Chapter 181: Interesting
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Butler Hu staggered when he heard that.
Auntie Hu’s face turned pale.
Hu Jiancheng still didn’t understand what had happened.
“Each basket of bamboo shoots is about seventy to seventy-five catties, but most of the bamboo shoots you weigh are eighty catties. You can earn at least three copper coins from one basket of bamboo shoots.”
“Ah-Chi is right about one thing. One basket is three copper coins, ten baskets are thirty copper coins. Selling a few hundred baskets a day will indeed make your wallet bulge.”
“Do you know why I asked Han Chi to go over and weigh things today?”
“Look at the account book after he weighed the bamboo shoots. Every basket is
70 to 75, and the basket with the most is 76.”
Housekeeper Hu knelt on the ground, “Madam, I know 1 was wrong. Please give me a chance.”
“There won’t be another chance. Perhaps you don’t understand how lucky it is to get your contract returned after five years of work. You will understand when you work with the next family.”
The old woman who worked at the broker house came very quickly.
The people she brought this time were all according to Han Qiao’s requirements.
She brought people who had worked as a butler or shopkeeper for a rich family.
Some wealthy families experienced failures in the business. The housekeepers of the families who saved enough money could redeem themselves. Those who did not could only be sold. There were also some people from the main families who committed crimes. The slaves and servants who could not redeem themselves would be sold together.
The phrase “change is the only constant” was what fits these people.
The main families used to be high and mighty.
But once the tree fell, the monkeys scattered.
Butler Hu’s family of three had been asked to pack up. They had to return the money they had embezzled these few days. Bai Cha would take care of this.
Han Qiao discussed the new people with the old woman and was very careful when choosing who to buy.
She didn’t want to hire a large family or someone who could potentially be a burden.
However, she would consider elderly mothers and fathers.
After so much thought, she ended up choosing two people.
One had a sick mother, while the other had a blind mother.
Both of them had good handwriting and were good at calculating.
They had once managed a shop for the main family.
The two men were bought as children by the previous main family. Their entire family had been slaves to the main family for generations. If the main family committed a crime, the children of the slaves like them, could not escape the punishment and could only be sold.
The one with the surname Liu had a sick mother.
He also knew some martial arts.
Despite his thin appearance, he was still very energetic.
He stood with a refined look. It seemed that he had learned some skills when he was young.
Furthermore, he could speak the official language of Great Yong fluently and knew a thing or two about the local customs.
The other man had the surname Zhu, who was good at talking and was very good at getting things done. In his early years, he had also been a butler and was responsible for the main family’s shop.
Most importantly, they didn’t hide the fact that they knew each other from Han Qiao. Their previous masters were all officials in the capital, and they were servants of high-ranking officials.
What was even more amazing was that they recognized Bai Cha, and Bai Cha recognized them.
Their masters were also one of the families implicated in the Crown Prince’s case.
So when Bai Cha returned and saw the two men Han Qiao chose, he felt a little strange.
However, he had to admit it. Han Qiao had a good eye for people this time.
At the last moment, they were able to pluck their wives, children out of the debt, and the men sold themselves with only their mothers by their side. They were very capable men.
People like them would never be able to become good citizens even if they were granted amnesty in this lifetime.
Should they stay or should they not?
Han Qiao was hesitant.
Because they were involved in too many things. They were too deep in the political world.
“Sister-in-law, let them stay. Housekeeper Liu and Shopkeeper Zhu are very capable people.”
Compared to Butler Hu, they were many times better.
With Bai Cha’s stamp of approval, Han Qiao was more confident to keep the two of them.
She also promised to hire a doctor for their mothers.
Housekeeper Liu would be the new butler of Heng Manor, and Shopkeeper Zhu would manage the fast food restaurant.
The two of them kowtowed to Han Qiao first.
Han Qiao then discussed the price with the old woman.
“Madam, don’t worry. I’ll give you the most fair price.”
When Butler Hu’s family of three was taken away, Hu Jiancheng turned around to look at Han Qiao.
Han Qiao was also looking at him.
