1 JIN(Catty) = 600 gram(1.32277 pound)
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This year, Christmas in Sardinson County was filled with joy for almost everyone.
After enjoying their holidays, people returned to work in high spirits. Merchants jingled their plump purses, hoping such good times could come more often. Not long after Christmas, the New Year arrived.
In the days leading up to the New Year, Wei Wei and Felix gathered all the relevant personnel and held several days of meetings. They summarized the year's achievements, drafted plans for the coming year, and assigned each department head clear targets to reach.
In business, they had already conquered the domestic market. Though it seemed that Sardinson only ran shops locally and in the royal capital, they collaborated with numerous merchants from across the country. Goods from Sardinson were taken by these merchants and sold far and wide. After more than a year of development, Sardinson had become a household name domestically, and even some foreign merchants braved long journeys just to acquire their products.
In agriculture, they achieved enormous success. Almost all crops saw doubled harvests last year, with warehouses filled to the brim with grain—enough to feed the entire county for two to three years with surplus to spare. Although many new crops had yet to be publicly introduced, those that had—such as strawberries and tomatoes—also delivered astonishing yields. Many farmers were planning to plant them in the new year. Additionally, about 3,000 acres of new land had been cultivated. Though these lands were not yet taxed, the crops grown there were real assets. Seeing last year's returns, it was certain that even more people would want to open up new lands this year.
In animal husbandry, the method of raising castrated piglets gained widespread approval. The pigs grew much larger, bringing them a wealth of meat resources and producing a skilled group of pig farmers. Castrated pigs were easier to raise, delighting everyone. This method spread by word of mouth to the lands of other nobles. Many came to Sardinson to learn their techniques. It was expected that next year more would adopt their methods. Locally, some had already set their sights on applying the castration technique to their sheep, eager to see if it might yield more mutton. As for cattle, they remained as rare as horses and were still mainly reserved for breeding.
In terms of population, excluding transient outsiders, Sardinson County officially registered over 47,000 residents this year—an increase of more than 9,000 compared to the previous year. The majority were free citizens who had moved in, followed by bought-back serfs and slaves, and finally a large number of newborns. According to the household registration officers, about 2,000 newborns were recorded, although not all were born this year. Many were born earlier but had been hidden by their families to avoid paying the head tax. With new head tax regulations in place, these hidden individuals were now properly registered. Whenever a child was born, parents would immediately go to the nearest town to register them, motivated by the small rewards handed out for registration—sometimes a piece of candy, more often a few eggs, or in some cases, an equivalent amount of coin. As a result, registration enthusiasm was at an all-time high.
Lastly, regarding territorial development: over the past year, they had repaired major roads across the county, built numerous factories and residences, expanded Dingle Town, established a livestock farm in Uke Town, and grown the fish canning plant in Melk Town. Including Slot Town, they also had small salt pans, a pier under construction, and a new city being built.
All of these achievements explained why the entire territory was nearly worked to exhaustion this year.
And next year, they planned to cultivate even more land, raise even more livestock, attract even more population, and launch even more construction projects.
In short, their workload would only keep growing—there would be no time for idleness.
"Looks like we still need to keep recruiting people. How's the training going for that batch we brought in earlier? Are they usable yet?"
Although the government exams had officially only selected a hundred future staffers, in truth, they had no intention of letting the top thousand scorers slip away. They gathered them together based on their test scores and assigned them to different departments depending on their interview preferences. For three months, they received early job training. Those who performed well and wished to stay could transition directly into official roles; those who failed were dismissed, under the name of "internship."
At this stage, the interns were only exposed to non-confidential work—those among the top hundred were undergoing government training programs, while others served as clerks in factory management offices. They were barred from participating in actual production, especially at sensitive sites like essential oil and perfume factories.
These individuals were classified as temporary workers. To become regular employees, they would either have to pass future civil service exams or internal assessments.
Since the initial announcement didn't mention these details, participants were unaware beforehand. Those who later caused trouble were removed from the internship list, along with anyone who voluntarily withdrew. After some reshuffling, they managed to maintain a pool of nine hundred interns, who were assigned for training alongside the top one hundred candidates. As of now, they have completed their first month of internship.
Naturally, when the Countess asked about their status, all department heads and factory supervisors stood up one by one to report. In general, most interns performed well, though a small number were underperforming and under evaluation for potential dismissal.
"As we agreed earlier, anyone who proves unqualified must be dismissed. The internship still has two months left—keep observing them, and if they show improvement, great. If not, dismiss them early. Just make sure they get paid for their internship period," instructed Wei Wei.
Felix added, "If anyone's behavior seems suspicious, immediately inform the guards. Leave the interrogations to Birus."
