Chapter 106

Chapter 106

When the current manager, Liu Guang, arrived with the elderly women and widows, everyone swarmed around them, eagerly bombarding them with questions.

"Manager Liu, how many people are you planning to hire? Will it be acceptable if they only know how to operate the loom but have never woven a complete fabric?"

"Manager Liu, are you also recruiting those who can dye silk threads?"

"Manager Liu, will we provide our own looms for weaving or will that be provided by your establishment?"

...

Liu Guang instantly broke out in a sweat. He called out twice, but his voice was drowned by the commotion. Eventually, he helplessly parked the carriage and stood on its platform. "Everyone, please quiet down and listen to me."

The clamor of the crowd gradually subsided, and they all looked up at Liu Guang with their necks craned.

Faced with the intense, envious, and longing gazes of the crowd, Liu Guang subtly shrunk back, anxiety creeping up his heart. Clearing his throat, he took a deep breath. "Didn't the notice say that if you're interested, you can go directly to the estate to look for them?"

"Steward Liu, I can't read!"

"What exactly does the notice say? Would you mind reading it out loud?"

"As for the job openings, we only learned about them from the aunts yesterday. How would we know what's written on the notice?!"

...

Standing on the carriage, Liu Guang finally grasped the entire situation. The notice had been posted, and it did have an effect. Whenever someone saw it, they would inquire, "What does it say?"

The aunts who delivered the soup and dishes would naturally respond, "Second Aunt is looking to hire women for work."

Thus, the notice served as a teaser, and its actual content was incomprehensible to most. Liu Guang wiped his sweat; he could only recognize a few simple characters and had no idea what the notice specifically stated. Fortunately, he knew the gist of the job recruitment.

Liu Guang raised his hand to signal for silence. "Everyone, please quiet down. Let me explain briefly. Lady Two is looking for female workers in three categories. The first is silk reeling, requiring neat and efficient hands, with an age limit of fifty. The second is dyeing thread, which demands good eyesight, so no presbyopia or similar issues, also with an age limit of fifty. The third is for weavers, requiring sharp eyesight, but they must not exceed thirty years old. Each position has a different wage, and for details, you can inquire at the estate. There will be someone there to guide you when you arrive."

"Thank you, Steward Liu."

"Steward Liu, what's the lowest possible wage?"

"Steward Liu, how many people are they looking to hire in total?"

Liu Guang spread his hands. "I have no idea about the number of workers or the wages. A few days ago, Headman Wang mentioned that it's mostly piecework. You'll be paid based on how much you produce."

"Aha, that's a good system. It prevents anyone from slacking off."

"It's indeed a sensible method, otherwise, conflicts might arise if one person does more work than the other."

Amidst laughter and chatter, they dispersed and headed straight for the manor.

Having gained experience from this stall, Liu Guang repeated his words at the other stalls. With his account, many promptly made their way to the manor.

At the manor, several registration points were set up. Xue Qing, Xing Huang, Hulu, and Ying'er were in the largest room, responsible for examining the weavers. Four elderly women stood at the entrance to maintain order, ensuring those seeking employment lined up and entered the room in groups of four.

Mei'er, Tao'er, and Feng'er oversaw the dyeing process, while Li'er, Liu'er, Zhuo'er, and Hua'er took charge of silk reeling. Lu Wei, accompanied by Mu Qing, Wan'er, Little Jade, and Ah Xue, also arrived at the manor that day. The four young maidservants ran errands for her, while Lu Wei supervised the overall operation, dealing with emergencies and inspecting materials that arrived for acceptance.

Meng Die had only Meihong by her side.

In the Nourishing Essence Pavilion, Wen Shi directly asked, "I didn't see Lu Wei yesterday, and today you're accompanied by Meihong alone. What about Hulu and the others? Aren't they here?"

Meng Die put down her teacup. "There's an issue at my manor. Apart from Meihong, even the four servants have gone there."

"Ahh?" The three Wens exchanged glances.

Madam Yao asked, "Second Sister-in-law, you only have one maid with you now?"

Madam Jin followed up, "Second Sister-in-law, how long will they be gone? Perhaps you should choose a few more?"

The housekeepers who had come to attend to the matter pricked up their ears instantly.

