Chapter 314: Starting the Journey

Zhulan thought it was a good idea, as she had two little ones at home. The girl would follow Xuehan, and the boy would follow Mingyun. Of course, they would only follow each other for now. Whether they would continue to follow each other in the future depended on the two children's understanding.

Zhulan asked Yazi, "How much silver?"

Zhulan knew in her heart that some of the servants had family backgrounds and friends and relatives, and they were redeemed when something happened. Those who were left behind either had no relatives or had lost contact with their relatives. This was better and could avoid a lot of trouble.

The yazi was very happy, "Madam, these are servants from government families. Although they are a little old, their price cannot be cheap. This family is eighty taels."

Zhu Lan pursed her lips and said nothing. Ya Zi felt uncomfortable being stared at. "Seventy-five taels is the lowest."

Zhulan really didn't know the price, so she waited until Yazi had bitten off the price before she said, "You need to exchange their slave contract, I won't pay."

Yazi paused and said, "Sure, please come this way."

Zhulan and Zhou Shuren followed the broker. This place was under the charge of officials. They did not need to go to the yamen to handle the formalities. There was a special place for handling formalities. They paid silver and exchanged the deed.

Zhulan's family also had servants. Zhulan and Zhou Shuren did not take her home, but took her to the clinic first to let the doctor take a look. Fortunately, the old lady was suffering from malnutrition and lack of rest, and was not sick.

Zhulan went to buy some gray and dark fabrics and then brought them home.

After returning home, Zhulan arranged the family to stay in an empty room in the front yard. These slaves, who were sold by officials, had nothing on them except the clothes they were wearing. Zhulan found old quilts at home and some old wooden barrels and asked the eldest brother to send them over.

There is firewood in the front yard, and there is also a kitchen. You can boil water for washing yourself. There are also fabrics and needles. Zhulan is not in a hurry to see anyone and waits for the whole family to finish packing.

Li was so excited, "Mom, do we really have a servant?"

Zhulan, "Yes."

Li was so happy, "Mom, will I be the first wife in the future?"

Zhulan, "........You are the eldest wife, what about me?"

Li asked knowingly, "Mother is naturally an old lady."

Zhulan, "........"

She knew it was this title. She took good care of herself and looked young. That's right, now that she had bought someone back, the way she was called in the family would naturally change. In order to distinguish her, she had to add the word "old". She was so upset that her head hurt just looking at Li!

Li saw her mother-in-law close her eyes. She didn't understand what she had said wrongly. "Mother."

Zhulan closed her eyes and pointed at the door, "Get out."

Li shut up, and her mother-in-law got upset again. She noticed that her mother-in-law would get upset from time to time, so it was best for her to shut up and be obedient at this time.

At lunch, Zhulan asked Li to send some cakes and vegetables to the front yard.

When Zhulan woke up from her lunch break, the family she had bought was already standing in the backyard. All of them had changed into new clothes and dressed themselves up cleanly.

Zhulan sat on the chair brought by the eldest brother, looking at the newly made clothes with raised eyebrows. It has been two and a half hours, five hours in total, since she brought people back. And from what the eldest brother said, the family has been standing for almost half an hour.

That is to say, within two hours, or four hours, excluding the time for boiling water and bathing, eight sets of decent and fitting clothes can be made. Someone is really good at needlework.

Although Zhulan didn't pay attention to the front yard, she knew everything she needed to know. Everyone in the family had a clear division of labor!

Zhulan asked, "Who is good at needlework?"

The older lady stepped forward and said, "Madam, I am good at sewing. Later, when I got old, I went to work as a housewife in the farm."

Zhulan hummed and continued, "Can you all tell me what jobs you were responsible for in the past?"

The old man stepped forward and said, "I used to be a horse breeder, and now I am a janitor in the farm."

The son continued, "I was driving the car for the master."

Daughter-in-law, "I started out washing vegetables in the kitchen, then I learned needlework and did needlework."

The two older boys, the older, at nineteen, was a horse boy, and the younger, at seventeen, was an errand boy.

There are two little ones left. The little girl is ten years old and has been learning to behave herself, preparing to be a third-class maid. The boy is also learning to behave himself, but no arrangements have been made yet.

When Zhulan heard this, she realized that no one in this family was in a position of power. They were not particularly smart people, but they were responsible.

What the Zhou family needs now is someone who does his job well.

Zhulan asked, "What are your names?"

The old man stepped forward and said, "My surname is Ma, and my name was given to me by the original owner, Ma Qiang."

The old lady stepped forward and said, "I am Ma Wei."

The couple, the man was named Ma Eryue, the woman was a prostitute since childhood, she had no surname and her name was given by her original family, Xinghua.

Several children did not give their names.

Old Man Ma stepped forward and said, "Madam, please give the child a name."

Zhulan was silent. Only by giving the child a name did she truly accept the Ma family. This was very important to the Ma family. Seeing the expectant eyes of the Ma children, Zhulan cursed the ancient times in her heart, but she still gave the child a name.

The surname did not change, and Zhulan did not have any name. She was not a talented woman. She named her daughter according to the 24 solar terms: the 19-year-old boy had the Beginning of Spring, the 17-year-old had the Rain of Water, the 10-year-old girl had the Jingchen, and the 8-year-old boy had the Spring Equinox.

Zhulan then made arrangements for several people.

Zhu Lan said based on the abilities of these people, "We are going to the capital to take the exam. This time we will bring February, apricot blossoms, the beginning of spring and the startling snake. Ma Qiang and Ma Wei will stay with the rain and the spring equinox."

Dong pressed down the corner of her mouth. Although her mother-in-law kept the old lady, she was at least a servant. She finally didn't have to do the work herself.

The Ma family accepted the arrangement made by the master well. Although the new master was not an official, he was a nobleman and was about to go to Beijing for the imperial examination.

If the new master became a Jinshi, they would still be official slaves, which was much better than being bought by merchants. The Ma family's uneasiness had long disappeared, leaving only joy.

The Ma family is honest but not stupid. The new master has not made any fortune and they are the first batch of slaves. As long as they perform well, they will be reused.

For dinner in the evening, the Ma family cooked their own meal in the front yard, which was prepared by Ma Wei.

Li cooks for Zhulan's family, and Xinghua helps by washing vegetables, so Dong and Xuehan don't have to do it anymore.

The Ma family adapted for two days, and the day for Zhulan and Zhou Shuren to set off arrived. This time they hired five carriages. Zhulan and Zhou Shuren took one. Zhou Shuren didn't want Xuehan to be a third wheel, so Xuemei and Li took another with Yulu and Jingchen.

Boss Zhou took Ming Teng in one of the cars, and the remaining two cars were loaded with quilts and other luggage, and one was loaded with mountain products and food.

Ma Eryue and apricot blossoms look after one, and Lichun looks after another.

Wu Ming only hired one carriage and did not bring much luggage, but Zhao Bo hired more carriages.

The Zhao family had a house in the capital. Zhao Bo did not go there alone this time. He brought six servants with him and a lot of luggage, so Zhao Bo hired four horse-drawn carriages himself.

On the contrary, Wu Ming was able to employ servants, and he only bought a young boy to follow him.

There were two more convoys heading to Beijing. This time, there were not many people in the convoy, and there were no encumbering trucks, so the convoy was moving very quickly.

This trip to the capital was not particularly rushed. We covered the entire distance during the day and stopped early to rest at night.

(End of this chapter)