As night fell, Xu Nian, supporting herself with Gu Zhan's hand, jumped down from the carriage and hurriedly let go of him. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she recalled the scene at the General's Mansion, and then a commotion broke out in the courtyard.
"You old hag! The fortune teller has done so many good deeds along the way, it's only right that he became the county magistrate, what are you gossiping about here for?!"
"That's right, we owe our current situation to the fortune teller. This county princess title is a blessing she deserves. How could she be as bad as Auntie makes her out to be?"
Wang Jinmei, who had been subjected to hostility and scorn these past few days, finally found an outlet for her anger today. She snorted coldly, "Yes, she is a very good person. Now that she has become the county magistrate, she probably won't treat us badly. Why don't some families take the lead and ask if her county magistrate's mansion needs any servants or stewards? That way, we can find a way to make a living."
Now, everyone fell silent.
The noisy commotion in the courtyard immediately ceased. Wang Jinmei looked around and said, "As the saying goes, 'When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.' Working for someone you know is always easier than working for those exploitative people. Why don't you go and ask your fortune teller if he'll agree?"
Xu Nian listened outside, exchanged a glance with Gu Zhan, who could no longer contain his anger and was about to go inside.
"Wait." Xu Nian grabbed him, knowing that Gu Zhan was standing up for her, and her heart softened. "Let's hear what they have to say?"
Under the moonlight, the light and shadow cast flickering shadows on everyone's faces, making their expressions appear uncertain. After a long silence, someone hesitantly said, "Uncle Village Chief, what Auntie said makes sense, so perhaps..."
The village chief was so angry he almost vomited blood. "Foolish! What kind of people the fortune teller wants, and whether she wants us to work for her, is her own business! She has already done so much for the village, how can we trouble her any further?!"
"That's right, Sister-in-law Liu, wake up! We're already living a good life, why would we trouble the fortune teller again? The people in her household should naturally be the best. Otherwise, if the Emperor or some young lady comes and something goes wrong, wouldn't that make the fortune teller lose face?"
“Wang family, that’s not how it works. How could we, a group of people, embarrass her? We’re just doing some work. People we know well are better than those we don’t even know.”
“That’s right. Working at the teahouse is so tiring. Now that the fortune teller has risen to a higher position, we can benefit from it. She has already helped so much, so what’s a little more?”
[Do you hear what people are saying?]
[The streamer should just ignore these troublemakers; their moral blackmail is too blatant. What kind of people are they?!]
[I agree with the comment above, Nianbao'er. You've already been more than kind to them these past few days. If you actually agree to their request, they'll just use their relationship with you to pressure you and shirk their duties.]
Xu Nian naturally understood the reasons they were giving. It was all the same stuff they were talking about. She shook her head and, without hesitation, pushed open the door. "What are you all talking about? It's so lively, don't you all have to work tomorrow?"
"Big sister!" Da Bao and Er Bao, their cheeks flushed with anger at the group, rushed out as soon as they saw their sister return. "Congratulations, big sister, you've become a high-ranking official!"
They didn't know what the county princess's status was; they had only heard that it was a very high position, so they assumed it was an official post like Gu Zhan's general.
Xu Nian tapped the two of them on the forehead. "Silly boys, the county princess isn't a high-ranking official. I'll explain later. Let's go see your brother Gu first."
Pushing the two children to Gu Zhan's side, she wondered what he was thinking. Just a moment ago he was furious, but now his eyes were shining as he looked at her.
Xu Banxian felt a chill run down her spine and turned her head awkwardly, her gaze falling on the group of people. "Why aren't you saying anything? If there's nothing else, then let's disperse."
"Wait, wait a minute." Leading Gu Zhan through the crowd towards the house, Wang Jinmei remained silent, avoiding eye contact. However, someone mustered their courage and stammered as Gu Zhan approached the door, "Half-Immortal, I heard you've been granted the title of County Princess. Everyone's quite happy about it, but we're wondering if you need anyone at your residence. My job at this restaurant is just too tiring. Please, have mercy, let me work as a doorman."
Once is never enough; his words emboldened those who had been swayed by Wang Jinmei. A large portion of them echoed his sentiments, complaining about how terrible their jobs were, tearfully recounting how every boss or shopkeeper in Beijing was a ruthless exploiter!
Xu Nian stood on the steps, observing coldly. She noticed Wang Jinmei's smug expression as she looked past the crowd. "What if I disagree?"
"Half, half immortal. This is not a difficult thing, is it? You are a great benefactor. We will definitely not slack off when we work at your mansion."
Her gaze swept over the speaker, and Xu Nian's good mood from the whole day vanished completely. "Liu Dazhuang, I remember the restaurant you went to was the biggest in the entire capital. Although it was hard work, it only paid three taels of silver a month, and the tips from the customers were countless. The manager was a kind man; knowing you were a refugee fleeing famine, he took good care of you and even gave you an extra fifty coins a month. How come you've turned him into a shrewish Zhou Bapi in your mouth now?"
[Ingratitude! Ungrateful wretches! The streamer personally inquired about many jobs to ensure they had a good life!]
[Luckily, the streamer had the foresight, otherwise they would have been fooled by these people!]
[People like this would just be lazy and cheat in the streamer's house. Do they really think the streamer is their parent, someone they have to control in everything?]
Xu Nian's voice was cold and indifferent, her expression extremely serious: "I helped you out of consideration for our past village ties. But that doesn't mean you can deceive me or take advantage of my kindness to spit on me! From the moment we entered the capital, I've said to everyone here that from now on, you will have to earn your own living, and it will have nothing to do with me anymore! Do you know that working in the mansions of high-ranking officials and nobles means entering a life of lowly service, being a slave for life, and being sold off by others!"
Wang Jinmei's expression immediately changed. Fearing that she would become the target of everyone's attacks, she hurriedly raised her voice, "Half-Immortal, you are the owner of this house. If you don't say anything, who will know whether we are commoners or servants?"
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