Chapter 257

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Song Miao

Zhang Siniang recounted how that cart driver had been late yesterday, how he treated Cheng Erniang and herself with two different faces, how he usually cut corners and picked and chose, saying it all one by one, but she only spoke of matters concerning herself, not mentioning a word of what Dabing had complained about.

"Clearly, as long as you take one more turn, it's a flat road and can reach the guest's gate, but to save trouble, he took the dirt-pit road directly, leaving the rest of the road for me to carry the pole myself; I said it but he wouldn't listen! Several times the soup in the bamboo tube almost sloshed out, and if I hadn't protected it a bit, the steamed buns would have toppled over!"

"I don't know what he loaded yesterday afternoon and evening; it was fine when he first got on the cart, but after sitting for a long time, there was always a smell—it was dirty, I swept the cart body for half a day!"

"……This morning I had to keep the cart doors and windows open all the way, and covered it with two more layers of cloth, fearing it would affect our own food, and also fearing dust from outside would get in; as soon as I said something to him, he said the cart had that smell after being used for a long time, and it's the same with anyone you find outside!"

Seeing Song Miao listening seriously, she hurriedly added: "Young Lady, I say he's useless, you and Er Niangzi need to manage him; he won't take a detour, I can suffer the hardship myself, but that smell on the cart is truly unbearable; if it really affects the food, what do we do? We work so hard, washing the vegetables five or six times, everything clean, being careful about everything, we can't let one mouse dropping ruin a pot of porridge!"

Hearing the noise behind, Dabing hurriedly came over and said: "Young Lady! Young Lady!! I've wanted to say this for a long time, only afraid it would make Er Niangzi look bad—this Xu Shifu is really dirty! He relieves himself anywhere!!"

In a few words, he recounted how Xu Shifu had taken care of business right there on the road when he sent him home that day.

"I originally wanted to tell Er Niangzi, but lately our food shop has been hiring people, short-term hires come and go, seeing she has many matters and is busy, before I even praised Xu Shifu that although he has some small faults, fortunately he drives the cart well, knows the route, and everything else can be tolerated—I just couldn't bring it up again."

When Song Miao first heard Zhang Siniang speak, she was already very displeased and said: "Everyone has their own duties; a cart driver is meant to help deliver meals; if every time he only seeks his own convenience, can't deliver to the door, and makes others carry the pole themselves, what do we need him for?"

Hearing Dabing say this, she simply couldn't bear it for a moment, frowning and said: "If his nature is truly like this, I'm not his father or mother, there's no need to manage him, just replace him."

Dabing hurriedly said: "I heard him make excuses, and I also felt uncomfortable in my heart, but when I went back and asked Uncle and Aunt, they said many cart drivers who solicit passengers and cargo outside are like this; not many like cleanliness, few are meticulous in their work, good people are hard to find, and I was afraid that if we changed him hastily, we wouldn't find someone who could start immediately, which would burden us instead; it's better to make do for now."

He added: "I also asked Er Niangzi if cart drivers are hard to find—she said it takes some effort, because we need to start early, getting up before daybreak to pick people up, and many people are unwilling after hearing that……"

Just as they were speaking, Cheng Erniang returned.

At once Zhang Siniang and Dabing both fell silent, hurriedly going up to help her move things.

When the three spoke, they did not avoid Xiao Lian.

The child was in the back using a cloth and brush dipped in water to practice writing, doing the homework Song Miao had assigned, naturally hearing the words in her ears, feeling very anxious in her heart; when her mother returned, she seized a moment, followed closely behind, and told her all the bad deeds of Xu Shifu she had heard, also knowing to hide who had spoken.

After Cheng Erniang finished listening, it was as if thorns were on her back, feeling both ashamed and embarrassed.

She hurriedly and seriously washed her hands and face, changed her shoes, went to the front to find Song Miao, and said: "Young Lady……I heard that Xu Shifar is very useless……"

Seeing her restless appearance, Song Miao smiled and said: "Don't be anxious, I was just about to find you."

She then called Zhang Siniang and Dabing over.

The four sat around the table.

Song Miao then recounted all of Xu Shifu's deeds, and then said: "According to Er Niangzi, how should he be dealt with?"