Birus was a knight under Felix's command, specializing in interrogation, and likely to become the future warden.
They had always taken security extremely seriously.
The meetings dragged on for several days, and by the time they concluded, the new year had officially arrived.
January was the coldest time of year in Sardinson, but the people's hearts burned with enthusiasm. The heavy snow of winter did little to halt their steps. Although many outdoor activities were paused, everyone found ways to stay busy.
Just as Hank had hoped, with the arrival of the new year, the castle began selecting people.
To be precise, it wasn't just about selecting people—they were also making arrangements for the group of young serfs.
There was no choice but to arrange them. Among these young serfs, most were girls aged twelve and above. Girls at that age were ready for marriage. After a year of stable life, these girls had blossomed, growing from thin, small figures into vibrant young women. Beautiful girls naturally attracted suitors. A group of young girls living together became the prime target for the estate's single young men. Every day, boys hovered outside their dormitory, offering favors, boldly pursuing them. And naturally, the adolescent girls began to fall for them.
Since they had no parents to manage their marriages, these girls could decide for themselves. Though they were still technically serfs, as long as the suitor could afford the marriage tax, they didn't have to worry about the issue of first-night rights.
Of course, in truth, no one was worried about that anymore. Since the Count had taken over nearly two years ago, there hadn't been a single case where the right of the first night was enforced. Early on, when some serfs couldn't afford the marriage tax but still wanted to marry, they had gone to the castle to petition. Even then, the Count didn't claim the bride's first night nor grant it to others. Instead, he simply required the newlyweds to work a few extra days to make up for the tax shortfall.
After that, more and more people became eager to marry. And once everyone became wealthier, paying the marriage tax was no longer a burden. Previously, there were always more boys than girls on the estate—boys could work, and girls often had to be married off for dowry, fetching little value—so boys' survival rates were higher. Single men had a hard time finding wives. Even among serfs, families with daughters could be choosy about a prospective son-in-law's background and character, often demanding generous betrothal gifts. Some greedy parents would sell their daughters, accepting the gifts without even providing a proper dowry, sending the girl off with nothing but old clothes and bedding.
But these newly arrived young serfs were different. They had been sold individually, almost sold to brothels by their parents. Naturally, their appearances were decent—if not stunningly beautiful, then at least above average and pleasant-looking. With no parents meddling in their marriages, anyone willing to marry them would have their betrothal gifts fully returned—essentially a free wife. A pretty, capable, and educated wife at that! Who wouldn't want such a match?
Thus, these girls became very popular. Each had several suitors vying for her attention, showing endless warmth and enthusiasm. The young girls, living together day after day, formed strong bonds, and naturally, many fell in love. On Christmas, many young men invited their beloveds out for dates, strolling through the bustling Dingle Town, finding quiet scenic spots to confess their feelings, and pulling out pre-prepared engagement rings to propose on one knee.
How could a young girl resist such romance? Blushing shyly, many agreed immediately. The successful suitors, overjoyed, rushed home to start planning their weddings.
Winter was the off-season for farming—perfect for holding weddings. Moreover, many thought the Count and Countess's wedding date was auspicious, so they too planned to marry on February 1st.
However, weddings held in the church required reservations, and serfs had to report to their lord and pay marriage taxes. So these young men braved the snow, carrying their prepared taxes, and went to the girls' dormitory to escort their fiancées to the castle for registration.
Arriving at the dormitory, they quickly realized—there were many others with the same plan. Recognizing familiar faces, they struck up conversations and soon learned that everyone was there to report their marriage plans.
All of them chose today because the girls had a collective day off.
Realizing this, a bad feeling settled in.
"When are you planning to marry?"
"February 1st. You?"
"Me too."
A glance exchanged—both planned to marry on the same day.
Sharing the same wedding date meant competing for the use of the church.
Their eyes subtly sharpened with rivalry. Without another word, they quickened their pace, each determined to be the first to reach the castle and claim the ideal time slot.
The young men, despite their competitive tension, kept their heads down and pressed forward through the heavy snow. Carriages refused to run in such weather for fear of slipping and overturning, so they could only walk.
Meanwhile, the girls were already prepared—dressed in clean clothes, faces and hands washed, hair neatly combed, and adorned with simple but pretty accessories—excitedly waiting for their sweethearts.
Unlike the boys, these girls, who had lived and worked together daily, maintained warm, genuine friendships. Even knowing they might marry on the same day, there was no conflict among them. While marrying on the Countess's wedding day was appealing, even if it didn't happen, they had no complaints.
