Chapter 247: Then How Much Would It Be Appropriate for Them to Pay?
Wen Xiuyi had already made up his mind. From now on, his focus would be placed on improving this piece of land, making absolutely sure that the common people here could also have food to eat and eat their fill. This was perhaps the ultimate purpose for which Heaven had brought him to this land.
He had to be worthy of the official post on his shoulders, even if it was just a tiny, minor seventh-rank sesame official.
Wen Xiuzhu and Wen Xiuqing had completely never expected their eldest brother to suddenly say this. The effects of the alcohol had vanished by more than half for the two brothers.
“Eldest Brother, what nonsense are you talking?” Although the two of them hadn’t personally touched the money earned from the duck shed and the fish pond, their eldest brother distributed money to them every single time, having the wives at home keep it safely. It had only been how long? Yet they had already earned an amount they had completely never dreamed of before.
Wen Xiuyi, however, gestured to call his son and daughters all over. Looking at Old Man Wen, Old Madam Luo, and his two younger brothers, he said solemnly, “Father, Mother, over these years you have suffered quite a bit because of me. Your son keeps it all in his heart.”
Hearing these words, Old Madam Luo quietly tilted her head away and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Wen Xiuyi spoke again: “Mother, now that I hold an official status, it is truly no longer appropriate for me to keep these business titles under my name. If you don’t believe me, ask Nanny Du and Xun Feng; they know much more.”
Old Madam Luo looked toward Nanny Du, and Nanny Du curtsied. “Old Mistress, what the Master says is correct. Now that the Master already holds a genuine official status, the imperial court does not allow officials to engage in business.”
Old Madam Luo’s expression shifted a bit. Nanny Du stole a glance at Wen Yao and added, “However, if it is under the Young Mistress’s name, it won’t have any impact on the Master.”
Wen Xiuyi then saw his own old mother’s eyes light up, and he quickly poked his daughter beside him.
Wen Yao understood the cue instantly and spoke up: “Grandma, please don’t stuff these two back to me. I still have the winery, the roast duck shop, and the milk tea shop to manage! Plus this huge stretch of mountaintop behind us, which contains Li Yi’s capital inside. What if I don’t manage it well and Li Yi blames me when the time comes?”
Xun Feng widened his eyes and cast a glance at her. Whether his family’s Heir of Prince Fu even remembered the fruit trees on this stretch of mountaintop was still unknown.
Old Madam Luo: “…” What on earth was wrong with this entire family? Who in their right mind would push a profit-making livelihood outward?
Old Madam Luo looked toward Wen Jun, and Wen Jun directly spread his hands. “Grandma, I don’t have time.”
Old Madam Luo: “…Forget it, it is more important for you to properly follow Physician Jin to study medicine.”
Old Madam Luo looked at Datou again.
Datou: “Grandma, I’m only five years old, and my adoptive father said I need to participate in the imperial examinations in the future.”
Old Madam Luo: “…”
Looking at Wen Xiuyi’s face that clearly said let’s see what you have to say now, Old Madam Luo finally admitted defeat, letting out a sigh:
“Forget it, then let it be so. Now that you’ve become an official, it is indeed rather inappropriate to continue doing business. Since you’ve made up your mind, then give it to Second Brother and Third Brother. Your father and I will just watch over our soybean paste workshop, and we won’t covet your things either.
However, let me put the ugly words upfront: you two must be content and know your eldest brother’s kindness. Once you get the duck shed and the fish pond, do not covet anything else. The winery belongs to Yao’er, the mountaintop behind also belongs to Yao’er, and those lands by the river are for us two elders to provide for our old age. If you want to covet them, you must wait until we kick the bucket in the future before you three brothers go divide them among yourselves.”
Wen Yao sidled up to the old lady’s side and leaned against her. “Grandma, you and my grandpa will definitely live for a hundred years.”
Old Madam Luo let out a pfft and laughed. “Then wouldn’t we become old monsters?”
“Hehe, I’d gladly have Grandma be an old monster,” Wen Yao said with a wide smile.
Old Madam Luo shot her a reproachful glance, then looked at her three sons. These were all born of her flesh; which one did she not dote on?