Cheng Erniang hurriedly said: "Originally there were many small faults, it was said to bear with it, but I didn't expect him to be such a person in his conduct and still be filthy—we run a food shop, naturally we can't keep him!"

Song Miao said: "I have the same idea as Er Niangzi; I'll leave this to you to handle, but after replacing him, the new person must also catch up quickly, so as not to delay the proper business."

Cheng Erniang was so embarrassed she couldn't bear it, and said: "I hired such a person back, truly I have no face, I didn't notice anything myself, and even burdened Siniang and Dabing; how can I still have the face to recruit people? How about I screen them first, then Young Lady makes the decision, and everyone helps take a look?"

She added: "I've managed things to this state; I ask Young Lady to punish me, otherwise how can I justify it……"

Seeing things develop this way, Zhang Siniang and Dabing dared not speak, exchanged a glance, and hurriedly lowered their heads.

Knowing Cheng Erniang's nature, Song Miao said: "Young Lady, don't think too much; the more you do, the more mistakes you make; the less you do, the fewer mistakes; doing nothing means no mistakes. Not to mention this is your first time managing things; even many officials and gentlemen in the court, after working for many years and having a good reputation, often make mistakes; if you make a mistake, just correct it."

She added: "But I will punish you; when calculating wages at the end of the month, I will deduct one hundred wen. It's not to punish you for misjudging a person, but to punish you for clearly managing things, yet only treating yourself as a worker, not as a manager—the food shop already has Dabing and Si Niangzi, plus two short-term hires; many things can already be distributed. You should focus on the big picture and let go of small matters, but you feel that since you received wages, you can't stop for a moment and must lend a hand in everything."

"The more time you spend doing things, the less time you naturally have for managing. For example, this time, if you had asked Siniang and Dabing more, you wouldn't have only discovered Xu Shifu's problem now—both you and I were negligent in this matter."

"Furthermore, the wages we previously set for the cart driver; even if you offer two or three tenths higher than the market price, it's more than enough. Er Niangzi naturally wanted to do well for me, thinking only of saving money for the food shop, but people come out to make a living precisely to earn money. If the pay isn't enough, it will only attract unreliable people like Xu Shifu to volunteer—just think, if I paid you less money, even if you stayed out of face, wouldn't you feel uncomfortable in your heart?"

Saying this, Song Miao looked at Zhang Siniang and Dabing and said: "These words are not only for Er Niangzi to hear, but also for you. In the future, we will definitely need to recruit new people. You are different from others; outsiders just take money to do things, but you must work harder—not only must you see and act, but also put your heart into it. Er Niangzi encountered problems today; you will surely encounter them sooner or later, and may also make mistakes. Deal with matters, not people!"

The three originally had their own thoughts; hearing such words, they reacted one after another and all looked up.

"I've pondered this matter for a long time, but the timing was too early; bringing it up would seem like a joke. I originally wanted to wait until the food shop opened to say it."

Song Miao took paper and brush from the side, drew a circle on the paper, then carefully sketched a very small cake-shaped piece from within it, wrote the three people's names on the side, placed the paper in the center of the table, and pointed it out to everyone.

She said: "For now, our food shop hasn't truly opened yet. I will distribute profits according to monthly income and everyone's performance. But after the food shop reopens, if you are willing, I will take out a ten percent dry share here, draw up a separate contract, and distribute it to everyone."

"If you take a share of the food shop's profits, you cannot take a share of the dry share profits; take the larger one to distribute. You take yourselves as shares, establish one household together, and include this household's share into Song Ji's main share. In the future, if others come in, after working for two years or more than three years, they can be voted into the household. As for how to manage and how to join, we'll discuss later. But this household only shares profits and cannot interfere in other matters."

"Once the household is established, besides wages, for every string of profit Song Ji earns, you can share over seventy wen. The better the reputation, the greater the profit, and the more you get. If you leave in the future, you automatically leave the household."

"Usually, if you have any suggestions or ideas, you can discuss them together—our own food shop, our own people, all for our own benefit. Deal with matters, not people!"

As soon as Song Miao finished speaking, no one in the room spoke; at this moment, it was even more deathly silent.

Dabing's heart thumped thumped, and his two palms clicked and clacked under the table as he calculated money.

