Chapter 56 [V] "Looking for your Commander Liu."...
Because Xu Qingshu had shown her great kindness, Li Yan insisted on giving him copper coins every day from the very beginning.
Back in Qingshan Town, Xu Qingshu would deduct his share of the money each day before settling accounts with Li Yan. Even after she moved to Huating County, the same thing happened; she would have Xu Qingshu deduct the income from Qingshan Town and then give her the remaining balance.
Later, when Xu Qingshu returned to Huating County, Li Yan still insisted on settling the money for him. Although he repeatedly declined, Li Yan insisted on paying him.
But now that she has signed a different contract with Yuanbaolou, she has to inform him.
Li Yan wouldn't shortchange him on the money, after all, he was the one who gave her the opportunity in the first place. But she didn't want to continue paying him based on his earnings; she planned to pay him a fixed amount of five qian of silver per month from now on.
That's six taels a year, which is quite a lot.
When Li Yan came over, she happened to run into Sister-in-law Xu, who was opening the door to pour water.
When Sister-in-law Xu saw that it was Li Yan, her eyes twitched. In a short while, many thoughts flashed through her mind.
"Sister Li? What brings you here?" Sister Xu was still very welcoming. "Come in and have a seat."
After Li Yan called her "sister-in-law", she said, "I'm here to see Brother Xu. I have something to discuss."
Now, the Xu family's eldest son and his wife are of one mind, both feeling that Li Yan's status is no longer worthy of Xu Qingshu. Therefore, they will not give them any more opportunities to be alone and deepen their relationship.
Hearing that she had come looking for her uncle, Sister-in-law Xu immediately pulled her into her home.
“Last time you had Xu Ge’er deliver a congratulatory gift, but you didn’t stay for a meal. I was just talking to your Brother Xu the other day about inviting you to dinner. However, I’ve been so busy lately with so many guests that I haven’t been able to find the time. Let’s do it another day. When I’m less busy, I’ll definitely invite your family over for a casual meal.”
Li Yan wasn't stupid; she knew it was just polite talk and she wouldn't take it seriously.
So she returned the favor warmly, saying, "Sister-in-law, you're too kind. It's just a small gift to express my feelings. How could it be worth your concern? You're busy, so don't worry about me."
After pulling the person to sit down in the main room, Sister-in-law Xu then said meaningfully, "You can't blame me. Who told Erlang to pass the imperial examination and become a scholar? Erlang is now highly sought after. There are so many families asking to propose marriage that you can't count them on two hands."
Having heard this much, Li Yan could roughly understand what it meant.
The implication is that now that Xu Qingshu has passed the imperial examination and become a scholar, his status is different, and she is no longer a good match for him.
So, they wouldn't let her go to Xu Qingshu right now, they just kept stopping her and saying these things to her.
Li Yan just found it funny.
She doesn't seem to have shown any intention of marrying Xu Qingshu at all, does she?
She had originally planned to let things take their course, thinking that perhaps things would turn out well for her and Xu Qingshu. But now, it's clear that things are definitely not going to work out for Li Yan in the future.
Li Yan was also a proud person, and upon hearing this, she immediately retorted, saying, "That's true. Since Brother Xu has lost his mother, you, sister-in-law, will have to put in more effort in these matters." She then sighed, "It's a pity that Sister-in-law Xu left us so early. Otherwise, her husband would be a high-ranking official with a bright future, and her son would be intelligent and adorable. She should be enjoying her life to the fullest. Now, I wonder who will benefit from this blessing. I feel sorry for Sister-in-law. She endured the most difficult times with a man, and even gave her life to bear his son... Now, the tree she planted with her own hands is now providing shade for someone else."
"So, women should always think of themselves first. Being busy for men and running around for men usually doesn't end well."
Li Yan's words left Sister-in-law Xu completely bewildered; for a moment, she had no idea what she meant.
After a long silence, she finally realized that he was probably being deliberately provoked.
