Chapter 386: How could they win?

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation  Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

After hearing Xiao Hanzheng’s explanation, the craftsmen were all shocked.

They didn’t expect the deputy governor’s wife to do such a thing.

Xiao Hanzheng still had a gentle smile on his face.

“I asked Deputy Governor Xiao to help hire some craftsmen in this county, and he proposed to use you in exchange for his wife.

“I’m a person who cherishes talents, so I agreed.”

When they began the conversation, he was indeed the one who suggested that his scumbag father help him find some skilled craftsmen.

That was why his scumbag father’s trusted aide hurriedly suggested exchanging the craftsmen for his wife, so he did not lie.

Back then, this pit had already been dug, and his scumbag father had jumped in.

It just so happened that his scumbag father’s trusted aide and personal attendant were still here.

“Back then, didn’t we talk like this?” he asked that trusted aide.

That trusted aide always felt that something was wrong, but it was indeed like this before.

Thus, he could only bite the bullet and nod. “Yes, that’s what we agreed on at the time.”

The personal attendant beside them thought to himself, as expected of the eldest young master, he had already thought of how to spoil his master’s plan of sowing discord.

To his surprise, Xiao Hanzheng had already come prepared before the negotiations for an exchange.

No wonder Master and Madam had been defeated by Xiao Hanzheng and his wife.

How could they win against these powerful minds?

He looked at the craftsmen and saw that none of them looked too good.

It was obvious that they were resentful that they had been deceived.

Furthermore, the deputy governor had abandoned them without hesitation because of their madam.

Anyone would be unhappy about this.

However, at this point, even his personal attendants could not save him.

He looked at Xiao Hanzheng and said, “Eldest young master, the people you asked for have arrived. When will you let Madam go?”

Xiao Hanzheng smiled. “Tomorrow morning, I will send someone to personally escort your Madam back to Northern City.”

The personal attendant didn’t think that Xiao Hanzheng’s action was out of good intentions.

His heart skipped a beat. “I don’t think there’s a need for that.”

“No, this is a must,” Xiao Hanzheng sneered.

“I want craftsmen and Deputy Governor Xiao personally picked them for you to escort to Heyang County.

“Since he wants to exchange your Madam, I naturally have to send someone to escort her back. This way, it won’t be considered impolite.

“And if I don’t escort her and something happens to her on the way, how am I going to explain it to your deputy governor?

“I can’t afford to give him a wife,” he said firmly.

In Xiao Hanzheng’s territory, what could Xiao Yuanshi’s personal guards do? they could only agree.

“Then I’ll have to trouble you, eldest young master.”

Would their eldest young master, who hated Madam so much, really be so kind as to let someone escort her?

He didn’t know what their eldest young master was up to, but he felt that something was wrong.

Xiao Hanzheng sneered and waved his hand.

“Then you should go back to the inn to rest first. Come to the county government’s gate tomorrow morning at seven and escort your Madam back to the Northern City together.”

“Then we’ll take our leave!”

The personal attendant had wanted to hear what Xiao Hanzheng would say to the craftsmen so that he could report to his master when he returned.

However, he had already asked them to leave.

He had no choice but to leave with the other trusted aide that came along.

After the two left, Xiao Hanzheng looked at the craftsmen and their families.

“Your indenture contracts are all in my hands.

“I only have one request from you. Do your job well and don’t betray me.

“You have five years. As long as you diligently complete the tasks I assigned you in these five years, and don’t leak any of the workshop’s technology or betray me.

“Five years later, I will return you and your family’s indenture contracts.

“Your descendants will no longer have to be servants.

“If they excel academically, they can also take the imperial examination, or take the money they have earned over the years to find a rich village and buy some land to settle down.

“And you won’t be sold or given away again.”

The imperial court allowed the descendants of merchants and craftsmen to take the imperial examinations, but it did not allow servants and their descendants to take part in the imperial examinations.

Xiao Hanzheng saw that these people’s originally dim eyes lit up.

“And for those of you who perform well in the workshop, I can allow your descendants to study at the school that will be built by the county government soon,” he added.

“In the future, even if they don’t take the imperial examination, they can still find a stable and decent job after getting rid of your status as a slave. For example, they can be a shopkeeper or accountant. It’s also less physically demanding.”

Upon hearing this, the craftsmen and their families were all shocked.

There was actually such a good thing.

Before this, they still had a lot of resentment in their hearts and didn’t have much hope for the future.

They felt even more lost.

But now, it was as if they had been injected with chicken blood.

The older craftsmen, in particular, wanted to cry.

They had no choice but to sign the slave contract back then, but it also caused their descendants to become slaves.

They thought that this would be their lifelong regret.

They didn’t expect that Deputy Governor Xiao’s son would actually return their indenture and turn them into good citizens.

One of the old craftsmen couldn’t help but say, “Are you speaking the truth, Mr Xiao?”

He couldn’t have tricked them into working first, right?

Xiao Hanzheng smiled. “Of course it’s true. I can sign a contract with you and record it in the county office.

“If I don’t follow the agreement, you can sue me.”

This was also a guarantee and a promise to give these people a peace of mind.

As expected, the craftsmen were relieved when they heard this.

One by one, they bowed to Xiao Hanzheng gratefully. “Thank you, Mr Xiao!”

Xiao Hanzheng was still smiling, but his eyes were sharper.

“I’ve given you a chance. I hope you will cherish it.

“If anyone leaks out what you were taught or asked to do, not only will he not be freed from slavery, but he will also be imprisoned if caught.

“This will also be indicated on the contract. We both have to follow it.”

It was impossible to just give them sweet dates, he also had to hang a rod above their heads.

If they betrayed, their descendants would not only continue to be slaves, but they would also have to go to jail.

The price to pay was not ordinary.

These people were stunned when they heard this.

They were not as relaxed as before.

However, it was understandable.

After all, which master would want to see a servant betray him?

“Yes, we do not dare to betray you, Sir.” They said in unison.

To be freed from slavery and be allow to let their children and grandchildren go to school would be their motivation to work for the next five years.

For the sake of their descendants, they had to go all out.

The workshop had not yet opened, and it would take some time for the emperor to send rubber to the capital by urgent delivery.

So Xiao Hanzheng asked the butler to arrange accommodation for these people first and let them follow him to renovate the courtyard behind the county government office.

After Shi Qingluo delivered the last batch of Russian dandelion seedlings and taught the villagers how to grow them, she returned to the county.

The courtyard had not been repaired yet, so they were still staying in the inn.

After she took a shower, Xiao Hanzheng came back from the county office.

He told her what had happened today.

Shi Qingluo laughed, “Your scumbag father is really efficient this time.

“Then I’ll go with you to Northern City tomorrow.”