I don't know what to give you, and I don't really know your preferences. I'm worried that you won't be satisfied with what I give you.
After thinking it over, the most direct way is to give money. After all, nobody dislikes money, don't you think?
The people in the courtyard laughed when they heard Xiao Yunying's teasing.
Xiao Yunying said, "If no one has any objections, when the monthly wages are distributed at the end of this month, Uncle Dai will give each of the farmhands an extra three taels of silver as my reward for you."
Everyone exclaimed in surprise, "So many?"
"It's not much. You've worked hard all year, doing your best. This is what you deserve."
She looked at the three people and said, "If any of you locals want to go home for the New Year, you can do so. Just tell Uncle Dai in advance. Go back on the 25th and come back on the evening of the 5th of the New Year. You'll have a total of ten days off."
There's one thing I need to make clear: this ten-day holiday isn't free.
Those who stay here will be paid three times their normal wage for the next ten days. Those of you who go home won't be working, and I won't deduct your original wages, but you won't get the extra double either. This is fair to everyone else. Do you understand?
The three of them counted on their fingers and realized that ten days of double wages was quite a lot, and they all looked reluctant to part with it.
Seeing their expressions, Xiao Yunying knew they were reluctant to part with their wages.
She said, "You must not have been able to reunite with your families for a long time. If you ask me, it would be better to go home and visit them. I've always treated you quite well, providing you with everything you need, so don't be stingy with your wages."
Money can be earned anytime, but time spent with family isn't something you can just come up with whenever you want.
The three of them thought it made sense and decided to go home for the Chinese New Year.
Xiao Yunying looked at the man who had remained silent and asked, "Don't you want to go home?"
After a while, he said in a deep voice, "Master, I think I won't go back."
Xiao Yunying noticed that the farmhand had lowered his head and remained silent before she mentioned the triple wage, so she figured it wasn't because of the money that he was reluctant to go back.
This was a private matter, and she didn't want to ask too many questions: "Then you should stay here. It'll be very lively celebrating the New Year with everyone."
He responded and retreated back into the crowd.
Xiao Yunying said everything she wanted to say, and then dismissed the crowd.
She walked slowly home, but when she was not far from her house, she saw a horse-drawn carriage leaving in the direction of her house and heading towards the village entrance.
She quickened her pace and entered the house, where she saw Meng Chun washing clothes in the yard. She asked directly, "Who came to our house just now?"
Meng Chun stopped what he was doing and said, "It's a shop assistant from Madam's shop. He said that in the past few days, there have been people in the shop who claim to be Madam's relatives and want to see her. They say they miss Madam, but they keep asking about the shop's profits."
The waiter said that the manager asked the man what relation he was to the lady, and the man said he was the lady's brother.
The shopkeeper had met the lady's two older brothers before, and he was certain that this person was not her, but he was also unsure whether he was the lady's uncle or another relative's brother, so he could only send a shop assistant to ask.
"The lady wasn't home just now, so the waiter told Miss Yunwan. Upon hearing this, Miss Yunwan got into the carriage and asked the waiter to take her there first."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com