Meng Die was not too concerned. "This matter might take about ten to fifteen days to settle."

Wen: "What about you for the next ten days or so? Should I lend you Coral for a few days?"

Meng Die's eyes lit up. "Why not lend me Ruixue too? I've bought quite a lot and need to settle accounts and pay in silver. Lu Wei is overwhelmed with the calculations. Besides, there's also Ama Fan's work. It would be perfect if Ruixue could help Ama Fan while Coral assists Lu Wei."

Wen laughed in exasperation. "I lend you people to serve you, but here you are, sending them off elsewhere!"

Meng Die chuckled, and Yao and Jin covered their mouths, giggling uncontrollably.

Wen turned to Ruixue with a smile. "Didn't your Second Grandma tell you to help with the accounting? Quickly go back, gather Coral, and head to Ama Fan to do your tasks."

Ruixue smiled gently. "Oh, I see."

Meng Die spoke up, "Auntie Fan isn't home. I'll have Grandma Zhao from my courtyard take you to find her." Then, she instructed Meihong, "Go back and tell Grandma Zhao to prepare a carriage quickly. Auntie Fan is at the workshop."

"Okay."

Wen observed Meihong's departure. "It's not proper for you to have no attendants around you."

Yao and Jin chimed in unison, "Indeed." They exchanged glances before Yao continued, "Sister Hui and I will each contribute one person. That way, Second Sister will also have someone to run errands for her."

Meng Die beamed with joy. "In that case, I'll thank you both in advance."

Shortly after returning from the Nectar Pavilion, two young maidservants came to Meng Die's quarters to report for duty, claiming to be errand runners, but in reality, they were second-class servants personally assigned by Madam Yao and Madam Jin. Madam Yao sent Hongying, while Madam Jin dispatched Shuangxi.

With these two additional helpers, Meihong felt relieved, as she would have been overwhelmed with the workload alone.

Lu Wei and the others were away for a full half a month, and only then did they manage to gather all the necessary staff. Next, Xue Qing, Mei'er, and Li'er would instruct them in silk reeling, dyeing, and weaving. Those who failed to learn would be dismissed, and new recruits would be hired to replace them.

Seeing Lu Wei return alone, Meng Die was puzzled. "Why are you the only one back?"

"In a couple of days, when the aftermath is settled, Hulu and Xing Huang should be returning."

Meng Die: "What about the others? Are they still going to be occupied?"

Lu Wei: "Yes, they are. I need to take leave from Second Lady today, and I'll have to go back to the manor in two days."

Meng Die was speechless: "How do you manage things over there?"

Seeing Meng Die's rare expression, Lu Wei chuckled, her shoulders shaking with mirth. She explained, "Li'er has hired five hundred people for silk reeling. A hundred are in charge of sorting, peeling, selecting, and boiling cocoons, three hundred for silk reeling, and the remaining hundred for winding and inspecting. Managing such a large group with various tasks, how could she handle it all alone? Zuo'er and Feng'er have been enlisted to help. Feng'er oversees the silk reeling while Zuo'er manages the rest. They deal with minor issues, while Li'er makes the major decisions."

Meng Die fell silent for a moment before nodding. "Indeed, that's the way it should be. With so many people and tasks, one person would be overwhelmed."

Lu Wei continued, "The silk dyeing process requires not just dyeing but also washing, bleaching, and drying. It's a complex operation. Mei'er has also hired five hundred workers and kept Huar and Liuer to assist her."

Meng Die rubbed her forehead. "Alright then."

Lu Wei added, "Head Wang in the Wang Village purchased three thousand looms. Last year, sixty-four people from our village learned from Xue Qing, and the rest were recruited externally."

Meng Die, now quick to respond, said, "With such a large workforce, she'll certainly need more helpers."

Lu Wei chuckled. "She divided the silk carpet weaving process into four steps: connecting the corners and edging, with intricate patterns usually in the central area. Linking connects the corners and center, leaving no room for errors. Ying'er and Tao'er can weave complete carpets; now, each of them is in charge of one aspect. Snow Qing oversees the corners, edging, and overall supervision."

Meng Die took a deep breath. "Even so, it's quite a task. Let her manage it herself and hire two more assistants."

