Banished Prince Charming

Chapter 78 - Work Delegations

The wild boar that had sacrificed itself for the citizens of GraceHaven had finally been spruced up on a large roasting pit. The wild boar was halved this time from its spine so that it would take a shorter time for it to be well done.

Certain parts of the meat had been missing from it since Kahla had taken them and place it in a cauldron of brine to preserve it. This would be turned into seasoned minced meat to be prepared as fillings in the bread-making or even steamed buns.

It had been some time since Kayla had prepared the steamed buns because this time there was only 18 of us. Now, every household has their own rocket stove, a 3 layered 14" steamer basket, cauldron, kettle pot and also a large clay frying wok with assortments of ladles, spoons and bowls.

The meat near the shoulders was taken for the preparation of the seasoned minced meat and since meat when aced in brine and periodically the water would be replaced to ensure no spoilage.

When the wild boar was placed on the roasting pit, the fat on the meat sizzled and spluttered and dropped on the embers below, creating small fires to ignite and dance around it.

Firewood was soon stoked and left to burn slowly while some men had turned the meat around to ensure it is being roasted to perfection. Kayla had prepared a small bowl of seasonings which consists mainly of crushed black pepper and salt which was being sprinkled on sides of the meat that had been roasted for some time.

The scent of roasted meat soon filled the air, along with the scent of a variety of bread that were made into milky sweet corn kernel bread, chewy cheese bread, cinnamon bread and fruity peach bread and berries fillings.

The bread that was prepared for the livestock had been ready and it was left to be air-cool. The pigs have their own bread while the horses, goats and even the jungle fowls would be able to share the same type of bread.

Even if the jungle fowls were included in the bread sharing scheme and they're just happy to have half a loaf of shredded bread that would be shared with each other.

As usual, Sir Blackie was having his trotters that had been prepared earlier and left to cool since it was basically used to roast the meat as a trial for the baking ovens. The fat from the trotters would somehow like the insides of the oven so that it would give more durability, as Kayla mentioned.

Soon platters of glorious food were served on the dining area, each had equal portions and lastly, when the roasted meat had been fully roasted, it was sliced and placed on a heap on each platter. There were no sauces that time and it was just to tear the meat, chew and swallow.

There were loaves of bread, and of course, the signature thick gruel made up of sliced potatoes, carrots, celery, onion stalks, garlic shoots and some other edible plants with salt and pepper for taste. It was simple but it was a sight as one would say, "Eat together to stay together."

=*=

"Hey Chadwell, you ready to go mining once the projects in the village have finally done? It's been like 10 days we have gone mime-diving for ores and coals. Why not check up on old Jack if he does need those ores to make pig irons or something?" Edinburgh egged Chadwell on to inquire since he was pretty acquainted with Jack at the blacksmith.

"Yeah, chappie... I think Sir mentioned that we just require to supply him ores and coals about 4 times a month for 5 sacks each. Not that bad though, even us I missed holding those coins, but in actual fact, we earned more here in GraceHaven rather than anywhere else."

Hereford mentioned but compared to the luxury they were experiencing now compared to their past well-developed town, he concluded that GraceHaven is sure going to surpass other towns despite its size.

"Hmm, sure I would ask him. But so far I had not seen fire up his ores to make pig iron since he was busy smelting the other day I make the door for the oven. Your wife and daughters were happy to work in the bakery, don't you think, Innes?"

"Yeah... It is a good thing, she even commented on the baking ovens that she worked is simpler compared to the ones back in town. She doesn't have to bend over to scoop the bread and here she just pull the metal racks and the two trays of 2 dozen bread come out, just like that."

"No more back-breaking work for her. The children seemed to enjoy their work too." Innes added after the wife claimed that the job is easier than she thought.

"Oh all right, I bring it up to Jack so he could highlight it to Sir later on. It wouldn't be nice to override the chain if command, but by the way, I don't think I would be able to join the mining team, as I think our Sir has some plans for me once I've gotten better though. Why don't we get one of Ashworth's son to replace me? Hmm, nevermind I see what I can discuss with."

=*=

A short while later, after the midday meal, Chadwell approached Jack and the Industry Minister Ben was summoned to discuss the matters at heart with me in presence.

"Good morn Sir, as you can see, the injury that I've sustained from the wolf's attack had been better and now I am almost able to put my whole weight on my leg. I had been wanting to go and do some mining but I recalled the time when you told me that I would be placed to watch over this village and prevent the same occurrences before, do you remember that?"

I thought for a while and remembered that I did announce to him that evening that he would be in place to ensure that no vices such as gambling exists and no gambling paraphernalia would be in anyone's possessions at all times.

"Ah yes, Chadwell I do remember. So what would you like me to impose? Get you started back on the mines or stay back here as a night watchmen? At least you would be able to patrol after everyone had gone back and ensured there are no loopholes where security around the village could be breached. Hang in, I better call for Eagle to be here."

