ming'er, you are not young anymore; it's time to consider marriage. Tell me, have you taken a liking to any girls?" Recently, with the road construction, many young girls had come by. Perhaps her brother could fancy one of them.
Yang Ming looked at his sister in surprise and shook his head. "Sister, I'm still young and don't want to consider such matters at all. I want to wait a few more years until I have some foundation. I don't want to find an ordinary girl casually; I want to find someone I truly love."
Well, she had called Zhao Di high-spirited, but her own brother was even more so and quite stubborn. Forget it; she didn't like to worry about such things. Her brother's matters were his own decision. Anyway, he was only 15, which wasn't too old. Huang Gou Sheng was 23 and still unmarried.
The seven members of the planting team discussed moving their families to Hong Shu Po on their way home.
All seven decided to go home and persuade their parents to move their families to Hong Shu Po as well. It was said that Hong Shu Po would be developed into a village in the future, and they needed to move in quickly to secure a good location close to Madam's home.
Although they were young, their entire families had changed significantly because of them. They believed that if they spoke earnestly, their parents would seriously consider their requests.
Bai Sheng planned to plant a few phoenix trees on either side of the open space in front of the house. Phoenix trees grow fast, and their tall stature provides good shade. The open space was paved with stones, but the stones could be easily moved, making digging pits convenient.
Osmanthus trees would be planted on both sides of the house, filling the courtyard with fragrance in time. Ginkgo trees would be planted behind the house, and fiery red maple trees would line both sides of the road leading from the entrance to the town.