Chapter 128 Those who are not of one mind with me will surely be punished.
Xia Chan and Lou Yue gradually came to their senses, and a heavy silence fell over them.
Like Taoye, both of them came from impoverished families and were sold to servants by their relatives.
They were lucky; they were sold into the garden, trained to be top-class maids, and were chosen by Yao Qingling to go to the new mansion.
However, there are far too many people whose lives are like drifting duckweed, suffering unfortunate fates.
Taoye said, "I saw Yang Kuan and told him that the young lady originally planned to set up a primary school in the manor to teach them to read. Later, when they have household registration, they won't just be waiters anymore."
“He could be in charge like Xiao Pingfeng, or be given other important positions.”
As Tao Ye finished speaking, she glanced guiltily at Yao Qingling, like a proud little dog whose bad deeds had been exposed, its tail drooping and its shoulders and neck hunching slightly.
Yao Qingling gave a faint "hmm" and said, "Tell them that they don't know my thoughts, they don't know the long-term plan, they only know how to be fierce and reckless. If they anger Miss, the school will be canceled."
"They were in a hurry, so they released you and treated you like a princess, giving you lots of gifts and asking you to speak well of them to me. Isn't that right?"
Tao Ye's eyes darted around, and she knelt down in fright: "Miss, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have misrepresented your meaning."
Setting up a school is no small matter. You need to hire teachers to teach, and you have to keep their identities a secret. Besides, Zhuangzi is a place for working. If everyone goes to learn to read, who will still do the work?
Furthermore, now that they can all read, are they all going to become managers? The shop is only so big, why do we need so many managers?
Qingling looked at her quietly.
Peach Leaf lowered her head and said again, "I don't want any of the things they gave me. I said I would take them back to give to Miss and persuade you to change your mind..."
She spoke softer and softer.
She was just a maid, yet she made a promise in the name of her mistress. Wasn't that putting the young lady in a difficult position?
Tao Ye was filled with regret. She shouldn't have acted on her own initiative. What was wrong with being tied up for one night? Her mistress would come to rescue her.
However, the young lady entrusted her with the task, but she couldn't handle it well, and the young lady had to clean up the mess...
Tao Ye was extremely conflicted.
Then Yao Qingling said, "Your idea is good. Half a school can be used to teach them to read."
"Miss?" Tao Ye suddenly raised her head, her dim eyes instantly lighting up.
Qingling: "What are you still kneeling for? Get up."
Tao Ye was pleasantly surprised and sat down. She hadn't been scolded or punished; instead, she had been praised.
Peach Leaf felt a little dizzy.
Qingling glanced at her, then looked at Lou Yue and Xia Chan: "I'm training you so that you can take responsibility and have the ability to stand on your own. You won't amount to anything if you hide behind me."
"Taoye's idea can not only keep Yang Kuan and his people at bay, but it is also preparing for the future of the shop."
"I've said it before, Hui Ba Fang aims to open stores all over the country and even in neighboring countries. With so many stores, how many managers and stewards will we need?"
“Teach them to read, so they have something to look forward to. Whoever is capable should be the first to start working. If they learn slowly, they can learn at their own pace; they will still have a place to eat.”
“Moreover…” Yao Qingling paused, glanced at Lin Shiyuan, and then stopped speaking.
She affirmed Taoye, which gave her confidence.
Another benefit was that Yao Qingling suddenly thought of Zhou Zhining's father, Grand Tutor Zhou.
The Zhou family owns Qingshan Academy, which admits scions of prominent families. Zhan Xingzhuo, Prince Xin Lian Chengtian, the fifth son of the Duke of Shen's mansion, and the son of the Minister of War are all his students.
There are many others whom Yao Qingling is unaware of, yet they still work for the imperial court.
When Zhou Taifu was a teacher, his students all trusted him; he had a strong sense of unity.
Yao Qingling thought that if she also set up such a school, she would be able to win over those people's hearts even more; and the possibility of them betraying her in the future would be much less.
