Chapter 108
He had been living in the countryside before, with six or seven servants. He was an ordinary family and did everything by himself. It was very convenient to have two servants, Huangqi and Gancao, to help with some things at home.
Occasionally, Wu Zi would come back to do some heavy work, and later hired farmhands would bring some young girls and boys over. The couple felt that the existing servants were more than enough to take care of the children, clean the house, cook and other household affairs in an orderly manner.
When he was in the village, he was already a wealthy man who could not be compared with the original landlords, and no one dared to disrespect him. But when he came to the city, he seemed lonely with so many servants, especially when he bought two more to accompany his studies.
This makes people sigh at the huge difference in attitude. No wonder the landlords in their village have not moved to the city for many years in Jijiu Village. There are so many right and wrongs in the city, and they have to deal with them all over again. It would be better to stay in the familiar old place.
Zhang Fangyuan had never thought about these things before, and was fully focused on his children's education. Now he thought that the villagers respected their family, not only because the house was big and they had servants who could be ordered around, but also because the Zhang family had a lot of strong men, and no family in the village could match them when all the men were counted together.
Now that he has arrived in the city, he only has servants to take care of the housework. There are no strong men to guard the house, and no men from the clan to help. His house is deserted, and the people in the city are snobbish and treat people differently based on their situation.
Even when he was hanging around in the city in the past, even if he brought people to collect debts, he would have to see how many people were in the other party's family before making a targeted move.
Zhang Fangyuan thought that he still had to buy a strong servant.
"Strong men are hard to find. They have good hands and feet and are strong. Unless they have encountered a great change, they can earn a living by selling their labor. Few people are willing to sell themselves into slavery. Strong men are rare in the industry, and the price is high, so they are hard to buy."
Xu He immediately thought about it and felt that buying slaves was not a good idea. At the beginning of the year, it was still possible to buy a few men, but now they have been picked up and the bargains have been deserted. It is okay to buy one or two strong men, but it will be difficult to buy more.
"How about going to the village to hire some farmhands?"
"Long-term workers must sign a contract for three to five years. I'm afraid few farmers are willing to do this." Zhang Fangyuan took a breath and said, "Forget it. I'll think of another way. You should take good care of Ruijin and Ruili in the next two days."
Two days later, Zhang Fangyuan returned to the village again and called Zhuang Qi to the guesthouse.
The two hadn't had any contact since Zhang Fangyuan went to the city to hang out, but their childhood memories of going up the mountains to hunt and down the river to fish still remained.
"We haven't sat at the same table and had a drink together for many years."
Zhang Fangyuan brought lamb wine and poured a glass of wine for the man sitting in front of him who was strong and muscular, and whose physique was not inferior to his. He was a short boy in the past, but now he has grown into a tall and strong man. Zhang Fangyuan rarely sighed about the time, but now he couldn't help but sigh that time flies.
Zhuang Qi has grown taller, but his temperament is still the same as that of a child. He doesn't say much. Zhang Fangyuan poured him some wine, and he picked up the wine glass, which was half the size of a bowl, and drank it in one gulp, just like when he used to hang out in the village with Zhang Fangyuan.
The boy couldn't say a word for a long time, but he was braver than anyone else. In the past, Zhang Fangyuan was showing off in the village, leading a group of boys to the mountains and rivers to catch snakes and make wine. The boys just boasted about how brave they were. As a result, they encountered a poisonous snake the size of a wrist. Except for Zhang Fangyuan, everyone was scared and kept silent, and dared not go forward to catch it.
Zhang Fangyuan was a cunning person when he was young. He used this incident to pressure the children in the village and encouraged the boys in the village to go forward. However, no one dared to move. However, the young Zhuang Qi squeezed out from a group of tall and older children, and with his quick eyes and hands, he grabbed the snake's neck and pulled it up. The snake's body was wrapped around Zhuang Qi's arm, but the boy was not afraid at all.
This incident left a deep impression on Zhang Fangyuan's memory. If there was anyone who was ruthless and didn't talk much, it must be Zhuang Qi.
Although they were all grown up, Zhuang Qi still acted like a child. He put down his wine glass and called out, "Brother Zhang."