Cheng Erniang had followed Song Miao the longest and actually understood the food shop's operations best. Especially since she had recently followed Song Miao to learn to read and keep accounts, she could already calculate in her head. But right now she had no mind to calculate money at all; her mind was in a mess.

For a while she thought: How to join that household doesn't matter anyway; Young Lady won't shortchange the people below. But what about the cart driver? That one can't stay now; we need to find someone to take over quickly. But the time is so urgent; what if the one we find is even worse?

For a while she thought again: Why didn't I ask one more question before? Looking back now, it was clear that several times Dabing and Zhang Siniang's words were strange, but I didn't take it seriously, resulting in such bitter fruit in the end!

Only Zhang Siniang could no longer bear it and said: "Young Lady! If we say we need to find a cart driver, I originally didn't want people to say I only care about my own benefit and am selfish. But now if we really dismiss Xu Shifu and need to find a new person—I want to give Sanlang a chance!"

"When he's at home, besides punting boats, he often helps deliver fish around. It's not good to praise one's own family, but he drives the cart steadily and is clean. Just give him a chance; try it and you'll know! If it's not proper, just punish me!"

That evening, Zhang Siniang went home early.

Wang Sanlang had already rented a mule cart from the cart shop and had run a road outside all day. Hearing the news that he would start work tomorrow, he was both surprised and delighted.

The couple took advantage of midnight to feed the mule enough fodder, washed the mule, the cart body, and even the reins and other things clean. The next morning, Wang Sanlang drove the cart and followed Xu Shifu to Suanzao Alley.

Seeing another cart appear halfway, Xu Shifu was very surprised. When he learned it was a new cart driver hired by the food shop, and moreover Zhang Siniang's husband, he was very unhappy and said: "Is it hired by the day, or is it long-term work? If you're recruiting new people, why didn't you tell me?"

When they arrived at the place, he kept asking Wang Sanlang about the amount of wages, then asked what he had done before, and whether this time it was also half-day work.

Wang Sanlang said: "I don't know yet. Because Song Xiaoniangzi's place lacks people, I came first."

"Since you're new, it's just right. My back hasn't been good lately. Go get some oil, then fetch a bucket of water, and help put oil on this cart's wheels and wash the wheels."

His own wife had just suffered at this person's hands; how could Wang Sanlang give him face.

"You old man go ahead and be busy; I have proper business here too!"

Wang Sanlang finished speaking, tied up the mule, paid no attention to the man opposite at all, wiped the dust off his shoe soles with a cloth, and quickly entered Song Ji's main gate. He first went to the back courtyard to wash his hands, then turned around and actively helped carry things out.

Xu Shifu was furious.

Wang Sanlang was originally Zhang Siniang's husband. Back in Hua Prefecture, he had long been familiar with Song Miao and Dabing. After entering the capital, he had visited Song Ji several times and knew Cheng Erniang too. He did things without treating himself as an outsider at all—fetching water, lifting pots, moving steamer baskets, he did everything.

Xu Shifu saw it all and grew increasingly uneasy in his heart.

Seeing that things were being moved here, he did not rush to help, but instead called out to Zhang Siniang and asked, "Niangzi, what does your Wang Sanlang do all day, or half a day?"

"I don't know either. Er Niangzi hasn't decided yet."

Zhang Siniang used words to brush him off perfunctorily, but Xu Shifu was not so easily sent away.

He immediately went to Cheng Erniang, explained the matter, and said, "I asked before. I've been here for quite some time. If they were hiring a full-time worker, shouldn't I have been arranged first?"

Cheng Erniang said, "Let's talk about it when we get back at noon."

Xu Shifu was an old hand; hearing this, he knew something was not right.

Just then, Wang Sanlang came out carrying two loads of dried meat. Xu Shifu pointed at him and said, "Right now there's no explanation at all—just empty words and they want me to take him. We cart drivers have a rule: it's not right to work for nothing. He has to call me Shifu, kowtow first, and give a red envelope before I'll even consider whether to take him!"

Cheng Erniang heard this and said, "We're hiring a cart driver, not rules. Xu Shifu, just be steady and do the work well..."

"I painstakingly figured out this route, and I'm supposed to hand it over to him all at once without any benefit? Even if you broke the sky, there's no such logic. If you teach the apprentice and starve the master, what then?"

