On September 28th, the chief butler Zheng Long came back from the countryside, looking tired and dusty.
"Grandma, these are the silver coins collected from the two shops and the bank. They are handed over to you along with the accounts. Please take a look at them."
Xu Chunjun only looked at the total amount of silver, but didn't look at anything else. He said to Zheng Long, "Thank you for your hard work, steward!"
"It should, it should!" Zheng Long said with some fear, "It shouldn't be hard work."
"Why isn't it hard after being here for so many days?" Xu Chunjun said, "There is one more thing that I can't make up my mind about, and the second housekeeper is not here, so I will discuss it with you alone!"
"What are your orders from Grandma?" Zheng Long asked.
Xu Chunjun sighed before speaking: "Our family cannot make ends meet, and life is becoming more and more difficult day by day. My uncle is not doing his job properly, and I am just trying to catch up.
But since I'm sitting here, I have to make plans. I can't just watch and let things go.
I thought since I couldn’t open up more money, I had to cut back on expenditure.”
"What grandma said is good, but I don't know how to do it?" Zheng Long asked.
"After much thought, I decided to let go of some of the existing servants in my family! Otherwise, we have to pay for work and take care of food and clothing, and we really can't afford it." Xu Chunjun said, "Although we can be considered a noble family,
But it’s almost too late to open the pot, so there’s no need to worry about ostentation.”
"My grandma is thinking that dozens of mouths will indeed cost a lot of money." Zheng Long nodded in agreement, "But I don't know how many will be sent away? And who will be sent away?"
"Old lady, please don't move any of the people waiting in front of you. How long will it take to stop suffering them?" Xu Chunjun said, "As for me, just leave one of the maids and women in charge. The rest of the work will be done everywhere."
It is enough for one person to take care of things that are not very important, but two people are enough for things that are important. For example, in the kitchen, there is one person for lighting the fire, one person for picking vegetables, and two people for putting on the stove."
"Then what should we do with the people in charge?" Zheng Long asked.
"Our family doesn't have much money to spend, and we don't have many things to take care of. Some of the people in charge are just fake names. It's better to change it to one person doing two jobs. For example, the person in charge of the warehouse is also responsible for the night, and the person in charge of buying vegetables is also responsible for buying firewood.
." Xu Chunjun smiled, "Isn't this saving another person?"
"Then just do as Grandma said!" Zheng Long said, "Look who is left behind."
"You know I've only just arrived, and the people in the house haven't recognized them all yet! Besides, I don't know who is good and who is bad." Xu Chunjun smiled, even a bit flattering, "It's still you.
Make the decision! Just make a list."
"This...doesn't this mean that I am making the decision for my eldest grandma? It's not appropriate." Zheng Long declined.
"This is to share my worries," Xu Chunjun said hurriedly, "I went back to my parents' house a few days ago and took some money. My wife heard that the uncle had a debt abroad, so she also asked someone to send a thousand silver, plus
What you have collected, apart from repaying the debt owed by me, will leave less than two thousand. If you put it in your account and use it frugally, it will last more than a year."
"Well, since Grandma has said so, I won't refuse. I will draw up the order later and ask Grandma to review it." Zheng Long finally agreed.
"Okay, okay," Xu Chunjun was very happy and smiled without any pretense. "Then you should have a rest! You have worked hard for so many days."
"Old slave, it's true that I can't hold it any longer. Grandma, please forgive me." After Zheng Long said this, he slowly withdrew.
Xu Chunjun's expression remained unchanged and he ordered Ah Li: "Turn on the lights brighter, this little tiger will be finished embroidering soon."
This is a tiger head hat embroidered for Aunt Qin’s child, named Xu Daoqi.
Xu Chunjun went back to see him a few days ago. He has become even fatter. He laughs whenever he sees people, which is very annoying.
Ah Li brought Tang Po Zi from outside and came in with red eyes.
Xu Chunjun stopped her: "Ah Li, what's wrong with you?"
"It's nothing," Ah Li shook her head, "It's just that my sister came to see me during dinner and said that my mother was sick."
"So that's the case, why didn't you tell me earlier?" Xu Chunjun said, "I remember that your home is not far from here. There is only an old woman and a thirteen-year-old girl at home."
"Grandma is so good at remembering things," Ah Mi nodded, "I already gave my sister money and asked her to get medicine."
"It's not too late to turn on the lamp now. You go back and have a look, stay for a few days, and then come back when your mother is well," Xu Chunjun said softly, "Your sister is still young, and she can't make up her mind when she's in a hurry. I can't do that either.
It’s okay, besides, there are them.”
"Yes, just go back and take a look!" Ziling and Lvchun also said, "Why don't you think about it too."
"Lvchun, go and get some broken silver from the makeup box and give it to Ah Li, so that she can take it to her mother to call a doctor." Xu Chunjun said again.
"Grandma, you can't do that!" Ah Li shook her head, "You are already showing mercy by allowing me leave, and you can also give me more money. We all know the difficulties in our family."
"That's not bad for you," Xu Chunjun smiled, "just think of it as your advance at the end of the year! Cure the patient first."
"Thank you, grandma!" Ah Li said gratefully.
To the rich, these few taels of silver are just a bottle of wine and a pair of shoes, but to their family, it is life-saving money.
"Find some thick clothes that you don't wear and ask her to take them back. It's cold, so don't freeze." Xu Chunjun was thoughtful and did not think that everything would be fine if he gave her money.
She knew that for the poor, a piece of cloth or a steamed bun were both good.
Ah Li's family was poor, otherwise they would not have sold her to death.
Ah Li thanked her again and again, wiping her tears and went home.
Here Xu Chunjun is quietly embroidering under the lamp.
"Grandma, the boy who went to Dongdu with the second housekeeper is back." Aunt Zuo came in from outside and stood at the door of the inner room and said.
"Ask him to come in! Let's see if the uncle has sent a message back." Xu Chunjun put down the embroidery needle.
The boy who came back was called Xiao Cheng. After he came in, he also stood at the door and did not go in.
"Have you met the uncle?" Xu Chunjun asked him.
"Go back to grandma, I saw you." Xiao Cheng said.
"Who asked you to come back? What happened?" Xu Chunjun asked again.
"The second housekeeper sent me back." Xiao Cheng lowered his head. According to the rules, they all had to lower their heads when meeting the mistress of the family. "The uncle said it was cold in Dongdu and there was no flower reward. So he sat down.
The boat is going south, saying it will go to Weizhou and it will take at least a month to come back."
Everyone present was a little worried that Xu Chunjun would be angry, but she was not angry at all. She only said: "I know, go to my wife and tell her later, so that she won't worry about it."
"I know, little one, let's go now." Xiao Cheng agreed.
"Don't forget to go to the counting house to receive the reward." Xu Chunjun added, "Follow the past rules."
