Oh no! Seven kids at the start, all yellow and skinny.

Chapter 129 Recommendation of Individuals

Seven people came in total. Two others have some family matters to attend to and will come over in a few days.

Of these seven people, three had obvious defects: one was missing an eye, one was missing his left arm, and another was missing part of his left calf. The other four looked healthy, but Lao Quan said they all had many scars on their bodies, and it was only by chance that they survived.

Old Quan then took out a stack of indentures: "Miss, they are all destitute people who voluntarily sell themselves to you, hoping to have food to eat in the future. Their loyalty is beyond question."

All seven of them looked at Yunyi with trepidation.

Yunyi glanced through the contracts and memorized the names of the seven people. She then told everyone to take a bath, rest, and eat for the time being, and to discuss everything else tomorrow.

Several people couldn't help but look at Lao Quan.

"Don't worry, we'll do whatever the girl says from now on. She's a very nice girl." Old Quan smiled. "Come with me."

"Yunyi, are they here to guard the mountain?" Xia Songshi hurriedly came over to ask Yunyi.

"Yes." Yunyi nodded. "Mother, could you take some bedding and send it to them?"

"Yes, all the ones that were prepared beforehand are available."

“I don’t think those people’s clothes are very nice. We have some fabric at home, so I’ll see if I can make them a few outfits,” Jia Liushi said.

"Then I'll trouble you." Yunyi nodded. "If you need anything, just go to town and buy it tomorrow."

"Don't worry, I'll let you know if anything is missing," Jia Liushi waved her hand.

“Aunt Mei, how about I hire you as my housekeeper?” Yunyi suddenly said.

"What?" Jia Liushi, who had just turned around, hurriedly turned back.

“Auntie, as you can see, my family is only going to grow bigger and bigger, and there will be more and more things to do. I can’t stay at home every day. The kids are still young. My mother is too soft-hearted. She only knows how to work and when something happens, she just keeps it to herself. She can’t manage people at all. But I think you are strong-willed and decisive. I feel at ease leaving this family in your hands.”

"Do you believe me?"

"Why don't you believe it?"

“Since you trust me, then I… I’ll take it.” Jia Liu slapped her thigh. “I guarantee the house will be tidied up perfectly for you.”

"How about a monthly salary of eight hundred coins?"

"Why would we need so much? No need."

“Then it’s settled.” Yunyi smiled and then called Xia Songshi over. “Mother, from now on, Aunt Mei will be our housekeeper. I know you’re educated and good at accounting, so you’ll be in charge of the household accounts from now on. After all, with more people, expenses are greater, and we need an account book.”

The reason she knew that Xia Songshi was literate was because she overheard her telling a story to Liubao. If she were truly an illiterate woman, she could not possibly say, "To this day, one does not know how to retreat, knows how to survive but not how to perish, knows how to gain but not how to lose. Is this not the way of the sage? One who knows how to advance and retreat, survive and perish, and does not lose his or her righteousness, is this not the way of the sage?"

Moreover, it is certain that she is quite knowledgeable, after all, if it were just for enlightenment, she wouldn't use the Book of Changes for enlightenment.

In other words, at least this Xia Songshi had read the Four Books and Five Classics.

"Okay." Xia Songshi nodded.

"If you're too busy, you can ask Da Bao for help. I'll find someone who's good at accounting to assist you in the future."

"Don't worry, Mother knows what to do."

Yunyi was relieved and gave Xia Songshi one hundred taels of silver. It was almost September, so they started counting from the beginning of the month.

The next day, because there were so many more grown men, a lot of breakfast was made.

Yunyi looked at Xia Songshi and Jia Liushi, who were busy in the kitchen, and sighed slightly. They needed to find two more people to cook for them, otherwise they would be busy preparing three meals a day.

We should go to the village chief and ask him to inquire if anyone is willing to come to our house as a cook.

Don't underestimate a cook; not only do they need to be good at cooking, but they also need to have good character. Otherwise, trouble can easily happen.

"Yunyi, let me recommend someone to you," Gao Shunfang said immediately upon hearing this.

"Who?"

“Guo Shi, that’s Xiuxiu’s mother.” Gao Shunfang sighed. “She’s a pitiful woman. After Yinshan went to Qinglong Mountain, he never came back, leaving behind this widow and her child. You know that old woman, she’s a scoundrel. She never liked Xiuxiu’s mother to begin with, and ever since Yinshan died, she’s been saying that the mother and daughter brought death to their son…”

"Guo's family also favored sons over daughters. After she got married, her family cut off contact with her after receiving the betrothal gifts. Even when she went back to her family during festivals, she couldn't get any food. Later, after Xia Yinshan died, her family asked her to go back, not to give her a better life, but to sell her and Xiuxiu to an old widower."

"She's trustworthy, and this auntie can vouch for her."

Yunyi naturally knew all this. Xiahe and Fan were selfish and shrewish, and their two daughters-in-law were not doing well. Fortunately, their eldest son, Xia Jinshan, was still alive and could protect his wife and daughter. However, their second son, Xia Yinshan, was dead, so Guo and her daughter would naturally suffer. Otherwise, Xiuxiu would know to collect firewood and make nets to supplement the family income at such a young age.

Moreover, people in ancient times were truly honest and would voluntarily act as guarantors for others. In modern society, even relatives wouldn't dare to do that, because you'd be swindled out of everything.

"Since Auntie has said so, then please go and ask her. If she's willing, she can come to our house tomorrow and give it a try. For now, the monthly salary is two hundred coins, with food and lodging provided, and holiday gifts. If she does well, the monthly salary will be increased. Is that alright with you?"

"Okay, great, I can agree for you, but I'll still go ask her." Gao Shunfang said, running out without even taking off her apron.

Li Xiuhong, who was originally in the kitchen, hesitated for a moment after her mother-in-law left, then followed her out and stopped Yunyi at the door: "Yunyi, I want to ask you, do you only need one person to cook?"

"Why do you ask that, sister-in-law? Just say what you want to say."

“Yunyi, you know I’m from Dongji Village. Our village is extremely poor. I was lucky to marry into this village, but many women in the village have met with bad ends.” Li Xiuhong sighed. “There’s a cousin of mine, just thirty years old this year. She’s from my grandfather’s cousin’s branch of the family. Five years ago, she was divorced by her husband’s family because she couldn’t have children. After that, she returned to the village. Although my grandfather’s family didn’t kick her out, they wouldn’t let her into their current house. They just let her live alone in the old house. She usually makes a living by doing some embroidery. A few days ago, a hooligan sneaked into her house and she stabbed him with scissors. But no one said anything bad about the hooligan. They just said she… said she was immoral and wanted to drown her.”