Just as she was about to retort, Li Yan didn't give her the chance. She stood up and said, "Actually, I came today to give money to Brother Xu." Then she briefly explained why she wanted to give him the money, "Now that Brother Xu is already arranging a marriage, it's not appropriate for a widow like me to keep pushing him. I have to avoid suspicion. So, I won't go to see him today. This matter... we'll talk about it another day."
After saying goodbye, Li Yan headed out the door.
When Sister-in-law Xu heard that she could earn six taels of silver a year, she was extremely anxious and immediately chased after him.
"You two are alone together, so it's not appropriate. But if I'm there, there's nothing to hide. Sister Li, how about I go with you?"
Standing in the courtyard, Li Yan said, "I had timed my arrival carefully today, but I was delayed a bit and now I'm in a hurry to go home. Let's discuss this another day." With that, Li Yan flicked her sleeves and left gracefully.
Left standing in the courtyard, Mrs. Xu stamped her feet in frustration, her heart filled with rage.
Six taels of silver... that's enough for the two families to live on for almost half a year.
Although their ancestors left them some wealth, they had no property. Without property, they had no stable monthly income.
Although both Dalang and Chengge'er had jobs, they weren't jobs that could earn them a lot of money.
Erlang has now passed the imperial examination and will definitely need to continue his studies. Cheng'er is fourteen this year, and in two more years he'll be ready to get married. That will be another huge expense.
After being anxious for a while, Sister-in-law Xu simply went to her brother-in-law's house next door.
"That Lady Li, she came and went, I think she did it on purpose. Erlang, if she doesn't come looking for you in a few days, go find her. Six taels of silver a year... that's quite a lot." The key is that it's free money, why not take it?
Upon hearing this, Xu Qingshu frowned, feeling slightly displeased.
Although he resented his sister-in-law for being meddlesome and talkative, he couldn't say it directly. He could only say, "I only helped her with one favor at the beginning, and I've already taken a lot of money from her. Besides, I'm no longer the manager of Yuanbaolou in Qingshan Town, so she doesn't need to give me any more money." Xu Qingshu was a scholar, and he had a strong sense of pride. He felt that he shouldn't have taken the money, so he didn't intend to ask for it back.
But Sister-in-law Xu was frantic: "They've already offered it to you, and you don't want it? Are you stupid?" She continued, "Six taels of silver! That's enough to buy two or three books. Erlang, although our family looks decent, you know we don't actually have much money. You still need to continue your studies, where will you get the money? Maoge is growing up, and he needs to be well-nourished every day, where will we get the money for that too?"
"I know you're aloof, but aloofness can't put food on the table."
Xu Qingshu knew that if he didn't agree now, his sister-in-law would keep nagging him.
So he could only agree for the time being: "I understand. I'll wait a bit longer. If she doesn't come, I'll go find her."
After hearing this, Sister-in-law Xu finally smiled.
"Alright, you can continue with your work. I'm going to make dinner." After Sister-in-law Xu left, the smile that had been forced on Xu Qingshu's face immediately disappeared.
Sitting by the window, gazing at the blooming flowers outside, my mind drifted away from the book.
Three days passed, and Li Yan did not come looking for her again.
These past few days, she's been busy launching new products at her milk tea shop and has completely forgotten about Xu Qingshu's matter.
That day, when he went to the brokerage again, ready to have a big argument with Cheng Ao, he encountered a woman kneeling by the roadside with a white flower in her hair and a banner next to her that read "Selling herself to bury her father".
A crowd gathered around, pointing and whispering.
Li Yan was curious, so she went over to ask what was going on.
Those in the know said the girl was from a village in the suburbs, and her father was a hunter; the two of them depended on each other for survival. Not long ago, her father had an accident while hunting in the mountains, encountering a wild beast and suffering multiple bite wounds. To save her father, the girl single-handedly took him to the city to see a doctor. However, despite spending all their savings, her father still passed away.
Now that I have no money to bury my father, I have no choice but to sell myself to give my deceased father a proper burial.
After hearing this, Li Yan felt that it was indeed quite pitiful.
