The discussions among the onlookers were overheard by the three martial brothers, who gradually understood the situation after listening for a while.
The grand sacrifice was not conducted within the provincial city. Instead, one had to travel by boat along the river to the sea. The vessel used was no ordinary boat. It required considerable pomp and circumstance. Preparations for the seaside sacrificial grounds and other matters also demanded significant manpower and resources.
The Wen family needed to assign quite a few people specifically to prepare for this event. Simply assigning a dozen or so hands would not suffice. A dozen people would not even be enough to modify a single vessel for delivering sacrificial offerings to the sea.
With so many hands reassigned, the household would suddenly lack too many people for daily operations, which was inappropriate. Therefore, whenever the grand sacrifice approached, temporary hands would be recruited.
This practice of recruiting people was not unique to the Wen family. All related families participating in the event would do the same.
In short, wishing to refuse serving as a supporting role in such a grand sacrificial occasion, or wishing to appear publicly in a formal capacity, was truly not something achievable without substantial family resources.
After gaining a general understanding of the situation, the three martial brothers departed and found a quiet spot by the river alley to discuss matters.
Nanzhu was the first to speak, asking his two junior martial brothers, “What do you think? Should we try to infiltrate?”
Yu Qing evidently had learned from past mistakes, or perhaps once bitten, twice shy. In any case, he had gained some experience. He muttered, “Why is it recruitment again? How is it that wherever we go, we stumble upon recruitment? Could it be like the Blue Sea Shipping Company, where they dug a trap and waited, and we actively jumped into it again?”
Nanzhu replied, “That is impossible this time. This is common knowledge. Even before the emergence of Jin Country, the Wen family already had this tradition. They could not have dug a trap a thousand years ago just waiting for you. Do you think we are that important? Old Fifteen, your hesitation is not like your usual style.”
The person in question was not actually hesitating, but felt an inexplicable sense of caution. For no other reason than matters related to “literature” had already given him psychological scars.
The capital city had been quite a torment.
Asking someone who had not read many books to spend a long time among a group of scholars, while pretending to be a once in a century great talent, would make anyone feel uneasy.
Those who claim they would not feel uneasy are simply speaking without understanding the burden.
Yu Qing countered, “What style do you want? Do you not always preach caution? In my opinion, there is no need to infiltrate. We could find a way to gather information, see which members of the Wen family can enter the library pavilion, and then arrange for them to help us look. There is no need for us to take personal risks.”
Nanzhu said, “Your point is reasonable, fine. However, I must remind you. We do not know if we can find a suitable candidate, nor do we know how long it might take. Yet this opportunity to enter the Wen family is right before us. Such chances may not come often in the future.
My suggestion is that we enter the Wen family first. Once inside, we do not necessarily have to take risks. We could also do what you suggest. Do you not think that after entering the Wen family, it would be easier to understand the internal situation and easier to identify candidates who can enter the library pavilion?”
Yu Qing hesitated, but had to admit that Old Seven made a valid point this time.
Mu Aotie, who had been silently observing the surroundings, suddenly spoke up, “Enter first while we have the chance. We can leave at any time if things do not work out.”
Yu Qing fell silent for a moment before finally making his decision. “Let us go. First, we prepare suitable identities.”
The three of them departed accordingly.
The three of them had at least this much experience. A prestigious family like this would not allow just anyone to infiltrate. They would certainly investigate your background. Without proper preparation regarding your identity, it would not be easy to blend in…
The following day, Yu Qing, now dressed in the attire of a labourer, arrived at the Wen family recruitment point, still at the side gate.
The person responsible for recruitment sat behind a table, looking listless and nearly dozing off from boredom. Still, hardly anyone had come to apply, which made Yu Qing feel somewhat uncertain.
Thus, he first approached a passerby to inquire. After asking, he learned that the issue still lay with the three month probation period.
For a prestigious family, offering slightly higher wages was certainly true. However, the employment lasted only three months. What then?
Those with steady work would not abandon their long term livelihood for slightly higher short term wages.
Unless they happened to be facing difficulties, or truly could not find any work.
Beggars, those with health issues, and the like were indeed eager to join the Wen family. However, given the Wen family standing, they would not accept such applicants.
So that was the reason. Only then did Yu Qing feel reassured and proceed.
“Are you still hiring?”
“Yes.”
The recruiter looked Yu Qing over and immediately perked up. After asking for his name, age, residence, and whether he had any illnesses, the recruiter quickly approved him. Then, he called someone over to escort Yu Qing inside.
The process was so simple and smooth that Yu Qing was somewhat surprised. There had not even been the most basic inspection.
Nevertheless, he had officially entered the Wen family compound.
Upon entering and observing the interior, one could tell this was a true prestigious family. Though it could not compare to the imperial palace he had seen in grandeur, its scale could still be described as magnificent. Within the high walls and large courtyards, pavilions and terraces stretched continuously. Walking through corners and nooks, one could only occasionally catch a glimpse of gardens bursting with flowers.
In such a large household, an outsider would surely get lost.
It was also understandable. The three martial brothers had previously inquired about the Wen family and learned that almost all the spiritual rice grown on Qinglian Mountain had always been managed by the Wen family for sale in the mortal world. Though the Wen family had left Qinglian Mountain, they had continuously served as the most reliable mortal world agents for Qinglian Mountain, diligently handling affairs. Accumulating such wealth was therefore not difficult to understand.
