Dad, don't be greedy! My brother climbed into the emperor's bed, and I became famous overn

This name has recently caused quite a stir in Jiangzhou City.

Distributing ducklings, hiring female workers, paying three taels a month, and what's with this talk of building a paradise...?

It was widely circulated and spread like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys.

Zhang Luo, leaning on his cane, took a step back and opened the door wider.

"Please come in, sir."

Gu Mingyue stepped over the threshold and glanced around the room.

The two small houses were simply furnished but kept very clean.

A pair of old riding whips hung on the wall, their leather worn smooth, but the hemp rope wrapped around the handle was neatly bound.

A saddle leaned against the corner; although the saddle surface had cracks, it had been waxed and maintained.

On the table sat a bowl of thin porridge that was almost empty and two pieces of black bread. Next to it sat an elderly woman with gray hair and two little girls who looked about six or seven years old.

The two little girls were dressed shabbily, but their faces were clean and their braids were neatly tied.

Upon seeing outsiders enter, the two sisters stood up in unison and greeted them respectfully.

Gu Mingyue's gaze lingered for a moment on the old riding whip and the gleaming saddle.

My leg is broken, I've lost my job, and I'm so poor.

The whip and saddle were still spotless.

This shows that this person is dedicated and focused in their work.

He may not be willing to accept this.

Gu Mingyue withdrew her gaze and looked at Zhang Luo.

"Mr. Zhang, when will your leg be fully healed?"

Zhang Luo subconsciously touched his right leg, which was bandaged with a splint.

"Okay, you can walk normally now."

"Catching the train?"

Zhang Luo's Adam's apple bobbed.

"No problem! As long as you don't mind that I walk with a limp."

Gu Mingyue nodded and turned to look at Manager Qian.

"Please wait outside for a moment, Manager Qian. I need to speak with Master Zhang alone for a bit."

Manager Qian tactfully cupped his hands in greeting and left through the door.

The old woman and her two young maids quietly retreated into the inner room.

Gong Huo and Yi Wu stood side by side beside Gu Mingyue.

Gu Mingyue sat down at the table and spoke directly.

"Master Zhang, how did you hurt your leg?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhang Luo pursed his lips.

I feel somewhat wronged.

"Three months ago, heavy rains washed away several sections of the official road."

"The cart company received an urgent job to transport grain from Liuqiao to Jiangzhou City."

"The employer thought it was too expensive to hire two trucks, so he insisted on piling all the grain from both trucks onto one truck. I said it was overloaded and too dangerous to drive on that closed section of the road."

"The employer wouldn't listen. He said I was a fuss and a coward, and that if I didn't want to work, I should get out."

Zhang Luo's voice lowered.

"...I didn't leave. My mother and two daughters are waiting for dinner at home."

"When we got to that section of road that had collapsed, the axle broke. The whole truckload of grain overturned into the ditch, and I was thrown out and landed on a pile of rocks."

"His right leg broke on the spot."

He looked down at his legs.

"The trucking company fired me. They said the truck overturned because of my poor driving skills, and they'd blame me for the grain loss."

"I couldn't afford to pay the compensation, so they withheld six months' worth of my wages."

"I worked for nothing for six months, and I even lost a leg."

After Zhang Luo finished speaking, he fell silent.

Gu Mingyue looked at him.

He correctly predicted the overweight, road conditions, and axle situation.

The mistake was that the employer tried to save money, which led to an accident, and then shifted the blame to the driver.

She had seen this situation far too often in modern times.

When the boss gives bad advice, the subordinates take the blame when things go wrong.

But even knowing the consequences, this person still chose to drive.

Because someone at home is waiting for dinner.

He wasn't stupid; he was forced into a corner by life and had no other choice.

Gu Mingyue understood; she needed someone who valued job opportunities just like that.

"Master Zhang, I want to build a fleet of vehicles in Jiangzhou."

"A motorcade?"

"Yes. One hundred carriages, two hundred horses."

"Starting from the main city of Jiangzhou, we will run three routes: Qingshui, Liuqiao, and Baihe."

"Departs and returns at the same time every day. No cargo, only passengers."

Zhang Luo's fingers tightened their grip on the cane.

He drove carts for more than ten years, and at his peak, he managed eight carts and sixteen horses.

One hundred carriages...

His mind instinctively began to calculate.

One hundred vehicles are divided into three routes, and at least thirty vehicles are needed to rotate between each route.

Including spare vehicles and vehicles on rotation, there are sixty or seventy vehicles on the road every day.

Two hundred horses run in shifts, and they also need fodder, shoes, and veterinarians...

"Boss," Zhang Luo's voice was a bit more serious than before. "Excuse me for being blunt, but this business isn't profitable."

Gu Mingyue glanced at him with some surprise.

"I'm not doing this to make money."

Zhang Luo frowned.

He simply can't keep up with the thought processes of the wealthy.

Why get a hundred cars if you're not going to make money? Just for the sake of excitement?

Gu Mingyue didn't explain much and changed the subject.

"Master Zhang, Manager Qian said you've been driving long-distance carriages for the company for over ten years. You could drive the official road from Jiangzhou to the capital with your eyes closed?"

Zhang Luo nodded.

"I know everything: which road has potholes, which bend has a soft outer shoulder, where it's easy to slip in the rain, and which rest stop has sand mixed in with its hay."

He spoke slowly, but every word carried a weighty confidence.

That was experience gained through more than a decade of trials and tribulations, honed through countless lessons.

"Have you ever managed anyone before?"

"I've mentioned it," Zhang Luo answered readily. "At my peak, I managed thirty-six coachmen."

"How is it managed?"

"Check the axles and wheel hubs before setting off. Check the horseshoes after each trip. Record the mileage, load, and horse condition of each cart on bamboo sticks after work each day."

"I can tell who's horse is thin, whose axle is rattling, and who skipped feeding by being lazy. I can find out with just a bamboo skewer."

Gu Mingyue tapped her fingers lightly twice on the table.

Bamboo tag recording method.

Even uneducated people can manage effectively using the most basic methods.

"Master Zhang." Gu Mingyue's voice was calm and even.

"Would you be willing to take over managing this racing team for me?"

"One hundred carriages, two hundred horses, and two hundred drivers."

"Dispatch scheduling, route planning, vehicle maintenance, and personnel management—it's all up to you."

Gu Mingyue took out a contract from her sleeve and placed it on the table.

"Position: Commander of the Transportation Division of Pujitang, under the management of Manager Su Wan of the Textile Division."

"Monthly salary is five taels of silver. Full salary will continue to be paid during the leg injury period."

"You don't need to drive the carriage yourself. Just use your experience of more than ten years to manage those two hundred drivers and the caravan."

"Make sure every car goes out safely and comes back safely, with the carriages clean and the horses healthy."

Five taels of silver a month? He wouldn't even dare to dream of it!

He drove a cart for more than ten years, and the highest he ever earned in a month was only three and a half taels.

Zhang Luo's hand, which was holding a cane, clenched tightly. His lips trembled several times, and in the end, he could only manage to utter one sentence.

"Master, Zhang Lu's life is now yours!"

Yi Wu stood expressionless by the door, silently updating the intelligence in his mind.

The young lady has taken a fancy to another lame man.

[The known staff of Puji Hall so far includes: one unlucky scholar, one hoodlum, one cook, one widow, one poor scholar, and one lame man.]

The young lady's taste is perplexing.