Chapter 84 - 2#
World 4: You Are the Snow on the Branch#
“Go to the accountant and withdraw five thousand taels of silver, then go buy rice. Buy whatever rice is cheap, and buy a lot of it. I want to arrange for porridge distribution. When buying, find an old farmer to help you watch, don’t buy moldy rice that has been washed white.”
“Okay, okay, this servant understands.” The housekeeper agreed repeatedly and left in a hurry.
Ye Li took a secret breath, thinking that was close! It was a good thing he didn’t interrupt just now and reveal his ignorance. It turns out moldy rice can kill people!
Qin Dehuai walked out of the hall and said slowly: “Actually, moldy rice may not necessarily kill people.”
“Father, as long as it kills one person, that is our Marquis Manor’s sin. It’s better not to gamble on this kind of luck. Anyway, what is wasted is our Marquis Manor’s own grain and silver, it’s no big deal.” Qin Qing waved his hand.
Qin Dehuai thought about it and agreed, saying with a chuckle: “If it’s wasted, then let it be wasted. Anyway, the Marquis Manor has plenty of silver! If someone really dies from eating it, no amount of silver can buy back peace of mind.”
The father and son walked back to the dining table with their arms around each other’s shoulders and continued eating. They laughed and joked during the meal, very harmonious.
Ye Li suddenly understood why outsiders said the Marquis Manor was extravagant and lustful.
They dumped so much rice into the cesspit; if others saw it, how could they not be scolded? However, outsiders had no way of knowing that while they wasted their own grain and silver, what they gave to the victims was a guarantee of life.
Is this how misunderstandings arise? That bad reputation may not necessarily be because they did something bad. What the eyes see and the ears hear can sometimes lead to misunderstandings.
Ye Li pondered with complicated emotions.
At this moment, Tao Ran ran in from outside with an angry face and questioned: “Young Marquis, why did you let the housekeeper dump dozens of bags of rice into the cesspit? Do you know how many people outside are selling their sons and daughters for a mere few catties of rice? You really don’t know the suffering of the world!”
Ye Li: “…”
A few days ago, when he was fighting for dignity for Xiao Dengzi at the gate of the Marquis Manor, he probably looked this stupid, right?
Ye Li couldn’t help but lower his head.
Qin Dehuai quickly stood up to comfort Tao Ran: “Don’t get excited, listen to me slowly. That rice was all moldy and poisonous, it couldn’t be eaten.”
“I often ate moldy rice when I was a child, why am I fine? On the way to escape, we refugees had to fight to eat smelly and rancid things, even food for wild dogs. Why are we living well? You are used to a life of extravagance and lust, and have never thought about how many people starve to death on the roadside…”
Tao Ran’s accusations were endless, and her voice was getting louder and louder. She came from a poor family and had eaten a lot of moldy rice. She thought that since she could survive, others would be fine.
There was no reasoning with this kind of person. Qin Qing shook his head at his father and left before finishing his meal.
Ye Li cupped his hands to Qin Dehuai and quickly followed his young master.
Tao Ran was still making a big noise, her voice extremely piercing. This woman was undoubtedly kind, but Ye Li couldn’t like her no matter what.
Just as Qin Qing said, hypocrisy is useless in these troubled times.
The next day, early in the morning, Qin Qing had the housekeeper set up several long tables in the open space in front of the Marquis Manor, and arranged for several stewards and accountants to wait for people from nearby villages to sign up for work.
Jiang Feishi came early in the morning, holding several rosters in his hand, followed by two long lines. One line was strong men, and the other was frail and thin women and girls.
Qin Qing stood on the steps in front of the manor, watching quietly. Ye Li stood behind him like a loyal guard.
Ah Niu had redeemed the women and children of Liujia Village and sent them to a distant estate. He only rushed back this morning and was now standing silently beside his master.
The women and girls who used to be ragged and walked unsteadily were now wearing neat clothes and looked much more spirited. Presumably, in order for them to successfully get this job, their families had improved their attitude towards them.
Given clothes, given food, and given the dignity to live. This was the earth-shaking change brought about by a small job.
Jiang Feishi walked over with a few emaciated girls.
Qin Qing immediately went down the steps to welcome them personally.
Damn it! He really has his eyes on this pretty boy! Ye Li cursed inwardly and followed, holding his breath.
“Mr. Jiang, you’re here.” Qin Qing smiled under the scorching sun, so the blazing sunlight took on a trace of inexplicable coolness.
Jiang Feishi couldn’t help but smile back, his heart trembling affectionately, rippling with a strange feeling.
The Young Marquis was wearing a pale pink gauze robe today, embroidered with clusters of blooming peach-red peonies. This extremely extravagant attire could not suppress his bewitching and bright face at all.
People are more delicate than flowers; this must be it.
Jiang Feishi bowed while thinking, saluting neither humbly nor arrogantly.
Qin Qing grabbed his arm and supported him affectionately.
Ye Li narrowed his eyes and looked coldly at this pretty boy. To see Qin Qing, this person wore a pure white long gown today, with a few green bamboos embroidered on the hem, which was quite elegant. But compared to me, this person’s appearance is too feminine, lacking a bit of masculinity. It is said that men who like men prefer heroic and extraordinary men, just like me.
Ye Li thought wildly, and his slightly rippling heart unknowingly calmed down.
Jiang Feishi pointed to the few girls behind him and said: “Their relatives are all dead. They are orphans. May I ask if the Young Marquis is willing to let them work?”
The few girls looked at Qin Qing eagerly, a hint of despair faintly revealing in their trembling pupils.
Orphans in these troubled times are food for roadside wild dogs.
“Take them to the shed in the back to drink porridge, and arrange a place to live later.” Qin Qing said without a second word, making arrangements immediately.
