Lu Chi came here today with one more thing to say, "Master, I'll be returning to the capital after the medicinal herbs are harvested."
I don't know when we'll meet again. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, come to the Crown Prince's residence to find me.
As he spoke, he took a jade pendant from his waist and placed it on the kang table.
Jin Shanyao was taken aback. "Aren't you going back to the Marquis's residence?"
Lu Chi looked dejected. "My ties with the Marquis's mansion should have been severed long ago, but I refused to let go."
I always wish my father would look at me more often, so this time when I return to Beijing, I plan to move out.
Well... even a clay bodhisattva crossing the river can't save himself, yet he still left her a token.
Jin Shanyao pendant to him, saying, "Keep it for yourself. If you ever run into financial difficulties, you can pawn it for some money."
Lu Chi looked embarrassed. "You, I'm the Empress's nephew, how could you end up homeless?"
Jin Shanyao an inscrutable expression as she took a ginkgo leaf from her purse.
"You've been with me for a while now, so take this leaf. If you're ever in danger, just shout for help at it."
"Am I crazy? Why am I crying for help at a leaf?" Lu Chi thought to himself, but his hand honestly took the leaf and carefully stuffed it into his purse.
"Master, I know you have great abilities. Could you help me find out which courtyard in the capital is cheap?"
"Three thousand taels for divination."
"Three thousand taels..." Lu Chi stood up. "Master, you've changed. You weren't like this before. You used to treat money like dirt, now it's all about money, money, money."
After saying that, he left without looking back.
Jin Shanyao was taken aback. Sure enough, once the contract of indenture was in hand, the person gained confidence!
In early October, the autumn harvest began at Lush Mountain.
The recruitment this time was once again entrusted to the two little cubs.
With a secondhand gong hanging around his neck, Meng Anci stood on the street again and banged it loudly.
"Don't miss out! Anzhi Hall is hiring people to dig for medicinal herbs. Eighty copper coins a day. Any copper coins you find are yours to keep."
These words caused an instant sensation. Anzhi Hall liked to throw copper coins up the mountain when planting trees. Could it be that he was going to do the same thing again this time?
Someone asked, "What should we do if we don't recognize the herbs?"
Meng Anci straightened her back, her small face serious, and said in a deep voice, "Before we dig, my sister will teach everyone to identify the herbs. We'll work during the day and get paid in the evening; we'll never delay payment."
Then someone else asked, "Will we get double pay this time?"
Meng Anci smiled mysteriously, "That depends on everyone's performance." This time, the wages are based on market prices and settled on a daily basis, so it's impossible to pay double.
By not saying it outright, Meng Anci wanted to give everyone something to look forward to, which would motivate them to work harder. He was already calculating his own plans.
He walked around the main street of the county town like a big rooster, crowing as he went.
Knock knock knock... Anzhi Hall is hiring...
Knock knock knock... Anzhi Hall is hiring...
" Meng Anci, what are you doing?" Shiyan suddenly appeared out of nowhere, curiously examining the bronze gong on his chest.
"Instead of studying at home during your day off, why are you out performing?"
"Go away... don't delay my recruitment," Meng Anci pushed him aside and walked forward.
Shiyan followed behind, wanting to touch his gong, "Can I borrow it to ring it?"
Meng Anci stopped and glanced at him sideways. "Want to play?"
Shiyan nodded emphatically, staring at the gong with envy. Meng Anci's eyes darted around, and he took the gong off and hung it around Shiyan's neck, pointing to the street ahead.
"Knock on the door from here, and shout ' Anzhi Hall is hiring!' as you knock."
Shiyan was a little reserved, and secretly glanced in the direction of Madam Shi, "Isn't this too ostentatious? What if my mother hears this...?"
"What are you afraid of? Just bang the gong a few times. Your mother won't scold you. A real man should have his own opinions. Go ahead and bang it for her."
Meng Anci clenched his fist and gave Shiyan an encouraging gesture.
Shiyan blushed, took a deep breath, and banged the gong, announcing, "An... An... Anzhi Hall is hiring!"
He uttered the first sentence much more smoothly, then turned around and grinned at Meng Anci, his spirits high, and banged the gong loudly.
