The villagers expressed their opinionsone by one. They all seemed to want to leave the village and didn’t believethere would be any danger!
Old Patriarch didn’t say anything butlooked at Cheng Biyuan, waiting for his opinion.
Cheng Biyuan didn’t want to enrageeveryone so he nodded at them and said, “If that’s the case, everybody rememberwhat I said today – starting tomorrow, everyone will be able to come and gofreely. If anything happens, its on you!”
“You heard Mr. Cheng. Don’t worry,everyone. Starting tomorrow, you can go wherever you want. Be appreciative ofMr. Cheng’s good will!”
“Old Patriarch! Now that we have settledthe issue about leaving the village, is Mr. Cheng going to take our daughtersor not. We need an answer one way or another, right?” shrieked the discontentedAn Hung niang.
“Xiao Xiao, why don’t you take over?”Cheng Biyuan handed this over to his oldest daughter to handle.
“Sure, dad!” replied Cheng Xiao Xiao toher father then casted An Hung nianga glance. She really didn’t want to stoop down to her level, but she has beentrying to stir up trouble repeatedly. Cheng Xiao Xiao truly disliked thisperson.
The old patriarch didn’t expect ChengBiyuan would fully trust Cheng Xiao Xiao with this matter so he smiled at ChengXiao Xiao and said, “Maiden Chen. What are your thoughts? Go ahead, you can sayit out loud. Everyone will listen as long as you are reasonable!”
“Thank you, grandpa Liu!”
Cheng Xiao Xiao felt very respectfultoward the nice and gentle old patriarch. After all, he played a big role inallowing the Cheng’s to settle down in Willow. More importantly, he has alwaysbeen a very fair person and the villagers looked up to him.
It was only because of this very fairman in front of her that Cheng Xiao Xiao felt comfortable in spending the timeand effort to convince the villagers.
“Grandpa Liu, since An da niang brought up the issues with theyoung girls first, we can talk about that first. A few days ago we’ve accepteda few girls to be ours and sent the few younger ones home. That did not mean wewon’t accept them, it’s just that I feel that there are a few things we need toclarify first.
“Oh, and what is it that you want toclarify, Xiao Xiao?” asked the old patriarch kindly.
All the villagers there who have youngdaughters perked up their ears and listed attentively.
“As we are looking to take in a fewpeople to help out, we are not discriminating against anyone. We will acceptanyone suitable. We all live in the same village after all. But I would like tomake one thing clear, what we are looking for are useful servants, not to raiseothers’ children for them.
“Even if we are raising your childrenfor you, while they were working for the Cheng’s, they must follow our orders.I trust that grandpa Liu understands where I am coming from. I trust that otheruncles and aunties in the villages are also familiar with this concept. Theycan’t just sit around and eat and only work when they feel like, and go homewhen they don’t. If that’s the case, we aren’t hiring anyone, we are just beingtaken advantage of like morons. Am I right, grandpa Liu?”
“Xiao Xiao, you mean some of them onlywant you to raise their children for them, instead of helping out with yourhouse work?” asked the old patriarch incredulously.
Cheng Xiao Xiao smiled and saidindifferently, “More or less. All I said was if they are going to enter theCheng’s and become our maids, they must follow our orders, and An da niang and the other aunties clamoredabout it. They stated that we should raise the girls for them, but when theyget to the right age, they will get married!”
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