Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 175 Recruitment
The date for the betrothal announcement and enthronement of the Eastern Palace was set on the 26th day of the first lunar month.

After all, it was a marriage between the common people and the royal family, so there was no such thing as a date. The court would tell you the date of the wedding, and as long as you waited until the 26th day of the first lunar month, the Zhang family would know when to send the bride off.

According to Shen Lu's estimate for Zhang Luan, it would be around mid-February.

Now Zhang Luan trusts his son even more and has been asking Zhang Yanling to help him with plans.

But what Zhang Yanling cares about right now is something else, which concerns his own "career".

After sending Zhang Heling and Chang Shun to communicate in advance, on the 20th day of the first lunar month, Zhang Yanling met Chai Meng, a scholar from Shanxi who had visited his house twice before and was preparing to join the Zhang family.

The teahouse was not reserved, but there were indeed no other customers, and two tables had been set up.

There was no food or snacks on the table, just a few tea bowls. When Chai Meng followed the Jinyiwei who had gone upstairs to deliver the message and lead the way, he thought he would see some big scene. However, when he saw only a few young boys standing there, he looked a little strange.

Obviously, in his opinion, the person who should be in contact with him is Zhang Luan, the current head of the Zhang family, rather than a few younger generations.

"Second brother, I called the person for you. It was easy to find him. You said he was in the Shanxi Merchants Guild Hall, but when I got there I found out he had already moved away. Fortunately, Captain Qin helped."

As Zhang Heling spoke, he looked at Qin Yun who was standing aside to support the occasion.

Chai Meng stepped forward and bowed, "You two are the young masters of the Zhang family, right? Nice to meet you...Where is your father?"

Zhang Yanling smiled and said, "My father is not here, and it is useless for you to look for him. I want to hire you back as a teacher. In name, you will be my teacher, but in fact, I don't need you to teach me."

"This……"

Chai Meng was surprised and thought to himself that he had never heard of this.

A ten-year-old child hired a teacher for himself and acted so arrogantly?

You have elder parents and brothers of the same generation as you. When will it be your turn to make the decisions in the Zhang family?

Zhang Yanling said, "I heard that Mr. Chai needs a place to stay in the capital. My house can provide two meals and one night's lodging, as well as five taels of silver as a gift."

"Monthly salary?"

Chai Meng originally looked down on Zhang Yanling. His previous visit was to ask Zhang Yanling, whom he had met once, to help introduce his father Zhang Luan to serve as his aide.

But when he heard about silver...for the sake of money, he chose to bow his head and ask what was going on.

"Annual salary."

Zhang Yanling said with a smile.

Chai Meng protested in dissatisfaction: "Five taels of silver? It's hard to live in the capital with such a small amount of money... Even if I go back to my hometown and become a teacher, it will cost much more than this."

Zhang Heling said with an unhappy look on his face: "You can't even give you five taels of silver a year? Then... can you fight? How about I beat you up and see?"

"what?"

Chai Meng was full of doubts.

The eldest brother of the Zhang family looks like a street thug. Not only is he rude and impolite, but he also threatens others with fists and feet at every turn. He is indeed a man not worth having a say with.

Zhang Yanling raised his hand to interrupt the old man's rude speech and continued: "Five taels of silver may not sound like much, but you don't have to worry about food, drink, and defecation anymore, and there are also festival gifts at the end of the year, so it's not a small amount.

"Besides that, I have some business matters that I may need your help to take care of. I will give you a commission when the time comes. Mr. Chai, you are just a student. It is not easy to find such a lucrative job in the capital, where scholars gather."

Zhang Yanling knew very well that the students of that era had passed the Tongsheng exam and the Yuan exam, and they were always arrogant and felt that they had entered the gentry class. Five taels of silver a year was not something they would look down upon.

But the problem is that he accurately grasped Chai Meng's lifeblood and knew that this guy wanted to seek development in the capital.

How could Zhang Yanling not know what the education industry in the capital is like?

I hired a teacher, but when he saw that I was from another place, he bullied me and refused to teach me. Why do you think that you, a poor scholar who also came from another place, will be treated well and given a chance to work?

And as for food and accommodation...staying in Beijing for a long time is a huge expense in itself, and it's not easy to live in Beijing.

Chai Meng thought about it seriously, and probably also looked down to calculate, and finally there seemed to be no better choice, so he said helplessly: "I have my own sister with me, I really can't rest assured."

"It doesn't matter."

Zhang Yanling seemed to have made plans long ago. He smiled and said, "Look, I have a yard outside the city that I'm currently using as a warehouse. Let your sister live there first. No one will disturb her normally."

Chai Meng couldn't help but frown when he heard this.

This young boss is really good at making arrangements. He asked my sister to go and show you the warehouse? She immediately shook her head and smiled bitterly: "As a woman, it is really inconvenient for me to show my face in public."

Zhang Yanling pointed at Qin Yun standing next to him and said, "That courtyard is the private residence of Captain Qin of the Jinyiwei. Normally, no one would break in. And there are down-to-earth people around. Neighbors are used to helping each other, so there will be more people to take care of them... Captain Qin, don't you agree?"

Qin Yun nodded repeatedly: "Young Master, what you said is very true... My mother and I have lived there for more than ten years. We are already very familiar with the neighbors. Asking them to help take care of Miss Chai is just a matter of saying hello."

When Chai Meng heard this, he felt that this job was tailor-made for him.

I will be your teacher, living and eating in your house, and I can go out of the city to visit my sister at any time. Although my sister lives alone, she has the help of the neighbors who are members of the Jinyiwei to take care of her...

Now look at it again, five taels of silver a year.

How generous!
"Mr. Chai, if you agree, let's sign the work agreement now... It's like a contract. If you want to take an entrance exam or find another job in the future, you can do it, but you have to do things for me first. These things I've arranged for you will take some effort to complete, within half a year... It's best not to break the contract, otherwise..."

When Zhang Yanling hired people, of course he wanted stability.

I hired you today, and you ran away tomorrow. Wouldn't I be at a great loss?

Especially you, Chai Meng, may learn a lot of advanced "techniques" from me, and these things are priceless treasures in this era.

"Sign the contract here?"

Chai Meng was very surprised.

A few young boys, even if they bring a captain of the Imperial Guard as a witness, can't they sign a contract with me directly, right?

Who pays me my salary in the end?
Zhang Yanling nodded: "Here, let's sign the contract. Tomorrow I will take you back to meet my father and get acquainted with the mansion. We will come out often in the future. If you agree, you will go through the employment procedures today, because I have an important errand that I want you to help with."

"What's the errand?"

Chai Meng felt that as a student, he had a certain social status, but in front of this kid, his IQ was completely suppressed.

I always feel like I'm being led by the nose.

Zhang Heling urged: "Then hurry up and sign, Mr. Chai, and come with us after you sign. I'm waiting to see how my second brother will raise funds for the listing."

(End of this chapter)