Zhang Fangyuan raised his eyebrows: "Still so respectful?"
"When I was a kid, I followed everyone else's lead, but now I follow Xiaomao's lead."
"You are really direct and good at making connections." Zhang Fangyuan put the cup in his hand on the table with a thump. "It's just that your family is in chaos, so don't follow Xiaomao and call me brother."
Zhuang Qi raised his sharp eyes that were always used to watch his prey: "If Brother Zhang is here to be a lobbyist today, then I, Zhuang Qi, will not accompany you."
Both of them are people who deal with animals. Zhang Fangyuan has been in the business world for many years and has gradually concealed the fierce edge of his past as a butcher and become smooth and worldly-wise. However, it does not mean that he has lost the bloodiness that has been in his heart since childhood. The two men looked at each other, and neither of them was afraid of the other.
Zhuang Qi narrowed his eyes slightly, then suddenly turned around and was about to leave.
When they reached the door, Zhang Fangyuan said, "Come back. I came to you today to solve Xiaomao's problem, not to break up the couple."
Zhuang Qi was flexible and sat back with an expressionless face.
"When Xiao'e got married, my fourth uncle asked me to choose a live-in son-in-law for him. He meant that he had already decided long ago."
"I know. I don't mind if you come or not."
Zhang Fangyuan said, "You don't mind, but your mother does. She's making a big fuss, and she's even clinging to your little cousin."
"I won't marry my cousin, and I've already told my mother about the division of the family. She has to agree to it whether she agrees or not."
Zhang Fangyuan's eyebrows twitched slightly. What he wanted was Zhuang Qi's attitude. He couldn't help but test him: "Aren't you afraid that your uncles in the clan would scold you for being unfilial?"
"A loving mother is a filial son. She took the initiative and ignored my wishes, but I am not afraid of what others say."
Zhang Fangyuan looked at Zhuang Qi with a cold face and thought he was really stubborn.
"Well, since you said so, I won't question it. I know your temper since you were a child, and you are not someone who speaks sweet words." Zhang Fangyuan said, "After my parents passed away, Fourth Uncle treated me like his own son. Now I must pay extra attention to Xiaomao's affairs."
"It's not nice to be a live-in son-in-law. When a grown man marries into someone else's family, outsiders will have some complaints. And there's also a lovely niece, so it's reasonable that your mother doesn't agree. But you and Xiaomao are really in love, and I also have a husband, so I know how you feel. I came here today to tell you a solution."
Zhang Fangyuan said slowly, "After you and Xiaomao get married, you can move to the city and become the Zhang family's son-in-law, but you won't live with your parents-in-law. This way, you won't have to gossip about others. But you won't live with your parents either, so that Xiaomao won't be criticized and he won't have to fight with your little cousin."
"As long as Xiaomao is willing, then it's fine." Zhuang Qi agreed readily: "But I'm a hunter, and my business is mostly in the countryside and mountains. Moving to the city may make Xiaomao suffer."
"Since I asked you to go to the city, I will definitely arrange the business with you so that I can't watch my cousin suffer."
Zhang Fangyuan said, "I remember that you have quite some martial arts skills. You wanted to take part in the martial arts exam, but your brother got married and the family was in financial difficulty. You gave up this path in order to make ends meet. With your martial arts skills, you can run a martial arts school in the city and train people to serve as guards for the wealthy families in the city."
"I will pay for the opening of the museum, and you just run the business and train the staff. When the museum is on the right track, I will take 30% of the profits, and you and Xiaomao can handle the rest. How do you think?"
Zhuang Qi's eyebrows twitched. Even a fool could have figured out the benefits of this. Someone would invest in his livelihood, and he could make a leap from the countryside to the city. This was an opportunity that many people would never have in their lifetime. With everything right in front of him, who wouldn't be tempted?
"good!"
Zhang Fangyuan's eyes were slightly stern, and he lowered his voice: "I want an accurate answer within three days, and Madam Zhuang will take the initiative to come to my house and ask for marriage."
Zhuang Qi did not answer, but just raised his wine glass and clinked it with Zhang Fangyuan.
