Jiang Yuejing asked in return: "Oh? Why would anyone steal children?" Here, children who could walk had to do farm work, and those who could not walk were left in basins casually placed on the ground. Besides, every household had several children, and it didn't look at all like they valued children.
The village chief caught his breath and said: "Because the imperial court gives money to those who have children—one string of cash per child. The more you give birth to, the more they give. This money, combined with what we earn from labor, is almost enough for a peasant family's expenses for a year. If there are many odd jobs outside during the year, there might even be a little surplus."
Jiang Yuejing asked: "You mean someone would steal children to collect the imperial court's subsidy?"
Chapter 204