Lu Wei replied, "For weaving silk carpets, that should be sufficient. As the weavers become more skilled, their workload will eventually be lighter than the silk reeling and dyeing."

Meng Die nodded. "Their pay varies depending on their tasks, right? Plus, there's the purchasing of raw materials for dye-making and other miscellaneous expenses. Who's keeping track of all these?"

Lu Wei said, "That's another important matter I wanted to discuss today. Lady Jian, the second wife of Manager Yang, who is also our benefactor Rong, has been helping with Li'er's payroll and other accounts."

Meng Die was surprised, but mostly delighted. "Has she finally stepped out of the shadows of her husband's death and gambling addiction?"

Lu Wei replied, "Their entire family has almost fully recovered. Yang De and his eldest son were originally government brokers, skilled in managing affairs. Now, they're assisting Manager Fan, who is overjoyed and speaks highly of them nonstop."

"His wife and two daughters-in-law were also adept at socializing and entertaining guests. Although they still feel uneasy around unfamiliar men, they've regained their former liveliness among women. They can read and write, and are skilled in bookkeeping. Thus, they were recruited to fill various roles. Madam Hong, Yang De's wife, is keeping accounts and calculating wages for Mei'er, while Madam Du, his eldest daughter-in-law, is doing the same for Xue Qing's side."

Meng Die sighed in relief. "It's wonderful that they've moved on from that turmoil. With more interactions and time, they might fully recover. Since they're now helping with the management, you should discuss with Manager Fan to increase their monthly stipends. It wouldn't be right to exploit their labor without proper compensation."

Lu Wei agreed, "Yes."

Meng Die: "Also, discuss with Mother Fan about increasing Mei'er and the others' monthly allowances. Additionally, choose four pieces of jewelry from my dowry chest to give to Ruixue and the other three. Each of them should receive an extra five taels of silver. As for the silk carpets, since Second Uncle isn't here, we'll send them later. For now, deliver one to Grandmama, Lady, Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle, Fifth Uncle, Eldest Sister-in-law, Third Sister-in-law, and Hui Sister-in-law."

Lu Wei diligently noted down the instructions: "What about our own household? We're visibly short-handed. Even if we promote Wan'er and the others, it won't be enough. Moreover, seeing how quickly they've been promoted, selecting new servants might cause conflicts."

Meng Die looked down: "Granny Zhao and the others have been with me for several years as well. They've helped care for Mushu and Xigua daily. Perhaps they can fill in for Mei'er and the other second-class maids, and assign them specifically to look after the children."

A smile tugged at Lu Wei's lips: "That's a good idea. Then, should we add four more general-purpose maids?"

Meng Die: "Liu'er and the others are also absent, leaving vacancies for errand-running maids. Let Wan'er and the other four take their places, as you suggested. For now, let's not appoint new general servants. Just ask for four additional general-purpose matrons."

Lu Wei: "So we need eight serving women for that, right? That's fine too, it simplifies things."

Meng Die chuckles. "I think the eight women who used to tend the fire specifically for us would be suitable. They work efficiently and don't stir up trouble. Ask Nurse Zheng if they have any long-term assignments. If not, I'll take them all. They can handle all the rough chores like tending the fire, carrying water, guarding the gate, and clearing snow in the courtyard."

Lu Wei nods repeatedly. "They'll surely be willing."

The tasks might sound numerous, but they're not as overwhelming as one might think. This year, the manor has extensively cultivated mushrooms, so Meng Die and the household can obtain them directly from there. Her courtyard now only maintains one rack for preparing the mixture, solely for sending to the palace during the Spring Festival and for seed preservation.

As for watermelons, the manor has also planted a large quantity. Meng Die's responsibility is limited to hybridizing new varieties, while the consumption still comes from the manor. Therefore, Meng Die's workload has significantly reduced this year.

Meng Die recalled another matter, "I remember Yang De had two granddaughters whose faces were disfigured at a young age. How are they now?"

Lu Wei replied, "They're still young, and the ointment the Elder Madam gave them was effective. After such a long time of nurturing, the scars on their faces aren't very noticeable now. They can be concealed with rouge and powder, and they're not as timid as before. However, they still don't like to talk much or crowded places. Recently, their elders have been busy, so they've been staying in their rooms even more."

