Chapter 177: Allocation
After Qin Wu and his group were taken away, Madam Li noticed her daughter staring at the contracts with a thoughtful expression. She smiled and asked, "Do you think I forced them to sign these contracts?"
Daohua quickly shook her head.
Madam Li chuckled. "Actually, your second uncle wasn’t entirely wrong. You were indeed a bit hasty in handling this. Technically, they should have signed the contracts when they were redeemed from the Prefecture office."
Daohua replied, "I thought hiring people didn’t require it. It’s not like buying servants."
Madam Li explained, "Ask Qin Wu—when they transported goods, didn’t they have to sign a contract beforehand? Even for delivery services, contracts are required, let alone hiring people to protect a household."
Seeing her daughter lower her head, Madam Li affectionately patted it. "It’s not your fault. You’ve never dealt with such matters, so how could you think of everything? In fact, your father and I were already surprised that you came up with the idea of hiring guards for the family."
"I know you feel a bit uneasy having Qin Wu and his men sign contracts, given the help they’ve offered you and your grandmother. But think about it—working for the Yan family gives them stability, doesn’t it? Isn’t that better than wandering around endlessly?"
"Besides, I haven’t treated them poorly. Their monthly pay is set at the highest standard in Xingzhou City. If they’re frugal, they can even save up some money."
Daohua looped her arm through Madam Li’s. "Mother, I know you’re always kindhearted."
Madam Li tapped her daughter’s forehead with a smile. "You silly girl!"
Daohua quickly asked, "Mother, how do you plan to assign Qin Wu and the others?"
After some thought, Madam Li replied, "Your second and third brothers are already skilled in martial arts, and Tietou and Tieshou are training with them. I’ll assign one guard to each of them. As for your eldest brother, he’ll get two guards."
"The remaining four will stay at the house and follow general orders. I noticed Qin Wu has some talent; I’ll have him train the family’s servants in martial arts when he’s free."
Daohua immediately said, "Mother, I want one guard too."
Madam Li was surprised. "You don’t go out. Why do you need a guard?"
Daohua clung to her mother’s arm. "But I have estates and shops to manage. I already had one estate and two shops. Now, with the three estates and one shop my uncle gave me, I have four estates and three shops. I can’t oversee them all the time, so I need someone to help."
Madam Li smiled. "Thinking ahead, are you? Planning to train a steward for yourself? Alright, tell me—who do you want?"
Daohua answered immediately, "Sixth Brother would be perfect! He’s clever, cheerful, and good at dealing with people."
Madam Li pretended to hesitate before agreeing. "Since you were the one who brought Qin Wu and his men here, I’ll give you one."
"Thank you, Mother!"
Madam Li added, "Oh, by the way, I recently bought another group of maids and servants. They’ve mostly finished their training. I’ll send two over to you later."
Daohua was surprised. "Didn’t you already assign me two before?"
Madam Li replied, "Those two were just for cleaning. This time, they’ve been selected as potential dowry maids. You need to pay attention to their training."
Hearing the mention of dowry, Daohua lost some of her enthusiasm.
Seeing this, Madam Li could only shake her head with a sigh.
“Fifth Brother, have we become slaves now?”
Qin Shisan and the others looked at Qin Wu anxiously.
Qin Wu reassured them, "The contracts we signed aren’t exactly slave contracts. Think of them as agreements that clearly define a time period and responsibilities. We’re not the same as the maids and servants."
Hearing this, the others breathed a sigh of relief.
"As long as we’re not slaves," someone muttered.
Qin Wu glanced at the group. "Even if we’re not slaves, we’re still employees. You’ve seen how strict the Yan family rules are. Stay sharp and don’t make any mistakes."
Qin Xiao Liu chimed in, "Don’t worry, Fifth Brother. With the Yan family paying us so generously, we’ll work hard. If we save enough, we might even bring our families over in the future."
Hearing this, the others grew hopeful, their imaginations running wild with dreams of a better future.
"Exactly! The Madam seems kind, and the Master may be stern, but we heard on the way here that he’s a good official. This job is really a blessing!"