Just then, someone said, "A man in his seventies or eighties took a fancy to her and offered five taels of silver to buy her as a concubine. This girl is quite tough; she said she'd be willing to be a maid, but not a concubine. She's the daughter of a hunter, quite skilled, and strong, so she chased the old man away. Seeing how formidable she is, no one dared to ask about the price anymore. She's been kneeling here under the sun for most of the day, almost melting from the heat, and no one has come to inquire about the situation."
Upon hearing that she possessed some skill, Li Yan couldn't help but have designs on her.
He stepped forward, squatted down in front of her, and asked softly, "If I were to buy you to be my maid, would you be willing?"
The woman slightly raised her head and looked at the childlike face in front of her. Only then did Li Yan realize that she was still a child.
Judging from his appearance, he looks to be only thirteen or fourteen years old.
"I want ten taels of silver," the girl said.
Li Yan nodded: "Okay. I'll give you ten taels of silver and a few days off. Go back and bury your father properly, then come find me." Then she told her where she lived.
The girl looked up at the beautiful older sister in front of her with a slightly puzzled expression.
"You're willing to pay ten taels of silver for me?" she asked, somewhat incredulous. "Just as a maid?"
Li Yan thought the child was quite cute, so she teased her on purpose, "It's not to be a maid." But seeing a hint of fear flash in her eyes, Li Yan immediately said, "Actually, I saw that you have some skills and wanted to hire you to help me with my work." Then she added that she ran a small shop and needed help. Since she was a widow, it wouldn't be appropriate to hire male workers, so the child would be suitable.
Upon hearing this, the girl immediately exclaimed with delight, "Really?"
Li Yan smiled and said, "Of course it's true." She added, "However, I've already given you ten taels of silver, so your wages for the next year won't be high. But I'll provide you with room and board. How about that?"
If you can provide food and lodging, I'd be happy even if you don't pay me.
What else could the girl possibly be dissatisfied with?
She nodded immediately, and her eyes, which had been like a stagnant pool, began to shine.
"I can!"
"Then wait for me here for a while, I'll go home and get the money." After saying that, Li Yan got up and went home.
Among the onlookers, some recognized Li Yan and started talking about her. Then they said to the girl, "You've met a good person. She's the owner of the milk tea shop, Ms. Li. She also came from a poor background and built her business up little by little. She's kind-hearted. If you follow her, you won't suffer. Young lady, cherish her."
The girl was thrilled to hear these words.
Then another person said, "Ever since that Lady Ye was transferred to work at her milk tea shop, Boss Li has been going to the brokerage firm, trying to find a suitable person to work for him. Today I saw her rushing to the street, she must be going to the brokerage firm again. Now that a suitable person has been found, that broker Cheng has lost a big business deal, he'll probably be screaming in despair when he finds out."
Soon, Li Yan brought ten taels of silver and handed it to the girl.
Looking at the snow-white silver in front of her, the girl hesitated for a moment before slowly reaching out to take it.
"Thank you, Madam." Her childlike face was solemn. "Give me two days. I will definitely come to see you in two days."
“Okay, I believe you,” Li Yan said.
Unsurprisingly, after completing these steps, Li Yan heard the mechanical voice: [Host, perform another meritorious deed, and you will receive +20 points.]
Li Yan calculated that, with the merit points she had accumulated before, she had already reached +90. She only needed 10 more to complete the task and receive another big gift pack.
I wonder what I'll get this time.
.
He had just finished this matter and returned home when he saw Cheng Ao rushing over to him in a panic.
"Madam Li." He had clearly come running, and was now panting. "I... I've finally found you a suitable person."
Li Yan had long since lost patience with him, and the Xu family's affairs had also annoyed her, which led her to involve Cheng Ao in the matter. This time, Li Yan was quite impatient with Cheng Ao.
"Doesn't Cheng Yalang think it's already too late to find a suitable candidate now?"
"No, it's not too late, it's really suitable, Madam Li, come with me to take a look."
Li Yan found it strange: "Why did you keep saying you didn't have a suitable person when I kept urging you? Now that I've finally found someone suitable myself, you're rushing over to say you have someone suitable too. Mr. Cheng, you're not doing this on purpose, are you?"