For a moment, Zhang Siniang, Wang Sanlang, and even Cheng Erniang, thinking they still needed him to help lead the way and fearing he might abandon the load halfway, all came forward to persuade him.

Wang Sanlang said, "I'll give the red envelope."

Seeing everyone so anxious, how could Xu Shifu not feel proud in his heart?

He knew he had seized their weak point, and knew that if he didn't press his advantage now, it would be hard later. So he gave a cold laugh, tossed the towel on his shoulder, turned his back, and with a "Bang" closed the cart body door. Shaking his head, he said, "Red envelope or not, added together it's only a few coppers? If you'd given it earlier maybe there'd be no such thing. Right now I only want to ask about the job—if Er Niangzi can't decide, then call Song Xiaoniangzi out, otherwise forget about delivering breakfast!"

"I'd like to ask her what she means. You can't keep a person hanging halfway—either you want it or you don't. Dragging me along, what do you take Old Xu for!"

Dabing hurried inside to send word. Not long after, he ran out and said, "The Young Lady says Er Niangzi can handle it however she sees fit."

This sentence made Xu Shifu's face turn black. He turned to Cheng Erniang and said, "What do you mean?"

Cheng Erniang said, "We'll talk about it after the delivery is done and we're back!"

This was like pouring oil on the fire.

Xu Shifu had originally been waiting for the people opposite to give him a way out, but not only did they not give him one, they even desperately pulled away the ladder, leaving him stranded high up with no way down. Instead, it lit his true anger.

"You won't give a straight answer, then no one gets anything delivered!"

He yanked open the cart body door, stepped one foot onto the spot outside the cart, yanked the basket placed at the very edge out, and smashed it onto the ground. Shouting, he said, "When the tiger doesn't show its power, you take me for a sick cat? Is it not me, who else is kind enough to get up before daybreak to deliver goods for you? Now a newcomer arrives and gets all uppity. You have the ability—let him go deliver. Don't ask me to bring anyone along. See if he can deliver anything at all!"

Speaking, he went to pull the baskets inside again.

Wang Sanlang stepped forward to block him. "What are you doing!"

Everyone's face looked grim.

Zhang Siniang and Dabing endured their anger and stepped forward to persuade him.

Xu Shifu paid no attention at all. He stood with hands on hips and legs apart, one hand pulling the basket inside, giving a cold laugh.

Cheng Erniang said, "You just wait!"

She turned and entered the food shop.

Not long after, Song Miao came out of the room with her.

When they reached Xu Shifu, Song Miao said, "Shifu, acting like this—my temple here is small and can't hold you. Let Er Niangzi settle your wages. You're done as of today. You don't need to deliver today either."

Xu Shifu knew exactly how much goods Song Ji had right now. Since the hour was too early, no other cart drivers could be found on the road. Even though there was Wang Sanlang, he was an outsider who had just entered the capital and was still a novice.

He had originally thought that even to avoid delaying business, everyone at Song Ji would have to beg him to get through today. Who would have thought Song Miao would open her mouth and say such a thing.

Although he was a little panicked inside, when he looked at the hour and then at the goods in the cart, he still felt full of confidence. He only thought Song Miao was waiting for him to back down, and wanted to teach her a lesson. So he pulled Cheng Erniang and haggled over wages for a long time.

While they were still talking here, Wang Sanlang and Zhang Siniang had already, following Song Miao's orders, moved the things from Xu Shifu's cart into their own cart body.

Xu Shifu delayed and delayed. Finally he couldn't haggle out anything else. Seeing that his wages were truly settled and no one tried to keep him, he finally felt a bit uneasy inside. He asked, "I wasn't intentionally making things difficult—right now there's only one cart. Can you really not make the deliveries?"

Song Miao said, "No need to trouble yourself, Shifu. Hurry home—just now we've heard you complain many times, saying that getting up so early to work hurts the body!"

Speaking, she called everyone back into the room.

The hour was truly not early. As soon as they entered the door, Cheng Erniang couldn't help but say in a low voice, "Young Lady, there's only one cart left. There are many guests to deliver to right now. I'm afraid we truly won't make it. Should we explain to the guests and apologize?"

She added, "I'll take money out of my own pocket. Tomorrow I'll make them a full portion as compensation!"

