The Daily Life of a Down-on-Hard-Life Medicine Girl Supporting Her Family

Chapter 194

"If I had to choose a roommate, I would prefer someone who is literate or has a special skill."

Springtime means there's no need for people to do hard labor or farm; there are plenty of people like that.

People are easy to find, but people who can get things done are hard to find.

"People like that can probably only buy in Changzhou or Sichuan."

Ms. Xu nodded, agreeing that Chunnuan's approach to choosing people was truly unique.

In this remote town, it's difficult to find someone you like, since most people come from impoverished families. Those who have resorted to selling their children or even their bodies have no money to send their children to school.

Those who can read, do accounting, and get things done are usually just servants who have worked for wealthy families.

However, such lackeys are often quite cunning.

Choosing the right people is a real test of one's judgment.

"Yes, we can go to Changzhou to take a look."

"Then let Chun Ning go."

Changzhou is quite far, and Madam Xu originally wanted to go by herself, but she hesitated because she was a woman: "Chun Ning doesn't have any experience in choosing people? Forget it, I'll go to Changzhou myself."

When it comes to choosing servants, Madam Xu boasts that she has never made a mistake.

Choosing maids and servants for Chunnuan was a big deal, and Madam Xu decided to do it herself.

"Thank you for your help, Auntie."

Chunnuan knew very well that her aunt truly had the demeanor of a matriarch.

She generally doesn't care about small things, but she's never absent from important matters, playing the role of the backbone.

“It’s what I should do.” He patted Chunnuan’s hand. “Your mother said her head hasn’t hurt as much these past few days, which makes me feel much more at ease. Your third aunt also started coming out to chat with us yesterday.”

There are three sisters-in-law in one family, and both of the younger ones are sick.

Mrs. Xu felt guilty again, thinking that she, as the eldest sister-in-law, had not taken good care of them.

Therefore, she tried her best to handle the spring warmth herself, so as not to trouble Madam Xu.

Chunnuan could tell that her mother, Xu, was not only gentle but also very dependent.

She was the third child in the Xu family and had never had to worry about anything growing up; after marrying into the Xiao family, she was the second child and had even less to worry about.

She avoids household chores and mundane affairs as much as possible, and doesn't want to tire herself out at all.

When Xu was about to choose a maidservant for her daughter, all she could say was "thank you."

"My health isn't very good either, so I'm sorry to trouble you, sister-in-law."

"Don't worry too much, just take good care of yourself." Madam Xu smiled and said, "I'm here for you."

With the words "I'm here for you," Xu Shi watched Chun Ning and Xu Shi leave for Changzhou with a clear conscience.

This was Xu’s first time in Changzhou, and she was surprised to see many people standing on both sides of the street with straw stuck in their heads.

"Chuning, have there always been many families in Changzhou selling their children?"

Something just doesn't seem right.
Ms. Xu was a very sensitive person, and a thought immediately popped into her mind: war.

“There used to be very few people selling their children on this street.”

Chun Ning and Zhao Minghua had been here before, but today's scene was unlike anything they had ever seen before: "What happened?"

Chun Ning thought for a moment and said to Madam Xu.

“Aunt, why don’t I take you to Brother Zhao’s teahouse first and see what the situation is like?”

Chun Ning didn't dare to take Xu Shi directly to choose people, because they would be surrounded as soon as they went in.

There are too many people being sold, and they all hope that their owners will buy them back as soon as possible.

It would be very dangerous for him and Xu to be surrounded and separated.

"Alright."

Ms. Xu was never arbitrary and always listened to advice.

Chun Ning had a carriage take her aunt to Zhao Minghua's women's tea garden.

The shopkeeper was Xia Yu, whom Zhao Minghua had chosen from among the candidates given by her mother. She recognized Chun Ning at a glance. Although she had never met Xu Shi, she roughly knew that she was an elder of the Xiao family and immediately came forward to greet her.

"Madam, Young Master Xiao has arrived. Please come in." Xia Yu said, "Are you here to see the Third Young Master?"

Is Brother Zhao here?

"He's not here. The Third Young Master seems to be very busy lately, but if there's anything you need, I can send someone to invite him."

Xia Yu knew where he was.

"No need," Chun Ning said. "Since Brother Zhao is so busy, we won't bother you any longer. Let's take a rest first."

"Alright, please have a seat in the private room. What kind of tea would you like?"

The private room was reserved for the young master's personal use. He had instructed that any visitors from the Xiao family should also be invited to the private room.

"Give Auntie some rose tea."

"Alright, where is the young master?"

"I'll just have a cup of tea."