"Can this be accomplished? Zhuang Qi is thinking about Xiao Mao, so he will do whatever he wants. I'm just afraid that Madam Zhuang will be difficult to deal with."
It was not until Zhang Fangyuan came back that Xu He heard about what Zhang Fangyuan had done today in his hometown. She couldn't help but sigh at her husband's smart mind.
The places in the city with the most strong men are nothing more than the docks and martial arts halls. Strong men like to make a living with their hands. Many strong and healthy people like to join martial arts halls to learn some hand and foot skills, so that they can be hired and earn commissions.
Their family had hired people from martial arts schools several times before. The price varied depending on their skills, but even the cheapest one would earn dozens of coins a day. Although they all earned money by working hard, compared to carrying heavy things at the dock and being scolded at will, working in a martial arts school was much easier and more respectable.
For this reason, there are only martial arts schools that cannot recruit strong people, but there is no martial arts school that cannot recruit people.
If their family had a martial arts school, they would not have to worry about not having people to guard the house, and it would not be a problem to replace a wave of people every day. By then, the neighbors will know that this family has a martial arts school and will naturally be wary.
In this way, not only can the problem of the family being looked down upon and bullied due to the lack of able-bodied men be solved, but also the troubles in fourth uncle's family can be solved, and there can also be some profit outside, which can be said to kill three birds with one stone.
Knowing the benefits, Xu He couldn't help but worry that the banker would do something weird.
Zhang Fangyuan laughed and said, "My silly little brother, this is a piece of cake for the Zhuang family. The Zhuang family is a farmer and has no business skills. They will never be able to run a martial arts school in the city. Even if Mrs. Zhuang is a stupid farmer, she still doesn't want to agree. But are all the brothers in the Zhuang family stupid? Can't they see the benefits of this?"
Xu He thought about it and agreed. If it were in the past, he would definitely not let go of such a good opportunity. But his only worry was that he did not have the ability to take on this business. However, Zhuang Qi had the ability, and this was entirely based on his strengths.
Since this was the case, he calmly waited for the dealer to give the result.
As Zhang Fangyuan expected, the Zhuang family really agreed to the marriage, and before the three days were up, the Zhuang family invited the best matchmaker in the village to propose marriage on the second day. Mrs. Zhuang changed her previous attitude and became very amiable and polite to Zhang Shicheng and his wife.
After the two sides decided on the marriage, they were waiting for the betrothal gift.
Zhang Fangyuan and Xu He received the news at dusk the next day. After Zhang Shicheng was busy seeing off the banker's people at home, he immediately went to the city to tell the couple the news.
"I heard that Mrs. Zhuang was a little hesitant when she heard about this benefit. The cousin's daughter was crying and making a fuss. Someone from her family came to persuade her, fearing that the Zhuang family was trying to climb up the social ladder. Zhuang Qi drove the person away. The uncles and aunts of the Zhuang family also came forward to persuade Mrs. Zhuang. After much persuasion, they finally made her understand. The people from Mrs. Zhuang's family and her husband's family almost had a fight. Mrs. Zhuang saw clearly the face of her cousin who was virtuous and gentle."
Zhang Fangyuan said: "It seems that he is not unmoved and has no desire for wealth and power at all." The reason he refused to agree before was because the offer was not enough.
"Although the marriage is settled, it is too expensive for you two." Zhang Shicheng was happy, but also felt bad, so he made a special trip to the city in person.
"We are a family, why are you saying these polite words, and besides, I am not giving the money to Zhuang Qi for free. I will have to take 30% of the profits of the martial arts school in the future. This is the condition we agreed on at the beginning. Besides, we really need a martial arts school, but I am too busy to manage it myself. In the end, I still have to rely on my uncle's son-in-law to do things for me."
Zhang Shicheng smacked his lips: "You kid, just say something funny."
Xu He was also very satisfied: "Fourth uncle, you can rest assured and take care of Mao Ge'er's marriage with my aunt. I believe there are enough people at home. My husband and I may not help in the village. We will be busy in the city. After we have selected a martial arts school, we can also let them come to the city as soon as possible."
"Okay, okay, you guys just keep busy and don't have to worry about the family."
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