Chapter 8: You need to recognize your own position!

If these people had silver money, they definitely wouldn't become the drifters who stay until the end.

Therefore, Du Shanü oppressed them, not necessarily to make them repay money, but preparing to have them temporarily work for a few days.

Du Shanü likes people who speak their mind directly.

Every step Yu Hen has taken so far is very much to her liking.

Born into a wealthy family, after falling into hardship, although he inwardly didn't want to work, he charged to the front and did hard labor, and spoke his mind, stating his own discomfort......

This temperament is neither the fierce and unreasonable of typical drifters, nor the righteous and lofty attitude of wealthy families.

Rather, it resembles a well-educated, good-natured young man from a respectable family who received modern education in his previous life.

Du Shanü is quite willing to be lenient and let him rest properly.

And once Yu Hen rests, someone must take over his work making bean jelly, and the three-day deadline on his IOU will also be due.

The debt comes from these few people, so having them work to repay it is only natural, right?

Even if we calculate daily wages at twenty wen, a hundred wen could hire one person for five days of work, and those five days of labor could generate for her an income far many times greater......

After these people help work for a few days, when she has ample funds, she will let them go; once they settle down, she can still demand a sum of silver from them for the indenture contracts she holds.

Du Shanü had calculated all this clearly in her mind, but she didn't expect that, on this trip out, these few people would seem to have changed their minds.

Ouyang Yan suddenly bit his lip lightly, walked to the stove that was almost half-collapsed, skillfully ladled out a bowl of wild vegetable soup picked at some unknown time, then carefully presented it to Du Shanü and spoke softly:

"Madam, after you left, I thought it over carefully—outside there are many drifters, wages are low, and the grassland has been trampled over and over by passing drifters; I don't know how much remains."

"I have a young child with me; even if I could go out to find work, my son and I probably would have nowhere to settle......"

The warm wild vegetable soup in hand gave off a fresh fragrance, yet it could not overcome the man's aura of 'tea fragrance permeating'.

This handsome man, who after washing retained some charm, suddenly imitated Yu Hen from that day—bent his knees, leapt up, and wiped the corners of his eyes with a tearful expression, his brow full of gloom:

"Back then, madam, you kept so many concubines; I know I'm already somewhat old, can't compare to others, and if I were to serve you in the future, I certainly wouldn't be favored. But my advantage is that I have a good pair of eyes; I have been married before, and I know how to cherish people better than a greenhorn......"

"Please, madam, keep us two; even if we have to serve as ox and horse for the young lady, we father and son are willing."

Ouyang Yan's kneeling caused shock throughout the room.

Ouyang An saw his father kneel and, without hesitation, knelt as well, his two naturally somewhat moist-looking large eyes blinking:

"Exactly, madam sister! Since you bought us, we belong to you!"

"You're kind-hearted, your food is delicious, I really like you and want you to be my bride! Or, later, after An'an grows up, An'an also wants to marry you as his wife!"

Leitie's face showed a bluish-black expression of 'you two actually abandoning Brother', his teeth clacking, and though his somewhat heroic, bandit-like face clearly showed a hint of unwillingness, he also knelt down:

"You have ability; I, Brother, am convinced."

"I, Brother, can't produce silver to repay you; I accept my fate and am willing to be your concubine!"

One statement is more exaggerated than the next.

Yu Hen stood behind Du Shanü holding a quilt and money pouch, hearing these voices, and his whole body almost instantly froze in place.

He slightly arched his back, even feeling himself a bit bristled—

These people, when we previously traveled together, I hadn't realized they were all like this!

Before, when working, they slacked off; now seeing the Wife Master earn silver, they all want to stay.

Bad people, all of them are bad people!

He slightly opened his mouth and, toward the source of the sound, made a 'Silent tearing bite', as if wanting to devour all the bad people.

Du Shanü had no eyes in the back of her head, unaware of Yu Hen's actions; she merely looked around interestedly, then asked the sole standing person in the room, the aloof scholar:

"What are your thoughts? Do you also want to stay and become my husband?"

The aloof scholar still looked somewhat ill, shook his head and said:

"I do not share the wife's hobby with others; if it were otherwise, I would not have decided to leave earlier."

"I still intend to leave, but for now I truly cannot come up with that much silver to repay you; I only ask to be allowed to stay temporarily, work by the day, and once I have saved enough to repay the debt, then leave on my own."

Perhaps feeling it insufficient, the aloof scholar added:

"I am skilled at planning and with brush and ink; if you later go into business, you will certainly need a manager, and if you keep me, I will surely repay the favor."

"Right, right."

"Now that's right!"

"Either like Yu Hen, who was obedient and lovable from the start, or like now, frankly telling her of one's utility value, calmly accepting that one will eventually leave......"

"She, on the contrary, could still value him a bit more!"

Du Shanü momentarily smiled, narrowing her eyes, pointed at Yu Hen behind her, and said:

"I said earlier something, you perhaps didn't pay attention...... so I will say it again——"

"I said, I only want him, but you may stay."

"From the beginning, I wasn't taking concubines; I just wanted a few people to help around the house, so thereafter you needn't call me 'madam' or such; I have no feelings for you, and you needn't put on a look of humiliation, as if forced......"

Du Shanü spoke lightly, all the way to the end, then turned to Yu Hen and said:

"Come, Yu Baobao, go out from this door, first stand outside, I'll say a few words then you can come back in."

Yu Hen looked bewildered, but still felt his way out.

Du Shanü, seeing him go out, then narrowed her eyes and said:

"I'm not targeting anyone in the house; I mean that everyone inside, compared to my talent, are all trash."

"Today I advise everyone in the house with one sentence——"

"Don't take yourself too seriously; you who are willing to be my concubines, I still don't even look at you."

These words were harsh; Ouyang Yan's tearful, tea-fragrance-permeating expression froze instantly, not knowing whether to wipe or not.

Leitie's face instantly turned liver-colored, Ouyang An looked left and right, being the most at a loss.

However, just then, Du Shanü raised a brilliant smile:

"Left and right cannot compare to me...... in that case, we ought to listen even more to the commands of those with talent!"

As for me, making money is what matters; from now on, everyone will be paid daily wages. If you want to stay, you need to complete the tasks I assign you—

The scholar tallies the cargo cost and calculates verification; the blacksmith is responsible for making items according to the drawings I gave you; the two father‑son pairs of the Ouyang family are responsible for picking acorns, shelling acorns, and handling household chores like sweeping, scrubbing, and cooking broth....

Everyone, I won't live in poverty all my life; you'll know sooner or later; this bowl of jelly is just a start!

?? Tell the newcomers, Yu Hen is the child born of the transmigrating girl and a local in the previous book! So this is truly a good, wholesome baby! Those interested can go check out the previous book by the street‑author~