Chapter 148 Now we siblings are just pawns in his game.
"It smells so good."
Several men, now tanned like coal, walked in.
"Father!"
"Father!"
Fu'er and Xuan'er both held up meat skewers, wanting to give them to their father.
"Thank you, Fu'er!" Zhou Congxian exclaimed with delight as he picked up his daughter.
Xuan'er looked back but couldn't see her father's figure, and a disappointed expression instantly appeared on her face.
Wei Xun patted her little head. "Your father is behind you. You can see him from the doorway."
Xuan'er immediately ran to the door.
She peeked out from the doorway, then quickly withdrew!
She saw her grandmother and uncle!
She doesn't like them!
Xuan'er puffed out her cheeks and turned around to go back and tell her mother!
Dan Niang snorted coldly.
"Never mind your dad, eat this skewer of meat first, then go play with your older brother and sister."
She took a vicious bite of meat, thinking to herself.
If Duan Feiyang dares to ask her for money, she'll kick him out and make him sleep on the streets today!
Yao Shisan watched his brother enjoying his meal and pulled him aside.
"Brother, what brings Prince Cheng to Ding County today?"
Jiang Xingyao's expression turned cold. "Here to act as a lobbyist for the Meng family."
Yao Shisan knew that Xiao Shu's ambitions were considerable, given that Xiao Shu also wanted to sell salt.
“Brother, no one gets up early without a reason. Xiao Shu, a prince, is willing to lower himself and personally run errands for General Meng. I’m afraid he has other plans.”
Her voice lowered even further, "Now that we have grain, it's not enough. He also wants salt, and I'm afraid he won't let go of iron either."
Jiang Xingyao frowned. "How did you know that?"
“He said it himself.”
Yao Shisan's eyes darkened slightly. Just thinking about these upsetting things made the meat skewers in his hand lose their appeal.
“I bought a boat in Chuzhou, and before I even sailed it back, he already knew about it.”
“Now my siblings and I are just pawns in his game.”
"A boat?" Jiang Xingyao looked at his sister. "You've been away from home for so long. Didn't Shuang'er say you went to Yuzhou to collect grain?"
Yao Shisan was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled and said, "This isn't about doing big business. A skilled craftsman must first sharpen his tools, and boats are essential..."
As she spoke, she casually waved her hand and said, "Brother, none of that matters. What matters is that we cannot sit idly by and wait to die, becoming mere pawns in Xiao Shu's hands, at his mercy."
Jiang Xingyao pursed his lips. "What Prince Cheng is doing now has gone beyond the scope of a mere vassal king."
"Of course I will submit a memorial to His Majesty."
Yao Shisan shook his head. "Your memorial didn't go directly to the Emperor; it was probably stopped at the prefectural level."
She glanced at Zhou Congxian, who was playing with several children.
"Regarding the memorial, I reckon we'll have to ask him for help."
His Majesty's Shadow Guards have their own methods of communication, and Zhou Congxian certainly has a way.
She was grateful to Xiao Shu for helping her escape the capital and change her lifestyle.
Regardless of whether he had other motives at the time.
But now that he wants to drag her into his game, he can't blame her for being "ungrateful."
When Yao Shisan finished speaking with his brother, he turned around and saw Duan Feiyang looking like he had been waiting for a long time.
"Brothers Duan, is something the matter?"
Duan Feiyang had rehearsed his speech countless times, but now he couldn't bring himself to speak.
Yao Shisan recalled the two people from that afternoon, then chuckled, "Dan Niang's cooking is excellent, and she takes good care of Xiao Pang Xi too."
"I'm very satisfied, you don't need to worry that I won't use her."
Duan Feiyang knew that Dan Niang was very good.
“Madam Yao, I… have other matters to attend to.”
He gritted his teeth, "My sister-in-law has also been looking for work lately, and I was wondering if the household still needs anyone..."
"Duan Feiyang!"
Dan Niang had just handed the sleeping little chubby boy to Shuang'er and was about to come back to continue roasting meat when she heard what her husband said.
So that's what they were planning!
Is he stupid?!
Yao Niangzi's place already needs few people, one person per position, so if Wang Su'e comes, she can coexist peacefully with her.
Duan Feiyang turned to look at his wife, "Dan Niang, your wife is just sitting at home doing nothing anyway..."
Dan Niang's face darkened. She didn't want to argue with this fool in the master's house.
"Your brother is also idle at home. Why don't you go and beg Lord Zhou to take him in as well?"
Upon hearing this, Duan Feiyang actually turned around and glanced at Zhou Congxian.
Dan Niang almost fainted from anger!
Yao Shisan now knows that Duan Feiyang is the eldest son in his family, filial to his parents, and loving to his brothers.
However, the parents were biased, and the brothers were greedy.
Even if he is filial and loving, he will appear dull-witted.
Yao Shisan thought for a moment, "Of course we're short of servants. We just happen to need one right now, which will cost eight hundred coins a month."
A servant earning one tael a month is already quite high; some waiters in restaurants only earn one tael.
However, in comparison, Dan Niang had three or four, so his younger brother and sister-in-law naturally felt dissatisfied and simply stopped coming.
Duan Feiyang paused for a moment, then nodded, "Thank you, Madam Yao."
My younger brother and sister-in-law are idle at home with nothing to do. Although the servants earn less than an ounce, it is much better than having no income at all.
Danniang glared fiercely at her husband.
Duan Feiyang thought this was a good thing; everyone could make money together.
