That evening, after a simple dinner, everyone went to rest. The next day, Zheng Boyuan got up early and practiced his martial arts in the front yard until he was drenched in sweat. After washing up, he learned that Xu Zhi had already prepared breakfast. After breakfast, he hurriedly went to the government office.
Xu Zhi arranged the household affairs properly, and then asked the steward to find a well-regarded matchmaker on the street to come to the house. She planned to hire two maids and two kitchen helpers.
The manager had arrived in Miaozhou a few days ago and had a clear understanding of the basic situation there. Naturally, he knew which matchmaker had the best reputation in the city and quickly invited them over.
The matchmaker's surname was Zhou. She had gray hair and wore a very clean cloth dress. When she saw Xu Zhi, she gave her a generous curtsy. Xu Zhi asked Bai Ying to bring a flower stool for Zhou's mother, and after thanking her, Zhou's mother sat down.
Xu Zhi had a good impression of Granny Zhou and said with a smile, "Granny Zhou, we have come from afar and need to hire a few more helpers for our home. Please help us find some reliable people."
Mrs. Zhou said, "I've been helping people find partners in this city for many years. Please tell me your thoughts, so I can find someone according to your wishes."
They were looking for live servants. Zheng Boyuan, an official serving in a remote area, brought a few loyal servants with him at home. He would find a few live servants in the local area to help with rough work and kitchen tasks. As for the close-up service, it was more appropriate to have the people he brought with him do it.
Zhou's mother was used to doing these things and naturally knew the rules. After saying goodbye to Xu Zhi, she went back to prepare to help Xu Zhi find a few people in the city.
Watching Zhou's mother leave the courtyard, Hong Gu said with some worry, "Girl, can this old woman find us a suitable match? Can we trust her without a marriage contract?"
"We'll be looking for people who do manual labor, people who might not even be able to get into this courtyard on a normal day. Brother Boyuan's study is being cleaned and tidied by the two page boys he brought with him. It's no problem to find a few old women from the city."
In the afternoon, Granny Zhou came over with several elderly people. After Xu Zhi asked them all, she left four old women to sweep and wash. Granny Zhou, the cook in the kitchen, told Xu Zhi to wait a little longer, since most people couldn't do the cooking well and she needed to help her figure it out.
Zheng Boyuan returned home for lunch, then went to the government office in the afternoon. After returning home in the evening and having dinner, he began to tell Xu Zhi about what he had seen and heard that day.
The prefect of Miaozhou Prefecture is Chu Huaigui, a two-time Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). He was directly appointed as a county magistrate and was an upright and honest official who loved the people like his own children. He was a good official, but what was rare was that he was quick-witted and extremely tactful in his dealings with others. During his two years in office in Miaozhou, he led the people of Miaozhou in managing the waterways of Miaozhou.
Tongzhi Wan Jingchen was a nephew of Consort Wan's maternal family. He was a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations) and his career path was relatively smooth thanks to his uncle Wan Weiyong. However, he was not a capable person and longed to be transferred back to the capital as soon as possible. Unfortunately, as a Juren, it was not easy for him to secure a suitable position in the capital. He had been languishing in Miaozhou for the past few years.
Yesterday, Xu Zhi met with Feng Shaoli, the registrar. Zheng Boyuan met with Feng Shaoli today and praised him, saying that he was a very insightful person and that working with him would definitely teach him a lot about how to conduct oneself in society.
Zheng Boyuan and Xu Zhi were having a great time talking when the Feng couple in the next courtyard were also talking about the young couple who had just moved in yesterday.
Feng Shaoli was handling matters at the yamen that evening and returned home a little late. Madam Ping had left him some food, and the couple were eating in their room in the front yard.
Ping added a piece of food to Feng Shaoli's plate and said, "I saw Lord Zheng and his wife yesterday. They both looked quite young, and the man was handsome and the woman was beautiful. They were truly a perfect couple."
“Awu, I think Lord Zheng is a very easy person to get along with, and he treats his wife very well. Didn’t you say that you don’t get along with Lord Chu and Lord Wan’s families? You can try to get along with this Lady Zheng in the future,” Feng Shaoli said softly to Madam Ping.
Ping was taken aback by Feng Shaoli's words and then smiled, saying, "Husband, look at what you're saying. You're busy in the yamen every day, how could you possibly know about the affairs of the inner quarters? Sometimes, we in the inner quarters actually observe how the men in front of you interact. The wives of Lord Chu and Lord Wan both associate with the wives of some wealthy families in the city. Sometimes when I'm with them, I only sit at the end of the table. These are all rules and regulations."
Feng Shaoli knew perfectly well that these were all rules and regulations. A woman's dignity was given to her by a man. When a man had a promising future, the woman following him would naturally have a higher status.
Seeing Feng Shaoli's expression, Ping smiled and said, "I think this is quite good. You know I don't like the one from the Wan family, and I don't get along with the one from the Chu family. I think this young lady from the Zheng family is quite nice. I've spoken to her a few times and I know that she's not the kind of person who grows up locked up in the inner quarters all day. What's more, she has a good temper and is straightforward. I hope we can get along."
Feng Shaoli nodded, then, thinking of his three girls, asked, "Didn't you say you hired a teacher for He Jie'er and the other two? How are they doing with their studies?"
Madam Ping sighed, a rare occurrence, and said, "I originally wanted to hire someone who could teach etiquette, household management, and ideally, someone who could also teach embroidery, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Unfortunately, I only managed to hire one embroiderer, who has been teaching three children embroidery these past few days."
Feng Shaoli's family has three daughters, the eldest is ten years old, and the other two are seven and five years old respectively. Ping Shi knows that she comes from a poor background, so she hopes to teach her three daughters to be well-mannered and knowledgeable, so that she can have some leverage when it comes to marriage. Unfortunately, she knows very few people, and in the past she has been associating with people from lower social classes. Where can those families find a nanny to teach their daughters?
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