I notice the provided "English translation" is actually still in Chinese — it's essentially a lightly edited/cleaned-up version of the Chinese source text, not an English translation at all. I need to provide an actual English translation.
The year-end government summary conference convened on schedule.
It was the same old topics as always, nothing new.
Wages hadn't gone up either—the four-yuan standard would likely remain in effect for a long time.
The primary school education subsidy was still five mao, but a new special-needs subsidy had been added.
Anyone who had lost the ability to work for various reasons could receive this subsidy.
It was also five mao.
There were other subsidies too, such as the merit subsidy. Those who had rendered meritorious service would receive medal commendations, and these medals weren't just plaques for show.
Each medal came with a stipend—not much, but one could collect it for life.
There was also a maternity subsidy and such—for each child born, a direct subsidy of five hundred yuan!
That was nearly five taels of silver!
The Master needed population growth, so everyone should have children. With such generous subsidies on top of it, why wouldn't you?
The newspaper devoted large sections to listing out all the various subsidies, and many people were overjoyed.
Being a citizen of Dragon City—what pride!
The Dragon City Daily was selling like hotcakes now, though of course this was also thanks to how lacking people's cultural and recreational lives still were.
Five mao per issue, or three mao per issue with a long-term subscription—nine yuan a month, delivered right to the mailbox at your door.
Roughly one-tenth of Dragon City's population had subscribed.
The rest would grab a street newsboy and buy a copy whenever they heard something big had happened.
This year, the Master had set a target: Dragon City's population was to reach one hundred and fifty thousand, and the total population across all territories was to exceed five hundred thousand.
Dragon City's current census showed a population of one hundred and fifty-five thousand, with six hundred thousand across all territories.
Essentially every territory had met its target, so naturally, the promised rewards had to be honored.
A year-end bonus of three months' pay for all personnel!
Those with outstanding performance got even more!
This year, these people could all enjoy a bountiful New Year! During the holiday period, they could buy meat to eat every single day!
Eating meat every day—in the past, only masters and lords had that privilege.
Now, Dragon City's vast civil servant class was living that very life!
"Livestock farming techniques are improving and grain prices are falling. So next year's goal is to make sure every citizen of Dragon City can see meat on the table every day!"
These were the Master's own words, given prominent standalone placement in the newspaper. All of Dragon City cheered.
The Dragon City Daily wasn't limited to Dragon City alone. Even the most distant capital, the Imperial City, had seen travel times drastically shortened thanks to the successful construction of the high-speed cement road.
Every issue of the Dragon City Daily was sent to the Imperial City by a large truck. Within three days at most, people in the capital could read it.
This also made it easier for Dragon City citizens to accept assignments posted abroad.
Because no matter where they worked, it felt as though Dragon City was right beside them.
The latest news from Dragon City reached them within days, and everything from Dragon City was available where they were too.
The pay was even higher, and they could enjoy more good things. This kind of life made the people sent out on construction assignments feel truly content.
After the government's year-end summary came the Zhao family meeting.
Everyone attended except for Mingjing, Mingjian, and Mingwen, whose whereabouts were currently unknown.
The topics were the same old fare, essentially maintaining last year's policies and strategies.
And then it was New Year.
Everywhere Dragon City people lived, red lanterns were hung up.
The Zhao residence was naturally no exception.
Zhao Baihui sat in a chair holding Zhao Wenjing. The little girl was only a few months old and couldn't speak yet, but she gazed at everything around her with a pair of bright, wide eyes full of curiosity.
Sarirang sat nearby. "Master, if you're tired, let me hold her."
"It's fine, it's fine. This little girl isn't that fussy. Besides, I'm not that old—I'm only a few years older than you, after all."
Sarirang nodded and said nothing more, feeling a bit awkward.
She had now moved into Mingxin's small building. Zhao Wenjing was still young, and it was better for her to spend most of her time with her mother.
Living here also made it convenient to bring the child over for the Master to play with.
Manguertai was playing here too, running around wildly behind Mingming. Leading the pack was Jinyuan, though who knew what they were all dashing about for.
That girl would turn fourteen after the New Year. A few years ago, girls that age could already be married off.
Yet she was still acting like a wild little tomboy.
How was she ever going to find a husband?
If they weren't picky about the match, she could marry anyone—the line of men wanting to wed a Zhao family daughter would stretch from Dragon City all the way to the Imperial City.
The problem was precisely that they couldn't just marry her off to anyone. Among those whose status and other qualifications were suitable, would any of them fancy a girl like this?
"Master." Mingcheng and his wife entered. Li Caixia came forward to pay her respects to Zhao Baihui.
"No need, no need—sit down quickly."
Li Caixia was also pregnant. The second child of the Zhao family's third generation was about to be born.
The physician who had taken Sarirang's pulse said this one would be a boy.
Everyone was delighted.
Among the younger generation, two more Zhao family lads had taken wives, and after the New Year, a few more matches would likely come together.
Old Master Zhao was overjoyed. Inviting all those young ladies over in the first place had indeed been the right call.
Thanks to these marriages, Dragon City's relations with several imperial courts had become considerably more harmonious.
Though Dragon City still just took whatever it set its eyes on…
"Number Six, come here!"
"Master, wh-what is it?"
"You know what it is! Don't play dumb with me—what exactly are you thinking?"
"Well, Master, I'm thinking… I'm thinking… can I have them all?"