The vegetable garden at home has been prepared and the seeds have been sown. Ling Dapeng has finished all his work and is starting to feel anxious. Spending his days at home with his wife and children makes him feel incompetent.
"Xiaoyun, I want to go out and see if there's any work I can do." In the morning, Ling Dapeng said to Zhou Xiaoyun, hugged his son, touched Zhou Xiaoyun's already showing belly, and then went out.
In the vast capital city, Ling Dapeng looked around blankly, and finally decided to go to the brokerage firm.
"The servants have to sign indentures? No way, absolutely not."
"Two taels of silver a month for a day laborer? That's too little. What can you do with two taels of silver in the capital? It's far too little."
“Hired farmers are meant to go to the suburbs to farm, but that won’t do. My family lives in the city, and I have a wife and children here.”
Ling Dapeng looked at the job postings and wages offered by the brokerage firm, and he could find fault with every single one of them. In the end, he could only leave the brokerage firm empty-handed once again.
"Brother Dapeng." Just as Ling Dapeng was wandering the streets, a soft voice came from behind him. Ling Dapeng looked up and saw Shishi riding in a carriage. "What happened? Why do you look so listless?"
"Miss Shishi, are you going back to Jiaosifang?" Ling Dapeng was also surprised to see Shishi on the street.
"Get out of the carriage. I'll walk back myself." Shishi, holding her pipa, stopped the carriage and walked to Ling Dapeng's side. "Yes, I'm back from outside, heading back to Jiaosifang. Brother Dapeng, what about you?"
"Don't even mention it. I'm trying to find a job, but there aren't any suitable ones," Ling Dapeng said dejectedly. "Miss Shishi, thank you for having someone send over the money. It must have been earned through your hard work. I... I feel really bad accepting it."
"That's what you deserve. I don't know what kind of work you're looking for, Brother Dapeng. Although I'm just a woman, I know quite a lot of people."
“Of course, the money is no less than that of a restaurant, and I don’t have to sign a contract of servitude. I can also go home every day,” Ling Dapeng said directly.
Shishi looked at Ling Dapeng with a smile and couldn't help but ask, "Then... Brother Dapeng, if you'd like, you can go and take a look at the Jiaosifang."
"Ah, the Imperial Tutor's Office? What can I do there? What can a roughneck like me do at the Imperial Tutor's Office?" Ling Dapeng replied, frowning and shaking his head. "I'm strong enough to work as a waiter, but I'm planning to look for other places."
"Brother Dapeng, what do you think Jiaosifang is?" Shishi asked rhetorically, and explained, "Jiaosifang is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites of the Imperial Court. There are palace maids, musicians and some folk artists in the ward. However, people like me with bad backgrounds work in Fuleyuan. But our Fuleyuan also has musicians, teaching ladies, and all kinds of servants. For example, my pipa, yaoqin, konghou and so on, these musical instruments also need people to move them around. Brother Dapeng, if you are willing, I can help you get introduced to them."
Ling Dapeng didn't know what the Yaoqin or Konghou were. He only heard that the Jiaosifang was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites of the imperial court. Did that mean that as long as he entered the Jiaosifang, he would be considered a member of the imperial court?
"It's really just moving some musical instruments. I'm a rough guy, I don't even know many words. Please don't ask me to go on stage, I can't do anything." Ling Dapeng was somewhat tempted. "And what about the pay?"
"I can ask about that for you. How about this, Brother Dapeng, let's meet here tomorrow at this time, and I'll tell you how much the wages are, okay?"
Ling Dapeng immediately nodded and said gratefully, "Miss Shishi, you are so kind."
Shishi laughed at Ling Dapeng, "Brother Dapeng, don't be so polite. If it weren't for me, you'd probably still be working at the restaurant, instead of looking for work."
"Well, then I'll head back now. See you here tomorrow." Ling Dapeng said goodbye to Shishi with a simple smile.
Shishi nodded, looking quite obedient as she held her pipa. "Brother Dapeng, you go ahead, I'll watch over you."
Ling Dapeng felt a little embarrassed and subconsciously scratched the back of his head. "I'm leaving now, Miss Shishi, please go back." He turned back every three steps, and each time he turned back, he saw Shishi's smiling face.
Ling Dapeng felt his heart beating faster for no reason, so he quickened his pace. This girl, Shishi, was quite beautiful.
As soon as Ling Dapeng turned the corner, Shishi's smile faded, and she turned and walked towards the Jiaosifang not far away.
"Senior Sister Shi, why are you being so nice to this roughneck? He has a wife and children at home." The servant who delivered money to Ling Dapeng that day asked curiously when he saw Shishi return.
“He’s not an ordinary family’s son. His mother is the head manager of Zhaixing Tower, and he’s very simple-minded,” Shishi said. “I’ve saved up some money over the years, but with my lowly status, how could I possibly marry? I’ll find an easy man to manipulate, and even if I become a concubine, I can make him favor his concubine over his wife!”
Shishi had a calculating look on her face. That Taowan girl could open a restaurant with the Prince Rui's mansion, so she must have someone behind her. Such a large family business couldn't be managed by one son. Although she had fallen out with her second son, they were still connected by blood. He was a hothead and had a pregnant wife. Wasn't this the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the situation?
Ling Dapeng was in a good mood after returning home, but he didn't tell Zhou Xiaoyun about the uncertain news.
Ling Dahu and Wang Hongyu arrived in the afternoon. They saw the vegetable garden that Ling Dapeng and Zhou Xiaoyun had tidied up, the chickens and ducks in the backyard, and two servants who had cleaned the house spotlessly. They thought they were living a good life!
"Brother and sister-in-law, did you come all this way to see us?" Zhou Xiaoyun greeted Ling Dahu and Wang Hongyu warmly.
"Come and see, you all look pretty good!" Wang Hongyu thought that Ling Dapeng, who had no work to do, would be scolded by Zhou Xiaoyun, but judging from the situation, that was obviously not the case.
"It's alright. Life is what it is. Although it's not as good as it was over there, at least we're not starving," Zhou Xiaoyun said with a smile. "Dapeng, you agree, right?"
“That’s right, brother, sister-in-law, our little courtyard is a bit small, but it’s definitely enough for us to live in.” Ling Dapeng said happily while playing with his son, lifting him up high.
"Seeing that you're doing well puts my mind at ease. Dapeng, apologize to your mother, and maybe you can go back to the restaurant," Ling Dahu advised. "When the family is together, there's always someone to look after you."
“Brother, I did nothing wrong. I was just helping someone. Even if Mom won’t let me work, I can find other jobs. You don’t need to worry about me,” Ling Dapeng said casually.
“But…” Ling Dahu was about to say something when Wang Hongyu pulled her husband back. They couldn’t talk about that woman in front of their sister-in-law, in case Zhou Xiaoyun got angry!
"Dapeng, Xiaoyun, your sister-in-law knows you're both capable. If anything happens, Xiaoyun, just tell your sister-in-law!" Wang Hongyu said politely.
"Sister-in-law, if we were really short of money, would you still be able to give us some?" Zhou Xiaoyun said with a smile. "I was just joking, please don't take it to heart. I heard that you're currently helping out at Mom's house, and you're going to be a cook in the future!"
Wang Hongyu frowned slightly as she looked at Zhou Xiaoyun's smiling face. How come Zhou Xiaoyun had become so sarcastic towards her after only a few days?
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