Chapter 418 - 419: Unexpected

Chapter 418: Chapter 419: Unexpected

After hearing so many compelling reasons, Jin Qianqian found it hard to refuse.

"How about this? As long as they’re willing, have them go find Chief Steward Hu. I’ll have him arrange everything for them properly.

"They’ve been in my shops long enough to have a clear idea of what everyone does and what the compensation is like. If they can accept those terms, I’d be happy to have them."

’Besides, I’m the one getting the better end of this deal,’ she thought. ’With members of the Cao Family watching over things, the shops will be perfectly safe even when I leave the capital.’

A smile instantly bloomed on Li Xiangyun’s face. "What’s not to accept? You have no idea, but the compensation for even a waiter in your shop can sometimes rival the salary of a Sixth Rank official. If these boys weren’t so lucky, they’d still be at home living off their family."

Jin Qianqian knew last month’s commission payments had been particularly high. "I should clarify—it’s not a fixed amount. It fluctuates depending on how well the business is doing."

"Of course. When I have some free time, I’d love to bring the young married women in my family to learn a thing or two from you. They all manage their own dowries, but your success has made so many of them green with envy. It’s a shame they just can’t seem to replicate it."

A round of pleasantries and mutual compliments followed. After chatting for a long while more, Madam Cao finally took her leave, though she seemed reluctant to go.

Jin Qianqian let out a long breath and said with a smile to Qing Lan, who was standing beside her, "Now there’s a formidable woman. She settled the whole affair in the middle of a casual chat!"

"Yes, the mistresses of great households don’t have it easy," Qing Lan agreed with a firm nod. ’Dealing with so many matters every day is much less appealing than my ledgers.’

...

Meanwhile, Gu Wenheng’s journey was proceeding smoothly. With his official documents in hand, he successfully checked into a posthouse on the first day.

Jiang Shiniu and his men were guards who had followed him all the way from Sea City, so they were adept at handling all the arrangements for food and lodging along the journey.

He didn’t even have to worry about a thing; they had already taken care of all the arrangements beforehand.

While the other groups were still in a flurry, scrambling to move their luggage, Gu Wenheng simply gave them a glance before leading his men inside the posthouse to rest.

He Gaofei and his companions were dumbfounded. At noon, everyone had just grabbed a quick bite of dry rations to save time. They had only exchanged brief greetings before hurrying back on the road.

But now that they had all stopped to rest, how could this Mr. Gu see them struggling and simply turn a blind eye?

"Hurry up with the luggage, or it’ll be dark before you’re done," Wu Yichen said, pursing his lips. He ordered his own guards to speed up and then followed them into the posthouse with his personal attendants.

The other two exchanged a look and quickly followed.

When the three of them entered the posthouse, they found Gu Wenheng already seated at a dining table, sipping a cup of steaming tea.

As if by unspoken agreement, all three of them made their way to his table.

With three figures looming before him, Gu Wenheng could only say flatly, "Sit down."

The three were quick to act. Without another word, they each picked a seat and sat down.

"We’ll have to travel day and night for the rest of the journey, so everyone should rest whenever they get the chance. The roads ahead likely won’t be as smooth as they are here."

"Aren’t we taking the official roads?" He Gaofei didn’t think that would be difficult. ’In this cold weather, you can just pile on a few more quilts and it won’t even feel that bumpy.’

Gu Wenheng glanced up at him. "Not all official roads are the same. We’re close to Shangjing, so of course the roads are flat and wide. The farther we get, the worse they’ll become. You all had best be prepared."

’He knew these men had obtained their positions through hereditary privilege and had done little more than while away their time in Shangjing. If he weren’t leading the way, they would probably be completely lost the moment they stepped outside the Capital.’

Seeing their nonchalant expressions, Gu Wenheng didn’t press the issue. Noticing they were still just sitting there, he offered a bit of unsolicited advice. "Even though this is a posthouse, you still need to speak with the Posthouse Minister if you require anything."

’The only reason he could sit here so composedly was that Ming Feng had already gone to handle everything.’

"Isn’t the Posthouse Minister supposed to approach us?" Lu Shenggen blurted out before his two companions could stop him.

’What an idiot,’ they thought. ’Does he not even understand the concept of a local power broker?’

’Besides, they were just officials passing through. It wasn’t their place to hold anyone accountable here.’

’To ensure a comfortable stay and avoid having trouble made for them, no one in their right mind would needlessly make an enemy of the Posthouse Minister.’

He Gaofei, however, was the quickest to react. He immediately stood and cupped his fists in gratitude toward Gu Wenheng. "Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Gu. We’ll go find the Posthouse Minister right away."

Just as they were about to leave, they saw Ming Feng return, accompanied by a short, elderly man.

Before they had a chance to ask, the man bowed to Gu Wenheng, who was seated at the head of the table. "Mr. Gu, this old man is the Posthouse Minister here. You can just call me Old Yang. Your rooms are all ready, and hot water for your bath is on its way. Please, feel free to inspect them, and if you find anything unsatisfactory, I will have them changed for you immediately."

Gu Wenheng stood and nodded to him. "Thank you for your trouble, Yang Yicheng. You can just have someone show me the way. There are a few other officials here who are waiting to be attended to."

At these words, Yang Yicheng’s eyes lit up, and his opinion of Gu Wenheng improved even more. ’This official gets it,’ he thought. ’He’s not trying to block my source of income.’

"My lord, please, after you. I’ll have the kitchen prepare a fine meal for you shortly."

"Much obliged." After speaking, Gu Wenheng gave a nod to the other three men before following a small official out of the main hall.

Watching Yang Yicheng turn to them with a somewhat sleazy smile, He Gaofei and the others exchanged glances, a sense of dread making their skin crawl.

They desperately wanted to call Gu Wenheng back. ’This is our first time on a long journey! We have no experience! Please guide us!’

But all he left them was the sight of his back as he quickly disappeared from view.

When they met in the main hall early the next morning, the sight of a perfectly rested Gu Wenheng only filled their hearts with more resentment.

***

Jin Qianqian had assumed that after her discussion with Madam Cao yesterday, at most half of the Cao Family’s youths would show up today. To her surprise, the steward reported that every single one of them had come.

Jin Qianqian looked at Hu Dong in astonishment. Hu Dong didn’t dare hide the truth. He had already heard from the Cao Family youths themselves that originally, only half of them, perhaps even fewer, had been willing to stay and work.

However, when Madam Cao returned home and informed Mr. Cao, he had put his foot down. He ordered every last one of them to come, threatening to throw anyone who refused out of the Cao Family.

Jin Qianqian was speechless.

Hu Dong continued, "Madam, this might seem beneficial in the short term, but I’m afraid it will cause discontent in the long run."

Of course, Jin Qianqian knew this. "Let’s get them settled in for now. I need to think this through properly."

’Mr. Cao probably just wants to foist all these sons who are eating him out of house and home onto someone else,’ she thought. ’But seeing so many members of the Cao Family... it’s more than a little intimidating.’