"I'll save you the trouble. Thank you, Mr. Gao." Wen Desi just expressed his thanks and didn't say anything else.
Gao Ji saw that they were unwilling to say anything about his ship, so he was inconvenient to ask. He only called for the servant who was guarding the house to see them: a middle-aged couple and a young man and woman of thirteen or fourteen years old came to kowtow in greeting.
"Although the family members in this house are not our own children, they are the people who I rescued from Jiangxi many years ago. They are all loyal and reliable people."
Hearing the master speak like this, the whole family kowtowed again and again.
"No need, no need." Gao Ju ordered, "These gentlemen will be your masters from now on, and you must serve them wholeheartedly."
"Yes, you guys know!" After saying that, the whole family came over to kowtow to Wen Desi and his party, "You guys have met the master."
"This, this, this..." The three people were startled and stood up. They are all modern people. Suddenly, a large family is kneeling on the ground and kowtowing to you. No one can get used to it.
"This is their personal contract." Mr. Gao took out a few pieces of paper from his sleeve, "They are all sold out. Guests can do whatever they want without worrying too much."
"This is the deed of the house here." Mr. Gao took out another document, "I said that I bought the house on behalf of the distinguished guests. It is temporarily inconvenient. If you don't dislike this humble house, please stay temporarily."
"This..." The three of them looked at each other. This businessman is so generous! Although his intention to win over by giving away houses and servants is very obvious, the fact that he made such a generous move shows his sincerity.
However, if you think about it carefully, this pie falling from the sky has a special meaning.
The house is his private residence, and he knows all the details. If he wants to visit and monitor secretly, he will do it secretly, and the traveler will do it in the light.
This family has been fostered by him for many years, and they say they are loyal and reliable to him, not to them, a group of maritime merchants with unknown origins. If they are placed under surveillance by their side, then every move, every word and deed of the time traveler will be tantamount to
It's all under his control
This feeling is like living in a glass house and still being naked.
In addition to winning over them, Mr. Gao also tried to control them. As for why he did this, it was obviously that the goods they brought brought Mr. Gao huge profits.
Originally they just wanted to buy a house as a place to stay in Guangzhou, and then slowly expand after traveling through time. But now they got a house and a room full of slaves for free, and the development of things was far beyond their expectations.
However, refusing is not the best policy. Xiao Zishan thought about it and concluded that the time-travel trade activities will not be carried out a few more times anyway. As long as you act carefully every time, the secret will not be exposed. After time-travel, how will the activities in Guangzhou city be carried out?
Let's make some calculations. For now, it's better to keep Mr. Gao steady and let him sell more goods for them.
They exchanged glances with each other. Wen Desi thanked him and accepted the deed. He also took out a tael of silver as a reward for kowtowing and acknowledging the master.
Seeing that they had no objections, Mr. Gao was very happy. He ordered his servants to transport all their money and goods to their new house. He also ordered people to send a lot of food and clothing, and he was very considerate.
Xiao Zishan, Wen Desi, and Wang Luobin discussed in a low voice and thought that it would be safe to live in peace now that they were here. They might as well inspect the house first to see how it could be used, and also get a feel for the servants. Then they called the male servants for questioning.
The manservant looked quite old, Xiao Zishan estimated that he must be over fifty at least. Seeing him coming to serve him, his hands drooped, with a respectful look on his face. Mr. Wen and Wang Gong were both a little uneasy, but Xiao Zishan calmed down and said first
After taking a sip of tea, he was silent for a while before starting to ask questions.
This manservant's real name was Liu Mingqing. He was originally from Jiangxi and farmed more than ten acres of land. In the 45th year of Wanli, the local area was hit by floods and all crops were lost. When the family fell to death on the roadside, Mr. Gao happened to be selling goods in Nanjing.
When the goods came back, they took in more than a dozen victims as slaves. He was lucky enough to be selected and has been a slave in the Gao family ever since.
After arriving at the Gao family, he took on the surname of the master, so he became Gao Qing, and his wife was called Gao Xian. Both the couple worked as errands in the outer courtyard of Gao's house, and they were moved here less than half a month ago to guard the outer house.
As for his age, he was actually in his early forties. He couldn't figure out exactly how old he was. Xiao Zishan knew that many farmers in the old days did not know their exact age, so it was not surprising.
"Is it better to guard the house here than to be a handyman in the mansion?"
Gao Qing smiled bitterly and said: "To tell you the truth, the work here is less leisurely and uninhibited, but making a living is difficult."
It turned out that he and his wife worked as errands in the government. Although each person's monthly salary was only two coins, and they did not spend any money on food, they spent all their expenses in the public kitchen. Not only were they not hungry, but their children were also able to enjoy themselves.
When he moved here to work as an errand, his monthly salary increased to five yuan, but he had to start a business by himself. He had to pay for firewood, rice, oil, salt, vegetables, and his children couldn't make ends meet. When the children of thirteen or fourteen were old enough to eat, the family depended on them.
The expenditure of seven coins is really a bit difficult.
Wen Desi asked: "Why, the children have no wages, aren't they also Mr. Gao's?"
"The children have never been employed as errands," Gao Qing shook his head repeatedly, "If they are not errands, the government does not pay money and rice, so they all rely on me to support them." He sighed again, "I originally wanted the girl to go into the inner house to work as errands.
At least I can make a regular amount of money, but the girl is not good-looking, so I have been unable to choose one. I entrust the housekeeper to the wife, and it has to cost ten taels of silver. How can my family save so much money!"
This corruption really has a long history and is pervasive. The three people present sighed. Even being a girl costs money. However, thinking about the "Dream of Red Mansions" in which Wu'er worked as an errand in a public institution in Grand View Garden, the Liu family conducted a
A series of public relations activities, it is not surprising.
"Are you willing to work for us now?" Xiao Zishan asked in a slow voice.
Gao Qing glanced uneasily at these merchant merchants who were all dressed in shabby clothes, and responded: "Young men are servants, and there is nothing you can do willingly or unwillingly. They are the men's servants, but with the master
They are at your command."
Xiao Zishan nodded and ordered him to lead the way. He inspected the whole house first. The house was not big, and every time he entered there was a layout of one light and two dark. The first one was the living room and study, the second one had the floor, which was the living room, and the third one was the living room.
There is a kitchen, a firewood house, a mule and horse shed, and a well on the inside. Although the house is not new, it is very well built. It is made of blue bricks and is very sturdy. Because it is used to avoid disasters in emergencies.
The furniture and furnishings in the room are very simple, but the daily necessities are indeed well-equipped. The kitchen is also piled with a lot of rice, bacon, dried fish, firewood, rice, oil and salt sent from Gao Zhai. Gao Qing handed over the gift package and asked the gentleman to check it.
Yep, Wen Desi was not interested in these at first, so he just wanted to say: "I'll give them all to your family." Before he could say anything, he saw Xiao Zishan holding the book and inspecting it.