Meng Die pondered for a moment, "When you return in a couple of days, ask their family and also inquire directly from the girls if they would like to serve here. If they're willing, they'll be treated just like Wan'er and the others, working as little maids running errands."

Lu Wei nodded in agreement. This was purely to take care of the Yang sisters.

Following Meng Die's instructions, Lu Wei promptly took Wan'er and the others to deliver the silk carpets to each quarters. Everyone was amazed by the beauty of the carpets and felt delighted. Ruixue and the others, who received the reward, were even happier.

Having attended to the external affairs, it was time to address the internal matters. Everyone had been busy lately, and according to their efforts, they all received generous rewards.

Eventually, Lu Wei approached Nurse Zheng to convey Meng Die's intentions. Upon hearing this, Nurse Zheng immediately understood and nodded repeatedly. "Those few don't have permanent tasks. I'll assign them to work in the courtyard tonight."

With all arrangements settled, Lu Wei promptly returned to the estate to oversee operations. Mei'er, Li'er, and others took turns coming back to tend to their personal matters. The two Yang girls also came to Meng Die's courtyard. The older one was named Yang Wanqing, while the younger was Yang Wanying.

Once everything was in order, Hulu, Xing Huang, and Meihong officially rejoined the team, redistributing the tasks among the three of them. Finally, Meng Die's situation became thoroughly stable.

Half a month later, the tasar silkworms began to spin their cocoons. The women guarding the mulberry forest roughly divided into two groups. One group consisted of the women purchased two years ago, who had witnessed the silkworms last year and were now experienced. As soon as the silkworms started spinning, they were highly vigilant, starting their patrols at dawn, harvesting the cocoons immediately, and only returning to rest when the sun had set.

The other group consisted of courtesans who had come to seek refuge with Meng Die. Among them were those skilled in reciting lascivious poetry, singing seductive melodies, and performing alluring dances... Yet, these were merely tricks to please men; they possessed no genuine skills. They also avoided close contact with the other women. This year, they were assigned by Headman Wang to tend to the silkworms.

Given such an easy task, they cherished it greatly and worked with great enthusiasm. Their diligence inspired the purchased women to work even harder, and both groups began a silent competition.

One by one, they harvested the cocoons and delivered them to Li'er. Li'er promptly led her team to boil the cocoons and reel silk. The leftover pupae were sent to the kitchen, where they were fried and shared as snacks.

After reeling, the silk threads were sent to Mei'er, who started dyeing them. First, they were dyed and then left to air-dry in a shaded area. Once dry, they were dyed again – this second round was called fixing the color. After this, the silk could be washed to remove any excess dye, air-dried, and then used to weave silk carpets.

Upon receiving the dyed silk threads from Mei'er, Xue Qing took a deep breath. With Ying'er and Tao'er, they had rehearsed beforehand how to distribute the threads among the weavers, and then closely monitored their progress.

Many weavers were learning on the spot, and their inexperience led to numerous errors. At the sight of the once lustrous silk threads turning into a mess, quite a few lost their nerve. Would they have to compensate for the damage?

Observing the anxious weavers around her, Xue Qing reassured them, "It's not that easy to ruin it. It's just a matter of weaving the wrong warp or weft. I can fix it." Her implicit assurance that compensation wouldn't be necessary calmed their nerves.

The weavers didn't pick up on the subtlety in Xue Qing's words. Upon hearing that she could rectify the mistakes, they sighed in relief. "Oh, Miss, my mind wandered, and my hands made a mistake."

Xue Qing smiled. "At the beginning, it's common to occasionally mix up the warp and weft. Don't worry, take your time. Initially, focus on accuracy rather than speed."

The weavers blushed. Their wages were based on a basic salary plus commission system, with the commission calculated per inch of well-woven silk. Under such circumstances, who wouldn't want to work faster, as each moment saved meant more money earned.

Xue Qing declared loudly, "I understand everyone's eagerness to see the fruits of your labor, but this is not something that can be rushed. It must be done step by step. Once we get it all right, our speed will naturally increase. Otherwise, if you make even the slightest mistake and have to dismantle and start over, how much time will that waste?"

There weren't as many houses in this village, so Wang Zhuangtou chose a large open space. Now, everyone could hear Xue Qing's words. Upon hearing her reasoning, many calmed down, their restless hearts settling as they focused on weaving.

