Picking Up a General to Plow the Fields

Chapter 198: Settling in a new servant (1)

They went to the furniture shop again and paid for a delivery.

A total of four donkey carts went out of the city gates to meet with Qin Feng and Su Zi Ji.

Ah Jian said to Lian Fang Zhou, “You and Ah Ze go with the Zhang family with the carts.
Qin Feng, Su Zi Ji, and I will lead the workers and walk back, it won’t be an hour.”

Lian Fang Zhou had originally wanted to hire two more carts.
Thinking about Ah Jian’s suggestion, however, if a worker refused to walk home this way, there was no use keeping such a person.
Rather than waiting for sneaking and slipping around later, it was better to see the essence of the person and deal with it early.

Lian Fang Zhou nodded and smiled: “Alright, we will go back first! I can rest assured that there are you and these two.
When you get back, I think the yard will be all arranged, too.”

Ah Jian smiled.
“You go back first, I will talk to them.”

Lian Fang Zhou agreed and called the Zhang family and Lian Ze, squeezing them into the four carts and leaving first.

The donkey carts swayed all the way to the warehouse compound at the entrance of the village.
Lian Fang Zhou jumped down to open the doors and let the carts inside.

When the doors opened and they drove in, everyone’s eyes lit up in surprise.

Obviously, they had never guessed that behind the high wall and heavy gate, there would be such a wide and clean courtyard and such a brand-new house.

Lian Fang Zhou guided the carts all the way to the living area and stopped in the middle yard.
She smiled: “This is it! Let’s start unloading here.”

Everyone one agreed and got busy.

Although there were a lot of things, they were not scattered.
All the items were in large bundles and were quickly taken down.

Lian Fang Zhou thanked the coachmen and gave them a reward, sending the happy drivers away before coming back to make arrangements.

In the living area, there was another side door leading to the outside and a three-bay, two story house built near the door, which could be used as a concierge house.

Thinking about it, Lian Fang Zhou had decided to arrange the Zhang family to live there.

The compound was still empty, and work had not started, so Lian Fang Zhou did not want the servants to wander around all day.
With the side door, they could close the connection between the compound and the living area and enter and exit from here in the future.

She briefly talked to the four members of the Zhang family and handed the key to Zhang Xiao Jun, saying: “The gate will be locked as soon as it gets dark and there will be a book to keep track of who comes and goes after this time.
I will leave this and the door to your family.
If there is a thief or something unexpected happens, I will look for your family!”

Zhang Xiao Jun and his wife quickly agreed.

Lian Fang Zhou then ordered them to bring in the items and distribute them.
She had already expected that someone would live in this house, so it already had all the important furniture prepared in advance.
All they needed to do was move in the bedding.

Zhang Xiao Jun and his family took in the things and only hurriedly glanced inside and out, working quickly.

When Lian Fang Zhou say that they did not prioritize cleaning their own house but took the initiative to come over, she felt satisfied and directly them to place the necessities in piles according to their type.
When the workers came, they could pick them out themselves.

The bed cabinets and other furniture belonging to Qin Feng and Su Zi Ji were also stacked here.
When everyone came back, they would have a few people carry them in.

The remaining kitchen tools and supplies were placed in the kitchen.
Lian Fang Zhou handed the kitchen key to Madam Li and said, “All the tasks in the kitchen will be handed over to you from now on.
You and your daughter will take charge of the kitchen.
It’s a little late now, so I will come over tomorrow morning and explain everything clearly.”

Madam Li quickly agreed with a smile.

Lian Fang Zhou smiled back: “You could finish packing up the odds and ends first.
The master who will dig the well said that he will come in three days.
If you need water until then, you can pick it up from the river.
However, do not drink the river water! The raw water for drinking must be boiled first! The same goes for the workers.”

Madam Li agreed to each instruction, one by one.

Lian Fang Zhou sent Lian Ze to drive the donkey cart to pick up a load of firewood and ask Third Aunt to steam the buns and pancakes she had bought, as well as prepare a big pot of hot soup.

Lian Ze agreed and left.

Madam Li and Xiu’er put away the pots and plans while Zhang Xiao Jun took a pole down to the river the carry water.

Zhang Liang looked here and there to see if there was any work he could do.
He seemed to feel bad when he was the only one standing there.
He twisted his fingers and asked Lian Fang Zhou timidly, “Miss, I, what am I doing?”

Lian Fang Zhou was startled, and her heart softened.
Smiling, she said: “Wait, wait for your father to help move the water.”

Zhang Liang’s heart settled and a two-point smile appeared on his face.
He responded with a resounding ‘yes’ and gave way to the side.

After a while, Lian Ze drove the donkey cart back, along with Lian Fang Qing and Lian Che.
Long before they arrived, Lian Fang Zhou heard her sister yelling ‘Sister! Sister’ and she couldn’t help the smile on her face as she answered.

“Sister!” Lian Fang Qinf rushed over, pulling her sleeves and looking at Madam Li and her children curiously.
She asked with a soft smile: “Sister, who are they? Are they like Brother Ah Jian and live in our house?”

Lian Fang Zhou started to answer her question.

Madam Li hurriedly laughed and said, “Miss, this is…”

“This is fourth miss.” Lian Fang Zhou smiled.

“Fourth miss! Madam Li smiled at Lian Fang Zhou and bowed, saluting her as she called Zhang Liang and Zhang Xiu’er to greet the fourth miss.
Zhang Liang laughed and said to Lian Fang Qing, “Servants and maids are the subordinates of Fourth Miss! What Fourth Mis says, they have to do!”

Lian Fang Zhou was amused and waved her hand: “How old is he, to know this! You guys do your thing!”

Lian Fang Qing was stunned for a moment and said, “Sister… these are our servants?”

Lian Fang Zhou gave a faint hum and said, “Go help your brother unload the firewood!” Looking at Madam Li and her daughter, she said: “You can also move it in when you’ve finished packing up.
Put some in the kitchen and some in the wood house.
The wood house is in the covered room behind the kitchen.
There is also a store room for rice and dried ingredients there.”

Madam Li quickly agreed and went out to move firewood with Zhang Xiu’er, Zhang Liang was already outside.

When they met up with Lian Che, the mother and children were introduced again.

After they finished moving it inside, Zhang Xiao Jun had returned with half a tank of water.
Lian Fang Zhou asked Madam Li to light up both stoves to boil water and wipe down all the surfaces.  All the newly bought kitchen utensils and dishes needed to be boiled and blanched as well.

As soon as the dishes and chopsticks were boiled, Ah Jian, Qin Feng, and Su Zi Ji also returned with the workers.