“How could that be!” Cheng Ao yelled. “You came to me for help finding someone, which is to support my business and make me money. How could I not make money? Madam Li, you’ve wronged me.”
"Alright, even if I wronged you, even if I 'judged a gentleman by my own petty standards,' your efficiency is too low, which gives me a bad impression. Besides, I gave you a chance. Now, I have found a suitable candidate myself, so you've come at the right time. You don't need to bother with my affairs anymore."
Cheng Ao rushed over because he had heard rumors about it.
Now that they've already found someone themselves, the deal is gone.
Li Yan thought about it and felt that the other party had been busy with this matter for a long time, so it would be unreasonable not to give them any money.
Besides, she should have asked about Young Master Cheng's situation before making a decision.
Furthermore, in business, one must always leave room for maneuver and avoid easily offending people.
So Li Yan took a step back and explained seriously, "It's fate, really. On my way to your brokerage today, I happened to meet a girl selling herself to bury her father. I heard that she's a hunter's daughter and has some skills herself, which is exactly the kind of person I'm looking for. So, I quickly made the offer."
“But you have indeed worked hard these days for my sake. Here is a small sum of money for you, as a reward for your hard work.”
She had previously agreed to give him five coins if she found a suitable person, but that was because the person she needed was hard to find. Now that he couldn't help, she was already being quite generous by giving him one coin.
Cheng Ao knew what was going on. After thinking for a moment, he smiled and said, "I shouldn't take this money since I wasn't of any help. But... I really did run around for a long time on this matter, so I'll take the money."
"It was rightfully yours to take it."
Cheng Ao said, "Then if you have any further instructions, Madam Li will still have to tell me."
Li Yan said yes, and then saw him to the door.
Two days later, the girl came to Li Yan's house as promised and told her that her name was Qing Niang.
Seeing that her clothes were dirty, Li Yan immediately took her to a clothing store and bought her two new outfits. After returning, she boiled water and had her take a bath and change into the new clothes.
Although the girl wasn't fair-skinned, her eyebrows and eyes were quite pretty, and she could be considered pretty.
"From now on, you'll sleep in the same room as me. During the day, you'll help me with odd jobs first, and once you've gotten the hang of it, I'll entrust you with more important tasks."
Qingniang: "Aren't you going to sign a contract of servitude?"
Li Yan smiled and said, "Forget about the indenture, but you have to sign a long-term employment contract with me. When the contract is terminated is up to me. In addition, how much I will pay you each month, how often I will pay you, etc., will all be clearly stated in the contract."
Then he asked, "Can you read?"
Qingniang nodded vigorously, then shook her head, saying with a hint of self-consciousness, "I learned a few characters when I was little, but later I went hunting in the mountains with my father. I can draw a bow and shoot arrows, but I don't know many characters."
Li Yan was quite satisfied: "I can learn to read slowly. As long as I am serious and attentive, I will eventually learn. But you can draw a bow and you are good at it, which is very important to me. It is more important than knowing how to read."
Upon receiving affirmation, Qingniang's expression changed completely, instantly brightening up.
Two days later, Li Yan hired a carriage and took Qingniang to Jiangning Prefecture.
Aunt Xue, worried that they would go hungry on the journey, boiled many eggs and stuffed them into their bundles, and also baked some pancakes. She repeatedly instructed them, "Your Aunt Liu's family lives in Jiangning Prefecture. After you go, please be sure to ask them for help. Her son is now a commander of a thousand men. With his help, you will definitely be fine."
Li Yan can drive now. After hiring the brokerage firm's carriage, she didn't hire anyone else and drove the carriage herself.
Upon arriving at the city gate, they inquired about Commander Liu from the guards.
When the soldiers heard that he was a fellow villager from Xishui Village, the hometown of Commander Liu, they were very enthusiastic and immediately gave him directions.
If he weren't still on duty and unable to leave, he would have personally led the man to Liu Qianhu's doorstep.
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