Feng Changdian, a man in his forties or fifties with a stern expression, was one of the internal stewards of the Wen family. He sat in a dimly lit small hall, looking Yu Qing up and down.
After the household servant who had brought Yu Qing introduced him and handed a slip to Feng Changdian, the servant departed.
“Niu Youqing…” Feng Changdian set down his teacup, glanced at the slip, and muttered. He then raised his eyes and asked Yu Qing, “Can you read and write?”
Yu Qing paused slightly, puzzled. Was this really necessary for a servant?
Noticing his confusion, Feng Changdian explained on his own, “Those who can read and write receive one extra copper coin per day in wages. That amounts to thirty copper coins per month, which is not insignificant. Additionally, the tasks assigned can be somewhat lighter, to avoid bringing disgrace upon literacy. This is the Wen family rule. These benefits are there for those with the ability to claim. If you do not have the ability, simply admit it honestly.”
Thirty copper coins. Yu Qing had long ceased to care about such an amount. However, doing less work was acceptable. He nodded immediately and said, “Does knowing a little count?”
At these words, Feng Changdian immediately pushed the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table towards him. He pointed to a hanging scroll decoration on the wall and said, “Copy the characters on it.”
Yu Qing immediately stepped forward, dipped the brush in ink, and deliberately wrote with a stiff hand, not wanting to make the characters look too good.
Back when applying at the Blue Sea Shipping Company, he had shown off his excellent handwriting to compete for the benefits of a foreman position. Now, with no benefits at stake, he naturally would not.
After finishing, he set down the brush and presented it for inspection.
Feng Changdian took it, glanced over it, and nodded slightly. Being able to write characters neatly was proof enough. After setting down the paper, his stern expression relaxed, and his gaze towards Yu Qing softened considerably.
In this world, most ordinary people could not read or write. Those who could, unless truly facing hardship, who would be willing to serve as a servant in another family?
Furthermore, there were certain tasks that those who could read and write could perform, which those who could not simply could not handle.
“Liu Gui.” Feng Changdian called outwards.
“Yes.” A young household servant organising items outside immediately ran in.
Steward Feng pointed at Yu Qing. “First, take him to collect his uniform. He will manage the storage room on the west side. Explain clearly to him what tasks he must perform, as well as the rules of the household.”
With these words, it meant Yu Qing had been truly accepted as a new household servant.
“Understood.” Liu Gui agreed, waving for Yu Qing to follow him.
The place to collect uniforms was in the adjacent warehouse. Liu Gui led Yu Qing to collect two sets of grey cloth clothing and asked Yu Qing to change into one set immediately, otherwise he could not move about freely within the household.
After Yu Qing changed in a corner and emerged, he noticed that although the style of his clothing was the same as Liu Gui, the colour was different. He immediately asked for clarification, “Brother Liu, why is your clothing blue?”
Liu Gui, leading the way, laughed heartily and said, “I was just about to teach you these rules. Remember this for the future. Only household servants wearing blue or higher ranks may enter the inner courtyard. You grey clad servants must never wander freely, and you are absolutely forbidden from entering the inner courtyard.”
He pointed to the high outer wall. “If you cannot temporarily distinguish between the inner and outer courtyards, just remember this wall. In the future, whenever you need to go back and forth for tasks, staying along the side of this wall will ensure you do not make mistakes. Unless someone permits it, do not venture into the inner pathways or gateways, and you will be fine. If the guards inside happen to be in a bad mood and beat you, causing some accident, you will have nowhere to complain. Under normal circumstances, no one will call for you to enter. As long as you do not wander, you will be fine.”
Hearing this, Yu Qing immediately understood why he had been recruited so easily.
To say he was now a Wen family household servant was flattering him.
People like Liu Gui were the true Wen family household servants. Someone like him was purely a short term peripheral labourer for the Wen family, unable to access anything significant. The Wen family simply did not bother spending effort to thoroughly investigate your background, because although you seemed to have infiltrated the Wen family, you had not actually entered at all. The tangible walls and intangible rules had isolated you on the outside.
So that was how it was. Yu Qing felt a twinge of regret, wishing he had not entered. However, since he was already here, he might as well observe the situation first.
Following the high wall around a corner and proceeding about twenty or so paces, they arrived at the gate of a small courtyard. Liu Gui pointed left and right as he explained, “From now on, every day, you must keep this stretch of road clean, from this corner to the side gate ahead. Sweep promptly if you see any dirt. Under normal circumstances, no one will make it dirty, so there should not be much to do.”
“Understood.” Yu Qing agreed.
Liu Gui then took a string of keys from his waist, detached a set, and opened the courtyard gate.
Inside was a very small quadrangle courtyard. There was only one well in the yard. The other rooms were clearly storage rooms.
Liu Gui opened each room one by one to show him. Inside were piled various sundries such as tables, chairs, brooms, and timber. “Whatever is stored in the warehouse, the number of items stored, and who has taken what, you must register each item clearly. Otherwise, if anything goes missing, it will be deducted from your wages.”
This simple task was something those who could not read or write could not perform.
Liu Gui brought Yu Qing to a small room beside the courtyard gate and pushed the door open. The furnishings inside were simple, with one bed and a table with chairs. “It looks rather simple, but this is your own space. Those who sleep in communal quarters are quite envious.
I managed this place before. With the hands all out on errands, I could not manage too many areas alone. Today, I am handing it over to you. Work hard. As someone who can read and write, as long as you perform to Steward Feng satisfaction and he speaks on your behalf, after three months, you still have a good chance of staying on.”