Chapter 56: Profiting Yet Playing the Benefactor

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Profiting Yet Playing the Benefactor

What she said was a bit forward, but she was planning to open a food stall. Naturally, the pastry chef she hired had to be clean and healthy.

"Rest assured, Miss, they’re both in excellent health," the Ya Ren said.

Zhi Wan sized up the couple, then said decisively, "I’ll have someone fetch a physician to examine them. If there are no health issues, then I’ll buy them."

The Ya Ren couldn’t very well object to that.

Zhi Wan had Chen Jiu go to the clinic and fetch a physician.

While they waited, the couple kept looking at Zhi Wan, as if they wanted to say something but were hesitant.

Noticing this, Zhi Wan asked, "Is there something you wish to say to me?"

The woman dropped to her knees, wiping away tears. "Miss, my husband and I are perfectly healthy, there’s nothing wrong with us. But our child is sick. When the physician arrives, could you please let him examine our child?"

Seeing his wife kneel, the man knelt beside her. "Miss, my wife and I can cook many types of dishes. We guarantee we won’t disappoint you. But... could you please buy our child as well? Don’t worry, Miss, our child is already seven. He won’t just eat for free, he’ll help with chores."

Zhi Wan looked at them in surprise.

’So they have a child, and he’s sick?’

She turned her gaze to the Ya Ren.

The Ya Ren hurriedly explained, "They do have a son. If an employer only wants the couple, the Ya Xing will arrange for the boy to be sent elsewhere."

"My point is, their child is sick. Why didn’t you get a physician for him?" Zhi Wan frowned.

The Ya Ren replied sheepishly, "It’s just a minor illness. It’ll get better on its own."

Zhi Wan understood immediately. The Ya Xing was unwilling to spend the silver to get the child treated.

"Go and bring your child out. We’ll have the physician take a look at him, too," she told the couple.

’Since I’m already hiring a physician to examine the couple, it’s no trouble to have him look at their child at the same time.’

"Thank you, Miss!" The couple was so overjoyed they almost wept. They gave her a heavy kowtow before hurrying off to fetch their child.

Before long, Chen Jiu returned with the physician, just as the couple brought their child out.

It was unclear what illness the child had. He looked incredibly weak, slumped in his father’s arms and appearing on the verge of death.

Seeing his condition, Zhi Wan had the physician examine him first.

Fearing her mistress might catch the illness, Shuang’er stood protectively in front of her.

The physician quickly diagnosed the boy with a simple febrile disease, nothing too serious. After some therapeutic massage, the child’s fever broke.

"His fever has broken for now, but he’ll still need some medicine to take," the physician said.

"Then please write a prescription for him, Doctor," Zhi Wan said.

With that, the physician had no more reservations. He wrote out a prescription and handed it to the couple.

The couple accepted it with profuse thanks.

Afterward, the physician examined the couple and confirmed that they were indeed in good health. Relieved, Zhi Wan decided to buy the family of three.

However, the man from the Ya Xing, citing the couple’s skills as a reason, demanded thirty taels of silver.

"That’s far too expensive! It’s not like our estate has never purchased servants before. A single servant costs six taels of silver at most, never more than seven. This is daylight robbery!" Shuang’er said indignantly. "Besides, the child is tiny! What work can he possibly do? It’s only because my mistress has a kind heart that she paid a physician to treat him. If not for her, who knows if he’d even be alive? My mistress is only willing to take him because she can’t bear to see the family separated, yet you’re pricing him like a full-grown adult! For thirty taels, we could buy several strong, able-bodied men!"

Thirty taels of silver was nothing to Zhi Wan, but she had to admit Shuang’er had a point.

The agent from the Ya Xing was clearly jacking up the price on the spot.

’Even with their skills, ten taels each would be the absolute limit. With the child included, twenty-three taels at most should be more than enough.’

Taken aback by Shuang’er’s outburst, the agent from the Ya Xing grew a bit flustered. "This couple has skills. Naturally, they can’t be sold at the price of common servants."

Shuang’er sneered. "Ten taels each would be more than generous, yet you’re demanding thirty. You’re clearly pricing the child as if he were a skilled adult himself."

"Miss, they aren’t the only Ya Xing in the Capital City. Why don’t we look elsewhere?" Chen Jiu added, frowning.

Zhi Wan nodded. "Very well. Let’s go look elsewhere." As she spoke, she gave the Ya Ren a cool glance and said, "I came here because I heard your Ya Xing was reputable. I never expected such a disappointment. If word gets out that you jack up your prices, you’ll stand to lose far more than thirty taels of silver. There are plenty of other agencies in the Capital. We don’t have to do business with you." With that, she turned as if to leave.

The Ya Ren’s eyes darted back and forth.

’He’d only raised the price because he could see how satisfied Zhi Wan was with the couple.’

’Besides, she’d already paid for a physician to examine all three of them. If she walked away now, she’d lose the silver she spent on the consultation. He was certain she wouldn’t give up so easily.’

’But her last words gave him pause.’

’Was it really worth ruining the Ya Xing’s reputation for dishonesty over a mere ten taels of silver?’

’If that happened, the loss would be far greater than a few taels.’

Seeing Zhi Wan and her companions about to walk out the door, he quickly called out, "Miss, wait! If you’re not satisfied with the price, we can negotiate. We can’t let you waste the silver you spent on the physician."

"Twenty taels," Zhi Wan said, stopping in her tracks. Her tone was firm. "If you agree, we’ll buy them right now. If not, I don’t want to waste another breath."

The Ya Ren heard her offer and glanced at the frail, sick child in the couple’s arms. ’He’s so small and sick,’ he thought, ’no one else will want to buy him. If he stays here, the Ya Xing will just have to keep feeding him.’ Gritting his teeth, he nodded. "Twenty taels it is! Consider it a gesture of goodwill, Miss. Next time you need to purchase servants, you must come to us again!"

Shuang’er rolled her eyes at him.

’The nerve of him, acting like he did us a favor after getting such a good deal!’

’Twenty taels for that couple was already the absolute limit.’

Once Zhi Wan had the family’s indenture contracts in hand, she paid the silver.

The couple let out a huge sigh of relief. They had been terrified that the Ya Ren wouldn’t budge on the price and that Zhi Wan, in her anger, would decide against buying them after all.

With their skills, they weren’t actually worried about finding a buyer. The problem was their child; not every master would be willing to take on a family with a child.

And on top of that, Zhi Wan had been willing to get a physician for their child.

Their son had been sick for days, but the Ya Xing had flatly refused to call a physician.

Even though it was just a common fever, if it went on for too long, it could cause permanent harm.

Now, seeing Zhi Wan holding their indenture contracts, the couple immediately knelt and kowtowed. "Miss, you are our savior! From now on, we will obey your every command and serve you with utmost loyalty!"