Chapter 326: Come, Let’s Go Beg for Alms
Having set their minds on heading to the prefectural city to beg for alms, while Wen Yao and Qiu Rongrong happened to be going to the prefectural city as well, the several of them decided to travel together.
Before departing, Old Madam Luo found Nanny Shi.
“Nanny, as you are accompanying Yao Yao to the prefectural city this time, it is the perfect opportunity to search for that female tutor.” This was the most important matter weighing on Old Madam Luo’s mind recently.
Nanny Shi complied: “Rest assured, Old Mistress. News has already come from my end, so going this time happens to allow me to check. If it is truly that tutor, this old servant will definitely help the Old Mistress invite her back.”
Old Madam Luo let out a grunt of acknowledgement, stuffing a pouch into Nanny Shi’s hands.
“There are fifty taels here—keep it. If you run into trouble, it might come in handy.”
Nanny Shi naturally didn’t want it, yet with Old Madam Luo’s insistence, Nanny Shi had no choice but to accept the money for the time being, thinking that if it wasn’t needed, she would simply return it to the Old Mistress upon her return.
Seeing the two old women huddled together whispering, with Old Madam Luo handing something over to Nanny Shi, Wen Yao didn’t ask further either. Once their belongings were packed, she followed the horse carriage of Wen Xiuyi and Magistrate Chen toward the prefectural city the next day.
Wen Yao and Qiu Rongrong shared one carriage, while Magistrate Chen and Wen Xiuyi shared another.
After traveling along the road for two days, they finally arrived at the prefectural city. Busy with begging for alms, Magistrate Chen and Wen Xiuyi headed straight for the prefectural yamen the moment they entered the city, leaving Wen Yao and Qiu Rongrong to head to their own tiny, dilapidated courtyard first.
This was Qiu Rongrong’s very first time visiting the place where they stayed in the prefectural city. It was a tiny courtyard, which—having been repaired over these past days—didn’t look quite as dilapidated anymore. Still, it remained somewhat small, and having so many people staying inside might be a bit cramped.
It seemed she still needed to buy a courtyard in the prefectural city.
Although unoccupied for long stretches, the courtyard showed no signs of dirt or clutter, and even the rooms were clean.
The two sisters hadn’t brought many people by their side—Qiu Rongrong brought only Qiaoyan, while Wen Yao brought Mingyue and Nanny Shi.
The moment they stepped inside, Nanny Shi led Mingyue and Qiaoyan to clean the place up once more. Before long, a knock sounded from outside the small courtyard.
Opening the door, Nanny Shi saw a young woman she had never met before, bringing a child along with her.
The woman froze for a moment upon catching sight of Nanny Shi, before promptly asking, “May I ask if Miss Wen Yao is at home?”
Hearing that she was looking for Wen Yao, Nanny Shi led the person inside. Wen Yao and Qiu Rongrong were in the middle of discussing where to go look at storefronts when they heard the voice and stepped out.
“Sister Ruyun, Little Hutou, why have you come?”
Only now did Nanny Shi realize that this was none other than Lady Ruyun, who helped their family collect duck eggs in the prefectural city.
“Sister Yao Yao!” Little Hutou was delighted to see Wen Yao as well, trotting over with pitter-patter steps.
Wen Yao patted his head, looking toward Ruyun with a smile: “Sister Ruyun, you were the one who cleaned this house for us, right? We’ve troubled you.”
Ruyun offered an embarrassed smile, though a touch of capability and cheerful warmth was added to her expression. She said, “It was only right! Whenever I have nothing to do, I come over to tidy up a bit. I was originally at home, but Ma Qiang sent someone to tell me that Lord Wen and Miss Yao Yao had both arrived in the prefectural city, so I came over to see if there was anything I could help with.”
Wen Yao invited her into the room, introducing her to Qiu Rongrong along the way: “Sister Rongrong, this is Sister Ruyun, who is in charge of collecting duck eggs for us in the prefectural city.
“Sister Ruyun, this is my father’s goddaughter, Qiu Rongrong, who is also my business partner.”
Ruyun hastily curtsied: “Greetings, Miss Rongrong.”
Qiu Rongrong quickly supported her, saying with a smile, “Yao Yao and I were just saying moments ago that if we set up a workshop in the prefectural city, we would lack a manager. Look—isn’t one delivered right to our door?”