Ben heard and immediately went to summon Eagle since the main priority of setting up the defences, the watchtowers and 12 new houses had been completed.

"Yes Sir, what could I be of service?" Eagle saluted before he sat down with the rest of ministers who were present to discuss the matters at heart.

"Right now, our defences have already been put up. The deployment of men at the watchtowers would be at your disposable, which means 4 men would be manning the towers in the day and 8 would be in the night, am I right?"

"That's right sir, they would have ample rest in order to perform. It's a fixed deployment, so the 3 guardsmen would be involved and I have to pull in either Sparrow or me rotationally in the night to provide overwatch."

"OK, another thing I would like to discuss is to have Chadwell here to provide ground security cover. Any suggestions to make?" I inquired since Eagle was the Secretary after all.

Eagle eyed Chadwell and asked about his leg and the latter answered that his leg is almost better and the former suggested, "He would be patrolling the grounds of this place, ensuring that the sheds are properly secured. No pilferage in the farmlands and livestock enclosures as well as patrols within the residential area."

"He would take up his position in his house, perform 4 rounds of patrols nightly and when he performed his patrols, he would 'inform' those who were awake where he was patrolling by using a foot of halved bamboo with a striker and a whistle around his neck."

"The watchtower would also be able to observe him at the same time ensuring that the residences here would sleep well, provided with a ground patrol by yours truly here."

"That would be a good idea, let me get my census and update the list that I had for the total workforce." I went inside the house and retrieved the stack of census population as I pondered and discussed the future fixed deployment.

The current manpower and workforce, as well as work delegation, would be as follows:

Chowdrys

Man - carpenter

Wife - livestock herder/miller

Gardners

Man - woodcutter

Wife - hunter / bow production area

Levis

Man - Blacksmith

Wife - gatherer and herbologist

Ashworths

Man - farmer / worker

Wife - bow production area

Son 1 - farmer/worker

Son 2 - farmer/worker

Burns

Man - weaver

Wife - bow production area

SIL - weaver

Chadwells

Man - Nightwatchman

Wife - Loomer

Edinburghs

Man - coal miner

Wife - farmer / weaver

Herefords

Man - coal miner

Wife - weaver

Innes

Man - coal miner

Wife - tailor

Daughter 1 - baker

Son 1 - weaver

Jennings

Man - coal miner

Wife - baker

Daughter 1 - baker

Daughter 2 - baker

Kensington

Man - coal miner

Wife - baker

"Those not mentioned would be the children whom would be partly studying for the first 2 hours if the day before being deployed to help out with the test if the area such as clay bricks production area and the weaving production area."

"There are a total of 1 infant and 12 children so they would be in class excluding the infant, of course."

"Those assigned as farmers would attend to the weeding and watering for the moment before the time to harvest. And would then fall back to either a weaver or any other jobs available thereafter.

"To put in simpler terms and easy to digest, we have 1 x woodcutter, 1 x carpenter, 1 x hunter, 1 x herder, 1 x blacksmith, 1 x gatherer, 4 x day farmers, 5 x miners, 1 x night watchman, 5 x bakers, 1 x Loomer, 1 x tailor, 3 x General workers after they complete their day farming, 3 x bow makers, 5 x weavers and 12 x young clay brick makers"

"The children are too young to be hunters, herders, blacksmith, woodcutter, nightwatchman, carpenter and a gatherer. But there might be a start to get them to have a vocational education on these. The young may surpass the seniors in the future."

Jack listened carefully before he added, "What's being said is true, Sir. At this pace, we would be thankful because if you look at another angle, which village has a tailor and 2 looms, and a large bakery with 4 ovens... Hahahaha. What you had achieved here is tremendous already and I am sure our village will slowly grow from a hill into a mountain."

"Hahaha...My golly Jack. That's right...! Absolutely right. However, we have 2 looms and 1 loom operator. By the way, between the children, we have 7 girls and 5 boys and soon they would be youths and they would learn the trades too."

"The youths are about 6 of them and made up of 3 teen boys and 3 teen girls. Soon, they might marry one another and start their own families. Hahahaha. An oversight... Really if we never sit down and discuss this, we would not even realise this. I have been making records but never divulge deeper...! "

"Make it 4 families, there is still a lady guardsman who is unmarried. Hahahaha. I wonder who she will pick, out of those two guys and would have to ensure her potty mouth all day and all night..." Eagle reminded me as we both slapped our t.h.i.g.hs as waves of laughter swept around us.

"Alright then, Chadwell may report to me for his duties and what to do. I would make rounds with him so he would understand. At this moment we may have lost one miner headcount but we gained a night watchman. Remember, Chadwell... This village depends on you and making your presence nightly makes them sleep in peace...! " Eagle slapped Chadwell back as we concluded the meeting.

Well, at least we had started some snowball effect...!