A small number, however, remained impatient and ignored the advice. When they did make mistakes, Ying'er had to help unravel their work and start again. Realizing that during the time wasted, others had managed to weave nearly two inches, they were filled with regret and no longer dared to force themselves to go faster.

Xue Qing's gaze swept continuously across the group, noticing that from the morning's chaos to the end of the workday, many had already become quite skilled at weaving. This brought her great satisfaction.

A matron approached with a smile. "Miss Xue Qing, the kitchen has boiled plenty of eggs this evening. After work, all the weavers can go and collect two each."

Xue Qing nodded and announced loudly, "Did everyone hear that? If you're willing, go ahead and take two to eat on your way home. It'll keep you going."

The crowd agreed.

Starting from the eighth day, people began finishing their tasks one by one. Using the markers they were given, they marked a corner of the silk tapestries they had woven with their own unique symbol. If there were any issues with a piece of silk, they could be traced back to its creator according to this symbol. This number was also reported to Madam Du, who kept track of each person's workload. Based on this, she would calculate their wages at the end. Once again, the Arabic numeral system proved its worth.

As Xue Qing inspected the submitted silk, she noticed the subtle tremors in the woman before her. She sighed deeply and said, "There's a mistake here. Take it back and fix it slowly."

Sweat immediately broke out on the woman's forehead. "Miss, I don't see anything wrong with it."

Xue Qing cast a glance at her, and the woman's lips quivered, tears welling up in her eyes but she dared not say anything more, instead, she reluctantly took back the silk, slowly undoing it to weave anew.

Seeing how meticulously Xue Qing inspected the work, two other women who had initially intended to deceive also grew timid. Silently, they returned to their looms, dismantling their work piece by piece to start over.

When it was time to wrap up for the day, several more women came to submit their finished pieces. Xue Qing examined them with great care, leaving no detail unchecked: "This one is very well done. Miss Du, mark this as an 'excellent'."

The woman whose work was being praised brightened up: "Miss Xue Qing, what does 'excellent' mean?"

Xue Qing's smile curled up at the corners of her eyes: "If you weave well and accumulate a certain number of 'excellents', there will be additional rewards."

The women were overjoyed, such great news!

Xue Qing raised her voice slightly, "Speaking of which, let me add something more. During the first month, we're all beginners, so any mistakes in weaving won't be counted. But after a month, any errors in the work you submit to me will be tallied. You're allowed a maximum of three mistakes within a year. If you exceed that number, you won't be able to continue working here."

"That's only fair," replied the woman who had just been praised, "Rewards for good work and penalties for poor work are indeed necessary."

"Indeed, without punishment, some would take advantage and try to deceive us."

"Exactly, they treat it as if it's not their own responsibility and just do a shoddy job. Then, when something goes wrong, everyone gets implicated together."

...

Amidst the chatter, all who spoke were in agreement. A few looked sullen, but under the pressure of the crowd, they dared not voice their opinions, suppressing their inner thoughts instead.

Xue Qing proceeded to inspect a few more items, all of which proved satisfactory with no errors or omissions. By the time she reached the last piece, the daylight had begun to fade. She placed a corner of the finished silk carpet on the table and said, "Ying'er, please fetch me the lamp."

"Alright."

An unnatural smile crept onto the face of the woman who had completed her task. "It's still early for nightfall, why light the lamp now?"

Xue Qing smiles radiantly. "For other tasks, it might not matter, but when examining silk, we must have ample light. If there's any mistake, I won't be able to justify myself to Second Madam in the future."

The woman responds, "Oh my, you're Second Madam's maid, a companion who grew up with her since childhood. How could you not fulfill your duties?"

Xue Qing replies, "It's precisely because of our lifelong bond that we should take extra care to preserve it. If we rely on past affection and act recklessly, even the deepest ties will eventually wear thin."

The woman's expression turns sullen.

"Oh, what a beautiful lamp."

"Ah, how exquisite!"

"Exquisite is one thing, but look at how radiant it is."

The weavers, just finishing their work, were captivated by the glass lantern Ying'er had brought over.