After all, just a year ago, these girls had feared being sold by their parents into filthy brothels, living lives worse than death. They had once dared to hope they might marry like normal women—but they thought it would only happen after enduring countless hardships, and only if they were lucky enough to survive being exploited and discarded. In their minds, if they survived, they might be sold as slaves to some poor man who couldn't afford a proper wife, destined for a life of hard labor, beatings, and watching their children sold off in turn.
This wasn't their imagination—it was the grim reality they had seen in the slums of the royal capital. Many of their mothers had met such fates.
Now, they lived good, ordinary lives: full bellies, steady work, opportunities for learning—and now, even marriage to someone they chose and who loved them back.
For these girls, this was heaven itself.
One by one, the girls were picked up by their suitors and headed off to the castle to report their marriages.
Left behind, Hank, exempt from teaching due to the snow, watched the departing girls with a faint sense of regret.
"Brother, what's wrong?" asked Chimi, who stood beside him at the doorway.
"Nothing, just a little regret," Hank replied.
"Regret what?"
"Regret that they're getting married," another voice chimed in nearby.
Hank and Chimi turned to see a young girl about Hank's age. She had chestnut hair and eyes, and was strikingly beautiful, but carried a cold air about her. Her name was Mona. She kept a low profile but was one of Hank's fiercest academic rivals, excelling not only in her studies but also in swordsmanship—praised often for being a rare talent in both arts and arms, highly favored for prospects.
Chimi looked puzzled. "Why? Isn't getting married a good thing?"
Mona, never much of a talker, didn't answer but looked toward Hank.
Hank patted his little brother's head and explained, "It's not that it's bad. It's just that once they're married, things will change."
"Change how?"
"Once married, they'll move out. They probably won't continue studying with us."
It wasn't just about the girls' willingness—their husbands' expectations mattered too. In this era, marriage meant a woman was expected to manage the household and bear children. A newlywed woman wouldn't have much personal time, and by agreeing to marriage, they were essentially agreeing to give up that independence. Even if they delayed marriage after engagement, it was clear most of them were ready to leave this life behind.
Their teacher, Miss Qin, had said at the beginning: that if any of them wished to leave and live independently, the estate would help settle them in the serf villages. No one had left back then—but now, with marriage, many would.
Realizing dawning, Chimi asked, shocked, "If they stop studying, does that mean they can't be chosen by the castle anymore?!"
He had recently overheard many discussions between Hank and others about how the castle might soon start selecting maids—and being single was a crucial criterion. Married girls were rarely chosen. Even among those who entered single, marriage and pregnancy later could mean losing their positions. Nowadays, with Lady Wei Wei in charge, pregnant maids might instead get generous maternity leave and be welcomed back afterward.
Still, if the selection was imminent, the girls who rushed into marriage now were giving up that opportunity.
For them, it was a real pity—they could have secured excellent jobs that would have greatly improved their lives.
Mona suddenly spoke, "So you do know the castle is about to select staff."
Hank replied casually, "You know it too."
Naturally, knights teaching the children had informed promising candidates like Mona. She was seen as a potential future bodyguard maid for Lady Wei Wei—just like Miss Qin was already treated as a reserve chief maid.
Mona nodded thoughtfully. "Looks like it's true."
Hank nodded back. "I think others know as well."
Mona gave him a glance, then turned and left, tossing over her shoulder, "Hope to see you at the castle."
"Same to you," Hank called after her.
He turned back, gazing at the distant castle, full of expectation.
Meanwhile, inside the castle, when Wei Wei heard that a group of serfs had come to apply for marriage, she wasn't surprised. But when she learned the brides were the very young serfs she had been raising for almost a year, she felt a bit dumbfounded—and a pang of sadness, like a farmer whose tender cabbage had been devoured by pigs.
They were still such little cabbages!
But everyone had their path. Though the idea of such young marriages made her uncomfortable, she suppressed her modern views and asked the attending servant, "How many couples?"
"About thirty couples. None have registered yet—they're arguing about who should go first and nearly got into a fight."
Wei Wei sighed—thirty out of two hundred were gone just like that. She asked curiously, "Why fight over going first? Isn't that unnecessary?"
The servant glanced up at her, then quickly lowered his head and explained, "They all want to get married on February 1st. But with only one church, even with multiple ceremonies a day, there won't be enough slots."
February 1st—her wedding anniversary! These kids liked to join the festivities.
Wei Wei laughed and shook her head. "Since they all want to marry that day, arrange a group wedding. That way, Father Matthew won't have to exhaust himself performing thirty ceremonies."
The servant nodded and hurried off to inform Butler Barton, who had been fretting over the situation.
Wei Wei, meanwhile, made a mental note:
She had to make plans for the remaining children too—or else more "pigs" would soon come and trample her precious cabbages!