Chapter 79 – My Young Master is Pure and Unpretentious (1)
After experiencing my mother’s unjust death and nearly being wrongfully accused myself, Xu Ke’s perception of the gentry had sunk to an all-time low.
When he lost all dignity, treated like a mere commodity by others, he even fantasized about one day rising to prominence and exacting revenge on those parasites of the nation who were ignorant of people’s suffering, treating human lives like fodder, living off the fruits of their laziness.
However, these thoughts remained just that—thoughts.
Forget about those deeply rooted aristocratic families; even the local land gentry could easily control his life or death. Not to mention, he was nothing more than an office servant now, reduced from a commoner to a lowly man, carrying an indelible mark of humiliation on his face—hopeless for life.
Yet, being accidentally bought back by this special noble son before him seemed to open a completely different door to life.
He thought this young master would be proud and incapable of hearing a single unpleasant word, but unexpectedly, he turned out to be quite agreeable… Of course, Xu Ke wouldn’t see this young master as a harmless little rabbit just because he had heeded his suggestions a few times.
This guy was not an innocent little bunny at all; rather, he was a silent, seemingly lazy tiger that was extremely dangerous.
He accepted Xu Ke’s suggestions merely because they were indeed useful.
Nonetheless, Jiang Pengji’s reactions greatly exceeded Xu Ke’s expectations.
To describe it in modern slang, this noble young master was refreshingly pure and unpretentious, unlike those flashy and lowly folk outside!
For instance, right now…
He didn’t understand why the young master, clearly the only legitimate son of the Liu family’s second branch, who was discussed by the other servants as being immensely wealthy, was so well aware of the prices of rice and vegetables outside; how could he even remember the recent prices?
That aside, he could at most praise Liu Langjun for having an exceptional memory, a photographic recollection.
However… what was with the jovial chatter, as if he were a common farmer bargaining with merchants?
That stingy haggling left Xu Ke dumbfounded, creating an illusion that the second branch of Liu Residence was now so poor they couldn’t even afford food.
Xu Ke was not the only one dumbfounded; a group of live-streaming spectators were also shocked, dropping their snacks.
【Cafeteria Auntie】: The versatile streamer, even bargaining looks so stylish!
【Lan Cuiyu is unyielding】: Bargaining gives such down-to-earth vibes, but didn’t the streamer notice the merchants are about to cry?
【Wujiang Pickled Vegetables】: Hahaha, those merchants who were almost brought to tears by the streamer’s bargaining skills over the years.
【Fight Me if You Dare】: Relieved that the streamer doesn’t belong to this world; otherwise, that would be terrifying. As a veteran in the clothing business, I’d be so financially drained dealing with a customer like this that I might cough up blood!
A bunch of viewers cheered for Jiang Pengji’s bargaining skills; while they sympathized with the merchants, they still enjoyed the show.
However, among the crowd, aside from those only laughing, there was also Xu Ke.
“Young… Young Master, doing this…” Xu Ke hesitated to say that she was penny-pinching, which wasn’t a kind term. He worried about upsetting her, so he awkwardly let it slide, “…if spread by someone with intent, it would greatly damage your reputation.”
Bargaining like a gentry with merchants, even while maintaining a demeanor, would inevitably lead to a bad name once it leaked out.
Jiang Pengji laughed dismissively, “As if my name matters? The notorious reputation of the Liu Residence’s rogue is known throughout Hejian County! The manor certainly does not lack silver or grain, but one never knows the price of firewood without managing the household. These merchants see my fine clothes and young age, thinking I’m naive, and jack up the price from one coin to ten! Do I look like a fat sheep to them?”
【Poop Shoveler】: Ugh, is there any sheep as fierce as the streamer in this world? The ones getting slaughtered are clearly the merchants.
As soon as this comment was made, it received unanimous agreement from all the live-stream viewers.
So true!
Xu Ke silently looked up to the sky. After the Elegant Gathering that day, the reputation of the young master having exceptional skills spread, but it also came with mixed reviews of being a flamboyant rogue. Unfortunately, no one in the manor cared, and the person involved was more than willing to wear that reputation.
“Besides… If I don’t introduce myself, how would they know who I am? Later, if they ask, I’ll just say my name is Xu Xiaoyu, the book boy of Young Master Liu.” With those words, Xu Ke nearly stumbled backward.
Could it be that his primary task at Liu Residence wasn’t to assist with studies but to help the young master bear the blame?
After taking Xu Ke around, Jiang Pengji asked, “Did you note everything down?”
Xu Ke nodded. While his memory wasn’t as bizarrely precocious as Jiang Pengji’s, he could still remember it all.
“Good. From now on, you will manage all the expenses incurred by the house servants on the farm, keeping an account book, recording every single detail. You must strictly oversee their training; anyone daring to slack off will be punished without mercy. There are rewards for outstanding performance, as well. With the current shortage of manpower, it shouldn’t be too difficult to manage.”
Jiang Pengji bought Xu Ke back to have him manage internal affairs and supervise the training of the house servants, fitting multiple roles into one. According to Liu Zhi, he wouldn’t interfere with this matter, so everything had to be explored through her efforts.
In truth, she didn’t need anyone to meddle in her affairs.
Before Xu Ke could answer, Jiang Pengji added, “This is training and honing for you. Talking without practicing is mere empty talk. To validate your ideas, you ultimately must put them into practice. You don’t have to handle every little detail regarding the farm, but you must have a clear understanding to avoid being deceived. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of these purchases; there’s a lot to consider.”
The same items can differ in quality and price, and one can’t rule out the possibility of someone cutting corners to pocket a bit.
While these tasks may seem trivial, what if we look at the bigger picture or dive into the details?
There are plenty of nuances involved.
After a long while, Xu Ke remained silent, watching Jiang Pengji with a hint of astonishment in his gaze.
Jiang Pengji questioned, “What are you looking at?”
Xu Ke felt that his worldview was being reconstructed, and his impression of noble children had been reset.
He replied hesitantly, “I never thought… the young master would be so skilled in these mundane affairs.”
A noble son was more detailed in his understanding of pricing than he, a former commoner. He was supposed to be raised in the comforts of the inner chamber, wasn’t he?
“Ha, and you wanted to say that I was being stingy before? How come, in less than fifteen minutes, you’ve changed your mind?”
Xu Ke’s face flushed, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