Moreover, Wen Xiuyi had brought up this matter more than once. She had always known that this eldest son did it to give the other two sons a fundamental means to establish themselves. For the money earned from the duck shed and the fish pond, he would distribute a larger share to his two younger brothers every single time; Old Madam Luo had seen all of this with her own eyes.
Now that the imperial decree had been delivered, the eldest son had successfully become an official. She still listened to the words spoken by Nanny Du; an official couldn’t do business, and if a rival found out about it and tripped up the eldest son when the time came, that would ruin things.
Therefore, she would no longer obstruct it.
“Little Jun, go fetch paper and a brush,” Old Madam Luo called out to Wen Jun.
Although Wen Jun didn’t know what the old lady intended to do, he still went obediently. Once the paper and brush were brought back, Old Madam Luo placed them right in front of Wen Xiuyi: “Eldest Brother, you have read the most books, so you write it. Set up a formal document and write down all the words I just spoke, and then you three brothers will all sign and press your handprints onto it, so as to save trouble in the future.”
Wen Xiuyi: “Mother, there’s no need for that, is there? We are all brothers of the same family.”
“Write,” Old Madam Luo brooked no refusal from him, shoving the brush straight into his hand as she glared.
Wen Xiuyi looked at his two younger brothers. The two brothers were now completely sober, both rubbing their hands helplessly. Lady Li and Lady Cai had also been called over and now knew about the matter just now; for a moment, the two women didn’t know whether they should be happy or happy.
Seeing that he couldn’t win against his own old mother, Wen Xiuyi could only write honestly.
Once he finished writing, he even signed his name and pressed his thumbprint.
Old Madam Luo looked toward her other two sons again, and the two also pressed their thumbprints under their old mother’s watch; the main thing was that they couldn’t write either.
Old Madam Luo put away the document securely, and only then did she say, “Alright, from now on, you two families will discuss and make the decisions for the matters over at the duck shed and the fish pond by yourselves. However, before you do anything, you must first ask your eldest brother, or ask me, or ask Wen Yao. Don’t blindly and foolishly do it all by yourselves, only to turn around and get framed by others, do you hear me?”
Lady Li gave Wen Xiuzhu a shove. Seeing that Wen Xiuzhu didn’t react, she had no choice but to respond with a smile, “Mother, rest assured, we will definitely listen to you in everything, listening to you, Yao’er, and my eldest brother.”
Seeing that the old lady had arranged everything, Old Man Wen finally let out two coughs and said, “Are you all finished speaking? Since you’re finished speaking, it’s time for me to say a few words too.”
Only then did everyone look at Old Man Wen in unison.
“Ahem, the duck shed over there has always been managed by Second Brother’s wife and Third Brother’s wife, so there will definitely be no problem with them tending to it in the future. But the fish pond over there has been tended to by Uncle Lu’s family. From now on, this fish pond has nothing to do with your eldest brother. If you want to have Uncle Lu and the others work for you again, you will have to pay them wages,” Old Man Wen said.
Hearing this, Uncle Lu opened his mouth hurriedly, “Old Master, no need, there’s no need.”
Old Man Wen raised his hand. “It’s different. Previously, the fish pond and the duck shed were mostly owned by the eldest brother, so it was beyond reproach for you to work there. But now that it’s given to Second Brother and Third Brother, you are the eldest brother’s people, so how could there be any reason for them to hire you without paying wages? Second Brother, Third Brother, say so yourselves, isn’t that right?”
Wen Xiuzhu and Wen Xiuqing exchanged a glance and nodded in unison: “What Father says is right.”
They indeed could no longer take advantage of their eldest brother.
Old Man Wen nodded with satisfaction. This showed that the education provided by him and the old lady hadn’t gone wrong; this pair of brothers at least knew how to be grateful.
Old Man Wen spoke again: “Go back and discuss among yourselves how much the wages should be, and then tell Uncle Lu and the others. If you pay too little and they are no longer willing to do the work, you are not allowed to complain either; that would be your own fault.”
The two brothers: “…” Then how much would it be appropriate for them to pay?
