Chapter 1480: Ms. Lu
Chapter 1480: Chapter 1480: Ms. Lu
Their family actually received so many horses, a mule cart, a bunch of tents, and several piles of supplies as tall as small mountains.
They’re rich, they’re so rich now!
Ji Zhenniang saw Gu Jinli laughing out loud and frowned, asking, "Gu Xiaoyu, have you gone mad? What’s so funny?"
Gu Jinli ignored her and continued watching the camp not far away.
Ji Zhenniang lifted the curtain and saw Qin San Lang standing next to a group of horses and a pile of supplies. She felt a pang of envy. No wonder Gu Xiaoyu was grinning from ear to ear; the Qin family had acquired so many good things.
Then take a look at Xie Cheng, who also got quite a few horses. After counting, there were fifty of them. Hmph, her Xie Cheng did well too.
"Danian, let’s head back." After watching the excitement, Gu Jinli instructed Danian to drive back to the inn.
Ji Zhenniang asked, "Aren’t we waiting for Xie Cheng and the others?"
She wanted to return together with Xie Cheng.
Gu Jinli: "They still have to escort Vice General Fang back to the county, so they won’t be back so soon. We’ll go back first."
She then asked, "Tomorrow at dawn, are you ready with all the food supplies, water, firewood, medicines, vehicles, and other necessities at your camp? Now that Xie Huaihua is injured and Nanny Xie has to take care of her, she’s very busy. You ought to understand these things and not just be a bystander; keep an eye on these chores."
Ji Zhenniang felt somewhat guilty being told this and turned her face away, saying, "I, I am keeping an eye on things. Besides, Xie Cheng said that Manager Xie and Manager Xiao Xie would handle it, and I only need to take care of myself."
Gu Jinli felt like slapping her: "Company Commander Xie is being considerate of you, but you shouldn’t be too willful. You have to help a bit, otherwise, over time, if Company Commander Xie gets tired, he might grow tired of you and look for a more capable girl to marry."
Ji Zhenniang retorted, "Gu Xiaoyu, are you trying to scare me again? You can’t sleep unless you scare me once a day, can you?"
Gu Jinli: "Heh, as they say, ’Good advice is harsh to the ear.’ You should be grateful when I bother to advise you. If I stop, it means you’re beyond saving, and I’ve given up on you."
"Got it, got it, I’ll keep an eye on things when I get back, and I won’t hold everyone back once we’re on the road." Ji Zhenniang thought about how Xie Cheng had gone up the mountains to suppress bandits, not sleeping for two days and nights, and agreed that her days were indeed too comfortable, taking Gu Jinli’s words to heart.
The inn was very close to the camp, and in just a moment, they were back at the inn.
After parting with Ji Zhenniang, Gu Jinli asked Erqing to call over Xia Zhang’s family.
Xia Zhang and his three-generation family had been living anxiously these days, afraid the Qin family wouldn’t want them. They didn’t dare to take the initiative to meet, fearing that if they tried too often, the Qin family would find them annoying. They just worked alongside Aunt Xiong and didn’t dare eat much.
Upon hearing Erqing’s words, they were both happy and anxious, not knowing why Mrs. Qin was calling for them. Was she going to accept them, or send them away, or hand them over to the government to be escorted back to He’an Prefecture with Lu Chong’s group?
Gu Jinli saw them in her living quarters, and due to the difference between men and women, only Old Lady Xia was allowed inside, while Xia Zhang and Elder Xia listened outside.
"Your servant greets the madam." The Xia family had served as servants in Lu Chong’s family. Even though Lu Chong had been captured, they remembered their identity as servants and knelt to pay respects to Gu Jinli.
"Get up." Gu Jinli didn’t waste any words and directly told them, "My husband and I have decided to keep you, but you must first become servants. My family does not employ servants without a binding contract."
"Think it over. If you are willing to stay as servants, go with Feng Jin to the county office to sort out the indenture papers and join us on the road tomorrow. If you’re not willing, you can leave now."
The Xia family was still servants of Lu Chong’s family, and if they wished to follow, they needed to go to the government office to transfer the indenture papers to her family.
The Xia family knelt again, and Xia Zhang said, "Madam, as your servant, my family thought it over long ago. We are willing to serve your family as servants!"
Gu Jinli: "Oh, you already decided? Are you really willing to be servants in my family? Don’t be fooled by the sight of wealth and the promise of meat for the servants, thinking serving my family is all good. Both the Qin and Gu families are strict with servants. Mistakes are punished by military law, and severe cases by execution. It’s not as easy as you imagine."
Xia Zhang said, "Madam, my family understands. Once we become servants, our lives and deaths are determined by the master family... Compared to serving the Lu family, serving your family is a fortune for us."
Gu Jinli couldn’t be bothered with these pleasantries and simply said, "If you decide to stay, you need to abide by the rules of the Qin and Gu families. Mistakes could lead to death or a fate worse than death!"
"Yes, your servant thanks you, madam." The Xia family kowtowed to Gu Jinli, and after a moment of hesitation, Xia Zhang said, "Madam, your servant has something to say. May I speak candidly?"
Gu Jinli: "Speak."
Xia Zhang said, "When we reach the Northwest, your servant wishes to follow your lord and enter the battlefield."
He continued, "My family is willing to serve as servants, but I also wish to make achievements and ask for your approval."
Gu Jinli laughed, sizing up Xia Zhang, "So, you have ambition. You want to go to war? But what skills do you possess for the battlefield? With just your crude skills? You can’t even beat Daqing."
Our Daqing is still a girl.
Xia Zhang, recalling the night the bandits came when Daqing dragged, threw, and knocked him out, felt somewhat embarrassed. But he said, "Your servant will work hard to learn skills, and ask for madam to give me a chance!"
"You may leave now, work diligently, and we’ll discuss again once we reach the Northwest." Gu Jinli knew Xia Zhang had some skills and ambition, but newly accepted servants needed to be tempered a few times and have their arrogance curbed before they could be truly used.
Xia Zhang understood this reasoning, and after kowtowing, he left with Elder Xia and Old Lady Xia.
The family proactively sought out Feng Jin, who took them to the Hundred Wolves County Government, where they exchanged their three indenture contracts and officially became servants of the Qin family.
Qin San Lang and the others didn’t return until before the evening hour and brought along Yao Chief Commander’s family.
Yao Chief Commander, the Chief Commander of Qianyang County’s Military Office, had followed Ding Ge and made merit on the night of the bandit attack, thus avoiding execution. Now that he was following Qin San Lang, he brought his wife and children to pay respects to Qin San Lang and Gu Jinli.
Yao Chief Commander’s wife, Ms. Lu, in her thirties, came from a Scholar’s Family and was a very gentle lady. Erqing took her to see Gu Jinli and she paid her respects: "Greetings, madam."
"No need for formalities, Aunt Yao. Get up." Gu Jinli said, "We are all in this together now, and we should get along according to rural customs."
All in this together?
Why does this sound so casual?
Ms. Lu, hearing this, heaved a sigh of relief. Although Mrs. Qin’s appearance was plain and her body odor unpleasant, she was easy to get along with. Over the past two days, Mrs. Qin had even sent medicines to her people so the wounded soldiers and families could receive treatment.
Her husband said Company Commander Qin was truly capable and upright, unlike Ding Ge, who was too disgusting and only knew how to threaten them with their hometown’s daughters.