Whatever his future path was about to be, it was all ruined thanks to his parents’ att.i.tude and negligence. There was no one else to blame but themselves.
Auntie Hu kept crying along the way.
Uncle Hu’s face was pale.
They were all extremely regretful. They were ashamed that they had been greedy and careless with their tasks.
It was possible to save money the right way and save enough silver to redeem themselves in five years.
They thought, since Han Qiao wasn’t involved with the matter of buying bamboo shoots, she wouldn’t know that they have been secretly stashing some of the money into their pockets. They didn’t expect her to know everything. The madam just silently watched as they took one step at a time.
With one obvious missing person by her side that night, Han Qiao tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.
She missed Heng Yi, his warm body, and his gentleness.
Shulan was sleeping by her feet, “Is Madam feeling unwell?”
“No, I just miss Heng Yi.”
“Then this servant will accompany madam to talk.”
“Alright.”
At the same time, Heng Yi and the others had already joined up with the army and were heading toward Black Wind Mountain.
Zhizhou’s order was simple: there was no other option but to succeed in this mission. No room for failure.
They could not let a single mountain bandit escape.
When they stopped for a break, Heng Yi’s mind ran back to Han Qiao.
But soon, someone came to find him and brought him to see the commander.
To his surprise, the commander’s surname was Feng, and was apparently Master Feng’s cousin.
When he saw Heng Yi, Commander Feng sized him up.
Not bad. You look like a good seedling. When we start exterminating the bandits, follow me. Kill as many mountain bandits as you can. You’ll make a great contribution.”
“Understood,” Heng Yi agreed.
On the ninth day of the month, Dong Lai asked the doctor to come over to check Grandfather and Grandmother’s pulse.
“Madam, don’t worry. The two elders are healthy.”
The doctor also checked Han Qiao’s pulse.
“Madam’s pulse is also very stable.”
Han Qiao asked the doctor to treat Housekeeper Liu and Shopkeeper Zhu’s mothers.
The two old women were not in good health.
One was seriously ill, and the other was blind and had bad legs.
One of them had never been well, and the other was frightened when people began to raid her master’s house. She fell during her escape and her leg was not treated properly, and her eyes were blinded from crying for so long.
To summarize, she can’t be cured. I can only prescribe some medicine, so please take it on time.”
“Give me the medicine.”
The medicine for these two women was not cheap either. One patch of medicine cost a hundred copper, and they needed to be applied once a day.
Housekeeper Liu and Shopkeeper Zhu read the prescription carefully for a while before looking at Han Qiao.
Han Qiao sat on the chair lazily.
“Madam…”
“I don’t know what kind of people you two are. Bai Cha said you are good, so I’ll keep you. I’ll try my best to find a doctor for your mothers’ illness. As for whether they can be cured, it’s all up to fate.”
Besides, she had done what she had to do. As for whether she could make these two people loyal and work for her in the future, it all depended on whether they had a conscience.
“Thank you, Madam.”
They knew that their mothers’ illness had dragged on for too long. Over the years, they had been sold several times because many potential masters felt that their mothers were a burden.
At first, they bought them and brought their mothers along to test how capable they were. Later on, they realized that their efforts were not as much as the money for the medicine, so their potential masters sold them again.
Gradually, they didn’t have much hope in looking for new masters.
If it wasn’t for Bai Cha being in the Heng Manor… If it wasn’t for Bai Cha’s recommendation and closeness with the Madam…
“Don’t worry, Madam. This servant will do my best to do things for Madam.”
Han Qiao nodded.
“Bai Cha is the same as you. He became a good citizen, but who knows what will happen in the future? Who knows, one day, when this matter will be settled, you two are the same. If you have any requests, you can tell me. Just one thing. The past is already in the past. Don’t think about it anymore. People have to look up and move forward.”
“Yes.”
The two of them responded in unison.
Meanwhile, at the foot of Black Wind Mountain…
Thousands of people had already blocked the path into and out of the mountain.. They were only waiting for Commander Feng’s order to attack and suppress the bandits…