Chapter 19 Luo Guangqun

  Luo Guanqun

  Yao Feng again instructed Wang Chuannian to guard the front door of the shop, and he himself closed the door of the room where the accountants were. He turned around and made a bow to San Jie, saying with remorse: "I, Yao Feng, did not consider this matter thoroughly, and caused you, San Jie, to suffer injustice. Can you forgive me?"

  The three sisters heard this and hastily got down from the kang to kowtow, but Yao Feng hurriedly stopped them.

  Third Sister was helped by Yao Fang to sit on the kang, and with tears in her bright eyes, she said to Yao Fang: "Master Yao, your kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain! If you say that about Third Sister again, it will be like killing me! How can Third Sister have the face to accept your courtesy?"

  "Alright, everything is over now. From now on, you'll stay in the shop and help me with business. Also, try to find out what happened to your second sister. No matter how much silver it takes, I, Yao Fang, will make sure that you sisters are reunited."

  The third sister's tears came down instantly, wanting to jump up and kowtow to Yao Fang, Yao Fang had to hold her back again.

  "Third sister, you have a hard life, but I treat you as my own family. I'm also alone and without support in this place doing business. From now on, consider me your big brother, as one of your own family members. And I'll consider you my little sister, so let's not be too formal with each other anymore."

  The third sister felt as if she was dreaming, unexpectedly meeting someone like Yao Fang, who was almost a godsend from heaven. For a moment, tears poured down her face, and she choked with sobs, only desperately nodding her head.

  Yao Fandao said: "I'll have someone clean up a room for you to live in, tonight you can stay in my place first."

  Sanjie's heart skipped a beat when she heard Yao Fang say that, thinking to herself: "Does Master Yao really want me after all? I... what should I do? I'm just a withered flower, does Master Yao really fancy me? If he wants me, I'll willingly serve him for the rest of my life, wherever he goes, I'll follow..."

  Yao Feng saw San Jie's face turn red, with a somewhat strange expression. At that moment, he understood and quickly explained: "San Jie, don't misunderstand, I have something to attend to tonight and won't be back for about ten days, it's not..."

  Third sister heard this and only then realized she had misunderstood, her face grew even redder, and she hastily said: "Yes, yes, I know, Third Sister will definitely help Master Yao take good care of the house."

  "From now on, just call me Big Brother Yao, don't call me Master Yao, it sounds too awkward."

  Third sister hastily changed her words and said: "Big Brother Yao."

  Yao Feng smiled and responded with a soft "ah".

  Yao Fan didn't ask San Jie about her experiences in the Guo family, he thought it was her private matter, and if he were to pry, he would inevitably reopen the wounds on her heart, which was too cruel.

  Yao Fan and San Jie sat silently in the house, chatting casually about some trivial matters, boasting about the goods they had brought back, and talking about their partnership with He Wan Nian to open a business. They also talked about how Yao Fan had just returned and found out that San Jie had been abducted by Guo Ji Xiu, when Luo Guang Qun came back to report.

  Luoguangqun knocked on the door, and Yao Feng responded with a "come in". Luoguangqun saw that both Yao Feng and Sanjie were there, and he was somewhat at a loss.

  Yao Feng waved his hand, indicating that it was nothing, and Luo Guangqun replied: "Wei Da Ren was very happy to see the silver."

  Yao Feng smiled and said, "That's good, Guan Qun, you're just in time. You go back and instruct the household staff that from now on, San Jie is my sworn sister, and everyone should treat her with the same respect as they would me."

  Luo Guangqun looked at San Jie and felt strange in his heart, but immediately responded: "Guangqun knows, I'll go back and tell the two little ones about Dongjia's intention."

  Yao Fandao said: "When He Shicheng comes back, take him to Chunmiantang to retrieve the deposit I left there, a total of 500 taels. Don't give those bastards any discount."

  Luo Guanqun said: "Yes."

  Yao Feng continued to instruct: "Guang Qun, what did He Wannian say to you about the wages previously?"

  "Five taels of silver per month, with food and lodging provided."

  "That's according to his store's rules, he doesn't know our family's rules, don't blame him."

  "My family rules are strict, and the housekeeper gets twenty taels a month. When you bring back the silver from Chunmian Hall, you'll first receive three months' wages to take home and settle."

  Luoguangqun was overjoyed, clasped his hands and bowed deeply to the ground, saying: "Luoguangqun thanks Dongjia for the trust, from now on I will definitely do my best to help Dongjia manage this store well."

  "However, I'm short-handed at the moment and there's still a lot of goods in the store that need to be looked after. You can't just take the money and run back home. Just ask someone to send the silver back home for you, so your parents and wife and children can all rejoice."

  Luo Guangqun repeatedly agreed.

  Yao Fandao: "He Shicheng is someone I've taken under my wing, from now on he'll follow me and attend to me personally. His monthly salary will be ten taels of silver, and you'll also pay him three months' worth of back wages."

  As for Wang Chuan Nian, I think we can skip the apprenticeship period and directly pay him a salary. We'll give him 5 taels per month, just like you guys. First, let's advance him three months' worth.

  Keep the remaining money, and record the account for me. Every transaction must be recorded, including rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea, and the salaries of you three, all will be handled from here. From now on, you'll be in charge of this external accounting room.

  "You three are not considered as the early sail merchant's partners, but rather my personal employees. So, the silver will be paid from my own account, don't ask He Zhuangzhu for money. Do you understand?"

  Luo Guanqun heard clearly and said: "Master, I understand."

  Luo Guanqun nodded in agreement, and Yao Feng was about to escort San Jie to his own room.

  Lu Guanqun hurriedly ran ahead and opened the door.