A steward immediately took the people away.
The girls who were waiting in despair let out cheers of surprise. Their dim eyes were soaked with tears of joy, appearing clear and bright. They wanted to jump and celebrate, but could only sway and hug each other in a group, choking with joy.
Qin Qing couldn’t help but curl his lips, his smile as pure and innocent as a child.
Rumors are really unbelievable. Who said the Young Marquis of the Tai’an Marquis Manor was a licentious dandy? Jiang Feishi looked intently at this Young Marquis, feeling quite emotional in his heart.
“This is the roster for gathering herbs, this is for the patrol team, this is for cutting trees, and this is for building houses. Please take a look, Young Marquis. I have brought all the people. If they cause any trouble, the Young Marquis can just hold me responsible.”
Jiang Feishi handed over the roster in his hand.
Qin Qing opened the roster to check, his gaze sweeping over the dark crowd. These people stood there nervously waiting for the arrangement of fate, with longing and pleading in their eyes.
The land was cracked, there were no fields to farm, and they were burdened with exorbitant taxes. For them, the job given by the Marquis Manor was the only way to survive.
Qin Qing read ten lines at a glance.
The roster was made very detailed, and the handwriting was also very elegant and handsome. Who, how old, male or female, where they lived, what obvious facial features they had, how many people in the family, and other information were all clearly marked.
Taking the booklet to check against the people, there was almost no possibility of impersonation.
Qin Qing closed the roster and looked at Jiang Feishi carefully, with appreciation in his eyes.
Jiang Feishi immediately cupped his hands and smiled: “I also want to ask for a job today. I wonder if the Young Marquis will allow it?”
Qin Qing rolled his clear eyes and asked: “What job do you want to ask for?”
“I want to be a steward or accountant in the Marquis Manor.”
“Do you have the ability?”
“Please give me a small bag of rice and a tray, Young Marquis. I can demonstrate for the Young Marquis.”
Qin Qing became interested and immediately asked someone to prepare rice and a tray.
Jiang Feishi grabbed a handful of rice at random, threw it into the tray, looked at it intently, and said: “There are a total of two hundred and thirty-eight grains of rice here.”
The stewards and accountants who gathered around didn’t believe it and immediately lay on the table to count. After counting for a full quarter of an hour, it was really two hundred and thirty-eight grains of rice.
For a moment, there were sounds of amazement all around.
Qin Qing’s gaze towards Jiang Feishi had changed from interest to fiery. Just a casual grab and a hasty glance, this person could count so accurately. How incredibly smart he must be!
Isn’t a person who can divide the world with the imperial court exactly the confidant and retreat he needs?
Thinking like this, Qin Qing also grabbed a handful of rice and threw it into the plate.
“Four hundred and six.” Jiang Feishi said with a smile.
Everyone gathered around to count carefully, and it was really four hundred and six.
“Amazing!” Qin Qing clapped his hands and laughed loudly, happy as a child.
Jiang Feishi looked at his smiling face, feeling inexplicably satisfied in his heart.
Ye Li: Damn it! This pretty boy actually has such ability!
Ah Niu secretly tugged at his master’s hem and whispered: “We can secretly recruit this Jiang Feishi. In the future, when we thoroughly investigate the accounts of various government offices, we will need such talents.”
“Need my ass!” Ye Li retorted viciously without thinking.
Ah Niu: “…” Master, what’s wrong with you? Master, is your brain broken?
Ye Li: “…Let’s observe for a while first. In case this person is untrustworthy and reveals our whereabouts, the officials we want to investigate might jump over the wall in desperation.”
“That’s true.” Ah Niu was immediately relieved.
Qin Qing grabbed rice and threw it into the plate again and again, not to test Jiang Feishi’s ability, but just to play with Jiang Feishi. Whenever Jiang Feishi guessed correctly, he would clap his small hands red.
The villagers also gathered around to watch the excitement, laughing cheerfully. In these troubled times, it was rare for them to be so happy.
Qin Qing looked like a sixteen-year-old boy now, carefree, innocent and cute.
Ye Li watched fascinatedly, but waves of sourness rose in his heart.
After throwing a few times, Qin Qing secretly grabbed another handful of rice, put both hands behind his back, and said solemnly: “Mr. Jiang, this is the last test. If you can report the correct number in an instant, I will hire you.”
Jiang Feishi cupped his hands, staring unblinkingly at the tray, ready for battle.
Everyone thought that for this last handful, the Young Marquis would definitely scatter a lot of rice to make things difficult for Jiang Feishi.
However, he didn’t.
The Young Marquis opened his fair palm and dropped two grains of rice with a faint ding-dong sound. For this last handful, he had no intention of making things difficult for Jiang Feishi at all. The so-called test was just a small joke.
He had long recognized Jiang Feishi’s ability, and such a joke instantly narrowed the distance between him and Jiang Feishi.
Being high and mighty, arrogant and domineering, were all unbelievable rumors.
Jiang Feishi looked at the two grains of rice in the tray, then at the Young Marquis’s playful face, and couldn’t help clapping his hands and laughing loudly.
Before this job was even in hand, he had already begun to look forward to the days of seeing the Young Marquis day and night.
Qin Qing also laughed happily, his small hand gently grabbing Jiang Feishi’s arm.
Seeing the two holding hands and smiling brightly together, Ye Li: “…Damn it!”
Cursing in his heart could no longer relieve Ye Li’s gloom. He strode over, picked up the patrol team’s roster, and said coldly: “These are the people I need to manage in the future? Is Mr. Jiang sure they are qualified? How about this, those who think they have ability, stand out and compete with me.”
Ah Niu: “…” Fourth Prince, what are you doing? Don’t do this kind of thing inexplicably! We are not reviewing the army, there is no need to make a big fuss!