Royal Gold Magistrate

Construction was proceeding at a rapid pace outside the city.

Fang Zheng had allocated a large amount of land for building dormitories to accommodate the disaster victims.

The entire dormitory area consisted of three communities.

They were named “Happy Home,” “Sunshine Community,” and “Harmony Home”…

It’s not hard to guess who came up with these names.

The soup kitchens outside the city were still operating, as there were still many disaster victims who hadn’t been settled.

The followers of the Self-Reliance Sect had been dispersed among the disaster victims. Those who had already moved into the dormitories made those still at the soup kitchens green with envy.

Although they heard that the people inside were still eating porridge, at least they had a roof over their heads.

Lying outside, how were they any different from wild beasts?

But it was good that the government had announced that everyone would be gradually arranged, so people were waiting with great anticipation to be settled inside.

Chen Siwu was one of them.

He was already in his fifties, with a dark complexion, a face full of wrinkles, and a body as thin as a skeleton.

Originally, he was a follower of the Self-Reliance Sect. After listening to Fang Zheng’s passionate speech, he was filled with excitement. The day after he registered, he was told that the Self-Reliance Sect had been disbanded.

But at least the sect leader had given an explanation, promising that everyone would live a good life!

Sure enough, Master Fang was indeed a good official! He had publicly beheaded those other dog officials.

Ever since those dog officials died, the porridge outside the city had become thicker and thicker. They even added some yellow stuff to it, making the porridge smell fragrant and sweet.

Not long after that, a large number of people were recruited to build wooden houses outside the city. Batch after batch of people were led into the city, and then they came out clean, starting to work with great enthusiasm.

After that, he saw many familiar faces come out wearing new pants, showing off to other disaster victims, and then diving into the wooden houses.

Chen Siwu was naturally very envious. His pants were full of holes, and even the parts that weren’t torn were already very thin.

He hadn’t… changed into new clothes for seven or eight years, right…

But today, Chen Siwu was particularly excited!

He was now queuing in a long line. Today, he was in the third batch of disaster victims to be arranged to move into the wooden houses!

At the foot of the city wall was a young man standing on a wooden platform, holding a megaphone and shouting loudly.

Chen Siwu looked at the young man with gratitude.

This was Young Master Li, also a very good person. He could often be seen at the soup kitchens.

Everyone was happy when he came, for no other reason than that Young Master Li always pulled a few eggs out of his pocket and cracked them into the soup pot whenever he appeared.

Seeing Young Master Li meant they would get to taste eggs!

Finally, it was his turn. Chen Siwu could clearly hear Young Master Li’s shouts.

“Everyone, don’t rush! Don’t be disorderly! Everyone will have a chance. Your opportunity to get rich has arrived! Line up nicely, everyone!”

Chen Siwu was so excited that his whole body trembled!

Was Master Fang’s promise going to be fulfilled? Was it finally my turn to get rich? Even if I don’t get rich, at least I can live in a wooden house and have a decent life!

Chen Siwu walked to the front of the line. In front of him was a clerk.

The clerk, without raising his head, said, “Name, place of origin, age, and what work can you do?”

Chen Siwu reported everything one by one. The clerk skillfully used a small carving knife to engrave a row of characters on a small wooden tag with a string loop. After that, he was given the tag and led away by someone.

After the guards at the city gate verified the wooden tags one by one, a large group of people were allowed to enter the city.

Chen Siwu curiously looked around at the various scenes inside the city, his eyes full of wonder.

He had escaped from the village during the famine. If it weren’t for the disaster, he probably would have spent his whole life in the village.

Today, he finally got to see a big city!

Soon, he followed the crowd to a building. This house was strange, with a chimney constantly emitting white steam on one side. He could also see coal in the courtyard. A huge sign was hanging on the house.

It read “Public Bathhouse” in four large characters.

He couldn’t read and didn’t know what this was for, so he felt a bit uneasy.

The small official leading the group shouted, “Everyone, line up properly! Go inside to take a bath. Someone will help you keep your old clothes! Now, start going in one by one!”

A bath, so it was a place for bathing.

Chen Siwu licked his lips. When was the last time he took a bath?

Following the long queue into the house, a group of people entered the changing room and began to look at each other in bewilderment.

All around were simple wooden racks, compartmentalized, with several rows of long benches. Apart from that, there was nothing else.

Fortunately, the small official had also come in and said, “Take off your clothes! Strip naked and put your clothes in the compartments.”

“Hang the tag they gave you on your hand, then go inside to take a bath.” After speaking, the official pointed to the location of another door.

People began to take off their clothes mechanically.

The officials from the government, whatever they tell you to do, you just do it! Could they possibly want to steal those two pieces of ragged clothes?

Chen Siwu also stripped completely naked, then nervously walked in.

Inside were two large pools, a dozen or so large wooden tables, and scattered small wooden buckets. There were also quite a few people standing by the wooden tables, though it wasn’t clear what they were doing.

As soon as they saw Chen Siwu, they immediately said, “If you want to take a bath, go soak in the pool!”

Chen Siwu, hearing this, walked to the edge of the pool. Seeing that the pool was murky, with indescribable flocculent objects floating in it, he felt a bit sick.

So he pointed at the pool and said to the person next to him, “Ah… can we bathe in this water?”

The person seemed a bit impatient: “Why can’t you bathe in it? What are you being picky about!” After saying this, he glanced at the pool.

“Oh crap, you really can’t bathe in this. Wait a moment!”

Saying this, he picked up a long-handled fine mesh net and scooped in the water a few times, immediately removing a lot of debris from the water.

“Alright, get in and soak! After you’re done soaking, come find me!”

Seeing that the water was clean, Chen Siwu revealed two rows of big yellow teeth and slowly stepped into the pool.

The water temperature was just right! Immediately, his whole body melted into the pool as if he had dissolved.

The warm water gradually soaked his entire body…

Chen Siwu closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

In this instant, all the pain in his body and heart disappeared… It was as if all fatigue and troubles dissipated into the steam along with his sigh at this moment.

Chen Siwu only felt that his brain had entered some kind of mysterious state.

The subsequent people also entered the pool one after another.

No one spoke. They all had the same expression, closing their eyes and starting to enjoy it.

The pool became murky again…

After a while, a shout came from outside the pool: “Alright, those who have soaked enough, the hot water isn’t easy to replenish, and people behind still need to wash.”

“Hey! Don’t scrub in there, come up to scrub! Come to me for a scrub!”

Chen Siwu embarrassedly put down his hands. He was just about to reach out to scrub his chest a couple of times when he was discovered.

Hearing the instructions, he reluctantly crawled out of the pool.

Someone by the large wooden table was waving at him repeatedly.

Chen Siwu obediently walked over.

“Let me see your hand tag… Mm, no problem! Come lie down, I’ll give you a scrub. After the scrub, rinse yourself with a wooden bucket and then you can leave!”

“Oh.”

Chen Siwu lay face up on the table.

The bath attendant started scrubbing, and as soon as he did, he cried out in surprise: “Damn, what a mud roll! Brother, how long has it been since you last took a bath?”

Chen Siwu now only felt his face burning hot, and he muttered, “I think I washed the year before last…”

The scrubber laughed: “Damn! Alright! This is what I call a satisfying scrub! I’ll give you a good scrubbing!”