As everyone continued to chat excitedly, Qin Wu smiled and shook his head.
The job at the Yan family was indeed a good opportunity for them. They no longer had to wander far from home and could earn enough to support their families. It was a fortunate arrangement.
By mid-February, Qin Wu and the others had been following Steward Sun to familiarize themselves with the Yan household and learn its rules. Once the eight of them had a good grasp of things, Steward Sun began assigning their duties.
The two in their early twenties, Qin Shisan and Qin Fa, were assigned to Yan Wenxiu. The nineteen-year-old Qin Xing was assigned to Wen Tao, while Qin Wang was assigned to Wen Kai.
The four of them were thrilled at the prospect of working directly under the young masters.
"What about me?"
Qin Xiao Liu eagerly turned to Steward Sun. He had been confident he’d be chosen, especially after having numerous conversations with Fourth Young Master back in the provincial capital.
Steward Sun smiled. "Actually, all assignments were decided by the Master and Madam. I’m just the messenger."
Qin Xiao Liu’s enthusiasm deflated instantly. He realized he wasn’t selected after all—probably because he wasn’t steady enough.
Seeing his reaction, Steward Sun chuckled and turned to Qin Wu. "Everyone, get more familiar with your duties. As for Xiaoliu, come with me."
Qin Xiao Liu immediately looked up, his face filled with dread. "Steward Sun, you’re not dismissing me, are you?"
Steward Sun was speechless. "What are you thinking? Follow me. The eldest young lady specifically requested you. From now on, you’ll work by her side."
Hearing this, Qin Xiao Liu froze, and the others looked equally shocked.
"What? You don’t want to?"
"No, I do! I absolutely do!" Qin Xiao Liu quickly recovered, loudly expressing his willingness before happily following Steward Sun away.
"Daohua—no, the eldest young lady—is treated just like the boys in the family," Qin Shisan and the others murmured among themselves.
Qin Wu remained silent. If his family had such a capable and clever girl, he would spoil her endlessly too.
When Steward Sun brought Qin Xiao Liu to the main courtyard, Daohua was busy calculating the profits and expenses from the flower shop and vegetable store during the New Year period.
"Eldest young Miss, I’ve brought him," Steward Sun announced.
Daohua looked up at Qin Xiao Liu and saw him standing stiffly, trying to glance around without being obvious. She couldn’t help but smile. "Steward Sun, you can return to your duties. I’ll handle things here."
Steward Sun nodded and left.
"Brother Xiaoliu," Daohua addressed him once they were alone.
Qin Xiao Liu seemed to relax slightly without Steward Sun present. Hearing her call him, he quickly looked up but, remembering the rules he had learned, hastily lowered his head. "Eldest Young Miss."
"Pfft!"
Daohua couldn’t help laughing. "Brother Xiaoliu, there’s no one else here. You don’t need to be so formal. Sit down, let’s talk."
Qin Xiao Liu glanced at the chair but firmly shook his head. "Eldest Young Miss, I’m more comfortable standing."
Seeing this, Daohua didn’t insist. "Brother Xiaoliu, are you willing to work for me?"
Qin Xiao Liu nodded eagerly. "Yes, of course! But I don’t know what you need me to do."
Daohua explained, "I have several estates and shops. Since I can’t go out often, I need someone to help me oversee them. Your job will be to make sure no one is slacking off or pretending to comply while secretly disobeying."
Qin Xiao Liu’s eyes widened. "Doesn’t that make me a steward?"
Daohua nodded with a smile. "Exactly!"
Qin Xiao Liu was initially delighted but quickly grew worried. "Young lady, can I handle this?"
Daohua reassured him, "I think you can. It might be unfamiliar at first, but don’t worry. I’ll have Shopkeeper Sun at the shop guide you."
Moved by her trust, Qin Xiao Liu straightened up and promised, "Don’t worry, young lady. I’ll learn everything I can from Shopkeeper Sun and make sure to manage the estates and shops well for you."
Daohua nodded approvingly, giving him an encouraging look that seemed to say, "I believe in you."
(End of Chapter)
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