Song Miao smiled and said, "Er Niangzi, how much money do you have in total? Deduct a little today, make up a little tomorrow—will we still be able to raise Xiao Lian?"

Then she straightened her face and said, "Not necessarily too late. You just need to work a bit harder."

Speaking, she took out the map from the other day. On it she connected the various places into several routes. She said, "Today three people, one cart. Bring the drag board. Er Niangzi knows the way. When you reach Sizhang Street, get off with the board and deliver the food to Wangxi Third Lane. The road here is bumpy and the cart is hard to push."

She also arranged for Wang Sanlang to take Zhang Siniang along another route to deliver meals, tracing a "bow" shape. When they reached the hook at the end of the bow, they would just meet Cheng Erniang, who had finished delivering breakfast and gotten down. Together they would loop north, then split to deliver on both sides.

"By the time you get here, the sky should be bright. You'll arrive at the Xu Family Wuguan. It's beside Baokangmen Waizi, and right next to the dock. Every day at the Yin Hour, carts and horses are waiting there to take passengers and cargo. Er Niangzi, hire a cart there for Siniang to take guests along the road to the Capital Prefecture Office. Tell the cart driver clearly. The places are easy to recognize and won't be missed. As for the rest, you find the way. Take Sanlang and go deliver."

Cheng Erniang listened, then asked two more times. Although she wasn't sure if it would actually work, she had been completely at a loss before. Now that Song Miao had given instructions, she only needed to follow them. It was like finding a mainstay.

The three hurriedly lifted their lamps and drove off.

When they set out, everyone was nervous. But after finishing the deliveries and returning, everyone had a smile on their face.

When they entered the room and saw Song Miao, everyone had something to say.

Cheng Erniang said, "Who would have thought that just adjusting the order and splitting it up like this, one cart could actually make all the deliveries! Just as I finished, I walked out of the alley, and they had already arrived! Young Lady, how did you figure it out?"

She added, "Afterward, Wang Sanlang and I finished even earlier than usual. Actually, if we just left a quarter of an hour earlier, we wouldn't need to hire an extra cart for Siniang at all!"

She asked again, "Young Lady, your mind is just too quick! I've been delivering for so long every day. Why didn't I ever think of it?"

Song Miao smiled and said, "Once you're familiar with the accounts and learn a bit of calculation, you'll naturally understand. The most important thing is to have a framework in your heart—know what needs to be done, then break it down slowly. It's just that normally, two carts are more relaxed. Otherwise, I'm afraid it would be too exhausting."

Zhang Siniang said happily, "I can't break it down, and I can't understand it. I just do as I'm told. It's no wonder Young Lady is the boss. I only know how to use my strength! Today I was so anxious! Actually, there was no need to rush so much! Two places even arrived early. We waited a while before someone came to receive it!"

Wang Sanlang said, "If I deliver one more day, I'll be able to remember all the routes!"

He only rested a little, asked clearly that there were no orders to deliver this afternoon, then hurriedly drove the cart out to familiarize himself with the roads.

Song Miao deeply detested that cart driver's behavior. She figured he would likely cause trouble in the future and didn't intend to let it go. Knowing that such a worthless person had nothing but a sharp tongue and no courage, she asked all the familiar Patrol Soldiers, as well as Sun Lizheng and the neighbors on both sides, to help keep watch. If there was any sign, they would come to report it. Not mentioned further.

Today's mishap was but a tiny ripple for Song Ji; instead, because of the cart driver affair, they received the news of the Household Shareholder System, and everyone conducted a self-examination once more, hurried to deliver Early Food once more, and drove off Xu Shifu once more, united in hatred against a common enemy — originally there was still some unfamiliarity among them, but they actually became truly close in an instant.

Only that Xu Shifu, previously fully believing Song Ji would definitely fail to deliver in time, for the sake of reputation, at least today would also have to invite himself to Exit the Mountain, then think of a way to Borrow a donkey to go down the slope — who would have expected his Mule Cart had walked a full half li of Earth and hard-generated half a Shi Chen, yet still no one came chasing from behind, left waiting, right waiting, he could only stare dry-eyed, his heart turning cold, secretly thinking: No way, such a rare job, wouldn't really have been ruined by myself, right! It shouldn't be!