Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 74 - 72 Looking for Helpers

Chapter 74: Chapter 72 Looking for Helpers

Chapter 74 -72 Looking for Helpers

The second morning was pretty cold.

Xiao’er stepped out of her room, her breath forming a cloud of white fog in front of her nose.

She headed first to the kitchen to boil a pot of hot water, ready for when Jingrui and Jinghao woke up to wash and freshen up.

At this time, everyone in the Shen house was still asleep.

Assured, she fetched the breakfast she prepared from the kitchen – a plate of pan-fried dumplings and a pot of lean meat porridge.

After switching the plate and pot, she placed them on the stove to keep warm.

She then sat beside the stove, using the firelight to begin making her toys.

As she sewed, she organized her plans for the day: soon, Uncle Fu would bring part of the materials for the toys.

She’d then have to ask the village chief’s wife, along with her fourth aunt, to recruit some women skilled with needlework to help out.

After that, she’ll have to rush off to town.

A while later, Jingrui and Jinghao had risen and came into the kitchen, where they found Xiao’er stitching toys.

Jingrui felt a little guilty – as the eldest, he should be up earlier than his younger sister, not the other way round.

He decided there and then that he would get up earlier the next morning to make breakfast for his siblings.

“Xiao’er, why did you get up so early?

It’s so cold, you should stay warm under the covers.

I’ll make the breakfast.”

“What has sister made for breakfast, the scent is so inviting!”

Xiao’er looked back at them, “Brother, Jing, I’ve warmed up the water already.

Wash up so we can eat breakfast.

I’m hungry.”

At Xiao’er’s urgent words, the two rushed to wash up.

The three had breakfast and Jingrui and Jinghao headed off to study.

Xiao’er took a large bowl of the lean meat porridge to Shen Chengzu’s house.

“Has fourth uncle and aunt woken up yet?”

“We’re up, we’ll be out shortly!” Shen Chengzu’s voice came from within, followed by footsteps, and then the door creaked open.

Xiao’er handed over the porridge, “Fourth Uncle, I cooked some lean meat porridge for you.

It will warm you up.”

Shen Chengzu hurriedly took the hot porridge, “Don’t bring something this hot next time, what if you burn yourself!”

Mrs.

Lu had just helped Shen Jingjie put on his cotton clothing, “Xiao’er is up so early and has already cooked porridge.

She’s even more diligent than me!”

Seeing even a seven-year-old child working harder than some adults was clearly not coincidental.

She decided that she, too, needed to work harder, with frugality and persistence things would get better day by day.

“Fourth Aunt is joking, I don’t normally wake up this early.

Today, with our parents not home, I have extra tasks, hence I woke up early.” Xiao’er walked into the room and teased the drowsy Jingjie as she spoke.

“Jie’er, wake up.

Xiao’er made lean meat porridge, it’s delicious.

If you don’t get up and wash your face, there won’t be any left!”

“Mother, I want to eat meat porridge.

Save some for me.” On hearing that there was porridge to eat, Jingjie jumped out of bed and ran off right after speaking.

Mrs.

Lu shook her head, “This child.

When it comes to food, he runs faster than a rabbit.

If only he could be half as sensible as you two, I would have no worries.”

“Jingjie is still young, and besides, having a good appetite is a blessing!” Xiao’er found Jingjie’s character to be quite likeable in the Shen family.

Compared with their other cousins, at least he was normal.

He had the innocence and vitality of a child, but was also a little shy.

Mrs.

Lu laughed at this.

“Fourth Aunt, do you know of any good seamstresses in the village?”

“There are a few good ones in the village.

Why, do you have something that needs sewing?

Just let me help.”

“No, it’s not that.

Young Master Shangguan has a batch of toys that need to be made, and I’ve taken up the task.

I thought about finding the seamstresses in the village to work together, earn some extra money to buy hair accessories for the New Year.”

“That’s a good idea.

There will undoubtedly be many people willing to do it if I mention it in the village.”

“I only want to find some capable seamstresses with good personalities.

If this sewing job goes well, there will surely be more to follow.

Therefore, it is important that the people we hire are trustworthy.

