The young master returned home, and tranquility settled back over the Lin He household, continuing life much as before. However, with the Lunar New Year fast approaching, preparations needed to be made. They had to start stocking up on dried goods—things like melon seeds, peanuts, and red dates, essential for serving guests and for their own consumption during the holiday.

In the blink of an eye, it was the twenty-seventh of the twelfth lunar month, with only three days left until the New Year. Lin He observed that Old Madam Huang showed no signs of imminent labor. She remained as before, taking walks in the courtyard if the weather permitted, despite her advanced state. But Mrs. Huang, drawing on her experience, had already instructed Lin He to prepare everything necessary. Cai Qing stayed constantly by her side, noting that since this wasn't her first delivery, labor, when it came, might be swift with little warning.

The twenty-seventh marked the eve of the New Year, usually the busiest time. Because Mrs. Huang's belly was so large, she could not manage much, leaving Lin He to handle nearly all the household affairs. This year’s New Year preparations were especially hectic. With the festival nigh, wages for the hired hands needed settling. Furthermore, they planned to slaughter one of the two pigs they had been raising, allowing the workers to take some meat home with them when they left.

On the evening of the twenty-seventh, Er Niu instructed Da Bao to settle the wages for the hired hands. There were ten in total. The agreed rate was eight taels of silver per person, a simple calculation. However, Lin He mused that to boost the workers' enthusiasm for the coming year, they ought to introduce some variety. If everyone received the same pay regardless of how well the fields were tended, who would strive harder next year? Besides, when they were hired, it had been stipulated that excellent work would be rewarded.

Er Niu and Da Bao agreed that Lin He’s idea to introduce rewards was excellent for morale. But they immediately questioned how to implement this. All the hired hands spent their days in the fields; how could one accurately discern diligence from idleness?

Lin He conceded Er Niu had a point. Hired labor at this time was vastly different from the modern workplace. Back then, they had things like perfect attendance bonuses or "Rookie of the Year" awards, but such complex systems simply wouldn't work here. Lin He racked her brain all evening, devising a set of incentives she admitted weren't terribly sophisticated. For Lin He, the brilliance of the system was secondary to the goal of encouraging the best workers.

One reward involved demarcated plots for each worker. When the wheat was harvested, the yield from each man’s field was meticulously recorded. When paying out the wages the next day, they would consult the records; the worker whose plot yielded the most grain would receive a small red packet. The second reward involved the workers themselves voting for the person they considered the most diligent throughout the year—though they couldn't vote for themselves. The worker who received the first red packet would also participate in the vote but would not be eligible to be chosen. This second red packet would contain two taels of silver, equivalent to several months' wages, a substantial sum in the eyes of the laborers, which she hoped would significantly increase their motivation.

Er Niu added that these hands had worked there for a full year, mostly overseen by Old Man Qin. While Qin Lao Die could watch them work in the fields, they really needed to formally select a foreman. Since the workers lived together, conflicts were inevitable; a manager was necessary.

Lin He agreed. She hadn't spent much time with the workers, and since Mrs. Huang’s pregnancy, her focus had been almost entirely on her, causing her to neglect the long-overdue task of selecting a foreman. Lin He asked Er Niu, "Father, you spend more time with the workers. Think about who would be suitable as a foreman, discuss it with Old Man Qin, and we can announce the selection when we hand out the wages tomorrow."

Er Niu replied, "I do have someone in mind: that Li Ping. I think he’s quite good. He’s diligent, and he seems to command some respect among the others. I believe he can read a bit, too. He only works as a hired hand because he has an eighty-year-old mother and two three-year-old children at home, and their provisions were insufficient. Besides, Old Man Qin also speaks highly of Li Ping."

Lin He paused, trying to recall Li Ping—he was the one with the distinctly square-shaped face. She remembered seeing him; the man spoke little but was quick with his hands. On a couple of occasions when disputes arose among the workers, Li Ping had sought out Er Niu at their house. Lin He felt he was a suitable choice. She confirmed, "If both you and Old Man Qin approve, then it will be him. Next year, he will be the foreman. His salary will be four taels more than a regular hand, totaling twelve taels a year. What do you think, Father?"

Er Niu felt the compensation was fair, considering the added responsibility of managing the workers. He agreed, "Yes, that settles it. Next year, I will formalize this arrangement with them."

"Good. Also, since tomorrow is the twenty-eighth, let’s slaughter the pig in the morning and distribute some pork to the hands. In the afternoon, we can let them go home for the New Year. There’s little left for them to do here these last two days, so they can leave early. Some families are depending on that final wage to celebrate," Lin He stated.

Once these matters were settled, Lin He retrieved the silver from her room, intending to separate and secure the money so it would be ready for distribution the next day. Looking at the piles of silver, she suddenly realized she had nothing to wrap it in; she couldn't just use a scrap of paper. She searched high and low, finally uncovering about ten small brocade pouches in a drawer—items she had once taught Chen’er to make. They were perfect for holding the silver.

The household finances were now clearly divided. Money earned from Lin He's shop stayed with her. Er Niu had suggested pooling the money from selling grain or other household goods, but Lin He insisted that Mother manage that fund. That way, there would be emergency cash available if the family needed it, as the income from sales wasn't huge, but with so many mouths to feed, expenses were significant.

Having finalized their plans, the family members retired to bed, anticipating an early start the next day to select the fattest hog for slaughter. The following morning, after breakfast, Er Niu called Old Man Qin and headed to the workers' quarters to announce the wage distribution.

The hired hands were overjoyed; after a year of toil, this payoff was what they worked for. Er Niu had reviewed the ledger that morning and confirmed that Li Ping’s field yielded the best wheat during the last harvest, making him the rightful recipient of the first reward.