But he had a gut feeling that when he got back, Dan Niang would definitely not let him into the bedroom.
His prediction was correct.
When he returned home that night, Danniang not only wouldn't let him into her bedroom, but she also wouldn't let him through the main gate, forcing him to climb over the wall. In the end, he spent the whole night feeding on mosquitoes in the courtyard.
Duan Feiyang took a day off to go home.
He had barely finished speaking when Duan Feicheng knocked over the snacks he had brought back.
Eight hundred coins?! That's like giving money to a beggar!
"Sister-in-law, that's three taels of silver, three thousand coins! That means my wife can't earn as much in three months as she does in one month!"
An expression of displeasure flashed across Granny Duan's face.
“Eldest son, this is not right. Both of them are my daughters-in-law. One is worth three thousand coins, and the other is worth eight hundred coins. Where do you think your mother can put this old lady?”
Yesterday, my daughter-in-law's in-laws came. They said they could find Su'e a job that pays three taels of silver a month. They also said they could bring Su'e's brother over with them, and he could earn at least five taels a month without any problem!
She's already made her promise, and now they're telling her she only has eight hundred coins?!
Duan Feiyang looked troubled. "Mother, I also had to swallow my pride and ask yesterday. The master only needs servants right now."
“Eight hundred is already a lot for a servant; the servants in the kitchen of a restaurant only get five hundred.”
Duan Feicheng leaned against the door frame and said, "Since that's the case, let's give the job to Su'e and let her do odd jobs."
"Anyway, can't my brother still earn a few taels of silver?"
"Wh-what?" Duan Feiyang almost thought he had misheard.
Granny Duan sighed, "Eldest son, it's not that we want to wrong Danniang, but you clearly said yesterday that the job would pay three taels of silver a month, and now it's become eight hundred coins. How am I supposed to explain this to your sister-in-law?"
"Mother, when did I ever say I would definitely get a job worth three taels of silver!"
Duan Feiyang's lips trembled slightly. "Besides, how much money Dan Niang can get is entirely up to her ability."
"Mother-in-law, I thought it was some kind of amazing job, but it turns out it's just taking care of children. What kind of skill is that? Any woman can do it!"
Duan's youngest daughter-in-law, Wang Su'e, and her mother, Granny Wang, entered.
Granny Wang spat, "I thought my brother-in-law was so capable, but it turns out he gave it all to his own daughter-in-law."
“Su’e, eight hundred coins, let’s not go and suffer that hardship.”
Duan Feiyang never expected that his mother, who used to be so understanding, would become so unreasonable.
"They set the prices, and they recruited the workers!"
"What's the point of you pressuring me here now!"
He stood up angrily. "The mistress of the house has already said that there is only one servant, and the salary is eight hundred coins."
"If she doesn't go tomorrow, she'll hire another servant."
After saying that, he didn't look at anyone's reaction and turned to leave.
*
Dan Niang is now too embarrassed to face Yao Niangzi.
The husband is blindly filial to his parents. He works hard to earn money, braving wind and rain, while the second son's family eats and drinks their fill and then goes to bed!
After all these years, they still haven't learned their lesson. They've only been out for a short time and they've already forgotten.
They're dragging their own mess into the mess at home!
He knows his brother's temperament all too well. If he goes crazy and hurts someone, how will she ever be able to face anyone again!
When Yao Shisan saw that Danniang hadn't smiled for two days, he knew she was still angry about Duan Feiyang's unauthorized actions.
"Are you still angry?"
"Don't even think about it. According to the servant, eight hundred is a bit expensive, but you have three thousand coins and she has eight hundred. You are sisters-in-law, and two days have passed. She won't come."
Dan Niang pursed her lips, a hint of grievance in her eyes, "I'm sorry for causing you trouble again."
Yao Shisan took the chubby little Xi from her arms. "The two fish from yesterday are still in the tank. Let's make fish porridge today. It's so delicious, I'm craving it."
Dan Niang laughed, "Okay, I'll fry some fish fillet pastries too. I learned this trick when I was working as a handyman at Rong Ji!"
Yao Shisan reached out and tapped Xiao Pangxi's nose, "You're not going to have any luck with food."
Danniang went to the kitchen to busy herself, gently rocking Xiaopangxi in her arms.
Little Fatty nestled in his mother's arms, swaying gently, and slowly drowsiness crept in.
She opened her little mouth and let out a long yawn.
She closed her eyes and fell asleep shortly afterward.
Yao Shisan gently lifted the child and prepared to put him into the cradle.
"Thump thump thump!!"
Little Fatty was startled and suddenly opened his eyes, then burst into tears!
"What's wrong? What happened?!"
Dan Niang rushed out of the kitchen.
There was still a knocking sound at the front door!
Yao Shisan handed the chubby boy to Danniang, then turned and headed straight for the gate.
The old woman knocking on the door almost slapped her in the face!
Yao Shisan grabbed her outstretched hand and pushed it away forcefully.
"What are you filming!"
Granny Duan lost her balance and fell.
When Wang Su'e heard the child crying inside, her eyes lit up. Her opportunity had come!
Luo Dan's mother has been here for so long and still can't soothe the child, so this job should be hers!
She didn't care whether her mother-in-law was injured or not, and slipped inside sideways.
"What are you doing! You can't come in!"
Yao Shisan turned around to stop her, but Granny Duan grabbed his leg!
"You pushed me and you think you can just leave?! No way!"
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