Chapter 943: Chapter 941: Recruiting
Jiang Yifan’s tone, you could tell without listening that it wasn’t anything good! Zheng Pengfei endured and said, "You speak, I won’t get angry with you."
Zheng Pengfei was self-aware, Ye Xinyan was sharp-tongued, not someone he could easily deal with. Last year at the track construction site, with so many people and things, she never fell behind.
With her status, if she decided not to speak, no one could do anything, and he had no way. His passive stance was because the booklet was talked up by Ye Xinyan as something extraordinary, but whether it was really interesting, he had to see it first.
If it truly was a unique book, missing out would be a pity.
"In the home of the court’s former tutor Xing Yuyue..."
Jiang Yifan spoke while watching Zheng Pengfei’s body and hands, ready to block in case Zheng Pengfei couldn’t resist giving him a blow.
After Jiang Yifan finished, Zheng Pengfei clenched his fists tightly, knuckles turning white, with faint sounds of popping joints, his not-too-large eyes under thick brows glinting fiercely, staring at Jiang Yifan.
Jiang Yifan, this brat, even if Ye Xinyan didn’t value rules and formalities, couldn’t he at least try to stop this whim of hers?
Jiang Yifan spread his hands, "I advised Ah Yan, and Ah Yan doesn’t intend to force Big Brother Zheng. If Big Brother doesn’t want to, then just don’t look at that booklet."
Zheng Pengfei hesitated for just a moment, then snorted coldly, saying, "I’ll go back and burn that booklet." As he spoke, he intended to lift the curtain and jump out of the carriage.
Jiang Yifan grabbed him, "Why don’t you think it over again, Big Brother Zheng? Ah Yan said if Big Brother doesn’t want to steal that thing... she would think of another way, and the booklet wouldn’t be continued. That booklet is indeed fascinating."
Jiang Yifan naturally tried to persuade him; he wanted to read that booklet too.
What kind of troubling friend is this! Zheng Pengfei couldn’t resist the urge to want to give Jiang Yifan a blow.
Yet before finishing his words, this troublesome friend Jiang Yifan continued, "Actually, I have other thoughts on this matter, concerning Big Brother Zheng’s future, could you listen to me first?"
Zheng Pengfei stopped his movement.
"I feel that the matter of stealing the ledger is ultimately a hazard. There is a stealthy master thief in the capital, causing many to be sleepless, maybe even the emperor would be on guard. I thought of taking this opportunity..."
Jiang Yifan explained his thoughts in detail and asked Zheng Pengfei, "How does Big Brother Zheng feel?"
Zheng Pengfei stared at Jiang Yifan for a while before saying, "Stop beating around the bush. This is just you being a spokesperson for your wife. Doesn’t she want that military book? I’ll steal it for her. Then have someone else do the job afterward, it will still work."
"How can that work? Without an official path, it might get exposed any day, and that is a one-of-a-kind book." Jiang Yifan reminded.
Zheng Pengfei hesitated, truly confused by their couple’s pressure. Not stealing valuable items, not stealing marked things was his consistent principle, how had he suddenly forgotten!
"What about Prince Yu? If Prince Yu becomes emperor one day, how do we know if he will fear me?" Zheng Pengfei thought of Jinrong, who knew his skills, and wondered if Jinrong would fear him in the future.
Jiang Yifan laughed, "That’s different, isn’t it? If His Highness takes the throne, you won’t be in your current position, but a noble and prestigious person. Receiving the court’s official salary, enjoying the Son of Heaven’s honor, would also mean having constraints. Have you ever seen a marquis giving up good days to be a Great River Brigand?"
True.
Zheng Pengfei left with a word, "Bad companions!" and jumped off the moving carriage and left.
......
On this day, Ye Xinyan didn’t inquire whether Zheng Pengfei had read the story, but sent Shi Shu to deliver a three-thousand-word Chapter of the novel to Zheng Pengfei in the evening.
She planned to have a stable schedule, supplying Zheng Pengfei with a Chapter of the story every day. As for the extra Chapters written by Ge Wenjie, she would keep them in reserve, ready to release more when Zheng Pengfei agreed to take action, giving him a surprise, satisfying urge.
The story had yet to reach its great climax, making the current Chapters insufficient to fully entice Zheng Pengfei. Moreover, there was no rush for theft, as the rare military book had been with Xing Yuyue for many years, no hurry at this time.
Guangsha Construction had not been operating for long in the capital, but its business expanded swiftly. Recently, after repairing the wooden tracks, withdrawing personnel provided some relief. But with Qi Younian leading twenty core craftsmen to Yuanzhou, there was again a shortfall in the skilled craftsmen needed in the capital.
Continuing to expand the business elsewhere was inevitable, meaning more recruitment was necessary. However, as it was now July, the crucial construction period for all construction industries, skilled freelance craftsmen were scarce and very few of high skill were available.
Despite the recruitment notices having been up for days, there were few inquiries, and after skill-testing, those qualified to stay were even fewer.
Ye Xinyan was barely hopeful anymore, thinking that no new orders could be accepted for the time being.
Just as Jiang Yifan and Zheng Pengfei concluded their talk, and Zheng Pengfei started watching "The Smiling Proud Wanderer," Ye Xinyan happily went to work at Guangsha Construction.
The present Guangsha Construction hardly pleased Ye Xinyan. Zhou Biyao adhered to the fine tradition of Chinese people, following her spouse, Wong Qiao, back to Clear Water Village. Li Jingnian and other useful literary craftsmen also followed Qi Younian.
What remained for Ye Xinyan were the apprentices brought out by Li Jingnian and those previously fired by Liu Hansong.
Without Zhou Biyao, Ye Xinyan’s visits to the construction industry became inconvenient. Luckily, Yuan Shang thoughtfully hired a few family members of the staff working at Guangsha Construction Store to handle chores in the backyard and inside her residence.
Moreover, Xiuqin came to work at the construction industry every day, effectively being another woman doing official work there.
Ye Xinyan never used the store’s front entrance for work; she entered through the back door into the backyard, where Yuan Shang had already been walking around, waiting for her.
As soon as he saw Ye Xinyan, Yuan Shang hurried forward.
"What’s the situation? Still can’t recruit enough people?" Ye Xinyan asked. She hadn’t been there yesterday, and the previous day when she was busy with other things, there was barely one carpenter who could qualify, requiring Guan He to investigate his background before deciding if he could be hired.
Yuan Shang rubbed his hands while following Ye Xinyan into the room, saying: "Not quite, yesterday several good ones came, three of whom were indeed skilled. Today, even before opening, outside there were about ten people waiting, now they are all in the front hall."
"What’s going on? Are they trying to insert spies again?" Ye Xinyan paused briefly before continuing into the room.
Ye Xinyan entered the room and casually took off her Veil Cap, handing it to Jiu Yu.
After she and Yuan Shang took their seats, she gestured to Yuan Shang to continue.
Yuan Shang said: "Probably not, several craftsmen came yesterday. The three I looked were good. Two were freelancers, one having a falling out with his previous workshop head, quitting in anger; all claimed not to have known about our recruitment earlier. I asked Master Guan to investigate them, and they seem fine."
"What about today’s arrivals? Did they just learn about our recruitment?" Ye Xinyan asked. Was it possible that as soon as Guangsha Construction recruited, the insiders immediately spread the word like wildfire?