Chapter 315: Chapter 233: Resident Life_3
There were still plenty of idle hands in the town, so recruiting enough people wasn’t difficult, and a few departures didn’t significantly impact the construction project.
"Yes, yes, yes." The man nodded with a foolish grin. Hearing the others chime in, he added, "We’ll definitely work hard and not disappoint My Lord!"
At this stage, Hamlet had yet to develop class distinctions. Instead, Lance had instilled in them a collective consciousness: everyone was his people, and they were all Hamlet’s People, fighting for Hamlet.
The man clenched the copper coin in his hand, but the thought of his wife and children brought a smile to his face and quickened his steps.
The new houses in Hamlet weren’t the longhouse type where livestock lived together with people, although the core structure was still thatched huts with wooden frames and mud-packed walls.
However, the design had been simplified. Most houses were squarely shaped, each with a small yard separated by a fence, where they could keep some small livestock.
Only by having separate spaces could they maintain better hygiene and reduce the risk of diseases.
As for larger livestock, such as cows and pigs, a specific area was designated for building pigpens and cowsheds, as collective management was more effective.
But at the moment, not many had enough money to buy pigs and cows to raise. Reserving these spaces showed that Lance was thinking far ahead.
"You’re back! The meal is almost ready. Quick, wash your hands and prepare to eat."
The man pushed open the door and saw his wife bustling about.
The man had always been proactive in helping manage the camp and had performed well. As a result, his family had been allocated a plot of land. In theory, this should have meant an easier life. However, with a three-year-old child at home, he still wanted to strive for something better for his family. So, he chose to work at the construction site during this off-season for farming. His wife wasn’t idle either; she shouldered the responsibility of tending their farmland and looking after their child.
"Look what I’ve bought?" the man said, showing her what he held in his hand.
The woman saw that it was a piece of fish and over a dozen eggs and gasped in surprise.
"Why did you buy so much food?"
"Heh! I got a job with a higher wage, so I’m celebrating," the man chuckled, handing over the items. "I just won’t be able to come back often, so I bought some good food in advance. The Lord himself said that eating more meat builds a strong body."
His wife, however, didn’t react joyfully. She silently took the items before speaking.
"You signed up for the job up north, didn’t you? The whole town knows. Do you realize how dangerous that is?"
"Don’t worry, Lord Lance himself is in the northern wilderness, and the army will protect us." The man had been afraid his wife would worry about his safety and forbid him from going, so he hadn’t told her directly. Now that she’d guessed, he quickly tried to reassure her.
"The pay is three copper coins a day! I only spent two copper coins on all this food. It’ll be hard work, but we can save money for our child’s schooling, and maybe I can even buy you a new dress."
Admittedly, the lure of such pay was hard to refuse. Everyone wanted their life to improve, so after a moment of silence, his wife could only agree.
"I’ll cook the fish. You sit down; you must be tired after a long day."
"Okay!" Hearing his wife agree, the man’s smile grew even brighter. He picked up their nearby child and said, "Thank the Lord! Life will keep getting better."
The issue was quickly settled. For this family, there weren’t many choices. All the woman could do was pray.
"May Lord Lance bless us~"
In their modest home, there were no grand pronouncements about dedicating themselves to Hamlet; what mattered to them were the tangible benefits that directly affected their lives.
But it was precisely these individual little homes that constituted Hamlet.
"The fish soup is ready!" the woman announced, carrying it out.
The fresh sea fish lacked an overpowering fishy smell; on the contrary, its freshness and sweetness were a delightful surprise for them, who had formerly lived inland.
The child, too young to understand all this, ate most of the fish. His parents didn’t mind, content with just a sip of the fish soup themselves.
This life was just too good...