Chapter 442: Tiered Business Permit ( 1 )
He narrowed his eyes and added, “Whoever dares to bribe the guards or the office staff will be banned from Northeast City.”
With his warning, not only did the merchants not dare to give any tea money, but even the guards no longer dared to accept any tea money.
After the merchants dispersed, one of the people sent by Gao Yan to keep an eye on Wu Dashu and his staff left to make a report.
At this moment, Wu Dashu had no idea that his decision today had not only saved his life but also opened a bright path for his future.
Meanwhile, in Yang Village, Xi Yi was busy paying the workers’ wages. With so many people working together, the wall surrounding Yao Zhi’s land had been pleted.
It was built with bricks and was very solid. On top of the 3-meter-high wall, they also added barbed vines. This was to prevent people from climbing over the wall.
After she finished calculating the wages, she handed the money to Yang Dalang and said, “Manager Yang, please inform the workers that the work is done and we won’t hire anyone until harvest time.”
Yang Dalang accepted the money and felt regretful. But since there was indeed no more work left for them, he didn’t insist. The money they earned from working for Yao Zhi was more than what they had earned in several years.
When he thought that he wouldn’t be able to bring any extra ine to his family, he heard Xi Yi say, “Now that the work is done, you and your brothers only need to check the land once a day.”
“We already built the irrigation system, so we don’t need to water the fields manually. But you still need to supervise the workers staying in the fields. Make sure that they weed the fields and inform me if any problems arise.”
The moment he heard her words, Yang Dalang’s eyes lit up. Based on her words, his job as the manager was secure. Although he was not the highest-ranking manager, his position was high enough.
After hesitating for a moment, he asked, “Manager Xi, about my wage, will it be cut down?”
Now was the resting season. There was not much work left. He didn’t know if he would still receive the same stipend as during the busy season.
Xi Yi understood his concern and replied with a smile, “Manager Yang, you are not a temporary worker. So, your stipend will stay the same regardless of the season.”
This time, Yang Dalang was finally relieved. “Thank you, Manager Xi! My brothers and I will work hard and won’t let you down.”
Xi Yi didn’t respond to his promise and simply nodded.
1 tael of silver, 40 jin of grain, 10 jin of vegetables, and 5 jin of meat every month was a high salary in this area. But for an estate manager, this was very low.
After she settled the wages, she opened the ledger and started calculating the expenses. Her Master had left her 5,000 taels of silver, 10,000 taels of gold, and a lot of food before she left.
During her Master’s absence, she had not been idle. She met with Steward Han and followed the progress of the workshop construction.
Since the designs provided by Yao Zhi were more intricate, they had only finished rebuilding the warehouse and pleting the dormitories.
Currently, they are in the middle of building the flour workshop and improving the soil quality of the wasteland. This land would be used to grow fruit trees and be turned into orchards.
With the Xie family handling these matters, Xi Yi didn’t have to go there personally. Right now, she was busy with the storefront.
She had hired craftsmen to renovate the storefront, and they only needed to wait until the smell dissipated before they could open the store.
While waiting, she had bought 10 servants from a broker. All of them were servants who had worked for official or noble families before.
The reasons they were sold varied. Some were sold because their previous mistresses were jealous of their good looks. Fearing that the maidservants would climb into the master’s bed, the mistresses sold them off.
Others were sold because they made small mistakes and offended their previous masters. These people were pitiful because they had been beaten and starved before they were sold.
When Xi Yi bought them, they were half-dead. She spent a total of 23 taels of silver to buy them and another 9 taels of silver to treat them.
Following her Master’s way, she bought clothes and shoes for them. She also let them stay in Yang Village to recover.
Now, she no longer prepares meals personally.
The maidservants and manservants she bought were quick with their hands and feet. After they recovered, they took over the household chores. Now, the Ling brothers only needed to be responsible for their safety.
Just after she finished writing the calculations, she heard a knock on the door.
“e in,” she said as she put down the brush.
Soon after, the door was pushed open, and a girl around 14 years old walked in. She curtsied to her and said, “Manager Xi, the meal is ready.”
Xi Yi nodded and stood up. “Call everyone. Let’s eat first.”
“Yes.”
This time, they had their meals in separate rooms. The maidservants would eat in Xi Yi’s room, while the manservants joined the Ling brothers. With so many empty rooms in the house, they didn’t have to squeeze together.
After the meal, Xi Yi led the newly bought servants to the kitchen and said, “Today, I will teach all of you several new dishes. Watch carefully.”
This was a rare opportunity for them, so they were eager to learn. They nodded and replied in unison, “Understood.”
Xi Yi taught them several dishes that were popular in the Capital and De Long City. After demonstrating them, she told the servants to try making them.
User Comments
0 comments from readers