"Please wait a moment, both of you."

After Xia Yu left, Madam Xu asked Chun Ning.

"These women can work as waitresses?"

"Yes, the manager and waiters at the women's teahouse are both women."

Chun Ning knew that Zhao Minghua's tea garden was started at her older sister's suggestion: "What do you think of them, Aunt?"

"Very good, no wonder Nuannuan needs a maid and a maid with a skill."

These women were no longer confined to their homes serving tea and water; instead, they were able to step out into the world, run businesses, and earn money.

Zhao Minghua really has some ideas.

Tea and pastries were served quickly.

"Madam, young master, please enjoy your meal. Please do not hesitate to ask if you need anything."

As Xia Yu was about to leave, Madam Xu called her back.

"Does the young lady know why there are so many families selling their children in Changzhou lately?"

"Reporting to Madam, the number of people selling themselves is indeed quite large; it started increasing about half a month ago." Xia Yu had overheard some gossip in the teahouse: "Some are being sold by wealthy families; some were former servants whose masters fell on hard times and were subsequently reassigned..."

"What happened?"

"I've heard there's a war going on outside. Not only are officers and soldiers fighting each other, but they're also harassing civilians and robbing wealthy families of their people and property..."

"Isn't this nonsense?"

Xu looked at Chun Ning in shock.

"what 's wrong?"

Is Sichuan really that chaotic?

"I heard that the Third Prince has started a rebellion."

It's unknown how many of them were the Third Prince's men, but in any case, quite a few people took advantage of the chaos to stir up trouble.

They each ruled as kings, yet they all used the name of the Third Prince.

"Shu County is in complete chaos, but Changzhou is still alright, not yet..."

Just then, a commotion broke out on the street.

"Run! Run! The Third Prince's troops are attacking!"

"Close the door quickly, hurry up!"

"If you run too slowly, you'll be conscripted; the women will be sent to the army."

"That damned Third Prince, with his cruelty, there's no way he should sit in that chair."

"Yes, let's run quickly, or we'll be in big trouble if we get caught."

People dispersed, Xia Yu said sorry and ran out quickly, and soon the door to the women's tea garden was closed.

"Is everything alright?"

Xu's heart skipped a beat. This world is really chaotic!
"Don't worry, Madam. My young master has made thorough preparations. No one will dare to come in."

Outside, Zhao Minghua hired several guards to watch over the women's tea garden.

"That's good, that's good." Madam Xu had seen a lot of things, but she had never seen anything so chaotic.

After a period of chaos and confusion, the streets returned to calm.

Are you all alright?

Ms. Xu was still shaken, but seeing Xia Yu open the store without batting an eye, she was very worried.

"It's okay, I'm used to it. They're like locusts, they come out and cause trouble every now and then."

As they were talking, a pitiful cry for one's mother came from the street.

"what happened?"

As a mother herself, Xu's heart clenched when she heard that cry.

There were two children, about seven or eight years old, crying and looking for their mother in the street.

"They might have gotten separated, or they might have been kidnapped by those rebel soldiers," Xia Yu said. "This has been happening frequently lately. Any woman who runs too slowly and gets spotted by them never ends up well."

"This..." Madam Xu was stunned: "Is there no law anymore?"

What is the law?
The law of the jungle prevails, and with the emperor far away, they are the law.

Xia Yu said that this happens every day and she's used to it.

But the two children were crying so pitifully.

Xu couldn't help but feel sympathy.

The people gathered on the roadside pointed and whispered that he was pitiful.

An old woman was about to step forward and pull the two children away.

"Oh no, these two children will be in big trouble if they fall into Granny Wu's hands." Xia Yu gritted her teeth: "That old hag does no good, she specializes in kidnapping children, and selling them to such filthy places."

"What can we do? Is there any way to save those two children?"

"It's inconvenient for me to come forward," Xia Yu said. "Madam, what do you think..."

"Okay, I'll go."

Xu knew that Xia Yu was an acquaintance, and everyone said it was better to offend a gentleman than a petty person, so it was inconvenient for her to show her face.

Xu was different; it was her first time in Changzhou, and no one recognized her.

"I gonna go see."

Madam Xu, who was already exuding an air of nobility, walked over with the air of a matriarch.

"What's going on?" Madam Xu stepped forward and pulled Granny Wu's hand away: "Why are you pulling on our two children?"

"who are you?"

Granny Wu became alert, and upon glancing up and seeing the elegant Xu Shi, she immediately dared not act rashly again.

"My little ones, what are you doing here? Where's your mother?"

Even with tears and snot streaming down their faces, it was still clear who was good and who was bad.

