Chapter Twenty-Seven: Selecting Workers

After discussing it, the group returned to their respective rooms to rest.

The night was bright with a clear moon and few stars.

Jiang Mi was alone in her room, studying recipes by lamplight.

If the first page of the recipe has a horizontal line, it means there's a second and a third part.

She flipped through page after page, and many of the dishes described were completely unfamiliar to her.

The preparation is intricate and complicated, but the presentation is exquisite, making it very appetizing.

Jiang Mi's round eyes darted around in their sockets, her mind racing with calculations.

My older brother works at a restaurant in town now. If we have enough money, I might even be able to open a restaurant for him.

The menu in their hands is the restaurant's greatest secret.

The future is bright.

And so, Jiang Mi drifted off to sleep with sweet daydreams.

The next day, the rooster crowed.

The rising sun in the east dyed half the sky red.

Jiang Mi stayed up too late studying recipes yesterday and wasn't pulled out of bed by her mother until noon.

Seeing the dark circles under her daughter's eyes, Jiang's mother asked with concern, "Did you not sleep well yesterday because you moved?"

In Jiang's mother's opinion, her daughter might not have been able to sleep because she hadn't yet adapted to the environment of Hongyang Village.

It was her fault; she should have slept with Honey last night.

Jiang Mi yawned repeatedly, feeling warm all over from the sun, and even her voice sounded weak: "I tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, and because of the bad news, I didn't sleep well. Mother, don't worry, you'll get used to it."

After saying that, Jiang Mi still felt a little guilty.

The main reason I didn't sleep well was because I was researching recipes and daydreaming about the future last night, which led to excessive excitement.

"You haven't eaten all day, you must be hungry. Have something to eat first." Jiang's mother brought some food with heartache and poured a glass of water. "I'll ask your older brother to ask Grandpa to gather the villagers. They might be here later."

They had just settled down in Hongyang Village. Although the villagers were very hospitable, they didn't have much influence and it was difficult to persuade them.

The technique for growing sweet potatoes had been passed down to the villagers, but most of them did not believe it. At this point, they could only rely on the village, which was under the father's control.

"Mmm," Jiang Mi hadn't eaten anything for a long time and was starving. Her little mouth was stuffed full, and her speech was muffled.

This amused Jiang's mother to the point of being both amused and exasperated. She said irritably, "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you."

Is Sister Jiang home?

Just as Jiang Mi finished eating and drinking, she heard the villagers shouting outside the door.

Jiang's mother, who was making new clothes, put down her work, opened the window, and saw that many villagers had gathered in the courtyard with the residents of Qiancheng.

Jiang Mi came out upon hearing the sound and looked around. There were about twenty people in the courtyard, mostly middle-aged or older.

“Many young people here are busy with fieldwork, so we can only call on these twenty-one people,” Zhu Qiancheng sighed helplessly.

He got up early in the morning and knocked on every door to notify people, but judging from the number of people, it was clear that the effect was not significant.

Previously, due to Huo Ran's actions, many people learned about the existence and cultivation techniques of sweet potatoes in advance and responded enthusiastically, wanting to bring them to their own homes; however, when the time came, many people began to consider whether it was really worth it.

The people behind them had only followed because they heard there was a monthly allowance, and they were willing to give it a try.

"Grandpa, you've worked hard." Jiang Mi obediently poured a cup of tea, presented it to Zhu Qiancheng with both hands, and said with a smile.

Seeing his granddaughter so well-behaved, Zhu Qiancheng's previous gloom vanished. He smiled and accepted the tea, saying with a touch of gratitude, "It's no trouble at all. I'm glad I could help."

"Grandpa, please rest well. Leave the rest to me." Jiang Mi pulled Zhu Qiancheng to a seat and thoughtfully brought him a plate of peanuts and a small pot of wine.

Zhu Qiancheng looked pleased. Huali had given birth to a good daughter. If his granddaughters could make his life easier, he would be smiling in his dreams.

After settling her grandfather in, Jiang Mi finally looked up and examined the men in front of her.

"Ahem." Jiang Mi pretended to cough, walked around a couple of times in a pretentious manner, and then said in a low voice, "My family is planning to plant sweet potatoes and needs ten helpers. As for the pay, you will certainly not be shortchanged. It will be eight hundred coins a month."

Last night she had carefully calculated how to hire help based on the planting width.

She could afford to pay 800 coins a month.

In the past, she definitely wouldn't have blurted it out; but now, the amount Huo Ran had previously paid for her services has made her a veritable little rich woman.

hiss!

Upon hearing this, everyone gasped.

Eight hundred coins a month! That's three hundred coins more than half a tael of silver. For them, it was like a pie falling from the sky.

You should know that no matter what kind of work you do in town, if you're lucky, you can earn half a tael of silver a month, but if you're unlucky, you'll only get a few hundred coins.

I never expected to get eight hundred coins from the Jiang family!

Moreover, it's what they do best. They're farmers; they don't know anything else, but what they do best is cultivating the land, and they have plenty of strength.

Doing what you do best and getting the highest monthly salary—who wouldn't be excited!

"Girl from the Jiang family, don't try to fool us just because we're old!"

"We may be old, but we're not stupid!"

…

The people in the courtyard were talking amongst themselves.

Although their tone was questioning, it couldn't hide their excitement.

Seeing that the desired effect had been achieved, Jiang Mi smiled and said, "We have just settled down in Hongyang Village, so we naturally need your help. How could I lie to you? The growth of sweet potatoes will depend on you uncles in the future."

People at all stages of life like to hear nice things.

Jiang Mi's sweet words delighted everyone.

Seeing this, Jiang's mother felt quite accomplished. After all, it was because she had raised her daughter well that she was so successful.

The villagers were all charmed by Jiang Mi's sweet words, going from being skeptical at first to completely believing her.

Jiang Mi selected ten villagers from among them.

"Uncles who weren't selected, don't be discouraged. The wasteland will expand further, and then everyone will have a chance."

At this moment, the phrase "combining strength and gentleness" is perfectly embodied in Jiang Mi.

To ensure a certain level of privacy, Jiang Mi made an agreement with them that, under no circumstances should the sweet potato planting techniques be exposed.

If it is discovered that someone has leaked the information, they will have to pay compensation equal to ten times their annual salary under the contract.

Although there are plans to spread sweet potato cultivation techniques, now is not the time, for fear that they might be taken advantage of by unscrupulous people and all their previous hard work would be ruined.

The villagers readily agreed, as they couldn't afford to pay ten times the compensation.

"Those who are confirmed should register their names with my mother. On the day the planting begins, they can simply register their names."

Jiang's mother was efficient and quickly registered the ten people.

After finishing these tasks, Jiang Mi slumped into a chair, which creaked as her heavy body pressed down on it.

"You little girl have truly impressed me."