Ruyun froze: “What workshop? What manager?”
Wen Yao and Qiu Rongrong exchanged a glance, flashing a mysterious smile. Having Qiaoyan and Mingyue take Little Hutou out to play, they pulled Ruyun down to sit, laying out their plan to set up the duck egg and century egg workshop in the prefectural city.
“This… this is a wonderful thing! It’s just that I fear I won’t be suitable. Collecting duck eggs is fine, but if you have me act as a manager, I’m afraid I won’t do it well,” Ruyun expressed her incapability on the spot.
Yet Qiu Rongrong and Wen Yao felt these were non-issues at all—if she didn’t know how, she could learn! Furthermore, over such a long period, Ruyun had never made a single error in collecting duck eggs, and the duck eggs brought in were always fine and fresh. Every single time people were dispatched to haul them away, the duck eggs were properly packed, and even after traveling long distances back to Gutong Village, not a single egg had ever been broken, showing Ruyun’s meticulous attention to detail in her work.
Comforting her, Qiu Rongrong said, “Put your heart at ease—making century eggs and salted duck eggs doesn’t involve complex technical skills. Plainly speaking, it’s actually similar to the work you did before; just handle collecting the eggs brought in by everyone. If there’s any difference, it’s merely adding two extra steps to process the duck eggs properly. That only requires hiring a few nimble women to work, which won’t be too troublesome.”
Wen Yao chimed in: “That’s right! You don’t have to worry about the processed salted duck eggs and century eggs either—the Qiu family’s shops will dispatch specific people to haul them away in the future. You need only manage the accounts properly. The accounts for these eggs don’t have many twists and turns and are quite simple: count the numbers, record them in the ledger, then record the expenses for purchasing raw materials, and settle a grand ledger at the end of the month.”
The two described it as simple and easy. Listening to their back-and-forth remarks, Ruyun actually harbored the thought that she might truly be capable of it.
Having worked under Wen Yao for so long, Ruyun had grasped this owner’s temperament as well, speaking up on the spot: “Then… shall I give it a try?”
Both were women of action. They immediately asked Ruyun if she knew of a suitable location for a workshop. When hiring people at that time, they had to recruit those who were diligent and willing to endure hardship, with good character as well. Moreover, making salted duck eggs and century eggs required no complex technology, so they didn’t need many people—two or three people Ruyun could trust would be plenty.
Carrying tea inside for the three, Nanny Shi hesitated for a moment before speaking softly to Wen Yao: “Miss, this old servant would like to request leave from Miss to step out for a bit.”
Wen Yao wore a puzzled expression: “Nanny, what are you going for?” Only after asking did she recall that Nanny Shi had been brought back to Yunwu Town from the prefectural city by Broker Deng back then. Revisiting her old haunts, she might be going to see old friends or the like.
Nanny Shi didn’t hide it either, telling Wen Yao about Old Madam Luo asking her to search for the person.
“The female tutor Grandma asked you to find?” Wen Yao was only just finding out about this matter.
Nanny Shi hurriedly explained: “The Old Mistress asked this old servant to inquire long ago, but there was no news of the person all along, so I didn’t tell Miss either.
“This old servant entrusted someone to find a woman from my former master’s household who did odd jobs and wasn’t dragged into the trouble, asking her to help inquire about this female tutor’s recent situation. Having waited for a long time without news, this old servant thought that since we have arrived anyway, I should go ask her in person.”
Wen Yao hadn’t expected that their old lady was quietly busying herself with this matter behind the scenes.
“It’s fine, it’s fine! Go attend to your business, and there’s no rush to return either. After all, you haven’t seen each other in a long time—it’s fine to chat a bit longer. Don’t worry about dinner either; Mingyue and Qiaoyan are here. Have Xun Feng take you, and once you arrive at the place, tell him when to return, then have him pick you up again.” Wen Yao said.
With soft warmth in her eyes, Nanny Shi smiled: “Having Xun Feng give this old servant a ride once will be enough. Once this old servant finishes her business, I will return on my own. There’s no telling when it will wrap up anyway, so this old servant can return by herself.”
Wen Yao agreed. Nanny Shi then called for Xun Feng to drive the horse carriage and give her a ride, while making a trip to the market to purchase rice, flour, oil, grain, vegetables, and meat, having Xun Feng bring everything back later.