He turned around and grabbed the hem of Xu's clothes.

"Madam, Mother is missing, Madam..."

"Don't be afraid, just follow me. I'll have someone go find your mother later."

Granny Wu wanted to say something while watching this scene, but in the end she didn't dare to speak.

Those watching the spectacle, seeing Xu's splendid attire and air of nobility, had nothing more to say.

Ms. Xu led one person into the teahouse, one hand in each of theirs.

"Come on, go wash your hands and face first," Madam Xu instructed. "Xia Yu, right? Get some pastries for these two children to eat."

The two children washed their hands and sat down properly.

Xu could tell that he was quite intelligent and well-mannered.

"Here, eat." Madam Xu handed the pastries that Xia Yu had brought to the two children and let them eat.

Upon seeing this, the two children exchanged a glance and immediately knelt down in front of Madam Xu.

"Thank you for saving our lives, Madam. Please help us find our mother."

"This child, this child, get up quickly."

Mrs. Xu quickly helped the two of them up.

"Tell me your names, where you come from, and where you are going?"

"Madam, my name is Xiaoxi, and my brother's name is Xiaoqing. We are twins." The girl was precocious and articulate: "We come from Shu County. Our mother brought us to find our father..."

Through Xiao Xi's account, Xu learned that they were eight years old this year, and also that Shu County was even more chaotic than this place.

My father worked in a merchant house in Changzhou, and my mother was the daughter of a scholar from Shu County. She knew some characters. My maternal grandfather started teaching his children when they were three years old, and their studies were interrupted last year after he passed away.

Ms. Xu was deeply moved, realizing that children who have received an education are indeed different.

She was very clever and knew to avoid misfortune and seek good fortune. When both of them were pulled by strangers, she chose herself over Granny Wu.

She even knelt before Madam Xu, begging her to help her find her mother.

The title was also very important during the narration.

"What's your mother's name? Where did you get lost?"

Based on the description, it was learned that they were pushed out when the army entered the city.

They didn't see their mother being taken away.

In other words, they just got separated?

"Madam, why don't I send someone to search for them first?"

Xia Yu is also a kind-hearted person: "If they just got separated, their mothers should be looking for them too."

“Okay.” Madam Xu nodded: “Neither of you should go anywhere. Just wait for news in this teahouse.”

"Thank you, Madam, and thank you, sister."

"You're welcome. Are you hungry? Have some pastries to tide you over. If you're tired, rest here for a while." Madam Xu said, "Don't go anywhere until we find your mother. That old woman from earlier is no good person."

"Yes, Xiao Xi will obey Madam."

Mrs. Xu sighed.

"By the way, you said your father worked in a merchant caravan in Changzhou. Which caravan was it?"

"I'm not sure. Mother hasn't heard from Father for more than three years either."

There are several caravans in Changzhou, the largest being Zhou Qiye's caravan.

All we know is that their father's name is Yu Changfa.

He used to return to Shu County every now and then, but he hasn't returned for the past three years, and he hasn't sent any letters home.

After her maternal grandfather passed away, the mother and her two children depended on each other for survival. When they ran out of money, they sold off their property, and day by day they sold until they were left with only three rooms.

Two months ago, a rebellion broke out in Shu County. To avoid the disaster, their mother decided to bring her children to Changzhou to find their relatives.

Having finally arrived in Changzhou, they encountered rebel troops as soon as they entered the city gate. Amidst the surging crowd, the mother and her two children were separated in an instant.

After the rebels left, they searched for so long but couldn't find them, and they couldn't help but cry.

Unexpectedly, the crying attracted both bad and good people.

Xiao Xi and Xiao Qing stayed in the teahouse, and Madam Xu told Xia Yu about the matter of buying people.

"Madam, if you want to buy people, why don't you let my young master find some for you? The people he knows are all trained and quite good."

"Okay, okay."

Since it's for Nuannuan anyway, it's even better with Zhao Minghua's help.

Xia Yu quickly ordered someone to inform the young master.

Chun Ning and Madam Xu were waiting in the teahouse.

Zhao Minghua arrived very quickly.

Who are these two children?

He immediately noticed the child sitting next to Xu, who was neither from the Xiao family nor a neighbor from the village.

“These are Xiaoxi and Xiaoqing. They got separated from the adults, so I asked them to wait here,” Madam Xu said. “Chuning and I came here to buy a few maids and two maidservants for Nuannuan. Do you know any suitable maids?”

“Alright, I’ll go find Uncle Wu right now. He’s trained a group of people.” Zhao Minghua said, “Should we hand these two children over to the authorities?”