But Qingling didn't explicitly state this meaning.
She thought that Lin Shiyuan, being a high-ranking official, must understand the significance of this.
"And what?" Xia Chan listened even more attentively, almost wanting to take out a piece of paper to write it down.
She longed for the recognition that Taoye had received.
She knew that her mistress valued Taoye the most; Taoye was her most trusted confidante. But it was not impossible for someone who came later to make an effort.
Qingling looked at her and said, "Besides, the weather is hot now, so a lot of farm work in the village has stopped."
It is precisely because they have free time that those people have time to think about all sorts of things and have the energy to cause trouble.
“Set up a school and make use of their time.”
Yao Qingling spoke for a while longer, and everyone discussed how to set up a school in the village, and the matter was settled.
Lou Yue and Xia Chan went out to do some work, but Xiao Pingfeng dawdled and didn't leave immediately.
Qingling looked at him: "Do you have something else to say?"
Xiao Pingfeng moved his lips and said, "The people in the village can study, but what about the people in the shops? If they knew, they would probably make a scene too."
Qingling said, "There's no rush. Not only you people, but the shop's original employees can also learn if they want to. They can take turns. However, the people from the estate must learn first, and they can only work in the shop after they get their household registration. Also, the shop's original employees can only take turns working together once they are familiar with the new employees. Do you understand?"
Xiao Pingfeng nodded emphatically: "That's for sure."
When he gets back, he will explain to the people at the shop that this must never happen again.
From now on, they can no longer separate the shop's original employees from the bandits; everyone will belong to the young lady.
Xiao Pingfeng went back to the shop.
Lin Shiyuan looked at Yao Qingling: "You asked me to stay, is there something you want to say?"
Qingling nodded and told Taoye to bring another pot of tea.
Taoye left, leaving only the two of them in the room.
Qingling looked at him and said, "If Taoye doesn't come back in time, are you going to go to the manor and take care of them all?"
Lin Shiyuan gently curled his lips: "You still see me like this?"
Rather than viewing him that way, it's more accurate to say we're wary of him.
When someone from the village came to deliver goods, Lin Shiyuan could not go to the village, lest they find out its location.
Yao Qingling said, "That's not how I see you. But you might do it."
He would take precautions to nip any potential danger in the bud.
If Yang Kuan and his associates had not been suppressed, or if even one of them had harbored wicked intentions and reported them to the authorities, none of them would have escaped punishment.
Lin Shiyuan paused for a moment, then asked her in return, "If it were possible, would you kill them?"
Yao Qingling looked at him, her eyes resolute in her silence.
She will take action.
Those who are not of one mind with me will surely be punished.
We're all in the same boat. The traitors must die first to save themselves and the others.
She's not a bodhisattva; she doesn't want to save everyone or forgive everyone.
Lin Shiyuan smiled calmly.
He knew that this woman's thoughts were similar to his.
He added, "However, I won't go on a killing spree until things get to that point. During my time in the shop, I spent every day with those people, and they weren't inherently bad."
They were all honest and law-abiding people who would silently endure being oppressed by officials and businessmen. If they hadn't been desperate to survive, who would have chosen that path?
This is a dereliction of duty by the imperial court.
Yao Qingling glanced at Lin Shiyuan, her eyes filled with surprise.
He was a general, the sharpest blade of the imperial court. Whoever destabilized the government, his blade would be pointed at them.
Suppressing bandits was also one of their duties.
Even after he was no longer a general, Lin Shiyuan still harbored prejudices against those bandits.
Therefore, he felt no guilt or remorse for the idea of capturing them to gain merit.
But now, he is slowly changing.
Lin Shiyuan felt uncomfortable under her gaze, frowned slightly, coughed lightly, and then said seriously, "But, you gave Sheng Dahe that batch of household registrations, and then someone started trouble. Among them... are there any outsiders who know about these people?"
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