In the dining hall, as breakfast was just being served, a maid started to arrange dishes on the side. Fan Zehao frowned, and directly sent everyone away.
He turned to instruct her, "Wife, let these maids do the washing and cleaning. We are farmers, we don't follow the ways of the wealthy families in the capital. If it's really necessary, you can pick one person to serve you, but that's all."
Sensing her husband's discomfort, Zhao Jiaqi didn't push him to adapt. Everything takes time.
"That's fine, but you need a boy to be with you for convenience in relaying messages!"
Fan Zehao lowered his head, then decided to keep Xu Dong by his side. "The army isn't busy now, so let my second brother come with me. As for how to arrange my elder brother and Li Chuang, you decide for now. When there's an opportunity later, I'll arrange for them."
Zhao Jiaqi was about to discuss this matter. Since he brought it up first, she shared her thoughts. "Xiaofeng has high emotional intelligence and is good with numbers, let him be an accountant. Li Chuang is good at observing people's expressions, how about making him a steward? When you've arranged for them properly later, we can change people."
Fan Zehao found this to be excellent. Keeping them close by, he wouldn't have to worry about anything.
"Good, I'll listen to you."
There were only these few people in the General's mansion. Not many, and apart from the newly hired ones, everyone else knew each other, so there were no conflicts.
According to Fan Zehao's instructions, out of the six maids, only the honest and diligent Qiu Fen was kept in the main courtyard to serve their master and servant. The rest were arranged for by the steward, He Li.
The manservant was responsible for cleaning the entire courtyard, two nannies cooked, and one gatekeeper. Everything was slowly moving towards regularization.
Seven or eight days had passed since they arrived in the capital, and this was their first time leaving the mansion.
Fan Zehao accompanied his wife for a walk on the street, with Xu Dong by his side. Xu Dong had been on the street every day for the past few days and was quite familiar with the area, much more so than his elder brother and sister-in-law.
"Sister-in-law, that five-story building has been taken over by Murong Sheng. They are currently renovating it inside. It should be ready to reopen in about half a month."
Following Xu Dong's gaze, she saw a building being dismantled and reassembled, with workers busy working. She smiled, "No wonder I haven't seen Brother Sheng and Brother Xie recently. So they've already started working on it. They're really fast."
"That's right. Brother Xie said that delaying even a day means losing a day's profit. If you ask me, they've fallen into a pit of money."
Where was the thrill of fighting on the battlefield, punching and kicking, and the satisfaction of beating people? Wasn't it better than making money?
As soon as Xu Dong finished speaking, the back of his head received a slap from his elder brother, Fan Zehao. "Without money, what would you eat and drink? Do you think you can be full by drinking wind? A fart and it's gone."
He pouted aggrievedly and muttered, "I'm your fierce general, and I receive a salary from the court. It's enough to be full, isn't it!"
"Fierce general? In your dreams!" Fan Zehao bluntly exposed him.
However, his position in his own army was quite important. Although he was in charge of provisions, it was related to the success or failure of the entire army.
Xu Dong pouted, "Who do you look down on? If there's a war again, let me go, and I'll definitely earn you some face."
Still thinking of war?
Either his brain was kicked by a donkey or squeezed by a doorframe!
"Make way, make way, hurry, get out of the way." A woman's anxious voice came from afar.
Moments later, the manservant's voice followed, "Don't run, stop! You dare to dine and dash, are you tired of living!"
A woman in a goose-yellow brocade dress was running desperately ahead, with a manservant chasing hard behind her. She was about to bump into Zhao Jiaqi.
Pulled away by Fan Zehao with quick hands, his wife, however, collided with Xu Dong, who was watching the commotion.
With a misstep, they both fell, the woman on top and the man below. Coincidentally, Xu Dong's hand touched a place it shouldn't have.
They were both startled, and quickly separated. He quickly withdrew his hand.
This was the first time Fan Xudong had been so close to a young lady, and he felt a little embarrassed. "Uh, I'm sorry. I'll take responsibility for you. I can marry you!"
The young lady's face turned bright red, and she stood there awkwardly. Seeing people pointing and whispering around her, she felt wronged.
To have her modesty violated on the street, and this person shamelessly proposed marriage, without even considering if he was worthy.
"You finally got caught, didn't you? Run now." The manservant gritted his teeth, his face fierce, rolling up his sleeves. He was going to take her back.
Seeing this, the young lady hid behind Xu Dong, only sticking her head out and saying loudly, "I just forgot to bring money when I came out. I already said, I'll send someone to deliver it to you when I get back to the manor. You're still chasing me, is it necessary? So stingy!"
The manservant's face darkened as he pointed at her, "Hey, you have the nerve! We asked you which manor you were from, but you refused to say. We offered to accompany you to the manor to collect the money, but you still refused. Then we asked your surname and where you lived, but you still refused, and then you ran away. And you dare to say you didn't dine and dash."
Upon hearing this, everyone felt that the restaurant's manservant was not wrong, but rather thought that this young lady was indeed dining and dashing.
"Dressed like a gentleman, I didn't expect her to be like this."
"You can't judge a book by its cover. She looks prosperous on the surface, but who knows if she's a骗子, specifically tricking people for food and drink!"
"Exactly, look at that seductive face. Who knows where this promiscuous slut came from! She's probably specifically seducing rich men."
The surrounding discussions grew louder, and the words became even more unpleasant.
"Shut up, all of you! She's not like that. Anyone who speaks ill of her again, I'll beat you until your teeth fall out!"
Fan Xudong couldn't stand it any longer. He stepped forward and angrily rebuked the gossiping women. Turning to the manservants, he patted his chest and said, "How much money does she owe you? I'll pay!"
When someone offered to be a benefactor, they were delighted. "One hundred and eighty taels."
"What? One hundred and eighty taels? What did she eat? So expensive!" Xu Dong turned to the person behind him in shock.
She's not big, but her appetite is not small. She actually ate that much.
If it were in the countryside, that would be enough food for a lifetime.
His monthly salary was only three taels, and now one hundred and eighty taels... he'd have to count how many years it would take to pay it off!
When the manservant heard this, he knew he was a country bumpkin. Wearing decent clothes, he didn't know his own worth.
He couldn't help but let out a scoff and said, "There were delicacies from the sky, land, and sea. Eight dishes on the table, and it was only one hundred and eighty taels. And that was the cheap option."
Fan Xudong, having spoken, intended to see it through. He turned to his sister-in-law. He knew his elder brother didn't manage the household, so he didn't even ask him.
"Sister-in-law..."
With such a commotion on the street, Zhao Jiaqi couldn't say much. She took out two banknotes from her purse and handed them to Xu Dong.
With money in hand, her tone became a bit arrogant as she said, "Here."