  Yao Feng brought San Jie into his own room, then closed the door and took out the silver notes he had hidden. He said to San Jie: "San Jie, here are over 2,000 taels of silver notes and loose change. This is the money from the inner accounting house. You help me keep it. From now on, you will be in charge of the inner accounting house. If you see anywhere that needs to use silver, just take charge and spend it."

  The third sister didn't decline either, tightly wrapping up the silver and carefully putting it back in its original place.

  "Yao big brother, don't worry, third sister will definitely keep a close eye on the silver and won't let anyone steal it."

  "Turn back, I've sold my goods and made a lot of silver, so you have to spend money generously and make this house prosperous."

  Third sister blushed and said: "Third sister is right, but the silver should be spent on the blade. Brother Yao is too indulgent to his apprentices, giving them more monthly silver than those big households! In my old home in Gaoyou, the rough servants who were in charge of food and lodging only got 300 wen per month, and during the busy farming season, the long workers who came to help with the harvest from dawn till dusk could earn at most 40 wen per day. I haven't heard anyone in Qingdao say that their monthly salary is so high."

  Yao said calmly: "Farmers and merchants are different. To cultivate loyal partners in business, one must be willing to reward them generously. There are many secrets in commerce that require loyal partners; without them, things will go wrong. As for agricultural laborers, it doesn't matter who is hired or when they leave."

  Besides, many businessmen use familiar and reliable partners, and even if the salary is low, it's okay. But I don't have any connections in Qingdao, and if I don't use money to win people over, who knows when someone might betray me."

  The third sister didn't understand the words that Yao Fang had just made up, and she was also a person who had experienced many hardships. Her wealthy family had been deceived and sold out, leading to their downfall, so she felt that everything Yao Fang said was reasonable.

  Before the two could say more, the doctor invited by He Shicheng arrived. Yao Feng ordered He Shicheng and Luo Guangyun to go to Chunmian Hall to fetch silver, while he himself received the doctor.

  Yao Feng saw the doctor come in, and they bowed to each other. After a brief self-introduction, he learned that the doctor's name was Liu Yiguang.

  Yao Feng looked at Liu Yiguang, who was not very tall, with a white goat beard that reached his chest, giving off an air of elegance and refinement. He felt reassured in his heart. After all, the older the doctor, especially in traditional Chinese medicine, the more reliable he is.

  Yao Fenger feared that Liu Yiguang would misunderstand San Jie's injury, so he explained: "Liu Dafu, my sister was previously kidnapped by bandits and suffered a beating. Please take a closer look at her condition and decide how to treat her."

  Liu Yiguang nodded silently and then lifted up San Jie's sleeve to take a look at the lash wound on her arm after feeling her pulse.

  That lash wound was also the first time Yao Feng saw it, and he saw that the scar was thick and long, black and purple, with severe blood stasis, still slowly oozing blood. Yao Feng looked at it, and his heart burst into flames.

  Liu Yiguang also sighed as he looked at her, and after inquiring if San Jie had any other injuries, he said to Yao Fang: "Don't worry, Mr. Yao, your sister just got a fright, was beaten up, and has some external wounds. Fortunately, she didn't hurt her tendons or bones, so it's nothing serious."

  Liu Yiguang continued: "I'll give you a prescription now, and have someone take it to my house, Deshantang, to fetch the medicine. This medicine is divided into two types, external application and internal use. First, apply the golden wound medicine that our family has researched to your sister's external wounds, then have her take some calming and soothing herbal medicine for three days to close up the wound.

  "I'll come back to see you in three days, and at that time I'll give you a prescription for recuperation. It's sure to cure your sister's injuries completely and restore her to her original state. If you're willing to spend some money, my family also has a prescription for nourishing the skin and promoting muscle growth. Using it for half a year will even eliminate scars."

  Yao Fandao said, "Don't worry about the silver, Doctor Liu. As long as my sister gets better, I'll spend whatever amount of silver it takes. Please write the prescription quickly, and I'll have my assistant bring the silver to your pharmacy to fetch the medicine."

  Liu Yiguang saw Yao Fan being straightforward and was delighted in his heart, so he hurriedly came out and wrote the prescription.

  Yao Fan took out the remaining twenty taels of silver from his pocket and handed them all over to Liu Yiguang.

  "Doctor Liu, don't think it's too little. This small medical fee is just a token of appreciation. When my sister gets better, I'll give you a big red envelope."

  Liu Yiguang was a doctor from a small town, and his usual consultation fee was only two silver coins. This time, seeing Yao Fang's generous reward of one hundred times the normal amount, he was overjoyed and continued to chat with him for half a day while holding the silver coins.

  Yao Fanzhen was anxious and didn't wait for Liu Yiguang to leave, he immediately ordered his assistant Wang Chuannian, who had been guarding the door, to take the prescription to the pharmacy to fetch medicine.

  Liu Yiguang hastily expressed that he and Wang Chuannian would go together, and must personally decoct the medicine in the pharmacy before personally delivering it.

  Afraid of delaying the medicine time, Yao Fan hurriedly asked Wang Chuannian to send Liu Yiguang out.

  Before long, He Shicheng and Luo Guangyun, who had been sent to demand the silver, returned from Chunmian Hall, reporting that Yao Fan was already returning the silver.

  Yao Fanyin felt a little relieved and thought that things had been settled more or less.

  "It seems I can leave with peace of mind and bring gold back tonight."

  Yao Feng sat down on a pine chair among the simple furniture given by He Wan Nian, and ordered He Shi Cheng to take out a package of tea leaves that He Wan Nian had previously sent over, planning to brew a pot of tea to rest for a bit. Luo Guang Qun came in again to report: "Master, He Zhuang Guan has arrived."