Ying'er placed the lantern before Xue Qing's desk, instantly illuminating the area as bright as daylight. The silk on the table was revealed in the finest detail.

Xue Qing slightly bowed her head for a meticulous inspection. Soon, she pointed at a spot with her finger, "There's an error here. Take it back, undo it, and weave it anew."

"Ah? A mistake? Let me see, where did I go wrong?" The woman followed Xue Qing's finger, examining the text up and down for a long while. "It seems there is indeed an error." The woman straightened up. "Miss Xue Qing, it's just a tiny mistake. Perhaps you could let it slide this time?"

Xue Qing's voice was gentle, yet her tone left no room for argument. "Not just a bit, not even half a bit is acceptable. If there's a mistake, it must be redone. Silk products have never been cheap; people spend a fortune on them, so why would they tolerate any imperfections?"

"Lotus Stem, retrieve it and refine your work once more."

Miss Xue Qing has a valid point. When we buy things ourselves, don't we also carefully examine them, refusing anything with the slightest imperfection?"

...the women around her chimed in with various pieces of advice.

Douzhi's face darkened. "Shop? We're both poor folk who can only afford to buy a few items a year. We have to be meticulous in our choices. Silk is for the wealthy; they can afford to overlook a piece or two."

She turned to Xue Qing. "Miss, the rich discard their clothes before they're even worn out. Would they care about such trifling mistakes?"

Xue Qing's expression turned grim. "A great dyke can be destroyed by tiny ants' nests. If I let one small error slide today and another tomorrow, the finished product will be riddled with problems. Who would buy it? Even if we manage to sell it by luck, would they still buy from us next time? Wouldn't we be sabotaging our own reputation?"

Douzhi raised her voice. "Why is it a problem here and a problem there? Isn't this just a minor mistake?"

Xue Qing gave a cold smile. "So you're saying that if you make a mistake, I should overlook it, but if someone else does, I should continue pointing them out. That way, there won't be as many errors, right?"

The group of women watching immediately looked at Douzhi with a different gaze.

Beanstalk snapped, "Stop beating around the bush and dragging others into this! And with your affected speech, what's the point? You're merely a servant in a noble household yet you act as if you're the master, picking and choosing as you please. You truly wield trivial matters like they're commands, only knowing how to bully us poor folk."

Ying'er, fuming with anger, attempted to rush forward, but was held back by Xue Qing. She watched silently as Douzhi raised her voice and lashed out in fury.

Observing Xue Qing's silence, Douzhi's angry voice faltered, "It's just a piece of silk, yet she insists on examining it thread by thread under the lamp. She's not afraid of damaging her eyesight. She herself comes from a humble background, but she forgets her roots now that she's in the manor. Tell me, among all wealthy people, who would inspect such an item like she does? Is it really necessary?"

Xue Qing's voice remained gentle: "Whether it is or isn't up to you to decide, it's up to me to say, even if I'm making a big deal out of a trifle, it's still my decision. You've made a slight mistake in your weaving, and if it's not up to standard, it's simply not up to standard."

"You..." Doudi pointed at Xue Qing in anger, "Tsk, you're truly a loyal dog to your mistress. I quit! Let's see how you'll control me now."

Xue Qing ignored her and turned to call, "Madam Du, could you calculate her wages for these past few days?"

Doudi was taken aback. She glared at Xue Qing with resentment. Why wasn't she getting angry or scolding anyone? Didn't everyone say Second Madam was a shrew? Then why was her maid as submissive as a noodle? "Tch! Who cares about working here? Anyway, I'm not doing it today. I'll expose all the dirty secrets around here and warn everyone. You probably didn't know, but every one of them here is of questionable character. They might even be infected with diseases."

Xue Qing spoke calmly, "Think before you speak. I won't hesitate to sue for defamation and slander."

"Defamation? Slander? Haha!" Doudi finally found an opening, "Do you dare say there are no prostitutes here?"

Lu Wei approached steadily from the other side. "What's wrong with courtesans? They've all redeemed themselves and are now law-abiding citizens. Besides, they at least understand the principle of being paid to do their job properly."

Douzhi's face flushed red instantly. This was an insult, implying she was inferior to a courtesan. She turned to the other women. "Listen to them. They admit it themselves – there are those despicable, seductive harlots here. Those silkworm cocoons were brought by those courtesans. Who knows if they carry any diseases that could contaminate the silk and infect you?"

