Chapter 145: Already Antic.i.p.ated
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The yellow muntjac was sold at a good price. Constable w.a.n.g had sold it to a councilor in Puyi County. The old man’s father was weak and wanted to buy a deer to nourish his father’s body.
In the end, he gave him fifty taels.
Constable w.a.n.g and Heng Yi discussed and decided to give each of them three taels. They took twenty-seven taels and gave the remaining twenty-three taels to Heng Yi.
Heng Yi had no objections.
Constable w.a.n.g patted Heng Yi’s shoulder, “Thank you.”
“Yes.”
Heng Yi waited for Constable w.a.n.g and the others to leave, then left the teahouse and went home.
He didn’t expect Han Qiao to have a surprise waiting for him when he arrived.
A sharp sword that could cut through iron like mud.
“This…”
Heng Yi was surprised.
“What do you think?” Han Qiao asked.
She had gone out to look for a sword in the morning. She had searched through almost all the ironware shops in Puyi County and the shops where she could buy swords before she managed to get this one.
She had not forgotten about Han Chi either.
However, the one she bought for her son was not as good as this one.
Heng Yi took the gift and tried a few moves, “Thank you,”
Not only was it convenient, but this sword must be very expensive.
“It’s very expensive, isn’t it?”
“It’s a little expensive, but 1 think it’s worth it.”
She had bought it with the money they had earned.
Three hundred taels for one.
The shopkeeper said that there was only one in the entire Puyi County and even the Great Yong Kingdom.
It might be true that there was no second one in Puyi County. As for the latter, the man might merely be boasting.
However, this did not stop it from being a rare sword.
Han Qiao pushed the other sword to Heng Yi, “1 bought this for Han Chi. Give this to him.”
The sword she bought for Han Chi was also considered a good weapon. It cost ten taels of silver.
However, compared to Heng Yi’s sword, one could tell what was exquisite.
There was a huge difference.
“All-Qiao, you’ve worked hard.”
“You’re still being polite with me?”
When Heng Yi gave Han Chi the sword as a gift, he was so surprised that he couldn’t speak.
He held it in his hand and stared at the weapon from all angles, unable to put it down.
“Thank you, Father.”
“1 didn’t choose it. Your mother did.”
Han Chi chuckled, “1 have to thank you too, Father.”
Heng Yi looked at Han Chi, who was smiling sincerely.
He reached out and patted his head.
“Forget about this year. After the new year, study hard, practice martial arts, and be a capable person in the future.”
“Yes!” Han Chi nodded vigorously.
He would.
He would be a capable person.
To repay Mother’s kindness.
At this moment, Han Chi did not know that Han Qiao had prepared another big gift for him.
On the 25th of December, Han Qiao went to Yihe Restaurant to settle the accounts for the last month and pay the worker’s salaries.
Just as she had expected, after the bill was paid and the wages were distributed, the shopkeeper took the lead and said that he wanted to resign. Following closely were a few chefs. Even the waiter, the old woman who washed the dishes, and the old man who made the fire also wanted to leave.
Han Qiao sat on the chair and hugged the baked pouch to keep her warm.
“Since you guys have found a better job, 1 can’t force you to stay. I wish you all a bright future.”
Everyone was stunned.
She didn’t want them to stay at all?
They didn’t know that this was Han Qiao’s plan from the beginning.
Naturally, Han Qiao would not let them continue to work here.
“That’s all for today. Pack your things and leave immediately.”
There was still wine and food in the restaurant, but Han Qiao had brought people over. As soon as the shopkeeper and the waiters left, she would immediately return to the Heng Manor.
She had to tidy up again.
However, one of the chefs did not leave.
“Why aren’t you leaving?” Han Qiao asked.
This chef was not tall and was a little chubby. He looked kind.
“I want to stay.” Gong Bing said.
“Are you not satisfied with the salary Zhao Huan’s given you?”
“…” Gong Bing was stunned.
“Madam, you know?”
Han Qiao smiled, “Of course, I know. She bought another restaurant not far from us.”
