Young Marshal: Many children bring more blessings, marry a wife who is as powerful as the world - Chapter 30

Chapter 30 Gaining a Limited-Time Buff—“The People’s Heart”

It had been half a day. Zhang Xueming, together with Yu Fengzhi, toured the entire Harbin. After all, “once a fool for three years,” in no time, Yu Fengzhi put aside her worries and happily indulged in eating and drinking.

On the other hand, Zhang Xueming began observing everything on the streets.

…..

“Hey! These Russian guys are really spineless!”

“Looks like they’re really on their last legs, the empire’s going down the drain!”

According to his memory, the Russian Empire was about to be defeated in World War I. The great mentor, Vladimir Ulyanov, would soon lead a retreating army into the Russian royal palace. He would cut off the Tsar’s head. This would later be known as the Great October Revolution.

Although it hadn’t started yet, the collapse of the empire was never an overnight matter. At this time, the Russian army in the Far East was already showing signs of the empire’s decay.

After a day of shopping, Zhang Xueming had quietly observed that the Russian immigrants in Harbin seemed to be holding their tails between their legs, while the Japanese immigrants walked around arrogantly.

He had originally planned to try the famous “Harbin Beer!” However, when he heard from his subordinates that the Harbin Brewery had already been pressured by Japanese merchants to buy it from the Russians,

He gave up on that idea.

“Next time, when I take Harbin, I’ll take over the brewery and drink beer brewed by our own people!”

As night fell, after a day of touring, Zhang Xueming took a carriage to leave the city. But then, he suddenly remembered something.

He turned around and asked, “Fengzhi, does your father have any businesses in Harbin?”

Without suspecting anything, Yu Fengzhi replied, “Yes, he has two grain shops!”

Damn!

The Yu family is indeed the grain king of the northeast.

They even have stores in Harbin!

But this is just perfect!

Zhang Xueming said, “When we return, let your father know and have him help me take over a few shops in Harbin.”

Since he was already preparing to take action in Harbin, it was necessary to plan ahead. Opening a few shops and sending some people there would at least help gather intelligence about the city. Moreover, the Japanese were so arrogant, and the Russian immigrants dared not speak out. He seemed to have a chance to stir things up and let them fight each other!

Although Zhang Xueming only had less than a thousand men under his command. In Harbin, the combined forces of the Russian and Japanese troops numbered as much as 50,000. But he wasn’t afraid!

……………..

“Hubby, it seems that Daqing is even livelier than when we left.”

As they returned to Daqing, before they even entered the city, they saw crowds of people walking, some on foot, others pushing one-wheeled carts, dragging their families along.

During the Republic of China era, the northeast was in chaos. There were many horse bandits. Recently, there had even been a plague of rats. Natural and man-made disasters!

Even the farmers who just wanted to live peacefully had gone bankrupt. And Yu Fengzhi’s father, as the grain king of the northeast was more aware than others of where the harvest was poor and where famine had struck.

With just a little encouragement from the shop assistants, large numbers of impoverished people fled here, like refugees.

At this time, at the “Far East Group” recruitment office, a large crowd of common people had gathered.

Thirty jin (15kg) of grain each month!

A salary of five silver dollars.

After five years of work, housing would be provided!

“This young lord is truly a great benefactor!”

“Choose me, choose me! Sir, look at my muscles! I can do any work!”

“I too! Please, sir, give me a chance to survive.”

However, the staff at the recruitment office seemed to be getting a bit impatient.

“Sir, you’re over fifty, what work can you do?”

“And you, we’re not recruiting women here!”

“Remember, we’re only hiring strong young men! The elderly, women, and children should find another way to make a living!”

When the people at the recruitment office turned down applicants, many people began to cry. They were refugees, having risked everything to get here to find a way to live. Now they were being rejected at the door. They felt like there was no place for them in this world.

On the carriage, Zhang Xueming furrowed his brow sharply. Because he had just started making moves, He had no civil servants under his command, only soldiers, and the people at the recruitment office were all assistants from his father-in-law Yu Wendou’s shops and 300 experts assigned by the system. These people’s thinking was simple.

Building factories was heavy labor, and only strong people could do it. So they only hired young, able-bodied men.

But…

If they had a strong laborer at home, they could just barely survive on the monthly five silver dollars and thirty jin of grain from the Far East Group. However, the elderly, orphans, and widows had no one to care for them.

In the original history, these people might starve to death in some deep winter, or they might become bandits to survive.

But now!

Zhang Xueming suddenly jumped off the carriage!

“Hire them all! Don’t care if they’re men or women, old or young, we need them all!”

“If the elderly can’t do heavy labor, let them move sand at the construction site, or clean industrial waste!”

“Women, for now, help the workers by washing clothes, doing the cooking, and when the textile factory is built, you can also earn silver dollars!”

Seeing Zhang Xueming treating everyone equally, countless common people were so grateful that they knelt down on the ground.

“The young lord is merciful! The young lord is merciful!!”

“Wuwuwu, quickly bow to the young lord, our family is saved!”

In an instant!

Zhang Xueming heard a system notification.

[Ding! Dear host, your actions have earned you a lot of reputation.].

[Antong Zhang Family, Reputation +100!].

[Gained a limited-time buff: People’s Heart (Recruitment effect +200%, possibility of labor unrest -1000%), limited for 3 months!].