"A-ah..." Many of the women looked alarmed.

Standing beside Xue Qing, Lu Wei addressed the rest. "We aren't afraid. Why should you be?"

The fear on many of the alarmed women's faces dissipated. Right, Miss Lu Wei and her companions weren't scared; why should they be? Miss Lu Wei and her friends lived in the manor, after all.

Upon seeing the situation turn sour, Doudi exclaimed, "Those enchantresses are skilled at seducing men. When your husbands come to fetch you, don't let them bewitch you. Otherwise, instead of earning some wages, you might end up being abandoned by your spouses. A man without a home is nothing."

The surrounding women instantly grew anxious, engaging in animated discussions.

Lowering her gaze, Lu Wei did not offer any reassurance, allowing their whispers to escalate.

"Miss Lu Wei, I'm not trying to meddle, but with so many decent women in this city, why hire those courtesans?"

"Yes, Miss Lu Wei. If we work alongside them, won't we be dragged down by their reputation?"

Dòu Zhī interjected, "Indeed, how can you maintain a good reputation working alongside courtesans? Discuss this with your husbands when you return home and see what they think. Will they still accept you or allow you to continue working here? No respectable gentleman would willingly have his wife associate with women of ill repute."

"True, even without courtesans, my husband avoids a widow in our alley, claiming she brings bad luck and forbids me from spending too much time with her," someone else chimed in.

Dòu Zhī replied, "You really don't know! There are quite a few widows here as well."

As Ying'er was about to speak, Xue Qing signaled for her to stay silent with a subtle glance.

With no interruptions, the conversation grew louder and more animated.

"This village is already filled with widows. Several of the women preparing the soup dishes there are widows themselves."

"That's...that's just too ominous."

"What's so ominous about it? A few years back, there was a severe drought that devastated countless families. Second Aunt took them in out of kindness; they were once decent women. The problem lies with those courtesans, indeed."

"Yes, yes, we can't have courtesans around. You didn't see it, but one time when I went to the north during the day, one of them came out - oh, the way she swayed her hips! It was as if she was trying to ascend to heaven."

"Swaying hips are one thing, but their gazes are like hooks. No man could resist them. What would we do if our men were to be lured away by their charms?"

"Even without luring souls, we can't afford to taint our reputation, for those courtesans care not for theirs, but we do."

"Indeed, our reputation is paramount. We must never be associated with such women."

"Our girls are still young, but in the dyeing and silk-reeling workshops, there are elders. Many of us have daughters reaching marriageable age. If a mother's reputation is ruined, how will her daughter fare?"

"Even if our maids aren't yet in talks for marriage, does that mean our reputation doesn't matter? They'll eventually reach that stage, and if anything were to happen because of us, it would be too late for regrets."

"It's not just about maids; even if a boy has a mother with a tarnished reputation, it could hinder his chances of marriage as well."

Amidst the rising chorus of voices, emotions grew more intense until someone finally spoke up, "Miss Lu Wei, we're all reputable women. We can't associate with those courtesans."

With one voice, more followed, "Miss Lu Wei, it's inappropriate to have courtesans here. You should dismiss them."

"Aunt Zhao is right, having courtesans around isn't proper. We shouldn't mix with them, always flirting and scheming. Who knows what trouble might ensue. Miss Lu Wei, I implore you to let them go. Just so you know, I definitely won't work alongside them."

"Indeed, I don't work alongside them either."

"We have no place among them."

"If we don't receive a clear explanation today, we'll all resign."

"That's right, we'll resign."

...

A woman stepped forward directly to Madam Du's desk. "Miss Lu Wei, I'm willing to work, but I refuse to do so alongside harlots. If you dismiss them, I'll stay."

Douzhi nudged the woman beside her.

Without much hesitation, this woman also approached Madam Du's desk.

Once the first and second did so, the third and fourth quickly followed... Before long, a line of about twenty or thirty women formed in front of Madam Du's desk.

Lu Wei, who had been keeping her eyes lowered and silent, finally raised her hand in a gesture to quieten everyone down.

After a few more exchanges, everyone fell silent, their eyes turning toward Lu Wei.