Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 747 - 0700 Old Servant (1)

Li Yuwen was amused by him, pulled him to her side, and hugged him, "Let’s go home, I’m tired and want to take a nap."

Seeing her gentle and lovable again, Pei Shenyan felt relieved and hugged her back.

After returning to the new house, Li Yuwen went to talk to Li Yuzhu.

Pei Shenyan immediately began to coordinate the arrangement of the new house.

Mu Yuanxiu saw him busy and approached with concern, "Brother-in-law, is there anything you need help with?"

Pei Shenyan waved his hand, "Ah, no need, it’s a small thing, no help needed."

He arranged an area of the East Courtyard to look like a bridal chamber, with curtains and draperies all in festive red. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Mu Yuanxiu curiously asked, "Brother-in-law, is someone getting married?"

Pei Shenyan, "..." He looked embarrassed, "No, this is the new home for Yuwen and me, I’m just redecorating it."

Mu Yuanxiu suddenly understood, smiled, patted his shoulder, and walked away.

It’s his own new home, no wonder he didn’t need others to interfere.

The servants in the house were few; apart from Zhou Zhaodi and Cui Xi who came along, there were only two gatekeepers sent by Old Madam Pei, and two chambermaids for cleaning.

Pei Shenyan arranged for one of the chambermaids to find a human trafficker from the street, planning to buy more servants.

When the human trafficker brought people over, Pei Shenyan did not make the decision on his own but instead called Li Yuwen to choose.

Twenty people stood in two rows in front of the small pavilion in the courtyard.

Half of them were staring wide-eyed at Li Yuwen, with an expression of disbelief.

They glanced at each other, wanting to say something but dared not speak.

"Whichever one you like, keep them, if not enough I’ll have the trafficker find more." Pei Shenyan said to Li Yuwen warmly.

Li Yuwen stared at these people, overwhelmed and not knowing what to say for a moment.

Of these twenty people, ten were originally servants of the Lu Ling Royal Mansion.

Back when the Lu Ling Royal Mansion’s family was about to be executed, Princess Consort Luling secretly got the news and deliberately punished some people, gave them a beating, but secretly gave a lot of money to have them leave the Capital.

However, the time was too rushed, and she was worried that if too many were sent away, it could arouse the Emperor’s suspicion and cause trouble.

Most of the servants followed the Prince Luling’s family to the jail.

After being imprisoned for more than half a month, the Prince Luling’s family was sent to Zhen An Prefecture, while the future of those who were imprisoned with them became unknown.

According to the current dynasty’s law, if the masters commit a crime, the servants will all be registered as low-class.

Those with good looks were sent to the palace for hard labor. For example, they would enter the heavily tasked Laundry Bureau, or deal with sick or deceased individuals in the Xiguan Bureau.

Other servants stayed in jail awaiting orders. When any official gained favor, the Emperor could reward these servants of criminal families to them.

Such people are generally not dared to be bought, for fear of bringing trouble upon themselves.

Unless one thinks these people have special value, then one would think of ways to buy them out.

And Pei Shenyan managed to bring ten people out at once!

"This one, her, and these few, I want them all." Li Yuwen contained her excitement and pointed to those ten old servants.

The human trafficker was very surprised. This young mistress has poor judgement, why did she choose all those who got into trouble?

These ten people together knelt down to Li Yuwen, "Thank you Young Mistress for taking us in."

"Is there enough manpower? Do you need to pick more?" Pei Shenyan glanced at the other ten, "There are still ten more."

"No, I’ll wait until I see good ones next time, today I just want these ten." Li Yuwen looked at Pei Shenyan, slightly smiling, "Thank you, husband."

"Yuwen, you’re welcome." Pei Shenyan held her hand.

There were ten people, five male servants, and five female servants.

Young male and female servants cost twenty taels of silver each, those less handsome fifteen taels each, the price was not cheap. Pei Shenyan gave the money to the human trafficker, verified the contracts, and handed them to Li Yuwen.

Li Yuwen looked at the names on the contracts, her eyes moist with tears.

Pei Shenyan knew Li Yuwen had something to ask them, so he made an excuse to attend to other matters and left.

In front of the small pavilion, only the ten old servants and Li Yuwen remained.

"Great Princess!" One of the women took a few steps closer to Li Yuwen, "Why have you returned to the Capital? What about the Prince and Princess Consort?"

The Prince Luling always dealt with family matters in a perfunctory manner, treating everyone generously, only showing cunning fox-like behavior to outsiders.

Princess Consort Luling, although shrewd in handling affairs, was generous in her actions, never being harsh to her servants in terms of food, clothing, shelter, and transport.

The siblings Li Yuwen had grown up with wealth and indulgence, never stooping to mistreat the servants.

Servants of the Lu Ling Royal Mansion enjoyed better treatment than those of other mansions.

As a result, whenever Li Yuwen had disputes outside, there would always be servants stepping in to discipline others for her.

Seeing Li Yuwen was like seeing a family member to them.

Many began to quietly cry.

Li Yuwen raised her hand to stop them, "Earlier, that Fifth Young Master Pei is my husband, he knows about my affairs, others don’t know my identity. You should call me Fifth Young Madam, and refer to my parents as Master and Mistress."

Everyone nodded in understanding, "Understood, Young Mistress."

Li Yuwen sighed softly, "It’s a long story, but to sum up, Master and Mistress are well, the eldest young master even has a son now. I’m married and can return to the Capital, they can’t come back yet, still in the countryside of Zhen An Prefecture. The family now has lands, houses, and servants, everything is good."

One of the old servants, once responsible for wiping tables in Prince Luling’s study, having watched Prince Luling grow up, get married, and have grandchildren, upon hearing the family was safe, he sighed, "That’s great, that’s wonderful."

"This time returning to the Capital, it’s not just me, Third Young Mistress also came, with Third Brother-in-law, they’re living in this house too, they’ve gone out for matters, you’ll see them later." Li Yuwen added.

"Ah? Third Young Lady got married too? How wonderful." Another woman wiped her tears, "Just two years ago she was still a clueless child, and now she’s married."

The ten were all well-known to each other.

Li Yuwen assigned their duties.

Two old male servants were arranged at the gate to guard it in turns.

One young male servant was assigned to the kitchen for procurement, another for buying miscellaneous items for the household.

One to drive the carriage.

One woman and one maid were arranged into Li Yuzhu’s West Courtyard, whether Li Yuzhu needed them or not, they had to manage the West Courtyard.

One was arranged in the kitchen.

Another woman and a maid, Li Yuwen kept by her side.

.

Pei Shenyan left Li Yuwen and called old servant Pei Ji to buy clothes and shoes for the new servants.

These people had been held in a ward dedicated to detaining servants of criminal officials in the West Market of the city. For two years, they hadn’t changed clothes.

They spent their days feeding and cleaning horse troughs for officials, their clothes ragged like beggars.

After changing clothes, they regained their former spirits.

By evening, Li Yuzhu and Mu Yuanxiu had returned.

Li Yuwen told Li Yuzhu about Pei Shenyan buying the servants.