“Naturally, mom, you know that as well.Everybody wants to get their hands on our goods. Have we not arranged for themythical beasts to block the paths, the visitors would have broken down ourdoors!”
“That is certainly the true!”interjected Cheng Biyuan, “But, these are just the small timers. When theothers show up, I’m afraid even the mythical beasts wouldn’t be able to stopthem without your commands!”
Mrs. Cheng paused for a second andlooked as though she had though of something too. Cheng Xiao Xiao didn’t seemto be too concerned, “Dad, we don’t need to worry ourselves about big shots or smalltimers. Why don’t we cross that bridge when we come to it. It’s not like we canstop them from coming, would you agree?”
Cheng Biyuan nodded and said to his ownwife, “Yuqin, why don’t you take a look and see what we need and make a list.I’ll have Innkeeper Zhu get them all for us. As for any items needed for theconstruction of our house, I’ll make a note as well!”
“Okay, I will do that!” Mrs. Chengnodded, then looking at the two maids standing not far behind her daughter,“Xiao Xiao, we’ve added more members to our household but there are a lot toteach. I don’t think I can hand hold them too much. We need to figure outsomething.”
“Mom, I see what you mean!”
Cheng Xiao Xiao thought for a littlebit, then said, “But, now is not a good time for us to hire from the outside.If we look for helpers from the outside right now, I’m afraid we will bebringing in spies and just causing ourselves more headaches. Since InnkeeperZhu will be in and out of our place the next few days, why don’t have him givethem some pointers?”
“Okay, I guess that will work.” Mrs.Cheng understood why her daughter said what she said, so there was no reason toask for more.
As a matter of fact, Mrs. Cheng was borninto a big family. It wasn’t that she didn’t know how to manage the servants,but that all the ones they have recently added were regular village girls.There were a lot of things that she couldn’t be too explicit about; she didn’twant the villagers to say she was bullying young kids.
According popular believe, follow rulesis a person’s gentility and set of principles. Let it be a dynasty, anorganization, a school, or a family, rules are always necessary. Whether youare the masters or the servants, there are standard set of rules. If thesedon’t become a natural part of one’s behavior, everything will be a mess, soeverybody must follow these predefined set of rules.
Even though Cheng Xiao Xiao didn’t wantto hire from the outside, nevertheless, they were too familiar with theirfamilies. They would only be able to list out the rules; as for formallytraining them, it’d be better done by someone else.
Ofcourse, Cheng Xiao Xiao understood that there will be incidents andconfrontations in the future. But the Cheng’s is still a small family rightnow, they will have to take it one small steps at a time.
“Xiao Xiao, is there anything else? Ifyou have nothing else, I am going to go back and monitor the construction andsee where they can use my help!”
After a couple cups of tea, Cheng Biyuanwas ready to go back out to help. He was a sheltered young master before anddidn’t need to worry about anything. After the incident, he had changed a lot.Now he wanted to partic.i.p.ate in everything related to his household!
“Dad, I have nothing else. You go busyyourself!” replied Cheng Xiao Xiao.
“Okay, it’s four more hours till the sungoes down. I am going back to help out!” Cheng Biyuan stood up and headed out.
“Ye,be careful!” shouted Mrs. Cheng behind him.
Cheng Biyuan waved his hand without somuch as turning around, “Don’t worry, there’s nothing dangerous!”
Seeing her father off, Cheng Xiao Xiaosaid to her mother, “Mom, we haven’t collected any vegetables yet. Let me goget some from the field!”
“Okay, you go. We have many mouths toget, get some extra!”
“Okay, mom!”
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