Otherwise, if they leak information about the work, or steal someone else’s things, it would be bad.

It’s better to avoid any trouble, right?”

“Yes, yes, we can’t randomly choose people.

Let me think, I will surely handle it for you.”

“What about Aunt Youfu and Aunt Dashu’s sewing work?”

“Their sewing work is good, you see the patches on Uncle Youfu and Uncle Dashu’s clothes are almost invisible.

Right, Wen Hui’s sewing work is also good, we should count her in.

There’s also Mrs.

Xie, Aunt Da,…”

“Aunt Four, you will distribute the materials to them at that time.

I will let my brother record how much each person takes.

The labor cost is calculated per piece, one coin for ten pieces.” Xiao’er took out a Mashimaro rabbit.

“Just like this rabbit, I might give everyone just the ears or rabbit feet to sew.

Sewing ten ears or rabbit feet, including stuffing them with cotton, will give you one coin!”

“One coin for ten ears?

Really?” This silver is too easy to earn!

Mrs.

Lu was a bit excited in her heart, she could sew hundreds in a day by herself!

How much silver could she earn in a day?

“It’s not necessary that it’s as less as ears, it might be as big as stomach, anyway, whether it’s big or small, it’s one coin per ten pieces!”

“I see, Xiao’er, is this work simple?

Is the quantity large?

Is it urgently needed?

It should not require many people, right?” Mrs.

Lu was thinking about doing it all by herself.

“Well, the quantity is quite large, it is urgently needed.

If all are fast-handed people, a few could do, just find a few people first, and if it’s not enough, find more later!

There’s more work like this in the future.

Aunt Four, don’t worry.”

After hearing this, Mrs.

Lu felt relieved, “Where are the things?

Call your Uncle Four to move over, I’m going to find people right now!”

“Aunt Four, have breakfast first, there’s no hurry, the things might not have been delivered yet.

I will have them sent to the new house in the head of the village.”

“Alright, what are you anxious about, you need to be full to have the strength to work.

The porridge Xiao’er made is really delicious.”

“Right, we have to eat first!” Mrs.

Lu started to eat the porridge in big mouthfuls at those words, she couldn’t even taste its flavor.

Xiao’er couldn’t help but smile.

“Sister, the carriage with the goods has arrived, let’s go to the head of the village!” Jinghao ran in breathlessly, he had been waiting for the carriage in the head of the village after breakfast.

“Aunt Four, I’m going to the village head first, you can come after your meal!” Xiao’er left the words and walked quickly towards village head.

“Whona le, deng deng wo….” Mrs.

Lu quickly finished the porridge in her bowl in a few bites, threw down the bowl, and ran out.

Shen Chengzu was staring at the bowl spinning on the table dumbfounded!

When did his wife start to hustle like this?

The things of two carriages were led by Uncle Fu himself.

After Xiao’er had the coachmen unload the goods to the gatekeeper’s room of the new house, Uncle Fu took his leave.

There was still a pile of work waiting for him to do in the shop in the county.

Xiao’er opened a package.

Inside was a prototype.

She opened all the bag mouths and got an idea of which fabrics were to make which prototypes, then told Mrs.

Lu which bags were to be made according to which prototypes, how much cotton should be stuffed, and also made one on the spot to show Mrs.

Lu.

“It would be better for Aunt Four to distribute only one prototype per person, lest they make mistakes.”

“Alright, I got it.

I will make a few for each prototype, and distribute one to each person for them to follow.”

Xiaorer nodded, “Then Aunt Four, I’ll depend on you for this.

Leave the things here, when you find people, bring them to pick up the goods.

They must be returned by tomorrow noon.

Let them take as much as they can make!

Don’t be greedy, there is more to do in the future.

Don’t delay this because of taking too much and not being able to finish.”

“Don’t worry, I got it.

I’m going to find people now.” Mrs.

Lu ran towards the village again.

Work quickly, earn one more coin for each moment of work!

“Brother, you two stay here for registration later, I have to hurry to the town.”

“Okay, be careful.”

“Sister, don’t worry, come back home early.”