Anzhi Hall is hiring...
Anzhi Hall is hiring...
The Madam Shi was talking to someone when she suddenly heard her son's voice. Startled, she clutched her chest and glared at him, "You little rascal, you're up to your old tricks again!"
The woman smiled and asked, "Hasn't your husband returned yet?"
"It'll be soon; the letter said it'll be done in the next few days."
As she spoke, Madam Shi looked at her son again. Seeing him running further and further away, she greeted the woman and angrily chased after him.
Shiyan was unaware that his mother was angry and was busy banging on the door!
He had never acted crazy in public before. It was thrilling, exhilarating. He swung the drumsticks around and pounded the drum, getting more and more excited, and even started running...
" Anzhi Hall is hiring! Anzhi Hall is hiring..."
Seeing the Xiao Pang recruiting so diligently, Meng Anci covered his mouth and chuckled to himself. He then turned to look at the Anzhi Hall, where people had already started lining up to register.
Thump... Wa-la-la... The sound of a gong being smashed on the ground.
Meng Anci turned his head and saw a gong lying on the ground at the street corner. Shiyan was being dragged onto a carriage with his mouth covered, and then disappeared from sight.
Meng Anci jumped up, intending to chase after her, but then turned and ran back to the shop like a madwoman, "Auntie, Auntie..."
This was the first time he had ever been so panicked; he stumbled and almost fell on Jin Shanyao.
Jin Shanyao steadied him and said coldly, "What happened?"
Meng Anci pointed outside, " Shiyan, they've been kidnapped."
Jin Shanyao steadied him and quickly walked outside. She knew that Xiao Pang; at first, he and Meng Anci oil and water, and they wanted to fight eight times a day.
Just because Meng Anci called him a pig, he managed to climb from last place to the top five, and it took nearly half a year for their relationship to improve.
The street was in chaos. Madam Shi cried out to the crowd, "Someone help me! My son has been kidnapped..."
"Report to the authorities..."
"Go report this to the authorities quickly, don't cry here..."
The Madam Shi was stunned. She wanted to chase after her son, but the carriage was nowhere to be seen. She wanted to report to the authorities, but in her confusion, she couldn't find the right direction.
Jin Shanyao forward and grabbed her arm.
The Madam Shi turned around in a panic, and seeing it was Jin Shanyao, she burst into tears, " Jin Shanyao, you have to help me! My son has been kidnapped..."
Jin Shanyao didn't say anything, but directly dragged the person to the backyard of the Anzhi Hall and ordered Qing Yang to report to the authorities.
At this moment, Madam Shi was sobbing uncontrollably, "What deity has my Shi Household offended? My husband was just rescued, and now my son has been kidnapped!"
She grabbed the Jin Shanyao her arm, and asked with tears in her eyes, "Do you think I'm next? Damn it, if he's angry, he should take it out on me! What kind of skill is it to kidnap my child?"
Jin Shanyao's head was throbbing from her noise. "Shut up, or I won't help you look anymore."
The Madam Shi's crying stopped abruptly. She covered her mouth tightly, not daring to make a sound, and stared at the Jin Shanyao with teary eyes.
She knew that Jin Shanyao was very capable, and with her help, they would definitely be able to rescue her son.
Jin Shanyao mimicked the charlatan's manner, closing her eyes and quickly releasing her Spiritual Power. Since Shiyan had just been kidnapped, there was no need for her to connect with the plants.
The Spiritual Power instantly covered the entire Willow and Poplar County, and they found it...
Inside the carriage, Shiyan had a handkerchief stuffed in his mouth and his hands and feet were bound and huddled in a corner.
"I've found out, this kid is Anzhi Hall's lifeblood."
Another man said sinisterly, "A young woman with two children, daring to be used as a pawn for others—they're just unlucky this time."
He spat fiercely, "Dare to touch our Third Master's pastries? This time we must make an example of him and teach Lu Chi a lesson he won't forget."
Don't think that just because you have the Empress backing you, you can take away the Wei Household's purchasing power.
"Don't worry, with this little brat in our hands, I'll break her red-tasseled spear today."