Hearing this, everyone followed them inside. They had the same lunch as Granny Ma and the others on their first day: mixed noodles. Xu Han had also brought them eggs.

The reason for eating noodles was simply that they were quick to make. As for eggs, Xu Han thought that they shouldn't be biased, and everyone should eat the same thing for the first meal.

The main reason was that they all looked malnourished. Xu Han wanted to help them recover as soon as possible so they could get back to work. Seeing how frail they looked, she was really afraid of exhausting them to the point where they wouldn't be able to get up.

On a side note, since the last batch of servants arrived in the valley, although they still have a lot of work to do every day, they have become noticeably plumper because they eat and live well, have fewer worries, and are full of hope for the future.

Not only have I gained weight since I came here, but my complexion has also improved a lot. I don't have to worry about food and drink every day. As long as I work hard, I can manage. How can my complexion not be good when I'm in a good mood?

The newcomers saw that Zhou and Granny Ma were dressed in clean clothes, lived in a spacious and bright brick house, and were not fat, but were in better condition than they were now. In particular, the smiles on their faces made it easy to see that they were living well here.

It seemed that the new master was a kind person, or at least not too harsh on the servants. Thinking of this, everyone couldn't help but feel hopeful for the future.

Although many of them had previously sold themselves into servitude to wealthy families, they were people who had never been involved in core affairs. Their daily lives were simply characterized by being able to eat their fill and not go hungry.

They appear respectable on the surface, but there are far too many unpleasant things going on inside, especially the shady dealings within wealthy families—they are utterly immoral.

Making a living in a wealthy family, those with better skills don't have to worry about food, clothing, or shelter; at least they can eat their fill. But living a life where you have to risk your life every day is still not easy.

Living at the mercy of one's master's every whim, especially with a master who has a bad temper, being beaten and scolded is simply a normal occurrence.

Therefore, many people would rather do some menial work in the mansion than be promoted to be a personal maid.

The work of a lowly maid is dirtier and more tiring, and she is not as glamorous as a personal maid. However, as long as she encounters a good matron in charge and can eat her fill, she is better off than a personal maid.

For women, especially the young masters and lords of some mansions, it was even more terrifying. If they took a liking to someone, it would be worse than death.

Maids have no human rights; their lives depend on their masters. If they are favored and made concubines, their lives are a little better. But if they are only given the title of maidservant, their lives become even more difficult.

Being neither a master nor a maid creates an awkward situation. Those below look down on you, while those above oppress you.

However, men have it easier than women. If they gain the favor of their masters, as long as they do not make mistakes and are clever, they will have many opportunities for advancement.

Of the people Xu Han selected this time, apart from Li Wen and Ju Xiang, the rest were all low-class old women, while the men were all chosen by strong laborers. The reason was simple: Xu Han's goal in buying them was very clear, which was to have them do farm work.

If you choose those that are weak and look frail, wouldn't it be a waste of money to raise them? They would be of no value at all. Xu Han is not stupid.

The servants were finally able to eat a hot meal today. Looking at the eggs in each of their bowls, they were filled with hope for the future.

After the meal, Zhou and Granny Ma became much more familiar with them, and everyone got to know each other a bit. During the meal, the two of them told them a lot about things in the mountains, including Xu Han's family and basic precautions. They didn't hold back and told them everything.

The newcomers thanked the two for their frankness.

Meanwhile, Xu Han and her companion ate the food inside the space. After they were full, Xu Han nestled outside in the sun, basking in the warmth of the sun with her hands on her stomach, looking completely content.

Lu Chuan poured her a glass of water and handed it to her, saying, "What are you planning to do with the new people you just hired? Are you just going to leave them like this? Should we go check on them?"

Xu Han took the water and said slowly, "No rush, they probably haven't had lunch yet! We can go later."

It's getting late. These people were just brought to the county town and probably haven't had a chance to recover before we bought them. We won't assign them any work this afternoon; let them rest first and then they can work with us tomorrow.

As for accommodation, they'll just have to squeeze in together for now. Luckily, the rooms there are large and plentiful, so they can manage.

"Well, you can arrange these things as you see fit. By the way, do you want me to go hunting in the mountains later so I can have dinner with them tonight?"

Lu Chuan knew that Xu Han loved lively gatherings and that they would usually have a meal and get together for these kinds of events, so he took the initiative to suggest it.

To everyone's surprise, Xu Han directly refused today, saying, "We won't eat with them. It's not appropriate to have too many people now."

After all, we are the masters, so it's best to be somewhat different from them. We can't let them think we're too easy to talk to, otherwise we'll be difficult to manage in the long run.

Previously, we had a lot of contact with Liu Erzhu and the others because we lived together and there was nothing we could do about it. But now it's different, so we don't have to do that anymore.

Lu Chuan nodded after listening, agreeing that his wife's words made a lot of sense.

Xu Han continued, "But we can still go and hunt some game and bring it to the valley later, so they can have some fun together and get to know each other better so it will be easier for us to work together tomorrow."

"Okay, leave this to me. I'll go pack my things and head into the mountains in a bit."

Xu Han nodded in agreement. After Lu Chuan left, Xu Han looked up at the sky and, seeing that it was almost time, got up and headed towards the valley.

I saw a group of people sitting in the courtyard from a distance, but I didn't know what they were doing.

As Xu Han approached, she realized that it was Zhou Shi leading them in processing the chestnuts they had just picked that day. Everyone stood up immediately when they saw Xu Han coming over.

Xu Han waved her hand, indicating that they should sit down and not take offense. Xu Han took the stool handed to her by Granny Ma and sat down directly, saying, "It seems that this year's chestnuts are good; they are all quite big."

Mrs. Zhou replied with a smile, "Yes, these chestnuts are big and good, and the harvest is quite good."

Granny Ma also said, "They've picked so much in just half a day. They've made several trips back and forth to transport it. Li Lin said there's still a lot left on the mountain!"

"That's great! If we get a lot of fruit, we can eat our fill this year."