CHAPTER 107: CHAPTER 101 CRAFTSMAN’S REGISTER

This is not good news.

Although turmoil has its advantages, she just started making glass, and trading requires a relatively safe and stable environment. With things being so chaotic outside, it’s very unfavorable for her to earn money.

Fu Tinghan had prepared a lot of materials. With the surplus of materials that didn’t cost anything, the craftsmen’s glass blowing skills improved day by day. Coupled with his constant formula adjustments, the workshop can now produce different kinds of glass.

One type can rival the exquisite glazed products of the present day.

As clear as crystal, yet shining with luster, some craftsmen deliberately added some color during the firing and cooling process. The blown glazed horse had a touch of reddish-brown streak passing through it, with its front hooves raised, looking even more majestic.

Such a beautiful glass product amazed not only Ji Yuan and others, but even Zhao Hanzhang and Fu Tinghan were astonished.

Zhao Hanzhang looked at the glazed horse presented with utmost care and asked, "Who made this?"

This question made the craftsmen’s hearts tighten. Ding the Potter immediately knelt down and said fearfully, "It was, it was me."

Zhao Hanzhang’s eyes swept over the faces of the other craftsmen, and she leaned forward, "Is it really you?"

A youth who had been silently standing at the back suddenly knelt down, "Miss, it was me who did it, not my father."

"You are very talented," Zhao Hanzhang said while stroking the glazed horse as crystal-clear as glass, "Apart from horses, can you blow other things?"

The youth was stunned for a moment. Seeing Zhao Hanzhang wasn’t blaming him, he hastily said, "As long as there are patterns and some molds, I can blow them, but..."

He looked a bit timidly at Fu Tinghan and whispered, "But it will waste glass liquid."

"Then study more and strive to improve efficiency," Zhao Hanzhang said, "In the future, as long as each craftsman improves in skill, I will definitely reward them."

Zhao Hanzhang was true to her word, directly asking the youth, "Do you want land or money?"

The youth couldn’t help but look at his father,

Ding the Potter asked nervously, "Will the land be leased to us?"

"Since it is a reward, it will naturally belong to you directly," Zhao Hanzhang said, "I can change your status from slave to craftsman, and the land rewarded to you will be your own."

Ding the Potter was so excited that his hands trembled slightly, and he pulled his son to repeatedly kowtow, "Thank you, Miss, we are willing to have land."

Zhao Hanzhang nodded slightly to Uncle Cheng, indicating for him to handle the matter.

The craftsmen standing behind Ding the Potter were also somewhat excited. If their skills were to advance, wouldn’t they also be rewarded with land?

Land was secondary, the key point was the ability to change from slave status to craftsman status.

The craftsmen’s eyes became determined, their hearts surging with ambition.

The craftsmen bowed and retreated. Once outside, they surrounded Ding the Potter and his son, full of envy, "Old Ding, you’re really impressive, rising like a carp jumping over the dragon gate."

Ding the Potter smiled widely, "No, no, I’m not that skilled, it’s all because Ding Yi is successful."

"Indeed, I thought people like us could only be slaves for three generations, but I didn’t expect the lady to be so generous, directly giving us craftsman status."

"Do you think if we make great contributions after becoming craftsmen, the lady might give us free status?"

These people were originally craftsmen, but for various reasons sold themselves into slavery, dragging their whole family into it.

From the day they became slaves, they constantly thought about reverting to craftsmen, but how easy is that?

The owner spent so much money buying them, how could they easily let them go?

Although changing from slave to craftsman doesn’t mean they can easily leave, their status is much freer. The key point is that craftsmen cannot be bought or killed easily.

Uncle Cheng also came out of the room, handing back their indentures, "Find a time to go with me to the yamen to change your registration, but before that, we need to sign a work contract."

He smiled and asked, "Do you want to sign for ten years or twenty years?"

Ding the Potter and Ding Yi exchanged a glance and asked, "Then, what about the wages..."

The craftsmen also quieted down, straining their ears to listen.

"The lady said, if you sign for ten years, both father and son, each will receive three strings of cash per month as wages, and your family can lease ten acres at half the tribute rate. If you can further improve your skills or teach an apprentice, you’ll receive a minimum reward of five strings of cash or two acres of land."

"If you sign for twenty years, the latter conditions remain unchanged, but each will receive at least four strings of cash as wages per month, and wages could increase over time."

The craftsmen couldn’t help but whisper to each other quietly, telling Ding the Potter, "Just sign for twenty years. We are craftsmen, even if not working for the lady, we would be drafted by the yamen. If they were to sell us to someone else, that would be terrible."

"And even outside, you can’t earn four strings of cash a month, plus the ten acres of land lease is cheaper."

Not all family members could learn their skills; some children just didn’t have the talent. What to do then?

They could only farm the land.

But in reality, as slaves, the land they farmed belonged to the master; they could only work for free, receiving a small amount of food each month, just enough not to starve.

As craftsmen, if they leased land, the rent paid would be about half a percent to a percent higher than that paid by free citizens.

Craftsmen didn’t understand why, but it’s always been that way among the people. Even for conscription, craftsmen served longer than free citizens, not to mention they had to register with the yamen, ready to be called up.

Although they earned more money than the average civilian, and lived better, they paid much more.

Therefore, Zhao Hanzhang went against the norm, reducing their rental rates and gifting them fertile land, which completely won their hearts over to her.

Although, according to regulations, the yamen could also conscript contracted craftsmen, personal connections outweighed legal restrictions, and the yamen would have to consult Zhao Hanzhang before conscripting.

If Zhao Hanzhang disagreed, with the Zhao Family’s influence in Ru Nan, they might escape the yamen’s hard labor conscription.

This is one of the reasons craftsmen liked to attach themselves to large families.

The craftsmen all swallowed nervously, looking at Ding the Potter.

After a brief consideration, Ding the Potter also felt it better to follow Zhao Hanzhang, so he said, "We will sign for twenty years."

Uncle Cheng nodded in agreement, "Then go pack up, and follow me to the yamen to change registration tomorrow."

Ding the Potter, excitedly agreed, turned and looked at his son with bright, shining eyes.

The craftsmen flocked around Ding the Potter as they left, "Old Ding, isn’t your cousin in Xiping County about to change to free status? You’ve returned to craftsman status, perhaps you can ask your cousin for some help, maybe your family can change to free status."

"Yes, yes, if we become free-status, the taxes we pay will be lower, and we won’t be conscripted at will."