“…” Gong Bing’s heart tightened.
He felt that those people thought that they had found a good job, but now that he thought about it, it might not be the case.
“The salary that Madam Huan gave to everyone is one-third of what it is now.” Gong Bing said.
Han Qiao didn’t ask why Gong Bing didn’t leave.
After all, to be able to stay meant that he was someone who remembered their old friendship.
“Your previous salary was one or two taels a month. 1’11 give you four taels a month, but 1 have a request. Help me find a few reliable chefs, especially those who could make good noodles. In the future, you will be in charge of them. If they do well, you will be rewarded. If not, you all will be punished.”
“From now on, this place won’t be called Yihe Restaurant. It’ll be called Qiaoyi Fast Food Restaurant.”
The salary proposed by Han Qiao was much higher than the one Zhao Huan offered.
Besides, Gong Bing didn’t know what a “fast-food restaurant” was.
“I have two senior brothers who are extremely good at cooking. Is the salary-”
“It can be raised to two taels of silver a month.”
She had 10,000 taels of silver in her hands, many recipes, and was a food blogger herself. How could she not win against Zhao Huan in this field?
Gong Bing no longer had any concerns.
“Madam, don’t worry. I’ll settle the matter of chefs for you.”
“Yes, bring them to the residence after you’ve found them.”
“Yes.”
Other than the many things she was settling to prepare for the restaurant, Han Qiao had even found a lot of mule carts to transport the goods.
Although these people were not in the restaurant, they did not steal anything.
It was not wrong for people to go to higher places and jump ship to places with higher wages.
Therefore, she did not think there was anything wrong with their characters.
Not only did Zhao Huan offer a high salary, but she also promised to give them an extra month. That was how she managed to get everyone to leave except for Gong Bing.
One of the reasons why Han Qiao didn’t ask any of them to stay was that she was not willing to do so.
So when Zhao Huan found out that these people came to the residence to see her, she was surprised.
And her heart ached when had to take out a few taels of silver for them.
The chefs, shopkeepers, and waiters were paid about 21 taels of silver, and they were paid an extra month’s salary for not doing any work.
Zhen Niang advised her that she would only get what she wanted if she bought a building. After she opened for business the next year, she would earn dozens of taels or even hundreds of taels every month.
Zhao Huan hummed lightly.
She looked at Zhen Niang again.
After that day, Zhen Niang had slept with her every night for the past few days, and the things she had done were very embarra.s.sing.
However, she could not help but indulge in it.
Seeing that Zhao Huan had been persuaded, Zhen Niang glanced at Xiao Cui, who was slowly walking over and looked visibly haggard.
She had been sleeping with Zhao Huan for the past few nights, while Sun Yiming had been hanging out with Xiao Cui every night. She had even heard Xiao Cui’s miserable cries.
Of course, the other people in the residence heard it too, but no one dared to say it.
“Now that we’ve gotten rid of all the people in Han Qiao’s restaurant, there’s still one more thing to do.”
“What is it?” Zhao Huan asked.
“We need to find a backup,” Zhen Niang said.
“Heng Yi works in the government office, and he is a man who is fed by the government. If anything happens to him, the government will back him up. We need to find someone with a higher position than him or someone who can protect us.”
Zhao Huan nodded, “Then who do you think we should look for?”
She didn’t have any candidates in this area either.
“Among the customers who came to the restaurant earlier, were there any with especially n.o.ble backgrounds?”
Zhao Huan thought carefully.
In the early days, the restaurant was run by He Hong. She didn’t manage it much and didn’t come into contact with any of the rich customers.
But now, she had no choice but to rack her brains.
Zhen Niang didn’t say anything else.
It would be best if they were lecherous people because they had nothing to offer.
Of course, Zhao Huan’s appearance and figure were not bad.
Some men who were lecherous enough, wouldn’t care if they were batches or sisters-in-law. In other words, they were more interested in other people’s wives.
Men always liked to persuade prost.i.tutes to change their ways and drag women into the water..